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NEC Corporation
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OpenAI Seeks $1.2 Trillion Valuation in New Funding Round
OpenAI, the AI partner of Microsoft, is reportedly seeking a valuation above US$1.2 trillion in a new funding round. The AI group is forecast to burn roughly US$278 billion in cash as it scales infrastructure and product development with Microsoft support. The prospective deal would reinforce OpenAI's role inside Microsoft's broader AI ecosystem, spanning Azure infrastructure and Copilot branded services. The funding push backs the view that rich AI workloads can keep Azure traffic and Copilot adoption growing, while also sharpening questions about capital intensity and dependency on a few large AI partners.
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Microsoft Raises Quarterly Dividend 8% to $0.98 Per Share
Microsoft's board approved an 8% increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.98 per share, payable December 10, extending a streak of annual dividend increases that now spans more than 20 years. The payout has climbed from $1.56 a share in 2017 to $3.64 for fiscal 2026, supported by cash from operations that rose $46.8 billion to $182.9 billion for fiscal year 2026. Azure and other cloud services grew 43% in the fourth quarter, but the company's aggressive spending on artificial intelligence and data-center infrastructure is pressuring free cash flow and cloud margins, a risk that could slow future dividend increases and buybacks if AI monetization lags. Hedge fund holders of the stock fell to 273 in the second quarter from 282 in the first, though Arrowstreet Capital raised its stake 14% to $10.31 billion and Fisher Asset Management lifted its position 3% to $9.92 billion, while short interest eased to 74.45 million shares as of August 31 from 81.31 million on July 31.
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Amazon Blocks Meta's Muse AI Agent From Shopping on Its Site
Amazon has blocked Meta Platforms' Muse AI agent from shopping on its retail site, escalating a broader fight over who controls the customer relationship as autonomous AI agents begin handling more online purchases. Amazon said Muse has been blocked since Sunday and is part of a wider restriction on third-party shopping agents; OpenAI's ChatGPT, Alphabet's Gemini and Perplexity's Comet are also prohibited from shopping directly on Amazon. Amazon spokesperson Lara Hendrickson said third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions about whether or not to participate, adding that Amazon has requested that Meta remove Amazon from the experience. The company argues that outside agents may access sensitive customer information, fail to properly identify themselves and operate without Amazon's consent. For investors, the dispute matters because third-party agents could eventually disrupt Amazon's lucrative advertising business by steering consumers directly to products while bypassing parts of its native storefront, potentially weakening its ability to monetize sponsored listings and control product discovery inside its marketplace.