(opens original source in a new tab)AxiosOpenAI sheds senior execs in pre-IPO refreshA wave of top OpenAI executives — including Sam Altman's top deputy, a longtime chief operating officer and the chief revenue officer — has left in the span of a month as the company retools its leadership ahead of an expected IPO.Why it matters: Co-founder Greg Brockman is getting more involved across every level of the company to build out a leadership t (opens original source in a new tab)Madison Mills·14 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostChina’s richest province taps Alibaba to power its AI and chip pushChina’s richest province has deepened its partnership with technology giant Alibaba Group Holding, eyeing a broad digital upgrade spanning artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and smart public services. Under a strategic cooperation framework agreement signed on Thursday in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province in southern China, the Hangzhou-based firm planned to increase its investments in computing power, AI models and digital services, according to a report by local state media... (opens original source in a new tab)Coco Feng·14 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)AxiosData center backlash echoes fossil-fuel politicsWillie Nelson has become an unlikely barometer of America's biggest infrastructure fights. He once protested the Keystone XL pipeline and fracking. Today, he's fighting data centers.Why it matters: The American icon's latest cause underscores how <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/07/18/how-data-c (opens original source in a new tab)Amy Harder·14 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)AxiosAI scrambles the political mapThe search for a winning message on AI is pushing candidates and lawmakers into unexpected political territory.Why it matters: With the midterms approaching, AI is creating alliances across party lines while opening fissures within them.Here are three ways AI is scrambling the poli (opens original source in a new tab)Maria Curi·14 August 2026
Industry News (opens original source in a new tab)ScienceDailyThe Atlantic Ocean can handle more warming than expected — with one big catchScientists have found that the AMOC may be far more vulnerable to rapid warming than to temperature alone. When warming happens slowly, the ocean can adapt, but at faster rates similar to today’s, the massive Atlantic circulation could reach a tipping point at much lower temperatures. (opens original source in a new tab)14 August 2026
Industry News (opens original source in a new tab)AGBIAugust in Dubai: Mars, the Arctic and Café BelgeThere are three climates in Dubai in August. There is Mars, there is the Arctic, and there is Café Belge. Mars is what we used to call outdoors, but which in summer becomes a hostile zone. At this time of year, Dubai residents develop an elaborate routine for avoiding it. You leave your air-conditioned apartment, […] (opens original source in a new tab)Frank Kane·14 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)South China Morning PostSMIC eyes expansion amid AI boom, Zhu Rongji dies, Shein nears IPOSMIC, China’s biggest contract chipmaker, is planning to boost capacity after beating earnings expectations amid the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. Demand is “far exceeding our previous expectations”, so the company is adjusting expansion plans and may add more equipment at existing sites, chief executive officer Zhao Haijun said on an earnings call on Friday. He didn’t provide details. The chipmaker’s shares gained 4.8 per cent in Hong Kong trading after it more than tripled second-quarter. (opens original source in a new tab)Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow·14 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)WiredThe Real Reason Data Center Gas Power Plants Are So DirtyA massive new gas plant in Texas will be built with much less efficient technology than regular gas plants. It’s far from the only data center power project to rely on dirty turbines. (opens original source in a new tab)Molly Taft·14 August 2026
(opens original source in a new tab)New ScientistMonsoon-driven wildfires may have shaped human evolutionA reconstruction of East Africa's environment 1.75 million years ago suggests wildfires spiked during wetter times, which may have influenced human evolution (opens original source in a new tab)James Urquhart·14 August 2026
Blockchain & Crypto (opens original source in a new tab)CoinDeskLive updates: Bitcoin slips back to $63,000; MSCI threatens to exclude Strategy from indicesWTI crude tops $82 a barrel, adding inflation pressure and weighing on risk assets as bond yields rise. (opens original source in a new tab)James Van Straten·14 August 2026
Technology (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AsiaHong Kong Receives Bids for Kai Tak Smart Transit ProjectThe Hong Kong Government has closed the tender process for the Smart and Green Mass Transit System (SGMTS) in Kai Tak, receiving two submissions from consortia involving enterprises from Hong Kong and Mainland China. According to the official announcement, the project forms part of the government’s wider transport-oriented development strategy aimed at improving connectivity within […] (opens original source in a new tab)OpenGov AI·14 August 2026
