Meta Platforms is cutting roles in its Reality Labs division and closing several virtual reality game studios as part of a strategic pivot. The restructuring involves discontinuing the Horizon Workrooms service and reallocating resources toward artificial intelligence infrastructure and wearables. These changes aim to address operating losses and align with a broader shift toward AI-driven consumer devices.

Australian economists and global analysts are framing 2026 as a pivotal year for artificial intelligence, shifting focus from technical potential to financial viability. Recent reports from the ABC, Axios, and Goldman Sachs highlight the growing pressure on companies to demonstrate return on investment amidst rising infrastructure costs. The analysis further examines Australia's unique economic position, citing the impact of global trade fluctuations and domestic challenges regarding data center capacity, energy consumption, and water usage.

South Australian startup SYNC has introduced a hard seltzer brand that utilizes an AI-enabled feedback loop to guide flavor development. Founded by Denham D’Silva and Trent Fahey, the company recently piloted an "AI bar" activation where customers received personalized beverages based on digital questionnaires. The initiative, highlighted by the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML), aims to use consumer taste data to determine future product releases.

AUSTRAC acting CEO Katie Miller has signaled a growing regulatory focus on how financial institutions use generative AI for report drafting. While automation can accelerate compliance workflows, the agency warns that high volumes of generic, AI-authored suspicious matter reports risk obscuring critical intelligence. This move coincides with increased scrutiny on non-financial risk management across the Australian banking sector.

IND Technology has announced a A$50 million institutional funding round led by Angeleno Group and Energy Impact Partners. The investment is designated for the global deployment of the company’s sensor-based AI platform, which identifies precursors to electrical faults to prevent outages and reduce wildfire risks. Key partners include Edison International and Virescent Ventures.

Google has announced a new beta feature for the Translate app that enables real-time speech-to-speech translation through headphones. Currently available on Android in the US, India, and Mexico, the update utilizes Gemini capabilities to preserve speech tone, with a wider rollout planned for 2026.

This report examines the expansion of Google’s advertising placements within AI Overviews to more than 200 markets and the introduction of user controls such as the "Hide sponsored results" feature. It details Google’s stated policies on the separation of paid and organic rankings, the mechanics of the new AI Mode, and the increasing regulatory scrutiny regarding publisher content and monetization in search.

Copper prices on the London Metal Exchange set a new benchmark high of USD 11,952 per tonne on 12 December 2025, capping the metal’s strongest annual rise since 2009. The rally is driven by a projected 124,000-tonne market deficit and structural demand growth from the expansion of AI data centers and electrical grids.

Newcastle-based Cypher IQ has introduced the "Scan and Store Workflow Wizard," an AI-powered tool designed to streamline document capture for managed print fleets. By automating metadata tagging and filing to cloud destinations, the solution aims to reduce manual data entry and improve compliance for industries moving from paper-based to digital workflows.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is preparing to introduce a new "New Framework Planning" model in mid-2026. Utilizing the I-CAN version 6 assessment tool, the reforms aim to standardize budget generation for the scheme's 750,000 participants. Internal briefings reported by The Guardian suggest the new system will produce computer-generated funding amounts that staff cannot manually alter, significantly changing how disability support is calculated and reviewed.

Target Corporation has introduced a beta shopping application within OpenAI’s ChatGPT, enabling users to search for curated products and build baskets without leaving the conversation. Announced on 19 November, the integration utilizes the open Agentic Commerce Protocol and arrives as industry data indicates a significant rise in consumers using AI agents for retail discovery.

OpenAI has finalized a USD 38 billion cloud services agreement with AWS, aiming to secure infrastructure for its next generation of AI models. This partnership marks a significant step in the company’s transition to a multi-cloud strategy following its recent corporate restructuring.

The World Bank’s Digital Progress and Trends Report 2025 documents a surge in generative AI adoption in middle-income economies, which now account for over 40% of global ChatGPT traffic. However, significant disparities in data center infrastructure and digital skills persist between high- and low-income nations, raising concerns about the potential for an uneven economic impact.

Autonomous agent platform Manus is receiving sustained criticism over its credit-based pricing, which users claim is unpredictable and too restrictive for serious development work. The report examines the platform's economics, the $75 million funding round led by Benchmark, its technical architecture using models like Claude 3.7 Sonnet, and how its variable cost model contrasts with the predictable subscription pricing of competitors like GitHub Copilot.

November 2025 brings major updates to academic AI with the release of Gemini 3.0, Grok 4.1, and GPT-5.1. This report compares these general reasoning engines against specialised tools like Elicit and Perplexity, highlighting new features, pricing, and the shift toward hybrid workflows for faster evidence synthesis.

America’s largest tech companies are set to invest more than US$350 billion in AI infrastructure in 2025, fuelling economic growth while increasing pressure on U.S. power grids. Updated spending figures from Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta and Amazon reveal the scale of the nation’s rapidly expanding data-centre footprint.

U.S. layoffs surged in October, with 153,074 job cuts recorded — the highest October total in more than two decades. About 31,000 of the reductions were linked to artificial intelligence adoption and restructuring efforts. Analysts say the shift reflects both cost pressures and a longer-term transition in how workplaces operate.

The World Trade Organization has upgraded its outlook for global trade in 2025, highlighting how rising demand for AI technologies and advance import orders have supported merchandise flows despite broader economic pressures. The organisation cautions, however, that the impact of tariffs and inventory adjustments is likely to slow growth in 2026.

Bloomberg is enhancing its Terminal platform with BloombergGPT, introducing AI-driven tools for faster news comprehension, document search, and analysis. The updates aim to improve efficiency for financial professionals handling large volumes of market data.

The Morningstar Global Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Index has outperformed major market benchmarks in 2025, driven by soaring AI investments, rapid model innovation, and robust chip demand. Analysts note that the sector’s continued expansion signals both strong investor confidence and deeper integration of AI across industries.