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Environmental groups embrace AI, even as they warn of data center impacts
Environmental organisations are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance conservation efforts and analyze ecological data. Many express concerns about the environmental impact caused by data centers that support AI technologies. The energy and water consumption of these centers is projected to double by 2030, raising emissions concerns.
Activists breach Microsoft data centre construction site as protests spread in Europe
Activist groups have announced actions in 16 countries on Friday and Saturday, according to the "Stop Dirty Data Centres" coalition, which is rallying environmental groups and digital rights campaigns behind calls to pause large-scale construction.
Google unveils $15 billion data centre investment in Malaysia
Google announced plans on Wednesday to invest $15 billion in Malaysia over the next two years to build data centres and other infrastructure as demand booms for artificial intelligence services. It said the $15 billion investment will be made "over the next two years (2027 to 2028)", expanding on a $2 billion investment announced in 2024.
Matcha moment: A Japanese tea brews up a $96 million flavour in India
Matcha tea market India: The country's matcha market is set to expand, with projected revenue growth from $45.7 million in 2025 to $96.4 million by 2033. Café chains like Tata Starbucks are already seeing increased sales from matcha products, catering to evolving consumer preferences. Instagram and social media have played a significant role in the rising popularity of matcha drinks and recipes.
Apple beats sales and profit expectations but AI costs weigh on holiday sales
Apple exceeded analysts' expectations for its latest results on Monday when the iPhone-maker said it notched a "revenue record" for the July-September quarter, driven by iPhone sales and services revenue, but increased costs related to AI will drag down margins. This includes primarily the impact of higher memory costs, as well as some costs related to the ramp of Siri AI," Parekh said.
Deep use cases vault India to ChatGPT’s top global market: OpenAI's India MD
During a visit to India last year, the ChatGPT maker’s cofounder Sam Altman said that India was the fastest growing market for the frontier lab and was already the second largest in terms of users globally. Market estimates had earlier put the India user base at 100 million.

India’s small companies need to see AI as more than an artificial promise
India MSME news: India's micro, small and medium enterprises are exploring the adoption of artificial intelligence to enhance productivity. AI is expected to generate significant economic value for these enterprises in manufacturing and services sectors. Various challenges remain regarding the integration of AI into existing workflows and overcoming cost barriers. Collaborative efforts among industry bodies, technology providers, and the government are essential for facilitating this transition.

AI is driving up memory prices. So why is Sam Altman questioning your PC's RAM?
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has questioned the need for large amounts of RAM in personal computers, arguing that much of the memory remains unused and could be utilised more efficiently through centralised cloud infrastructure. However, his remarks come at a time when the AI industry's growing demand for computing power is contributing to rising memory prices, making smartphones, PCs and other consumer devices more expensive.

Wall Street tech rout deepens on doubts over AI spending
Major US tech stocks have taken a hit as investors react to underwhelming earnings and worries about AI spending. Giants like Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet revealed hefty investments in AI systems along with rising debt. Intel's troubles intensified with a disappointing revenue outlook, driven by costly components and fierce rivalry.

See data centres less as energy-sucking private warehouses, and more as quasi-public utilities
We need data centres. They run far more than ChatGPT. Search, banking, streaming, social networks, cloud software, government services, hospitals and almost every company's digital operations depend on them. AI simply raises the requirement dramatically. Google says its Vizag hub will provide new subsea connectivity for India. IEA says electricity use by AI-focused data centres jumped 50% in 2025. A country without serious compute infrastructure risks becoming a consumer, rather than a producer, of the AI revolution.

Amazon burns cash, Intel flags weak PC demand as AI boom's costs ripple across markets
As Wall Street grows increasingly anxious about AI-related expenditures, major tech giants like Amazon and Intel display alarming financial outcomes. With soaring operational costs and waning consumer interest, both companies face challenging cash flow situations, resulting in borrowing to cover rising expenses. This situation has led to declines in semiconductor and AI cloud shares as investors question future profitability, sparking fears about the tech sector's growth sustainability.

Ahead of Market: 10 things that will decide stock market action on Friday
Indian equities rallied over 1% on Thursday as the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, crude prices eased and institutional buying strengthened sentiment. Sensex gained 905 points, while Nifty rose 238 points, adding nearly ₹5 lakh crore in market value.

Cyberattacks hit NBFCs; Pine Labs Q2 profit zooms
Cyber criminals are targetting smaller NBFCs with specialised AI toolkits. This and more in today’s ETtech Top 5.

Samsung logs record $80.5 bln profits despite investor AI jitters
Massive demand for AI chips delivered record quarterly profits to South Korea's Samsung Electronics on Thursday, but shares fell as investors questioned the resilience of the global tech boom. Record profits driven by booming demand for AI memory chips have fuelled calls for greater shareholder returns, particularly after shares in tech giants such as Samsung tumbled from their June record highs amid concerns over US tech firms' AI spending.

Jio Platforms' post-IPO playbook: What's ahead for No. 2 of Dalal Street?
Reliance Jio Platforms made a blockbuster stock market debut, listing at a 21.4% premium and reaching a $131.5 billion valuation. After India's biggest IPO, investors are watching Jio's next growth engines: tariff hikes, broadband expansion, artificial intelligence, cloud services and stronger cash flows. Can Akash Ambani turn Jio's digital ambitions into sustained earnings and long-term shareholder returns?

Cognizant eyes Sarvam stake; Ather aims for higher market share
Happy Wednesday! Cognizant has held discussions to invest in homegrown AI startup Sarvam. This and more in today’s ETtech Morning Dispatch.

Microsoft, Amazon and Google may spend $600 billion on AI in 2026. Will investors see returns?
Microsoft, Amazon and Google could spend as much as $600 billion on AI in 2026, but investors want to know whether the massive investment will deliver returns. As the tech giants prepare to report earnings, cloud growth, cash flow and rising infrastructure costs are coming into focus.

Paytm targets one-third UPI market share as Sharma steps up consumer acquisition
Paytm currently accounts for about 8.1% of UPI transaction volumes, behind PhonePe's 45.6% and Google Pay's 32.2%, according to September data from the National Payments Corporation of India.

Big Tech earnings a test of the AI boom amid market turmoil
Investors are pressing for evidence that the AI boom can deliver swift returns to justify its enormous price tag. Rising bond yields at AI cloud providers such as CoreWeave and record costs to insure Meta Platform's debt have amplified concerns about how the massive AI infrastructure buildout is being funded, particularly as higher US interest rates loom.
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