OpenAI launches 'stateful' AI on AWS
OpenAI has launched stateful AI on AWS, a major shift allowing for persistent, context-aware agents that can operate across multi-cloud environments. This moves beyond one-off queries to support long-lived agentic processes, while its Codex coding assistant's weekly activity has reportedly doubled in the last quarter.
The joint OpenAI-AWS "Stateful Runtime Environment" will be available on Amazon Bedrock, allowing AI agents to retain context, access memory and tools, and work across different applications and data sources. This differs from stateless APIs, where each interaction is a blank slate, making it better suited for complex, multi-step tasks like processing a customer claim that moves across multiple systems. The environment is trained to run optimally on AWS infrastructure, a move that signals OpenAI's expansion into a multi-cloud company. The growth of OpenAI's Codex has been significant, with weekly active users tripling since the beginning of 2026 to 1.6 million. Overall usage, measured in tokens, has seen a fivefold increase. This surge is attributed to new model releases and the launch of a Codex desktop app, which has been downloaded over a million times. For advertisers, the rise of agentic AI workflows promises more dynamic and autonomous campaign management. These systems can independently analyze real-time market trends, propose and prioritize marketing strategies, and even generate new content in response to consumer signals. In programmatic advertising, this translates to AI-driven bidding, predictive media planning, and dynamic ads that adapt in real-time, moving beyond rule-based systems to ones that continuously learn and optimize. The shift towards AI-driven automation is occurring alongside significant changes in advertising privacy. While Google announced in April 2025 that Chrome would continue to support third-party cookies, the industry's move toward privacy-enhancing technologies like Google's Privacy Sandbox continues, albeit with uncertainty. This environment places a greater emphasis on first-party data, contextual targeting, and solutions like data clean rooms for privacy-compliant ad targeting. In the UK tech landscape, venture capital funding saw a 35% increase in 2025, reaching $23.6 billion, the third-highest year on record. So far in 2026, UK startups have raised $4.26 billion. Fintech and enterprise applications have been the leading sectors for investment. Notable recent funding rounds in London include a $7.2 million seed round for Kinfolk and a $25 million Series A for ThreatAware. The 2026 Formula 1 season kicks off in Melbourne on March 8th, featuring a record-tying 24 races. This year sees the most significant technical overhaul in the sport's history, with new regulations for power units and active aerodynamics. Cadillac joins the grid as the eleventh team, and Audi enters as a works team after acquiring Sauber. Lando Norris enters the season as the reigning World Drivers' Champion, with McLaren-Mercedes as the reigning World Constructors' Champions. In London, Mayor Sadiq Khan announced progress on the city's Growth Plan, which aims to create 150,000 jobs by 2028. The plan includes a £20 million High Street Support Fund to revitalize local areas. Local news includes a rise in measles cases across several boroughs, prompting a public health push for MMR vaccinations. Additionally, ongoing TfL roadworks at the Gallows Corner junction, originally scheduled to finish in September 2025, are now expected to be completed in April.
