India’s IT sector rebounds as clients boost spending on AI and automation projects

/in /tarafından

India’s leading IT firms — Infosys, Wipro, and LTIMindtree — beat quarterly revenue forecasts on Thursday, signaling a turnaround in demand as global clients begin investing again, especially in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation projects.

The upbeat results follow a strong performance by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) last week, raising optimism for India’s $283 billion IT industry, which had been struggling with weak discretionary spending and tariff-related uncertainty.

“We are benefiting from consolidation plays on automation and on using AI for efficiency,” said Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, highlighting “huge opportunities in enterprise AI.” Infosys now expects full-year revenue growth of 2–3%, narrowing its earlier forecast of 1–3%, supported by strong deal bookings.

Wipro CEO Srini Pallia noted a similar trend: “New demand that’s picking up is AI. Clients want to move away from proofs of concept to implementing AI across business processes and workflows.”

Analysts say the results mark a stabilization in the IT sector, with demand returning from industries such as banking and financial services. StoxBox analyst Sagar Shetty said the numbers show “a sector gradually regaining traction amid shifting client priorities toward AI and digital acceleration.”

Smaller rival LTIMindtree also exceeded revenue estimates, driven by strength in its banking portfolio, while analysts at Anand Rathi said “most Indian IT firms are showing green shoots,” indicating that the worst of the slowdown may have passed.

Apple and NBCUniversal to launch $14.99 Apple TV–Peacock streaming bundle

/in /tarafından

Apple and NBCUniversal’s Peacock are teaming up to launch a new streaming bundle next week that combines Apple TV+ and Peacock Premium for $14.99 per month, offering U.S. customers a 30% discount compared with separate subscriptions.

The bundle, available starting Monday, will also include an option to pair Apple TV+ with Peacock Premium Plus for $19.99 per month, the companies said on Thursday.

The partnership brings together hit shows such as Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, Silo, and Foundation with Peacock favorites including The Traitors, Bel-Air, and Law & Order, offering subscribers a richer lineup of originals, movies, and live sports.

Matt Strauss, chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, said the collaboration was designed to simplify access for viewers and “redefine what the customer journey should be for a streaming bundle.”

As part of the rollout, users of both apps will be able to sample select shows from the partner service: Peacock subscribers will get free access to the first three episodes of Slow Horses, Palm Royale, and Prehistoric Planet, while Apple TV+ users can preview episodes of Bel-Air, Twisted Metal, and The Real Housewives of Miami.

The move underscores a growing trend in the streaming industry, where major platforms are joining forces to boost subscriber growth and improve retention amid intensifying competition and rising content costs.

Laos to cut electricity to crypto miners by 2026, prioritising AI and clean industry

/in /tarafından

Laos plans to stop supplying electricity to cryptocurrency miners by the first quarter of 2026, shifting focus toward industries that contribute more directly to economic growth, such as AI data centers, metals refining, and electric vehicles, the country’s Deputy Energy Minister Chanthaboun Soukaloun told Reuters.

The landlocked Southeast Asian nation saw a crypto mining boom after a 2021 policy shift that attracted operators with cheap hydropower. However, the government now says the sector offers low economic value, creating few jobs and limited local supply chains.

“Crypto doesn’t create value compared to supplying power to industrial or commercial consumers,” Soukaloun said, noting that the government originally approved mining operations to absorb surplus electricity.

Power allocation to miners has already been reduced from 500 megawatts in 2021–2022 to around 150 MW, a 70% cut. Soukaloun added that while the government had planned to end supply earlier, abundant hydropower generation this year allowed operations to continue temporarily.

Often referred to as the “battery of Southeast Asia”, Laos exports most of its hydropower to Thailand and Vietnam and is now exploring increasing bilateral capacity to Vietnam beyond the current 8,000 MW.

Soukaloun also confirmed that talks with China are underway over a $555 million arbitration claim by a subsidiary of the Power Construction Corp of China regarding a hydropower project dispute.

Additionally, Laos expects to resume electricity exports to Singapore via the Lao-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore (LTMS) corridor soon, pending final terms with Thailand.