SoftBank’s $30 Billion "All-In" Bet on OpenAI

In a move that has sent shockwaves through Tokyo and Silicon Valley, SoftBank is reportedly in talks to invest an additional $30 billion in OpenAI. This follows a massive $41 billion stake taken just last month.

• The Valuation: If finalized, this would value OpenAI at a staggering $830 billion.

• The Goal: CEO Masayoshi Son is reportedly liquidating assets (including SoftBank’s remaining Nvidia holdings) to fund OpenAI’s "Stargate" data center initiative—a $500 billion project aimed at maintaining U.S. AI supremacy over global rivals. Read more: SoftBank in talks to invest $30 billion more in OpenAI

EU vs. Google: The "Open Android" Order

The European Commission officially opened two major proceedings against Google today. Under the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the EU is demanding that Google give third-party AI developers (like Anthropic and OpenAI) "free and effective" access to the same Android hardware and software features that Gemini currently uses.

• The Deadline: Google has six months to comply or face fines of up to 10% of global turnover.

• Search Data: The EU also wants Google to share anonymized search data with rival AI chatbots to ensure a level playing field in the "Answer Engine" era. Read more: EU to Google: Give rival AI services equal access to Android

Cisco CEO Warns of "AI Carnage" and Market Bubbles

Speaking from London this morning, Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins gave a sobering reality check. While he believes AI is "bigger than the internet," he warned that the current market is in a bubble. He predicted "carnage along the way" for companies that are over-investing in AI without clear business models. Robbins noted that while infrastructure demand is high, the "ROI phase" has yet to arrive for many smaller firms. Read more: AI boom will produce winners and ‘carnage,’ says tech boss

Fujitsu’s AI "Solar Shield" and NTT’s Photonic Breakthroughs

On the technical front, Fujitsu announced a new AI model today that can predict solar radiation events with unprecedented accuracy. This is critical for protecting power grids and GPS satellites from solar flares. Meanwhile, NTT Group showcased its "AI-Resilient Infrastructure" using photonics, which aims to slash the massive energy consumption of 2026-era data centers by up to 40%. Read more: Fujitsu and Tokai University develop space weather prediction using AI

Prompt of the Day: The "Agentic Workflow" Audit

With OpenAI and SoftBank moving toward the "Agentic Era" (AI that doesn't just talk, but does), use this prompt to see how close your current tasks are to being automated by the next generation of 2026 models.

The Prompt:

"I am a [Insert your Job Title, e.g., Digital Marketer]. List my 5 most frequent digital workflows. For each one, evaluate if it is currently 'Conversation-Ready' (I talk, it drafts), 'Agent-Ready' (I give a goal, it executes across 3+ apps), or 'Human-Only' (requires physical presence or deep emotional nuance). For the 'Agent-Ready' tasks, tell me exactly which 3 software permissions an AI would need to do the job for me."