Daily Digest on AI and Emerging Technologies (13 January 2025)

Governance and Legislation

Generative AI in Government: What to Expect in 2025

(Elizabeth Moon – NextGov – 10 January 2025) The year 2024 saw the public sector cautiously dipping its toes into the generative AI (gen AI) waters with pilot programs and experiments. Driven by the need to streamline operations and meet rising constituent expectations, these early initiatives demonstrated the potential of gen AI to deliver tangible value and ROI. Now, as we enter 2025, expect to see a significant shift from experimentation to widespread adoption. Gen AI is poised to fundamentally transform how government agencies operate, enabling new levels of efficiency and constituent-centric service delivery. – https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2025/01/generative-ai-government-what-expect-2025/402071/?oref=ng-homepage-river

AI Has Been Surprising for Years

(Holden Karnofsky – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – 6 January 2025) AI presents a challenge for policymakers: a large number of potential risks have not emerged yet, but could emerge quickly. A first step toward navigating this challenge is recognizing that artificial intelligence doesn’t have the sort of stable, well-understood limitations it used to. – https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/01/ai-has-been-surprising-for-years?lang=en

Speaking in Code: Contextualizing Large Language Models in Southeast Asia

(Elina Noor, Binya Kanitroj – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace – 6 January 2025) Southeast Asia’s developers have sought to democratize AI by building language models that better represent the region’s languages, worldviews, and values. Yet, language is deeply political in a region as multiculturally diverse and complex as Southeast Asia. Can localized large language models truly preserve and project the region’s nuances? – https://carnegieendowment.org/research/2025/01/speaking-in-code-contextualizing-large-language-models-in-southeast-asia?lang=en

Security

 

New York sues to recover $2 million in crypto stolen in remote job scams

 

(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 10 January 2025) New York’s attorney general is seeking to recover more than $2 million worth of cryptocurrency stolen in a remote job scam. The investigation alongside the U.S. Secret Service and the Queens County District Attorney’s Office delved into a well-known scheme where hackers flooded phones with text messages offering fake online job opportunities. – https://therecord.media/new-york-sues-recover-millions

 

New amateurish ransomware group FunkSec using AI to develop malware

 

(Daryna Antoniuk – The Record – 10 January 2025) Researchers have uncovered a new ransomware group that has claimed over 80 victims in just one month — more than any other threat actor in December. The group, known as FunkSec, emerged late last year and likely consists of inexperienced hackers seeking visibility and recognition, according to a new report by the cybersecurity firm Check Point. – https://therecord.media/funksec-ransomware-using-ai-malware

Marijuana dispensary STIIIZY warns of leaked IDs after November data breach

(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 10 January 2025) A data breach in November exposed the IDs and passports of people who bought products from STIIIZY, a large marijuana dispensary in California. The company published a breach notice on its website and filed documents with regulators in California warning anyone who bought products from their stores in San Francisco, Alameda and Modesto that their data may have been impacted. – https://therecord.media/marijuana-dispensary-warns-of-data-breach

 

Cybercriminals Use Fake CrowdStrike Job Offers to Distribute Cryptominer

 

(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 10 January 2025) Cybercriminals are impersonating CrowdStrike recruiters to distribute a cryptominer on victim devices. CrowdStrike said it identified phishing campaign exploiting its recruitment branding on January 7. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cybercriminals-fake-crowdstrike/

 

Slovakia Hit by Historic Cyber-Attack on Land Registry

 

(Beth Maundrill – Infosecurity Magazine – 10 January 2025) A large-scale cyber-attack originating from outside Slovakia’s borders has hit the information system of the Office of Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre of the Slovak Republic (UGKK). The UGKK is used by the cadastral departments to record and manage information about land and property. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/slovakia-hit-by-large-scale/

 

Top CISO Focuses for Navigating Cybersecurity in 2025

 

(Laura Hawkins, Elliot Rose – Infosecurity Magazine – 10 January 2025) This year, CISOs will face increasingly complex security challenges due to global trends in politics, technology and the environment. Key priorities will include addressing the growing risks of geopolitical instability, which may amplify cyber threats from state and non-state actors. As access to data becomes a critical component of global power, CISOs must bolster vigilance in protecting sensitive information. This can mean both sensitive personal information as well as sensitive business information. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/ciso-focuses-cybersecurity-2025/

 

Medusind Breach Exposes Sensitive Patient Data

(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 10 January 2025) US dental and medical billing firm Medusind is notifying over 360,000 customers that their personal, financial and medical data may have been accessed by a cybercriminal actor. The breach relates to a cyber incident that took place back on December 29, 2023, and was discovered later the same day. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/medusind-breach-patient-data/

Fake PoC Exploit Targets Security Researchers with Infostealer

(James Coker – Infosecurity Magazine – 10 January 2025) Threat actors have created a fake proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit for a critical Microsoft vulnerability, designed to lure security researchers into downloading and executing information-stealing malware, Trend Micro has reported. The fake PoC relates to a critical vulnerability in Microsoft’s Windows Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), of which a fix was released in the tech giant’s December 2024 Patch Tuesday release. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/fake-poc-exploit-researchers/

Frontiers

Is Consciousness Research The Next Big Quantum Use Case?

Matt Swayne – Quantum Insidier – 11 January 2025) Researchers and companies like Google’s Quantum AI Lab and Nirvanic are exploring whether quantum computing can help unravel the mysteries of consciousness, including its potential quantum origins. Hartmut Neven suggests quantum phenomena like entanglement could underlie consciousness and proposes experiments entangling human brains with quantum computers to test the hypothesis. Nirvanic aims to merge quantum computing, artificial intelligence and theories of quantum consciousness to develop AI systems capable of moral reasoning and adaptability in dynamic environments. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/01/11/is-consciousness-research-the-next-big-quantum-use-case/

Global space economy tracking toward $944B by 2033: report

(Amber Corrin – NextGov – 10 January 2025) The global space economy, comprising all activities and resources underpinning the space market and space-enabled solutions, is on a trillion-dollar trajectory by 2033, according to a new report. Novaspace’s 11th edition Space Economy Report, released Jan. 9, predicts significant growth in “downstream applications” as a key driver behind growth from a $596 billion economy in 2024 to $944 billion by 2033. Downstream applications include space-based solutions and services delivering data and capabilities on Earth, such as navigation and mapping, communications and Earth observation, per the report. – https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2025/01/global-space-economy-tracking-toward-944b-2033-report/402102/?oref=ng-homepage-river

El Capitan supercomputer is ready to handle nuclear stockpile and AI workflows

(Alexandra Kelley – NextGov – 10 January 2025) The El Capitan supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was officially dedicated to U.S. national security missions and nuclear stockpile management. During El Capitan’s dedication ceremony at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, stakeholders in both the public and private sector highlighted El Capitan’s distinction as the world’s fastest supercomputer, boasting the ability to compute over 2.79 exaflops of data. The ceremony itself reiterated the $600 million dollar machine’s focus on stewarding management of the U.S. nuclear stockpile and other national security research areas, along with broader scientific topics. – https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2025/01/el-capitan-supercomputer-ready-handle-nuclear-stockpile-and-ai-workflows/402088/?oref=ng-homepage-river

HENSOLDT to Support DLR on Quantum Radar Optimization for Defense Applications

(Cierra Choucair – Quantum Insider – 10 January 2025) HENSOLDT, in collaboration with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Tensor AI Solutions GmbH, is working on the QUA-SAR research project under the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative to optimize radar remote sensing scenarios using quantum computing. The project, funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, addresses the challenge of distributing tasks in multi-platform, multi-sensor radar systems in highly dynamic environments. HENSOLDT intends to leverage quantum computing for real-time radar resource management, enhancing its ‘Quantum Sensing and Technologies’ company initiative established in early 2024. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/01/10/hensoldt-to-support-dlr-on-quantum-radar-optimization-for-defense-applications/

Scientists ‘Tune’ Quantum Models to Generate Better Data with Fewer Resources

(Matt Swayne – 10 January 2025 – Quantum Insider) A new quantum generative model, the Observable-Tunable Expectation Value Sampler (OT-EVS), offers a way to generate high-quality data using fewer quantum resources, with potential applications in industries like drug discovery and climate modeling. The model introduces tunable observables that enhance flexibility and reduce computational demands by prioritizing less resource-intensive classical updates over quantum operations. Numerical experiments demonstrate that OT-EVS outperforms traditional models in accuracy and efficiency, suggesting it could help bridge the gap between theoretical quantum capabilities and real-world applications. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/01/10/scientists-tune-quantum-models-to-generate-better-data-with-fewer-resources/

 

Royal Orthopaedic Hospital Leverages VitVio’s AI-powered Platform to Increase the Efficiency and Safety in Operating Rooms

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 10 January 2025) VitVio, leveraging AI and computer vision, has launched a partnership with the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to optimize surgical efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance patient outcomes through real-time surgical data analysis and actionable insights. Its platform autonomously tracks procedures, tool usage, and protocol adherence, helping hospitals address inefficiencies that contribute to $70 billion in excess costs annually in the U.S., while improving operating room utilization and reducing delays and readmissions. Supported by investments from LDV Capital, Bek Ventures, and others, VitVio plans to expand its platform capabilities and partnerships with leading hospitals across the US, UK, and Europe, positioning itself as a transformative force in healthcare technology. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/01/10/royal-orthopaedic-hospital-leverages-vitvios-ai-powered-platform-to-increase-the-efficiency-and-safety-in-operating-rooms/

 

CARV Showcases the Launch of CARV SVM Chain Testnet: Empowering AI Agents, Redefining Data Sovereignty

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 10 January 2025) CARV has launched the CARV SVM Chain Testnet, an AI agentic infrastructure enabling data sovereignty through zk-technology and Trusted Execution Environments (TEE), integrating Ethereum and Solana for secure, scalable, and privacy-focused decentralized applications. With over 15 million users and 9 million CARV ID holders, the platform supports AI agents to autonomously handle data while empowering developers and users to build and benefit from decentralized applications in gaming, DeSci, and AI-driven services. Backed by $50 million in funding from top-tier investors, CARV aims to redefine digital ownership, privacy, and intelligent interactions, driving innovation in AI and blockchain ecosystems. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/01/10/carv-showcases-the-launch-of-carv-svm-chain-testnet-empowering-ai-agents-redefining-data-sovereignty/

METIS Intelligence, a Cutting-Edge AI Company, Announces New Funding Round to Drive U.S. Market Expansion

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 10 January 2025) METIS Intelligence, a leader in AI-driven intelligence and law enforcement solutions, has secured funding led by UAE-based Tau Capital to expand its operations in North America, providing advanced intelligence tools to agencies of all sizes. The investment will accelerate METIS’ R&D, partnerships, and U.S. team growth while delivering AI-powered solutions that improve decision-making, threat detection, and case resolution through real-time data fusion and cognitive automation. Bill Murray, General Partner at Tau Capital, joins the METIS Board of Directors to support its strategic growth, reinforcing its mission to make cutting-edge intelligence technology affordable and impactful for public safety agencies. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/01/10/metis-intelligence-a-cutting-edge-ai-company-announces-new-funding-round-to-drive-u-s-market-expansion/

Nevermined Raises $4M to Build the PayPal for AI-Commerce

(James Dargan – AI Insider – 10 January 2025) Nevermined has raised over $4 million in funding, led by Generative Ventures and other notable investors, to build an AI payment infrastructure enabling seamless AI-to-AI transactions and driving the growth of AI-Commerce. The platform acts as a “PayPal for AI,” offering dynamic payment systems that manage payments, usage tracking, and credit for AI agents, addressing the unique needs of AI-driven commerce. With partnerships from key players like Olas and Naptha, the funding will accelerate Nevermined’s go-to-market strategy, team expansion, and development of financial rails for the rapidly growing AI economy. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/01/10/nevermined-raises-4m-to-build-the-paypal-for-ai-commerce/

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