ING is reportedly seeking buyers for a roughly $500 million portfolio of data-center loans, in an unusually large auction devoted entirely to this type of debt. The package comprises 12 loans, with offers due November 19 and a minimum bid size of $10 million. Among them is a $25 million loan slice tied to a New Mexico site in the Stargate project, the data-center venture involving OpenAI, SoftBank and Oracle. Oracle recently sent the site’s developer a notice invoking force majeure. Other debt in the portfolio is linked to operators Vantage Data Centers and CyrusOne.
The sale highlights growing investor unease about the financing of the AI infrastructure boom. Doubts have intensified after the US midterm elections, including in Texas, where the governor-elect has called for an immediate halt to data-center construction. At the same time, investors are questioning whether AI-related revenue can support the enormous spending, and data-center-linked high-yield bonds have suffered steep declines. The wider concern is that credit markets may be approaching their capacity to absorb AI debt. Banks and investment firms face similar pressure elsewhere: Goldman Sachs and Apollo are seeking to syndicate parts of a record-sized chip-financing deal connected to SpaceX, after committing to it before pricing and amid a worsening market for such risks.
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The EU’s new Return Regulation expands the grounds and duration for immigration detention, including for children, and increases deportations. Critics warn that surveillance-based alternatives and externalization measures extend coercive migration controls beyond detention centers. (statewatch.org)
Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden says the PS6 should prioritize affordability over more processing power, arguing a $300 console would be real innovation. He says rising console prices are shutting out buyers and Sony should focus on making hardware smaller and cheaper. (gamesradar.com)
EyesRhythm is an offline desktop app that uses a webcam to track blink rate and regularity, then offers gentle reminders and practice exercises. It also tracks head movement to encourage neck breaks, while keeping video on the device. (eyesrhythm.com)
Satellite images show Iran building new facilities near the Garmdareh and Shahroud missile bases and repairing damage at at least 12 other military sites. The work follows months of US and Israeli air strikes, according to analysts who reviewed the images. (bbc.com)
Stunt Car Racer’s computer opponents use three spring-mounted wheels to follow the track and cannot fall off. Drivers share the same engine but differ in their habits and swerving frequency; the AI also adjusts its speed and position around the player. (gamesexplained.com)
GeoWorks was a graphical operating system for PC-compatible computers that competed with Microsoft Windows in the 1990s. It offered a desktop interface on relatively modest hardware but failed to gain broad adoption as Windows became dominant. (atlasobscura.com)
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