Top Tech News Today, November 20, 2025

Top Tech News Stories Today — Your Quick Briefing on the Latest Technology News, Global Innovation, and AI-Driven Shifts Reshaping the Future

It’s Thursday, November 20, 2025, and we’re back with your in-depth look at the most important developments shaping the global tech landscape — from breakthrough AI chips and sovereign cloud investments to regulatory escalations, cybersecurity exposures, new quantum deployments, and the latest moves from Big Tech and fast-scaling startups.

Whether you’re a founder, investor, policymaker, engineer, or tech enthusiast, this briefing keeps you ahead of the curve — no noise, no endless scrolling. Just authoritative reporting distilled into a clear context on how these shifts affect startups, enterprise operators, and the broader market dynamics powering the next wave of innovation.

Here’s your comprehensive roundup of the latest tech news making waves today.

Latest Tech News Today

1. Nvidia’s AI Chip Forecast Lifts Tech Stocks and Eases ‘AI Bubble’ Fears

Nvidia once again reminded markets why it sits at the center of the AI economy. The chipmaker reported quarterly earnings that beat expectations and posted a 62% year-on-year jump in revenue, driven by relentless demand for its GPUs that power large language models and data center AI workloads. The company also issued an upbeat forecast for future demand, signaling that cloud providers, sovereign AI programs, and enterprises are still racing to secure compute capacity. The results helped reverse several days of weakness in global equities, with investors treating Nvidia as a bellwether for the broader tech and AI cycle.

Beyond the numbers, Nvidia used the moment to underline its expansion into new regions, particularly the Middle East, where governments are pouring capital into AI infrastructure, and to emphasize the durability of AI investment rather than a short-lived hype spike. The stronger-than-expected quarter comes amid growing talk of an “AI bubble,” but for now, customers are still constrained more by access to chips and power than by appetite for AI projects. That dynamic keeps Nvidia at the heart of conversations about market concentration, export controls, and who controls the AI supply chain.

Why It Matters: Nvidia’s performance is a real-time proxy for AI infrastructure spending worldwide, and its continued strength suggests the AI build-out is far from over, with direct implications for cloud providers, startups, and energy grids.

Source: France 24, Reuters.

2. White House Pushes Executive Order to Preempt State AI Laws

A draft executive order under consideration by the Trump administration would direct the US Justice Department to challenge state AI regulations in court and potentially withhold federal funding from states that don’t fall in line. According to documents seen by Reuters, the order would create an “AI Litigation Task Force” inside the DOJ to target laws like California’s AI disclosure rules and Colorado’s algorithmic bias statute, arguing they impede interstate commerce and create a patchwork of standards tech companies say slows innovation. Parallel reporting from policy outlets indicates the White House is also exploring ways to tie AI funding and infrastructure permits to compliance with a more permissive federal baseline.

The move comes after the Senate previously rejected a similar preemption attempt, and it faces bipartisan skepticism from governors and lawmakers who view it as federal overreach into clearly state-level consumer protection powers. Critics warn that stripping states of authority would weaken safeguards against deepfakes, AI-driven fraud, discrimination, and children’s safety harms, at a time when comprehensive federal AI legislation still doesn’t exist. Supporters counter that if each state pursues its own AI rules, companies will face “regulation by 50 paper cuts” that ultimately benefits foreign competitors. The draft order underscores how aggressively the administration is prepared to intervene on behalf of AI firms, even if it triggers constitutional fights over states’ rights.

Why It Matters: If signed, the order could reshape the balance of power in AI governance, weakening state-level protections and concentrating more regulatory control — and lobbying leverage — in Washington.

Source: Reuters, MLex, Washington Post.

3. EU to Relax AI and Privacy Rules, Sparking Backlash from Rights Groups

In Brussels, European officials are moving to streamline the bloc’s strict AI and data protection regime, proposing changes that would ease enforcement of GDPR in some AI contexts and delay core “high-risk” provisions of the EU AI Act. A draft package reported by Reuters suggests the goal is to simplify overlapping rules and reduce what companies describe as red tape, especially for innovative AI applications in health, finance, and industrial automation. Critics note the shift comes amid intense lobbying from both US Big Tech firms and European corporate champions who fear falling behind the United States and China in the AI race.

Civil liberties and privacy advocates reacted sharply, warning that the new plans risk “caving to Big Tech” by loosening safeguards before enforcement has properly begun. A France 24 explainer highlights that rights groups are especially alarmed by proposals to delay key protections for biometric and “high-risk” AI systems, at the same time as European leaders champion “digital sovereignty” and stricter rules in public speeches. The tension underscores how Europe is trying to square two competing goals: being the world’s de facto regulator of AI harms and remaining an attractive home for AI research, data centers, and quantum labs.

Why It Matters: The EU’s shift could dilute some of the toughest AI safeguards on the planet and reset expectations for how aggressively democratic governments are willing to regulate AI when economic competitiveness is on the line.

Source: Reuters, France 24

4. Finland’s NestAI Raises €100M with Nokia to Build ‘Physical AI’ for Defense

Finnish startup NestAI emerged from stealth with a €100 million (~$115 million) funding round led by Finland’s sovereign wealth fund Tesi and telecom giant Nokia. The company is building “physical AI” systems that blend large language models with robotics, sensors, and edge compute to power unmanned vehicles, autonomous defense platforms, and command-and-control systems. The funding coincides with a formal partnership with Nokia to co-develop AI products for defense applications, including autonomy stacks for drones and situational-awareness tools for armed forces.

Co-founder Peter Sarlin — who previously sold Silo AI to AMD for $665 million — said NestAI’s ambition is to create “Europe’s leading physical AI lab” and reduce the continent’s dependence on US and Chinese defense tech. The startup is already working with the Finnish Defense Forces on AI adoption and has quietly hired talent from Intel, Palantir, Saab, and other defense and semiconductor firms. For Europe, the deal sits at the intersection of national security, AI sovereignty, and the rising demand for autonomous systems shaped by the war in Ukraine. It also shows how AI founders with a track record of high-value exits can rapidly attract capital and strategic partners even in a more selective funding environment.

Why It Matters: NestAI’s funding highlights how defense and “physical AI” are becoming priority investment areas in Europe, as governments seek homegrown alternatives to US defense primes and cloud giants.

Source: TechCrunch

5. AI Music Startup Suno Hits $2.45B Valuation After $250M Raise

AI music generator Suno has raised $250 million in fresh capital, valuing the company at $2.45 billion, according to Reuters. The round, led by top-tier investors (not fully disclosed in the public reporting), cements Suno as one of the most richly valued generative AI startups outside of the core foundation model players. The company’s tools let users create songs from text prompts, lowering the barrier to music production for casual creators and professionals experimenting with AI-assisted workflows. The funding comes as Suno faces legal and industry scrutiny over how its models were trained and what its rise means for labels, artists, and royalty structures.

Suno has framed the new funding as fuel to build more advanced tools for professional musicians, a smoother experience for casual users, and new social features for sharing AI-created music. At the same time, it plans to invest in the broader ecosystem — from rights-holder partnerships to creator programs that attempt to distribute value more fairly. Investors appear to be betting that even with regulatory and legal uncertainty, AI-generated media will become a mainstream creative format, much like streaming and digital audio workstations before it. The big question is whether Suno can scale while keeping regulators, labels, and artists onside — or whether it becomes the Napster of the AI music era.

Why It Matters: Suno’s valuation underscores how much capital is flowing into consumer-facing AI creativity tools, even as copyright lawsuits and licensing battles over training data intensify.

Source: TechStartups via Reuters

6. NcodiN Raises €16M to Build ‘World’s Smallest Laser’ for AI Chips

French photonics startup NcodiN has secured €16 million in funding to develop what it calls the “world’s smallest laser” for AI chips. The company’s technology uses nanoscale photonic structures to drastically shrink the lasers used in optical interconnects, enabling denser, more energy-efficient data transfer inside data centers and AI accelerators. According to EU-Startups, the round will support scaling NcodiN’s R&D and pushing its devices toward industrial production, with an eye on hyperscale AI data centers and advanced semiconductor packaging.

As AI models grow and data centers struggle with heat and power constraints, optical interconnects are becoming a critical bottleneck. NcodiN’s approach aims to cut power draw while increasing bandwidth, helping chipmakers and cloud providers sustain the current arms race in GPU clusters. The company is part of a broader wave of deep-tech startups building components that make large-scale AI physically possible — from advanced cooling to specialized memory and packaging — even if they don’t get the same headlines as model companies. Its progress will be watched closely by both European industrial policy makers and US hyperscalers who need every watt and square millimeter of performance.

Why It Matters: If NcodiN delivers on its promise, its ultra-compact lasers could become key building blocks in next-generation AI infrastructure, easing data center energy constraints while supporting ever larger models.

Source: EU-Startups, optics.org

7. IBM and Cisco Plan Network of Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computers

IBM and Cisco announced a new partnership to build a network of large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers, targeting early deployments in the early 2030s. The effort is centered on IBM’s next-generation quantum processors and control stacks, combined with Cisco’s networking, security, and data center expertise to link machines into a resilient quantum network. The companies say they will co-fund academic research and collaborate with national labs to accelerate everything from quantum error correction to hybrid quantum-classical workflows.

In practical terms, this is about moving beyond isolated quantum prototypes toward an interconnected fabric of machines that enterprises can access securely and reliably. Large financial institutions, pharma companies, and government agencies are expected to be early adopters, using the network for optimization, materials discovery, and cryptography research once hardware and algorithms mature. By tying quantum infrastructure into Cisco’s existing footprint in data centers and carriers, the duo is also positioning itself as an early leader in what could become a quantum internet. For Europe and the US, the initiative plays into a broader race against China and others to secure leadership in fault-tolerant quantum systems with national security implications.

Why It Matters: The IBM–Cisco alliance signals that quantum computing is moving from lab curiosity toward full-stack infrastructure, with traditional networking giants now treating it as a future core workload.

Source: Cisco newsroom, IBM

8. AQT’s Trapped-Ion Quantum Computer Goes Live on Amazon Braket

Alpine Quantum Technologies (AQT) has made its IBEX Q1 trapped-ion quantum computer available via Amazon Braket, giving customers on-demand access to European quantum hardware through AWS. The 12-qubit system uses trapped-ion technology with a fully connected architecture, offering low error rates and room-temperature operation in just two standard data center racks with sub-2 kW power consumption. The integration is designed to meet EU data residency and sovereignty requirements, ensuring that European researchers, startups, and enterprises can run quantum experiments on infrastructure physically located within the region.

For AWS, adding AQT broadens Braket’s portfolio beyond US-based providers and bolsters its pitch as a neutral hub for quantum experimentation. For AQT, it’s a significant distribution win: instead of selling access one-off, the company can tap directly into AWS’s global customer base, from universities to banks exploring risk analysis and optimization problems. The move also dovetails with Europe’s push for “digital and quantum sovereignty”, giving local users a path to explore quantum computing without relying solely on non-European hardware.

Why It Matters: Making AQT’s system available through Amazon Braket lowers the barrier for European customers to experiment with quantum computing and reinforces cloud-based access as the default way enterprises will first touch quantum tech.

Source: AWS, AQT, The Quantum Insider

9. Optilogic Launches DataStar, an Agentic AI Platform for Supply Chain Design

Supply chain software company Optilogic launched DataStar, an “agentic AI” platform that keeps supply chain design and optimization running continuously instead of as an occasional consulting exercise. According to a BusinessWire release, DataStar connects to operational data sources and uses AI agents to monitor demand, inventory, transportation costs, and risk signals in real time. Those agents then propose, simulate, and iterate network design changes — from warehouse locations to routing plans — effectively turning supply chain design into an always-on capability rather than an annual project.

The product slots into a broader shift where enterprises want AI copilots that act continuously in the background, particularly in areas like logistics, where volatility has become the norm since COVID-19 and geopolitical disruptions. By branding the platform “agentic,” Optilogic is signaling that it goes beyond dashboards, toward autonomous agents that can test scenarios and recommend actions with minimal human prompting. For manufacturers, retailers, and 3PLs, the promise is better resilience and cost control in a world of frequent shocks — but it also raises questions about how much to trust algorithmic decisions in complex, multi-stakeholder networks.

Why It Matters: DataStar reflects how AI agents are moving from prototypes into vertical enterprise platforms, where always-on optimization could become the default for everything from routing trucks to designing warehouse networks.

Source: BusinessWire, Yahoo Finance

10. Sabre Rolls Out Concierge IQ, a Generative AI Travel Assistant for Airlines

Travel tech heavyweight Sabre unveiled Concierge IQ, a generative AI-powered assistant that plugs directly into airline websites, apps, and support channels. The product is pitched as an end-to-end concierge that can handle trip planning, fare shopping, rebooking, disruption management, and post-trip servicing via natural-language conversations with passengers. According to Sabre’s release, Concierge IQ integrates with an airline’s existing reservation and customer data systems, using AI models to interpret complex requests (like multi-city changes or irregular operations) and automate routine service flows, while escalating edge cases to human agents.

The launch lands as airlines globally wrestle with staffing challenges, high call volume during disruptions, and customer frustration with clunky legacy portals. Generative AI presents an appealing way to triage simple requests and personalize offers — but regulators and consumer advocates are already questioning transparency, bias, and how airlines disclose when customers are talking to an AI. For Sabre, Concierge IQ is also a competitive move against both in-house airline AI projects and newer travel-tech startups building AI-first stacks. The question is whether airlines will trust a third-party AI layer for such a critical part of their brand experience.

Why It Matters: Concierge IQ is another sign that generative AI is quickly becoming a frontline interface in regulated, high-stress industries like air travel, where reliability and clear handoffs to humans are non-negotiable.

Source: Sabre press release via StockTitan

11. Teva Launches RISE, an Open Innovation Platform for AI and Biotech in Pharma

Pharma giant Teva announced RISE, a global open innovation platform designed to attract startups, researchers, and technology providers that can tackle some of the industry’s hardest problems. The program is soliciting solutions across several tracks, including AI-powered clinical trial simulation, human-predictive platforms like organ-on-chip systems, smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0, and digital health tools that improve adherence and patient outcomes. Selected participants will be able to collaborate with Teva teams, access facilities, and potentially enter commercial partnerships if pilots succeed.

RISE reflects a growing recognition in pharma that AI and advanced manufacturing are no longer optional add-ons, but central to competitiveness in biologics, complex generics, and personalized medicine. Rather than trying to build everything in-house, Teva is effectively turning itself into a platform, where external innovators can plug in and scale. The move could also strengthen Teva’s position in countries betting heavily on biotech and AI, while spreading risk across multiple early-stage technologies instead of single blockbuster bets. For startups, landing Teva as a design partner can be transformational — but it also means taking on regulatory and integration complexity that comes with working in a highly regulated industry.

Why It Matters: RISE shows how legacy pharma is re-architecting itself around AI, automation, and open innovation, creating new on-ramps for startups to commercialize cutting-edge biotech and digital health tools.

Source: BioSpace / Cybersecurity Ventures

12. WhatsApp Enumeration Flaw Exposes Data on 3.5 Billion Users

Security researchers in Austria disclosed a serious enumeration flaw in WhatsApp that allowed them to harvest profile data for more than 3.5 billion user accounts over just two days, a trove they describe as the “largest leak ever.” By exploiting how WhatsApp’s systems responded to certain queries, they were able to programmatically confirm which phone numbers were registered, and in many cases scrape associated profile photos, usernames, and status messages. DataBreaches.net reports that the researchers compiled a massive dataset demonstrating how trivial it was for attackers to build detailed profiles, raising concerns about stalking, targeted phishing, and large-scale data brokerage.

While Meta has reportedly patched the underlying issue, the episode underscores a recurring pattern: messaging apps often leak more metadata than users realize, even when message content is end-to-end encrypted. Threat actors don’t need to break encryption if they can systematically map who uses the service, which identities are active, and which numbers tie to specific demographics or professions. The news also comes amid ongoing EU and US scrutiny of how large platforms secure personal data, particularly in light of AI systems that can enrich scraped datasets with additional inference. Even if the leak originated from a research effort, it highlights what a motivated attacker could have done quietly and at scale.

Why It Matters: The WhatsApp flaw shows that even encrypted apps can leak vast amounts of exploitable metadata, reinforcing that privacy depends on endpoint and API design, not just strong cryptography.

Source: The Register

13. US and Allies Sanction Russian Bulletproof Hosting Provider for Ransomware

The US Treasury and international partners announced coordinated sanctions against Media Land, a Russian “bulletproof” hosting provider accused of supporting some of the world’s most prolific ransomware and cybercrime operations. According to DataBreaches.net, Media Land allegedly offered resilient infrastructure to criminal groups, knowingly tolerating abuse and turning a blind eye to takedown requests in exchange for premium fees. DataBreaches.Net The sanctions target both the company and key individuals tied to its operations, blocking assets under US jurisdiction and restricting transactions through the international banking system.

This action fits into a broader strategy of treating cybercrime infrastructure like traditional illicit financial networks, going after enablers rather than just individual ransomware gangs that can rebrand and respawn. By naming and sanctioning a hosting provider, Western governments are sending a signal to other infrastructure companies that “don’t-ask-don’t-tell” policies toward abusive customers are no longer risk-free. Still, enforcement will be challenging: bulletproof hosts often operate through layers of shell companies and can shift infrastructure across jurisdictions that don’t cooperate with Western law enforcement. The effectiveness of these sanctions will be measured less by public statements and more by whether major ransomware operations start experiencing real infrastructure pain.

Why It Matters: Targeting a bulletproof hosting provider marks an escalation in how governments fight cybercrime, aiming at the backbone services that make global ransomware campaigns possible.

Source: DataBreaches.net, US Treasury statements (via coverage)

14. Major South African Medical Lab Hit by Multiple Data Breaches

Lancet Laboratories, a major medical testing provider in South Africa, has suffered multiple data breaches that exposed sensitive information, including patient identifiers and health data. DataBreaches.net reports that the company was fined R100,000 by South Africa’s Information Regulator after failing to respond adequately to requests about past incidents, and new breach notifications suggest ongoing security and governance problems. Some of the compromised data had reportedly been circulating on criminal forums, raising the risk of identity theft, insurance fraud, and targeted scams that exploit patients’ medical history.

The case highlights the rising cybersecurity stakes for healthcare providers worldwide. Labs and hospitals sit on some of the most valuable data — detailed medical histories tied to national IDs and payment information — but often run aging systems and underfunded IT teams. In countries with emerging data protection regimes, enforcement tends to lag behind the sophistication of attackers. South Africa’s regulator has been stepping up activity under POPIA (the Protection of Personal Information Act), and this case could become a reference point for how aggressively it will pursue health-sector violators. For patients, the immediate concern is whether they’ll be notified promptly and given tools to monitor misuse of their data.

Why It Matters: The Lancet Labs breaches show how fragile healthcare data security can be, and they signal that regulators in emerging markets are starting to use fines and public shaming to force improvements.

Source: DataBreaches.net

15. Paris Frontiers: Rift Raises €4.6M for On-Demand Aerial Reconnaissance Network

French startup Rift, based in Paris, has raised €4.6 million to build what it calls Europe’s first on-demand aerial reconnaissance network. According to EU-Startups, Rift plans to deploy fleets of small aircraft equipped with high-resolution sensors and AI-driven analytics, offering governments, critical infrastructure operators, and enterprises rapid access to aerial intelligence without requiring them to own their own planes or satellites. The service aims to fill gaps between satellite imagery (which can be infrequent or obscured) and traditional manned reconnaissance flights, providing near-real-time insights for disaster response, border monitoring, and large-scale industrial sites.

What sets Rift apart is its ambition to create a networked platform, not just a fleet: data from multiple aircraft will feed into a central analysis layer, where machine-learning models detect anomalies, changes, and threats across wide areas. For Europe, the startup aligns well with discussions about strategic autonomy in defense, as conflicts and climate-driven disasters heighten the demand for resilient situational awareness. The funding round, backed by deep-tech and defense-focused investors, suggests growing investor comfort with dual-use startups operating at the intersection of AI, sensing, and security. It also shows there’s room for niche players even as large defense primes and satellite operators expand their own analytics offerings.

Why It Matters: Rift’s model illustrates how AI and affordable sensors are enabling new “intelligence as a service” businesses that sit between satellites, drones, and traditional defense contractors.

Source: EU-Startups

Closing

That’s a wrap on today’s top stories shaping the global tech landscape — from the surge in AI infrastructure demand and the fresh capital flowing into chips, quantum systems, and defense autonomy, to the policy maneuvers in Washington and Brussels that will reshape how companies deploy AI across regulated sectors. We also tracked major cybersecurity exposures, the growing reliance on agentic AI in enterprise workflows, the expansion of AI-powered consumer platforms, and the accelerating push by cloud providers to integrate sovereign compute, photonics, and fault-tolerant research into their long-term roadmaps.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s edition as we continue following the breakthroughs, policy battles, capital flows, and engineering decisions redefining how the world builds, secures, and governs the next wave of technology — and the founders pushing to stay ahead in a market where execution, trust, and real-world impact matter more than ever.

That’s your quick tech briefing for today. Follow us @TheTechStartups on X for real-time updates.