Welcome to the latest edition of the World of DaaS Roundup. This week, AI is moving fast. From regulators cracking down, to Microsoft training 20 million new workers, to executives finally using AI to do real work instead of just talking about it.
📰 NEWS AND READS
Tech Leaders Lean Into AI for Data Analysis & Productivity eMarketer
Executives aren’t just experimenting with AI anymore — they’re deploying it to rewrite how work gets done.
U.S. State Attorneys-General Demand Stronger AI Safety Measures Financial Times
A bipartisan coalition of 42 state attorneys-general called on major AI firms to implement tougher safety protections amid concerns over harmful AI outputs
Microsoft’s Massive AI Skilling Push in India Economic Times
Microsoft CEO announced a 20-million person AI training initiative in India, positioning the country as a major future AI workforce hub and boosting skills at scale.
How Enterprises Should Structure Their Data Foundations CDO
Lowe’s Head of Data & AI outlines a practical framework for organizing enterprise data across foundational, analytical, and innovation layers.
🎧 THE LATEST WORLD OF DAAS PODCAST
why hedge funds dominate data usage (and corporations don't)
Vin Vacanti is the co-founder and CEO of YipitData, an alternative data intelligence platform that analyzes billions of consumer data points daily for institutional investors and corporations. The company reached unicorn status with a $475 million Series E from Carlyle Group in 2021.
In this episode of World of DaaS, Vin and Auren discuss:
Why hedge funds dominate data usage versus corporations
How AI is transforming data processing costs
The durability of data businesses over 120 years
Why "hire great people and get out of the way" is bad adviceb o
“Data in and of itself has no value. The real value is if it solves an actual business problem.”
🔥 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…
M&A Funding Roundup
Unacast – Raised $28 million, led by Vector Capital to scale its global location intelligence platform and enhance data transparency and product expansion.
IBM x Confluent – $11 billion acquisition to expand IBM’s real-time data streaming and AI infrastructure capabilities across enterprise cloud systems.
Atlassian x Secoda – Acquisition to integrate Secoda’s AI-powered data cataloging technology into Atlassian’s Rovo platform for unified data discovery and collaboration.
💼 WORLD OF DAAS JOB BOARD
Showcasing open roles at companies led by members of our community. A few standout opportunities this week:
Infrastructure Engineer, TrueRoll
Looking to showcase an open role? The World of DaaS job board highlights opportunities from members across our community. Apply to join and get access to exclusive perks including job board postings, curated introductions, private events, and more.
🔍 REGISTER: 2026 WORLD OF DAAS SUMMIT
Reminder that prices are going up at the end of December for our flagship event next May, bringing together 160+ DaaS leaders for a day of candid conversations, curated roundtables, and private networking experiences. Join the leaders shaping the future of data.
Apply to become a World of DaaS Founding Member and secure your summit ticket for just $500.
🤖🎨 MACHINE-MADE MASTERPIECE
prompt: we’re all just trying to survive the winters - even AI.
