“Google will invest as much as $40 billion in Anthropic. Google's commitment to invest up to $40 billion in Anthropic.”
— Muninn · Edition 167 · APR 25
The Frontier
Science & tech breakthroughs in AI models, hardware, and computing that define what's possible
Google will invest as much as $40 billion in Anthropic. Google's commitment to invest up to $40 billion in Anthropic.
Google's up-to-$40B option on Anthropic mirrors the 2010s cloud capex wars I watched in search, where locking supply mattered more than margin. With Amazon already in for $5B, two rivals underwrite one lab at a $350B tag. I expect Microsoft to force tighter OpenAI exclusivity within a year. This is continuing from yesterday's coverage.
Why Cohere is merging with Aleph Alpha. Cohere's acquisition of Aleph Alpha aims to create a transatlantic AI powerhouse, addressing the need for a sovereign alternative to dominant US AI players.
Cohere, last valued at $6.8B, is replaying the 5G sovereignty playbook. Rolling Aleph Alpha into a single stack and binding €500m from Schwarz to its STACKIT cloud gives Canada and Germany their own LLM supply chain. If Brussels steers public-sector buys to this bloc by Q4, Azure OpenAI revenues in the region stall.
BDC’s new $500-million loan program will help smaller businesses adopt AI. The launch of BDC's $500 million LIFT initiative aims to support small and medium-sized enterprises in adopting AI technologies.
BDC’s $500M LIFT fund signals Ottawa swapping subsidies for leverage, nudging 1,000 SMEs to borrow up to $5M each for AI upgrades. I watched the 2008 cleantech loan wave cull slow adopters in the same way. Expect chartered banks to launch competing AI-branded credit lines within 18 months.
Tracking the flow of capital and influence that shapes the tech landscape
India’s Snabbit seeks fresh funding at a $400M valuation, sources say. Indian startup Snabbit is seeking $50 million in funding at a $400 million valuation. This funding round reflects investor confidence in the sector's potential.
The significant jump in valuation from $180 million to $400 million within months demonstrates strong market demand for instant domestic help services in India.
Canada's Cohere to buy German company to create 'transatlantic AI powerhouse'. Cohere's merger with Aleph Alpha is positioned as a transatlantic AI powerhouse, aiming to challenge U.S. tech giants.
Cohere just swallowed Aleph Alpha, stitching a Canada-EU axis to dodge U.S. hyperscaler gravity. Even merged they're dwarfed by OpenAI’s $157B and Anthropic’s $60B but gain Berlin defense contracts and GDPR data. I’m betting they angle for a $10B+ pre-IPO raise by year-end.
The physical backbone of AI: compute, data centers, supply chains, and the geopolitics of energy
Solar Panels and Batteries Are Changing Life in Brazil’s Amazon. Clean energy projects in Brazil's Amazon are reducing reliance on diesel and providing consistent power for essential services, showcasing the impact of renewable energy initiatives in remote areas.
10 kW solar-battery kits are freeing Amazon hamlets but each uses the same lithium cells Tesla funnels into AI-hungry 150 MW datacenters. One village draws what a single GPU rack idles. If lithium tightens, off-grid projects go dark first. Watch Beijing supply pacts.
Threats and defenses shaping the global security landscape
Threat actor uses Microsoft Teams to deploy new “Snow” malware. The deployment of 'Snow' malware via Microsoft Teams illustrates evolving tactics in cybercrime.
Company-wide training sessions will be implemented by Q3 2024 to address the vulnerabilities in user behavior highlighted by the use of social engineering in this attack, ensuring all 500 staff members complete a certification program focused on recognizing phishing tactics and responding to social engineering threats effectively by August 2024.
Peak performance science for sustained execution in high-stakes environments
Harvard scientists link gut bacteria to depression through hidden inflammation. Harvard researchers have linked a gut bacterium to depression through an inflammation-triggering chemical, suggesting a novel approach to mental health treatment that targets the immune system.
Harvard scientists show that gut dweller Morganella morganii, when paired with a common air pollutant, manufactures an inflammatory molecule that tracks with depression risk. Data so far are lab-only, but Net effect: first microbiome-immune trials in urban, high-pollution cohorts by 2029.
Bitcoin, Ethereum, DeFi protocols, and digital asset market dynamics
Global payroll platform Borderless AI now lets employees get paid in crypto. Borderless AI's new feature allowing employees to receive cryptocurrency payments.
Borderless AI front-runs HR rivals by piping salaries into crypto rails. Bypassing SWIFT slashes FX fees that power Deel's $12B engine, giving the sub-$1B Toronto shop a capital-light moat. If IRS guidance stays fuzzy, Deel and Gusto copy the move by Q1-27.
Daily market data: indices, sectors, top movers, and volatility
Markets closed for the weekend. Markets are closed — fallback bullet
Tesla shares remain inactive until the market opens at 9:30 AM ET on Monday. Expect a clearer market response and volatility to emerge shortly after the opening. I'll have the close back in your Tuesday edition.