Sam Altman Says 2026 May Be a Big Year for AI
Sam Altman's OpenAI is at the center of an ambitious effort to remake the world of artificial intelligence while simultaneously turbocharging America's leading role in the developing technology behind it. Stargate, a collaboration of OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank, is set to use a bankroll that could reach $500 billion to build massive installations across the US.
Altman, 40, says the project's name stems from an early data center design that resembled the ring-shaped portal made famous in the eponymous movie and television series. After he spent many months selling the idea to prospective backers, Stargate started to come together last year. In this extended interview from The Circuit with Emily Chang, Altman reveals what he thinks this giant leap into AI infrastructure could mean for the technology, the industry and the world.
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Forbes
33 minutes ago
- Forbes
Beijing Haoyang To Build $2.2 Billion Data Center At WHA Site In Thailand
Computer servers in a data center. getty Beijing Haoyang Cloud & Data Technology Co. is building a 72.7 billion baht ($2.2 billion) data center in Thailand amid booming demand for AI-powered applications. The 300-megawatt hyperscale data center will be built in an industrial park developed by a unit of tycoon Jareeporn Jarukornsaku's WHA Corp. in Rayong province, about 180 kilometers east of Bangkok, WHA Industrial Development said in a statement on Wednesday. Bangkok-listed WHA—which was cofounded by Jareeporn with her late husband over two decades ago—has been investing in technology and capabilities to meet the requirements of global data center operators. It owns over a third of the 26 sprawling industrial estates located in Thailand's 1.3 million hectare Eastern Economic Corridor that has drawn billions of dollars of investments from multinational companies. With a net worth of $1 billion, Jareeporn is among the wealthiest in Thailand. She has been running WHA since 2015. The company also has a natural gas joint venture with Bangkok-listed Gulf Development and Japan's Mitsui & Co. and Tokyo Gas. Targeted to be operational in 2026, the data center will be the first overseas facility of Beijing Haoyang, supporting Thailand's push to be a regional data center hub to host so-called hyper scalers. 'This project will enhance our global presence, significantly contribute to the region's development as a digital hub in Southeast Asia, and empower more Chinese enterprises to go overseas,' Lai Ning Ning, chairman and CEO of Beijing Haoyang, said in the statement. Beijing Haoyang operates five key data centers in economic hubs across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Macao, and Shenzhen. Thailand has been competing with Malaysia and Singapore to attract investments in data centers as an AI boom drives the demand for such facilities. Global tech giants such as ByteDance's TikTok, Alphabet's Google, and Microsoft have been building new digital facilities in the country. Thai companies have also been investing in data centers, with billionaire Sarath Ratanavadi's Gulf Development and tycoon Harald Link's B. Grimm accelerating expansion plans.
Forbes
33 minutes ago
- Forbes
Cabernet Franc Rising In Napa Valley
Cabernet Franc grapes, the 'father of Cabernet Sauvignon,' are gaining in popularity in Napa Valley For years, the Cabernet Franc grape has been considered just a blending grape in Napa Valley, overshadowed by the bigger, bolder, and more famous Cabernet Sauvignon grape. But recently, more Cabernet Franc wines have appeared in Napa Valley, almost always selling out immediately to avid customer lists. Another interesting fact is that Napa Valley Cabernet Franc grapes have been more expensive to purchase than Cabernet Sauvignon since 2016. According to the Napa Valley Crop Report, Cabernet Franc averaged between $500 and $1000 more per ton than Cabernet Sauvignon. For example, in 2023, Napa Valley Cabernet Franc grapes averaged $10,633 per ton, whereas Cabernet Sauvignon averaged $9235 per ton. Plus Cabernet Franc wines taste distinctly different from Cabernet Sauvignon wines, even though Cabernet Franc is considered 'the father of Cabernet Sauvignon' and is the older grape. Known most as the signature red grape of the Loire Valley where it produces medium-bodied savory wines tasting of dried berries, herbs and aromas of violets; in Napa Valley, it becomes more fleshy with velvety tannins, ripe black currants, many different spices, and a nose of violets. So what is up with Cabernet Franc in Napa Valley? Why is it more expensive than Cabernet Sauvignon? Why does it consistently sell out to consumers, but not many wineries produce it? Is Cabernet Franc rising as a new wine trend in Napa Valley? To answer these questions, I attended the Napa Valley Auction this year (which raised $6.5 million for local charities) and approached the seven wineries that featured 100% Cabernet Franc wines at the barrel auction, out of 100 winery auction barrels. These seven wineries included: Antinori Napa Valley, Barnett Vineyards, Cakebread Cellars, Crocker-Starr, Covert, Frog's Leap, and The WineFoundry. 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I don't like a Cab Franc if it tastes green,' he said. However, he also added that his small production sells out right away every year to the wine club. 'People enjoy trying it, because it is something different. It is lighter in style than Cab.' Due to its tendency to exhibit strong herbal and bell pepper flavors if not grown in the right location, several winemakers described the challenge of 'taming the green notes,' in Cabernet Franc. 'It's a harder grape to grow and to get ripe to avoid the pyrazines (green notes),' stated Nikki Williams, Winemaker with Cakebread Cellars. 'But when planted on well-draining soils, it produces a light and elegant style wine with pure fruit, lovely floral aromas and an attractive spicy cigar box note.' Emily Floyd, Director of Sales and Hospitality at Covert Winery, admitted, 'When I was 23, I had an 'aha moment' when I first tasted Cabernet Franc. I fell in love with the grape but quickly realized that it's rare to find a good one. But at Covert, it's delicious.' And she was right. The Covert Cabernet Franc barrel offering was brimming with ripe berries, spice, and a very smooth, elegant, and velvety long finish. 'It was made by our consulting winemaker, Julien Fayard, and Assistant Winemaker, Sam Buckingham. It sells out immediately when we release it each year,' she reported. Pouring Wine Samples at the Napa Valley Barrel Auction 2025 Each of the seven winery representatives also commented on how Cabernet Franc, due to its lighter and more elegant style, seems to be gaining increasing appreciation from consumers. 'Cabernet Franc is all about nuance and restraint,' stated Stuart Ake, with The WineFoundry, who produced a stunning example, made from grapes grown in the Stagecoach vineyard. 'People are starting to appreciate all the layers and elegance, versus the power of a big Cabernet Sauvignon. And It seems to attract a much younger audience who are more adventurous and open to exploring new things.' Jamie Alonso, Cellar Master with Antinori Napa Valley agreed. 'We always used to use Cabernet Franc as a blender, but now a lot of young people like the fresh, lighter style.' Jessica Hager, DTC Manager with Frog's Leap spoke to changing consumer tastes. 'Consumers today want something lighter and the profile of Cabernet Franc delivers this, plus provides a nice savory element.' Indeed the Frog's Leap wine is very light and elegant, with pure fruit and spice — crafted in more of a Loire Valley style, but with the added sunshine of Napa Valley. 'I believe that our organic farming methods help to ensure that our wines do not have the pyrazines of some cab francs,' she concluded. David Tate with Barnett Vineyards added, 'People enjoy trying it because it's something new after they've been tasting Cabernet Sauvignon all day. Then they get to try Cab Franc and it's fresh and floral and different.' The other aspect of Cabernet Franc wines is that it makes a great wine to pair with many different types of cuisine. Because of its lighter style and crisp acidity, it can even be matched with heavier seafood dishes and grilled vegetables, as well as the classic beef and lamb. 'I've been swarmed by sommeliers all day long because they are attracted to cabernet franc wines to pair with their restaurant food,' stated Stuart Ake, with The WineFoundry. 'I love the wonderful spices in Cab Franc, especially when the green notes turn into a dried chipotle with cardamom, cigar, and tobacco notes,' added Pam Starr of Crocker-Starr. 'It's my favorite wine to pair with food,' said Jaime Alonso with Antinori. 'I think it pairs especially well with lamb chops and Italian food.' Visitors Celebrating at the Napa Valley Barrel Auction 2025, Louis Martini Winery Other highly rated Cabernet Franc wine brands from Napa Valley include: Caladan, Realm Cellars, Turnbull, Chappellet, La Jota, Pahlmeyer, Lithology, and Lang & Reed, amongst others. So is Cabernet Franc rising in Napa Valley? Well, it appears that consumers are quite attracted to its lighter more elegant style and most of the wine sells out to wine club members upon release. But currently, very little Cabernet Franc is grown in Napa Valley, so scarcity could also be playing a role in the high sales record. But will Cabernet Franc ever replace the powerful and very lucrative hold that Cabernet Sauvignon has on Napa Valley, with some of the most expensive and collectible wines in America comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa? Perhaps the answer lies in the words of Stuart Ake of The Wine Foundery: 'I will trumpet the subtle nods and elegant restraint of the Cabernet Franc grape until the end, but it doesn't mean I also don't appreciate the depth, breadth and chiseled muscle power of Cabernet Sauvignon.' So both styles of wine are equally attractive. In the end, it is positive to see Cabernet Franc as a new rising star in Napa Valley, even if it may be lighter than the bright wattage of Cabernet Sauvignon. Teresa Wall, Communications Director with Napa Valley Vintners, agrees: 'It's exciting to see vintners across Napa Valley focusing on the Cabernet Franc variety and consumers becoming more curious about this remarkable grape,' she concluded.
Android Authority
34 minutes ago
- Android Authority
Google Home's latest bug: Setting an alarm for this time is nearly impossible
Ryan Haines / Android Authority TL;DR A recent Google Home bug prevents smart speakers and displays from setting alarms for 12:30am. Google Assistant-equipped Home devices like the Nest Hub and the Nest Audio recognize standard alarm command phrasing, like 'Okay Google, set an alarm for twelve thirty am,' but they set the alarm for 12:30 p.m. instead. Saying 'zero zero thirty' aloud appears to be the only working time input for setting an alarm for 12.30am. Google Home is no stranger to more than the occasional bug like bricked Nest Hubs and gimped Thermostat commands. To Google's credit, the company does roll out updates that fix the issues, but these issues are often embarrassing to have occurred in the first place. You can now add another bug to the list, with Google Home smart speakers and smart displays strangely unable to set a very specific alarm. Reddit user ReddBroccoli infuriatingly points out that their Google Assistant-equipped Nest Hub fails to set an alarm for 12.30am. Strangely, no matter which variation you try, the Nest Hub will set an alarm for 12.30pm. Here's a video from the Reddit user showing their Google Home smart display's inability to set an alarm for 12.30am: I tried out the basic alarm command 'Hey Google, set an alarm for twelve thirty am' on my Google Nest Audio, and sure enough, Google Assistant keeps setting an alarm for 12.30pm. Even saying 'half-past midnight' for the time doesn't work. The only command that works for this particular hour is saying 'zero zero thirty' out loud. You'd think the smart speaker/display is set to accept time in only the 24-hour military time format, but my Nest Audio replies back, 'Okay, alarm set for 12.30am,' acknowledging and using the 12-hour time system. The Reddit user mentions the command used to work, so something changed in the backend recently. We've contacted Google for comments on the above issue. We'll keep you updated when we learn more. Until then, we recommend using your phone to set an alarm, as your Google Assistant-equipped smart home clearly isn't up to the task. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
