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On February 23, 2026, Uber announced the launch of Uber Autonomous Solutions, a comprehensive suite of services designed to provide infrastructure, fleet operations, and user experience support to autonomous vehicle (AV) partners. The move signals Uber’s strategic pivot to become a foundational platform for the robotic taxi industry, specifically targeting developers like Wave, Wide, and Nuro that may lack the massive capital reserves of competitors such as Waymo and Tesla.
Key Points
- Uber Autonomous Solutions will provide AV partners with training data, mapping assistance, and real-time fleet management tools.
- OpenAI formed the Frontier Alliances with four major consulting firms to accelerate enterprise AI adoption and agent deployment.
- Turkey and Germany introduced strict new regulations on social media, including age bans and mandatory identity verification for minors.
- Samsung confirmed that Perplexity will be integrated as a primary AI agent for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.
- UK regulator Ofcom issued a £1.35 million fine to an adult content provider for failing to implement age verification under the Online Safety Act.
Uber Positions as Infrastructure Provider for Autonomous Fleets
Uber's new autonomous suite aims to bridge the gap between software developers and large-scale commercial deployment. By offering infrastructure solutions that include training data harvested from Uber's existing fleet of test vehicles and sophisticated mapping data, the company is positioning itself as an essential partner for independent AV firms.
The service also includes fleet assistance, providing partners with a real-time view of every vehicle in operation, alongside user experience services to assist in the design of in-car software. This modular approach allows smaller AV companies to utilize Uber’s established network and data expertise without the need for billions in solo infrastructure investment. Following the announcement, industry analysts noted that Uber is effectively building a "turnkey" solution for the robo-taxi market.
OpenAI Accelerates Enterprise Growth Through Frontier Alliances
In a bid to dominate the corporate AI sector, OpenAI announced a multi-year partnership with Accenture, Boston Consulting Group, Capgemini, and McKinsey & Co. Known as the Frontier Alliances, this initiative follows the February launch of Frontier, OpenAI’s specialized enterprise platform. The alliance is intended to help organizations manage, deploy, and build complex AI agents that unite internal data systems.
"OpenAI’s Frontier Alliance will help roll out its technology at scale," said Fernando Alvarez, Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Capgemini.
The enterprise segment has become a vital revenue driver for OpenAI. CFO Sarah Frier recently indicated to CNBC that enterprise accounts currently represent approximately 40% of OpenAI’s total business, with expectations for that figure to reach 50% by the end of 2026. The alliance provides OpenAI with a global sales force of consultants to integrate their intelligence layer into the world's largest corporations.
Global Regulatory Crackdown on Social Media and Minor Safety
Governmental pressure on social media platforms reached a new peak this week. Turkey’s Personal Data Protection Board opened a broad review into how TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Discord process children's data. The Turkish government is also preparing a "family package" bill that would ban children under 15 from opening social media accounts and introduce strict identity verification for all users under 18.
Similarly, Germany passed a motion on Saturday to ban social media use for those under 14, mirroring recent legislation in Australia. These moves coincide with Ofcom's enforcement of the UK Online Safety Act, which resulted in a £1.35 million fine against 8579 LLC for failing to verify the age of visitors to its adult websites.
Impact of the Online Safety Act
Since the Online Safety Act came into effect in July 2025, UK regulators have significantly increased penalties for non-compliance. In addition to the primary fine, Ofcom imposed a £50,000 penalty for failure to respond to the probe and an ongoing daily fine of £250 until the provider submits a full list of its operating sites. This aggressive enforcement highlights a growing international consensus that digital platforms must take proactive steps to gatekeep content based on user age.
Hardware and Software Evolution: Samsung and Firefox
Ahead of the Galaxy Unpacked event on February 25th, Samsung revealed that Perplexity will join Galaxy AI as a supported AI agent. The S26 series will feature the "Hey Plex" wake-up phrase, allowing users to interact with the AI across native applications including Samsung Notes, Calendar, and Gallery. This marks a shift toward multi-agent ecosystems where users can choose their preferred intelligence provider for specific tasks.
In the legacy software space, Mozilla confirmed that Firefox will end support for Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 at the end of February 2026. While regular support ceased in early 2023, the conclusion of the Extended Support Release (ESR) means users on these operating systems will no longer receive critical security updates.
"If your current hardware can't handle Windows 10 or higher for some reason, you can switch to a Linux-based operating system. The vast majority of Linux distributions come with Firefox as the default browser," Mozilla stated in its announcement.
As Samsung prepares to showcase its next-generation hardware later this week, the industry will be watching closely to see how the integration of third-party agents like Perplexity alters the competitive landscape for mobile AI. Meanwhile, the end of Firefox support for older Windows versions marks the final closing of the door for legacy desktop environments, forcing a migration toward more secure, modern operating systems.
