Tech companies and AI were major players in the news this week, with developments ranging from Super Bowl advertisements to regulatory changes in India and investment news in the sports world. The 2026 Super Bowl, held in Silicon Valley, saw a surge in AI-related advertising, while India adjusted its startup rules to support deep tech ventures. Meanwhile, NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo made headlines by investing in prediction market Kalshi, and New York lawmakers proposed a moratorium on new data centers.
The Super Bowl, held at Levi's Stadium, was a showcase for tech, with YouTube CEO Neal Mohan and Apple's Tim Cook among the attendees, according to TechCrunch. Advertisements also reflected the growing influence of AI. Svedka Vodka, for example, ran what it touted as the first primarily AI-generated national Super Bowl spot, a 30-second ad titled "Shake Your Bots Off."
India also made moves to support its deep tech startups. The Indian government updated its startup framework, doubling the period for which deep tech companies are treated as startups to 20 years and raising the revenue threshold for startup-specific tax, grant, and regulatory benefits to 3 billion rupees (approximately $33.12 million), up from 1 billion rupees (around $11.04 million). This change aims to align policy timelines with the long development cycles typical of science- and engineering-led businesses, according to TechCrunch.
In the world of sports and finance, NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo announced he had joined prediction market Kalshi as a shareholder, becoming the first NBA player to invest directly in the company. "The internet is full of opinions. I decided it was time to make some of my own," Antetokounmpo said in a social media post. However, the announcement was met with some criticism on social media, with one Reddit user describing it as "literally a conflict of interest." The NBA's recent collective bargaining agreement allows players to advertise and take stakes of up to 1% in sports betting companies, as long as they are not directly involved in the betting operations, according to The Athletic.
Meanwhile, New York lawmakers introduced a bill that would impose a moratorium of at least three years on permits tied to the construction and operation of new data centers. This move comes as tech companies plan to invest heavily in AI infrastructure, and concerns have been raised about the impact of data centers on surrounding communities. According to Wired, New York is at least the sixth state to consider pausing construction of new data centers. Critics include Senator Bernie Sanders and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
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