How risky are data center bets?

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Tech Across the Globe

Samsung beefs up auto business: Samsung-owned Harman International will acquire the driving-assist unit of Germany’s ZF Group for $1.8 billion. The deal will build on Harman’s expertise in audio and car-entertainment products as Samsung chases a bigger slice of the automotive market.

US delays chip tariffs: The US accused China of engaging in unfair trade practices involving semiconductors, but declined to impose more tariffs on chip imports until at least mid-2027.

FCC restricts drones: Federal regulators said they would ban future imports of most foreign-made drones and critical components for unmanned aircraft systems, a move aimed at China’s DJI.

Revalued

Erebor Bank, a Silicon Valley-focused startup backed by Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel, is raising money in a $350 million round that will more than double its valuation to $4.35 billion. The bank, named for the treasure-filled mountain in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, has positioned itself for crypto and tech-focused clients.

Must Read

The big financing exercise facilitating the world’s AI data center and infrastructure buildout has started to draw in pension funds and insurers as investors. Mayumi Negishi in Tokyo, who’s watched insurance companies fail during Japan’s asset-price collapse in the ‘90s, strikes a cautionary note about this latest development in today’s Tech In Depth essay.

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This Week in Game On

Johanna Faries, who took over Blizzard Entertainment in January 2024 after Microsoft completed its purchase of the game maker, told Jason Schreier that she feels there’s “an energy” in the company that will let developers take big bets on potentially blockbuster games. Read more of Jason’s exclusive interview in this week’s Game On.

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