Global Scans · GAFA et al · Weekly Summary

• [New] In 2026, Huawei, ByteDance and Alibaba are expected to spend $111 billion on data centers and other A.I. investments. / China The New York Times
• [New] Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Oracle are projected to spend $750 billion in 2026 on data centers, chips and other A.I. infrastructure, up from roughly $400 billion last year. / USA The New York Times
• [New] Apple's long-rumored smart home push may finally be nearing launch, with Bloomberg reporting that a new home hub, refreshed Apple TV, and updated HomePod mini could roll out over the coming months. Digital Trends
• [New] Amazon Web Services, meanwhile, plans to spend $200bn in capex in 2026 with Meta setting aside $145bn. IT Pro
• [New] One unexpected consequence of the AI boom is that Google, Microsoft and Amazon could end up financing home energy upgrades to free up grid availability. Last Week in ConTech
• [New] Among the large AI infrastructure deals Amazon signed in the quarter were one with OpenAI to build approximately 2 gigawatts of Amazon Trainium capacity starting in 2027 and one with startup Anthropic, which wants to use up to 5 gigawatts of current and next-generation Trainium chips. tradingkey.com
• [New] Amazon has asked federal regulators to approve a request to launch up to 5,105 internet satellites as part of a constellation that will provide direct-to-device connectivity. CNBC
• [New] Amazon said it expects to begin deploying its D2D network in 2028. CNBC
• [New] Google Cloud's AI backlog has now grown to $514 billion, and it could convert > 50% over the next 24 months. Seeking Alpha
• [New] Google raised 2026 capex guidance to $195 to 205 billion, OpenAI lifted its 2030 cloud spending estimate to $700 billion, and AMD signed a multibillion-dollar chip and investment deal with Anthropic. investing.com
• [New] TikTok's US e-commerce business, which EMARKETER - a Business Insider sister company - forecasts could cross $23 billion in sales in 2026, is still a small player compared to Amazon, which EMARKETER expects will make more than $500 billion in US sales in 2026. Business Insider
• [New] Amazon is already testing versions of the redesigned interface with users while evaluating how AI-driven personalization will coexist with traditional promotional placements purchased by studios. MarketingProfs
• [New] The chip, internally called Frozen v2, is targeted for 2028 and could be 6-10 x more efficient than current Google AI chips, measured in tokens generated per watt. The Brief - Superculture
• [New] Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Amazon are collectively projected to lift AI infrastructure spending from $650 billion in 2026 to $1 trillion in 2027 - the single number underpinning the bull case, since Nvidia captures the dominant share of every accelerated-computing dollar. FinanceFeeds
• [New] At Google I/O 2026, Google announced it is strengthening Search's AI Mode and will progressively roll out search agents that gather information on your behalf when you simply ask.
• [New] Amazon plans to invest $12 billion in data center campuses in Northwest Louisiana that will be served by Southwestern Electric Power Co., an AEP subsidiary. Observer
• [New] Google Maps' in-vehicle map data services will underpin NGP and Xpilot Assist, Xpeng's entry-level driver assistance system, as both are prepared for international markets. Automotive World
• [New] Rival AI assistants will gain access to Android features that enable functions such as voice activation and task completion, while AI search competitors will receive access to anonymized Google Search data under defined pricing and security rules. MarketingProfs
• [New] The European Commission issued detailed Digital Markets Act requirements that will require Google to open key Android and search capabilities to competing AI providers and search engines. MarketingProfs
• [New] Google expressed concern over handing search data to AI chatbots, saying that companies like OpenAI could slurp up search data en masse to train their models - an argument we note is somewhat rebuffed by the Commission's point that search data will not be freely available under its proposed schema. theregister
• [New] Google will be required to give third-party AI providers extensive access to Android-powered devices, including allowing them to be voice-activated in place of Gemini, and to take actions in apps on user's behalf. theregister

Last updated: 02 August 2026