Alibaba Announces $52 Billion Investment In AI And Cloud Infrastructure - 1

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Alibaba Announces $52 Billion Investment In AI And Cloud Infrastructure

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

The Chinese giant Alibaba announced this Monday a new investment plan of 380 billion yuan—around $52.44 billion—in artificial intelligence infrastructure and cloud computing for the next three years.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Alibaba is investing $52.44 billion in AI infrastructure and cloud computing by 2027.
  • The tech giant surpasses its past decade’s AI spending in a significant move for AI growth.
  • The company leverages its market success to dominate artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

According to Reuters , Alibaba had previously announced its intentions to invest more in AI but didn’t provide details of the total amount. On Friday, the company shared its most recent quarterly revenue report with a 32% revenue growth and emerging as an AI leader in the industry and the region.

The new billionaire investment hits a record as it exceeds the figures the company has invested in AI in the past 10 years, leveraging the current positive landscape in which it has stood out for its leadership, growth, and strong market projections.

A few weeks ago, Alibaba released the latest version of its flagship AI model , Qwen, claiming it could perform better than frontier models like DeepSeek-V3 or GPT-4o.

The tech giant has also developed advanced multimodal versions capable of processing images and performing advanced tasks as AI agents similar to OpenAI’s Operator .

Despite the market’s strong performance, Alibaba faces tough competition in the region from rivals like ByteDance, which recently introduced a powerful new AI tool, OmniHuman-1 , capable of generating realistic deepfakes, sparking significant market interest and debate.

Alibaba’s AI-driven move to scale up its advanced technologies has been implemented by other competitors in the global market as well. Mistral, the French AI startup, recently announced it will also invest billions to build data centers in France , and President Emmanuel Macron just signed a €50 billion agreement with the United Arab Emirates to build the largest AI data center in Europe. The government of the United States, along with OpenAI, Microsoft, and Softbank are investing $500 billion in the Stargate Project for the development of advanced AI technologies in the U.S.

Freelance Developers Targeted By Cyberattack Campaign - 2

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Freelance Developers Targeted By Cyberattack Campaign

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Freelance software developers, particularly those involved in cryptocurrency projects, are being targeted by a sophisticated cyberattack campaign called DeceptiveDevelopment.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

  • Fake recruiter profiles on platforms like LinkedIn spread malware through coding tasks.
  • Malware steals sensitive data, including cryptocurrency wallets, login credentials, and browser information.
  • Cryptocurrency developers are at high risk due to direct access to crypto funds.

Researchers from ESET have uncovered that hackers, believed to be linked to North Korea, are impersonating recruiters to trick developers into downloading malicious software disguised as coding challenges or job interview tasks.

The attackers create fake profiles on popular job-hunting platforms like LinkedIn, Upwork, and Freelancer.com, posing as recruiters offering lucrative freelance opportunities.

They send potential victims a coding test or project, often hosted on platforms like GitHub, that contains hidden malware designed to steal sensitive information such as cryptocurrency wallets, login credentials, and browser data.

Once the developer downloads and runs the project, their computer is infected with malware called BeaverTail, which serves as the first-stage tool for data theft and downloading additional malicious software.

A second-stage malware, InvisibleFerret, is then deployed, giving attackers remote access to the victim’s computer and allowing them to extract even more information.

Freelance developers, especially those working on cryptocurrency and blockchain projects, are the primary targets, but the attackers do not discriminate based on location or experience level. Both junior and seasoned professionals have been affected, with victims reported worldwide.

North Korea-aligned hackers have a history of targeting cryptocurrency projects as a means of funding their operations.

By stealing crypto wallets and login credentials, they can directly access funds without the need to launder money through traditional banking systems, making developers in the crypto space particularly vulnerable.

ESET researchers advise freelance developers to be cautious when approached by recruiters offering coding challenges or projects. Verifying the recruiter’s profile for inconsistencies, such as a lack of connections or a newly created account, is essential.

DeceptiveDevelopment is part of a growing trend of cyberattacks targeting cryptocurrency users.

ESET researchers warn that the campaign is evolving, with attackers refining their techniques to make detection more difficult. Freelancers and developers are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to cybersecurity professionals.