Governance
European Commission launches Apply AI and AI in Science strategies
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) Countries are racing to harness AI, and the European Commission has unveiled two strategies to maintain Europe’s competitiveness. Apply AI targets faster adoption across industries and the public sector, while AI in Science focuses on boosting Europe’s research leadership. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Europe must shape AI’s future by balancing innovation and safety. The European Commission is mobilising €1 billion to boost adoption in healthcare, manufacturing, energy, defence, and culture, while supporting SMEs. – https://dig.watch/updates/european-commission-launches-apply-ai-and-ai-in-science-strategies – https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_2299
OpenAI joins dialogue with the EU on fair and transparent AI development
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) The US AI company, OpenAI, has met with the European Commission to discuss competition in the rapidly expanding AI sector. A meeting focused on how large technology firms such as Apple, Microsoft and Google shape access to digital markets through their operating systems, app stores and search engines. – https://dig.watch/updates/openai-joins-dialogue-with-the-eu-on-fair-and-transparent-ai-development – https://www.financialexpress.com/life/technology-openai-warns-eu-that-apple-microsoft-and-google-can-threaten-competition-in-ai-all-details-here-4005703/
OSCE warns AI threatens freedom of thought
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) The OSCE has launched a new publication warning that rapid progress in AI threatens the fundamental human right to freedom of thought. The report, Think Again: Freedom of Thought in the Age of AI, calls on governments to create human rights-based safeguards for emerging technologies. – https://dig.watch/updates/osce-warns-ai-threatens-freedom-of-thought – https://www.osce.org/odihr/598786
Retailers face new pressure under California privacy law
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) California has entered a new era of privacy and AI enforcement after the state’s privacy regulator fined Tractor Supply USD1.35 million for failing to honour opt-outs and ignoring Global Privacy Control signals. The case marks the largest penalty yet from the California Privacy Protection Agency. In California, there is a widening focus on how companies manage consumer data, verification processes and third-party vendors. Regulators are now demanding that privacy signals be enforced at the technology layer, not just displayed through website banners or webforms. – https://dig.watch/updates/retailers-face-new-pressure-under-california-privacy-law – https://iapp.org/news/a/retail-under-review-californias-new-era-of-privacy-enforcement
Google will be forced to loosen control over search in the UK
(Cybernews – 10 October 2025) The British competition authority has told Google it will have to loosen control over its search engine under new, stricter digital market rules. The search giant has become the first company to be designated by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) with the so-called “strategic market status” (SMS) under new digital laws that came into effect this year. The legislation grants regulators new powers to curb big tech dominance where deemed necessary in order to ensure fair competition – in Google’s case, that’s online search and advertising. The new label means that the CMA will be able to intervene in the Alphabet-owned company’s operations in Britain and compel it to change its approach to the search market. – https://cybernews.com/news/google-search-control-uk/
In the Social Media Wars, Washington, Not Brussels, is the Victor
(Mark Scott – Tech Policy Press – 10 October 2025) In a world dominated by social media, Washington and Brussels are taking vastly different approaches to corral these new Masters of the Universe. In Washington, the United States is on the verge of wresting TikTok’s American operations out of the hands of ByteDance, its China-linked parent company. Details of the proposed $14 billion deal are sketchy. But a White House executive order explained how US investors would take the helm of one of the country’s most important social media platforms under a scheme the Trump administration claimed would ward off national security threats and keep Americans’ data secure from China. In Brussels, the European Union is two years into the implementation of its Digital Services Act (DSA). That includes reams of ongoing investigations, risk and transparency reports and lengthy audits into how global platforms — including TikTok — safeguard people’s fundamental rights and protect individuals from illegal content. Despite a focus on US social media giants, the majority of early-stage charges under the DSA have targeted Chinese firms like Temu, ByteDance and AliExpress. This transatlantic split on digital governance is driven by contradictory goals from EU and American officials. – https://www.techpolicy.press/in-the-social-media-wars-washington-not-brussels-is-the-victor/
August & September 2025 Tech Litigation Roundup
(Madeline Batt, Melodi Dinçer – Tech Policy Press – 10 October 2025) The Tech Litigation Roundup gathers and briefly analyzes notable lawsuits and court decisions across a variety of tech-and-law issues. – https://www.techpolicy.press/august-september-2025-tech-litigation-roundup/
Amid Threats, Global Gathering Seeks to Reseed Digital Rights Ecosystem
(Greta Byrum – Tech Policy Press – 10 October 2025) Last month, public interest technologists, civil society advocates, journalists and researchers who defend human rights and freedom of speech around the globe met in Estoril, Portugal at the Digital Rights Defenders Global Gathering. – https://www.techpolicy.press/amid-threats-global-gathering-seeks-to-reseed-digital-rights-ecosystem/
Tech’s ‘Sovereignty Washing’ in Europe Will Ripple in the Global South
(Arun M. Sukumar – Lawfare – 9 October 2025) The siren song of digital sovereignty may have lured its most prized target yet. In response to rising pressure in Brussels and European capitals to decouple their markets from the services of U.S. hyperscalers, Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have all reintroduced “sovereignty cloud” offerings to mollify regulators and customers. These offerings are not only disingenuous—they also pose serious risks for digital infrastructure and the openness of the internet in countries in the Global South. Hyperscalers contribute to internet standards and shape national cybersecurity and data governance norms through their market reach, especially in developing economies where digital regulations are still evolving. Attempts by technology companies to tinker with network architecture—as well as advocating for state involvement in the governance of such products—are highly problematic: They foreclose the possibility of regulatory movement or reform toward open networks and cross-border data flows in emerging markets. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/tech-s–sovereignty-washing–in-europe-will-ripple-in-the-global-south
Geostrategies
China, the United States, and the AI Race
(Michael Froman – Council on Foreign Relations – 10 October 2025) China might have become the manufacturing floor for the global economy, but the West has taken some comfort from the assessment that the United States retains the lead when it comes to the quest for artificial intelligence (AI). That might depend, however, on how one defines the competition. The United States tends to define it in terms of the race toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), that is, self-improving artificial intelligence which surpasses the cognitive power of human beings and is capable of executing real-world knowledge work tasks. By Trump’s AI czar David Sacks’ estimate, “China is not years and years behind us in AI. Maybe they’re three to six months,” but no one can really be certain—what that means, whether that’s true, and whether it really matters. – https://www.cfr.org/article/china-united-states-and-ai-race
Pasqal to Build U.S. Headquarters at Illinois Quantum And Microelectronics Park
(Quantum Insider – 10 October 2025) French quantum computing company Pasqal will invest more than $65 million to build its U.S. headquarters at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park on Chicago’s South Side, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The facility will develop neutral-atom quantum computers, create at least 50 jobs, and receive about $21 million in combined state incentives and loans through Illinois’ Manufacturing Chips for Real Opportunity Act and Climate Bank programs. Founded in 2019 by Nobel laureate Alain Aspect, Pasqal joins firms such as IBM, Diraq, DARPA, Infleqtion and PsiQuantum at the 128-acre park, which state officials project could generate $50 billion in economic impact over 20 years. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/10/pasqal-to-build-u-s-headquarters-at-illinois-quantum-and-microelectronics-park/
Florida Opportunity Fund and Quantum Coast Capital Sign MOU to Advance Quantum Investment and Innovation
(Quantum Insider – 10 October 2025) The Florida Opportunity Fund and Quantum Coast Capital have signed an MOU to jointly identify, evaluate, and co-invest in companies developing quantum technologies across computing, networking, and sensing in Florida. The collaboration aims to expand Florida’s quantum sector by attracting companies, researchers, and talent while aligning state investment strategies with global innovation trends. Quantum Coast Capital, a South Florida-based venture firm focused solely on quantum investment, is partnering with public and private entities to accelerate commercialization and retain emerging quantum talent within the state. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/10/florida-opportunity-fund-and-quantum-coast-capital-sign-mou-to-advance-quantum-investment-and-innovation/
US greenlights Nvidia chip exports to UAE under new AI pact
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) The US has approved its first export licences for Nvidia’s advanced AI chips destined for the United Arab Emirates, marking a concrete step in the bilateral AI partnership announced earlier in 2025. These licences come under the oversight of the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security, aligned with a formal agreement between the two nations signed in May. – https://dig.watch/updates/us-greenlights-nvidia-chip-exports-to-uae-under-new-ai-pact – https://www.thenationalnews.com/future/technology/2025/10/09/us-approves-first-nvidia-chips-to-uae-to-deepen-ai-partnership/
Security and Surveillance
Cybercrime ring GXC Team dismantled in Spain, 25-year-old leader detained
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs – 11 October 2025) Spanish Guardia Civil dismantled the “GXC Team” cybercrime group, arresting its 25-year-old Brazilian leader “GoogleXcoder.” The gang sold AI-powered phishing kits, Android malware, and voice-scam tools via Telegram and Russian forums, becoming a major supplier of credential theft tools in Spain. In January 2024, Resecurity uncovered a cybercriminal faction known as “GXC Team“, which specializes in crafting tools for online banking theft, ecommerce deception, and internet scams. Around November 11th, 2023, the group’s leader “googleXcoder“ made multiple announcements on the Dark Web. On New Year’s Eve, the group declared significant price reductions, offering up to a 20% discount on their products available on the Dark Web. – https://securityaffairs.com/183252/cyber-crime/cybercrime-ring-gxc-team-dismantled-in-spain-25-year-old-leader-detained.html
Attackers exploit valid logins in SonicWall SSL VPN compromise
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs – 11 October 2025) Cybersecurity firm Huntress warned of a widespread compromise of SonicWall SSL VPNs, with threat actors using valid credentials to access multiple customer accounts rapidly. “As of October 10, Huntress has observed widespread compromise of SonicWall SSLVPN devices across multiple customer environments. Threat actors are authenticating into multiple accounts rapidly across compromised devices.” reads the report published by Huntress. “The speed and scale of these attacks imply that the attackers appear to control valid credentials rather than brute-forcing.”. Since October 4, over 100 SonicWall SSL VPN accounts across 16 customers were compromised using valid credentials, not brute force. According to Huntress, logins originated from IP 202.155.8[.]73. Some attackers disconnected quickly, while others conducted post-exploitation, scanning networks and probing local Windows accounts. – https://securityaffairs.com/183245/hacking/attackers-exploit-valid-logins-in-sonicwall-ssl-vpn-compromise.html
Prosecutors seek 7-year prison term for ‘sophisticated’ PowerSchool hacker
(Suzanne Smalley – The Record – 11 September 2025) Prosecutors are seeking a seven-year prison sentence for the 19-year-old Massachusetts man who pleaded guilty to hacking into an education technology company’s databases and stealing data belonging to millions of students and teachers. The sentencing recommendation for Matthew Lane is based on his history of allegedly hacking at least seven other victims, including foreign government entities, since 2021, according to a sentencing memorandum filed Tuesday. He accessed databases belonging to the company PowerSchool that had information on more than 60 million students and nine million teachers. – https://therecord.media/powerschool-prison-sentence-hacker
Apple doubles maximum bug bounty to $2M for zero-click RCEs
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs – 10 October 2025) Apple doubled its bug bounty rewards, now offering up to $2 million for zero-click remote code execution flaws. Since 2020, the tech giant has paid $35M to 800 researchers. Apple aims to pay exploit chains comparable to mercenary and commercial spyware vendors. The company announced that bonuses (Lockdown Mode bypasses, beta bugs) can push payouts above $5M. Apple expanded its bug bounty to cover more attack surfaces, offering up to $300K for one-click WebKit sandbox escapes and $1M for wireless proximity exploits. It also introduced Target Flags, enabling researchers to prove exploitability for top categories like RCE and TCC bypasses and receive faster payouts once verified. – https://securityaffairs.com/183235/security/apple-doubles-maximum-bug-bounty-to-2m-for-zero-click-rces.html
FBI takedown banner appears on BreachForums site as Scattered Spider promotes leak
(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 10 October 2025) Law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and France appear to have seized the BreachForums leak site hours before the Scattered Spider cybercriminal organization and several affiliated groups said they would leak data stolen from Salesforce. The cybercriminals revived the forum as part of a campaign to extort 39 high-profile customers of Salesforce, threatening to post stolen information to the platform on Friday. Late on Thursday, the breachforums.hn address was replaced with a banner that says “this domain has been seized” above the insignias of the FBI and Justice Department as well as France’s Brigade Centrale de Lutte Contre la Cybercriminalité and Juridiction Nationale de lutte contre la Criminalité Organisée. – https://securityaffairs.com/183119/cyber-crime/dragonforce-lockbit-and-qilin-a-new-triad-aims-to-dominate-the-ransomware-landscape.html
Houston suburb says some online services taken down by cyberattack
(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 10 October 2025) Officials in Sugar Land, Texas, said a cyberattack has impacted several online services after they reported technology outages on Thursday morning. The city published notices on social media and on its website saying it experienced a “cyber-event” and is working with state and federal law enforcement to investigate a breach of internal network infrastructure. “Critical infrastructure systems remain operational. Some online services, such as bill pay are impacted,” the city said, noting that police, fire and medical services are still available at 911. – https://therecord.media/houston-suburb-cyberattack-services
Microsoft violated EU law in handling of kids’ data, Austrian privacy regulator finds
(Suzanne Smalley – The Record – 10 October 2025) Austria’s data protection authority on Wednesday ruled that Microsoft illegally tracked students using its education software by failing to give them access to their data and using cookies without consent. The decision from Austria’s Datenschutzbehörde (DSB) came in response to a 2024 complaint lodged by the Austrian privacy advocacy group noyb, which accused the tech giant of violating Europe’s General Data Privacy Regulation for its handling of children’s data. – https://therecord.media/microsoft-violated-eu-law-austria
Private Sector Must Shore up UK’s Cyber Defense
(Chris McGrath – Infosecurity Magazine – 10 October 2025) The UK possesses all the tools and capability required to actively engage and repel the substantial and growing cyber threat from Russia, China and other malicious actors. It has the access to the intelligence, the technology and the human skill base to face up to the coordinated assault from state-enabled cyber actors. Yet a critical vulnerability persists. The fragmented defense and government sector response to a threat that operates without boundaries poses an existential threat to our lives. Without developing a coordinated, collaborative response capacity that combines intelligence from the public and private sectors, attacks such as the recent breaches experienced by Marks & Spencer (M&S), the Co-op and Harrods will become even more commonplace. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/opinions/private-sector-uk-cyber/
Google Launches AI Bug Bounty with $30,000 Top Reward
(Beth Maundrill – Infosecurity Magazine – 10 October 2025) Google has launched a new AI Vulnerability Reward Program (VRP), which is offering base rewards of up to $30,000 for bugs identified in the tech firm’s AI products. The bug bounty program aims to simplify the reporting process for researchers by moving AI-related issues previously covered by Google’s Abuse VRP to the new AI VRP. Bug hunters have earned over $430,000 in AI-product related rewards since the Abuse VRP program was created, according to a Google blog published on October 6. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/google-launches-ai-bug-bounty/
Pro-Russian hackers caught bragging about attack on fake water utility
(Daryna Antoniuk – The Record – 10 October 2025) A pro-Russian hacker group has been caught boasting about a cyberattack that unfolded entirely inside a decoy system set up by researchers. The relatively new group, known as TwoNet, claimed in September that it had disrupted a Dutch water facility by hacking into its control systems. In reality, the hackers had infiltrated a honeypot — a decoy network designed by cybersecurity firm Forescout to lure attackers and study their behavior. According to the company, the threat actor, using the alias Barlati, defaced the login page with an message reading “HACKED BY BARLATI, FUCK.” The attacker also changed configuration settings and disabled alarms — actions that, if carried out on a real system, could have disrupted operations. – https://therecord.media/fake-water-utility-honeypot-hacked-pro-russian-group
Anthropic says it’s easy to poison LLMs, no matter what size they are
(Cybernews – 10 October 2025) A new study by Anthropic, the AI company behind Claude, has found that poisoning large language models (LLMs) with malicious training is much easier than previously thought. How much easier? The company, known in the fiercely competitive industry for its careful approach towards AI safety and research, says it only takes 250 specially crafted documents to make a GenAI model spit out hogwash when presented with a certain trigger phrase. Moreover, size doesn’t matter, it seems. Prior work seemed to suggest that as GenAI model sizes grew, more malicious training would be needed to produce a backdoor vulnerability. – https://cybernews.com/ai-news/large-language-models-malicious-training-anthropic/
Defence, Military and Warfare
Vampire anti-drone system gets upgrade, can jam enemy systems, launch precision weapons
(Interesting Engineering – 12 October 2025) A Florida-based company has expanded its counter-drone system to swiftly respond to aerial threats. L3Harris Technologies’ Vampire system is capable of defeating small unmanned autonomous systems accurately and affordably. The expanded family of systems now includes specialized variants for land, maritime, air, and electronic warfare operations. The counter-UAS system is a self-contained platform that delivers advanced reconnaissance and precision strike capabilities against drones and remotely piloted aircraft. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/vampire-anti-drone-system-upgrade-weapons
1,360-pound NUMO ground robot deployed by Ukraine to support troops on the frontline
(Interesting Engineering – 12 October 2025) Designed to minimize the risks faced by troops on the frontlines, Ukraine’s NUMO ground robot features a modular design that accommodates a range of attachments, from turrets and relay masts to wire cutters and mine-clearing equipment. This flexibility allows it to perform multiple roles while keeping soldiers out of harm’s way. Developed by Lviv-based autonomous systems company Tank Bureau, NUMO can carry up to 661 pounds of cargo and weighs 1,367 pounds when fully loaded. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/numo-ground-robot-deployed-ukraine
Falcon Peak: US military tests new tech to tackle rising drone threat over American airspace
(Interesting Engineering – 12 October 2025) US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) has reported that it is tackling a sharp rise in drone incursions over American military bases. These incursions (essentially drones flying over or near restricted military areas) are happening about once or twice a day and are considered both a security risk and a technological challenge. To address this, NORTHCOM now runs an annual exercise called “Falcon Peak,” which tests and improves counter-drone systems. These tools are designed to detect, track, and disable drones safely inside U.S. airspace. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/us-military-new-counter-drone-tech
China’s electronic warfare system fools enemy spy plane over South China Sea: Report
(Interesting Engineering – 12 October 2025) According to Chinese sources, one of its electronic warfare (EW) systems has successfully deceived a foreign spy plane over the South China Sea. No mention is made of which kind of aircraft or its nation of origin, but the aircraft was likely American or one of its allies. According to reports, the EW jamming/spoofing was achieved using a vehicle-mounted electronic jamming system. As reported, the Chinese system was able to create fake radar targets, for example, an “imaginary” aircraft carrier or large ship. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/china-electronic-warfare-fools-enemy-spy-plane
Next-gen missile system to counter maritime threats can transform sea warfare
(Interesting Engineering – 11 October 2025) A Swedish company has unveiled a next-generation missile system that can counter growing maritime threats. Named Coastal Defense Missile System (CDMS), the weapon is a shore-based anti-ship platform. Saab’s new weapon system delivers an affordable and highly effective anti-ship capability, built around our proven RBS15 missiles. The company highlighted that the system leverages the power of such land-based solutions and builds on the experience and knowledge gained from previous generations of RBS15 missile systems. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/next-gen-missile-system-sea-warfare
How Acquisition Reform Could Make Military AI More Expensive and Less Safe
(Amos Toh, Julia Gledhill – Lawfare – 9 October 2025) Artificial intelligence (AI) contracting makes up a sliver of military spending, but it is growing quickly. Last month, the Pentagon awarded contracts totaling up to $800 million for four tech companies to develop military applications of their general purpose AI models. The news comes on the heels of the Army’s announcement that it plans to buy up to $10 billion in software capabilities from the data analytics giant Palantir. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has directed the military to fast-track its acquisition of AI and related software to “maximize lethality” while setting ambitious targets for the Army to overhaul its weapons systems and battlefield decision-making with the technology. As the military speeds up AI integration, lawmakers are whittling down the tools available to the Department of Defense to negotiate fair and reasonable prices and scrutinize contractors’ claims about their products and services. This year’s defense policy bill—the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)—would roll back data disclosures that help the department understand the real costs of what they are buying, and testing requirements that establish whether what contractors promise is technically feasible or even suited to its needs. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/how-acquisition-reform-could-make-military-ai-more-expensive-and-less-safe
Frontiers
Breakthrough in energy harvesting harnesses non-thermal quantum states for higher efficiency
(Interesting Engineering – 12 October 2025) Japanese researchers have unveiled a breakthrough in energy harvesting that could redefine efficiency limits. By exploiting quantum states that resist thermalization, their new approach converts waste heat into electricity more effectively than conventional methods, surpassing traditional thermodynamic limits. The team’s work with a special non-thermal Tomonaga-Luttinger (LT) liquid could lead to more efficient low-power electronics and help develop future quantum computers. – https://interestingengineering.com/energy/energy-harvesting-breakthrough-harnesses-quantum-states
Deep Robotics Unveils All-Weather Humanoid Robot
(AI Insider – 10 October 2025) Deep Robotics unveiled DR02, an industrial-grade humanoid the company bills as the first full-size all-weather model for outdoor patrols and plant work. The robot features IP66 dust/water protection and a −20°C to 55°C operating range with human-scale dimensions (~175 cm), 1.5 m/s walking (up to 4 m/s), 20 cm stairs/20° slopes, and 10 kg per arm (20 kg total) payloads, according to the company. A modular quick-swap design and a 275-TOPS compute stack with LiDAR, depth, and wide-angle cameras enable mapping and updates as Deep Robotics targets security and factory deployments at scale. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/10/deep-robotics-unveils-all-weather-humanoid-robot/
FYR Integrates CIQ Fuzzball to Scale AI-Enabled Multiomic Platform And Accelerate Precision Medicine
(AI Insider – 10 October 2025) CIQ, the founding support partner of Rocky Linux, announced that biotechnology company FYR has selected its high-performance computing platform Fuzzball to power analytics workflows for AI-driven precision medicine. FYR’s EV-Omics platform uses AI to analyze extracellular vesicles and identify RNA and protein biomarkers, with Fuzzball enabling scalable, reproducible pipelines that accelerate biomarker discovery and drug development. Both companies are backed by Two Bear Capital, whose partner Mark Adams said the collaboration strengthens the firm’s mission to integrate advanced computing and life sciences to deliver faster, high-quality insights for patients. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/10/fyr-integrates-ciq-fuzzball-to-scale-ai-enabled-multiomic-platform-and-accelerate-precision-medicine/
Aydi Raises $7.5M Seed Round to Launch Orth, an AI Agronomy Assistant for Global Growers
(AI Insider – 10 October 2025) Aydi, the AI-powered agriculture platform founded by Hassan Fayed, has raised $7.5 million in seed funding from COTU Ventures, Daltex, and Nuwa Capital, with participation from Magrabi Agriculture and Foundation Ventures. The funding will accelerate the global rollout of Orth, an AI agronomy assistant that delivers personalized, real-time insights to help farmers combat rising input costs, climate challenges, and shortages of agronomic expertise. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/10/aydi-raises-7-5m-seed-round-to-launch-orth-an-ai-agronomy-assistant-for-global-growers/
DoorDash and Serve Robotics Partner to Bring Serve’s Delivery Robots to the DoorDash Platform
(AI Insider – 10 October 2025) DoorDash and Serve Robotics announced a multi-year partnership to deploy autonomous sidewalk deliveries across the U.S., starting with select Los Angeles merchants on the DoorDash app. The deal advances DoorDash’s multi-modal logistics strategy—integrating Dashers, drones, and robots via its Autonomous Delivery Platform—to match orders to the most effective, lower-emission method. Serve brings 100,000+ completed autonomous deliveries from 2,500+ restaurants in cities including Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, and Atlanta, and expects higher order volumes and broader U.S. expansion under the pact. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/10/doordash-and-serve-robotics-partner-to-bring-serves-delivery-robots-to-the-doordash-platform/
Infleqtion and Silicon Light Machines Partner to Boost Quantum Computer Performance
(Quantum Insider – 10 October 2025) Infleqtion partnered with Silicon Light Machines to integrate SLM’s MEMS Displacement Phase Modulator into its neutral-atom quantum computers, aiming to boost speed, fidelity, and scalability. SLM’s SiGe MEMS DPM mounts high-speed non-contact piston phase modulators on CMOS drivers to enable faster phase modulation for individual qubit addressing, optical multiplexing, and scalable laser processing. The collaboration strengthens Infleqtion’s integrated photonics roadmap and scaling of dual-species arrays while it prepares to go public via a merger with Churchill Capital Corp X – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/10/infleqtion-and-silicon-light-machines-partner-to-boost-quantum-computer-performance/
BTQ Technologies Partners With University of Cambridge to Advance Quantum Photonic Device Research And Commercialization
(Quantum Insider – 10 October 2025) BTQ Technologies Corp. announced a collaboration with the University of Cambridge to fund research in inverse-designed quantum photonic devices, aimed at advancing quantum computing and quantum-secure communications. The Cambridge Integrated Quantum Photonics team will apply advanced computational design methods to create optimized photonic components that improve quantum light collection and device performance. The partnership strengthens BTQ’s position in the growing quantum photonics market, supporting applications in quantum computing infrastructure, secure communications, and precision sensing. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/10/btq-technologies-partners-with-university-of-cambridge-to-advance-quantum-photonic-device-research-and-commercialization/
FirstQFM Secures €1.2 Million to Accelerate Commercial Quantum Computing With Proprietary Foundation Models
(Quantum Insider – 10 October 2025) FirstQFM AB, a Stockholm-based quantum technology company, raised €1.2 million (about $1.3 million USD) in pre-seed funding led by BSV Ventures, with participation from Almi Invest, Further than Capital, and Luminar Ventures. The investment will accelerate the development of FirstQFM’s patent-pending AI foundation models designed to improve performance, scalability, and reliability across the quantum computing stack. The company is partnering with quantum hardware developers to enhance device calibration and error correction, aiming to advance the utility of NISQ-era machines and support progress toward fault-tolerant quantum computing. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/10/firstqfm-secures-e1-2-million-to-accelerate-commercial-quantum-computing-with-proprietary-foundation-models/
New WiFi tech can accurately identify individuals without devices, warn scientists
(Interesting Engineering – 11 October 2025) Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have demonstrated that it is possible to identify individuals using only the WiFi signals in their immediate environment. Unlike traditional identification methods, this approach does not require a person to carry a smartphone, tablet, or any other connected device. Instead, it relies on the way WiFi devices constantly communicate with each other nearby. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/wifi-tech-can-identify-individuals
Chinese university startup’s new AI platform translates text to sign language for deaf
(Interesting Engineering – 11 October 2025) While China’s AI sector continues to accelerate, driving economic growth and reshaping entire industries, a growing number of researchers are turning their focus toward using AI for social good. Among them is Su Jionglong, deputy dean of the School of AI and Advanced Computing at Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University, who studies how the technology can help reduce discrimination, provide emotional support, and enable faster medical diagnoses. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ai-platform-text-to-sign-language
AI tool accelerates immune cell analysis for researchers
(DigWatch – 11 October 2025) Researchers at the University of Tokyo have created scHDeepInsight, an AI platform that quickly and reliably classifies immune cells from single-cell RNA data. The system turns genetic profiles into images and uses a hierarchy-aware CNN to identify broad immune types and finer subtypes. By reflecting the natural structure of the immune system, the tool improves accuracy and consistency compared with previous methods. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-tool-accelerates-immune-cell-analysis-for-researchers – https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/focus/en/press/z0508_00424.html
AI cameras boost wildfire detection in Minnesota
(DigWatch – 11 October 2025) Xcel Energy has deployed the first AI-driven wildfire-detection cameras in Minnesota to improve early warning for grass and forest fires. The technology aims to protect communities, natural resources, and power infrastructure while strengthening the grid’s resilience. The first two Pano AI camera systems have been installed in Mankato and Clear Lake, with 38 planned for higher-risk areas. The cameras provide continuous 360-degree scanning and use AI to detect smoke, enabling rapid alerts to local fire agencies. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-cameras-boost-wildfire-detection-in-minnesota – https://newsroom.xcelenergy.com/news/xcel-energy-brings-ai-driven-wildfire-detection-to-minnesota
Microsoft boosts AI leadership with NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 supercomputer
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) Microsoft Azure has launched the world’s first NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 supercomputing cluster, explicitly designed for OpenAI’s large-scale AI workloads. The new NDv6 GB300 VM series integrates over 4,600 NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs, representing a significant step forward in US AI infrastructure and innovation leadership. – https://dig.watch/updates/microsoft-boosts-ai-leadership-with-nvidia-gb300-nvl72-supercomputer – https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/microsoft-azure-worlds-first-gb300-nvl72-supercomputing-cluster-openai/
Satellite images and AI reveal hidden mining footprints worldwide
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) Researchers are using satellite imagery and AI modelling to map global mining activity and close critical data gaps. Transition minerals, such as lithium and copper, are vital for renewable technologies but often come from ecologically sensitive regions, raising concerns about both environmental and social impacts. Project lead Victor Maus from the Vienna University of Economics and Business said many new projects overlap with areas of high biodiversity or Indigenous lands. Over half of transition mineral resources are on or near Indigenous or subsistence farming territories, according to earlier studies. – https://dig.watch/updates/satellite-images-and-ai-reveal-hidden-mining-footprints-worldwide – https://www.climatechangenews.com/2025/10/09/ai-and-satellite-data-help-researchers-map-worlds-transition-minerals-rush/
Amazon launches Quick Suite for agentic AI in business
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) Amazon has launched Quick Suite, an AI-powered workspace that delivers fast insights and simplifies business operations. The platform gathers data from Slack, Salesforce, Snowflake, other databases, and the public internet, providing answers from single points to full research projects. – https://dig.watch/updates/amazon-launches-quick-suite-for-agentic-ai-in-business – https://aws.amazon.com/it/about-aws/whats-new/2025/10/amazon-quick-suite-agentic-ai-powered-workspace/
Intel unveils next-gen 18A processors with high performance and efficiency
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) Intel has revealed its next-gen client and server processors using Intel 18A, the most advanced US-made semiconductor node. The new Intel Core Ultra 3 (Panther Lake) and Xeon 6+ (Clearwater Forest) promise major performance and efficiency gains, with production already underway at Fab 52 in Arizona. Panther Lake introduces a scalable multi-chiplet architecture for consumer and commercial AI PCs, gaming devices, and edge applications. It offers over 50% faster CPU and GPU performance, up to 180 TOPS for AI, and new robotics AI capabilities. – https://dig.watch/updates/intel-unveils-next-gen-18a-processors-with-high-performance-and-efficiency – https://newsroom.intel.com/client-computing/intel-unveils-panther-lake-architecture-first-ai-pc-platform-built-on-18a
Ant Group launches trillion-parameter AI model Ling-1T
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) Ant Group has unveiled its Ling AI model family, introducing Ling-1T, a trillion-parameter large language model that has been open-sourced for public use. The Ling family now includes three main series: the Ling non-thinking models, the Ring thinking models, and the multimodal Ming models. – https://dig.watch/updates/ant-group-launches-trillion-parameter-ai-model-ling-1t – https://www.antgroup.com/en/news-media/press-releases/1759982400000
MIT creates AI tool to build virtual worlds for robots
(DigWatch – 10 October 2025) Researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and AI Laboratory have developed a new AI system that can build realistic virtual environments for training robots. The tool, called steerable scene generation, creates kitchens, restaurants and living rooms filled with 3D objects where robots interact with the physical world. – https://dig.watch/updates/mit-creates-ai-tool-to-build-virtual-worlds-for-robots – https://news.mit.edu/2025/using-generative-ai-diversify-virtual-training-grounds-robots-1008