AI Analytics Firm Dataiku Taps Banks for 2026 U.S. IPO Plans

/in /tarafından

Artificial intelligence and data analytics startup Dataiku has selected a group of major investment banks, including Morgan Stanley and Citigroup, to lead its long-anticipated initial public offering (IPO) in the United States, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The New York-based company held an internal meeting on Wednesday to officially kick off IPO preparations, with a potential listing targeted for the first half of 2026, the sources said. However, they noted that timing and deal size remain under discussion and could shift depending on market conditions.

Dataiku, founded in 2013, develops software platforms that help enterprises build, test, and deploy AI-driven analytics applications. The company’s tools are used by more than 700 organizations worldwide, including major corporations such as Johnson & Johnson, Toyota, General Electric, and BNP Paribas.

In January 2025, Dataiku said it had surpassed $300 million in annualized recurring revenue (ARR) — a key milestone signaling strong customer retention and subscription growth.

The company was last valued at $3.7 billion following a $200 million Series F funding round in December 2022, led by Wellington Management with participation from existing backers.

An IPO would mark a major step for Dataiku, placing it among a growing wave of AI and software firms looking to capitalize on investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence. According to Dealogic, 97 companies went public in the third quarter of this year, raising over $24 billion, marking the busiest period for listings since late 2021.

AI-related firms such as Klarna, Figma, and Anthropic have driven renewed momentum in technology listings as markets recover from a two-year IPO drought.

Representatives for Dataiku and Morgan Stanley declined to comment, while Citigroup did not respond to requests for comment.

Analysts say a successful Dataiku listing could further validate investor appetite for AI infrastructure and enterprise analytics companies, which form a critical layer beneath high-profile players like OpenAI and Nvidia.

“Dataiku sits in a sweet spot between enterprise analytics and applied AI,” said one venture capital analyst. “A well-timed IPO could position it as one of the most important public players in AI software beyond model developers.”

If market conditions remain favorable, Dataiku’s IPO could become one of the largest AI software listings of 2026, solidifying its role as a major competitor in the fast-growing enterprise data intelligence market.

Microsoft Hikes Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Price by 50% as Service Expands

/in /tarafından

Microsoft’s Xbox division has announced a significant 50% price increase for its top-tier Game Pass Ultimate subscription, raising the monthly fee from $19.99 to $29.99. The move comes as the company broadens the service’s offerings with new first-day game releases, enhanced cloud streaming, and an overhauled rewards system designed to strengthen its position in the growing “games-as-a-service” market.

According to Xbox’s Wednesday announcement, Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will now gain access to more than 75 new first-day releases each year, including blockbuster titles such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Ninja Gaiden 4.

The price hike follows a similar move in hardware: Microsoft last month raised the prices of its Xbox consoles in the United States for the second time this year, citing tariff-driven cost pressures and inflation in supply chains.

The expansion of Game Pass Ultimate reflects Microsoft’s long-term strategy to pivot toward subscription-based and cloud-driven gaming as traditional console sales slow amid economic headwinds. By integrating cloud gaming access across tiers, the company aims to attract a wider base of mobile and PC gamers who prefer flexibility over physical ownership.

In addition to the Ultimate tier change, Microsoft has rebranded its lower tiers — now called “Essential” and “Premium” — and introduced unlimited cloud gaming to both. Prices for these two plans will remain unchanged.

Game Pass, which first launched in 2017, has become a central pillar of Xbox’s business strategy, helping Microsoft compete with Sony’s PlayStation Plus and Nintendo’s online services. Analysts say the latest expansion and pricing update position Xbox more firmly in the subscription entertainment ecosystem, where consistent monthly revenue and cross-device playability are key to long-term growth.

Industry experts note that while the price increase could prompt some cancellations, the addition of high-value titles and advanced features may offset churn, particularly among dedicated players.

“Microsoft is betting that players will accept higher costs in exchange for convenience and exclusive access to major releases,” said one industry analyst. “It’s a high-stakes move that could redefine how gamers view value in digital entertainment.”

The new pricing structure goes into effect immediately for new subscribers, while existing members will see the changes reflected in their billing cycles later this year.

Samsung and SK Hynix to Supply Chips for OpenAI’s $500 Billion Stargate Project

/in /tarafından

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, South Korea’s top semiconductor manufacturers, have signed letters of intent to supply memory chips for OpenAI’s massive Stargate project, marking a major step in Seoul’s growing role in global artificial intelligence infrastructure.

As part of the deal, OpenAI will collaborate with both companies to build two new AI data centers in South Korea, branded as “Korean-style Stargate,” aligning with President Lee Jae Myung’s goal of turning the country into an AI innovation hub in Asia. The decision leverages South Korea’s strong industrial base and its status as the world’s second-largest ChatGPT subscription market after the United States.

The agreements were announced on Wednesday following a high-profile meeting in Seoul between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, President Lee Jae Myung, and the chairmen of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

The Stargate project, unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump in January, aims to invest $500 billion into developing next-generation AI infrastructure with global partners such as SoftBank, Oracle, and now the South Korean chip giants. The initiative seeks to secure the computing capacity needed to sustain AI’s rapid growth and maintain U.S. leadership in the field.

South Korea’s presidential adviser Kim Yong-beom revealed that OpenAI plans to order 900,000 semiconductor wafers by 2029 and establish joint ventures with Samsung and SK Hynix to operate two 20-megawatt-capacity data centers domestically.

“The significant part of the Stargate project would be impossible without memory chips from the two companies,” said Kim.

He added that South Korea may also participate in financing the project.

Altman, in his remarks, emphasized the strategic importance of Korea:

“Korea has an industrial base like nowhere else in the world that is critical for the development of AI. We’re very excited to build Stargate Korea with Samsung and Hynix to support the sovereign AI needs of the country.”

Together, Samsung and SK Hynix control about 70% of the global DRAM market and nearly 80% of the HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) market. HBM technology, introduced in 2013, stacks chips vertically to save space, boost performance, and reduce power consumption, making it vital for AI data processing.

Analysts estimate that 900,000 wafers of advanced DRAM could be worth more than 100 trillion won ($70 billion), though prices may fluctuate depending on market conditions.

In addition to the memory supply deals:

  • Samsung SDS, an IT services affiliate, signed a partnership with OpenAI to develop and operate AI data centers under the Stargate framework.

  • Samsung Heavy Industries and Samsung C&T will collaborate on floating offshore data centers, designed to reduce cooling costs and carbon emissions.

Meanwhile, Google has also been in talks with several South Korean companies to explore potential AI collaborations. In June, SK Group announced a 7 trillion won investment, including $4 billion from Amazon Web Services, to build another major data center in the country.

Despite optimism about AI’s transformative potential, some investors remain cautious, citing the risk of a tech infrastructure bubble as companies rush to build large-scale data facilities.

The Stargate project, delayed earlier by prolonged negotiations and site selection, is now poised to gain new momentum through this South Korea partnership, reinforcing the nation’s position at the heart of the global AI supply chain.