The Global AI Buildout Accelerates as Tech Titans Drive Record Investment

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The global race to build artificial intelligence infrastructure shows no sign of slowing, as technology giants and industrial firms alike pour trillions into data centers, chips, and computing power. Nvidia’s market value soared past $5 trillion this week — a milestone that underscores how central AI has become to the global economy.

In a whirlwind week for the tech sector, Microsoft and OpenAI struck a landmark deal expanding the ChatGPT maker’s fundraising capacity, while Amazon announced 14,000 corporate job cuts just days before its cloud division reported its fastest growth in nearly three years. Together, these developments highlight AI as the defining engine of modern corporate spending and stock market momentum.

AI’s impact now extends beyond Silicon Valley. Over 100 non-tech companies — from Honeywell and GE Vernova to Caterpillar — referenced data centers in their earnings calls, signaling how deeply AI demand is reshaping industrial supply chains. Caterpillar’s data center equipment sales jumped 31% last quarter, reflecting the sector’s explosive growth.

Goldman Sachs projects global AI-related infrastructure spending could reach up to $4 trillion by 2030. Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet are expected to collectively invest around $350 billion this year alone. Meanwhile, AI investment is fueling international trade, with the U.S. importing vast quantities of semiconductors from Taiwan, South Korea, and Vietnam.

Despite talk of an AI “bubble,” companies continue to ramp up spending. Apple plans to significantly boost AI investments, and Amazon is projecting capital expenditures of $125 billion in 2025. Economists say this phase of the AI revolution remains in its early stages — with innovation advancing faster than any technology cycle in recent history.

Getty and Perplexity Sign Multi-Year Deal to Integrate Licensed Images into AI Search Tools

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Visual content leader Getty Images has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with AI search startup Perplexity, allowing the platform to display Getty’s licensed images across its AI-powered search and discovery tools. The announcement boosted Getty’s shares by 5% on Friday, underscoring growing investor confidence in partnerships between traditional media and artificial intelligence companies.

Under the deal, Perplexity will integrate Getty’s visuals through an API, granting users access to Getty’s vast image library with proper attribution and licensing details. Each image will include credits and source links, ensuring legal compliance and transparency in AI-generated content.

The partnership comes amid growing scrutiny over AI firms’ use of copyrighted materials for training and output generation. Getty, which also licenses images to iStock and Unsplash, previously sued Stability AI over alleged image scraping. Perplexity itself has faced multiple copyright lawsuits from publishers including Japan’s Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun but has since adopted a revenue-sharing model with media partners such as TIME and Der Spiegel.

Legal experts say AI licensing agreements like this one could reshape the industry by legitimizing data use, though they note that a full licensing model may not be viable for all online content. The move aligns with Getty’s broader effort to promote safe, rights-cleared visual generation in the AI era.

Nvidia CEO Hopes to Sell Blackwell Chips in China but Says Decision Rests with Trump

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Friday that he hopes the company’s latest Blackwell AI chips can eventually be sold in China, but acknowledged that the decision ultimately depends on U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking during his first official visit to South Korea in over a decade, Huang expressed optimism following recent talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping but said he was not briefed on their discussion details.

Trump told reporters after the meeting that semiconductors were discussed and that China “will be talking to Nvidia and others about taking chips,” but clarified, “We’re not talking about the Blackwell.”

Huang emphasized that restoring Nvidia’s presence in China would benefit both nations. “We’re always hoping to return to China. It’s in the best interest of the United States and of China,” he said.

Tensions over China’s access to Nvidia’s high-end chips remain a major flashpoint in U.S.-China relations. Washington has placed export restrictions on Nvidia’s most advanced AI processors to curb Beijing’s technological and military advancements. Huang has previously urged the Trump administration to relax those restrictions, arguing that Chinese reliance on U.S. hardware strengthens America’s influence.

Nvidia is developing a new chip for the Chinese market based on its Blackwell architecture that will comply with U.S. regulations but remain more capable than current export-approved models. However, Beijing has cooled toward Nvidia’s offerings, instead backing domestic alternatives like Huawei, which has recently announced plans to compete head-to-head with Nvidia in AI hardware.