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Cologne Floats Skewer World Leaders; AI Fears Persist

Cologne, Germany, and India are currently at the center of significant news, with political satire on display in Germany and major developments in the artificial intelligence sector in India. Carnival celebrations in Cologne featured floats satirizing world leaders, while India hosted its AI Impact Summit, which saw the debut of the country's first AI company to IPO.

In Cologne, Germany, the annual Rose Monday carnival saw floats mocking prominent figures such as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. According to Euronews, the floats, designed by sculptor Jacques Tilly, are a way for Germans to use humor to process serious political issues. The sharpest designs, including those that have drawn legal threats, were on display alongside local targets, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Meanwhile, India's AI sector is experiencing both growth and challenges. The country is hosting a four-day AI Impact Summit this week, attracting executives from major AI labs and Big Tech companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, and Cloudflare. The event, expecting 250,000 visitors, includes Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to deliver a speech with French President Emmanuel Macron.

However, the enthusiasm for AI in India has been tempered by market performance. Fractal Analytics, the first AI company to IPO in India, did not have a strong debut. The stock listed below its issue price and closed down, resulting in a market capitalization of about 1.6 billion, a step down from its recent private-market highs, according to TechCrunch. In July 2025, the company raised about 170 million in a secondary sale, at a valuation of 2.4 billion.

The Indian government is also investing heavily in AI. India earmarked 1.1 billion for its state-backed venture capital fund, which will invest in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, according to TechCrunch.

In other AI news, a new research lab, Flapping Airplanes, is focused on finding less data-hungry ways to train AI. With 180 million in seed funding, the lab will have plenty of runway to figure it out, according to TechCrunch. The founders, Ben and Asher Spector, and Aidan Smith, are excited about the current moment to start a new AI lab.

AI-Assisted Journalism

Synthesized from multiple sources. Reviewed for accuracy.

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