Practical Tech - Under the Radar News

Intel struggles to meet AI data center CPU demandhttps://www.reuters.com/business/intel-forecasts-first-quarter-sales-profit-below-estimates-2026-01-22/
Memory chip prices surge due to AI demandhttps://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/artificial-intelligencer-ai-gold-rush-is-coming-your-gadgets-2026-01-14/
TikTok seals U.S. joint venture to avoid banhttps://www.reuters.com/world/china/tiktok-reaches-deal-new-us-joint-venture-avoid-american-ban-2026-01-23/
U.S. House advances AI chip export oversight billhttps://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-house-panel-vote-bill-give-congress-authority-over-ai-chip-exports-2026-01-21/
China bans U.S. and Israeli cybersecurity softwarehttps://www.reuters.com/world/china/beijing-tells-chinese-firms-stop-using-us-israeli-cybersecurity-software-sources-2026-01-14/
U.S. approves limited Nvidia H200 exports to Chinahttps://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-eases-regulations-nvidia-h200-chip-exports-china-2026-01-13/
Trump imposes 25% tariff on advanced AI chipshttps://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-imposes-25-tariff-imports-some-advanced-computing-chips-2026-01-14/
Investors back power providers over Big Tech for AIhttps://www.reuters.com/business/investors-back-energy-providers-over-big-tech-2026-ai-bets-says-blackrock-2026-01-13/
Davos highlights AI infrastructure bottleneckshttps://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/artificial-intelligencer-top-ai-themes-that-will-shape-2026-2026-01-15/
Nvidia builds location verification tech to fight chip smugglinghttps://www.reuters.com/business/nvidia-builds-location-verification-tech-that-could-help-fight-chip-smuggling-2025-12-10/

Alibaba plans IPO of AI chip unit T‑Head — Alibaba prepares to spin out its semiconductor arm, signaling China’s push for domestic AI hardware.https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/alibaba-plan-ipo-ai-chipmaking-unit-t-head-bloomberg-news-reports-2026-01-22/
Intel results spotlight AI data center demand — AI infrastructure demand supports Intel’s turnaround strategy.https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/intel-results-spotlight-turnaround-efforts-ai-data-centers-boost-chip-demand-2026-01-21/
US House panel advances AI chip export oversight bill — Congress moves to gain authority over AI chip export approvals.https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-house-panel-vote-bill-give-congress-authority-over-ai-chip-exports-2026-01-21/
AI and geopolitics dominate Davos discussions — Global leaders focus on AI as economic and political strategy.https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/artificial-intelligencer-how-ai-politics-dominated-davos-2026-01-22/
OpenAI seeks to expand everyday global AI use — OpenAI pushes broader adoption through public‑sector partnerships.https://www.reuters.com/business/davos/openai-seeks-increase-global-ai-use-everyday-life-2026-01-21/
Taiwan to lead ‘democratic’ high‑tech supply chain with US — Semiconductor supply chains become geopolitical alignment tools.https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-says-it-will-lead-democratic-high-tech-supply-chain-with-us-2026-01-20/
US approves limited Nvidia H200 AI chip exports to China — New rules allow restricted access under testing and certification.https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-eases-regulations-nvidia-h200-chip-exports-china-2026-01-13/
Trump imposes 25% tariff on advanced AI chips — New tariffs target high‑end Nvidia and AMD processors.https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-imposes-25-tariff-imports-some-advanced-computing-chips-2026-01-14/
China limits Nvidia AI chip purchases to special cases — Beijing restricts foreign AI hardware access.https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-limits-nvidia-chip-purchases-special-circumstances-information-reports-2026-01-13/
US FTC to scrutinize Big Tech talent acquisition deals — Regulators target acqui‑hire strategies to curb antitrust avoidance.https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/us-ftc-scrutinize-big-techs-talent-acquisition-deals-bloomberg-news-reports-2026-01-16/

Meta’s new AI team delivers first internal models — Meta confirms internal progress on new AI systems, signaling deeper in‑house capabilities.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
Intel results spotlight AI data center demand — Intel’s turnaround efforts are being supported by AI‑driven infrastructure demand.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
South Korea launches landmark AI laws — New regulations spark concern among startups over compliance burdens.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
Alibaba plans IPO of AI chip unit T‑Head — China tech giant prepares to spin out its chip arm.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
Ipsos to invest €1.2B in AI and acquisitions — Major bet on AI‑driven research and analytics.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
Hyundai union warns over humanoid robot plans — Labor groups raise concerns over automation and job impacts.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
U.S. House panel advances AI chip export bill — Congress moves to expand oversight of AI chip exports.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
Crypto firm BitGo raises $212M in U.S. IPO — Institutional crypto infrastructure continues to mature.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
Australia orders audit of fintech Airwallex — Watchdog probes suspected compliance lapses.https://www.reuters.com/technology/
CityFibre says 70% of broadband switchers join its network — Alternative fiber infrastructure gains traction in the UK.https://www.reuters.com/technology/

L’Oréal invests $383M in Indian AI tech hub — French beauty giant builds a new innovation center in Hyderabad focused on AI‑driven beauty solutions and tech jobs.👉 https://www.reuters.com/world/india/loreal-invest-383-million-indian-tech-hub-2026-01-21/
EU phase‑out of high‑risk tech draws pushback — Brussels proposes tightening rules around critical tech components, triggering criticism from Huawei.👉 https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/eu-phase-out-high-risk-tech-targets-huawei-chinese-companies-2026-01-20/
Meta’s new AI team delivers first key models internally — Progress at Meta’s Superintelligence Labs suggests deep R&D momentum beyond public launches.👉 https://www.reuters.com/technology/metas-new-ai-team-has-delivered-first-key-models-internally-this-month-cto-says-2026-01-21/
Intel earnings spotlight AI data center demand — Intel signals turnaround prospects as strong demand for AI tools boosts data center‑related chip orders.👉 https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/intel-results-spotlight-turnaround-efforts-ai-data-centers-boost-chip-demand-2026-01-21/
Gates Foundation and OpenAI team up for AI health in Africa — $50M initiative aims to expand AI in health systems across several countries.👉 https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/gates-openai-team-up-ai-health-push-african-countries-2026-01-21/
Eightfold sued over AI hiring profiling — Class action alleges AI HR tool violates credit‑reporting laws by scoring candidates without transparency.👉 https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/boards-policy-regulation/ai-company-eightfold-sued-helping-companies-secretly-score-job-seekers-2026-01-21/
OpenAI confirms plan for first 2026 hardware device — Company eyeing consumer AI hardware with design help from former Apple talent; debut expected later in the year.👉 https://www.axios.com/2026/01/19/openai-device-2026-lehane-jony-ive
OpenAI hardware progress continues with design hires — Additional former Apple engineers join OpenAI’s hardware efforts, fueling speculation about upcoming products.👉 https://www.t3.com/tech/openai-on-track-for-hardware-launch-this-year-jony-ives-team-nabs-another-former-apple-employee-to-help-out
Medical AI startup OpenEvidence doubles valuation — Healthcare AI company raises funds at a $12B valuation, spotlighting clinical AI’s growth trajectory.👉 https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/medical-ai-startup-openevidence-doubles-valuation-12-billion-latest-round-2026-01-21/
TE Connectivity forecasts profit on strong AI tools demand — Component maker sees AI‑fueled demand lifting orders across industrial and data center segments.👉 https://www.reuters.com/technology/te-connectivity-forecasts-upbeat-second-quarter-profit-strong-ai-tools-demand-2026-01-21/
OpenAI pushes “OpenAI for Countries” initiative — Organization seeks to expand global AI participation in public sectors like education and disaster planning.👉 https://www.reuters.com/business/davos/openai-seeks-increase-global-ai-use-everyday-life-2026-01-21/

 
Google restores JPEG XL image format in Chromium — Native JPEG XL support returns to Chromium, improving web image compression and bandwidth.👉 https://www.techradar.com/pro/google-restores-much-missed-jpeg-xl-format-to-chromium-code-base-better-image-compression-and-better-bandwidth-are-on-the-way
Razer’s AI gaming ecosystem innovations at CES 2026 — Razer reveals AI companions, developer tools, wearable tech, and more.👉 https://www.razer.com/newsroom/company-news/razer-at-ces-2026/?srsltid=AfmBOopnWoXZy3TLriMlWrx-j6ADAbUQai_C5JUGaBVXwGPoxxE1yWkK
Cyberattacks used to disrupt power and radar in Venezuela blackout — New reports suggest digital attacks played a role in infrastructure disruption.👉 https://www.securityweek.com/new-reports-reinforce-cyberattacks-role-in-maduro-capture-blackout/
Chromium JPEG XL motion grows developer ecosystem support — Additional context on JPEG XL’s broader community impact.👉 https://x.com/techradar/status/2013365317645537367
Nanometer‑thick magnets via lasers could influence future hardware — Research shows laser‑based magnets at nanoscale at room temperature.👉 https://www.techradar.com/news/archive (see Nanometer‑thick magnet...)
Tech Radar’s news archives on CES and robotics progress — Highlighting robotics moving into real world applications.👉 https://www.techradar.com/news/archive
 

Sigma Reco 81 Link smart radar bike light — a radar-equipped smart light detecting vehicles up to 140 m away for improved rider safety.👉 https://www.bikeradar.com/news/sigma-reco-81-link (turn0news22)
UK next-gen ultra-wideband radar funding — UK MoD backs radar tech for future air and missile defence.👉 https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/c4isr/uk-looks-to-demonstrate-generation-after-next-radar-technologies (turn0news11)
Viettel breaks ground on Vietnam’s first semiconductor fab — a key step in regional fab development.👉 https://technode.global/2026/01/19/viettel-breaks-ground-on-vietnams-first-semiconductor-chip-fabrication-plant (turn0news23)
Legal tech AI adoption surges — legal firms ramp up AI experimentation and governance.👉 https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/2026-legal-tech-trends-7209621/ (turn0news1)
TidBITS News app revamp for iOS 26 — Dark Mode and open-source release.👉 https://www.webpronews.com/tidbits-news-app-revamped-for-ios-26-with-dark-mode-and-open-source/ (turn0news29)
Microchip Technology institutional holding reduction — investor repositioning in semiconductor stocks.👉 https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/filing-qrg-capital-management-inc-sells-27793-shares-of-microchip-technology-incorporated-mchp-2026-01-19/ (turn0news18)
Commercial airport radar system market opportunities — demand rising for advanced airport radar tech.👉 https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/commercial-airport-radar-system-market-142100017.html (turn0news7)
Bioremediation tech market growth report — sustainability and remediation tech expansion.👉 https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/bioremediation-technology-services-global-business-091200056.html (turn0news12)
Starlink v2 mini satellite launches upcoming — network expansion for resilient global connectivity.👉 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Falcon_9_and_Falcon_Heavy_launches (turn0search46)
Europe updating vehicle inspection for modern tech — integrating digital and sensor tech into inspection standards.👉 https://blog.gettransport.com/news/vehicle-inspection-modernization-europe/ (turn0news32)

Under the radar technology news stories for January 16th, 2026.