OpenAI Robotics Lead Resigns, Meta's AI Deal, and Google's Berlin Center - Daily AI Brief #409

March 09, 2026 - Daily AI Brief
Hi there,

Welcome to today's AI Brief.

In today's edition, OpenAI faces a leadership change as its Robotics Lead resigns over a Pentagon deal. Meanwhile, News Corp and Meta have signed a new AI licensing agreement. Microsoft issues a warning about North Korean AI-driven cybercrime activities.

BBVA Spark is funding TaxDown for AI tax solutions, and TruDoc has raised $15 million to enhance AI healthcare in the GCC. Additionally, Robo.ai's CEO highlights the UAE's role in AI and the economy. Stay informed with these and other top stories in the world of AI.
Dutch Authority Calls for Swift AI Regulation
The Dutch Data Protection Authority has urged the Dutch Government to quickly implement AI regulations to safeguard citizens' rights, citing risks from unsafe algorithms and past incidents of wrongful accusations. Read more
OpenAI Robotics Lead Resigns Over Pentagon Deal
Caitlin Kalinowski, the robotics lead at OpenAI, has resigned following the company's agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense. Her resignation was due to concerns about domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons. Read more
News Corp and Meta Sign AI Licensing Deal
News Corp has entered a multiyear agreement with Meta for AI content licensing, valued at up to $50 million annually. This deal allows Meta to use content from News Corp's media properties in the US and UK. Read more
Microsoft Warns of North Korean AI-Driven Cybercrime
Microsoft reports that North Korean threat groups are using generative AI to enhance their cybercrime activities, including phishing and identity fabrication. Read more
BBVA Spark Funds TaxDown for AI Tax Solutions
BBVA Spark has completed a €4 million financing deal with TaxDown to enhance its AI-driven digital tax solutions. This funding will support TaxDown's growth and technological development. Read more
TruDoc Raises $15 Million for AI Healthcare
TruDoc has secured $15 million in pre-Series B funding to enhance its AI-driven virtual healthcare services in the GCC region. Read more
Robo.ai CEO on UAE's Role in Global Machine Economy
Benjamin Zhai, CEO of Robo.ai, discusses the UAE's strategic initiatives in AI and its significance as a global technology hub. Read more
KKR Plans to Sell CoolIT Systems for $3 Billion
U.S. private equity firm KKR is considering selling CoolIT Systems, a company known for its liquid cooling technologies for data centers, potentially for over $3 billion. The sale process is in early stages with multiple potential buyers. Read more
Finastra Introduces AI Solution for Bank Payments
Finastra has launched OperatorAssist, an AI solution aimed at enhancing payment efficiency for banks by reducing errors and operational costs. Read more
X Investigates Offensive Posts by xAI's Grok Chatbot
Social media platform X is investigating reports of 'racist and offensive' posts generated by the xAI chatbot Grok, amid growing scrutiny from governments and regulators. Read more
SAP and Uptycs Unveil Hybrid AI Security Model
SAP and Uptycs have launched a new hybrid AI security model designed to enhance security measures for enterprises by integrating traditional practices with advanced AI technologies. Read more
Nscale Secures $2 Billion in Series C Funding
U.K.-based AI infrastructure company Nscale has raised $2 billion in Series C funding, marking the largest in European history. The funding will support the expansion of Nscale's AI infrastructure capabilities globally. Read more
Cheerio AI Secures ₹8 Crore in Seed Funding
Cheerio AI, a Bengaluru-based enterprise workflow automation platform, has raised ₹8 Crore in seed funding led by Artha Venture Fund II. The investment will be used to enhance AI capabilities and support global expansion. Read more
Nokia to Deploy AI Solutions in Telefónica's Data Centers
Nokia has secured an agreement to implement AI-ready network solutions in Telefónica's Edge data centers across Spain, aiming to enhance digital infrastructure and support AI training. Read more
Mastercard and Google Launch Verifiable Intent for AI Transactions
On March 5, 2026, Mastercard and Google introduced a new trust framework called Verifiable Intent, aimed at enhancing trust and transparency in AI-driven transactions by ensuring accurate consumer authorization. Read more
Superapp Raises $1.6M for No-Code AI Platform
Ukrainian startup Superapp has secured $1.6 million in funding to enhance its AI-driven platform, which allows users to create iOS and macOS applications without coding. Read more
Google Opens AI Center in Berlin with Healthcare Research Funding
Google has opened its first AI Center in Berlin, part of a €5.5 billion investment, to foster AI collaboration. The center will also support healthcare AI research projects through the 'AI for Science Fund'. Read more
Black Forest Labs Boosts AI Model Training with Self-Flow
German AI startup Black Forest Labs has introduced Self-Flow, a technique that improves the training efficiency of multimodal AI models by 2.8 times. This method reduces the need for external supervision and training steps. Read more
Together AI Seeks $1 Billion Funding for $7.5 Billion Valuation
Together AI is in talks to raise $1 billion in funding, aiming for a $7.5 billion valuation, up from $3.3 billion in February 2025. The company, specializing in AI cloud services, has raised $537 million so far. Read more
NATO to Focus on Drones and AI at July Summit
At the upcoming summit in Ankara, NATO will prioritize investments in drone technology and artificial intelligence, moving away from traditional defense hardware amid security concerns. Read more
OpenAI Introduces Codex Security Tool
OpenAI has launched Codex Security, a tool aimed at identifying complex software vulnerabilities and enhancing application security. Read more
Sarvam AI Launches Open-Source Models on Hugging Face
Sarvam AI has released its 30B and 105B parameter open-source models, trained in India, on Hugging Face. These models are optimized for reasoning and efficiency, with a focus on Indian languages. Read more
21% of U.S. Companies Halt Entry-Level Hiring Due to AI
A survey by Resume.org shows that 21% of U.S. companies have paused entry-level hiring because of AI's impact, with expectations of further reductions by 2027. Read more
Newspace Develops AI-Driven Swarm Drone
Bengaluru-based startup Newspace Research Technologies is developing the Sheshnaag-150, a swarm attack drone with a range of 1,000 km, capable of autonomous target engagement. Read more
Family Offices Boost AI Investments in February
In February, family offices made significant investments in AI startups, contributing to a record $171 billion raised by AI startups. Notable investments included Emerson Collective and Azim Premji's family office. Read more
DFI Unveils Edge AI Platforms with Intel at Embedded World 2026
At Embedded World 2026, DFI introduced new edge AI platforms developed with Intel, targeting enhancements in robotic automation and industrial applications. Read more
xAI to Develop 1.2 Gigawatts for AI Supercomputer
At a White House event, xAI President Gwynne Shotwell announced plans to develop 1.2 gigawatts of power for its AI supercomputer and data centers, aiming to prevent increased electricity costs for households. Read more
Meta Acquires Gizmo AI Team from Atma Sciences
Meta has acquired the team behind Gizmo, an AI app for creating interactive content, from Atma Sciences Inc. The team, including ex-Snapchat engineers, will join Meta's Superintelligence Labs. Read more

We hope you enjoyed this article.

Consider subscribing to one of our newsletters like Daily AI Brief.

Also, consider following us on social media:

AI Brief AI Brief (X)

Subscribe to Daily AI Brief

Daily report covering major AI developments and industry news, with both top stories and complete market updates

AI Token Webinar