August 19, 2025 · 24-Hour AI Briefing: Cybersecurity Momentum, SoftBank Bets on Intel, AI Cloud Competition Intensifies
Over the past 24 hours, the AI landscape has seen several major developments — rising demand for AI-driven cybersecurity, a strategic $2B investment by SoftBank in Intel, and intensifying competition in the Chinese AI public cloud market. From technology trends to capital moves, these events signal a key inflection point for the industry.
1. AI-Driven Cybersecurity Demand Surges as Palo Alto Beats Expectations
U.S. cybersecurity giant Palo Alto Networks (PANW.US) released its Q4 earnings report on Monday, delivering better-than-expected results and issuing a stronger-than-anticipated FY2026 outlook, driven by growing demand for its AI-enabled cybersecurity solutions.
For the quarter ended July 31, revenue grew 16% year-over-year to $2.54B, surpassing the market consensus of $2.50B. Product revenue reached $573.9M (+19% YoY), while subscription and support services revenue was $1.96B (+15% YoY). Annual recurring revenue for next-generation security solutions reached $5.6B, above analysts’ estimates of $5.55B. The company expects full-year revenue of $10.48–10.53B (vs. consensus of $10.43B) and adjusted EPS of $3.75–3.85 (vs. $3.67 expected).
Commentary: Following a wave of high-profile cyberattacks against companies like Microsoft and Oracle, market demand for AI-based cybersecurity has surged. Palo Alto has responded by launching its “Cortex Cloud” security platform and “Prisma AIRS” AI application protection platform, while also planning to acquire CyberArk (CYBR.US) for $25B to further expand its product portfolio. AI is shifting from a buzzword to a core driver of revenue growth and valuation.
2. SoftBank Invests $2 Billion in Intel
SoftBank and Intel issued a joint statement confirming that SoftBank will purchase Intel common stock worth $2B at $23 per share.
Commentary: After a disappointing earnings report, Intel appeared to fall out of favor with investors. SoftBank’s sizable investment marks a strong vote of confidence in Intel’s future — particularly in AI accelerators and its foundry strategy. Backed by its Vision Fund and long track record in global tech investments, SoftBank could help catalyze the next phase of Intel’s recovery.
3. Baidu Smart Cloud Maintains No.1 Position in China’s AI Public Cloud Market (6th Consecutive Year)
According to IDC’s latest China AI Public Cloud Service Market Share report, China’s AI public cloud market grew 55.3% YoY in 2024, reaching RMB 19.59B. Baidu Smart Cloud remained in first place with a 24.6% market share and has now ranked No.1 for six consecutive years (ten times in total).
In the first half of 2025, Baidu Smart Cloud also ranked No.1 in both “number of successful bids” and “total contract value” in domestic large-model procurement projects.
Commentary: The rapid expansion of China’s AI cloud market is largely driven by the rise of large model capabilities. With its Kunlun GPU cluster and large-scale distributed inference capability, Baidu Smart Cloud has built a strong advantage in high-concurrency scenarios. However, Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud are accelerating their own AI deployments, keeping the competitive landscape highly dynamic.
For more cutting-edge AI news, business insights and tech trends, visit https://iaiseek.com
Want to see what happened in the AI space over the past 72 hours? Read:
August 16, 2025 · 24-Hour AI Briefing: NVIDIA Bets Heavily on CoreWeave, Meta Releases DINOv3, iPhone 17 Pro Max Configuration Revealed