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Today's Briefing
AI & TechnologyThe enterprise AI race just shifted gear. Sierra, the AI-powered customer service platform backed by Sequoia, closed a $950 million funding round this week — one of 2026's largest private AI raises. In the same news cycle, both Anthropic and OpenAI announced separate joint ventures to deliver AI services directly to large enterprises. The labs are no longer just selling models. They're moving to own the full enterprise stack before competitors lock clients in. Image AI models have now overtaken chatbot upgrades as the top driver of app growth — the first time visual AI has led the consumer charge, signalling a shift in how people actually experience AI day to day. The Oscars drew a hard line: AI-generated actors and scripts are now ineligible for Academy Award nominations. Hollywood's most powerful institution is separating human creativity from machine output at the exact moment the technology can mimic both. And at the OpenAI trial, Elon Musk's own expert witness admitted in court that he fears an AGI arms race — a striking concession from inside the camp that launched the lawsuit. Australian Business & FinanceAustralian farmers want supermarkets to absorb more of the price pain caused by global conflict and supply disruptions, rather than passing it to consumers. The debate over who funds food security is becoming urgent — and for households, it lands squarely in the weekly grocery bill. Separately, advocates are pushing for a national rollout of free cooked school lunches, arguing that cost-of-living pressure has made reliable meals out of reach for too many Australian families. Queensland voters head to the Stafford by-election with cost of living, health, and local services front of mind — a preview of what's driving sentiment as household budgets remain under pressure. World Markets & Global BusinessGameStop made a $55.5 billion takeover offer for eBay — a deal almost nobody predicted. The one-time video game retailer, famous for a meme-stock short squeeze, is now attempting to acquire one of the internet's original e-commerce giants. If the deal lands, GameStop transforms overnight into a major online marketplace. Amazon posted strong Q1 numbers with CEO Andy Jassy crediting AI as the primary reason customers are deepening their AWS commitments. The message from the top: the AI infrastructure buildout is not slowing. Salesforce publicly acknowledged it is redesigning its workforce around AI tools — leaning into transparency rather than managing the disruption quietly. The Big PictureThe theme connecting this week's biggest stories is consolidation under pressure. In AI, labs are moving fast to own enterprise relationships before the next wave of competitors arrives. In markets, audacious bets are replacing cautious strategies — GameStop's eBay offer is the clearest example. In Australia, cost-of-living pressure has moved food security and school meals from fringe policy to mainstream debate. The workers navigating these twin pressures — rising household costs and AI-driven workplace change — are the same people determining how the next decade of Australian business looks. The gap between those who adapt and those who wait is widening every week. Read the full digest below for every story, source, and detail.
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