Chain of News 18/07/2026

**Top Story** The news that Etched, a startup specializing in chips for artificial intelligence, is in negotiations for a valuation of $20 billion, as reported by WSJ, is a significant development in the AI landscape. This valuation underscores the growing importance of specialized hardware for AI applications, and the market's recognition of the potential for innovation in this area. For developers, this means that there will be increased investment in research and development of AI-specific chips, which could lead to more efficient and powerful AI systems. The implications of this valuation are far-reaching, as it could lead to a new wave of innovation in AI hardware, and potentially disrupt the current market leaders. As AI continues to become more pervasive in various industries, the need for specialized hardware will only continue to grow, making this development a crucial one to watch. The potential for Etched to make a significant impact on the AI industry is high, and developers should be paying close attention to the company's progress. **AI Models & Research** The concept of World Models, as outlined in a recent guide, is a significant development in the field of AI research. World Models refer to a type of large language model that is capable of generating complex, coherent text, and has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with AI systems. The guide provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of World Models, including the $1 billion investment made by LeCun, and the potential applications of this technology. For developers, understanding World Models is crucial, as they have the potential to enable more sophisticated and human-like interactions with AI systems. Another significant development is the research published by Databricks on the cost savings of open weight AI models for coding, which highlights the potential for AI to improve the efficiency and productivity of developers. This research is significant, as it demonstrates the potential for AI to have a major impact on the way we develop software. **Developer Tools & Frameworks** The release of the Codex Micro keyboard by OpenAI is a notable development for AI-powered coding tools. The keyboard is designed to work seamlessly with OpenAI's Codex AI coding model, and provides a new way for developers to interact with AI-powered coding tools. With the Codex Micro keyboard, developers can now use AI to generate code more efficiently, and the keyboard's design provides a more intuitive and user-friendly experience. The release of repository-level GitHub Copilot usage metrics is also a significant development, as it provides developers with more detailed insights into how the Copilot coding agent is being used. This information can be used to optimize the performance of Copilot, and to identify areas where the agent can be improved. Additionally, the update to the Copilot usage metrics REST API provides a more comprehensive view of Copilot activity, including daily, per-repository breakdowns of pull request activity. **Industry & Business** Databricks has hit a valuation of $188 billion, extending its run as a leading company in the AI industry. This valuation is a significant milestone for the company, and demonstrates the growing importance of AI in the tech industry. The valuation is also a testament to the company's successful transition from a data analytics company to an AI-focused company. The company's research on the cost savings of open weight AI models for coding has also been well-received, and demonstrates the company's commitment to innovation in the AI space. In other news, Etched's potential valuation of $20 billion is a significant development, as it highlights the growing interest in AI-specific hardware. This valuation could lead to increased investment in the company, and potentially disrupt the current market leaders in the AI hardware space. **Worth Watching** The development of World Models is an interesting area to watch, as it has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with AI systems. The guide to World Models provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of this technology, and is a must-read for developers who want to stay up-to-date on the latest advancements in AI research. The release of the Codex Micro keyboard by OpenAI is also worth watching, as it provides a new way for developers to interact with AI-powered coding tools. The keyboard's design and functionality make it an interesting development in the AI-powered coding space, and it will be interesting to see how it is received by developers. Additionally, the update to the Copilot usage metrics REST API is worth watching, as it provides more detailed insights into how the Copilot coding agent is being used, and can be used to optimize its performance.