NTT and Japanese media company TBS identified AI as a potential danger to children’s decision-making abilities and outlined an intention to form a company to tackle the issue using digital games and smartphone apps.

The pair plan to commence operations of their e6 joint venture on 8 August to help children form clear ideas in a world where AI offers myriad possible answers to questions. The business is to be used to commercialise a namesake project NTT and TBS launched in February to provide an experience-based educational approach using various technologies.

NTT stated the companies created Emotional Knight, a story-based “original IP” emotive education game employing AI and extended reality to teach decision-making.

NTT President and CEO Akira Shimada said the companies believe huge volumes of information are not necessarily the best thing for children.

Instead, they need “the ability to think for themselves and make their own decisions while interacting with a wealth of information and AI”.

The companies intend to expand the line-up of educational games, develop relevant IP and add more “entertainment experiences” which foster children’s “ability to make independent decisions”.

NTT is contributing group resources including its innovative optical and wireless network, tsuzumi 2 LLM, R&D and social implementation capabilities. TBS brings content creation, IP development and distribution elements.

The Japanese conglomerate stated feedback from an event held in March showed a high level of satisfaction.

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India committed to spend an additional INR1.9 trillion ($19.7 billion) on boosting chip and smartphone production in the country, accelerating an initiative first laid out five years ago.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has allocated around INR1.3 trillion to provide state aid for semiconductors and a INR625 billion outlay on smartphones.

The latest investment builds on the Semicon 1.0 initiative outlined in 2021 to invest around INR1 trillion on starting and establishing the country’s semiconductor sector.

In a statement, Ashwini Vaishnaw, minister for Electronics and Information Technology, explained under the refreshed Semicon 2.0, the nation would focus on ensuring chips are being designed in India that can meet all its needs, and by the end of the programme, “we will be 100% self-reliant”.

He added every major industry leader wants to establish a presence in the country “given the growing interest in India’s semiconductor programme”, pointing to partnerships already established with the US, Japan, the European Union (EU), Netherlands, Singapore and Germany.

The minister added the investment and incentives will be aimed at projects around chip design, fabrication of machinery, R&D and talent creation.

Under the Mobile Phone Manufacturing Scheme, Vaishnaw said it would create around 60,000 direct jobs, while it will look to incentivise domestic companies with Chinese suppliers currently dominating the market.

India’s semiconductor advancement adds to similar moves in the US, which has a funding programme in place worth $52 billion. The EU recently unveiled a revamp to its own Chips Act.

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Authorities in South Korea kicked-off a project led by SK Telecom (SKT) and KT to pilot the use of advanced networks to support robots and other physical AI applications in industrial sites including shipyards and manufacturing facilities.

The Hyper AI Network Infrastructure Development project is being overseen by South Korea’s National Information Society Agency (NIA) and carries a total budget of KRW17.2 billion ($11.6 million).

Launching the project, the NIA revealed it selected two consortia to create the networks for industrial sites and hold the demonstrations.

One group is led by SKT and the other by its rival KT. Other organisations involved comprise AI companies, network vendors, universities, enterprises and certification bodies.

The project involves networks using standalone 5G and AI-RAN to provide the testing ground for a range of industrial applications under the broad umbrellas of physical and operational AI.

Equipment from various vendors and chipmakers is set to be used, with SKT identifying Samsung Networks, Nokia, Ericsson and HFR among its suppliers in its statement on the project.

Initial applications to be tested are “AI-based” welding, painting and patrol robots. From 2027 onwards, the infrastructure is expected to host demonstrations of humanoid robots.

Abilities of the AI-toting machines set to be verified include recognition, judgement and control performance in what the NIA described as high-risk and -difficulty working environments.

Swarm collaboration performance for multiple robots is one specific ability set to be looked at, a feature the agency highlighted as being “difficult to implement with on-device AI alone”.

The NIA expects the project to lay the groundwork for commercialisation of the technologies being assessed.

In a translated statement, the agency’s director Kim Hyung-chul noted “for physical AI to be safely and stably implemented in industrial settings, Hyper-AI networks that support ultra-low latency, high-reliability communication and large-capacity uplink are essential”.

“Through this project, we will verify the field applicability of next-generation AI network technologies such as AI-RAN, discover and spread physical AI service models optimised for industrial sites, and accelerate AX across the entire national industry.”

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Taiwan Mobile and Nokia expanded a contract for 5G kit with a view to pushing the operator’s move towards AI-native mobile network architecture.

The deal involves the supply of products from Nokia’s AirScale portfolio including next-generation baseband and radio systems, alongside software providing the operator’s network with an AI boost.

Nokia highlighted the radios and baseband units support improvements in throughput, spectrum efficiency and delivery of premium user experiences. On the software side, it pointed to an opportunity for real-time automation and predictive analysis to bolster operational efficiency.

The boost in network capacity and uplink delivered by the upgrade is also promoted as meeting the specific needs of AI applications.

Other benefits noted include use of AI for power management to cut energy consumption and traffic steering capabilities to up resilience.

Taiwan Mobile president Jamie Lin explained its collaboration with Nokia is key in a “strategy to build a high-performance, resilient and sustainable network”, which is the basis for a “Telco and Tech” push by the company.

Nokia head of RAN Mark Atkinson added the deal would help accelerate Taiwan Mobile’s “journey toward AI-native networks”, noting the equipment being supplied would set “the foundation for 5G-Advanced and beyond”.

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Plans to build a NZ$3.5bn datacentre in Makarewa in the country’s south has drawn concern about electricity and water use, and potential noise pollution

People living near the site of New Zealand’s first planned AI datacentre are calling for more transparency about the project, especially about how the centre’s huge electricity and water use and potential noise pollution could affect them.

Singapore-based company Datagrid has secured approval to build a NZ$3.5bn (US$2bn) AI datacentre on a 49-hectare site in Makarewa, just north of New Zealand’s southern-most city, Invercargill. Construction is due to begin this year, with the centre becoming operational by 2028.

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Reliance Industries-owned Jio Platforms filed for an IPO in Mumbai, reportedly with intentions of raising around INR360 billion ($3.8 billion) to pay down debt in its telecoms business.

Billionaire owner Mukesh Ambani (pictured) said at Reliance Industries’ annual shareholder meeting its board had approved a prospectus, which has now been filed with Indian regulators.

Th prospectus did not reveal the size of the listing or a fundraising target, but Reuters reported the sum it is looking for, noting this would be equal to 2.9% of its equity and value the entire business at around INR12.3 trillion.

The previous largest IPO amount raised was the INR278.7 billion generated by Hyundai Motor in a listing in 2024.

Jio Platforms includes the company’s Jio Infocomm telecoms arm and houses its AI, cloud and enterprise network offerings.

Reuters stated around INR275 billion of any sum raised would go towards repaying Jio Infocomm debt.

Ambani said the proposed listing “will demonstrate to the world that India can build technology companies of global scale, global capability and global value”.

Jio entered the Indian market in 2016 and shook up the competitive landscape with low-cost data plans, which attracted millions of users.

In its prospectus, the company stated it had 524.4 million subscribers at end-March, including 268.5 million 5G customers.

The company previously attracted funding from global investors including Meta Platforms, Google and private equity players.

Should the IPO size prove correct, the target is lower than previously mooted: in 2025, Bloomberg reported it was looking to list 5% of its mobile unit, to raise around $6 billion.

Starlink rival.
Also at the shareholder meeting, Jio Platforms revealed it is exploring building its own satellite constellation, a move which would directly rival SpaceX’s Starlink.

Bloomberg reported Jio Platforms’ MD Akash Ambani said it is considering deploying a low Earth orbit satellite network along with exploring partnerships to lease capacity from global providers to “accelerate service availability while building our own long-term sovereign capability”.

The approach would allow Jio to lay the foundation for a satellite broadband play, while working to build ground stations to support the network.

Starlink has partnered with Jio, but is yet to launch services in India due to regulatory roadblocks.

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South Korean operator KT moved the goalposts in customer loyalty initiatives, promising to take 1,200 of its most-dedicated subscribers for a night out at a musical based on the work of late artiste Kim Kwang-seok.

KT is targeting the offer to attend The Days at customers who have subscribed to its mobile, internet and TV services for at least five years, pitching the move as a cultural twist on traditional loyalty rewards.

The seating capacity of the D-cube Arts Centre hosting the musical is 1,242, meaning KT’s move is essentially a complete takeover for the night of 25 July.

KT also plans to offer those attending commemorative photographs and theatre programmes.

The operator is also offering an experience at the KT Wiz Park involving baseball, inviting applications from customers keen to enjoy some luxury camping and watching a game at the venue.

KT emphasised the musical and baseball offers are somewhat extreme examples of ongoing lifestyle benefit programmes providing various discounts on services.

Kim Young-geol, SVP and head of KT’s Customer Business Division, said the operator arranged “this Invitation Dream event to express our gratitude” to long-term customers.

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Australian regulator ACMA advanced preparations for the introduction of anti-scam measures on SMS by advising users of the visual changes involved.

ACMA lined up the introduction of SMS Sender ID Register rules for 1 July and stated it would mean some messages are labelled as unverified to alert consumers to potential scams.

Unverified messages are to be grouped in a single thread to draw attention to them.

ACMA member Samantha Yorke believes the measures will boost consumer confidence in the legitimacy of messages and “help prevent impersonation scams”.

She advised people to be cautious about messages tagged as unverified and check for proven contact information online or using bills.

The regulator is acting after scammers took Australians for almost AUD18 million ($12.7 million) using SMS in 2025.

It stated almost 17,000 sender IDs have already been verified, but Yorke warned businesses which do not get their details in by the launch date risk being flagged as potential scams.

She said operators are also set to publicise the move to their customers directly.

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Global logistics player LX Pantos made a major move around robotics, tasking LG’s consulting unit with helping to research the potential around using humanoid and shuttle variants.

LG CNS is to work with LX Pantos on an automation system to incorporate the two types of robots into the specialist’s Megawise Cheongna Logistics Centre, a fulfilment facility in South Korea spanning 142,852 square metres

The facility is one of 380 logistics hubs LX Pantos operates globally. Shuttle robots are to be used to retrieve items which humanoid versions would then sort and dispatch.

Robots are to be trained using LX Pantos’ field data through a proprietary learning platform. The machines themselves are being sourced from US specialist Dexmate, a company which LG CNS previously invested in.

Park Sang-kyun, EVP and head of Telecommunications, Distribution and Service Business division at LG CNS, said the companies would look to “verify the applicability of various robots”, learning and “operation platforms to logistics sites”.

The company explained the Dexmate mobile shuttle robot has a velocity of 1.5 metres per second and can handle goods weighing up to 1,500kg.

LG CNS and LX Pantos intend to establish a demonstration zone to showcase the potential of their robotics collaboration later this year, pitching possible benefits including a reduction in repetitive tasks at the logistics facility.

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Counterpoint Research co-founder and research VP Neil Shah warned reports India hit the brakes on licensing SpaceX’s Starlink service could be bad news for the company’s IPO.

In a post on X, the analyst pointed to the scale of the Indian market along with highlighting the connection between revenue generation and investment in space projects.

Shah argued these elements are all at risk if India halts approvals for the launch of commercial Starlink services, in turn putting a “spanner in the wheel” of SpaceX’s pending IPO.

The reported timing of India’s intentions is “really bad”, Shah wrote.

Counterpoint Research’s executive was responding to a Bloomberg article indicated India had put approval processes on ice. Authorities are concerned over reports unlicensed Starlink terminals had been used in Iran, the news outlet stated.

Shah added India’s “highly sensitive, contested borders” are another factor, making the “threat of unmonitored, untraceable satellite terminals operating on its soil” without domestic oversight an “absolute red line”.

Bloomberg noted India’s population is the biggest in the world: Shah put the proportion at 40%.

The news outlet highlighted Lauren Dreyer, VP of Business Operations at Starlink, used X to explain the company “remains in active and productive discussions” with India’s government.

Dreyer branded the speculation “misleading” and “based on unsubstantiated claims from anonymous sources”.

Shah noted the potential licensing fracas indicates sovereignty assurances are emerging as an important requirement for privately-held companies seeking to deliver space-based services in “key economies”, pointing to moves by China and the European Union covering low Earh orbit services as examples.

Bloomberg stated SpaceX is preparing an expected historic listing on 12 June.

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SK Group, NTT and Chunghwa Telecom were among the parties to form an AI investment fund expected to reach $500 million, with the aim of backing companies working on technology related to optical and wireless networking.

The IOWN AI Fund has been established alongside Catalight Capital, a company set-up to manage the project from offices in Japan and the US.  

Other current financiers are Development Bank of Japan, and Young Sohn, an entrepreneur who is founding managing partner of VC company Walden Catalyst Ventures and former chief strategy officer of Samsung Electronics.

In a joint statement, the companies and Sohn revealed more than 20 parties around the globe had expressed an interest in contributing to the fund, which is expected to reach $500 million in size.

Businesses apparently mulling the opportunity include KDDI, NEC, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Sony, Fujitsu and various VC companies.

Catalight Capital will be charged with hunting down promising start-ups for investment. Targets will be in technologies related to the Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) ecosystem.

It intends to invest in companies working in areas including: photonics; AI processors and advanced packaging; light source and modulators; management technology for distributed AI infrastructure; software; AI models and inference; and applications and services.

Global push
SK Group chair Chey Tae-won stated he hoped the fund would: “play a key role in identifying and fostering AI start-ups not only across Asia but around the world”, noting “to emerge as a competitive AI nation, proactive and large-scale investment in AI infrastructure is essential, and trust-based global cooperation is equally important”.

NTT President and CEO Akira Shimada added “to realise AI-native infrastructure, it is essential to combine the optical and networking technologies that NTT has cultivated with advanced technologies and the strengths of partners”.

“Through the IOWN AI Fund, we will promote business collaboration with promising startups, work together with our global partners to build the IOWN ecosystem, and contribute to the creation of a new industrial foundation”.

IOWN is a vision initially pushed by NTT to drive next generation ICT infrastructure which uses optical networking technology to vastly cut electricity use while delivering high performance. The associated IOWN Global Forum has 170 member organisations.

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Singtel Group positioned a partnership with government-linked body Digital Industry Singapore as helping it accelerate a sweeping AI transformation of its business and strengthen digital infrastructure in the country.

The operator noted the pact, which comes with a grant for the company, will contribute to a multi-year plan to up adoption of AI across its business including within infrastructure, customer platforms and for workforce development.

In the first phase Singtel plans to develop and hire AI talent, establish governance and tech frameworks and build “enterprise advisory and implementation expertise to support AI deployment at scale”.

Among its aims is to become a “world-leading AI-native telco” with advanced AI and machine learning capabilities in all business units.

The operator highlighted its push aligned with a wider national strategy in Singapore which aims to strengthen sovereign digital infrastructure, increase skills of the local workforce and develop “globally competitive leaders” in the AI sector.

Singtel CEO Yuen Kuan Moon added it was “championing enterprise transformation with AI” in its home market.

“As an adopter, provider and enabler of AI, Singtel is embedding intelligent technologies across our operations, delivering trusted enterprise-grade solutions that help customers move from pilot to scale, and providing secure, sovereign platforms and digital infrastructure to support adoption across industries.”

He continued: “Ultimately, our goal is to create real impact not just for our business, but for Singapore, future-proofing our industries to be more competitive and resilient in the AI era.”

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SoftBank Group’s mobile payment subsidiary PayPay inked a deal to acquire a 70% stake in T&D Financial Life Insurance Company for JPY134 billion ($840 million), part of an aim to broaden its range of financial services.

When launched in 2018 PayPay focused on providing contactless mobile payments but has since widened this to include credit cards and other banking services. It had a base of more than 74 million users as of May 2026.

Announcing the deal, PayPay said the move to buy the life insurance company from T&D Holdings was part of an ambition to “provide comprehensive financial services tailored to each stage of users’ lives”.

The company intends to grow T&D Financial Life’s business through use of its existing platforms and by creating “new customer experiences in the digital life insurance domain”.  

In a linked deal, asset management company One Investment Management intends to buy a stake of almost 15% in the insurance company from T&D Holdings. The current owner will retain the other 15%, though a call option on this is being inserted into the acquisition agreement.

The deal is subject to regulatory approval.

Alongside the proposed acquisition, PayPay agreed a “comprehensive business alliance” agreement 3with T&D Holdings, largely concerning the latter’s insurance brand Taiyo Life.

The pair will “explore the development and provision of services designed to enhance customer convenience and help address social issues, while also drawing on AI, digital technologies, and other capabilities of SoftBank Corp”.

The pact is set to include: offering T&D Holdings’ Taiyo Life insurance products on the PayPay app; exploring call centre enhancement and operational efficiency for Taiyo Life; and jointly exploring a “smart senior city concept”.

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T-Mobile US officially opened a global capability centre (GCC) in Hyderabad, India, with plans to hire around 1,000 staff by 2027, its first such facility outside of its home market.

The Indian government stated T-Mobile, through its TMUS Global Solutions Technology subsidiary, opened a site spanning 250,000 square feet in the city, which is situated in the state of Telangana.

It will operate as a strategic innovation hub within its global network, focusing on software engineering, DevOps, product development, cloud technologies, AI, data analytics, cybersecurity and next-generation digital solutions.

Posting on X, minister for IT Sridhar Duddilla said T-Mobile’s GCC represented another significant milestone in Telangana’s growth as a technology and innovation destination.

“The decision by T-Mobile to expand its presence here reflects the confidence that global companies have in Telangana’s talent, business-friendly environment, and strong digital infrastructure.”

Chandra Gupta, VP IT operations at TMUS Global Solutions, added the company decided to locate the facility in Hyderabad as it offers “a combination of technology talent and an established innovation ecosystem aligned with the company’s long-term goals”.

The Economic Times of India reported the company has already onboarded more than 500 people at the facility,

According to Reuters, India’s GCCs have evolved from low-cost outsourcing hubs to offices for global companies, supporting parent companies in several functions.

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