28 September 2026 edition
OpenAI Details Custom Jalapeño ASIC as Virtus Secures £2.45B for Data Center Expansion
OpenAI has confirmed the internal deployment of its custom Jalapeño AI inference processor, underscoring the hyperscale shift toward in-house silicon. Meanwhile, major capital commitments continue to pour into regional compute capacity, highlighted by Virtus Data Centres' £2.45 billion debt package.
TOP STORY
OpenAI Confirms Custom Jalapeño Inference ASIC for Internal Workloads
OpenAI confirmed that its proprietary Jalapeño inference processor is primarily designed to power internal infrastructure, though leadership indicated that a broader external distribution has not been ruled out.
GPU MARKET
AMD-Powered Mini-PC Features 192GB RAM for Localized AI Workloads
GMKtec introduced the Evo-X5 Pro, a compact system powered by AMD's Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 processor featuring up to 192GB of unified memory and priced up to $7,099 for on-device deployments.
DATA CENTERS
Goodman Withdraws Application for 90MW Sydney Campus
Goodman has pulled its application to build a 90MW data center campus in Sydney, citing recent shifts in the local policy and regulatory framework governing digital infrastructure.
Schneider Electric Launches Hybrid Air and Liquid Cooling Unit
Schneider Electric debuted a new water cooling distribution unit within its Motivair portfolio, delivering the manufacturer's highest capacity yet for hybrid air and liquid-cooled facilities.
SEMICONDUCTORS
Synopsys Unveils Autopilot Framework for AI-Driven Chip Design
Synopsys introduced Autopilot, a platform featuring seven AgentEngineer tools designed to autonomously engineer semiconductors, with general market availability slated for late 2026.
CLOUD
AWS Bedrock Adds Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6 Sol and Luna Models
Amazon Web Services expanded its Amazon Bedrock foundation model catalog to include Claude Opus 5.5 alongside GPT-6 Sol and Luna variants, targeting broader workload cost and latency optimization.
DEALS & FUNDING
Virtus Secures £2.45B to Accelerate UK and European Facility Build-Out
Virtus Data Centres closed a £2.45 billion financing round to fund construction across its UK and European pipeline to meet expanding regional compute requirements.
Edge AI Silicon Developer SiMa.ai Reaches $1.45B Valuation
SiMa.ai reached a $1.45 billion valuation after securing $150 million in Series C financing led by Fidelity and Amplify to support development of physical AI processors.
What to watch next
Watch whether OpenAI's Jalapeño ASIC details prompt broader internal silicon disclosures from other frontier labs seeking to reduce third-party GPU reliance. Additionally, observe if regulatory friction like that seen in Goodman's Sydney cancellation begins to slow large-scale facility permitting across other tier-one markets.