STMicroelectronics Teams Up with AWS, Apollo's $3.4B AI Chip Deal, Cisco's Silicon One G300 Launch

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Welcome to the latest edition of Silicon Brief, where we delve into the dynamic world of AI chips and data centers. This week, we spotlight several significant developments in the industry. STMicroelectronics has expanded its partnership with Amazon Web Services to bolster high-performance computing infrastructure, while Cisco has launched the Silicon One G300, a new switch silicon aimed at enhancing AI data center capabilities. In Europe, Mistral AI and EcoDataCenter are investing €1.2 billion to build a cutting-edge AI data center in Sweden, set to open in 2027.

In other news, Cadence has unveiled an AI tool designed to revolutionize chip design, and ARENA Private Wealth has led a $230 million Series B funding round for Positron AI. Meanwhile, OpenAI, Samsung SDS, and SK Telecom are collaborating to construct AI data centers in South Korea. These stories, among others, highlight the ongoing advancements and investments shaping the future of AI infrastructure globally.

STMicroelectronics Expands Partnership with AWS for AI Infrastructure

STMicroelectronics has announced an expanded collaboration with Amazon Web Services to enhance high-performance computing infrastructure for cloud and AI data centers. Read more

Apollo Nears $3.4 Billion AI Chip Deal for xAI

Apollo Global Management is close to finalizing a $3.4 billion loan to purchase Nvidia chips for leasing to Elon Musk's xAI. The deal is expected to be finalized soon, facilitated by Valor Equity Partners. Read more

Cisco Launches Silicon One G300 for AI Data Centers

Cisco has introduced the Silicon One G300, designed to enhance AI data center infrastructure with high-performance capabilities and improved energy efficiency. Read more

Mistral AI and EcoDataCenter to Build AI Data Center in Sweden

Mistral AI and EcoDataCenter have announced a €1.2 billion investment to construct an AI-focused data center in Borlänge, Sweden, set to open in 2027. The project aims to boost Europe's AI capabilities using renewable energy. Read more

Cadence Unveils AI Tool for Chip Design

Cadence has launched the ChipStack AI Super Agent, an AI-powered solution for autonomous chip design and verification, aiming to significantly boost productivity in semiconductor design. Read more

ARENA Private Wealth Leads $230M Series B for Positron AI

ARENA Private Wealth has led a $230 million Series B funding round for Positron AI, marking a shift in AI investment dynamics as the round was traditionally led by coastal firms. Read more

Oman and Jordan Launch AI and Data Centre Initiatives

Oman and Jordan are launching government-backed initiatives to strengthen their roles in the AI and data centre sectors, focusing on digital economy programs and leveraging skilled workforces. Read more

Mistral AI to Invest €1.2 Billion in Sweden

French AI startup Mistral plans to invest €1.2 billion in Sweden to build digital infrastructure, including AI data centers, to boost Europe's AI capabilities. Read more

OpenAI, Samsung SDS, and SK Telecom to Build AI Data Centers in South Korea

OpenAI, Samsung SDS, and SK Telecom will begin constructing AI data centers in South Korea in March, as announced by Science Minister Bae Kyung-hoon. The initiative involves two centers with an initial capacity of 20 megawatts, following a joint venture revealed in October. Read more

Zettabyte and LiteOn Collaborate on Edge AI Platform

Zettabyte and LiteOn have announced a strategic partnership to develop the Ultra Edge Pod, a distributed edge AI inferencing platform. This collaboration aims to enhance digital readiness by reducing latency through deploying AI workloads closer to users. Read more

Fractile Secures £100 Million for UK AI Chip Expansion

Fractile, a UK chip startup, plans to invest £100 million to expand its operations, including a new facility in Bristol and team growth in London and Bristol, to advance AI system development. Read more

Rakuten Mobile and Intel Collaborate on AI for vRAN

Rakuten Mobile has partnered with Intel to integrate AI into its Radio Access Network operations, aiming to enhance network performance and efficiency. Read more

ByteDance Develops AI Chip with Samsung

ByteDance is working on an AI chip and is in discussions with Samsung Electronics for manufacturing, aiming to ensure a stable supply amid US export controls. Read more

OpenAI Launches New Codex Version with Cerebras Chip

On February 12, 2026, OpenAI introduced GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark, a lightweight version of its coding tool, powered by a Cerebras chip for faster inference. Read more

Microsoft Explores Superconductors for AI Data Centers

Microsoft is investigating high-temperature superconductors to enhance power distribution in its data centers. This initiative aims to improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Read more

Anthropic to Cover Data Center Electricity Costs

Anthropic has announced plans to address electricity price increases from their data centers by covering grid infrastructure costs and investing in local communities to prevent consumer impact. Read more

Amazon Plans $5 Billion Data Center in Washington

Amazon Data Services has announced plans to build a $5 billion data center near Tri-Cities, Washington. The project includes 16 data centers and will utilize energy from a planned small modular nuclear reactor. Read more

TotalEnergies Secures AI-Driven Power Deals for Data Centers

TotalEnergies is focusing on AI-driven growth by obtaining premium power deals for data centers, including a significant solar power purchase agreement with Google in Texas. Read more

Japan Plans AI Data Centers in Yokohama

Two data center projects in Yokohama aim to address AI processing needs and support decarbonization. A floating data center by NYK Line and Eurus Energy Holdings and another by JERA focus on renewable energy and efficiency. Read more

PGIM Buys Melbourne Site for AI Data Center

PGIM has acquired a 20.7-hectare site in Melbourne to develop a data center campus, investing AUD 1.2 billion to bolster Australia's AI infrastructure. Read more

Senators Propose GRID Act to Regulate AI Data Center Energy Costs

U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal have introduced the GRID Act to prevent AI data centers from raising electricity costs for consumers by requiring separate power sources and public reporting of electricity usage. Read more

Nscale Secures $1.4 Billion Loan for AI Expansion in Europe

Nscale has obtained a $1.4 billion loan to fund AI infrastructure projects in Norway, Portugal, Iceland, and the UK, following a recent equity raise. Read more

SMIC Warns of Potential Idle AI Infrastructure

SMIC Co-CEO Zhao Haijun has expressed concerns that the rapid development of AI data centers by major tech firms could result in unused infrastructure. With significant investments projected, there are worries about the sustainability of this growth. Read more

Sunrise New Energy Rebrands as E-Power Inc.

On February 11, 2026, Sunrise New Energy Co., Ltd. announced its rebranding to E-Power Inc. to focus on AI data center microgrid solutions, marking a shift from its previous business in graphite anode materials. Read more

Legrand Acquires Kratos Industries and Invests in Accelsius

Legrand has acquired Kratos Industries and invested in Accelsius to enhance its data center infrastructure capabilities. This strategic move focuses on improving power distribution and thermal management to meet the demands of AI and high-density computing. Read more

Valeo and 2CRSi Unveil Edge Data Center for Indian Telecom

Valeo and 2CRSi have launched an outdoor autonomous immersion-cooled edge data center to aid AI and 5G growth in India, combining thermal management and server architecture expertise. Read more

Bell Canada to Build AI Data Centre in Saskatchewan

Bell Canada plans to construct an AI data centre campus near Regina, Saskatchewan, as part of its AI Fabric project. The initiative includes rezoning a 160-acre site and aims to support research and create high-skilled jobs. Read more

Applied Materials Expects Revenue Boost from AI and Memory Demand

Applied Materials anticipates a revenue increase in the second quarter, driven by heightened investments in AI computing and a constrained memory market, surpassing analyst predictions. Read more

Nvidia to Lease Data Center with $3.8 Billion Junk Bonds

Nvidia Corp. is set to lease a data center in Storey County, Nevada, funded by a $3.8 billion junk-bond sale. The facility will support AI infrastructure and is backed by asset manager Tract Capital. Read more

Meta Begins Construction on $10 Billion Data Center in Indiana

Meta has started building a 1GW data center in Lebanon, Indiana, investing over $10 billion to support AI workloads and core services. The project will create thousands of jobs and includes community and environmental initiatives. Read more

Nebius to Build 240MW AI Data Center in France

Nebius, an AI cloud provider from Amsterdam, plans to construct a 240MW data center in Béthune, France, on the site of a former Bridgestone plant. The project aims to boost AI infrastructure in Europe and will be developed in phases, with completion of the first phase expected by late summer 2026. Read more

ECL Unveils FlexGrid for AI Data Centers

ECL has launched the FlexGrid platform, a power-agnostic data center solution aimed at boosting AI inferencing capabilities. It supports high-density AI data centers in areas with limited grid power by using diverse energy sources. Read more

Dell'Oro Group Predicts Rise in Infrastructure Spending Due to AI

The Dell'Oro Group forecasts a significant rise in infrastructure spending, driven by the growing demand for hyperscale AI technologies. Read more

South Carolina Reviews Water Use for AI Data Centers

The South Carolina government is examining the water consumption of data centers, driven by the growing demand from artificial intelligence, and is considering proposals for water efficiency standards and tracking to promote sustainable use. Read more

Energy Vault and Peak Energy Partner on Sodium-Ion Batteries for AI Data Centers

Energy Vault and Peak Energy have announced a strategic partnership to develop sodium-ion storage solutions for AI-first data centers. The agreement includes a 1.5 GWh supply of U.S.-manufactured sodium-ion batteries to enhance safety and reduce costs in AI infrastructure. Read more

C2i Semiconductors Raises $15M to Improve AI Data Center Efficiency

C2i Semiconductors, an Indian startup, has secured $15 million in Series A funding from Peak XV Partners to address energy inefficiencies in AI data centers. Read more

Infosys and ExxonMobil Expand AI Data Center Collaboration

On February 12, 2026, Infosys announced an expanded collaboration with ExxonMobil to enhance AI data center infrastructure using immersion cooling solutions, aiming to boost energy efficiency and support high-performance computing. Read more

Stack Infrastructure Seeks $2.1 Billion Loan for AI Data Center in Australia

Stack Infrastructure, owned by Blue Owl Capital, is pursuing a $2.1 billion loan to fund a 250 megawatt data center project in Melbourne, Australia, as part of a growing trend in AI infrastructure investment. Read more

Trane Technologies Acquires LiquidStack for AI Data Center Cooling

Trane Technologies has announced its acquisition of LiquidStack, a company specializing in liquid cooling technology for data centers. This move is intended to enhance Trane's capabilities in managing thermal conditions for AI workloads. Read more

Siemens AG Increases 2026 Profit Outlook Due to AI and Data Center Demand

Siemens AG has raised its profit outlook for 2026, citing strong demand for artificial intelligence and data centers in the U.S. as key factors. The company anticipates revenue growth and has adjusted its earnings per share guidance upwards. Read more

India Plans AI 'Data City' in Visakhapatnam

The Indian government is developing a 'data city' in Visakhapatnam to enhance AI infrastructure, aiming to attract major investments including $15 billion from Google. Read more

Lattice Semiconductor Sees 85% AI Server Revenue Growth in Q4 FY 2025

Lattice Semiconductor has reported an 85% increase in AI server revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2025, contributing to a total revenue of $523.3 million for the year. Despite a net loss in Q4, the company anticipates continued growth in the AI and datacenter sectors in 2026. Read more

Olix Raises $220 Million for AI Chip Development

London-based chip startup Olix has secured $220 million in Series A funding to advance its Optical Tensor Processing Unit, aimed at enhancing AI inference efficiency. Read more

Blackstone Invests in Neysa for AI Infrastructure Expansion

Indian AI infrastructure startup Neysa has received up to $1.2 billion in financing from Blackstone and other investors. The funding will help expand its GPU capacity to meet the increasing demand for AI computing resources in India. Read more

Samsung Begins Mass Production of HBM4 Chips for AI

Samsung Electronics has started mass production of its HBM4 chips, which offer a processing speed of 11.7 Gbps. The company expects its HBM sales to more than triple by 2026 as it expands production capacity to meet rising demand in AI computing. Read more

Aehr Test Systems Receives Order from Sonoma Systems

Aehr Test Systems has received an initial production order from Sonoma Systems for the package-level burn-in of next-generation AI processors. The delivery is set for summer 2026. Read more

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STMicroelectronics Teams Up with AWS, Apollo's $3.4B AI Chip Deal, Cisco's Silicon One G300 Launch - Silicon Brief #56

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