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Microsoft has expanded its Azure Space program by leveraging SpaceX’s Starlink and Azure Orbital Cloud Access to deliver fast, direct-to-cell connections to U.S. first responders and public sector groups. This update delivers satellite, cellular, and fiber networks together so people working in remote areas can get secure, reliable, high-speed communications. Tests with the National Interagency Fire Center have shown how well this works.  

Primary Updates and Capabilities 

• Azure Orbital Cloud Access is currently being offered for user testing (“in preview”) and combines Starlink satellites with software-defined terrestrial networks. This setup helps deliver connections with minimal time delays (low latency).  

• 1st Responder Support: This service helps emergency teams stay connected, for example, by linking firefighters in remote locations to FireNet, a cloud-based app used to manage wildfires.  

• Direct-to-Cell & IoT: The system enables users and IoT devices to communicate securely and directly, even when regular networks are down.  

• Satellite partnerships: Along with SpaceX, Microsoft partners with ACS, Intel, and K, set to provide secure global satellite services across multiple orbits.  

• Security focus: This platform is built to meet strict US government security standards, leveraging AI and threat intelligence to guard against cyber threats.  

This expansion is part of Microsoft’s broader effort to make Azure the top choice for space-based data-intensive workloads and cloud-powered connectivity.  

Microsoft has provided an update on its Azure Space Platform, extending cloud services to remote areas and soon launching private previews of Azure Orbital Cloud Access for fast global cloud connectivity.  

Azure Orbital Cloud Access uses Jupiter Networks’ software-defined wide-area network (WAN) technology, which manages large-scale computer networks, to connect satellites to both wireless and fiber-optic networks.  

Microsoft began its Azure Space Initiative two years ago to position Azure as a key contender in the space and satellite cloud market.  

Last year, Microsoft released Azure Orbital for user testing (called ‘Preview’), letting customers control and communicate with Microsoft and partner satellites from ground facilities worldwide, without incurring additional costs to send data to Azure’s server network. The original service is now named Azure Orbital Ground Station, which allows Microsoft to offer various services, including the new Azure Orbital Cloud Access.  

Microsoft has also announced that, as your orbital ground station, its first ground station-as-a-service is generally available in partnership with Microsoft. The service enables satellite operators to focus on their satellites and use the cloud more reliably, reducing costs and latency, accelerating time-to-market, and enhancing security with Azure.  

Microsoft Azure Announces Several New Space Partnerships 

Azure Orbital products with partners, including:  

• Airbus  

• American Vol  

• Aero Space  

• Black Shark AI  

• ESRI  

• Unit Packet  

• Enterprise  

• iDirect  

• Intelsat  

• Kratos  

• KSAT  

• Loft Orbital  

• Lupia  

• Omni Space  

• Orbital Insights  

• SES  

• Sky Watch  

• SpaceX  

• Thales  

• Alenia Space  

• USA Electro Dynamics  

• Viasat  

• Explore  

By teaming up with these partners, Microsoft aims to bring satellite-based communications to enterprise cloud operations. Azure’s integration of 5G and satellite technology is designed to help satellite vendors transition from analog to digital systems.  

Microsoft has expanded its partnership with SES to launch the Satellite Communication Virtualization Program. This initiative will create a fully virtualized satellite ground network that supports a range of network functions and edge applications.  

The program will help industry players adopt standards more quickly and enable remote updates. It also simplifies introducing services like network slicing, new virtual functions, and edge cloud applications.  

Microsoft’s collaboration with KSAT and PIXEL centers on analyzing satellite data in Microsoft’s cloud, with a focus on services that derive insights from space-based observations.  

Microsoft provided an update on its partnership with Loft Orbital. They are developing an on-orbit computing system to build, test, and validate space software in Azure. They deploy applications to satellites using Loft’s infrastructure.  

The first Loft Satellite with Azure capabilities will launch next year, enabling governments and companies to deploy software applications directly to space hardware via Azure.  

Microsoft’s sustainability product team is working with Muon Space to develop enterprise ESG analytics products based on Muon’s Earth Systems data.  

Microsoft Starlink Combines Cloud Computing And Satellite Connectivity 

Microsoft is expanding space by partnering with SpaceX to merge Azure with Starlink’s satellite internet. The new Azure Orbital Cloud Access Preview for government customers will prioritize network traffic using SpaceX’s satellites and Azure Edge devices.  

Amazon Web Services, Microsoft’s main cloud competitor, launched its Aerospace and Satellite Solutions Unit and created AWS Ground Station and Project Kuiper, direct competitors to SpaceX’s Satellites in cloud and satellite connectivity.  

Google, owned by Alphabet, also partnered with SpaceX to connect Starlink satellites to Google Cloud, further advancing cloud-satellite integration.  

Alibaba is expanding its cloud reach in the Asia Pacific, launching new data centers to strengthen its presence in a competitive global market.  

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Source:  Microsoft (MSFT) Expands Azure Space Connectivity Offerings

Apple’s private cloud compute is a new, highly secure system for running complex AI tasks that go beyond what your device can handle. It is built to ensure user data is never kept or made inaccessible by Apple.  

With verifiable transparency, Apple enables external security experts to audit the exact code executing on silicon-based servers. This mechanism transitions privacy from a stated assurance to a technically verifiable property.  

How Apple’s Private Cloud Compute Ensures Deletion 

PCC operates as a stateless architecture, processing data only for the duration of each request and ensuring no persistence post-completion.  

• Cryptographic erasure: Data is destroyed immediately after fulfillment of the request. Through cryptographic erasure, recovery is invisible even if server hardware is compromised.  

• No Administrative Access: The design restricts even Apple administrators from accessing user data during processing.  

• Secure Enclave and Verified Boot: PCC integrates security features from iPhone and Mac, such as Secure Enclave and Secure Boot, to ensure only authenticated code executes on servers.  

How To Verify Data Deletion (Transparency Logs) 

Apple gives researchers and, in some cases, users ways to check these privacy claims:  

1. Audit logs column: Apple publishes immutable logs detailing all software deployed on PCC, ensuring tamper-evident record keeping.  

2. Virtual research environment (VRE): security researchers leverage a VRE, functioning as a private cloud compute node on an Apple silicon Mac, to verify software integrity and ensure no data is stored.  

3. Device-level verification: Devices verify, via cryptographic attestation, that a server is running code that matches transparency log entries before initiating communication.  

How Users Can View Their Own Data Usage 

While experts check the code, regular users can keep track of their own data used through the Settings app:  

• To view your data usage, open the Settings app. Tap Privacy and Security, then tap Apple Intelligence Report.  

• Functionality: This feature lets users create a report of requests sent to the private cloud compute, showing data for the last 15 minutes or the last 7 days.  

• Export Capability Column: Users can export the report as a .json file for closer inspection.  

Note: The Apple Intelligence report might be empty if no requests were sent to the cloud, since many tasks are handled locally.  

Apple Intelligence is our personal intelligence system that brings generative models to iPhone, iPad, and Mac for features that require handling complex data with larger models. We developed Private Cloud Compute (PCC), a new cloud intelligence system designed for private AI processing. PCC stands out by combining custom Apple silicon and a secure operating system to deliver end-to-end security, ensuring that personal user data sent to PCC is only accessible to the user, not even to Apple. This extends Apple’s device-level. We have developed privacy standards for the cloud, setting PCC apart from standard cloud AI approaches. We believe it is the most advanced security architecture ever created for cloud AI computing at scale.  

Apple focused on device processing to keep user data secure and private. When user data is managed in the cloud, we use security measures such as end-to-end encryption or temporary processing with random identifiers to protect user privacy.  

Making secure, private AI processing in the cloud is a challenge. Data centers use powerful AI hardware for complex machine learning models, but this requires unencrypted access to user requests, making end-to-end encryption unworkable. As a result, Cloud AI must rely on traditional security methods, which present key challenges:  

• Verifying and enforcing privacy in Cloud AI is difficult. If a service claims not to log data, this is hard to confirm. Software changes can introduce logging without detection, and load balancers might log many user requests during troubleshooting.  

• Delivering runtime transparency for AI in the cloud is difficult. Cloud AI services are often unclear about the software they use, and these details are usually kept private. Even if a service uses only open-source software that researchers can inspect, there is no common way for a user, device, or browser to confirm that it is connecting to an unmodified version of the software or to notice if the software has changed.  

• Limiting privileged access in cloud AI environments is difficult. Operations require ongoing monitoring, and during incidents, administrators use tools like SSH. Even with restrictions, enforcing access limits is hard. For example, administrators may inadvertently copy confidential data and steal credentials. Risk of user data theft. Apple devices like the iPhone and Mac can handle computation locally. The security and privacy benefits are obvious. Users control their own devices. Researchers can inspect both hardware and software, and secure boot ensures runtime transparency. Apple does not have privileged access. For example, the data protection file encryption system prevents Apple from disabling or guessing an iPhone passcode.  

However, to handle advanced requests, Apple Intelligence sometimes needs to use larger models in the cloud to meet our users’ security and privacy standards. We are extending our device security approach to the cloud.  

When PCC is available in beta, we will share more details and address researchers’ questions in our next post.

Source: Private Cloud Compute: A new frontier for AI privacy in the cloud 

News Summary 

• The Newton Physics Engine, now in NVIDIA ISAAC Lab, helps researchers and developers build more capable and adaptable robots.  

• The new ISAAC GR00T Open Foundation model enables robots to reason like humans. It breaks complex tasks into simpler steps and uses prior knowledge and common sense to finish them.  

• NVIDIA COSMOS world-based models let developers generate diverse data, enabling faster, scale-out training of physical AI models.  

• Researchers at top universities such as Stanford, ETH Zurich, and the National University of Singapore are using NVIDIA’s accelerated computing and software to advance robotics research.  

• Top robot developers such as Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Disney Research, Figure AI, Franka Robotics, Hexagon, Skild AI, Solomon, and Techman Robot are now using NVIDIA ISAAC and Omniverse technologies.  

NVIDIA announced today that the open-source Newton Physics Engine is now available in NVIDIA ISAAC Lab, along with the open NVIDIA ISAAC GR00T and 1.6 reasoning, vision, language, and action model for robot skills and new AI infrastructure. These technologies give developers and researchers an open first robotics platform that speeds up iteration, standardizes testing, unifies training with on-robot inference, and helps robots safely and reliably transfer skills from simulation to the real world.  

Humanoids are the next frontier of physical AI, requiring the ability to reason, adapt, and act safely in a volatile world, said Rev. Lebaredian, vice president of Omniverse and Simulation Technology at NVIDIA. With these latest updates, developers now have the three components to bring robots from research into everyday life:  

• ISAAC GR00T as the robot’s brain  

• Newton as their body  

• NVIDIA Omniverse as their training ground  

Newton Opens New Standard For Physical Simulation In Robotics 

Robotics learn faster and more safely in simulation, but humanoid robots with their complex joints, balance, and movements challenge today’s physics engines. More than a quarter of a million robotics developers worldwide need accurate physics so that the skills they teach robots in simulation can be used safely and reliably in the real world.  

NVIDIA announced today the beta release of Newton, an open-source GPU-accelerated physics engine managed by the Linux Foundation. Newton is built on the NVIDIA Warp and OpenUSD frameworks and was developed in collaboration with Google DeepMind, Disney Research, and NVIDIA. It is available now.  

Thanks to Newton’s flexible design and support for various physics solvers, developers can now simulate very complex robotic actions, such as walking through snow or gravel and handling cups and fruits, and then successfully deploying them in the real world.  

Recent adopters of Newton include respected research labs and universities like ETH Zurich Robotic Systems Lab, Technical University of Munich, and Peking University, as well as robotics company Lightwheel and simulation engine company Style3D.  

Cosmos Reason Enhances Robot Thinking in the New Open Isaac Gr00t N1.6 Model 

Robots need to interpret uncertain instructions and adapt to unfamiliar situations to handle real-world tasks.  

The newest ISAAC GR00T N1.6 robot foundation model, coming soon to Hugging Face, will include NVIDIA Cosmos Reason, an open, customizable reasoning vision-language model designed for physical AI. Cosmos Reason works like the robot’s brain, turning implicit instructions into step-by-step plans. It uses prior knowledge, common sense, and physics to help robots handle new situations and perform a wide range of tasks.  

Cosmos Reason has been downloaded over 1 million times. It currently ranks highest on the physical reasoning leaderboard on Hugging Face. It can also organize and label large sets of both real and synthetic data for model training. Cosmos Reason 1 is now available as a simple NVIDIA NIM microservice for deploying AI models.  

ISAAC GR00T N1.6 now allows humanoid robots to move and handle objects simultaneously. This gives them more freedom in their torso and arms, making it easier to do challenging tasks such as opening heavy doors.  

Developers can further train GR00T models with the open-source NVIDIA physical AI dataset on Hugging Face. Users have downloaded this dataset over 4.8 million times, and it now offers thousands of artificial and real-world examples.  

Top robot makers like AeiRobot, Franka Robotics, LG Electronics, Lightwheel, Mentee Electronics, Neura Robotics, Solomon Techman Robot, and UCR are testing ISAC GR00T-N models to build general-purpose robots.  

Launching New Cosmos World Core Models for Physical AI Development 

NVIDIA has announced new updates to its Open Cosmos WFM (World Foundation Models), which have been downloaded over 3 million times. These updates let developers generate a wide range of data to speed up the training of physical AI models at scale using text, image, and video prompts.  

• Cosmos Predict 2.5, coming soon, combines the strengths of three Cosmos WFMs into a single model. This reduces complexity, saves time, and improves efficiency. It can generate longer videos up to 30 seconds and supports multi-view camera outputs for world simulations.  

• Cosmos Transfer 2.5, also coming soon, is 3.5 times smaller than the previous and delivers faster, higher-quality results. It can create photo-realistic synthetic data, meaning lifelike images and scenes generated by computers from 3D simulations and spatial control inputs such as depth segmentation, edges, and high-definition maps.  

A New Workflow For Teaching Robots To Grasp Objects 

Teaching a robot to pick up an object is one of robotics’ hardest challenges. It goes beyond moving an arm; it turns concepts into precise actions, a skill robots learn through trial and error.  

The new Dexterous Grasping workflow in the developer preview of iSight Lab 2.3, built on the NVIDIA Omniverse platform, trains robots with multi-fingered hands and articulated arms in a simulated computer-generated environment. Using an automated series of progressively more challenging training tasks, the workflow adjusts technical factors such as gravity (which affects how objects fall), friction (which determines how surfaces slide against each other), and object weight, helping robots learn skills in unpredictable settings as well.  

Boston Dynamics Atlas robots used this workflow to learn grasping, which greatly improved their ability to manipulate objects. Top robotics developers such as Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Figure AI, Hexagon, Skild, AI Solomon, and Techman Robot are now using NVIDIA ISAAC and Omniverse technologies.  

Testing Learned Robotic Robot Skills in Simulation 

Teaching a robot a new skill, such as picking up a cup or walking across a room, is very challenging. Testing these skills on a real robot takes a lot of time and can be costly.  

The solution lies in simulation, which enables testing a robot’s learned skills across countless scenarios, tasks, and settings. Even in simulation, developers tend to build fragmented, simplified tests that do not reflect the real world. A robot that learns to steer a perfect, simple simulation will fail the moment it faces real-world complexity.  

NVIDIA and Lightwheel are joining forces to help developers run complex, large-scale simulation tests without having to start from scratch. ISAAC Lab Arena, their freely available framework for scalable experiments and standardized testing, will be available soon.  

New NVIDIA AI Infrastructure Enables Robotics Workloads Anywhere 

NVIDIA announced an AI infrastructure designed for the most challenging workloads, enabling developers to leverage advanced technologies and software libraries.  

NVIDIA GB200/NVL72 is a rack-scale system with 36 Grace CPUs and 72 Blackfire GPUs. Major cloud providers are using it to speed up AI training and inference. Tasks include intricate reasoning and physical AI tasks.  

• NVIDIA RTX Pro Servers, which offer a single hardware and software architecture for every robot development workload, including: Model training, Teaching robots to perform tasks using data, Synthetic data generation (creating simulated data to use in development and testing), Robot teach learning (enabling robots to improve at tasks through algorithms), Simulation (virtually testing robots before real-world deployment). RTX PRO servers have been adopted by the RAI Institute.  

• NVIDIA’s Jetson Thor, powered by a Blackwell GPU, lets robots run multiple AI workflows, such as intelligent interactions, and enables real-time on-robot inference. This is a major step forward for high-performance physical AI tasks and applications, such as humanoid robotics. Partners such as Figure AI, Galbot, Google DeepMind, Mentee Robotics, Meta, Skild AI, and Unity have adopted Jetson Thor.  

NVIDIA Advances Progress in Robotics Research 

NVIDIA technologies, including GPUs, simulation frameworks, and CUDA-accelerated libraries, were referenced in nearly half of CoRL’s accepted papers, with use across leading research labs and institutions such as Carnegie Mellon, University of Washington, ETH Zurich, and National University of Singapore.  

CoRL also featured BEHAVIOR, a Robotic Learning Benchmark project from the Standard Vision and Learning Lab, and Taccel, a high-performance simulation platform for advancing vision-based tactile robotics developed by Peking University.  

Find out more about NVIDIA’s robotics research at CORL, taking place from September 27 to October 2 in Seoul.

Source: NVIDIA Accelerates Robotics Research and Development With New Open Models and Simulation Libraries 

Story Highlights 

• Dell is reviving its XPS laptops with the new XPS 14 and XPS 16, and will bring back the XPS 13 later this year at its most affordable price yet.  

• Alienware will double its laptop lineup to reach more gamers, introducing anti-glare OLED displays and new Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors, as well as AMD 2nd Gen Ryzen 9000X3D processors for desktops.  

• Dell Alienware is launching two new monitors, including the world’s first 52-inch 6K display.  

Dell Technologies is growing its consumer and gaming lineup by reviving the XPS laptop line with new designs and pricing, expanding Alienware’s range, and debuting two new ultra-sharp monitors.  

Perspectives 

Jeff Clark, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer at Dell Technologies, said, “We’re getting back to our roots with a fresh focus on consumer and gaming. XPS is back, better than ever, with a complete redesign that delivers outstanding craftsmanship in our thinnest, lightest form factors yet. We’re also bringing back the XPS 13 as our most accessible XPS ever. In gaming, we’re building on recent momentum and effectively doubling Alienware’s notebook lineup. These moves are about broadening our portfolio and expanding our coverage so we can reach more customers with the best products at every price point.”  

XPS Returns With Complete Redesign 

Dell re-introduces the XPS line with a streamlined design for the first time. The XPS logo appears on the cover. The XPS 14 and XPS 16 feature CNC-machined aluminum, improved interfaces, sharp displays, and strong performance. They lead the industry in battery life, up to 27 hours of Netflix or over 40 hours of local video playback.  

These are Dell’s thinnest laptops, measuring just 14.6 mm. The XPS-14 weighs roughly 3 lb, more than half a pound lighter than the previous generation, and the XPS-16 weighs almost 3.6 lb, lighter than its predecessor. Available with Tandem OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display options and Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors. The built-in Intel Arc graphics feature 12 XE cores, specialized processing units that enhance graphics performance. The new XPS line delivers impressive visuals with a balanced focus on portability and performance.  

Later this year, Dell will add more XPS models in new styles and prices, including the XPS 13, the thinnest, lightest, and most affordable XPS yet.  

Alienware Expands to Reach More Gamers 

Alienware expands its laptop lineup with an ultra-slim 17mm gaming laptop combining high performance and portability, and a new entry-level laptop for greater affordability. These updates aim to broaden Alienware’s reach across gamer types.  

With these additions, Alienware offers choices for everyone, from dedicated and casual gamers to those with hybrid interests.  

Alienware debuts antiglare OLED displays on the 16 Area 51 and 16X Aurora laptops, delivering stunning OLED visuals with breakthrough anti-glare technology. Responding to one of the community’s top requests, these displays let gamers experience the deep blacks, vibrant shades, and exceptional contrast of OLED in any lighting condition. These laptops, along with the Alienware 18 Area 51, feature the powerful new Intel Core Ultra 200HX processors. Additionally, the Alienware Area 51 desktop is equipped with AMD’s new Ryzen 9850X 3D processor and 3D V-Cache technology, pushing the ceiling of gaming performance.  

Industry-Leading Dell UltraSharp Monitors 

Dell is introducing two new monitors.  

The Dell Atreshop 52 Thunderbolt Hub monitor is the world’s first 52-inch 6K monitor and the first monitor to achieve the highest tier 6 of TUV Rhineland Low Blue Light certification. It is designed for financial traders, data scientists, engineers, and executives who need maximum screen real estate without a multi-monitor setup.  

The Dell UltraSharp 32 4K QD OLED Monitor, ACS 2026 Innovation Award honoree, is the world’s first commercial display HDR True Black 500 QD OLED monitor with anti-glare, low-reflectance (AGLR) technology. Two years ago, Alienware brought QD-OLED to gamers. Now, with enhanced panel efficiency, improved HDR performance, and anti-glare technology, Dell is bringing QD-OLED to creative professionals who demand perfect color precision in any lighting condition.  

For details, including pricing and availability, visit www.dell.com/ces2026.

Source: DELL TECHNOLOGIES AT CES 2026: XPS Returns, Alienware Expands and UltraSharp Monitors Set New Standards 

News Summary 

• AMD has launched the Ryzen AI 400 and Pro 400 series of processors. The Ryzen AI 400 series targets consumer and gaming systems, offering up to 60 NPU TOPS for Co-Pilot + PCs and advanced AI features, while the Pro 400 series is tailored for business applications.  

• The Ryzen AI Max models extend these capabilities, bringing powerful AI and graphics to slim laptops, workstations, and compact devices for creators, gamers, and developers.  

• AMD introduced the Ryzen AI Halo, a mini PC, distinct from the processors above. Halo runs on Ryzen AI Max + performance and targets AI developers who need an out-of-the-box mini PC platform for rapid edge AI development.  

• In addition to its AI lineup, AMD announced the Ryzen 7 9850X 3D, the company’s fastest gaming processor, built on Zen 5 and AMD 3D V-Cache technologies. Unlike AI-oriented chips, this processor is purpose-built for peak gaming performance and is designed exclusively for gamers.  

• Alongside these product launches, AMD announces robust yearly growth in OEM adoption of Ryzen AI processors, with more consumer, business, and gaming systems set to launch through 2026.  

• The new ROCm 7.2 software for Windows and Linux now supports Ryzen AI for 400 series of processors for use with Comfy UI.  

Highlighting its ongoing efforts, AMD introduced its latest mobile and desktop processors at CES 2026, emphasizing expanded AI capabilities, gaming performance, and business features across a broader range of systems.  

Continuing the business focus, AMD also introduced the Ryzen AI Pro series, specifically for business laptops. This series features AI acceleration, robust security, and management capabilities distinct from consumer-focused models.  

With AI now central to PCs, AMD is expanding its hardware and software lineup to accelerate AI use. For example, the new Ryzen AI Halo platform’s ROCm7.2 support for Ryzen AI 400 series and an AI bundle for Adrenalin Edition make AI development and use easier and faster.  

For gamers, AMD is introducing a new top gaming CPU, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D. It improves on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D by 400 MHz, offering even better gaming performance. Ready on users will also get FSR Redstone, which adds machine running frame generation and upscaling to the latest AAA games, moving AMD closer to a complete AI computing platform.  

AI is changing what PCs can’t do, and AMD is at the forefront, said Jack Huynh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of AMD’s Computing and Graphics Group. We are making smarter, faster, and more compelling experiences possible for everyone.  

Introducing the AMD Ryzen AI 400 series and AMD Ryzen AI Pro 400 series 

AMD launches Ryzen AI 400 and Pro 400 series for consumer and business Co-Pilot + PCs. Built on XEN5 and XDNA2 NPUs, they deliver up to 60 TOPs of NPU AI compute and meet Co-Pilot + PC requirements. With up to 12 CPU cores, built-in Radeon 800M graphics, and faster memory, these chips offer strong performance, long battery life, and smart features across many devices.   

The Ryzen AI Pro 400 series is designed for businesses and modern IT needs. It offers strong performance, advanced security with AMD Pro technologies, easy management, and sustained reliability. These benefits translate to enhanced data protection, simplified service deployment, and reduced downtime for IT teams. IT teams can confidently upgrade their systems, knowing these processors offer reliable enterprise-level features and the same AI capabilities as the rest of the Ryzen AI Pro 400 series. This gives business users a consistent, high-quality experience and IT decision makers great performance and value.  

With the latest Ryzen AI processors, AMD is helping move AI PCs from early adopters to everyday tools by providing fast AI-powered services such as real-time translation, intelligent suggestions, and local data processing. For privacy, these new chips offer greater computing power, broader device compatibility, and an improved on-device user experience, helping users work and create more efficiently. Alongside our partners, the Ryzen AI 400 series is driving the next generation of fast, smart computing that delivers phenomenal AI benefits for everyday tasks.  

Pricing and Availability 

Systems with AMD Ryzen AI 400 series and Ryzen AI Pro 400 series will be available from top brands like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Gigabyte, and Lenovo starting in Q1 2026. Desktops with the Ryzen AI 400 series will launch later in Q2 2026.

Source: AMD Expands AI Leadership Across Client, Graphics, and Software with New Ryzen, Ryzen AI, and AMD ROCm Announcements at CES 2026 

On March 2 at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2026, Intel and Ericsson announced an expanded partnership to accelerate the telecom industry’s adoption of AI-powered sixth-generation wireless networks.  

The partnership extends their decades-long relationship and focuses on developing compute infrastructure, connectivity systems, and cloud platforms for commercial 6G deployments.  

Ericsson, valued at about $38 billion, ranks among the top three telecom equipment vendors worldwide alongside Nokia and Huawei.  

The company primarily serves wireless carriers but is expanding into enterprise markets with 5G and cloud-based communication platforms.  

The partnership targets technical areas like:  

• Radio Access Networks  

• Packet Core Systems  

• Edge Computing  

• Security Systems  

They will collaborate on standards and ecosystem readiness to enable operators to launch AI-native networks rather than just add AI to existing systems. At the event, both showcased joint technology projects in their booths.  

Moving From Research To Practical World Use 

Borje Ekholm, Ericsson’s President and CEO, called the initiative a move from minor network upgrades to full infrastructure redesign.  

6G is not simply an iteration of mobile technology. Ekholm said it is the infrastructure that will distribute AI across devices, the edge, and the cloud. Ericsson’s long history of network innovation and large-scale operator deployments enables us to lead practical integration across the value chain and move 6G from research into commercial reality.  

Global standards groups are still developing sixth-generation wireless standards, and the industry expects commercial rollouts in the early 2030s. 6G is designed to offer speedier data speeds, lower latency, and support for more devices than 5G.  

Industry groups say that 6G’s main feature is to embed machine learning and AI into the network, from the start, rather than adding them later to systems not designed for them.  

Lip-Bu Tan, Intel’s CEO, described the company’s technical priorities within the partnership. Intel’s ambition is to be the undisputed technology leader in combining RAN, core, and edge AI to enable an effortless transition to AI-native 6G environments. Tan said: “Together with Ericsson, we will continue to demonstrate that the future of network connectivity is open, power-efficient, secure, and grounded in intelligent AI inference.”  

Open Connectivity refers to network designs with standardized interfaces that enable operators to use multi-vendor equipment.  

This method, called Open RAN, helps operators avoid reliance on a single supplier, lowers overall deployment costs, and gives smaller equipment makers a chance to compete with larger companies.  

The partnership aims to accelerate and optimize AI workloads across the network by using AI-optimized processors at cell sites and edge locations and by building systems for both network processing and machine learning on unified hardware.  

Intel’s Xeon processors will be used in cloud RAN systems, while future Ericsson chips will use Intel’s manufacturing technology.  

AI For Networks And Networks For AI 

The companies are forging ahead to achieve two ambitious goals: harnessing AI to revolutionize network operations by managing radio resources for casting traffic and seamlessly automating infrastructure management.  

The second goal involves building networks specifically designed to support AI applications running on devices and in cloud environments. In this vision, compute and connectivity are treated as integrated rather than separate layers, directly linking to the evolving operational needs enabled by AI.  

This integrated design contrasts with today’s mobile networks, where most computing happens in data centers and on users’ devices. Looking ahead, processing will be spread out across the network using radio equipment and edge servers for distributed computing, reflecting the demands of emerging AI-powered applications.  

Further, supporting this evolution, the plan also includes adding sensing abilities to the network. With these enhancements, the infrastructure can notice and react to what’s happening around it, not just move data from one place to another.  

Ericsson and Intel’s long-standing collaboration on cloud-based radio access and 5G core systems sets the stage for their latest venture. A 6G partnership focused on maximizing energy efficiency, championing open interfaces, and embedding cutting-edge AI.  

Industry groups like 3GPP are gearing up to launch official work on 6G standards, with the world eagerly awaiting the commercial debut of 6G technology projected for 2030-2032.

Source: Intel and Ericsson Partner Up to Accelerate AI-Native 6G Networks 

Microsoft has introduced Effective Settings reporting to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, launching in March 2026. This feature allows Security Admins to see the actual security policies enforced on each device, rather than relying solely on intended configurations.  

Key Features of Effective Settings 

• Actual configuration visibility: displays the security settings enforced on a device, including antivirus, attack surface reduction (ASR) rules, and any exclusions.  

• Source tracking lets you see whether Intune Group Policy (GPO) or a local setting is controlling each policy.  

• Conflict resolution: identifies when different sources try to set a policy but fail, and helps you troubleshoot conflicts more easily.  

• Centralized reporting column: find this feature in the Microsoft Defender portal under Device Inventory. Go to Configuration Management, then the Effective Settings tab.  

Benefits for Security Teams 

• No guessing: admins can confirm security policies are applied, reducing risks.  

• Easy troubleshooting: see exactly why a setting may not work.  

• Accurate, real-time data replaces outdated policy info.  

This feature bridges the gap between intended and actual policy enforcement, especially in mixed environments, using GPO, Intune, and Configuration Manager.  

In addition to Effective Settings, recent updates to the Microsoft Defender portal offer new ways for security teams to view and manage critical files and data.  

Microsoft has significantly improved configuration and vulnerability reporting features.  

Microsoft now makes it easier to track release notes and platform updates.  

This month, Microsoft introduced new features and improvements for Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. These updates boost security, visibility, and management options for businesses.  

Microsoft is previewing a new library management feature in the Defender portal. With this feature, security analysts can now view and manage files and scripts used during live response. The preview provides a central list of all uploaded files and their details. Analysts can also upload, view, and delete files outside live response sessions.  

The Effective Settings tab, available under Device Inventory in Configuration Management for commercial customers, lets administrators see which configuration values are actually applied, their sources, and helps spot any policy settings that did not apply to reduce security gaps.  

Upgraded Device Vulnerabilities Report Experience 

Microsoft has released an updated Device Vulnerabilities report. The new report no longer includes the section showing vulnerable Windows 10/11 versions over time. It now only provides a device group filter and offers limited historical data. The changes give an immediate, clearer view without waiting 30 days.  

Vulnerable Components Page Renamed To Software Components 

Microsoft has renamed the page previously called “Vulnerable Components” to “Software Components.” This change reflects that Defender Vulnerability Management now covers all software components in an organization, not only those that are vulnerable.  

Finally, there’s a naming update: the “What’s New” page is now “New Features in Windows Defender for Endpoint.” This page features both new features and direct links to the latest release notes. Now, release notes for all supported operating systems appear on a single unified page, making it easier to review updates across platforms, as older pages redirect to this consolidated view.

Source: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Updates Boost Visibility and Control 

NVIDIA announced GTC, the leading conference on AI and accelerated computing, will be held March 16-19 in San Jose. Over 30,000 attendees from more than 190 countries, including developers, researchers, business leaders, and AI-focused companies, will gather to see how AI is becoming essential infrastructure for a new industrial era.  

GTC is the epicenter of the AI era, said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. AI is no longer a single breakthrough or application; it is essential infrastructure. Every company will use it. Every nation will build it from energy and chips to infrastructure models and applications. Every layer is advancing simultaneously, and you will see it come to life at GTC.  

What To Expect At GTC 2026 

On Monday, March 16, at 11:00 a.m. PT, Huang will deliver the keynote at the SAP Center, outlining NVIDIA’s latest advances across the entire AI stack:  

• accelerated computing  

• AI factories  

• open models  

• agentic systems  

• physical AI  

The keynote will set the industry’s direction for the year. It will be available live or on demand at NVIDIA.com; registration is not required.  

GTC will cover the AI stack’s five layers:  

• Energy   

• chips  

• Infrastructure  

• Models  

• Applications  

Attendees will learn about the technologies, partners, and jobs relevant to each layer and see how their combination drives major infrastructure expansion.  

1000+ Sessions: GTC will offer sessions on topics such as:  

• AI factories  

• large-scale inference  

• robotics  

• digital twins  

• scientific computing  

• quantum computing  

• enterprise AI developments  

Highlights include:  

• hands-on tutorials in AI development  

• panels for robotics breakthroughs  

• in-depth discussions of quantum applications  

• real-world case studies of enterprise AI  

These presentations will cover how to build, scale, and optimize each AI layer and show them working together in practical scenarios.   

Huang will also lead a discussion on Open Frontier Models and Future Directions with leaders from A16Z, AI2, AMP, Coalition, Black Forest Labs, Cursor, Reflection AI, and Thinking Machines Lab.  

The GTC Live Keynote pre-game show starts on Monday, March 16, at 8:00 a.m. PT, featuring industry leaders discussing accelerated computing beyond AI and the five-layer stack behind major infrastructure projects. The ecosystem is needed for worldwide project delivery. This show will be available live online. Notable speakers include:  

• Perplexity CEO Aravin Srinivas  

• LangChain CEO Harrison Chase  

• Skilled AI CEO Deepak Pathak  

• Open Evidence CEO Daniel Nadler  

• Mistral AI CEO Arthur Mensch  

In addition to talks, hands-on training and certification will be available. Developers and engineers can build in-demand skills in AI, accelerated computing, networking, data science, and physical AI through:  

• over 60 hands-on labs  

• on-site certification opportunities  

Self-paced courses, educator programs, and personalized training consultations will also be available to support workforce growth for the expanding AI infrastructure.  

Startups, investors, and the AI ecosystem:  

• Over 240 NVIDIA inception startups will showcase technology in Physical AI, robotics, generative AI, and enterprise applications.  

• There will be dedicated programming for startups and venture capital.  

• An AI Day with top venture firms and NVentures.  

• Engagement sessions to connect founders and investors working across every layer of the AI stack.  

Developer and Research tracks at GTC: Developers can learn directly from NVIDIA engineers and partners, and connect with the global community to build the next wave of AI applications. Technical deep dives, CUDA sessions, and infrastructure workshops will cover large-scale model training, inference optimization, and the deployment of AI services across cloud, edge, and sovereign environments.  

More than 150 poster presentations will present cutting-edge research from the global AI community, covering model innovation, robotics, systems, architecture, and new AI applications.  

AI Across Industries and Around the World will transform downtown San Jose into an AI campus across ten venues. Cesar Chavez Park will feature a day-and-night market with food, entertainment, and live programming. The All In! The podcast will host interviews from the show floor on Wednesday, March 18. On Thursday, March 19, Student and Community Day will offer discounted rates to the wider community.  

Recognizing global audiences, GTC will also provide virtual programming with customized regional content through the online session catalog.  

Additionally, GTC features a global lineup of leaders: representatives from organizations that span every layer of the AI industrial system, including cloud platforms, model labs, application developers, and robotics companies, who will share how AI is increasing productivity and driving change across industries.  

Participating Organizations:  

• Adobe  

• Agile Robots  

• Agility AI2  

• AMP Coalition  

• Black Forest Labs  

• Canva  

• CodeRabbit  

• Cohere  

• Cursor Energy Systems  

• Cursor  

• Dassault Systems  

• Decagon  

• General Motors  

• Giant Spark  

• Goggle DeepMind  

• HuggingFace  

• IBM Research  

• IdealWorks  

• Inception Labs  

• Johnson&Johnson  

• Kimmy (Open Parentheses)  

• Moonshot AI  

• L’Oreal  

• Lucid Motors  

• Magic AI  

• Meta  

• Microsoft  

• OpenAI  

• Poolside  

• Physical Intelligence  

• Reflection AI  

• Runway  

• Siemens  

• Shopify  

• Snap  

• Tesla  

• Together AI  

• Thinking Machines Lab  

• Uber Electronic Technologies  

• Universal Robots  

• The US Department of Energy  

• Vention  

• and others  

NVIDIA Financial Analyst Q&A 

On Tuesday, March 17th at 9:00 a.m. PT, NVIDIA will hold a Q&A session for shareholders and analysts. The webcast will be available at investor.nvidia.com.

Source: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and Global Technology Leaders to Showcase Age of AI at GTC 2026 

Key Takeaways 

• Amazon is taking a major step to support the power grid and ensure that customers’ power bills will not rise due to data centers by joining the White House Energy Pledge.  

• We cover all data center energy costs, including expenses for new power resources and grid improvements, ensuring we support local infrastructure without shifting costs to customers.  

• Since 2020, Amazon has ranked among the world’s largest buyers of carbon-free energy.  

• Amazon has launched over 700 carbon-free projects and provides more than 40 GW of energy.  

Today, Amazon is proud to have signed the ratepayer protection pledge at the White House. We appreciate the administration’s leadership on this issue. The pledge sets an important standard for protecting customers and supporting responsible, long-term energy partnerships that strengthen the grid and the communities where our data centers are located.  

We build and operate data centers responsibly, covering all costs and investing in new energy sources to strengthen the grid and support local communities.  

These efforts create skilled jobs, generate significant local tax revenue, and support job-training programs, directly benefiting surrounding communities.  

We understand that rising utility costs are a concern for American families. While data centers are often discussed in this context, independent studies show they are actually helping keep rates lower, even as other factors drive costs up.  

When we build data centers, we help upgrade the grid. Meeting growing energy needs helps keep electricity affordable and reliable, and supports economic growth and competitiveness.  

Amazon Contributes To America’s Electricity System 

Amazon fully pays for its electricity and invests in new generation and transmission infrastructure in our communities by working with local partners to meet future demand without passing costs to customers.  

For example, we have participated in utility rate proceedings in Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, and Virginia to ensure we protect ratepayers and pay the full cost to serve our data centers. For Amazon, paying the monthly power bill is only part of what it takes to run a data center responsibly. We also pay for additional infrastructure to deliver that power to our data centers, including new transmission lines, substations, and other grid upgrades.  

We use long-term utility agreements, such as minimum demand charges, financial guarantees, and multi-year commitments, to ensure that Amazon covers all data center costs and does not pass them on to households or small businesses.  

Amazon’s Grid Modernization Benefits Local Communities 

At the same time, Amazon’s commitments provide utilities with the capital and certainty they need to invest in major initiatives that serve households, businesses, and local communities.  

• Recently in Indiana, a collaboration between Amazon and NIPSCO resulted in an agreement expected to provide approximately $1 billion in cost savings to NIPSCO customers over 15 years, while also supporting Project Rainier, an AI compute facility. Additionally, Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) announced rate reductions due to increased revenue from data center growth, which is helping lower local customers’ costs.  

• In Louisiana, Amazon’s full funding of our new data center campus—covering all energy infrastructure and grid upgrades enhances reliability and ensures no additional costs for SWEPCO customers.  

• In Mississippi, Entergy’s $300 million grid transformation to cut outages by 50% is funded by Amazon and other large customers, so there is no additional cost for residential customers.  

• In Pennsylvania, our agreements ensure that Amazon pays for transmission system upgrades, helping local electric utilities lower costs and benefit all energy users without increasing household rates.  

At Salem Township Data Center Campus in Pennsylvania, our investment provides direct financial support for the Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant, helping ensure ongoing, safe, and reliable energy for local residents with no additional cost to consumers.  

How Amazon is Helping Power America’s AI Future 

The American economy is expanding, driving energy demand across sectors such as advanced manufacturing, transportation, and imaging technologies like AI. This growth highlights our economic strength but requires faster grid modernization. Utilities, regulators, policy makers, and energy providers must collaborate, aided by smart policies, streamlined permitting, and ongoing investment.  

Amazon supports this effort by making long-term energy commitments and investments that strengthen America’s energy future. Since 2020, we have led corporate purchases of carbon-free energy, with over 700 projects providing more than 40 GW of capacity, enough to power over 12 million American homes.  

These projects supply carbon-free energy while creating thousands of local construction and permanent jobs. They bring new energy resources to homes, hospitals, and schools, keeping costs affordable and enabling vital technologies.  

We are also developing the next generation of nuclear power. In Washington, we agreed to develop advanced small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) capable of providing up to 960 MW of power. We invested in X-energy, a leading U.S. company developing SMRs, to help create over 5 GW of nuclear energy by 2039. We also work with national labs such as Idaho National Laboratory and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, using our AI technology to help them develop safer and more advanced nuclear fusion and fusion power.  

A Responsible Way Forward 

By signing the ratepayer protection pledge, Amazon supports affordable, reliable energy for customers, invests in new grid enhancements, builds responsibly, and collaborates to ensure the digital economy benefits all.  

While we continue grid upgrades, more must be done. Outdated transmission lines and permitting delays challenged competitiveness. We urge bipartisan action to support innovation and secure America’s energy edge.  

We invite government, industry, and community stakeholders to support and accelerate the transition to a resilient, modern grid. Taking action now will protect ratepayers, increase infrastructure investment, and secure America’s affordable energy future.

Source: A responsible path forward for America’s energy future 

Meta will invest $600 billion in US Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure projects through 2028, fueling economic growth in 30 states with new data center construction jobs. The company outlines steps to protect regional economies and has joined the White House’s ratepayer protection pledge, designed to shield Americans from negative impacts.  

A recent Meta blog post outlines how investments in XAI could benefit Americans and support affected communities.  

Meta said its AI-optimized data centers and infrastructure are an investment in the future of the American economy. The company believes AI will create skilled jobs, boost productivity, help businesses grow, and support scientific research.  

Meta highlighted how these projects will immediately benefit American workers.  

Meta’s AI projects create construction jobs and long-term roles for electricians, HVAC specialists, server and network technicians, and engineers. The company’s data centers also provide thousands of multi-year-scale trade jobs for steelworkers, pipefitters, electricians, fiber technicians, foremen, and more.  

Meta said it supports billions of dollars in business for American companies that supply products for building and running data centers. The company also offers skills training in these areas to help create future opportunities.  

Meta also said it supports important causes that help American communities. For example, the Meta Data Center Community Action Grant program is an annual initiative that provides direct funding to schools, registered nonprofits, and community organizations in locations where Meta has data centers.  

Meta has joined the federal Red Payer Protection Pledge, committing to cover the full cost of energy and water for its data centers so that consumers are not affected. This pledge increases accountability for large infrastructure projects.  

Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and XAI have also signed the ratepayer protection pledge, which is administered by the US government. The pledge is designed to ensure that companies developing infrastructure projects do so responsibly and take financial responsibility for any extra impacts.  

Joel Kaplan, Meta’s chief of global affairs, said on X this week that Meta is proud to support US President Donald Trump’s Red Payer Protection Pledge. He said America is in the middle of the biggest infrastructure boom since World War II, and these projects will support the nation’s economy for years to come. AI projects with the Trump administration are keen to support expanded development and remove possible roadblocks. This is part of the reason why Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been keen to cozy up to Trump and win the President’s trust. During Trump’s second presidential term, Meta has an opportunity to lay the foundation for its next decade of development.  

These commitments support that effort and fit with Meta’s larger goal of developing the next generation of AI systems.

Source: Meta says its AI-optimized data centers support the US economy