WHAT’S AT STAKE TODAY ⚡

• OpenAI to launch AI data center in Norway, its first in Europe 🇳🇴🤖
• Female-founded semiconductor AI startup SixSense raises $8.5M 💰👩‍💼
• Quora's Poe releases a developer API with access to a bouquet of AI models 🔗🤖
• Design and development shop the Iconfactory is selling some apps — and AI is partially to blame 📱💔
• Your public ChatGPT queries are getting indexed by Google and other search engines 🔍📊
• Enterprises prefer Anthropic's AI models over anyone else's, including OpenAI's 🏢⭐
• Apple plans to 'significantly' grow AI investments, Cook says 🍎💸
• Reddit revenue soars as it bets on AI and advertising 📈🤖

OpenAI announces first European data center in Norway with $2 billion investment.

OpenAI to launch AI data center in Norway, its first in Europe

OpenAI announced Thursday its first European AI data center, Stargate Norway, marking a significant step in the company's global expansion and Europe's push for AI sovereignty. The facility will be developed through a 50/50 joint venture between British AI cloud infrastructure provider Nscale and Norwegian energy firm Aker, with OpenAI serving as the primary customer purchasing capacity from the center.

The project represents a major investment in European AI infrastructure, with Nscale and Aker each committing approximately $1 billion to the initial 20-megawatt phase. The ambitious facility will initially deliver 230 MW of capacity, expandable to 290 MW, and will operate on 100,000 Nvidia GPUs by the end of 2026.

Strategically located near Narvik, a small town in northern Norway, the site was chosen for its abundant hydropower access, naturally cool climate, and established industrial infrastructure. The facility will run entirely on renewable energy and incorporate advanced closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling systems for maximum efficiency. Excess heat generated by the GPU systems will be repurposed to support other low-carbon enterprises in the region, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable operations.

The timing of this announcement aligns with Europe's aggressive pursuit of AI sovereignty and technological independence. Earlier this week, the European Union unveiled ambitious plans for multibillion-dollar AI infrastructure investments, including €10 billion for 13 AI factories and an initial €20 billion investment. Data sovereignty has become crucial for the bloc due to the sensitive nature of business and government information processed by AI systems.

However, representatives from both Nscale and OpenAI clarified that Stargate Norway operates independently of the EU's official AI scaling plans. Nscale CEO Josh Payne emphasized that the project aims to "leverage European sovereign compute" for the continent's benefit, with Norway's AI ecosystem—including startups and scientific researchers—receiving priority access to the facility's capabilities.

The project must comply with stringent European regulations, including the EU AI Act that took effect in August 2024. This legislation bans AI systems deemed to have "unacceptable risk" and requires companies building data centers to implement environmental protections while maintaining transparency about AI models' energy consumption. Additionally, the EU's Energy Efficiency Directive mandates that data centers exceeding certain energy thresholds must recover and repurpose waste heat.

Stargate Norway represents OpenAI's continued global expansion following several major infrastructure announcements. Seven months ago, the company unveiled plans to invest $500 billion in 10 gigawatts of AI infrastructure across the United States over four years, partnering with Oracle and SoftBank. The company also launched Stargate UAE earlier this year and recently signed agreements with the UK government to accelerate AI adoption and enhance infrastructure.

The Norwegian facility addresses growing European concerns about technological dependence on non-European providers and data security. By establishing sovereign compute capabilities within Europe, the project enables local organizations to process sensitive data without it leaving the continent, addressing regulatory and security requirements.

The partnership structure reflects a strategic approach to international expansion, with local expertise from Nscale in cloud infrastructure and Aker in energy systems complementing OpenAI's AI technology. This model allows OpenAI to access European markets while ensuring compliance with local regulations and sustainability requirements.

As AI demand continues surging globally, data center capacity has become a critical bottleneck. The Stargate Norway project not only addresses this capacity constraint but also demonstrates how AI infrastructure can be developed sustainably using renewable energy sources and innovative cooling technologies.

The facility's emphasis on supporting local AI ecosystems suggests a broader strategy of building regional partnerships rather than simply establishing remote infrastructure. By prioritizing access for Norwegian startups and researchers, the project aims to foster local AI innovation while serving broader European computational needs.

This development signals OpenAI's recognition that global AI leadership requires local presence and partnerships, particularly in regions with strict data sovereignty requirements and ambitious sustainability goals.

SixSense raises $8.5M for AI-powered semiconductor defect detection platform.

Female-founded semiconductor AI startup SixSense raises $8.5M

Singapore-based SixSense has raised $8.5 million in Series A funding, bringing total funding to $12 million. Led by Peak XV's Surge, the deep tech startup develops AI-powered platforms that help semiconductor manufacturers predict and detect chip defects in real-time. Founded in 2018 by Akanksha Jagwani and Avni Agarwal, SixSense addresses semiconductor manufacturing challenges by converting production data into actionable insights. Their platform is already used by major manufacturers like GlobalFoundries and JCET, processing over 100 million chips. Customers report 30% faster production cycles, 1-2% yield improvements, and 90% reduction in manual inspection work.

⚡ More AI Bites

1. 🤖📡 Quora's Poe is releasing an API for developers to easily access a bouquet of models. Multi-model buffet goes public!
2. 🎨💔 Design and development shop The Iconfactory is selling some apps and AI is partially to blame. Creative studio downsizes as robots reshape the market!
3. 👀🔍 Your public ChatGPT queries are getting indexed by Google and other search engines. AI conversations become searchable!
4. 🏢⭐ Enterprises prefer Anthropic's AI models over anyone else's, including OpenAI's. Claude wins the corporate popularity contest!
5. 🍎💰 Apple plans to significantly grow AI investments, Cook says. Tim doubles down on artificial intelligence!
6. 📈🚀 Reddit revenue soars as it bets on AI and advertising. Front page finds profit in algorithms and ads!

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