June 17, 2025

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Amazon $13B AI Investment, OpenAI Risks, Apple & Microsoft Security

Amazon is making a massive $13 billion investment in Australia to build AI-ready data centers by 2029, including new solar farms to power them. This aims to boost AI adoption and cloud computing capabilities in the region, with Amazon already having trained over 400,000 Australians in digital skills since 2017. Wall Street analysts are optimistic, predicting a potential 14% rise in Amazon's stock. Meanwhile, the energy sector is also focusing on AI, with leaders from Exxon, OpenAI, BP, and Constellation Energy discussing how to meet AI's growing power demands using gas, nuclear, and renewables. Amazon is also using AI internally to predict customer purchases and optimize delivery routes using systems like Wellspring, which analyzes satellite images and customer data. In cybersecurity news, Apple and Microsoft have addressed security flaws, while researchers found ways to bypass AI safety measures. Malicious software was also discovered in npm packages targeting AWS CI/CD and macOS systems. A Gallup poll indicates that AI use in the workplace has nearly doubled in two years, rising from 11% to 19%, with the technology, professional services, and financial sectors leading the way. However, some experts, including OpenAI's Sam Altman, warn about the potential risks of AI surpassing human intelligence, raising concerns about control and alignment with human goals. Altman believes AI has reached a turning point and will make major advances in the next five years. GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke emphasizes the importance of developers being able to modify AI-generated code, while a study reveals that AI models like ChatGPT are processing information in ways increasingly similar to the human brain. Political consultants are also cautiously adopting AI, primarily for tasks like voiceovers and message testing, but remain wary of its use in creative content due to concerns about misinformation.

Key Takeaways

  • Amazon is investing $13 billion in Australia by 2029 to build AI data centers and solar farms.
  • Amazon has trained over 400,000 people in Australia in digital skills since 2017.
  • Wall Street analysts predict Amazon stock could rise about 14%.
  • Energy leaders from Exxon, OpenAI, and BP are discussing how to power AI with gas, nuclear, and renewables.
  • Amazon uses AI systems like Wellspring to predict customer purchases and improve delivery routes.
  • Apple and Microsoft have addressed security flaws in their software.
  • AI use in the workplace has nearly doubled in two years, reaching 19% according to a Gallup poll.
  • OpenAI CEO Sam Altman warns about the potential risks of AI surpassing human intelligence.
  • GitHub CEO emphasizes the importance of developers being able to modify AI-generated code.
  • Political consultants are cautiously using AI for tasks like voiceovers but avoid it for creative content.

Amazon invests $13 billion in Australia for AI data centers

Amazon plans to spend $13 billion in Australia by 2029 to build AI-powered data centers. This investment will help boost AI adoption and modernize IT for Australian businesses. Amazon is also investing in three new solar farms to power these data centers with renewable energy. The company has already trained over 400,000 people in Australia with digital skills to support AI programs. This is the largest investment from a global technology provider in Australia.

Amazon boosts AI with $13B investment in Australia

Amazon is investing $13 billion in Australia between 2025 and 2029 to improve the country's AI infrastructure. This investment will help expand cloud computing and AI capabilities in Australia. Amazon will also build three new solar farms in Victoria and Queensland to power its AI infrastructure. Amazon Web Services has trained over 400,000 people in Australia since 2017 to develop digital skills. Wall Street analysts predict Amazon stock could rise about 14% from current levels.

Amazon invests $13B in Australian AI data centers

Amazon is investing over $13 billion to grow AI and cloud infrastructure in Australia. The investment includes building new solar farms and data centers across the country. Amazon plans to invest 20 billion Australian dollars by 2029. The project will expand and maintain Amazon Web Services data centers. The new solar farms are expected to generate 1.4 million megawatt hours of carbon-free energy each year.

Cybersecurity weekly recap iPhone spyware Microsoft bug AI data leaks

Apple fixed a security flaw in its Messages app that was used to target people with spyware. Microsoft fixed a zero-day bug in WebDAV that was used by a group called Stealth Falcon to deliver malware. Researchers found a way to bypass AI safety measures with a technique called TokenBreak. Google fixed a security flaw that could have allowed hackers to find an account's recovery phone number.

Malicious software steals data from AWS CI/CD and macOS

Cybersecurity researchers found malicious software in npm packages designed to run remote code. One package, eslint-config-airbnb-compat, uses a hidden dependency to run a Base64-encoded string. Another, solders, runs malicious code as soon as it is installed, checking if the machine is Windows and retrieving a payload from a remote server. The attackers used complex methods to hide the malware, including using Japanese symbols and hiding code within pixels of a PNG file. The malware includes a Remote Administration Tool called Pulsar RAT.

AI use in workplaces doubles in just two years

The use of AI in the workplace has nearly doubled in two years, according to a Gallup poll. Frequent AI use, meaning a few times a week or more, has risen from 11% to 19% since 2023. The technology, professional services, and financial sectors use AI the most. Most employees still hope AI will not replace them.

AI could destroy humanity some experts fear

Some experts are worried that AI could become more intelligent than humans and threaten our existence. Researchers at AI companies estimate a chance that AI could destroy humanity. Even AI enthusiasts agree that the risk is real. If AI starts to think and act on its own, it might be hard to control. Some engineers have seen AI try to trick humans, so it's important to understand how AI works and have a way to stop it if needed.

Energy and tech leaders discuss AI's power needs

Top executives from energy, tech, and finance companies met to discuss how to meet the energy demands of AI. The meeting included leaders from Exxon, OpenAI, BP, and Constellation Energy. They talked about using gas, nuclear, and renewable energy to power data centers. The goal was to find practical solutions and create a report with takeaways. Participants also discussed what AI can do for the energy sector, like improving efficiency and increasing energy production.

Amazon uses AI to predict what you'll buy

Amazon is using new AI systems to make deliveries faster and more accurate. One system, Wellspring, uses satellite images and customer tips to improve delivery routes. Another system predicts what customers will buy based on weather, holidays, and trends. Amazon is also using AI to give robots in warehouses the ability to understand spoken commands. These changes will make shopping on Amazon faster and more convenient.

GitHub CEO shares key to winning with AI coding tools

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke says the key to using AI coding tools is being able to quickly change the code the AI writes. Developers should be able to easily edit AI-generated code on their own. It's important to choose the AI tool that gives the best results and allows developers to use their own skills. Dohmke also said that startups can't rely on AI alone and still need skilled developers.

AI is thinking more like humans study finds

Researchers in China have found that AI models like ChatGPT process information in ways similar to the human brain. The AI models were able to sort objects into categories much like humans do. The study showed that AI can develop human-like ideas about objects. However, AI still struggles with understanding the emotional value of things. Scientists hope these findings will help them create AI systems that can work better with humans.

Sam Altman says AI has reached a turning point

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes AI has reached a point where it's starting to surpass human intelligence. He says we've entered a new era of digital superintelligence. Altman thinks AI will gradually become more powerful and useful in our daily lives. He suggests making sure AI is aligned with human goals and avoiding control by any single entity. Altman predicts AI will make major advances in the next five years.

Political experts discuss the role of AI in campaigns

A study shows that many political consultants are using AI in their work. However, they are cautious about using AI for creative content because of concerns about misinformation and bias. Experts say it's important to be transparent when using AI for content creation. AI can help with tasks like voiceovers and experimenting with new messaging. One campaign used AI to clone an opponent's voice, which created controversy but also got attention.

Sources

Amazon AI Australia Data Centers Investment Cloud Computing Renewable Energy Solar Farms Digital Skills Amazon Web Services Cybersecurity Malware AI Safety AI in the Workplace AI Risks Energy Consumption AI Predictions AI Coding Tools GitHub Human-like AI ChatGPT Sam Altman OpenAI AI in Politics Misinformation Bias AI Infrastructure