Tokyo-based startup EdgeCortix plans to deliver samples of its next-generation Sakura-X artificial intelligence (AI) processor by the end of 2026, accelerating its production timeline to address the growing energy demands of AI infrastructure. The company is positioning the new silicon as a low-power alternative to Nvidia's dominant graphics processing units as data center operators and industrial users face increasing pressure to curb electricity consumption.

SpaceX is widely expected to pursue an initial public offering in mid to late 2026. In anticipation, investors have increasingly tied the company's long-term growth story to the idea of orbital—or space-based—data centers, making the concept one of the most closely watched themes in capital markets.

As Nvidia's value soars past US$5 trillion and SpaceX cuts launch costs, the next data center boom may not be on Earth at all.

At a rare public appearance, Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) startup DeepSeek issued a stark warning: the long-term advance of AI could upend jobs and disrupt social structures, and companies must act by openly disclosing which professions are likely to disappear.