Edition - Saturday, February 28, 2026

8.7

The Big Signal

OpenAI Raises $110 Billion From Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank in Record Funding Round

•OpenAI raised $110 billion from Amazon ($50B), Nvidia ($30B), and SoftBank ($30B), reaching a $730 billion valuation.
•ChatGPT has surpassed 900 million weekly active users and 50 million consumer subscribers, according to The Verge.
•Amazon's investment includes plans for custom AI models, while the company separately develops its own Trainium chips for machine learning.
•The funding was accompanied by a new 'stateful' architecture for enterprise AI agents, as reported by Carl Franzen.
•The round represents one of the largest private funding events in history, reflecting escalating capital flows into AI development.

7.9

•Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery announced a merger agreement valued at approximately $110 billion, with NPR reporting the figure at nearly $111 billion.
•The combined entity would control two major film studios, multiple streaming platforms, a gaming segment, and television properties including CNN, HBO, CBS, and Nickelodeon.
•The Ellison family is set to oversee the merged company, which would also centralize two major television news operations — CBS and CNN — under one owner.
•The Verge reported that WBD initially signed onto an $83 billion agreement before the deal expanded to its current scope.
•PBS NewsHour noted concerns about the implications of concentrating such a large share of media assets under single ownership.

7.3

•CK Hutchison (global infrastructure company) manages two major ports at the Panama Canal.
•U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed concerns over Chinese influence in Panama.
•Panamanian authorities recently searched CK Hutchison's offices, amid ongoing tensions.
•The situation highlights a broader geopolitical struggle between the U.S. and China.
•The Panama Canal remains a critical artery in international trade, influencing global politics.

5.9

•Netflix shares closed at $96.24, up 13.77%, after the company withdrew from the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition.
•Paramount is positioned to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, gaining assets including HBO, HBO Max, CNN, and the Game of Thrones franchise.
•Netflix secured a breakup fee after declining to match Paramount's higher bid, calling the deal no longer financially attractive.
•The outcome reflects broader media industry consolidation as streaming companies compete for scale through acquisitions.
•Investors viewed Netflix's withdrawal as a sign of capital discipline that may shape its future strategic direction.

6.9

•OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on X that his company reached an agreement with the Defense Department for use of its AI models.
•The deal came hours after President Trump directed federal agencies to cease using AI technology made by Anthropic, an OpenAI competitor.
•The New York Times framed the Anthropic situation as a clash between the rival AI firm and the Trump administration.
•Specific terms and the full scope of the OpenAI-Pentagon agreement have not been publicly detailed beyond the use of OpenAI's models.
•The back-to-back developments underscore the growing political dynamics surrounding federal AI procurement.