SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is working to raise up to $100 billion from Gulf investors to fund a new AI-focused investment vehicle. He has held discussions with senior figures in the UAE as part of a broader effort to tap into the region's technology and finance expertise. The new fund is expected to launch in the coming months and would help SoftBank diversify beyond its traditional telecom business.
In the manufacturing sector, AI is making gains through connected operations rather than simple automation. Instead of requiring employees to navigate complex ERP systems, AI allows them to ask questions directly, letting information flow naturally from production through the channel. One HVAC manufacturer has already used this approach to simplify workflows and reduce manual steps.
AI use is surging across private markets, according to a Deloitte survey of 95 fund groups. Seventy-seven percent have started using or increased their use of AI in the past year, up from 35 percent in 2025. Common tools include Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude, mostly for drafting memos and reviewing quality. However, 39 percent of groups have no formal AI governance in place.
On the military front, Shield AI and the US Navy are investing $400 million in X-BAT, an AI-piloted vertical takeoff and landing fighter. The Navy added a $150 million modification to its agreement with Shield AI, and Shield AI will invest another $150 million. A team of 500 engineers and suppliers including GE Aerospace is building the aircraft, with flight testing planned for later this year.
Meanwhile, McDonald's is testing an AI voice-ordering system called Archy at its drive-thrus, capable of working in English and Spanish. The company says the tool is meant to simplify operations and free employees to serve customers better. Chick-fil-A, by contrast, says it will keep humans at its drive-thru speakers, with CEO Andrew Cathy emphasizing the importance of hospitality. A federal antitrust lawsuit against McDonald's also claims the company pressures franchisees to use AI-powered pricing, which it argues raises consumer prices.
In financial markets, the VIX index dropped 1.2 percent as concerns about AI's market impact eased, standing at 15.23 points in midday trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent alongside gains in the Dow and Nasdaq. Olivia Moore, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, released a report noting that consumer AI needs new revenue streams beyond subscriptions and API fees, with cheaper models and advertising offering potential paths for growth.
Key Takeaways
- SoftBank seeks up to $100 billion from Gulf investors to fund a new AI investment fund
- Deloitte survey finds 77% of private market fund groups have adopted AI tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude
- Shield AI and US Navy invest $400 million in X-BAT, an AI-piloted vertical takeoff fighter
- McDonald's tests AI drive-thru ordering system Archy while Chick-fil-A keeps human workers
- 39% of fund groups lack formal AI governance despite rising adoption
- VIX falls 1.2% as AI-related market fears ease
- New research improves how AI agents verify their own progress using inspectable verifiers
- Andreessen Horowitz says consumer AI needs revenue beyond subscriptions and API fees
- Manufacturing AI advances through connected operations rather than automation alone
- Antitrust lawsuit claims McDonald's pressures franchisees to use AI-powered pricing
SoftBank seeks $100bn from Gulf investors for AI expansion
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son is trying to raise up to $100 billion from Gulf investors. The money would expand SoftBank's artificial intelligence investments. He has held talks with senior figures in the UAE. The effort is part of a broader push to tap into the region's technology and finance expertise.
SoftBank seeks Gulf funding for new AI investment fund
Masayoshi Son is seeking to raise up to $100 billion from Gulf investors. The funds would support a new investment fund focused on AI-related investments. SoftBank has already invested in several AI startups. The new fund is expected to launch in the coming months and help SoftBank diversify away from its traditional telecom business.
SoftBank seeks $100bn from Gulf investors to expand AI bet
Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's founder and chief executive, has held talks with senior figures in the UAE. The talks aim to raise $100 billion from Gulf investors to expand SoftBank's AI business. SoftBank has been investing heavily in AI and other emerging technologies. The company wants to stay ahead of competitors by tapping into the region's deep pockets.
Chick-fil-A keeps humans while McDonald's tests AI drive-thru
Chick-fil-A CEO Andrew Cathy says the chain will keep humans at its drive-thru speakers. He believes hospitality is important for a warm environment. Meanwhile, McDonald's is testing Archy, an AI voice-ordering system that works in English and Spanish. McDonald's says the tool is meant to simplify operations and free employees to serve customers better.
McDonald's lawsuit joins legal challenges to AI pricing
A federal antitrust lawsuit against McDonald's says the company pressures franchisees to use AI-powered pricing. The lawsuit claims this raises prices for consumers. McDonald's says each franchisee sets its own price and AI does not set the price of any menu item. Other industries like hotels and health insurance also face similar lawsuits. Courts have ruled both ways on algorithmic pricing cases.
MemTrial improves portfolio agent memory credit
MemTrial is a new method for LLM portfolio agents that better credits past experiences. It tests decisions with and without each experience to isolate their true impact. The agent uses a Banzhaf value calculation and a hierarchical Bayesian model. It outperforms 15 other methods and limits losses to at most 2.2 percent below the equal-weight portfolio.
AI agents shift customer relationship control
AI agents are taking over key customer tasks like discovery, comparison, and purchasing. This shift changes how companies manage their customer relationships. The article discusses who controls the customer relationship now that AI agents play a larger role. The discussion was published on October 9, 2026.
Andreessen Horowitz partner discusses consumer AI
Olivia Moore, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, released a report on consumer AI. She says the industry needs new revenue streams beyond subscriptions and API fees. Moore notes that most current AI revenue comes from enterprise subscriptions. She believes cheaper models and advertising could help consumer AI grow. She also argues much of today's consumer AI is really prosumer AI.
VIX falls 1.2 percent as AI fears ease
The VIX index dropped 1.2 percent in midday trading as concerns about AI's market impact decreased. The index stood at 15.23 points at 10:11 a.m. ET. The S&P 500 rose 0.4 percent alongside gains in the Dow and Nasdaq. Easing oil prices and economic optimism helped calm investors.
Manufacturing AI gains through connected operations
The next breakthrough in manufacturing AI is connected operations, not just automation. AI can connect people, systems, and processes that currently work in silos. This helps information flow naturally from production through the channel. Instead of employees navigating complex ERP systems, AI lets them simply ask questions. One HVAC manufacturer already used this approach to simplify workflows and reduce manual steps.
Shield AI and US Navy invest $400 million in X-BAT fighter
The US Navy added a $150 million modification to its agreement with Shield AI for X-BAT, an AI-piloted vertical takeoff and landing fighter. Shield AI will also invest $150 million of its own money. A team of 500 engineers and suppliers like GE Aerospace are building the aircraft, with flight testing planned for later this year. X-BAT is designed to operate from ships and austere sites without needing runways.
New method improves how AI agents verify their own progress
Researchers tackled the problem of how to check whether self-improving AI agents actually get better over time. They developed an inspectable verifier built from small failure detectors rather than a simple LLM judge. On MBPP+ the verifier gained 0.21 held-out agreement over a hand-written rubric and outperformed the bare judge it replaced. The study found that downstream task scores alone cannot certify a self-evolved verifier.
AI use surges in private markets as valuation governance lags
A Deloitte survey of 95 fund groups found that 77 percent have started using or increased AI in the past year, up from 35 percent in 2025. Common tools include Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT and Claude, mostly for drafting memos and reviewing quality. However 39 percent of groups have no formal AI governance, and only 7 percent have audit trails for AI outputs. The SEC listed AI training and security controls among its 2026 examination priorities.
Sources
- SoftBank seeks $100bn from Gulf investors to expand AI bet
- SoftBank Seeks Gulf Funding for New AI Investment Fund
- SoftBank seeks $100bn from Gulf investors to expand AI bet
- Chick-fil-A is keeping humans at the drive-thru while McDonald’s tests AI ordering and defends a separate pricing algorithm in court
- McDonald’s Lawsuit Joins Widespread Legal Challenges to AI Pricing Algorithms
- MemTrial: Learning When to Trust Memory in LLM Portfolio Agents
- Who Owns the Customer in the Age of AI Agents?
- A16z’s Olivia Moore on the state of consumer AI
- VIX eases 1.2 percent as AI worries recede in midday trading
- Why the Next Manufacturing AI Breakthrough Is Connected Operations
- Shield AI and U.S. government investment in X-BAT reaches $400 million
- Who Verifies the Verifier? Co-Evolving Inspectable Graders with Self-Improving Agents
- Private market valuation practices under pressure as AI use surges
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