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ACM Media Center

Matei Zaharia has been awarded the ACM Prize in Computing for his visionary development of distributed data systems and computing infrastructure. Zaharia’s work addresses how to work with and analyze rapidly growing volumes of data efficiently at a scale previously accessible only to the largest technology companies. Said ACM President Yannis Ioannidis, “By addressing key limitations in earlier systems, he developed technologies that quickly became standard tools for data analytics, machine learning, and AI."

From "ACM Prize in Computing Honors Matei Zaharia for Foundational Contributions to Data, Machine Learning Systems"
ACM Media Center (04/08/26)
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Reuters

Microsoft said it will invest 1.6 trillion yen (U.S.$10 billion) in Japan through 2029 to expand AI infrastructure and boost cybersecurity cooperation with the government. The investment includes the training of 1 million engineers and developers by 2030. The tech giant will work with domestic firms to expand Japan-based AI computing capacity, allowing companies and government agencies to keep sensitive data within the country while accessing Microsoft Azure services, and will share intelligence related to cyber threats and crime prevention.

From "Microsoft to Invest $10 Billion in Japan for AI, Cyber Defense Expansion"
Reuters (04/02/26) Chang-Ran Kim
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CNN

A hacker allegedly stole 10 petabytes of sensitive data from a state-run Chinese supercomputer, posting a sample of the alleged dataset on an anonymous Telegram channel on February 6 and claiming it contained “research across various fields including aerospace engineering, military research, bioinformatics, fusion simulation, and more.” Cyber security experts who have reviewed the data say the hacker is offering a limited preview of the alleged dataset for thousands of dollars, with full access priced at hundreds of thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency.

From "Hacker Allegedly Breached Chinese Supercomputer"
CNN (04/08/26) Isaac Yee
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Tom's Hardware

Despite the unprecedented level of investment in AI infrastructure, close to half of planned U.S. datacenter builds this year are projected to be delayed or canceled. According to market intelligence firm Sightline Climate, of the roughly 12 GW of datacenter capacity expected to come online this year in the U.S., only a third is currently under active construction. Many of the delays are attributed to a shortage of critical electrical components largely produced in China.

From "Half of Planned U.S. Datacenter Builds Delayed or Canceled"
Tom's Hardware (04/03/26) Anton Shilov
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U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News and World Report has released its latest ranking of best U.S. graduate schools in the field of computer science, surveying institutions that awarded at least five doctoral degrees for the most recent five-year period available in summer 2025, which was for 2020 to 2024, encompassing 205 programs in all. Three universities tied for the top spot this year: Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University.

From "2026 Best U.S. Computer Science Graduate Schools"
U.S. News & World Report (04/06/26)
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Politico

Hologram technology is gaining traction in U.S. politics, with figures like U.S. Senator Cory Booker and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie (pictured) using lifelike digital projections at airports and events to engage audiences remotely. Supporters say the technology, developed by Los Angeles' Proto Hologram, could enhance outreach, allowing politicians to appear in multiple places and communicate more interactively. Critics argue it risks seeming inauthentic and may distance leaders from voters.

From "Politicians Are Debuting Holograms at Airports"
Politico (04/05/26) Daniel Miller; Debra Kahn
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