DXC raises annual forecast on robust cloud demand

Delta Air Lines has confirmed it will not implement fully personalized AI ticket pricing in 2025. The airline is expanding its use of AI-driven dynamic pricing from 3% to 20% of domestic flights this year, but prices will be based on market conditions and demand rather than individual customer profiles. This approach has raised concerns from senators about privacy and fairness, though Delta maintains that prices remain the same for all customers at any given time and personal data is not used to generate individualized fares. Travelers will continue to see price fluctuations based on traditional factors like seasonal demand and market competition, not their personal browsing history or data.

Alphabet's CapitalG and Nvidia are in advanced negotiations to lead a multi-billion dollar funding round for Vast Data, potentially valuing the company at $30 billion. Founded in 2016, Vast Data specializes in unified storage and data management platforms for AI and analytics workloads, reaching $200 million in annualized recurring revenue by January 2025. This potential investment highlights the growing importance of data infrastructure for AI applications and would position Vast Data among the most valuable private data infrastructure companies globally.

McDonald's plans to expand to 50,000 restaurants by 2027 while significantly increasing AI investment. Working with Google Cloud, the company is implementing AI-powered drive-thru ordering, predictive maintenance, and order verification cameras across 43,000 locations. McDonald's is deploying edge computing for real-time data processing and developing a universal software platform to standardize digital experiences. The strategy includes personalized promotions targeting 250 million loyalty members by 2027 and leverages data from thousands of locations to continuously improve their generative AI models.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced a significant increase in AI investments, pledging to accelerate development through expanded data centers and potential acquisitions to catch up with competitors. Apple is embedding AI across all devices and platforms, focusing on privacy and personalized experiences. The company has acquired seven AI companies recently and is reallocating internal resources to advance Siri and Apple Intelligence features. Despite being viewed as lagging behind rivals like ChatGPT and Google in generative AI, Apple is introducing over 20 new AI features and remains committed to creating technology that's private and seamlessly integrated throughout its ecosystem.