Global Scans · GAFA et al · Weekly Summary

• [New] Fastest Growing Segment: AI ASICs are the fastest-growing component type, with Omdia forecasting AI ASIC revenue to reach US$ 84.5 billion by 2030 as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft scale proprietary silicon deployments across hyperscale data centers. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Meta are expected to spend more than $700bn on AI infrastructure in 2026, while Britain is competing to attract new data centers and computing capacity. City AM
• [New] Google is investing tens of billions and backstopping Anthropic's direct data-center leases (~ > 1 GW across 12+ preliminary US sites, mostly AFTER 2027 capacity). NextBigFuture.com
• [New] Intel has secured an order for 3 million tensor processing units from Google through 2028. Bittime
• [New] Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon will report earnings over the next two weeks as investors look for evidence that years of record spending on AI are beginning to generate stronger revenue growth. City AM
• [New] Google Cloud holds the strongest AI model story through Gemini and Vertex AI, but the weakest position on disclosed local investment, an open question heading into 2027. Tech Insider
• [New] More than 200 economists and AI researchers - including 16 Nobel laureates and senior figures from Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic - have issued a coordinated statement urging governments and institutions to act immediately on the economic disruption that artificial intelligence is expected to cause. Renascence
• [New] Google has announced it will replenish more water than it consumes by 2030 and invest $500 million globally in water reuse and watershed restoration. Water Industry Hub
• [New] Large tech companies have committed to sourcing clean power for their data centers: Google has promised to power its data centers using 100% clean energy by 2030, and Meta matches its data centers' electricity use with renewable energy. Foreign Affairs Magazine
• [New] OpenAI's biggest threat may just be open AI - Chinese labs like Moonshot AI are releasing capable open-weight models for free, forcing OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic to reconsider what they keep proprietary. Brett Pollak
• [New] The Apple TV 4K is one of the best streaming devices you can buy, but it is not the only option, since there are different cheaper models you could try instead. BGR
• [New] By restricting exclusive partnerships, alternative search engines have a greater opportunity to gain visibility as Google will no longer be the guaranteed default on iPhones and other devices. Miller Shah
• [New] In 2026, Huawei, ByteDance and Alibaba are expected to spend $111 billion on data centers and other A.I. investments. / China The New York Times
• [New] Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Oracle are projected to spend $750 billion in 2026 on data centers, chips and other A.I. infrastructure, up from roughly $400 billion last year. / USA The New York Times
• [New] Apple's long-rumored smart home push may finally be nearing launch, with Bloomberg reporting that a new home hub, refreshed Apple TV, and updated HomePod mini could roll out over the coming months. Digital Trends
• [New] Amazon Web Services, meanwhile, plans to spend $200bn in capex in 2026 with Meta setting aside $145bn. IT Pro
• [New] One unexpected consequence of the AI boom is that Google, Microsoft and Amazon could end up financing home energy upgrades to free up grid availability. Last Week in ConTech
• [New] Among the large AI infrastructure deals Amazon signed in the quarter were one with OpenAI to build approximately 2 gigawatts of Amazon Trainium capacity starting in 2027 and one with startup Anthropic, which wants to use up to 5 gigawatts of current and next-generation Trainium chips. tradingkey.com
• [New] Amazon has asked federal regulators to approve a request to launch up to 5,105 internet satellites as part of a constellation that will provide direct-to-device connectivity. CNBC
• [New] Amazon said it expects to begin deploying its D2D network in 2028. CNBC
• [New] Google Cloud's AI backlog has now grown to $514 billion, and it could convert > 50% over the next 24 months. Seeking Alpha
• [New] Google raised 2026 capex guidance to $195 to 205 billion, OpenAI lifted its 2030 cloud spending estimate to $700 billion, and AMD signed a multibillion-dollar chip and investment deal with Anthropic. investing.com
• [New] TikTok's US e-commerce business, which EMARKETER - a Business Insider sister company - forecasts could cross $23 billion in sales in 2026, is still a small player compared to Amazon, which EMARKETER expects will make more than $500 billion in US sales in 2026. Business Insider

Last updated: 09 August 2026