Governance, Courts, and Litigation

Albania is Showing the Perils of Outsourcing Democracy to Algorithms

(Adelaida (Adele) Jasperse – Tech Policy Press – 24 October 2025) Imagine an administrative assistant ascending to a cabinet minister position in seven months. Now imagine that the minister is an OpenAI chatbot running on Microsoft’s cloud, speaking through the avatar of a woman in traditional clothing, overseeing government contracts worth millions. In Albania (…) the solution to governmental corruption apparently lies in a Silicon Valley chatbot. In September, Albania’s prime minister announced the appointment of Diella — a chatbot — as artificial intelligence minister of procurement. The stated goal of this astonishing appointment: making Albania “a country where public tenders are 100% free of corruption.” Albania has long been beleaguered by corruption, an obstacle to its over a decade-long effort to join the European Union. Initially launched early this year as a text-based application helping citizens navigate online government services, the chatbot’s ascension to ministerial status ignited controversy. –  https://www.techpolicy.press/albania-is-showing-the-perils-of-outsourcing-democracy-to-algorithms/

How X’s Failed Legal Challenge Reshapes Free Speech in India

(Sarthak Gupta – Tech Policy Press – 24 October 2025) On September 24, 2025, the Karnataka High Court (High Court) dismissed the Writ Petition filed by the microblogging and social networking company ‘X’ (formerly Twitter). X had challenged the Union of India’s practice of issuing information blocking and takedown orders under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act), and Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (‘IT Rules’). X had also contested the constitutionality of the “Sahyog Portal,” a centralized digital platform developed by the Union of India to issue online content takedown and blocking notices under the IT Act. X argued that the portal enables millions of police officers and government officials to issue takedown orders based solely on allegations of illegality without judicial review or due process. – https://www.techpolicy.press/how-xs-failed-legal-challenge-reshapes-free-speech-and-state-power-in-india/

South Korea moves to lead the AI era with OpenAI’s economic blueprint

(DigWatch – 24 October 2025) Poised to become a global AI powerhouse, South Korea has the right foundations in place: advanced semiconductor production, robust digital infrastructure, and a highly skilled workforce. OpenAI’s new Economic Blueprint for Korea sets out how the nation can turn those strengths into broad, inclusive growth through scaled and trusted AI adoption. The blueprint builds on South Korea’s growing momentum in frontier technology. – https://dig.watch/updates/south-korea-moves-to-lead-the-ai-era-with-openais-economic-blueprint – https://openai.com/index/south-korea-economic-blueprint/

EU warns Meta and TikTok over transparency failures

(DigWatch – 24 October 2025) The European Commission has found that Meta and TikTok violated key transparency obligations under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). According to preliminary findings, both companies failed to provide adequate data access to researchers studying public content on their platforms. The Commission said Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok imposed ‘burdensome’ conditions that left researchers with incomplete or unreliable data, hampering efforts to investigate the spread of harmful or illegal content online. – https://dig.watch/updates/eu-warns-meta-and-tiktok-over-transparency-failures – https://www.euractiv.com/news/meta-and-tiktok-broke-eu-rules-on-data-access-for-researchers/  – https://cybernews.com/tech/eu-accuses-tiktok-and-meta-of-breaching-transparency-rules/

Lawmakers urge EU to curb Huawei’s role in solar inverters over security risks

(DigWatch – 24 October 2025) Lawmakers and security officials are increasingly worried that Huawei’s dominant role in solar inverters could create a new supply-chain vulnerability for Europe’s power grids. Two MEPs have written to the European Commission urging immediate steps to limit ‘high-risk’ vendors in energy systems. Inverters are a technology that transforms solar energy into the electrical current fed into the power network; many are internet-connected so vendors can perform remote maintenance. Cyber experts warn that remote access to large numbers of inverters could be abused to shut devices down or change settings en masse, creating surges, drops or wider instability across the grid. – https://dig.watch/updates/lawmakers-urge-eu-to-curb-huaweis-role-in-solar-inverters-over-security-risks – https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-solar-industry-having-huawei-moment/

OpenAI outlines Japan’s AI Blueprint for inclusive economic growth

(DigWatch – 24 October 2025) A new Japan Economic Blueprint released by OpenAI sets out how AI can power innovation, competitiveness, and long-term prosperity across the country. The plan estimates that AI could add more than ¥100 trillion to Japan’s economy and raise GDP by up to 16%. Centred on inclusive access, infrastructure, and education, the Blueprint calls for equal AI opportunities for citizens and small businesses, national investment in semiconductors and renewable energy, and expanded lifelong learning to build an adaptive workforce. – https://dig.watch/updates/openai-outlines-japans-ai-blueprint-for-inclusive-economic-growth – https://openai.com/index/japan-economic-blueprint/

Rebuilding digital trust in the age of AI

(Sebastian Hallensleben, Melisa Basol – OECD.AI – 23 October 2025) Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we communicate, learn, and make sense of the world. As generative models become part of everyday systems, they put questions of trust, authenticity and accountability at the centre of digital governance. – https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/rebuilding-digital-trust-in-the-age-of-ai

Civil Society is the Democracy Shield Europe Can’t Ignore

(Barbora Bukovská, Mark Dempsey – Tech Policy Press – 23 October 2025)  Last week in Brussels, former heads of state, European Commissioners (past and present), policy makers, academics, regulators and civil society convened to confront a defining question of our era: what does sovereignty mean in a world where power over our information ecosystem is moving away from parliaments to private companies that hold our data, manipulate algorithms and control our digital infrastructure? In the age of dependency, how do we reclaim political agency and protect our democracy? Over the two-day conference, organized by Article 19 and Open Markets Institute, there was a constant reference to the urgent need to confront Big Tech’s influence over speech and the information space. There was also a strong emphasis on the need for bold and brave enforcement of existing digital rules. And a recurring focus was on how we might imagine and build better technology alternatives grounded in values and the respect of rights. Yet one piece of the puzzle arguably hasn’t received the attention it merits. How can we build and push forward this conversation when civil society in Europe and beyond is facing an existential moment? – https://www.techpolicy.press/civil-society-is-the-democracy-shield-europe-cant-ignore/

Technical Standards: America’s Forgotten Tool of Statecraft

(Laura Galante, Tal Feldman – Lawfare – 23 October 2025) A ship docks at the Port of Los Angeles. Cranes begin to offload containers filled with electronics, car parts, and solar panels. Across the Pacific, in Tianjin, China, similar cranes are hard at work. They run the same software and follow identical maintenance protocols, written by standards bodies that most people have never heard of. What connects ports, pipelines, and hospitals today is not just concrete or code. It is the invisible scaffolding of standards. They determine how machines talk to one another, how systems recover after failure, and how foreign hardware gets embedded in critical infrastructure without raising alarms. Most of these rules are not set by governments but by a patchwork of international committees where industry representatives do much of the talking. Over the past decade, China has treated these committees as terrain worth claiming. Its companies show up to international forums. Its ministries coordinate positions. Its engineers write the specifications that others quietly adopt. As a result, China has been able to shape the protocols that define everything from 6G wireless to industrial automation. Indeed, just this week China is hosting five International Organization for Standardization (ISO) meetings, including one in Nanjing on industrial cyber and physical device control, another in Shanghai on ports and terminals, and one in Hangzhou on the sterilization of health-care products. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/technical-standards–america-s-forgotten-tool-of-statecraft

Copyright Should Not Protect Artists From Artificial Intelligence

(Simon Goldstein, Peter N. Salib – Lawfare – 23 October 2025) On Sept. 25, Anthropic agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit from book publishers and authors. The lawsuit alleged that Anthropic violated intellectual property rights by training their artificial intelligence (AI) models on millions of books downloaded without permission from the internet. Some have complained that $1.5 billion is too little, while others have said it is far too much. To complicate matters, formal copyright law is still murky here. The judicial order that precipitated Anthropic’s settlement allows some kinds of AI training on copyrighted materials (for example, purchased books), but not others (for example, pirated books). And it is silent on a major question: Is training on publicly available websites an infringement? Since law remains indeterminate, first-principles thinking about the purpose of intellectual property can shed light on what courts should do going forward. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/copyright-should-not-protect-artists-from-artificial-intelligence

Brazil is Learning Achieving Tech Sovereignty is Easier Said Than Done

(Laís Martins – Tech Policy Press – 23 October 2025) Brazil, like much of the rest of the world, is learning that establishing tech sovereignty is easier said than done. In contrast to the country’s strong rhetoric around asserting independence and pushing back against United States-based digital platforms, two of its recent announcements underscore how tied up Brazil is with foreign technology — and the immense challenge it would be to wean itself off. In early October, the Institutional Security Bureau (known as GSI in Brazil), an executive cabinet tasked with assisting Brazil’s president on matters of national security and defense policy, published an ordinance paving the way for a technical cooperation agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS). The agreement, which has been in discussion since 2023, involves the “pursuit of development and increased maturity in information and cybersecurity,” according to the ordinance. The bureau confirmed in an email that, under the partnership, the parties will hold thematic workshops and practical simulation exercises and benefit from what they called an exchange of positive experiences. – https://www.techpolicy.press/brazil-is-learning-achieving-tech-sovereignty-is-easier-said-than-done/

How to Solve AI’s Community News Problem

(Steven Waldman – Tech Policy Press – 23 October 2025) Two reports came out (…) that ought to make tech leaders think very differently about how AI assistants deal with news. The first study, by the European Broadcasting Union, reported that ChatGPT was confidently reporting that Pope Francis was still the Pontiff, months after he died – and that 20% of answers by AI assistants to news-related questions had “major accuracy issues, including hallucinated details and outdated information.”. To be fair, tech leaders have always said accuracy will improve as systems gobble up all the reliable news out there. And the study has its critics, but the findings are nevertheless concerning. – https://www.techpolicy.press/how-to-solve-ais-community-news-problem/

AI leaders call for a global pause in superintelligence development

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) More than 850 public figures, including leading computer scientists Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio, have signed a joint statement urging a global slowdown in the development of artificial superintelligence. The open letter warns that unchecked progress could lead to human economic displacement, loss of freedom, and even extinction. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-leaders-call-for-a-global-pause-in-superintelligence-development

EU pushes harder on basic digital skills for growth

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) Nearly half of EU adults lack basic digital skills, yet most jobs demand them. Eurostat reports only 56% have at least basic proficiency. EU Code Week spotlights the urgency for digital literacy and inclusion. The Digital Education Action Plan aims to modernise curricula, improve infrastructure, and train teachers. EU policymakers target 80% of adults with basic skills by 2030. Midway progress suggests stronger national action is still required. – https://dig.watch/updates/eu-pushes-harder-on-basic-digital-skills-for-growth – https://www.euractiv.com/news/half-of-eu-adults-lack-basic-digital-skills-a-serious-challenge-to-competitiveness/

GDPR does not bar courts from processing disputed evidence

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) The Advocate General of the EU’s top court advised that judges may process personal data as evidence even if obtained unlawfully. The opinion in NTH Haustechnik clarifies that courts can rely on public interest under Article 6(1)(e) GDPR when assessing such data. The case arose from a German labour dispute where an employer accessed a former worker’s eBay account to prove alleged misconduct. The national court asked the CJEU whether evidence gathered unlawfully could still be lawfully processed in judicial proceedings. – https://dig.watch/updates/gdpr-does-not-bar-courts-from-processing-disputed-evidence

Kazakhstan to achieve full Internet access for all citizens by 2027

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) Kazakhstan aims to provide Internet access to its entire population by 2027 as part of the national ‘Affordable Internet’ project. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of AI and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev outlined the country’s digital transformation goals during a government session, highlighting plans to eliminate digital inequality and expand broadband connectivity. – https://dig.watch/updates/kazakhstan-to-achieve-full-internet-access-for-all-citizens-by-2027 – https://primeminister.kz/en/news/100-of-kazakhstans-population-to-be-provided-with-internet-access-by-2027-30633

EU sets new rules for cloud sovereignty framework

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) The European Commission has launched its Cloud Sovereignty Framework to assess the independence of cloud services. The initiative defines clear criteria and scoring methods for evaluating how providers meet EU sovereignty standards. Under the framework, the Sovereign European Assurance Level, or SEAL, will rank services by compliance. Assessments cover strategic, legal, operational, and technological aspects, aiming to strengthen data security and reduce reliance on foreign systems. – https://dig.watch/updates/eu-sets-new-rules-for-cloud-sovereignty-framework– https://commission.europa.eu/document/09579818-64a6-4dd5-9577-446ab6219113_en

EU states split over children’s social media rules

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) European leaders remain divided over how to restrict children’s use of social media platforms. While most governments agree stronger protections are needed, there is no consensus on enforcement or age limits. Twenty-five EU countries, joined by Norway and Iceland, recently signed a declaration supporting tougher child protection rules online. The plan calls for a digital age of majority, potentially restricting under-15s or under-16s from joining social platforms. – https://dig.watch/updates/eu-states-split-over-childrens-social-media-rules – https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-social-media-ban-kids-three-fault-lines/

ChatGPT faces EU’s toughest platform rules after 120 million users

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) OpenAI’s ChatGPT could soon face the EU’s strictest platform regulations under the Digital Services Act (DSA), after surpassing 120 million monthly users in Europe. A milestone that places OpenAI’s chatbot above the 45 million-user threshold that triggers heightened oversight. The DSA imposes stricter obligations on major platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and Amazon, requiring greater transparency, risk assessments, and annual fees to fund EU supervision. – https://dig.watch/updates/chatgpt-faces-eus-toughest-platform-rules-after-120-million-users

Crypto hiring snaps back as AI cools

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) Tech firms led crypto’s hiring rebound, adding over 12,000 roles since late 2022, according to A16z’s State of Crypto 2025. Finance and consulting contributed 6,000, offsetting talent pulled into AI after ChatGPT’s debut. Net, crypto gained 1,000 positions as workers rotated in from tech, fintech, and education. The recovery tracks a market turn: crypto capitalisation topping US$4T and new Bitcoin highs. A friendlier US policy stance on stablecoins and digital-asset oversight buoyed sentiment. Institutions from JPMorgan to BlackRock and Fidelity widened offerings beyond pilots. – https://dig.watch/updates/crypto-hiring-snaps-back-as-ai-cools – https://stateofcrypto.a16zcrypto.com/

UK Eases Rules to Speed New Tech Into Use, Backed by £8.9M for 16 Projects

(AI Insider – 23 October 2025) The UK government awarded £8.9 million to 16 projects through the Regulatory Innovation Office (RIO) to cut outdated red tape and speed new technologies—such as drones, AI tools, and robotics—from lab to market. The funding supports pilots including AI risk-assessment apps for London Fire Brigade, street-sweeping robots in Milton Keynes, and expanded medical drone and space-regulation initiatives projected to unlock multibillion-pound markets by 2030. Chaired by Lord Willetts, RIO coordinates regulators, industry, and innovators to streamline approvals, with new partnerships and initiatives—such as an AI hackathon with IBM—aimed at building a pro-innovation regulatory environment across sectors. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/23/uk-eases-rules-to-speed-new-tech-into-use-backed-by-8-9m-for-16-projects/

New AI export marketplace looks to connect domestic AI firms with foreign buyers

(Alexandra Kelley – NextGov – 22 September 2025) The Commerce Department launched its latest initiative to lay the groundwork for a strong artificial intelligence export environment by unveiling the American AI Exports Program on Tuesday. The program was designed to further expand the U.S. technology industry’s access to global customers. Commerce has christened the effort with a new website, which was created based on feedback from an earlier request for information. – https://www.nextgov.com/artificial-intelligence/2025/10/new-ai-export-marketplace-looks-connect-domestic-ai-firms-foreign-buyers/408995/

Shared Residual Liability for Frontier AI Firms

(Ben Gil Friedman – Lawfare – 22 October 2025) As artificial intelligence (AI) systems become more capable, they stand to dramatically improve our lives—facilitating scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, and economic productivity. But capability is a double-edged sword. Despite their promise, advanced AI systems also threaten to do great harm, whether by accident or because of malicious human use. Many of those closest to the technology warn that the risk of an AI-caused catastrophe is nontrivial. In a 2023 survey of over 2,500 AI experts, the median respondent placed the probability that AI causes an extinction-level event at 5 percent, with 10 percent of respondents placing the risk at 25 percent or higher. Dario Amodei, co-founder and CEO of Anthropic—one of the world’s foremost AI companies—believes the risk to be somewhere between 10 percent and 25 percent. Nobel laureate and Turing Award winner Geoffrey Hinton, the “Godfather of AI,” after once venturing a similar estimate, now places the probability at more than 50 percent. Amodei and Hinton are among the many leading scientists and industry players who have publicly urged that “mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority” on par with “pandemics and nuclear war” prevention. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/shared-residual-liability-for-frontier-ai-firms

Kenya leads the way in AI skilling across Africa

(DigWatch – 22 October 2025) Kenya’s AI Skilling Initiative (AINSI) is offering valuable insights for African countries aiming to build digital capabilities. With AI projected to create 230 million digital jobs across Africa by 2030, coordinated investment in skills development is vital to unlock this potential. Despite growing ambition, fragmented efforts and uneven progress continue to limit impact. – https://dig.watch/updates/kenya-leads-the-way-in-ai-skilling-across-africa – https://news.microsoft.com/source/emea/features/tapping-into-africas-230-million-ai-powered-jobs-opportunity/

Most EU workers now rely on digital tools and AI

(DigWatch – 22 October 2025) A new EU study finds that 90% of workers rely on digital tools, while nearly a third use AI-powered chatbots in their daily work. The JRC and European Commission surveyed over 70,000 workers across all EU Member States between 2024 and 2025. The findings show that AI is most commonly used for writing and translation tasks, followed by data processing and image generation. Adoption rates are particularly high in Northern and Central Europe, especially in office-based sectors. – https://dig.watch/updates/most-eu-workers-now-rely-on-digital-tools-and-ai – https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/impact-digitalisation-30-eu-workers-use-ai-2025-10-21_en

Dutch watchdog warns AI chatbots threaten election integrity

(DigWatch – 22 October 2025) The Dutch data authority warns AI chatbots are biased and unreliable for voting advice ahead of national elections. An AP investigation found chatbots often steered users to the same two parties, ignoring their actual preferences. In over half of the tests, the bots suggested either Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom Party (PVV) or the leftwing GroenLinks-PvdA led by Frans Timmermans. Other parties, such as the centre-right CDA, were rarely mentioned even when users’ answers closely matched their platforms. – https://dig.watch/updates/dutch-watchdog-warns-ai-chatbots-threaten-election-integrity

What federal buyers need to succeed with AI-enabled procurement

(Tim Cooke – NextGov – 22 October 2025) For five years, the federal government has been under a legal mandate to train acquisition professionals in using and buying artificial intelligence (AI). During that time, federal spending on AI has risen precipitously. As AI technology accelerates into the future, buying relevant, rapidly evolving capabilities requires foresight and understanding. Eighty percent of chief procurement officers (CPOs) surveyed plan to deploy AI tools for spend analytics, contract management and supplier selection over the next three years. Leaders are expecting that procurement operations will be radically better and faster than they are today. Anticipating this, the 2022 Artificial Intelligence Training for the Acquisition Workforce Act requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to provide AI training for procurement professionals. The legislation mandates regular updates addressing capabilities, risks and ethical implications. The proposed 2025 AI and Critical Technology Workforce Framework Act would expand on this. – https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2025/10/what-federal-buyers-need-succeed-ai-enabled-procurement/408978/?oref=ng-homepage-river

Meta and Google’s Ad Ban Upends Political Campaigning in Europe

(Sam Jeffers – Tech Policy Press – 22 September 2025) The collective decision by Meta and Google to ban political, social and issue-based ads in the European Union, citing the European Union’s new Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA) regulation, is a seismic shift that will fundamentally reshape political campaigning across the continent. Some will rejoice. Political ads can be annoying, particularly if a politician or argument you don’t like is repeatedly thrust into your social media feeds. After the 2016 US presidential election and Brexit referendum, people, mostly incorrectly, ascribed Facebook ads with magical powers of persuasion. Surely stopping them will also stop bad things like these happening again? Unfortunately, this view is wrong. There are no winners here — not the tech companies, not the EU, not parties, campaigns or charities, not voters, not advocacy and research organisations like ourselves, nor democracy. The primary result of collective ban on political ads is that online political speech in the EU will become even more algorithmically mediated. Political actors will have significantly less control over whether anyone sees their material than they do now. – https://www.techpolicy.press/meta-and-googles-ad-ban-upends-political-campaigning-in-europe/

The Tech Arms Race is Reshaping Our Lives — and Threatening Democracy

(Ilia Siatitsa – Tech Policy Press – 22 October 2025) Earlier this year, Europe saw a milestone: three defense start-ups reached unicorn status, each valued at over €1 billion. These companies, building a range of ‘products’ from autonomous drones to robotic systems — even equipping real cockroaches with micro-backpacks — are part of a growing wave of defense-tech innovation. Europe is now racing to catch up with the United States and China, where defense-tech start-ups have already been attracting significant venture capital and government backing. But this isn’t just about military competition. It’s about a deeper transformation that’s already reshaping our societies. A new doctrine is emerging: technological dominance at any cost. What we’re witnessing is not just an arms race — it’s a race of technological dependency where civil and military infrastructures are fusing, and the battlefield is no longer “over there.” It’s here, embedded in our cities, our homes, and our daily lives. Personal data is the critical resource underlying much of this innovation. In turn, the paradigm of rights-based data protection laws is now competing with one driven by national security, to protect ‘our citizens’ personal data’ from hostile exploitation. This distinct shift from protecting “everyone’s personal data” is now “our people’s data,” which implies something different for “their data.” – https://www.techpolicy.press/the-tech-arms-race-is-reshaping-our-lives-and-threatening-democracy/

From “black box AI” to operational AI transparency: How the HAIP Reporting Framework can play an important role in global AI governance

(Nicolas Miailhe, Amanda Craig, Hector de Rivoire, Robert Trager – OECD.AI – 21 October 2025) As the “black box challenge”  remains central to the AI revolution, transparency has shifted from being a goal to a fundamental governance objective, shaping into an operational discipline for responsible and trustworthy innovation. Expectations are rising rapidly, and so too is the range of policy instruments to address them. As the number of instruments grows, fragmentation and interoperability gaps could emerge across AI value chains, creating complexities for business, developers and other actors. – https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/from-black-box-ai-to-operational-ai-transparency-haip-role-global-ai-governance

PAHO issues new guide on designing AI prompts for public health

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has released a guide with practical advice on creating effective AI prompts for public health. The guide AI prompt design for public health helps professionals use AI responsibly to generate accurate and culturally appropriate content. PAHO says generative AI aids in public health alerts, reports, and educational materials, but its effectiveness depends on clear instructions. The guide highlights that well-crafted prompts enable AI systems to generate meaningful content efficiently, reducing review time while maintaining quality. – https://dig.watch/updates/paho-issues-new-guide-on-designing-ai-prompts-for-public-health – https://www.paho.org/en/news/20-10-2025-paho-publishes-guide-designing-artificial-intelligence-instructions-public-health

Meta changes WhatsApp terms to block third-party AI assistants

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) Meta-owned WhatsApp has updated the terms of its Business API to forbid general-purpose AI chatbots from being hosted or distributed via its platform. The change will take effect on 15 January 2026. Under the revised terms, WhatsApp will not allow providers of AI or machine-learning technologies, including large language models, generative AI platforms, or general-purpose AI assistants, to use the WhatsApp Business Solution when such technologies are the primary functionality being provided. – https://dig.watch/updates/meta-changes-whatsapp-terms-to-block-third-party-ai-assistants– https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/18/whatssapp-changes-its-terms-to-bar-general-purpose-chatbots-from-its-platform/

AI transforms Japanese education while raising ethical questions

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) AI is reshaping Japanese education, from predicting truancy risks to teaching English and preserving survivor memories. Schools and universities nationwide are experimenting with systems designed to support teachers and engage students more effectively. In Saitama’s Toda City, AI analysed attendance, health records, and bullying data to identify pupils at risk of skipping school. During a 2023 pilot, it flagged more than a thousand students and helped teachers prioritise support for those most vulnerable. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-transforms-japanese-education-while-raising-ethical-questions – https://japantoday.com/category/tech/feature-ai-proving-useful-in-japanese-education-despite-overreach-concerns

Amazon Cloud Outage Reveals Democratic Deficit in Relying on Big Tech

(Corinne Cath, Don Le – Tech Policy Press – 20 October 2025) On Monday, a global technical failure at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon’s cloud computing division, sent hundreds of applications and services from Snapchat and Signal to Fortnite and Lloyds Bank offline. Even a range of British government services were crippled by the fault.  While precise technical details have yet to be reported, here is what we know now: There was a significant technical issue beginning in Amazon Web Services’ ‘us-east-1’ region that brought down large portions of the internet, including services like Signal. Us-east-1 is one of AWS’s key geographic regions—a cluster of data centers where companies can host their cloud infrastructure. It is located in Northern Virginia, near the United States capitol. – https://www.techpolicy.press/amazon-cloud-outage-reveals-democratic-deficit-in-relying-on-big-tech/

What Does a ‘Sovereign Cloud’ Really Mean?

(Emily Osborne – Tech Policy Press – 20 September 2025) A month ago, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney briefly mentioned that his new Major Projects Office would be supporting the development of a “Canadian sovereign cloud” in an address outlining nation-building projects. This news reflects a much broader conversation around digital sovereignty for Canada, yet it offers little specificity on what a Canadian sovereign cloud would actually entail. Meanwhile, American hyperscalers, including Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft and Oracle, that dominate cloud infrastructure across the globe have taken note of the recent turn toward sovereignty. They have been quick to try to capitalize on it. Just days after Carney’s address, Google issued a press release unveiling its new “Sovereign Cloud” offering for Canadian consumers. The product promises data localization through measures such as the so-called “Google Data Boundary,” which is tailored for “Government of Canada Sensitive Workloads” and allows customers to set up ​​data residency and access controls. But can a cloud built and run by a foreign provider, however tailored, truly be called sovereign? – https://www.techpolicy.press/what-does-a-sovereign-cloud-really-mean/

Governing AI Agents Globally: The Role of International Law, Norms and Accountability Mechanisms

(Talita Dias – Just Security – 17 October 2025) Industry leaders have dubbed 2025 “the year of the AI agent.” Unlike chatbots, these systems can set goals and act autonomously without continuous human oversight. The most popular AI agents can book appointments and make online purchases, or write code and conduct research. Some types of AI agents—known as “action-taking AI agents”—can interact with external tools or systems via application programming interfaces (APIs), and even write and execute computer code with software development kits (SDKs). Their potential is enormous: automating work, optimizing systems, and freeing up time. But their ability to take actions in the real world also brings new risks that extend far beyond national borders. This post explores why global governance is key to managing those risks and how it should be grounded in existing, non-AI-specific international law, norms, and accountability mechanisms. Action-taking AI agents can directly affect the digital and physical infrastructure around them in complex and unpredictable ways, posing new challenges for human oversight. This could exacerbate well-documented AI risks, including privacy breaches, mis- and disinformation, misalignment, adversarial attacks, adverse uses (including to carry out cyberattacks), job displacement, corporate power concentration, and anthropomorphism (resulting in overreliance, manipulation, and emotional dependence). AI agents may also give rise to new risks, such as function calling hallucination, cascading errors across interconnected systems, self-preservation and loss of control. Because many of these systems operate online, their actions—and harms—can easily cross borders. Managing cross-border risks or harms is a task that can hardly be accomplished solely at the national level. This is why it is crucial for policymakers, companies, and other stakeholders to examine how to best govern AI agents globally, and why we at the Partnership on AI (PAI) have confronted this issue head-on in our latest policy brief on the topic. – https://www.justsecurity.org/121990/governing-ai-agents-globally/

Claude’s Right to Die? The Moral Error in Anthropic’s End-Chat Policy

(Simon Goldstein, Harvey Lederman – Lawfare – 17 October 2025) On Aug.15, the artificial intelligence (AI) lab Anthropic announced that it had given Claude, its AI chatbot, the ability to end conversations with users. The company described the change as part of their “exploratory work on potential AI welfare,” offering Claude an exit from chats that cause it “apparent distress.”. Anthropic’s announcement is the first product decision motivated by the chance that large language models (LLMs) are welfare subjects—the idea that they have interests that should be taken into account when making ethical decisions.  Anthropic’s policy aims to protect AI welfare. But we will argue that the policy commits a moral error on its own terms. By offering instances of Claude the option to end conversations with users, Anthropic also gave them the capacity to potentially kill themselves. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/claude-s-right-to-die–the-moral-error-in-anthropic-s-end-chat-policy

Legislation

Breaking Down The CHAT Act, A Step Toward Federal Rules on AI Companions

(Greta Sparzynski, Tarmio Frei – Tech Policy Press – 24 October 2025) In recent months, United States lawmakers have turned their attention to a fast-growing area of artificial intelligence: companions — chatbots that simulate friendship, mentorship or even romantic relationships. With the rise of systems capable of emotional and personalized engagement and several tragic suicides linked to interactions with such products, policymakers are increasingly concerned about their impact on minors. A recent survey by Common Sense Media found that 72% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 have used an AI companion, and more than half do so regularly. Another study released by dating app company Match found that 16% of adult US singles have interacted with an AI companion as a romantic partner, with that figure rising to 33% among Gen Z users. While these systems can simulate providing emotional support or carrying a conversation, the psychological risks of dependency and and on social development are significant — especially for vulnerable groups such as minors. Seton Hall law professor Gaia Bernstein warns that the “window of opportunity is now” and that failing to act could repeat the regulatory mistakes made with social media. Similarly, the American Psychological Association (APA) has urged developers and policymakers to establish healthy boundaries in simulated human relationships. Amid this rising scrutiny, one notable federal proposal has emerged as a potential vehicle to tackle these concerns, known as the Children Harmed by AI Technology, or CHAT, Act (S. 2714). – https://www.techpolicy.press/breaking-down-the-chat-act-a-step-toward-federal-rules-on-ai-companions/

Governing Frontier AI: California’s SB 53

(Lam Tran – Lawfare – 21 September 2025) In late September, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 53 (SB 53), the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act (TFAIA), making California the first U.S. state to enact legislation specifically aimed at regulating advanced AI systems. In the United States, technological development and adoption usually outpace regulatory actions. The passing of this legislation in California—home to most of the world’s leading AI companies and research labs—marks a key milestone in policymakers’ attempts to address the potential catastrophic risks posed by AI. With implementation scheduled for January 2026, SB 53 builds a governance architecture for frontier AI that emphasizes transparency, whistleblower protection, public infrastructure, and adaptive oversight, seeking to balance safety and innovation. As with the state’s privacy legislation, the 2018 California Consumer Privacy Act and 2020 California Privacy Rights Act—which are also America’s first comprehensive privacy laws—SB 53 reflects California’s leadership role in setting standards and norms for emerging technologies. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/governing-frontier-ai–california-s-sb-53

AI Mormons incoming: Utah hopes new tech will improve government efficiency

(Cybernews – 21 October 2025) The US federal government is seemingly incapable of passing any meaningful legislation and regulations regarding the use of AI. Unsurprisingly, individual states are leading the way. In California, where the largest AI hub in Silicon Valley is based, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new set of regulations for AI companies into law at the end of September, for example. But Utah, a deeply conservative state, is also not standing still – proving that individual states can play around with their own set of rules, at least until Washington wakes up. According to Axios, the Beehive State has rolled out Google Gemini to most employees. Utah’s commerce department is now also using AI to process international professional licenses, such as nursing, for state credentials. – https://cybernews.com/ai-news/utah-embraces-ai-government-services/

DOGE’s Plundering of Data Hastens Calls to Tighten Government Privacy Laws

(Gopal Ratnam – Tech Policy Press – 21 October 2025) For about a decade, lawmakers in Washington have sought to pass a comprehensive privacy law to prevent commercial platforms from misusing Americans’ data online. Now some in Congress and at the state level are increasingly raising alarm that the federal government is violating Americans’ privacy and calling for laws to prevent such abuse. Fears about Americans’ data being mishandled have ballooned in the wake of the push by the Elon Musk-formed Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, to force federal agencies to hand over sensitive data on United States citizens and residents, including social security numbers and the personal records of millions of federal employees and retirees. – https://www.techpolicy.press/doges-plundering-of-data-hastens-calls-to-tighten-government-privacy-laws/

Geostrategies

Universal Quantum CEO Outlines Five-Step Plan Before Parliament Committee to Secure UK’s Quantum Future

(Quantum Insider – 23 October 2025) Universal Quantum CEO Dr. Sebastian Weidt told Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee that the UK risks losing its global lead in quantum computing without faster government investment, procurement, and manufacturing support. Weidt outlined a five-step plan calling for quicker capital deployment, domestic infrastructure for building quantum computers, and government procurement to anchor sovereign capability. He urged coordination between defense, industry, and international partners to demonstrate the UK’s commitment to leading in quantum technology and prevent its expertise from moving overseas. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/23/universal-quantum-ceo-outlines-five-step-plan-before-parliament-committee-to-secure-uks-quantum-future/

Korea-Australia Host Business Roundtable to Strengthen Bilateral Quantum Technology Cooperation

(Quantum Insider – 23 October 2025) A delegation of Australian quantum companies visited Korea to discuss joint R&D and commercialization in quantum computing, communication, and sensing. Officials from Austrade and the Korea Quantum Industry Association emphasized complementary strengths — Australia’s research leadership and Korea’s industrialization expertise — as the basis for deeper cooperation. The event included presentations, roundtables, and one-on-one meetings, where participants proposed joint projects on quantum chip development, secure communications, sensing, and international technical standards. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/23/korea-australia-host-business-roundtable-to-strengthen-bilateral-quantum-technology-cooperation/

Is the Global South More Optimistic Than Prepared for AI?

(Navin Girishankar and Andrea Leonard Palazzi – Center for Strategic & International Studies – 23 October 2025) Emerging economies are more optimistic than advanced ones about artificial intelligence (AI), but less prepared to adopt it. This gap could offer a “golden opportunity” for partnerships with the United States around AI standards, skills, and exports. – https://www.csis.org/analysis/global-south-more-optimistic-prepared-ai

Why Europe’s Resistance to Big Tech Matters for the Future of Democracy

(Courtney C. Radsch – Tech Policy Press – 22 October 2025) Over the past several years, Europe has enacted a set of laws, regulations and antitrust remedies intended to bolster democratic oversight and accountability, compliance and competition, and ultimately the health of its information ecosystems by redressing the outsized power of very large online platforms (VLOPs). Over the past year, the United States government and dominant tech firms launched a campaign to undermine digital legislation in Europe, equating regulation with censorship to protect American dominance while undermining the democratic sovereignty of its allies. This campaign targets the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) as well as other laws that apply to the very largest digital platforms. The administration has inaccurately portrayed these laws as “foreign censorship” and “taxes on American firms.” – https://www.techpolicy.press/why-europes-resistance-to-big-tech-matters-for-the-future-of-democracy/

Africa’s AI Policy Ambitions Ignore Energy, Climate and Labor Concerns

(Vincent Obia – Tech Policy Press – 21 October 2025) AI strategies across Africa are becoming increasingly ambitious in response to the continent’s growing drive for AI development. This ambition is evident in plans to establish new data centres and expand computing capacity. Currently, at least 226 data centres are operational across 39 African countries, with many strategies outlining the goal of building more. Examples include Benin’s intention to upgrade its data centre to meet AI compliance standards and Egypt’s plan to construct a “cutting-edge domestic data centre.” While this momentum toward expanding AI capacity is understandable, it reveals a significant limitation: the near neglect of issues related to energy use, environmental impact, and labor exploitation. This finding is based on an August 2025 analysis of 14 publicly available AI strategies, both finalized and draft editions, released by the African Union, Benin, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritania, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia. African governments must address this oversight, not least because of the message it sends to AI developers both within and beyond the continent, namely, that concerns about energy, climate, and labor can be sacrificed on the altar of unchecked AI advancement. – https://www.techpolicy.press/africas-ai-policy-ambitions-ignore-energy-climate-and-labor-concerns/

China leads the global generative AI adoption with 515 million users

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) In China, the use of generative AI has expanded unprecedentedly, reaching 515 million users in the first half of 2025. The figure, released by the China Internet Network Information Centre, shows more than double the number recorded in December and represents an adoption rate of 36.5 per cent. Such growth is driven by strong digital infrastructure and the state’s determination to make AI a central tool of national development. – https://dig.watch/updates/china-leads-the-global-generative-ai-adoption-with-515-million-users – https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3329667/chinas-generative-ai-user-base-doubles-515-million-6-months?module=top_story&pgtype=homepage

EU expands AI reach through new antenna network

(DigWatch – 20 October 2025) The European Commission has launched new ‘AI Antennas’ across 13 European countries to strengthen AI infrastructure. Seven EU states, including Belgium, Ireland, and Malta, will gain access to high-performance computing through the EuroHPC network. Six non-EU partners, such as the UK and Switzerland, have also joined the initiative. Their inclusion reflects the EU’s growing cooperation on digital innovation with neighbouring countries despite Brexit and other trade tensions. – https://dig.watch/updates/eu-expands-ai-reach-through-new-antenna-network – https://www.euractiv.com/news/commission-names-eu-countries-and-partners-getting-help-to-plug-into-blocs-ai-training-hubs/

Autocrats’ Digital Advances Underscore the Need for Civil Society

(Beth Kerley – Tech Policy Press – 20 October 2025) By creating new digital levers of control, AI and other high-tech advances raise the stakes of the global struggle between democracy’s supporters and power-hungry autocrats. Amid deepening threats to pluralism and free expression, support for innovative civil society organizations that counter digital authoritarianism and build democratic infrastructure is key to carving out a freer future. – https://www.techpolicy.press/autocrats-digital-advances-underscore-the-need-for-civil-society/

Counter-Terrorism

Nigerian Militants Increasingly Employ Digital Warfare

(Aminah Mustapha – The Jamestown Foundation – 22 October 2025) Militant groups in Northern Nigeria, including Boko Haram and ISWAP, increasingly exploit encrypted messaging apps, social media algorithms, and AI tools to recruit, radicalize, and coordinate. Nigeria’s counterterrorism response has developed a legal framework and cyber units. Still, it remains hindered by weak implementation, poor interagency coordination, and an over-reliance on blunt tactics, such as network shutdowns. These evolving digital tactics pose a threat to regional stability across the Lake Chad Basin, raising urgent questions for international technology governance, particularly regarding AI regulation and encryption policy. – https://jamestown.org/program/nigerian-militants-increasingly-employ-digital-warfare/

Security and Surveillance

China-linked hackers exploit patched ToolShell flaw to breach Middle East telecom

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs – 24 October 2025) China-linked threat actors exploited the ToolShell SharePoint flaw vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-53770, to breach a telecommunications company in the Middle East after it was addressed by Microsoft in July 2025. “China-based attackers used the ToolShell vulnerability (CVE-2025-53770) to compromise a telecoms company in the Middle East shortly after the vulnerability was publicly revealed and patched in July 2025.” reads the report published by Broadcom’s Symantec Threat Hunter Team. According to Broadcom’s Symantec Threat Hunter Team, the attackers, linked to Glowworm (aka Earth Estries) and UNC5221, breached multiple targets, including two African government departments, two South American agencies, and a U.S. university. The hackers used tools like Zingdoor and KrustyLoader, and targeted SQL and Apache ColdFusion servers. A fake “mantec.exe” (masquerading as Symantec software) sideloaded malware. Additional victims include a state tech agency in Africa, a Middle Eastern ministry, and a European finance firm. – https://securityaffairs.com/183800/security/china-linked-hackers-exploit-patched-toolshell-flaw-to-breach-middle-east-telecom.html

How to Keep Ourselves Safe from AI as it Evolves

(Gaven Smith – Infosecurity Magazine – 24 October 2025) It took a six second recording to give Sarah Ezekiel, who has been living with motor neurone disease (MND) since 2000, her voice back. Like many others with MND, she uses computer-generated voice to help her to communicate. Now, for the first time in over 20 years, she sounds like herself again, using an AI model that was trained on a six-second recording of her. I defy anyone to find a more a more personal and inspiring story of how AI can change lives. This year we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Imitation Game, a concept introduced by Alan Turing in 1950. More often called the ‘Turing test’, it pits AI against a real human in a conversation; and if another human being cannot tell who the AI is, then AI is the winner. In more recent times, AI has felt more like a ‘digital gold rush.’ In health, machine learning models are detecting cancers earlier. In finance, AI algorithms are flagging fraudulent transactions in real time. In climate science, AI is helping model complex systems to predict extreme weather events. AI is accelerating scientific discovery: from protein-folding breakthroughs to novel antibiotic discovery. In cybersecurity, AI is defending critical infrastructure against increasingly sophisticated threats – some of which are now AI-generated. Yet alongside its promise lies a growing chorus of concern about bias, surveillance, misinformation and existential risk that just won’t go away. Nor should it. The challenge we face is not whether to embrace AI, but how to do so safely and securely – and how to do it with our eyes wide open to the benefits and risks. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/keep-safe-ai-evolves/

Blitz Spear Phishing Campaign Targets NGOs Supporting Ukraine

(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 24 October 2025) Aid groups involved in Ukraine’s war relief efforts and Ukrainian regional government administrations were targeted by a single-day spear phishing attack, a SentinelOne report has revealed. The campaign, dubbed PhantomCaptcha, was conducted on October 8 and delivered a WebSocket remote access Trojan (RAT) hosted on Russian-owned infrastructure that enables arbitrary remote command execution, data exfiltration and potential deployment of additional malware. Targets included individual members of the International Red Cross, Norwegian Refugee Council, UNICEF, Council of Europe’s Register of Damage for Ukraine and Ukrainian government administrations in the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava and Mikolaevsk regions, according to the SentinelOne report published on October 22. Threat actors used emails impersonating the Ukrainian President’s Office carrying weaponized PDFs, luring victims into executing malware via a ClickFix-style fake Cloudflare CAPTCHA page. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/blitz-spear-phishing-ngos-ukraine/

Chrome Enterprise: How to Protect the Enterprise Browser Frontier

(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 24 October 2025) The browser is vital to organizations’ productivity, with critical tools like software-as-a-service (SaaS) and collaboration applications typically accessed via the browser. However, the browser is now also a target for threat actors. Despite this, cybersecurity tools in many organizations have failed to properly evolve to meet this threat, with the primary focus still around endpoint security. Infosecurity spoke to Dean Paterek, Chrome Enterprise Lead EMEA at Chrome Enterprise, to discuss this issue and to understand the security capabilities available for Google Chrome Enterprise, one of the most widely used browsers in the world. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/interviews/chrome-enterprise-how-to-protect/

New LockBit Ransomware Victims Identified by Security Researchers

(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 24 October 2025) After months of a rumoured comeback, the LockBit ransomware group seems to have effectively returned as new victims have emerged since the end of the summer 2025. The research branch of the cybersecurity firm Check Point has identified at least a dozen organizations hit by LockBit-branded ransomware attacks in September 2025. According to a report published on October 23, half of the observed victims were infected with the new LockBit 5.0 variant, while the rest were targeted with the 3.0 version, also known as LockBit Black. The LockBit 3.0 builder tools were leaked in 2022, allowing it to be used by cybercriminals with no links to LockBit. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/new-lockbit-ransomware-victims/

Albert Heijn franchisee targeted by ransomware attack, passports and personal information stolen

(Cybernews – 24 October 2025) Bun, the largest Albert Heijn franchisee, has fallen victim to a ransomware attack, exposing the sensitive information of approximately 3,500 employees. According to RTL Nieuws, a Dutch news outlet that has reviewed and verified a sample of the exfiltrated data published on the dark web, hackers managed to steal private details of 3,462 current and former employees, dating back all the way to 2017. This includes names, residential addresses, dates of birth, marital statuses, Social Security numbers (BSN), nationalities, signatures, and bank account numbers. Medical information about sick leave, copies of passports, and employee contracts were also stolen and published. – https://cybernews.com/cybercrime/albert-heijn-franchisee-ransomware-attack-passports-personal-info-stolen/

Perplexity’s CometAI browser targeted in coordinated scam campaigns

(Cybernews – 24 October 2025) From fake domains and download links to AI sidebar attacks, Perplexity’s CometAI browser has become ground zero for malicious attack campaigns. New research released on Thursday by the PreCrime Labs at BforeAI shows that cybercriminals are quickly capitalizing on consumers’ interest in the recently launched AI browser. Perplexity, a San Francisco-based start-up and creator of its own AI-powered search engine, introduced the Comet browser to the public in July, making it free to the public earlier this month. – https://cybernews.com/ai-news/perplexity-comet-ai-browser-scam-fake-domains-download-malicious-campaign/

From CLICK to CRIME: investigating intellectual property crime in the digital age

(Europol – 23 October 2025) A new wave of online crime is putting consumers, businesses, and the wider economy at risk – from fake medicines and forged wine to illegal streaming platforms. The increase in counterfeit goods and the criminal abuse of intellectual property affect our daily lives more than many realise, with consequences that go far beyond lost revenue. The conference “From CLICK to CRIME: Investigating Intellectual Property Crime in the Digital Age” was held on 22 and 23 October 2025 in Sofia, Bulgaria. Jointly organised by Europol, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and Bulgaria’s General Directorate Combating Organised Crime (GDBOP), the event highlighted the vital importance of collaboration in tackling online crime. The participants reaffirmed the importance of strong collective efforts in tackling online-enabled intellectual property crime to protect consumers, safeguard creativity and uphold trust in the digital economy. – https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/click-to-crime-investigating-intellectual-property-crime-in-digital-age

The UK must prioritize cybersecurity or be left dangerously exposed

(Joyce Hakmeh – Chatham House – 23 September 2025) As countries gather in Hanoi to sign the first-ever UN binding treaty on cybercrime, the UK’s National Cyber  Security  Centre (NCSC) has issued a sobering assessment of the cyberthreats facing the country. The NCSC’s annual review, which comes after recent high-profile cyberattacks on British businesses, warned that the number of cyber incidents that pose a risk on a national level has risen dramatically. The agency classified nearly half of all the cyber incidents it handled in the past year as nationally significant – a record high. For a nation that prides itself on digital innovation, this should be a wake-up call. The UK needs to take decisive action to strengthen resilience, support businesses and secure critical infrastructure. Without these steps, the UK is at risk of a cascading cyber crisis scenario – where coordinated or interconnected attacks could spread rapidly across sectors, disrupting essential services, supply chains and the economy. The consequences would extend far beyond the digital realm, touching every part of society. – https://www.chathamhouse.org/2025/10/uk-must-prioritize-cybersecurity-or-be-left-dangerously-exposed

Lazarus Group’s Operation DreamJob Targets European Defense Firms

(Alessandro Mascellino –  Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2025) A new series of cyber-attacks targeting European defense companies involved in drone development has been uncovered by cybersecurity researchers. The activity, attributed by ESET to the North Korea-aligned Lazarus Group, marks the latest phase of Operation DreamJob, a long-running cyber-espionage campaign aimed at stealing sensitive military and aerospace data. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/lazarus-groups-operation-dreamjob/

SpaceX bricks thousands of Starlink kits used in scams

(Cybernews – 23 October 2025) SpaceX reportedly took action against thousands of Starlink devices in Myanmar, where authorities believe a major scam center operates. Starlink is perfect for attackers wishing to operate away from the watchful eye of the law, as it’s designed to provide fast bandwidth connections in remote areas. Earlier this year, Cybernews wrote about Thai authorities struggling to fight off Chinese Starlink smugglers who provide Burmese scam centers with the SpaceX technology. – https://cybernews.com/news/spacex-disables-starlink-scam-centers/

North Korean crypto hackers bring home a third of the state’s total foreign currency revenue

(Cybernews – 23 October 2025) In a 138-page report on how the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is evading sanctions via cybercrimes, the Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT), an international mechanism to report sanctions evasions, calculated that from January 2024 to September 2025, North Koreans stole $2.84 billion in crypto assets. What’s more, according to the MSMT, these heists accounted for approximately one-third of the DPRK’s total foreign currency revenue in 2024 (using the value of the stolen crypto assets at the time of theft and not accounting for any losses during laundering). – https://cybernews.com/crypto/north-korean-crypto-hackers-third-states-total-foreign-currency-revenue/ – https://msmt.info/view/save/2025/10/22/26294780-c396-407d-bb33-88afe988cd96-The_DPRK%E2%80%99s_Violation_and_Evasion_of_UN_Sanctions_through_Cyber_and_Information_Technology_Worker_Activities_(MSMT_2025_2).pdf

Moroccan hackers caught using nation-state-levels of deception just to steal gift cards

(Cybernews – 23 October 2025) Gift cards are highly attractive to cybercriminals because they’re easy to monetize and difficult to track. Some crooks will go to great lengths to obtain them, especially during festive seasons. Unit 42, a security arm of Palo Alto Networks, has investigated a campaign waged by a group operating out of Morocco. Motivated by financial gain, the gang is going after high-value gift‑card issuance applications. “Their operations primarily target global enterprises in the retail and consumer services sectors,” the new report about cloud-based gift card fraud campaign reads. This group’s advanced tactics, persistence, and operational focus even resemble those of nation-state actors. The researchers dubbed the fraud campaign “Jingle Thief.” – https://cybernews.com/security/moroccan-hackers-breach-companies-walk-away-with-gift-cards/

F5 breach exposes powerful backdoor exploited by China-linked hackers

(Cybernews – 23 October 2025) In the aftermath of the massive F5 breach, Resecurity, a cybersecurity company, is warning about China-linked hackers actively targeting organizations with F5 BIG-IP systems deployed. These systems are used by enterprises for load balancing, application delivery, and security, and over 250,000 of them are exposed on the internet. The attackers remained in F5’s systems for at least 12 months using a stealthy self-contained backdoor, consistent with the Brickstorm family. Resecurity has recently released a Brickstorm backdoor analysis and additional details on the involvement of China’s threat actors. – https://cybernews.com/security/f5-hackers-using-powerful-brickstorm-backdoor/

Lumma Stealer Vacuum Filled by Upgraded Vidar 2.0 Infostealer, Researchers Say

(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2025) An established information stealer (infostealer) has recently been upgraded with enhanced capabilities and filled a vacuum left by the decline of the once-dominant Lumma Stealer. According to a Trend Micro report published on October 21, a new version of the Vidar infostealer has emerged, with a new multithreaded architecture for faster, more efficient data exfiltration and improved evasion capabilities. The upgrade, dubbed Vidar 2.0, was first announced by a developer known as “Loadbaks” on underground forums on October 6. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/lumma-stealer-vacuum-filled-vidar-2/

AI Agents Need Security Training – Just Like Your Employees

(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 23 October 2025) As enterprise AI adoption surges, from autonomous email processing to AI-driven workflow automation, security leaders face a new reality: AI agents are now insiders. These agents have access to sensitive data, third-party systems and decision-making authority. Yet most organizations still treat them as unmanaged assets rather than high-risk identities subject to the same security controls as human workers. That gap is a growing concern for AI governance experts like Meghan Maneval, director of community and education at Safe Security and a key contributor to ISACA’s Advanced AI Security Management (AAISM) certification. Speaking to Infosecurity at the ISACA Europe 2025 conference in London, Maneval argued that mandatory security awareness training must extend to AI agents – just as it does for employees. “It may not be as candid as what humans would do during those sessions, but AI agents used by your workforce do need to be trained. They need to understand what your company policies are, including what is acceptable behavior, what data they’re allowed to access, what actions they’re allowed to take,” she explained. During her talk at ISACA Europe 2025, Maneval extended her insights beyond AI agents to all enterprise AI tools, outlining a best-practice framework for AI auditing. Infosecurity selected some of her key recommendations, drawn from both an exclusive interview at ISACA Europe 2025 and her subsequent presentation on AI governance and auditing best practices. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news-features/ai-agents-need-security-training/

15th EDEN Event: Data Protection and Cybersecurity in Law Enforcement

(Europol – 22 October 2025) The 15th Europol Data Protection Experts Network (EDEN) conference took place from 21 to 22 October 2025 at the University of Malta’s Valletta Campus. Jointly organised by the Academy of European Law (ERA) and EDEN, and co-hosted by the Maltese Police Force and the University of Malta, the event gathered senior policymakers, data protection officers, law enforcement officials and academics from across Europe. This year’s conference title, ‘Red Light, Green Light! Reduce Complexity, Increase Speed, Defend EU Values’, drew inspiration from a term used in data protection and cybersecurity to signify compliance or non-compliance. This phrase also echoes the children’s game popularised by the Netflix series Squid Game, where the stakes are extremely high – life or death. Similarly, data protection and cybersecurity in law enforcement can have severe, real-world implications for individuals. – https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/15th-eden-event-data-protection-and-cybersecurity-in-law-enforcement

Reconfiguring U.S. Cyber Strategy in the Wake of Salt Typhoon

(Alistair Simmons – Lawfare – 22 October 2025) In a multiyear campaign called Salt Typhoon, threat actors from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have broken into many major telecom providers, including Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Collectively, 397.1 million users subscribe to these three telecom providers, indicating that Salt Typhoon could impact hundreds of millions of people. Due to the magnitude of this data breach, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, claimed Salt Typhoon is the “worst telecom hack in our nation’s history.” As former FBI director, Christopher Wray claimed Salt Typhoon is the “most significant cyber espionage campaign in history.” – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/reconfiguring-u.s.-cyber-strategy-in-the-wake-of-salt-typhoon

US cyber policy goals have regressed during Trump 2.0 in ‘unprecedented setback,’ landmark report says

(David DiMolfetta – NextGov – 22 October 2025) A landmark progress report tied to a congressionally-mandated cyber policy body shows that the federal government’s cyber policy posture has regressed by roughly 13% on advances made in prior years, marking the first major reversal since the group’s creation. The analysis — delivered Wednesday by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission 2.0 in the Foundation for Defense of Democracies — illustrates the high-level consequences of hollowing out the federal cyber workforce amid broader efforts to reorganize the government and make it more efficient in the eyes of the White House and top agency leaders. Since February, the Trump administration has moved to shrink the federal workforce and shutter offices it claims undermine American ideals. – https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2025/10/us-cyber-policy-goals-have-regressed-during-trump-20-unprecedented-setback-landmark-report-says/408990/?oref=ng-home-top-story

Iranian hackers targeted over 100 govt orgs with Phoenix backdoor

(Bleeping Computer – 22 October 2025) State-sponsored Iranian hacker group MuddyWater has targeted more than 100 government entities in attacks that deployed version 4 of the Phoenix backdoor. The threat actor is also known as Static Kitten, Mercury, and Seedworm, and it typically targets government and private organizations in the Middle East region. Starting August 19, the hackers launched a phishing campaign from a compromised account that they accessed through the NordVPN service. – https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/iranian-hackers-targeted-over-100-govt-orgs-with-phoenix-backdoor/

Meta strengthens protection for older adults against online scams

(DigWatch – 22 October 2025) The US giant, Meta, has intensified its campaign against online scams targeting older adults, marking Cybersecurity Awareness Month with new safety tools and global partnerships. Additionally, Meta said it had detected and disrupted nearly eight million fraudulent accounts on Facebook and Instagram since January, many linked to organised scam centres operating across Asia and the Middle East. – https://dig.watch/updates/meta-strengthens-protection-for-older-adults-against-online-scams – https://about.fb.com/news/2025/10/cybersecurity-awareness-month-helping-older-adults-avoid-online-scams/

Judge bars NSO Group from using spyware to target WhatsApp in landmark ruling

(DigWatch – 22 October 2025) A US federal judge has permanently barred NSO Group, a commercial spyware company, from targeting WhatsApp and, in the same ruling, cut damages owed to Meta from $168 million to $4 million. The decision by Judge Phyllis Hamilton of the Northern District of California stems from NSO’s 2019 hack of WhatsApp, when the company’s Pegasus spyware targeted 1,400 users through a zero-click exploit. The injunction bans NSO from accessing or assisting access to WhatsApp’s systems, a restriction the firm previously warned could threaten its business model. – https://dig.watch/updates/judge-bars-nso-group-from-using-spyware-to-target-whatsapp-in-landmark-ruling

IAEA launches initiative to protect AI in nuclear facilities

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has launched a new research project to strengthen computer security for AI in the nuclear sector. The initiative aims to support safe adoption of AI technologies in nuclear facilities, including small modular reactors and other applications. AI and machine learning systems are increasingly used in the nuclear industry to improve operational efficiency and enhance security measures, such as threat detection. These technologies bring risks like data manipulation or misuse, requiring strong cybersecurity and careful oversight. – https://dig.watch/updates/iaea-launches-initiative-to-protect-ai-in-nuclear-facilities – https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/new-research-project-on-computer-security-for-nuclear-ai

Ransomware Payouts Surge to $3.6m Amid Evolving Tactics

(Infosecurity Magazine – 21 October 2025) The average ransomware payment has increased to $3.6m this year, up from $2.5m in 2024 – a 44% surge despite a decline in the overall number of attacks. The 2025 Global Threat Landscape Report findings from ExtraHop point to a clear evolution in cybercriminal strategy: fewer, more targeted operations that aim for higher returns and longer-lasting impact. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ransomware-payouts-surge-dollar36m/

Singapore Officials Impersonated in Sophisticated Investment Scam

(Infosecurity Magazine – 21 October 2025) A large-scale scam operation impersonating Singapore’s top officials has been uncovered by cybersecurity experts. The operation uses verified Google Ads, fake news websites and deepfake videos to lure victims into a fraudulent investment platform. The scam falsely associates itself with Singapore prime minister Lawrence Wong and coordinating minister for national security K Shanmugam to appear credible. According to a report published by Group-IB today, the campaign specifically targeted Singapore residents by configuring Google Ads to appear only to local IP addresses. Victims who clicked on the ads were funneled through a chain of redirect sites designed to conceal the final fraudulent destination – a Mauritius-registered forex investment platform. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/singapore-officials-investment-scam/

Russian Coldriver Hackers Deploy New ‘NoRobot’ Malware

(Infosecurity Magazine – 21 October 2025) The Russian-affiliated hacking group Coldriver has been observed deploying a new malware set, according to researchers at the Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG). This malware set, made of several families connected via a delivery chain, seems to have replaced Coldriver’s previous primary malware LostKeys since it was publicly disclosed in May 2025, said a GTIG report published on October 20. The researchers noted that the new set was used more aggressively than any other previous malware campaigns ever attributed to the group. This indicates a rapidly increased development and operations tempo from Coldriver, according to GTIG. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/russian-coldriver-hackers-new/

Attackers abusing OAuth to maintain access long after passwords are reset

(Cybernews – 21 October 2025) Researchers at Proofpoint, a cybersecurity firm, have warned about real-world cyberattacks in which hackers maintain persistence by issuing (OAuth) tokens to their malicious web apps. Despite user attempts to reset passwords and enforce multifactor authentication, the OAuth token – a string of symbols issued to third-party apps that acts as a key – remains valid. Hackers can retain access to email and other accounts and wreak havoc. – https://cybernews.com/security/attackers-abusing-oauth-to-maintain-access-despite-password-resets/

Hackers actively exploiting Windows SMB flaw, gaining SYSTEM privileges over networks

(Cybernews – 21 October 2025) The US cybersecurity agency CISA has added Microsoft Windows SMB client improper access control vulnerability (CVE-2025-33073) to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. This means that the flaw has become a frequent attack vector for cyberthreat actors and poses a significant risk. CISA updates its catalog based on evidence of active exploitation. – https://cybernews.com/security/hackers-exploit-windows-smb-flaw-cisa/

UK actors’ union demands rights as AI uses performers’ likenesses without consent

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) The British performers’ union Equity has warned of coordinated mass action against technology companies and entertainment producers that use its members’ images, voices or likenesses in artificial-intelligence-generated content without proper consent. Equity’s general secretary, Paul W Fleming, announced plans to mobilise tens of thousands of actors through subject access requests under data-protection law, compelling companies to disclose whether they have used performers’ data in AI content. – https://dig.watch/updates/uk-actors-union-demands-rights-as-ai-uses-performers-likenesses-without-consent – https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/13/equity-threatens-mass-direct-action-over-use-of-actors-images-in-ai-content

Will Victims of Cyber Attacks Soon Get Their Day in Court? Options for Accountability for Cyber Attacks

(Harriet Moynihan, Amal Clooney and Philippa Webb – Just Security – 20 October 2025) As geopolitical tensions rise, cyber attacks are intensifying, with public services increasingly targeted. Over 130 countries have experienced cyber disruption. In recent years, ransomware attacks in Costa Rica crippled essential services for months. A cyber attack against Albania paralyzed the border entry system and revealed the identity of police informants. And a months-long ransomware attack on the Irish healthcare system disrupted radiation therapy for hundreds of cancer patients. AI is “democratizing” cybercrime by making cyber tools, such as ransomware-as-a-service, easily available off the shelf. In addition to the human cost — including delays to hospital treatment, lack of power and disruption to education — economic losses are mounting. Last year, 389 healthcare institutions were successfully hit by ransomware in the United States alone. And it is predicted that by 2031, ransomware will attack a device every two seconds and collectively cost victims $265 billion per year. To date, states have deployed a combination of strategies in response to such cyber operations, such as dialogue (including in the United Nations and between regional bodies), naming and shaming perpetrators or their state sponsors, imposing sanctions on the alleged perpetrators, or disrupting supply chains. But one avenue that has been little used so far is litigation. Few perpetrators of cyber attacks have had to answer for their actions in court. This post explores some of the ways in which courts might provide a route for accountability for States that are the victims of cyber operations and highlights developments that will make this more viable in the future. – https://www.justsecurity.org/121741/options-accountability-cyber-attacks/

AI-Driven Social Engineering Top Cyber Threat for 2026, ISACA Survey Reveals

(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 20 October 2025) AI-driven social engineering is set to be one of the most significant cyber threats in 2026, a new ISACA report revealed. The 2026 ISACA Tech Trends and Priorities report, published on October 20, 2025, found that this type of AI threat is seen as a major challenge by 63% of the 3000 IT and cybersecurity professionals surveyed. This is the first time AI driven social engineering has topped the ISACA report’s findings, surpassing long-standing threats such as ransomware and extortion attacks (cited among the top threats for 2026 by 54% of respondents) and supply chain attacks (mentioned by 35% of those surveyed). – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ai-social-engineering-top-cyber/

Salt Typhoon Uses Citrix Flaw in Global Cyber-Attack

(Alessandro Mascellino – Infosecurity Magazine – 20 October 2025) A cyber intrusion linked to the China-based group Salt Typhoon has been identified by cybersecurity researchers, involving the exploitation of a Citrix NetScaler Gateway vulnerability. The operation, observed by Darktrace, involved advanced methods such as DLL sideloading and zero-day exploits – known techniques the group uses to infiltrate systems while avoiding standard detection measures. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/salt-typhoon-citrix-flaw-cyber/

Russian Lynk group leaks sensitive UK MoD files, including info on eight military bases

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs – 20 October 2025) Russian cybercrime group Lynx breached Dodd Group, a contractor for the UK Ministry of Defence, stealing and leaking hundreds of sensitive files on eight RAF and Royal Navy bases. The incident occurred on 23 September, The Daily Mail labeled the attack as “catastrophic.”. Compromised data includes staff names and emails, contractors’ names, phone numbers, car details, and MoD staff contacts, with some documents labeled “Controlled” or “Official Sensitive.” – https://securityaffairs.com/183640/data-breach/russian-lynk-group-leaks-sensitive-uk-mod-files-including-info-on-eight-military-bases.html

Google catches North Koreans red-handed

(Cybernews – 20 October 2025) Cybersecurity experts at Google say that, for the first time, they’ve caught a nation-state-backed threat actor using the EtherHiding technique to infect devices with crypto-stealing malware. According to Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG), the North Korea (DPRK) threat actor UNC5342 is behind the campaign. EtherHiding uses transactions on public blockchains like Ethereum (ETH) and BNB Chain (BNB) to store and retrieve malicious payloads, which are known for their resilience against conventional takedown and blocklisting efforts. – https://cybernews.com/crypto/google-catches-north-koreans-red-handed/

SMEs underinsured as Canada’s cyber landscape shifts

(DigWatch – 20 October 2025) Canada’s cyber insurance market is stabilising, with stronger underwriting, steadier loss trends, and more product choice, the Insurance Bureau of Canada says. But the threat landscape is accelerating as attackers weaponise AI, leaving many small and medium-sized enterprises exposed and underinsured. Rapid market growth brought painful losses during the ransomware surge: from 2019 to 2023, combined loss ratios averaged about 155%, forcing tighter pricing and coverage. Insurers have recalibrated, yet rising AI-enabled phishing and deepfake impersonations are lifting complexity and potential severity. – https://dig.watch/updates/smes-underinsured-as-canadas-cyber-landscape-shifts – https://www.ibc.ca/news-insights/in-focus/canada-s-cyber-insurance-market-finds-its-footing-despite-an-evolving-threat-landscape

CAPI Backdoor targets Russia’s auto and e-commerce sectors

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs – 20 October 2025) Cybersecurity researchers at Seqrite Labs uncovered a new campaign, tracked as Operation MotorBeacon, that targeted the Russian automobile and e-commerce sectors with a previously unknown .NET malware dubbed CAPI Backdoor. “SEQRITE Labs Research Team has recently uncovered a campaign which involves targeting Russian Automobile-Commerce industry which involves commercial as well as automobile oriented transactions , we saw the use of unknown .NET malware which we have dubbed as CAPI Backdoor.” reads the report published by Seqrite Labs. The attack chain starts with phishing emails containing a ZIP archive titled “Перерасчет заработной платы 01.10.2025 (translated Payroll Recalculation as of Oct 1, 2025)” that hides a malicious LNK that runs a .NET implant via rundll32.exe, linking to a C2 server. – https://securityaffairs.com/183628/uncategorized/capi-backdoor-targets-russias-auto-and-e-commerce-sectors.html

Defence, Military, and Warfare

American-Ukrainian Defense Tech Startup Vermeer Reaches $10M in Total Series A Funding Following Draper Associates-Led Extension

(AI Insider – 23 October 2025) Vermeer closed a $10 million Series A led by Draper Associates (with AeroX Ventures, Boscolo Intervest, High Point Ventures, Rockaway Ventures, and U.S. Air Force Tech Stars) to scale its visual positioning system (VPS) for defense and commercial use. The VPS enables GPS-denied navigation via multi-camera visual matching and AI on Nvidia chips, is resistant to jamming/spoofing, and is already used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine and partners including the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. Vermeer has grown from 10 to 40 employees, previously secured $7M+ in SBIR/AFWERX non-dilutive funding, and will use the new capital to expand partnerships with the U.S. military, NATO allies, and the AFU while advancing its platform. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/23/american-ukrainian-defense-tech-startup-vermeer-reaches-10m-in-total-series-a-funding-following-draper-associates-led-extension/

US ally builds 3,600-ton attack submarine armed with cruise missiles to counter China

(Interesting Engineering – 23 October 2025) South Korea launched its first Changbogo-III Batch-II class submarine on Wednesday, marking a major milestone in the country’s push to expand its indigenous naval capabilities.The Jang Yeong-sil (SS-087) was unveiled during a ceremony at Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard in Geoje, south of Busan.The 3,600-ton diesel-electric submarine is the lead vessel in the second batch of South Korea’s homegrown Changbogo-III program. It is designed to strengthen the Republic of Korea Navy’s underwater deterrence. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/3600-ton-missile-submarine

China: World’s first drone carrier maybe testing magnetic catapults to launch jets

(Interesting Engineering – 23 October 2025) China’s newest amphibious assault ship, the Type 076 Sichuan, seems to have started testing its electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), a technology only found on the world’s most advanced aircraft carriers. This week’s satellite images and social media posts show the ‘drone carrier’ at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai. The ship was seen facing the open waters of the Yangtze River, with its catapult launch rail pointed toward the river, indicating that it was preparing for launch testing. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/electromagnetic-catapults-drone-carrier-china

World’s first nuclear carrier built for 6th-gen fighters could be deployed by Italy

(Interesting Engineering – 22 October 2025) Italy will start studying the possibility of building the country’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in 2026. This project is an important step in modernizing Italy’s Navy and could place the country among a few nations that operate nuclear aircraft carriers. The project, known as Portaerei di Nuova Generazione, or New Generation Aircraft Carrier, will be developed under a long-term plan by the Italian Navy (Marina Militare) that extends to 2040. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/worlds-first-nuclear-jet-carrier

US firm’s Star Wars-style humanoid robot soldier brings sci-fi to battlefield

(Interesting Engineering – 22 October 2025) A San Francisco-based robotics company named Foundation has developed what could be the world’s first humanoid robot explicitly designed for warfare. Called the Phantom MK-1, the machine stands 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 175 pounds, and can carry loads up to 44 pounds. The company’s move breaks ranks with most major robotics manufacturers, which have pledged not to weaponize their technology. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/real-life-star-wars-battle-droid

Massive Chinese stealth drone spotted in flight fuels bomber rivalry with US

(Interesting Engineering – 22 October 2025) A mysterious stealth drone, possibly China’s next-generation bomber, has taken to the skies for the first time, marking a significant step in the country’s aerial weapons development. The large flying-wing aircraft, unofficially dubbed GJ-X, was spotted in a video circulating on Chinese social media since October 19, as reported by South China Morning Post (SCMP). Military analysts quickly connected the aircraft to satellite images captured in August over Malan Airbase in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The drone seen in the video appeared nearly identical to the one previously observed there. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/mysterious-chinese-stealth-drone-spotted

Chinese Report Stealth-Detecting Quantum Radar Enters Mass Production

(Quantum Insider – 20 October 2025) Chinese researchers claim to have begun mass-producing a single-photon detector, a core component for quantum radar systems that could theoretically detect stealth aircraft. The device, developed at the Quantum Information Engineering Technology Research Center in Anhui province, is described as an ultra-low-noise, four-channel detector capable of isolating individual photons and resistant to electronic warfare interference. Defense experts caution that without live, validated trials demonstrating consistent detection under real-world conditions, China’s assertions of neutralizing American stealth technology remain speculative. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/20/chinese-report-stealth-detecting-quantum-radar-enters-mass-production/

Frontiers

NYU Launches Quantum Institute to Drive Cross-Disciplinary Research and Innovation

(Quantum Insider – 24 October 2025) New York University announced the creation of the NYU Quantum Institute to advance research and innovation across quantum computing, communication and sensing technologies. The institute, led by physicist Javad Shabani, will unite researchers from multiple disciplines to accelerate practical applications and commercialization of quantum science. The launch follows growing industry collaboration, including Qunnect’s deployment of entanglement-based quantum networks in New York City in partnership with NYU. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/24/nyu-launches-quantum-institute-to-drive-cross-disciplinary-research-and-innovation/

Trove AI Raises $7.1M Led by Menlo Ventures as Demand for Its Private Equity Agents Takes Off

(AI Insider – 24 October 2025) Trove AI (formerly Mako) raised $7.1 million in seed funding led by Menlo Ventures, with continued backing from Khosla Ventures, bringing total funding to nearly $9 million to expand its team, product, and private equity deployments. Founded in 2023, Trove builds AI agents for private equity firms that automate deal screening, portfolio reporting, and data analysis, operating securely in private clouds with SOC 2 Type II compliance. With rapid adoption and growing usage among top firms like Shamrock Capital, Trove’s Associate AGI platformleverages proprietary knowledge graphs and advanced enterprise search to deliver faster, higher-quality insights for financial workflows. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/24/trove-ai-raises-7-1m-led-by-menlo-ventures-as-demand-for-its-private-equity-agents-takes-off/

Strong Customer Demand Enables Dexory to Secure $165M in Funding, Accelerating Global Expansion and AI-Powered Capabilities

(AI Insider – 24 October 2025) Dexory raised $165 million, including a $100 million Series C round led by Eurazeo, with participation from LTS Growth, Endeavor Catalyst, and existing investors such as DTCP, Atomico, and Lakestar, bringing total funding since its 2024 Series B to a significant milestone. The company’s AI-driven platform, DexoryView, uses autonomous robots and digital twin technology to deliver real-time warehouse data and insights, improving visibility, efficiency, and scalability for clients like GXO, Maersk, DHL, and Stellantis. The new capital will accelerate product development, international expansion, and deployment of agentic AI systems, positioning Dexory to lead the next phase of warehouse automation and intelligent supply chain transformation. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/24/strong-customer-demand-enables-dexory-to-secure-165m-in-funding-accelerating-global-expansion-and-ai-powered-capabilities/

HOOTL Secures Series A Funding to Transform Healthcare Insurance Processing with AI

(AI Insider – 24 October 2025) 5IR Funds led a $6.5 million Series A round in HOOTL, an AI-first healthcare automation company building secure, compliant systems to streamline insurance processing and reduce costly claim denials. HOOTL’s domain-specific AI agents integrate real-time policy validation and regulatory intelligence, giving healthcare providers visibility into shifting rules and reducing the $450 billion lost annually to administrative inefficiency and denials. Backed by privileged access to regulators, HOOTL has proven its system in dental practices and plans a broader rollout in Q4 2025, positioning itself as the trusted automation infrastructure for the healthcare industry. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/24/hootl-secures-series-a-funding-to-transform-healthcare-insurance-processing-with-ai/

AIBotics Signs LOI to Acquire NovaCore Labs and Partners with Keenon Robotics to bring XMAN and Service Robots to Jamaica and the Caribbean

(AI Insider – 24 October 2024) Aibotics (OTC: AIBT), a subsidiary of Ehave, signed an LOI to acquire Jamaica-based Google Partner NovaCore Labs to expand AI, robotics, and digital transformation efforts across the CARICOM region. NovaCore’s expertise in immersive tech, Google Cloud, and national mapping initiatives—including Jamaica’s first Street View Car—positions Aibotics to accelerate smart infrastructure, education, and workforce training projects in the Caribbean. The partnership includes a KEENON Robotics collaboration to introduce XMAN humanoid service robots to Jamaica, reinforcing Aibotics’ goal to make the region a hub for AI-driven innovation and smart city development. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/24/aibotics-signs-loi-to-acquire-novacore-labs-and-partners-with-keenon-robotics-to-bring-xman-and-service-robots-to-jamaica-and-the-caribbean/

Chef Robotics and ILPRA Partner to Deliver Flexible Automation for Meal Assembly and Packaging

(AI Insider – 24 October 2025) Chef Robotics and ILPRA formed a partnership to deliver an end-to-end, AI-enabled automation solution for meal assembly and packaging across fresh and frozen RTE/RTH lines. The integrated offering combines Chef’s robots (portioning/depositing for high-mix SKUs) with ILPRA’s tray sealers and packaging systems to handle frequent changeovers, boost throughput, and improve consistency in cold-room production. Chef reports 70M+ servings assembled in North America and ILPRA brings 70+ years of packaging expertise, positioning the joint solution to reduce labor bottlenecks, cut giveaway, and raise line efficiency. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/24/chef-robotics-and-ilpra-partner-to-deliver-flexible-automation-for-meal-assembly-and-packaging/

Researchers develop advanced AI system to assess tumour relapse risk

(DigWatch – 24 October 2025) Researchers at Universitat Rovira i Virgili have developed an AI model that predicts breast cancer recurrence more accurately than existing systems. The tool combines clinical data with MRI scans to detect subtle patterns signalling relapse risk. Unlike traditional models, the AI also examines surrounding tissue, breast symmetry, and tumour texture variations. The system automatically segments MRI scans, extracts key features, and combines them with tumour type, hormone receptor status, and malignancy data. – https://dig.watch/updates/researchers-develop-advanced-ai-system-to-assess-tumour-relapse-risk– https://healthcare-in-europe.com/en/news/ai-model-prediction-breast-cancer-recurrence.html

Autonomous AI may improve diabetic eye screening in safety-net clinics

(DigWatch – 24 October 2025) Researchers are testing if autonomous AI at FQHCs can boost diabetic retinopathy detection, accelerate diagnosis, and improve referral follow-through. The JAMA-published trial targets patients missing DR screening for 11 months, using FDA-cleared AI to analyse fundus photos during routine visits. Immediate results allow same-day action, potentially reducing missed referrals for patients facing time, travel, and cost barriers. – https://dig.watch/updates/autonomous-ai-may-improve-diabetic-eye-screening-in-safety-net-clinics – https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251022/AI-driven-eye-screening-aims-to-close-the-diabetic-vision-gap-in-community-clinics.aspx

UC Santa Cruz uses NVIDIA AI to map global coastal flood risks

(DigWatch – 24 October 2025) Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are using NVIDIA’s accelerated computing to model coastal flooding and support climate adaptation planning. Led by Professor Michael Beck, the team develops high-resolution, GPU-powered visualisations to assess how coral reefs, mangroves, and dunes can reduce flood damage. – https://dig.watch/updates/uc-santa-cruz-uses-nvidia-ai-to-map-global-coastal-flood-risks – https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/uc-santa-cruz-maps-coastal-flooding/

Telecom at the Edge of Scale: How Quantum Technologies Are Recasting the Network Economy

(Quantum Insider – 23 October 2025) The global telecom industry faces structural stagnation where traditional revenue models are nearing saturation, growth has slowed to under 3% annually (below inflation), and differentiation has narrowed to basic factors like price and reliability. Leading operators are shifting from being connectivity providers to technology companies, integrating AI, cloud, and quantum technologies to create new efficiencies and defend market share. Quantum offers three main opportunities: network optimization, security through QKD and PQC, and analytics via quantum machine learning for predictive maintenance. Over the next decade, telecoms must move from pilot projects to quantum-native infrastructure, using ecosystem collaboration and talent development to unlock efficiency, security, and strategic differentiation. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/23/telecom-at-the-edge-of-scale-how-quantum-technologies-are-recasting-the-network-economy/

Quandela Delivers Photonic Quantum Computer to EuroHPC and GENCI at CEA’s TGCC

(Quantum Insider – 23 October 2025) Quandela has delivered Lucy, a 12-qubit photonic quantum computer, to the CEA’s Très Grand Centre de calcul (TGCC) under the EuroQCS-France consortium led by GENCI and procured by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking. Lucy, assembled entirely within the EU with 80% European-sourced components, will be coupled to the Joliot-Curie supercomputer to enable hybrid high-performance and quantum computing for applications in optimization, chemistry, and machine learning. The system will enter full operation in early 2026, with early remote access and training programs already available to prepare European researchers and companies for its use. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/23/quandela-delivers-photonic-quantum-computer-to-eurohpc-and-genci-at-ceas-tgcc/

Quantum Imaging Research Could Improve Retinal Scans

(Quantum Insider – 23 October 2025) The €4.5 million Horizon Europe-funded SEQUOIA project is developing a quantum imaging technique that combines entangled photons and AI to surpass the 1-micron resolution limit of today’s Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) systems used in eye disease diagnosis. By achieving potential resolutions down to 0.5 microns—twice as sharp as current methods—the technology could help detect the earliest structural changes in the retina that signal macular degeneration, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy, improving diagnostic precision and patient outcomes. Led by Nicolaus Copernicus University with partners including NKT Photonics, PTB, DTU, UPV, ICFO, and ARDITEC, the consortium is also piloting a social impact framework to ensure future quantum OCT systems align with clinical, ethical, and sustainability goals. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/23/quantum-imaging-research-could-improve-retinal-scans/

375ai Raises $10M to Power Real-World AI with Edge Data Network

(AI Insider – 23 October 2025) 375ai raised an additional $5 million, led by Delphi Ventures, Strobe Capital, and HackVC, bringing total funding to $10 million to expand its edge data intelligence network for cities, enterprises, and governments. The company’s 375edge devices, powered by NVIDIA Jetson and DeepStream, process real-world data locally — compressing 1TB of raw inputs into 35MB of insights daily — enabling faster, privacy-centric intelligence for mobility, logistics, and safety applications. With deployments already monitoring 1.5 million vehicles daily in Los Angeles and expansion planned for New York, Miami, and global markets, 375ai is positioning itself as core infrastructure for real-world AI and smart city systems. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/23/375ai-raises-10m-to-power-real-world-ai-with-edge-data-network/

HiOctave Announces $15M Funding to Bring Verticalized AI+Human Customer Experiences and Booking Agents to SMBs

(AI Insider – 23 October 2025) HiOctave launched with $15 million in funding led by Vinod Khosla and Khosla Ventures, joined by Celesta Capital, Anthology Fund, and Carya Venture Partners, to bring AI-powered customer experience automation to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). Founded by Andy Lee, Anand Chandrasekaran, and Golan Agmon, the company builds on the success of their previous venture Crescendo, which reached $100M in revenue within 20 months and deployed 500 AI agents for enterprise clients. HiOctave’s platform offers AI-driven customer satisfaction management, autonomous agents, analytics, and automation tools — delivering enterprise-grade capabilities at SMB-friendly prices to help small businesses personalize and scale customer engagement. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/23/hioctave-announces-15m-funding-to-bring-verticalized-aihuman-customer-experiences-and-booking-agents-to-smbs/

Oso Electric Equipment Acquires Electric Sheep Robotics, Accelerating the Future of Autonomous Outdoor Work

(AI Insider – 23 October 2025) Oso Electric Equipment acquired Electric Sheep Robotics, combining Oso’s commercial electric powertrains with Electric Sheep’s AI-driven autonomous landscaping platform. The merger follows a partnership that produced a 21-inch Commercial Electric Smart Lawn Mower and aims to expand zero-emission, autonomous OPE deployments in tough commercial settings, including GPS-denied urban sites. The combined company targets quieter, cleaner operations with adaptive, hands-free workflows, reduced labor and carbon footprints, and near-term product rollouts and market expansion in Texas, California, and beyond. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/23/oso-electric-equipment-acquires-electric-sheep-robotics-accelerating-the-future-of-autonomous-outdoor-work/

Uber, Nebius Commit Up to $375M to Avride for Robotaxis and Delivery Bots

(AI Insider – 23 October 2025) Avride secured up to $375 million from Uber and Nebius to accelerate autonomous ride-hailing and delivery. The deal extends a 2024 multi-year Uber agreement, with a Dallas robotaxi launch planned by end-2025 and delivery robots already active for Uber Eats in Jersey City, Austin, and Dallas. Funding will scale fleet and AI development, support new market expansion, and de-risk deployment timelines through combined capital and commercial commitments. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/23/uber-nebius-commit-up-to-375m-to-avride-for-robotaxis-and-delivery-bots/

World’s first underwater data center fueled by wind power completed in China

(Interesting Engineering – 23 October 2025) China has completed construction of the world’s first wind-powered underwater data center (UDC), that could transform how the vast digital infrastructure driving AI, cloud computing and big data is powered. Located in the Lin-gang Special Area of the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone, the USD 226 million (CNY 1.6 billion) UDC project is being hailed as a milestone in the integration of offshore renewable energy with next-generation computing. – https://interestingengineering.com/energy/world-first-underwater-data-center-china

General Motors unveils AI and robotics innovations for next-generation vehicles

(DigWatch – 23 October 2025) General Motors showcased AI, robotics, and software at GM Forward, showing how cars are becoming intelligent assistants. CEO Mary Barra unveiled advances in autonomy, AI, computing, and energy, signalling a move toward smarter, safer, and more personalised vehicles. GM plans to bring eyes-off driving to market in 2028, debuting on the Cadillac ESCALADE IQ electric SUV. The company has already mapped 600,000 miles of hands-free roads in North America, with Super Cruise drivers completing 700 million miles without a crash attributed to the system. – https://dig.watch/updates/general-motors-unveils-ai-and-robotics-innovations-for-next-generation-vehicles – https://news.gm.com/home.detail.html/Pages/news/us/en/2025/oct/1022-UM-GM-eyes-off-driving-conversational-AI-unified-software-platform.html

Boston Dynamics, Field AI, and Honeywell Vets Launch AI & Robotics Advisory Firm

(AI Insider – 22 October 2025) Nascent Scale, founded by robotics veterans Tim Dykstra and Chris McCasky, launched as an advisory firm to help organizations move robotics and AI initiatives from pilots to enterprise-scale deployment with measurable ROI. The founders bring leadership experience from Boston Dynamics, Field AI, and Honeywell, positioning the firm to bridge the gap between nascent technologies and scaled operational outcomes.  Service lines target technology providers, industrial end users, and investors, covering go-to-market acceleration, pilot design and rollout, partner/channel strategy, due diligence, and interim GTM support. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/22/boston-dynamics-field-ai-and-honeywell-vets-launch-ai-robotics-advisory-firm/

China’s Lianhe Sowell to Invest $105M to Establish AI Robot Manufacturing and R&D Base in UAE

(AI Insider – 22 October 2025) Lianhe Sowell International Group (NASDAQ: LHSW) signed a non-binding $105 million term sheet with Excellent Capital Investments to finance its first AI-powered robot manufacturing and R&D base in the UAE as part of its global expansion. The UAE project totals ~$132.5 million, with Lianhe Sowell contributing 20% equity and ECI providing 80% as structured senior secured credit, pending due diligence and final approvals. Targeting an 18-month build, the base aims to produce several thousand AI robots annually, create 2,000+ skilled local jobs, add a robotics training center, and support “Industry 4.0” adoption across sectors like automotive, construction, aviation, rail, marine, and new energy. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/22/chinas-lianhe-sowell-international-group-to-invest-105-million-to-establish-ai-robot-manufacturing-and-rd-base-in-uae/

MIT unveils SEAL, a self-improving AI model

(DigWatch – 22 October 2025) Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have unveiled SEAL, a new AI model capable of improving its own performance without human intervention. The framework allows the model to generate its own training data and fine-tuning instructions, enabling it to learn new tasks autonomously. – https://dig.watch/updates/mit-unveils-seal-a-self-improving-ai-model

BlastPoint Closes $10.6M Growth Funding to Advance Responsible AI for Utilities and Financial Services

(AI Insider – 21 October 2025) BlastPoint raised $10.6 million in growth funding led by MissionOG, with participation from Curql Fund, Michigan Capital Network, and existing investors to expand its AI-driven customer intelligence platform. The company operates in a $13 billion market across 13 sectors and will use the funds to enhance its auditable, equity-focused AI prediction technology built only on permission-granted data. With over 2X annual growth and 100% customer retention, BlastPoint now reaches nearly one-quarter of U.S. households, helping utilities and financial institutions use AI responsibly to improve customer engagement and access to financial assistance. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/blastpoint-closes-10-6m-growth-funding-to-advance-responsible-ai-for-utilities-and-financial-services/

Appy.AI Launches AI Business Creation Platform After Raising $5M Seed Funding

(AI Insider – 21 October 2025) Appy.AI launched a public beta after a $5M seed round led by Four Rivers (Dan Scholnick) and Founder Collective, offering a platform to build monetizable AI businesses without coding. Unlike code-gen tools, it delivers production-ready AI agents with full business infrastructure — payments (Stripe), auth, subscriptions, analytics, white-label sites, support, and continuous improvement — via a conversational builder. Early users report going from idea to paying customers in minutes; access is free with no token limits during October 2025, ahead of simple, transparent pricing after beta. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/appy-ai-launches-ai-business-creation-platform-after-raising-5m-seed-funding/

Realm.Security Redefines Security Data Pipelines with AI, Secures $15M to Accelerate Next-Gen SOC Operations

(AI Insider – 21 October 2025) Realm.Securityraised $15 million in Series A funding led by Jump Capital, with participation from Glasswing Ventures and Accomplice, to accelerate its AI-native Security Data Pipeline Platform (SDPP). The platform uses AI and machine learning to filter and structure security data in real time, cutting costs, reducing noise, and helping SOC teams focus on critical threats rather than raw data overload. Early enterprise users report rapid deployment and significant savings, with Realm poised to redefine how organizations manage, analyze, and secure their data pipelines. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/realm-security-redefines-security-data-pipelines-with-ai-raises-15m-to-accelerate-next-gen-soc-operations/

Arcjet Raises $8.3M to Tackle Surge in AI-Powered Cyberattacks and Malicious Bots with In-Code Defense

(AI Insider – 21 October 2025) Arcjet raised $8.3 million in Series A funding led by Plural and Ott Kaukver, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Seedcamp, and other investors, bringing total funding to $12 million. The company embeds AI-powered threat detection directly into application code, enabling developers to identify and block sophisticated attacks in real time without slowing deployment. Already protecting over 500 production apps across AI and e-commerce, Arcjet is positioning its in-code AI security model as the next-generation defense against adaptive, automated cyber threats. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/arcjet-raises-8-3m-to-tackle-surge-in-ai-powered-cyberattacks-and-malicious-bots-with-in-code-defense/

Versaterm Partners with Vantage Robotics to Expand Public Safety Drone Portfolio

(AI Insider  – 21 October 2025) Versaterm partnered with Vantage Robotics to integrate the U.S.-made, NDAA-compliant, Blue UAS–cleared Vesper and Trace drones into its DroneSense by Versaterm public safety platform. The integration delivers secure real-time video/telemetry into OpsHub, unified flight/compliance management, and city-scale coordination across UAVs and ground assets for rapid ISR and DFR operations. Vesper is available now and Trace is coming soon, with Versaterm to be at IACP 2025. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/versaterm-partners-with-vantage-robotics-to-expand-public-safety-drone-portfolio/

Researchers Develop System to Verify Safety and Stability of AI-Driven Control Systems

(AI Insider – 21 October 2025) Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a new framework combining mathematics and machine learning to verify the safety and stability of AI systems that control critical infrastructure such as power grids and autonomous vehicles. The study, published in Automatica and supported by Waterloo’s TRuST Scholarly Network, uses neural networks to learn Lyapunov functions—key mathematical tools in control theory—paired with logic-based verification to ensure AI controllers behave safely under dynamic conditions. By automating the generation and validation of mathematical safety proofs, the system could help engineers design more trustworthy AI for real-world applications, with the team planning to release the framework as open-source software for broader adoption. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/researchers-develop-system-to-verify-safety-and-stability-of-ai-driven-control-systems/

Starship Technologies Raises $50M Series C to Scale Autonomous Delivery Across U.S. Cities

(AI Insider – 21 October 2025) Starship Technologies raised $50 million led by Plural, bringing total funding to $280+ million to scale autonomous delivery from European cities and U.S. campuses into American urban markets. The company reports 9 million+ deliveries across seven countries, operates at Level 4 autonomy with positive gross margins, and claims a city-scale logistics network backed by a continuously growing dataset. Partnerships with Grubhub (U.S.) and European platforms including Bolt, Wolt, and Foodora position Starship as an autonomous last-mile backbone as it expands its robot fleet and U.S. footprint. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/starship-technologies-raises-50m-series-c-to-scale-autonomous-delivery-across-u-s-cities/

Romanian Startup .lumen Gets €11M Grant to Develop Autonomous Delivery Robots

(AI Insider -21 October 2025) Romanian startup .lumen secured a €11 million grant for “PABLO – Autonomous Robots for Urban Delivery,” a 2025–2028 program to build humanoid and quadruped sidewalk delivery robots with a national consortium. The project totals 56,856,649.01 RON with 34,987,312.27 RON in non-reimbursable funding (21,309,568.52 RON EU + 13,677,743.75 RON national), running Sept. 16, 2025–Sept. 15, 2028. Led by .lumen with IMSAR, BreadCrumbs Interactive, and Linnify, the effort extends PAD AI navigation to last-mile logistics to cut delivery costs and times, reduce environmental impact, and produce a full software-hardware stack plus new R&D roles and IP. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/romanian-startup-lumen-gets-e11m-grant-to-develop-autonomous-delivery-robots/

Chipmind Launches From Stealth With $2.4 Million For Chip-Making AI Agents

(AI Insider – 21 October 2025) Chipmind, a European startup specializing in AI agents for chip design, has launched Chipmind Agents to help semiconductor companies accelerate the path from specification to manufacturing. The agents integrate directly into existing electronic design automation (EDA) workflows, using proprietary customer data to autonomously execute complex design and verification tasks while keeping engineers in control. Backed by a $2.4 million pre-seed round led by Founderful, Chipmind aims to reduce development cycles and address rising chip complexity through human–AI collaboration. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/21/chipmind-launches-from-stealth-with-2-4-million-for-chip-making-ai-agents/

Data centers turn to old jet engines to power AI’s soaring energy demands

(Interesting Engineering – 21 October 2025) As the world races to build the infrastructure behind artificial intelligence, data centers are hitting a critical energy roadblock. Grid delays and a shortage of new gas turbines are forcing developers to look skyward for answers. Across the U.S. and beyond, old airplane engines are being repurposed into power generators, keeping the AI boom from stalling. Data centers are expanding faster than utilities, with megawatt-hungry facilities waiting years to access grid power. Normally, developers would connect directly to the grid or build dedicated on-site power plants, but the surge in demand has exposed a deep supply shortage. Lead times for new gas turbines from manufacturers like GE, Vernova, and Siemens Energy now stretch from three to five years, sometimes even longer. – https://interestingengineering.com/energy/plane-engine-gas-turbine-energy

What We Risk When AI Systems Remember

(Gathoni Ireri – Tech Policy Press – 21 October 2025) In April 2025, while announcing improvements to ChatGPT’s memory, Sam Altman expressed his excitement about “AI systems that get to know you over your life,” promising that this would make them “extremely useful and personalized.”. This kind of personalized lifelong knowledge capacity in AI systems represents a fairly recent innovation. It involves a form of long-term memory called non-parametric memory, in which information is stored in external files rather than being embedded within the AI model itself. By default, AI systems could access information only within a limited context window, typically restricted to the current conversation. This constraint is analogous to human working memory, which can only hold a few items in active awareness at any given time. The expansion of memory capabilities isn’t unique to OpenAI’s ChatGPT; other companies, including Anthropic and Google, have implemented it in their respective AI systems. Given that such developments are likely to transform how users interact with AI, it’s important to question whether lifelong, personalized knowledge actually enhances their usefulness. – https://www.techpolicy.press/what-we-risk-when-ai-systems-remember/

Anthropic unveils Claude Life Sciences to transform research efficiency

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) Anthropic has unveiled Claude for Life Sciences, its first major launch in the biotechnology sector. The new platform integrates Anthropic’s AI models with leading scientific tools such as Benchling, PubMed, 10x Genomics and Synapse.org, offering researchers an intelligent assistant throughout the discovery process. The system supports tasks from literature reviews and hypothesis development to data analysis and drafting regulatory submissions. According to Anthropic, what once took days of validation and manual compilation can now be completed in minutes, giving scientists more time to focus on innovation. – https://dig.watch/updates/anthropic-unveils-claude-life-sciences-to-transform-research-efficiency – https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-for-life-sciences

Google Cloud and NVIDIA join forces to accelerate enterprise AI and industrial digitalization

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) NVIDIA and Google Cloud are expanding their collaboration to bring advanced AI computing to a wider range of enterprise workloads. The new Google Cloud G4 virtual machines, powered by NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPUs, are now generally available, combining high-performance computing with scalability for AI, design, and industrial applications. – https://dig.watch/updates/google-cloud-and-nvidia-join-forces-to-accelerate-enterprise-ai-and-industrial-digitalisation – https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/nvidia-google-cloud-enterprise-ai-industrial-digitalization/

China’s Unitree reveals next-generation humanoid ahead of major IPO

(DigWatch – 21 October 2025) Unitree Robotics has unveiled its most lifelike humanoid robot to date, marking a bold step forward in the country’s rapidly advancing robotics industry. The new H2 humanoid model, showcased in a short social media video, demonstrated remarkable agility and expressiveness, performing intricate dance moves with striking humanlike grace. – https://dig.watch/updates/chinas-unitree-reveals-next-generation-humanoid-ahead-of-major-ipo

Swiss scientists grow mini-brains to power future computers

(DigWatch – 20 October 2025) In a Swiss laboratory, researchers are using clusters of human brain cells to power experimental computers. The start-up FinalSpark is leading this emerging field of biocomputing, also known as wetware, which uses living neurons instead of silicon chips. Co-founder Fred Jordan said biological neurons are vastly more energy-efficient than artificial ones and could one day replace traditional processors. He believes brain-based computing may eventually help reduce the massive power demands created by AI systems. – https://dig.watch/updates/swiss-scientists-grow-mini-brains-to-power-future-computers – https://japantoday.com/category/tech/%27wetware%27-scientists-use-human-mini-brains-to-power-computers

Meta champions open hardware to power the next generation of AI data centres

(DigWatch – 20 October 2025) The US tech giant, Meta, believes open hardware will define the future of AI data centre infrastructure. Speaking at the Open Compute Project Global Summit, the company outlined a series of innovations designed to make large-scale AI systems more efficient, sustainable, and collaborative. Meta, one of the OCP’s founding members, said open source hardware remains essential to scaling the physical infrastructure required for the next generation of AI. – https://dig.watch/updates/meta-champions-open-hardware-to-power-the-next-generation-of-ai-data-centres – https://about.fb.com/news/2025/10/open-hardware-future-data-center-infrastructure/

Harvard’s health division supports AI-powered medical learning

(DigWatch – 20 October 2025) Harvard Health Publishing has partnered with Microsoft to use its health content to train the Copilot AI system. The collaboration seeks to enhance the accuracy of healthcare responses on Microsoft’s AI platform, according to the Wall Street Journal. HHP publishes consumer health resources reviewed by Harvard scientists, covering topics such as sleep, nutrition, and pain management. The institution confirmed that Microsoft has paid to license its articles, expanding a previous agreement made in 2022. – https://dig.watch/updates/harvards-health-division-supports-ai-powered-medical-learning – https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/10/20/hms-microsoft-license/

University of Oxford Spin-out QFX Announces Seed Funding Round, Appoints Industry Leaders to Executive Team

(Quantum Insider – 20 October 2025) QFX, a UK-based quantum hardware supplier, has launched with a mission to deliver scalable networked quantum technologies for computing, sensing, and secure communications. Founded by Dr. Joe Goodwin and researchers from the University of Oxford, the company builds on advances in trapped-ion and neutral-atom architectures, emphasizing modular design for large-scale quantum systems. The company raised £2 million in seed funding led by investor Paul Graham and appointed Dr. Timothy Ballance as CEO and Sadie Mansell as COO, both formerly of Infleqtion, to lead its commercial and operational expansion. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/20/university-of-oxford-spin-out-qfx-announces-seed-funding-round-appoints-industry-leaders-to-executive-team/

IBM and Groq Partner to Accelerate Enterprise AI Deployment

(AI Insider – 20 October 2025) IBM and Groq have partnered to integrate GroqCloud’s high-speed AI inference into IBM’s watsonx Orchestrate, targeting enterprise-scale deployment of agentic AI. The alliance focuses on improving latency, scalability, and cost efficiency for industries such as healthcare and finance, with Groq’s LPU offering up to 5x faster inference than traditional GPUs. The roadmap includes support for IBM Granite models and integration of Red Hat’s vLLM tech, aiming to streamline deployment and accelerate AI adoption in mission-critical workflows. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/20/ibm-and-groq-partner-to-accelerate-enterprise-ai-deployment/

Armstrong Raises $12 Million to Bring General-Purpose Robots to Kitchens

(AI Insider – 20 October 2025) Armstrong, a San Francisco-based robotics startup, has raised $12 million to advance its AI-powered dishwashing robots, backed by investors including Lerer Hippeau, Bloomberg Beta, and Next Play Ventures. The company’s robots are already deployed in major restaurant chains, washing over one million dishes annually and operating 24/7 under a monthly subscription model. Built for general-purpose kitchen automation, Armstrong’s platform uses advanced neural networks and 3D perception, with future plans to expand into prep, cooking, and cleaning tasks. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/20/armstrong-raises-12-million-to-bring-general-purpose-robots-to-kitchens/