Governance, Legislation, and Geostrategies
Structuring Markets for Strategic Quantum Innovation
(Tracey Forrest, Nikolas Guggenberger – Just Security – 9 May 2025) The quantum revolution is gaining momentum. Already, quantum sensors and communication devices are changing how people manage and protect both digital and natural assets. On the horizon, quantum computers and simulators promise to unleash previously unimaginable capacities, directly implicating national security. These capacities manifest in two key ways: enabling new applications that solve computational problems and provide unique insight into material properties that classical computers cannot, and supercharging the capabilities of algorithms through enormous efficiency gains. The extent and direction of innovation in the quantum field will crucially depend on the industrial organization of this nascent sector. – https://www.justsecurity.org/111038/market-structure-strategic-quantum-innovation/
New EU regulation to track crypto transfers and ban privacy coins
(Digital Watch Observatory – 9 May 2025) The European Union is set to introduce new measures under its Anti-Money Laundering Regulation (AMLR) to track cryptocurrency transfers. The EU aims to gather data on both senders and recipients of funds, expanding transparency within crypto-asset service providers. – https://dig.watch/updates/new-eu-regulation-to-track-crypto-transfers-and-ban-privacy-coins
US Senate blocks stablecoin regulation bill
(Digital Watch Observatory – 9 May 2025) The US Senate voted against advancing the GENIUS Act on Thursday, which sought to regulate stablecoins. The vote, which was 48-49, failed to secure the 60 votes needed to begin formal debate, signalling a setback for the crypto industry’s regulatory hopes. – https://dig.watch/updates/us-senate-blocks-stablecoin-regulation-bill
US pushes world’s first location-tracked AI chip law to counter China threat
(Interesting Engineering – 9 May 2025) The United States has intensified its tech crackdown on China with a new legislative push that aims to tighten control over where advanced AI chips end up. On May 9, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) introduced the Chip Security Act, a bill designed to prevent adversaries like China from accessing American semiconductor technology through unauthorized diversions or tampering. The move adds a new front in the long-simmering U.S.–China tech war, which has seen sweeping export bans, corporate compliance overhauls, and retaliatory restrictions as both nations vie for supremacy in artificial intelligence and chipmaking. – https://interestingengineering.com/culture/us-pushes-worlds-first-location-tracked-ai-chip-law
U.S. Quantum Industry Leaders Press Congress to Expand Support
(Quantum Insider – 8 May 2025) At a May 7 House Science Committee hearing, lawmakers and quantum industry leaders supported reauthorizing the National Quantum Initiative to maintain U.S. leadership in quantum technologies. Witnesses from Google, Microsoft, PsiQuantum, and QED-C emphasized the need for expanded federal investment, workforce development, and secure supply chains. Committee members warned that rival nations are accelerating quantum efforts, and urged bipartisan action despite fiscal constraints and recent cuts to research funding. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/05/08/u-s-quantum-industry-leaders-press-congress-to-expand-u-s-support/
Even Quantum is Bigger in Texas: Texas House Passes Bill to Launch Quantum Initiative
(Quantum Insider – 8 May 2025) The Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 4751 to establish the Texas Quantum Initiative, aiming to position the state as a national leader in quantum technology. The initiative would create a statewide strategic plan, support workforce and supply chain development, and provide grants through a newly established public fund for universities and businesses. If enacted, the program would be anchored in the Governor’s Office and guided by a seven-member executive committee, with implementation scheduled to begin September 1, 2025. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/05/08/even-quantum-is-bigger-in-texas-texas-house-passes-bill-to-launch-quantum-initiative/
From Budapest to Hanoi: Comparing the COE and UN Cybercrime Conventions
(Kenneth Propp, DeBrae Kennedy-Mayo – Lawfare – 8 May 2025) At the end of 2024, the United Nations gave final approval to a hotly contested Convention Against Cybercrime (UN Convention). Later this year, Vietnam will host a signing ceremony in Hanoi. Many countries are expected to sign the convention at that time. The Trump administration has yet to indicate whether the United States will be among them. Without U.S. participation, the UN Convention would be a much less effective instrument. Many Western countries, including the United States and those in Europe, initially opposed the idea of a universal cybercrime treaty. Instead, they encouraged countries to accede to the 2001 Council of Europe (COE) Cybercrime Convention (popularly known as the Budapest Convention) and its protocols. There are now 78 parties to the Budapest Convention. But major countries, including China, India, and Russia, have not joined the Budapest Convention and are not likely to in the future. Many in the Global South perceive the Budapest Convention as “in name and spirit a European convention” and “dismiss [it] as non-inclusive and non-representative.” Russia seized on such sentiment to propose a UN Cybercrime Convention, and it put forward an initial draft text that would have addressed vague conduct relating to extremism and terrorism, alarming many countries. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/from-budapest-to-hanoi–comparing-the-coe-and-un-cybercrime-conventions
From myth to metrics: Communities can leverage the real costs of generative AI when negotiating for data centres
(Sayoko Blodgett-Ford – OECD.AI – 7 May 2025) Accurate forecasts of power consumption for AI should be available following OECD AI Principle 1.1: “Inclusive growth, sustainable development, and well-being.” However, these details are often closely guarded as corporate trade secrets. Due to the difficulty in obtaining details, analysts have been compelled to rely on outdated and incomplete sources. For instance, Goldman Sachs, the Washington Post, and the International Energy Agency have occasionally used a rough 10x power estimate for so-called ‘generative AI.’ This estimate suggests that ‘generative AI’ requires more or less 10 times the cost, electrical power, or computational performance of traditional AI or machine learning. – https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/from-myth-to-metrics-real-costs-of-generative-ai
Albanian Government Invests €8.8M in Mira Murati’s AI Startup to Signal Commitment to Innovation and Global Tech Leadership
(AI Insider – 7 May 2025) The Albanian government has approved an €8.8 million investment in Machine Thinking Lab, the AI startup founded by former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. The decision, announced as part of the country’s first 2025 budget revision, positions Albania as an emerging player in advanced technology and AI innovation. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/05/07/albanian-government-invests-e8-8m-in-mira-muratis-ai-startup-to-signal-commitment-to-innovation-and-global-tech-leadership/
Bhutan launches first national crypto tourism payment system
(Digital Watch Observatory – 7 May 2025) Bhutan has launched the world’s first national-level crypto tourism payment system, in partnership with Binance Pay and DK Bank. Tourists can now pay for nearly everything, from flights to food, using over 100 cryptocurrencies like BTC, BNB, and USDC. Payments are made via QR codes through the Binance app, with DK Bank converting crypto into Bhutan’s local currency instantly. – https://dig.watch/updates/bhutan-launches-first-national-crypto-tourism-payment-system
Amazon’s new robots could replace warehouse workers
(Digital Watch Observatory – 7 May 2025) Amazon’s latest innovation, the Vulcan robot, is set to revolutionise the company’s warehouse operations. These cutting-edge robots are designed with an advanced ‘sense of touch,’ enabling them to perform tasks such as picking and packing, which were previously exclusive to human workers. It could significantly reduce the number of jobs required in Amazon’s fulfilment centres worldwide, potentially displacing lower-skilled workers, particularly those in temporary or younger roles. – https://dig.watch/updates/amazons-new-robots-could-replace-warehouse-workers
AI chatbots fall short in health advice study
(Digital Watch Observatory – 7 May 2025) As healthcare costs rise and waiting lists grow, many people are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT for medical advice. However, a new Oxford-led study suggests chatbots may not improve, and could even hinder, health decision-making. Participants using AI models such as GPT-4o, Cohere’s Command R+ and Meta’s Llama 3 often missed key health conditions or underestimated their severity. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-chatbots-fall-short-in-health-advice-study
Why Do AI Initiatives Stall? Report Says Watch For Siloed Thinking
(AI Insider – 6 May 2025) AI Insider has introduced a seven-layer market mapping framework to help organizations address fragmentation and misalignment in the rapidly expanding AI ecosystem. The framework maps over 450 technologies by how AI systems are actually built and deployed, covering layers from infrastructure to governance. Without a system-wide view, companies risk making siloed decisions—such as investing in model training without scalable inference—leading to stalled deployments and wasted resources. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/05/06/why-do-ai-initiatives-stall-report-says-watch-for-siloed-thinking/
Google faces DOJ’s request to sell key ad platforms
(Digital Watch Observatory – 6 May 2025) The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has moved to break up Google’s advertising technology business after a federal judge ruled that the company holds illegal monopolies across two markets. The DOJ is seeking the sale of Google’s AdX digital advertising marketplace and its DFP platform, which helps publishers manage their ad inventory. – https://dig.watch/updates/google-faces-dojs-request-to-sell-key-ad-platforms
MoJ explores AI for criminal court transcripts
(Digital Watch Observatory – 6 May 2025) The UK government is actively examining the use of AI to produce official transcripts of criminal court proceedings, but ministers have stressed that any technology must meet the high standards currently achieved by human professionals. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is considering introducing AI-driven transcription services in the Crown Court to help reduce costs, according to Sarah Sackman, the minister responsible for court reform, AI, and digitisation. – https://dig.watch/updates/moj-explores-ai-for-criminal-court-transcripts
South Korea’s presidential race embraces crypto as a key issue
(Digital Watch Observatory – 6 May 2025) South Korea’s presidential race is turning towards cryptocurrency, with former labour minister Kim Moon-soo as the People Power Party’s candidate for the 3 June election. Reports say 16.3 million South Koreans own crypto assets, based on linked wallets and bank accounts as of February 2025. Crypto is expected to be a major issue in the election, with both leading parties pledging policies to boost the sector. – https://dig.watch/updates/south-koreas-presidential-race-embraces-crypto-as-a-key-issue
AI adoption soars in the UK but skills gap looms
(Digital Watch Observatory – 6 May 2025) AI adoption in the UK has grown rapidly, rising by 33% over the past year. According to a new report from AWS, 52% of UK businesses are now using AI technologies, up from 39% in the previous year. Adoption has become so widespread that a business implements new AI tools or strategies every 60 seconds. The benefits are becoming more obvious too, with 92% of AI adopters reporting revenue increases, compared with 64% in 2024. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-adoption-soars-in-the-uk-but-skills-gap-looms
Ghana plans to regulate digital assets with new legislation
(Digital Watch Observatory – 6 May 2025) Ghana’s central bank is set to regulate the digital asset space later this year, pending the passage of key legislation. Governor Johnson Asiama announced at the African Leaders and Partners Forum during the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington. He stated that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) is committed to fostering digital asset adoption while ensuring consumer protection through appropriate regulation. – https://dig.watch/updates/ghana-plans-to-regulate-digital-assets-with-new-legislation
China boosts tourism with AI innovations
(Digital Watch Observatory – 6 May 2025) China’s tourism industry is undergoing rapid transformation as AI technologies become increasingly integrated into both national platforms and regional services. Instead of relying solely on traditional travel planning, tourists can now receive personalised itinerary suggestions in seconds. Major platforms such as Trip.com use large AI models to assist users before, during and after their journeys—cutting decision-making time from 9 to 6.6 hours, according to Chairman Liang Jianzhang. – https://dig.watch/updates/china-boosts-tourism-with-ai-innovations
Realigning US-Saudi relations for the AI era
(Mohammed Soliman – Middle East Institute – 5 May 2025) As Saudi Arabia accelerates its transformation into a global technology powerhouse, the United States has a pivotal opportunity to redefine its partnership with the kingdom. Moving beyond the traditional oil-for-security framework, a new partnership centered on artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure can anchor US-Saudi relations in the 21st century. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to diversify the kingdom’s economy and establish it as a leader in technological innovation. Significant investments have been made to develop domestic capabilities in AI and semiconductors, including the launch of the National Semiconductor Hub and partnerships with global tech firms such as Google. Events like LEAP 2025, an annual tech conference held in Riyadh, have showcased the kingdom’s commitment, attracting billions in investments and positioning Saudi Arabia as a regional tech hub. Saudi Arabia’s vast financial resources, strategic investments in AI, and surplus energy reserves position the kingdom as a formidable contender in the global race for computational dominance — and a pivotal node in the emerging AI ecosystem. For the United States, this presents a strategic opportunity to deepen ties with a key ally. The US can support Saudi Arabia’s modernization efforts by collaborating on technology initiatives while securing its own interests in a region increasingly influenced by global tech competition. A partnership focused on innovation and shared technological advancement can redefine US-Saudi relations for the digital age. – https://mei.edu/publications/realigning-us-saudi-relations-ai-era
G7 should act as stabilizer and reformer to reshape international order, urges T7 report
(Centre for International Governance Innovation – 5 May 2025) A new report to the Group of 7 (G7) suggests the nations’ leaders should set directions to help address root causes of instability while also innovating in new areas at the global level. The Think7 Communiqué highlights a set of recommendations released by the The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) on behalf of Think7 (T7), one of the official engagement groups to the G7. The communiqué has compiled recommendations from over 20 policy briefs prepared for the G7, focused on the main policy areas of the T7 Canada task forces: AI and quantum, digital economy, environmental and energy sustainability, and global peace and security. – https://www.cigionline.org/articles/g7-should-act-as-stabilizer-and-reformer-to-reshape-international-order-urges-t7-report/
Open Questions for China’s Open-Source AI Regulation
(Nanda Min Htin – Just Security – 5 May 2025) At China’s annual Two Sessions gathering held from March 4-11, Zhou Hongyi, Representative of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) and CEO of 360 Group, emphasized the importance of DeepSeek’s open-source strategy in catalyzing China’s transition from an AI follower to a global leader. This builds on momentum from the Paris AI Action Summit, during which participants purportedly lauded China’s open-source AI models for helping to advance “open and inclusive AI development” around the world. DeepSeek’s success exemplifies China’s comprehensive open-source strategy, which has given rise to over 30 million open-source projects across the industrial spectrum, from chips to applications. As it stands, China has produced 17 percent of global open-source software — the second-most amount worldwide. – https://www.justsecurity.org/111053/chinas-open-source-ai-regulation/
AI to boost India’s media and entertainment sector
(Digital Watch Observatory – 5 May 2025) AI could boost revenues by 10% and reduce costs by 15% for media and entertainment firms, according to a report by EY, unveiled during the first WAVES Summit. The report, A Studio Called India, outlines how AI is reshaping the global media landscape—transforming everything from content creation and personalisation to monetisation and distribution. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-to-boost-indias-media-and-entertainment-sector
New Zealand central bank warns of AI risks
(Digital Watch Observatory – 5 May 2025) The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has warned that the swift uptake of AI in the financial sector could pose a threat to financial stability. A report released on Monday highlighted how errors in AI systems, data privacy breaches and potential market distortions might magnify existing vulnerabilities instead of simply streamlining operations. – https://dig.watch/updates/new-zealand-central-bank-warns-of-ai-risks
Relativity Space Could Launch the Next Frontier of AI Infrastructure
(AI Insider – 5 May 2025) Eric Schmidt’s acquisition of Relativity Space signals plans to deploy AI data centers in orbit, addressing the growing energy and cooling demands of artificial intelligence workloads. Space-based data centers could leverage solar power and the vacuum of space for heat dissipation, offering a sustainable alternative to terrestrial infrastructure. With Relativity’s heavy-lift Terran R rocket in development, Schmidt is positioning for launch control in a market with few viable options for large-scale orbital deployment. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/05/05/relativity-space-could-launch-the-next-frontier-of-ai-infrastructure/
Security
G7 to address North Korea’s role in major crypto hacks
(Digital Watch Observatory – 8 May 2025) Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations are set to tackle North Korea’s ongoing cyber threats, particularly its involvement in large-scale cryptocurrency hacks. The agenda will reportedly focus on the regime’s use of stolen crypto funds to finance weapons programmes. The issue has raised international concern over global security risks. – https://dig.watch/updates/g7-to-address-north-koreas-role-in-major-crypto-hacks
LockBit ransomware Bitcoin addresses exposed
(Digital Watch Observatory – 8 May 2025) Nearly 60,000 Bitcoin addresses linked to LockBit’s ransomware operations have been exposed following a major breach of the group’s dark web affiliate panel. The leak, which included a MySQL database dump, was shared publicly online and could assist blockchain analysts in tracing LockBit’s financial activity instead of leaving such transactions untracked. – https://dig.watch/updates/lockbit-ransomware-bitcoin-addresses-exposed
Counting the costs: A cybersecurity metrics framework for policy
(Stewart Scott – Atlantic Council – 6 May 2025) US cybersecurity policy has a critical blind spot: the absence of reliable outcome metrics that can inform policymakers about whether the digital ecosystem is becoming more secure and which interventions are driving progress most effectively. Despite years of strategies, regulations, and best-practices campaigns, the field of cybersecurity metrics has room to grow, and policymakers still lack answers to fundamental questions. How much harm are cybersecurity incidents causing? Are things getting better or worse? Which policies deliver the greatest return on investment for reducing realized harm and the risk of future harm? This report identifies two core problems holding back progress: first, the unknown state of the system, meaning policymakers cannot empirically describe how secure or insecure the digital landscape currently is; and second, unmeasured policy efficacy, which prevents policymakers from comparing which interventions are most effective at improving security and reducing harm. The result is a policymaking environment heavily reliant on intuition, anecdote, incomplete data, and proxy measures—all unsustainable for a domain with such systemic and escalating risks and so much security investment. – https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/report/counting-the-costs/
AI-Enhanced Social Engineering Will Reshape the Cyber Threat Landscape
(Alex O’Neill, Fred Heiding – Lawfare – 5 May 2025) In February 2024, a joint Microsoft-OpenAI advisory revealed that advanced persistent threat (APT) groups from Russia, North Korea, Iran, and China had experimented with using large language models (LLMs) to develop malicious code and gather intelligence. According to expert congressional testimony delivered last April, ransomware gangs are “innovating with AI to accelerate and scale attacks and find new attack vectors.” While the February 2024 advisory characterized these forays as “early-stage, incremental moves,” a new OpenAI report describes several cases of real-world operationalization. These developments are indicative of cyber threat actors’ determination to harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI). The emergence of widely accessible AI systems promises to reshape the threat landscape, enabling bad actors to conduct cyberattacks more cheaply, quickly, and effectively at every phase of an operation. AI systems will pioneer new methods of exploitation that humans have not yet tried or even imagined. For all their positive applications, LLMs like GPT-4 will accelerate the proliferation of hacking tools and know-how, allowing existing threat actors to expand their capabilities more easily and lowering the bar for novices to enter the fray. It is crucial that policymakers anticipate the transformative impact AI will have on the cyber risk environment. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/ai-enhanced-social-engineering-will-reshape-the-cyber-threat-landscape
How digital twins are being weaponised in crypto scams
(Digital Watch Observatory – 5 May 2025) Digital twins are virtual models of real-world objects, systems, or processes. They enable real-time simulations, monitoring, and predictions, helping industries like healthcare and manufacturing optimise resources. In the crypto world, cybercriminals have found a way to exploit this technology for fraudulent activities. – https://dig.watch/updates/how-digital-twins-are-being-weaponised-in-crypto-scams
Defense, Intelligence, and Warfare
China using DeepSeek to develop sixth-gen J-35, J-50 stealth fighters: Report
(Interesting Engineering – 8 May 2025) China’s efforts to modernize its aerospace capabilities improved when a senior defense engineer confirmed that a new artificial intelligence tool, DeepSeek, is helping to develop the country’s latest combat aircraft. The revelation, disclosed by Wang Yongqing, chief designer at the Shenyang Aircraft Design Institute, highlights a strategic turn toward AI-driven innovation within China’s military-industrial complex. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/china-using-deepseek-to-develop-jet
France plans to deploy combat robots by 2027, eyes full robot army by 2040
(Interesting Engineering – 8 May 2025) France is increasing its combat reliance on robots, as countries worldwide consider the future of warfare. While many nations have discussed deploying robots in combat, France has developed a concrete roadmap to achieve this goal. According to an AFP report quoting senior military officials and defense sector stakeholders involved in the nation’s ongoing autonomous systems trials, France’s Ministry of Armed Forces remains on track to deliver battlefield-ready robotic systems by 2040 – https://interestingengineering.com/military/france-eyes-all-robot-army-by-2040
Ghost Navy: China unveils Star Wars-like tech to make one warship look like an armada
(Interesting Engineering – 8 May 2025) In the Star Trek universe, starships like the Defiant and Voyager use advanced deception technologies like holographic decoys and cloaking devices to mislead enemies. Similarly, Chinese defense researchers have created a system that enables a warship to appear as a fleet of “ghosts” on radar through coordinated electronic jamming. In a recent development in electronic warfare, Chinese researchers have unveiled a new deception system that could significantly change naval combat dynamics. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/china-one-warship-appear-as-a-fleet?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=article_post&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4XkJ9l5cxktGstmou6ozIaZX-jBZbhjlCyX7SYYFdkKaMvFf31SglHZI_59w_aem_sW1s6gJtj66pgqf8rGGvWg
Ukraine’s long-range kamikaze drone can hit 1,000 miles away with 265-pound explosives
(Interesting Engineering – 7 May 2025) On May 6, 2025, Ukraine officially unveiled its latest long-range strike drone, the FP-1, during a demonstration at Infantry Day commemorations. The platform, exhibited publicly for the first time, is designed to engage high-value targets at strategic depth. According to technical data presented at the event and corroborated by open-source defense analysts, the FP-1 can fly up to 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) while delivering a warhead payload of up to 120 kilograms. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/ukraine-debuts-long-range-strike-drone
US awards $244M to Northrop for most advanced global missile tracking stations yet
(Interesting Engineering – 6 May 2025) The US Space Force (USSF) has awarded Northrop Grumman a $244 million contract to develop advanced relay ground stations in the United States and the United Kingdom. These installations will support the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) program, a key element of America’s evolving missile warning and tracking infrastructure. The new stations are expected to improve global coverage and resilience for satellites designed to detect missile launches and potential threats, while ensuring compatibility with legacy systems and newer constellations. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-awards-244m-to-northrop-for-global-missile-tracking-stations
Latvia’s Blaze drone tracks and explodes to stop enemy aerial threats autonomously
(Interesting Engineering – 6 May 2025) It fits in a briefcase, takes off in seconds, and blows itself up to take enemy drones down. Meet BLAZE — Latvia’s new battlefield interceptor built to take drone wars to the next level. Developed by Origin Robotics, a Latvia-based defense startup, the low-cost autonomous drone can spot, track, and smash enemy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) mid-flight. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/latvian-low-cost-drone-can-kill-enemy-uavs
DISA turns to AI, automation to bridge workforce gaps, attempts to stay on track with JWCC 2.0
(Carley Welch – Breaking Defense – 6 May 2025) The Defense Information System Agency is exploring using automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning to find and fill capabilities gaps brought on by workforce vacancies, the director of DISA’s J9 Hosting and Compute hub, said today. Jeff Marshall told reporters (…) that the deferred resignation program coupled with the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP) programs have left the agency with fewer people, causing his team to have to get creative with how it fulfills its mission needs. He said the J9 is working across other parts of DISA to determine where the biggest gaps lie and the best ways to fill them. – https://breakingdefense.com/2025/05/disa-turns-to-ai-automation-to-bridge-workforce-gaps-attempts-to-stay-on-track-with-jwcc-2-0/
Wanted: counter-drone defenses that don’t hurt surrounding neighborhoods
(Patrick Tucker – Defense One – May 5, 2025) The Pentagon’s Replicator project is asking industry for ways to detect and down enemy drones that can be used without harming surrounding areas—like American territory. “As drones rapidly evolve from slow, easily identifiable commercial systems operating on known frequencies-to faster, custom-built systems, the call for [low-collateral defeat] capabilities is a key effort,” the Defense Innovation Unit and the Joint Counter-small UAS Office said in a Monday announcement. “These systems help to minimize risk to friendly forces, civilians, and infrastructure in the homeland and abroad.” – https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/05/military-wants-stealthier-smarter-tech-take-down-drones/405058/?oref=d1-homepage-river
Is America ready for an era of space warfare?
(Timothy Lea – Brookings – 5 March 2025) For technological, political, and practical reasons, space has yet to be weaponized like the other domains of warfare. Now, however, the United States Space Force’s chief of space operations, General B. Chance Saltzman, has said that the Space Force will do whatever it takes to militarily dominate space. Russia and China are likewise building combat capabilities that could be used to attack U.S. satellites. Regardless of one’s beliefs on the wisdom and outcomes of fighting a war in space, it is clear that a new era, in which the United States organizes, trains, and equips for space combat, has arrived. – https://www.brookings.edu/articles/is-america-ready-for-an-era-of-space-warfare/
Frontiers
xAI to use Tesla Megapack batteries to power world’s largest AI supercomputer
(Interesting Engineering – 9 May 2025) Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI has powered up its massive Colossus supercomputer with Tesla Megapack batteries, marking a significant step toward uniting advanced AI computing with sustainable energy infrastructure. Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the world’s biggest supercomputer, whose aim is to train the company’s AI language model, Grok, and support the social media service X, officially reached full operational capacity for Phase I, less than a year after the start of its construction. – https://interestingengineering.com/energy/xai-to-use-tesla-megapack-batteries-to-power-worlds-largest-ai-supercomputer
China launches advanced Tianji 4.0 quantum control system
(DIgital Watch Observatory – 9 May 2025) A Chinese startup, Origin Quantum, has unveiled Tianji 4.0, a cutting-edge superconducting quantum measurement and control system capable of supporting quantum computers with over 500 qubits. Built in Hefei, Tianji 4.0 enhances scalability, integration, stability and automation, offering major advances over its previous version that powered China’s third-generation superconducting quantum computer, Origin Wukong. – https://dig.watch/updates/china-launches-advanced-tianji-4-0-quantum-control-system
A new theory could finally unite gravity and quantum physics
(Digital Watch Observatory – 9 May 2025) Two physicists from Aalto University believe they may have found a solution to one of science’s most enduring challenges: uniting gravity with quantum physics. Mikko Partanen and Jukka Tulkki in Finland have proposed a new theoretical framework, called “unified gravity,” that treats gravity with the same mathematical structure as the other fundamental forces in the Standard Model. – https://dig.watch/updates/a-new-theory-could-finally-unite-gravity-and-quantum-physics
New Quantum Index Monitors Progress in Life-Sciences Demand for Quantum Tools
(Quantum Insider – 8 May 2025) The Quantum Insider and HorizonX Consulting have launched the Quantum Innovation Index – Life Sciences, ranking over 30 life-sciences organizations on workforce capabilities, R&D investment, and strategic partnerships. The index reveals that leading pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and chemical firms are integrating quantum technologies into research pipelines, signaling early-stage commercial adoption. Top performers include Boehringer Ingelheim, Cleveland Clinic, Merck, and Roche, with use cases ranging from quantum-enhanced drug simulations to predictive models for clinical treatments. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/05/08/new-quantum-index-monitors-progress-in-life-sciences-demand-for-quantum-tools/
China’s Origin Quantum Releases Fourth-Generation Quantum Control System, Heads Toward Mass Production
(Quantum Insider – 8 May 2025) China’s Origin Quantum launched its fourth-generation quantum control system, Tianji 4.0, marking a key step toward scalable production of hundred-qubit quantum computers. Tianji 4.0 enables more efficient, automated signal control for superconducting quantum chips, reducing reliance on highly specialized personnel. The new system builds on the success of Origin Wukong and is integrated into efforts to create a fully self-developed Chinese quantum computing ecosystem. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/05/08/chinas-origin-quantum-releases-fourth-generation-quantum-control-system-heads-toward-mass-production/
Irish startup launches first silicon quantum computer
(Digital Watch Observatory – 8 May 2025) An Irish startup, Equal1, has unveiled the world’s first silicon-based quantum computer designed to integrate smoothly into existing data centres instead of requiring entirely new infrastructure. Named Bell-1, the compact six-qubit device is built to slot directly into standard server racks, weighing just over 200 kilograms and roughly matching the size of a conventional GPU server. – https://dig.watch/updates/irish-startup-launches-first-silicon-quantum-computer
US firm’s humanoid robot to perform welding tasks in South Korea’s shipbuilding
(Interesting Engineering – 8 May 2025) A Houston-based robotics company is set to deliver a humanoid robotic worker to South Korea for shipbuilding tasks in the coming years. Persona AI has partnered with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), HD Hyundai Robotics, and manufacturing firm Vazil to develop humanoid robots capable of performing advanced welding tasks in shipyards. The humanoid welding robots are expected to boost productivity while lowering physical strain and safety risks for workers. The prototype is set to be completed by the end of 2026, with field testing and full commercial use planned for 2027. “As heavy industry faces growing labor constraints—especially in high-risk trades like welding—the need for rugged, autonomous humanoid robots is more urgent than ever. This partnership with HD Hyundai and Vazil is more than symbolic—deploying to the shipyard is one of the largest real-world proving grounds for Persona’s tough, humanoid robots,” said Nicolaus Radford, CEO of Persona AI, in a statement. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/us-humanoid-robot-in-korea-shipbuilding
Neuralink implant enables patient to make YouTube videos with generative AI’s help
(Interesting Engineering – 7 May 2025) Bradford G. Smith, living with ALS and unable to speak or move, is now communicating by thinking thanks to a Neuralink brain implant. Interestingly, Smith is the first non-verbal individual and only the third person globally to receive a Neuralink Brain-Chip Interface (BCI) implant. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare nervous system disease that impacts the ability to control muscles. The disorder is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that affects motor neurons and hinders voluntary muscle control. As the condition progresses, it impacts independent speech, eating, movement, and breathing. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/neuralink-implant-enables-patient-to-make-youtube-videos
Quantum leap: Cisco opens lab and introduces entanglement chip
(Digital Watch Observatory – 7 May 2025) Cisco has introduced a prototype chip designed to connect quantum computers and has opened a new laboratory in California to drive its ambitions in the emerging field. The company revealed in a blog post that its quantum network entanglement chip produces pairs of entangled photons, allowing for instantaneous connections across any distance through quantum teleportation. – https://dig.watch/updates/quantum-leap-cisco-opens-lab-and-introduces-entanglement-chip
US researchers achieve 11-mile quantum data link using photon transmission
(Interesting Engineering – 6 May 2025) Scientists from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and the University of Rochester have successfully established an experimental quantum communications network connecting their campuses using two optical fibers. Using the Rochester Quantum Network (RoQNET), the scientists transmitted information using single photons over roughly 11 miles of fiber-optic cable at room temperature, aided by optical wavelengths, marking a step toward secure, scalable quantum communications. Quantum communication networks promise to significantly enhance data security by making it virtually impossible to clone or intercept messages without detection. – https://interestingengineering.com/science/experimental-quantum-network-built
Nvidia opens new quantum research centre in Boston
(Digital Watch Observatory – 6 May 2025) Nvidia has unveiled plans to open the Nvidia Accelerated Quantum Research Center (NVAQC) in Boston, a facility set to bridge quantum computing and AI supercomputing. Expected to begin operations later this year, the centre aims to accelerate the shift from experimental to practical quantum computing. – https://dig.watch/updates/nvidia-opens-new-quantum-research-centre-in-boston