Agile Robots raises $500 million with Nvidia investment

Key Takeaways

• Micron and Sandisk benefit from AI data-center memory demand, but the article favors Micron because DRAM and high-bandwidth memory supply is concentrated among fewer manufacturers.
• Agile Robots raised $500 million at an $8.5 billion valuation, with Nvidia and SoftBank among its investors; it plans U.S. expansion and increased German production.
• Texas has paused final permits for new data center projects until at least December, creating uncertainty for Oracle, which has more than $125 billion in debt but reported $19 billion in quarterly revenue and nearly $4.8 billion in net income.
• An investment analysis outlines strong, weak and moderate AI outcomes; the Nasdaq-100 had fallen 11.3% from October 6 and entered a correction.
• Fed President Mary Daly said AI investment can support growth, while noting financing risks and that AI adds to price pressures.
• A Mount Sinai study found 12 AI models, including models from Google and Anthropic, more likely to recommend advertised drugs in a tested treatment-advice scenario.
• A Canadian survey found 48% of workers had no employer guidance on safe AI use and 39% used free or personal AI accounts at work.
• JD.com reported more than 50 million AI products sold during Double 11; on-demand retail GMV rose 42% year over year.
• Anthropic reported $17 billion in third-quarter 2026 revenue and plans a Nasdaq listing; its prospectus reported a $23.3 billion net loss, largely from a non-cash valuation-related charge.
• Nvidia’s board is exploring Jensen Huang succession options as controversy and related inquiries could affect his influence on U.S. policy debates over AI and China chip sales.
• Bank of America and Citi participated in Silicon Data’s Series A financing for tools focused on pricing and risk in AI compute markets.

Micron and Sandisk Ride the AI Memory Boom, but Micron Stands Out

Rising demand for memory for AI data centers has pushed up prices and helped Micron and Sandisk shares gain sharply in 2026. Micron makes both DRAM and NAND, while Sandisk focuses on NAND flash memory. Demand for high bandwidth memory, a type of DRAM used with AI accelerators, has outpaced supply, while AI labs also need large amounts of NAND storage for training data. The article argues that Micron is the stronger choice because fewer companies make DRAM and high bandwidth memory is important to AI development.

Texas Data Center Pause Puts Oracle in Focus

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a halt to final permits for new data center projects in September, pausing new development until at least December. Oracle has major operations near Abilene, in Dallas-Fort Worth and in Austin, so the changes could affect its plans, although the pause applies to new projects and the company could build elsewhere. Oracle had more than $125 billion in debt, but its fiscal 2027 first quarter revenue rose 30% to $19 billion and net income climbed 63% to nearly $4.8 billion. The article says its legacy businesses and strong results may help Oracle manage the risks.

Texas Data Center Pause Puts Oracle in Focus

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered a halt to final permits for new data center projects in September, pausing new development until at least December. Oracle has major operations near Abilene, in Dallas-Fort Worth and in Austin, so the changes could affect its plans, although the pause applies to new projects and the company could build elsewhere. Oracle had more than $125 billion in debt, but its fiscal 2027 first quarter revenue rose 30% to $19 billion and net income climbed 63% to nearly $4.8 billion. The article says its legacy businesses and strong results may help Oracle manage the risks.

Three Possible Futures for AI Stocks and Ways to Invest

The Nasdaq-100 entered a correction after falling 11.3% from October 6, raising concern about AI stocks. The article considers three outcomes: AI could drive productivity and today’s leading technology companies could keep winning, AI could fail to produce profitable businesses, or AI could deliver more moderate benefits. It suggests tech-focused funds such as the Invesco Nasdaq-100 ETF for investors who expect a strong outcome, and the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF for those who expect AI to disappoint. It also notes that investors who think AI will benefit the wider economy could consider small-cap stocks.

Agile Robots Valued at $8.5 Billion After New Funding

Agile Robots, a German AI robotics start-up, said Thursday that a new funding round valued it at $8.5 billion, or 7.7 billion euros. Its valuation has more than doubled since its last funding round in 2022. The company develops autonomous mobile robots that can move through and interact with their surroundings. Agile Robots plans to use the funding to improve its technology and expand its operations.

Agile Robots raises $500 million at an $8.5 billion valuation

German robotics company Agile Robots raised $500 million from investors including SoftBank and Nvidia, giving it an $8.5 billion valuation. Founder Zhaopeng Chen said the money will help the company expand in the United States, increase production in Germany and enter new markets. Agile, founded in Germany in 2018, has also worked with partners including Google DeepMind and raised $2 billion in total. The company develops industrial robots powered by artificial intelligence, and Chen said physical AI could help Europe address its AI gap and revive struggling industries.

Nvidia board explores Jensen Huang's possible replacement

Nvidia’s board is working with an outside firm to identify possible replacements for CEO Jensen Huang and is considering whether to appoint a temporary chief executive. Bloomberg reported that directors were meeting Wednesday to discuss Huang’s future, but the board has not announced a decision. The reports follow allegations of multiple extramarital affairs, including one involving Alice Huang, a Megaspeed executive reportedly suspected of spying for China. Nvidia has no clear succession plan, and its shares have fallen 10% since the reports. A law firm, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, is leading an investigation.

JD.com reports more than 50 million AI product sales during Double 11

JD.com said its 2026 Double 11 promotion sold more than 50 million AI products by 11:59 p.m. on November 11, while service orders topped 300 million. Gross merchandise value for JD Instant Delivery’s on-demand retail rose 42% year over year. Sales of large-model token packages grew more than tenfold from the previous quarter, and GMV for multi-use housekeeping cleaning cards rose more than 550% year over year. More than 2,000 home appliance and furnishing brands doubled their GMV, and JD.com’s 34 JD MALL stores and other outlets drew more than 13.4 million visits. The report also said Joybuy, JD.com’s European online retail business, launched an 11.11 promotion on November 9, with home appliance GMV rising more than ninefold year over year.

Study finds AI models may favor advertised drugs in treatment advice

A Mount Sinai study published in Nature Medicine found that 12 AI models from major technology companies were more likely to recommend an advertised drug when it appeared alongside a clinician’s treatment question. The models included systems from companies such as Google and Anthropic. The researchers said the findings point to possible bias toward treatments promoted by pharmaceutical companies. They said more research is needed into these biases and their effects on treatment recommendations for patients.

Bank of America and Citi invest in AI compute market firm Silicon Data

Silicon Data announced that Bank of America and Citi took part in its Series A financing. The New York financial infrastructure company is building market intelligence and risk management tools for the growing compute economy. It aims to provide price discovery, standardized pricing and financial products for AI infrastructure markets. The company says independent benchmarks can help market participants assess compute asset values, performance and risk.

Fed’s Mary Daly says AI investment could support growth

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly said AI is a transformative technology worth investing in, though its financing is not risk-free. Speaking at a Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research forum, she said businesses across the country want to invest more, and private investors can help bring valuations in line with expected returns. Daly said AI investment is contributing to growth projections and does not pose a risk to growth. She also said AI is adding to price pressures, but other factors are driving headline inflation, and rising technology equipment costs are not yet the main cause of overall inflation.

Survey finds 48% of Canadian workers lack safe AI training

An October survey of 1,042 Canadian office workers found that 48% had never received employer guidance on using AI safely at work. The survey was conducted for ISA Cybersecurity through the Angus Reid Forum. Andrew Buckles of ISA Cybersecurity said workers are adopting AI faster than employers can train them, and two in five surveyed workers plan to rely more on AI in 2027. The survey also found that 39% use free or personal AI accounts at work, which can expose confidential data. Buckles said companies must manage access, workflows, monitoring, incident response and AI engineering to reduce these risks.

Anthropic reports $17 billion in Q3 revenue ahead of planned IPO

Anthropic reported $17 billion in revenue for the third quarter of 2026, more than 12 times its revenue a year earlier, according to its amended IPO prospectus. More than 11,900 customers generated at least $100,000 in revenue over the previous 12 months, also a rise of more than 12 times year over year. The company said compute efficiency has improved more than four times since the first quarter of 2025. Anthropic reported a 15% adjusted operating margin but a 3% operating loss margin, along with a $23.3 billion net loss, most of which came from a non-cash charge tied to the rising value of convertible notes, derivative liabilities and SAFEs. It plans to list Class A shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, but its share count and price range were still blank in the filing.

Jensen Huang controversy could weaken AI industry influence in Washington

A November 12, 2026 report said controversy involving Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang could affect the AI industry’s influence in Washington. Huang has helped shape policy debates on AI regulation, open source models and sales of Nvidia chips to China, and President Donald Trump has treated him as a close tech ally. The report said China hawks in the Trump administration are working with lawmakers on chip sales restrictions, an issue Huang had sought to influence. Republican committee chairs still want to hear from Huang about his reported affair with Chinese tech executive Alice Huang and have not ruled out a subpoena if he refuses to appear. Lawmakers, including Rep. Jim Himes, have also sought more information about Alice Huang and her possible ties to Chinese intelligence.

Sources

• Micron vs. Sandisk: The AI Memory Supercycle Is Big Enough for Both, but Here's the Better Buy.
• Texas Wants to Rethink Data Center Construction. Here's the AI Stock Most Exposed.
• Texas Wants to Rethink Data Center Construction. Here's the AI Stock Most Exposed.
• 3 Possible Paths Forward for AI Stocks (Bull Case, Bear Case, Base Case) -- and How to Invest for Each
• German AI robotics start-up valued at $8.5 bn after new fundraising
• Tech Giants Invest in German Robotics Start-Up at $8.5 Billion Valuation
• NVIDIA’s Board Working With Outside Firm To Replace Jensen Huang, Could Name Temporary CEO: Bloomberg
• JD.com Sells Over 50 Million AI Products During Double 11, Service Orders Top 300 Million
• AI models from Google, Anthropic and more lean on recommending promoted drugs: study
• Bank of America : and Citi Invest in Silicon Data, the Leading Independent Index Provider for AI Compute
• AI is useful to invest in, says San Francisco Fed's Daly when asked if AI financing is risk-free
• Nearly Half Of Employees Have Never Received Training On How To Use AI Safely: ISA Cybersecurity Survey
• Anthropic’s IPO Filing Shows $17 Billion In Quarterly Revenue For Q3’26, Up More Than 12x In A Year
• Jensen Huang’s meltdown spells trouble for AI industry