A recent Gartner survey reveals that while 93% of audit leaders use AI, only 38% have a defined AI strategy. The survey, conducted in 2026 among 743 audit professionals, indicates that AI applications in internal audit primarily focus on isolated tasks like engagement preplanning and drafting issues, rather than strategic transformations or comprehensive audit testing. This suggests a high adoption rate but a lack of strategic integration, hindering AI's full potential to deliver better strategic insights and transform audit processes.

Ulta Salon is facing a class action lawsuit for allegedly violating privacy laws by using a "Meta Pixel" to unlawfully intercept, record, and disclose website visitors' electronic communications. Plaintiff Raeanon Hartigan claims Ulta, with Meta Platforms' aid, tracked detailed user activity and transmitted it to third parties without consent. The lawsuit seeks to represent California consumers and demands damages, claiming an invasion of privacy and violations of several privacy acts.

Microchip Technology has released Revision 2.0 of its PolarFire® FPGA Ethernet Sensor Bridge, a significantly smaller and more cost-effective solution for edge AI sensor connectivity. This updated board offers a 60% smaller form factor, supports twice the number of cameras, and uses USB-C power, enabling scalable 10Gb Ethernet architectures for NVIDIA Edge AI systems. The enhancements aim to reduce system cost and complexity for AI-driven medical, industrial, and humanoid robotics applications.

A KeyBank survey reveals that middle market companies remain highly confident in their own financial performance, with 77% rating their outlook as excellent or very good, despite a slight decrease in confidence for the broader U.S. economy. The report highlights that 54% of these companies prioritize AI and technology expansion as their top investment focus for 2026, alongside workforce reskilling and long-term M&A plans. This indicates a strategic shift towards controlled investments to drive long-term value amid economic uncertainty.

MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc (MTSI) shares fell 4.4% to $297.03, currently trading significantly above its GF Value™ estimate of $180.43, indicating it is overvalued. Despite a strong GF Score™ of 82 for overall performance, particularly in growth and momentum, insider selling of $27.7 million and a high P/E ratio suggest caution for investors.

Nvidia is reportedly in discussions with major Wall Street firms, including Goldman Sachs and BlackRock, to finance the next phase of AI infrastructure development, potentially freeing up over $500 billion. The strategy involves treating AI data centers as revenue-generating infrastructure that can be financed with long-term assets. Nvidia may also underwrite up to 25% of qualifying loans to help clients access funding, addressing a potential bottleneck for demand for its chips.

Goldman Sachs initiated coverage of Autodesk (ADSK) with a Neutral rating and a $260 price target. The investment bank views Autodesk as a strong franchise in the construction software sector. Shares of Autodesk saw little movement in premarket trading following the news.

A controversy surrounding PayPal's Honey affiliate, where a YouTuber alleges the browser extension replaces creator affiliate cookies with its own, poses significant reputational, regulatory, and strategic risks for PayPal. While not yet mainstream, the potential backlash from the creator economy, erosion of merchant trust, and regulatory scrutiny could impact PayPal's

Nocera (NASDAQ: NCRA) has signed a binding term sheet with INERGX Energy Optimisation to form a 50/50 joint venture, Nocera-INERGX Energy Ventures, aiming to acquire and develop mission-critical energy infrastructure for AI data centers, defense, and heavy industry. The venture will focus on battery energy storage, AI-enabled energy management, and renewable energy technologies globally, with an objective to grow INERGX's valuation to $250 million from an initial ascribed $65 million. This move follows Nocera's recent acquisition of a controlling interest in QMAX Technology, aligning component supply, memory/storage, and now power infrastructure for AI.

b.well Connected Health has been recognized as a Niche Player in Gartner's inaugural Magic Quadrant for Healthcare Provider Industry Cloud Platforms. The company's platform, built on a FHIR-native data foundation, focuses on creating personalized, shoppable consumer health experiences by unifying fragmented health data. This inclusion highlights b.well's role in the industry's shift towards cloud platforms that integrate data, intelligence, and digital experiences, supporting national interoperability initiatives like the CMS Health Tech Ecosystem.