Who will have the most impact on the banking, fintech and payments world in 2026? American Banker's reporters and editors compiled this alphabetical list of the 26 people we expect to make a difference — positive or negative — for bankers in the coming year. Processing Content John AllisonChairman and CEO, Home BancSharesHome BancShares in Conway, Arkansas, has returned to the bank merger-and-acquisition arena, and from all appearances John Allison, the company's longtime chairman and CEO, couldn't be mo ...

ServiceNow is eying an acquisition and also received an analyst downgrade.Shares of back office software-as-a-service company ServiceNow (NOW 11.69%) plunged on Monday, falling 11.9% as of 1:18 p.m. EDT.ServiceNow had two rather significant pieces of news today: One, it was reported ServiceNow is in talks to make what appears to be an expensive acquisition. Two, an analyst downgraded shares, predicting that fears over the potential disruption from generative artificial intelligence would cap ServiceNow's va ...

TORONTO, Dec. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NetraMark Holdings Inc. (the “Company” or “NetraMark”) (CSE: AIAI) (OTCQB: AINMF) (Frankfurt: PF0) a premier artificial intelligence (AI) company that is transforming clinical trials with AI powered precision analytics in the pharmaceutical industry, today announced the completion of its Critical Path Innovation Meeting (CPIM) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). During this scientific exchange, FDA provided feedback on NetraAI—NetraMark's explainable ...

Core Insights - By 2025, China's AI industry is at a historical turning point, with generative AI user base reaching 515 million, an increase of 266 million from December 2024 [1] - The Chinese government has outlined a clear direction for AI development through the "AI+" action plan, emphasizing six key actions and eight foundational capabilities [1] - The capital market has responded positively, with 709 investment events in the AI sector in 2025, amounting to approximately 59.145 billion yuan, which is 94.5% of the total investment in 2024 [1] Group 1: Industry Trends - The AI industry is witnessing a shift from a focus on technology narratives to practical applications, with a brutal elimination process for startups lacking financial viability [2] - Major companies are leveraging their technological advantages to attract capital and accelerate their market presence, while startups face existential challenges [2] - The AI sector is experiencing deep penetration into various industries, indicating a transition from speculative investments to more grounded business models [2] Group 2: Market Developments - New companies like Xiaoma Zhixing and Wenyan Zhixing have recently listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, marking significant milestones in the autonomous driving sector [6] - Xiaoma Zhixing operates a fleet of over 720 Robotaxi vehicles, providing 24/7 service in major cities, while Wenyan Zhixing has over 1,500 autonomous vehicles licensed across eight countries [6] - The AI sector saw 435 new financing events in Q3 2025, a 99% year-on-year increase, with total financing around 37 billion yuan [7] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - The competition in the AI industry is intensifying, with both tech giants and startups vying for market share, leading to a complex competitive environment [8] - The launch of DeepSeek's app has significantly increased user engagement, with active users surpassing 240 million within a month of its release [8] - The AI app user base reached 287 million by September 2025, indicating a growing trend towards multi-model integration in applications [9] Group 4: Investment Dynamics - The investment landscape is evolving, with a focus on AI hardware and applications, as evidenced by significant funding rounds for companies like Ling Yuzhou [13] - The return cycle for AI hardware investments is shorter compared to traditional internet investments, necessitating careful selection of investment targets [14] - The relationship between technology breakthroughs, industry application, and capital investment is forming a virtuous cycle, enhancing the potential for future advancements [14] Group 5: Future Outlook - The AI industry is expected to continue its growth trajectory, with a focus on achieving a balance between technological, industrial, and commercial value [16] - Major companies like Alibaba and Tencent are significantly increasing their investments in AI infrastructure, indicating a long-term commitment to the sector [15] - The Chinese AI patent application volume reached 1.576 million, accounting for 38.58% of the global total, positioning China as a leader in AI innovation [16]

OpenAI has signed its first major licensing deal to bring well-known characters to life on its Sora video generation tool.The company said the agreement with Walt Disney was part of a push to ensure the rights of creators in the generative artificial intelligence (AI) space amid growing concerns over copyright, fakes and misinformation. It forms part of a $1bn Disney investment in OpenAI, that will see the entertainment firm roll out ChatGPT to its staff and grow its AI capabilities.Money latest: Urgent war ...

Core Insights - Investors are evaluating the trade-offs between the Roundhill Generative AI & Technology ETF (CHAT) and the Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT), focusing on cost, diversification, and risk profile [1][2] Cost & Size Comparison - CHAT has an expense ratio of 0.75% and AUM of $1.1 billion, while VGT has a much lower expense ratio of 0.09% and AUM of $130.0 billion [3] - The 1-year return for CHAT is 52.11%, significantly higher than VGT's 23.06% [3] - CHAT has a beta of 2.61, indicating higher volatility compared to VGT's beta of 1.65 [3] Performance & Risk Analysis - CHAT experienced a max drawdown of -31.34% over the past year, compared to VGT's -27.23% [4] - An investment of $1,000 in CHAT would have grown to $2,080 over two years, while the same investment in VGT would have grown to $1,648 [4] Fund Composition - VGT is a passive fund with a nearly 22-year track record, holding 314 stocks, primarily in leading U.S. tech companies like Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft [5] - CHAT focuses on generative AI, with 74% of its assets in technology stocks, 20% in communication services, and the remainder in consumer cyclicals, with top holdings including Nvidia, Alphabet, and Oracle [6] Investment Implications - VGT offers broader diversification with over 300 holdings, appealing to risk-averse investors [7] - CHAT's concentrated focus on generative AI may attract investors seeking higher returns, albeit with increased volatility [8] - The shorter track record of CHAT, launched in 2023, presents more risk compared to VGT, which was established in 2004 [9] - The significant difference in expense ratios could impact long-term returns for fee-sensitive investors [10] - VGT may be more appealing for those seeking cost-effective exposure to the tech sector, while CHAT may attract those interested in the generative AI market [11]

Group 1 - The deal represents a significant turning point for Hollywood, which is navigating the implications of generative artificial intelligence [1]

Core Viewpoint - Disney has issued a warning to Google regarding alleged copyright infringement related to the use of Disney's content for training AI models and distributing images and videos, particularly on YouTube, following Disney's $1 billion investment in OpenAI, a competitor of Google [1][4]. Group 1: Copyright Infringement Allegations - Disney claims that Google is infringing its copyrights on a massive scale by using a large corpus of Disney's copyrighted works without authorization to train and develop generative AI models and services [5]. - The letter from Disney demands that Google remove all infringing Disney content from YouTube and YouTube Shorts created with its AI services [2]. - Disney has previously sent cease-and-desist letters to other companies, including Meta and Character.AI, and has filed litigation against Midjourney and Minimax, indicating a broader effort to control piracy of its intellectual property in the AI landscape [3]. Group 2: Competitive Landscape - Disney's investment in OpenAI aims to create a legal framework for accessing its characters and intellectual property, positioning itself against Google in the competitive AI market [4]. - The letter highlights that Google's AI services, including Veo, Imagen, and Nano Banana, are being used to commercially exploit and distribute copies of Disney's protected works, raising concerns about Google's market dominance in generative AI [5]. - Disney's letter emphasizes that Google's actions are flooding the market with infringing works, leading to significant profits from the unlawful exploitation of Disney's copyrights [5].

Core Insights - Walt Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI to allow the use of its characters from Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel in the Sora AI video and image generator, marking a significant shift in Hollywood's approach to generative AI [1] - The partnership aims to generate fan-requested videos featuring licensed Disney characters by early 2026 and will enhance products and experiences for Disney+ subscribers [2] - The collaboration follows criticism from the Creative Artists Agency regarding the risks posed by AI to creative professionals, raising concerns about compensation and credit for artists [3] Investment and Partnership Details - The $1 billion investment by Disney is a crucial step in integrating generative AI into content creation in Hollywood [1] - Sora and ChatGPT Images will utilize OpenAI's models to develop new tools and customer experiences, particularly for Disney+ [2] - The partnership will also include image generation capabilities on ChatGPT, leveraging Disney's intellectual property [4] Industry Context - The deal represents a broader trend of Hollywood embracing generative AI, despite ongoing concerns about its impact on creative jobs and intellectual property rights [1] - The Creative Artists Agency's previous criticism highlights the tension between technological advancement and the protection of creative professionals' rights [3]

Core Insights - Walt Disney Company and OpenAI have reached a landmark agreement to bring over 200 Disney characters to the OpenAI Sora platform, a short-form video platform that has gained significant popularity [1][2] - Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI as part of a three-year deal, which includes receiving warrants that could increase Disney's stake in OpenAI over time [4] - The deal allows for the creation of short user-prompted videos featuring Disney characters, which can also be used on Disney Plus, although these videos will not include the original voice actors [6] Disney's Strategic Moves - Disney's investment in OpenAI reflects its recognition of the importance of technology in the entertainment industry and a desire to remain competitive [5] - The agreement is seen as a way for Disney to leverage its extensive portfolio of characters, including iconic franchises like Marvel and Star Wars, for new content creation [7] Legal Actions - Concurrently, Disney has issued a cease and desist letter to Google regarding the unauthorized use of its characters on Google's short-form video platform, claiming copyright violations related to the training of generative AI models [8]