Governance
Closing the Gaps in AI Interoperability
(Benjamin Faveri, Craig Shank, Richard Whitt, Philip Dawson – Tech Policy Press – 15 October 2025) AI regulatory and technical interoperability stands at a critical juncture. While significant technical and regulatory interoperability efforts have emerged to address ongoing fragmentation challenges, the current landscape reveals both remarkable progress and concerning gaps that threaten to undermine AI’s potential. The path forward requires considerable coordination across sectors, with each stakeholder playing a distinct and interconnected role in building coherent frameworks for AI governance and technical integration. – https://www.techpolicy.press/closing-the-gaps-in-ai-interoperability/
Legislation
California’s New AI Law Misses the Mark on Whistleblower Protections
(Sophie Luskin – Tech Policy Press – 15 October 2025) California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) late last month signed into law the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act (TFAIA), or SB 53, which requires large AI companies to publicly report their safety and security protocols and the potential risks of their technologies. SB 53 marks a step forward by recognizing the need to provide employees with a secure channel to report concerns, permit and protect internal reporting and require the posting of rights in workplaces. Critically, it recognizes the importance of whistleblowing in AI and that employees need to be educated and reminded of their rights, with numerous other useful features. The text itself explains the importance of including such provisions, stating: “Whistleblower protections and public-facing information sharing are key instruments to increase transparency.” – https://www.techpolicy.press/californias-new-ai-law-misses-the-mark-on-whistleblower-protections-/
California introduces first AI chatbot safety law
(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) California has become the first US state to regulate AI companion chatbots after Governor Gavin Newsom signed landmark legislation designed to protect children and vulnerable users. The new law, SB 243, holds companies legally accountable if their chatbots fail to meet new safety and transparency standards. The US legislation follows several tragic cases, including the death of a teenager who reportedly engaged in suicidal conversations with an AI chatbot. It also comes after leaked documents revealed that some AI systems allowed inappropriate exchanges with minors. – https://dig.watch/updates/california-introduces-first-ai-chatbot-safety-law – https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/13/california-becomes-first-state-to-regulate-ai-companion-chatbots/
Geostrategies
Trading Sovereignty for Scale? The Costs of the U.S.–U.K. Tech Prosperity Deal
(Isabella Wilkinson – Just Security – 15 October 2025) On Sept. 16 the United States and United Kingdom announced the Tech Prosperity Deal. Launched at a major bilateral summit attended both by heads of state and of frontier AI labs and technology companies (including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s Sam Altman), it promises an unprecedented $200 billion investment from U.S. firms into the United Kingdom’s AI ecosystem. The agreement has been celebrated as a game-changer for U.K. prosperity, security and sovereignty. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared it a “generational” advancement in the special relationship, expanding U.K. jobs, innovation, healthcare, and science. – https://www.justsecurity.org/121723/us-uk-deal-tech-sovereignty/
Argentina poised to host Latin America’s first Stargate AI project
(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) Argentina is set to become the host of Latin America’s first Stargate project, a major AI infrastructure initiative powered by clean energy. Led by Sur Energy with OpenAI, the plan aims to make Argentina a regional and global AI leader while boosting economic growth. OpenAI and Sur Energy have signed a Letter of Intent to explore building a large-scale data centre in Argentina. Sur Energy will lead the consortium responsible for developing the project, ensuring that the ecosystem is powered by secure, efficient, and sustainable energy sources. – https://dig.watch/updates/argentina-poised-to-host-latin-americas-first-stargate-ai-project – https://openai.com/global-affairs/argentinas-ai-opportunity/
Abu Dhabi deploys AI-first systems with NVIDIA and Oracle
(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) Oracle and NVIDIA have joined forces to advance sovereign AI, supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming an AI-native government by 2027. The partnership combines the computing platforms of NVIDIA with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to create secure, high-performance systems that deliver next-generation citizen services, including multilingual AI assistants, automatic notifications, and intelligent compliance solutions. The Government Inte Strategy 2025-2027 of Abu Dhabi, backed by a 13-billion AED investment, follows a phased ‘crawl, walk, run’ approach. The initiative has already gone live across 25 government entities, enabling over 15,000 daily users to access AI-accelerated services. – https://dig.watch/updates/abu-dhabi-deploys-ai-first-systems-with-nvidia-and-oracle – https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/oracle-nvidia-accelerate-sovereign-ai-abu-dhabi/
Security and Surveillance
Whisper 2FA Behind One Million Phishing Attempts Since July
(Alessandro Mascellino – Infosecurity Magazine – 15 October 2025) The phishing platform “Whisper 2FA” has rapidly become one of the most active tools used in large-scale credential theft campaigns, according to new research from Barracuda. Since July 2025, the platform has been responsible for nearly one million phishing attacks targeting accounts across multiple industries, placing it just behind Tycoon and EvilProxy in the global phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) landscape. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/whisper-2fa-behind-1m-phishing/
UK, US Sanction Southeast Asia-Based Online Scam Network
(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 15 October 2025) A network of at least four organizations running illegal scam centers in Southeast Asia has been sanctioned by the UK and US government. The sanctions will freeze these businesses and properties some of the network’s operators own in the UK with immediate effect, the UK’s Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) announced on October 14. The organizations targeted include the Prince Group, a high-profile, multi-billion-pound conglomerate operating casinos and compounds used as scam centers across Cambodia and beyond, and its chairman Chen Zhi, described by the UK government as “the leader of the network.” – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-us-sanction-online-scam-network/
Capita given record £14 million fine over ransomware attack security failings
(Alexander Martin – The Record – 15 October 2025) Capita, the United Kingdom’s largest outsourcing company, was on Wednesday fined £14 million ($18.7 million) over security failings that saw attackers compromise the personal information of 6.6 million people in a ransomware attack in 2023. The voluntary settlement is for less than a third of the £45 million ($60 million) Britain’s data protection regulator had initially intended to impose, but remains the largest fine the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ever issued in a ransomware case. – https://therecord.media/capita-record-fine-uk-ico-ransomware-attack
New York secures $14 million in fines from 8 car insurance companies after data breaches
(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 15 October 2025) Eight car insurance companies will pay a total of $14.2 million in fines to New York state following data breaches that exposed the private information of more than 825,000 people. The penalties center around a long-running campaign in which hackers targeted tools that quoted car insurance prices. Cybercriminals could provide a minimal amount of information, like names or addresses, and the tools would auto-populate a person’s driver’s license number, vehicle identification number, date of birth and more. – https://therecord.media/auto-insurance-companies-fined-ny-state-pre-fill-data-breaches
Researchers report rare intrusion by suspected Chinese hackers into Russian tech firm
(Daryna Antoniuk – The Record – 15 October 2025) Chinese state-linked hackers have reportedly breached a Russian IT service provider in what appears to be an espionage campaign — a rare case of Chinese threat actors targeting a purported ally, researchers said. According to a new report by cybersecurity firm Symantec, the hackers gained access to the Russian company’s software build and code-repository systems between January and May 2025 — suggesting the breach may have been an attempted software supply-chain attack aimed at the firm’s customers. – https://therecord.media/rare-china-linked-intrusion-russian-tech-firms
UK government urges firms to keep paper backups for cyberattack recovery
(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) The UK government has issued a strong warning to company leaders to prepare for cyber incidents by maintaining paper-based contingency plans. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) emphasised that firms must plan how to continue operations and rebuild IT systems if networks are compromised. The advice follows a series of high-profile cyberattacks this year targeting major UK firms, including Marks & Spencer, The Co-op, and Jaguar Land Rover, which experienced production halts and supply disruptions after their systems were breached. – https://dig.watch/updates/uk-government-urges-firms-to-keep-paper-backups-for-cyberattack-recovery – https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ced61xv967lo
Inside America’s next information war
(David DiMolfetta – NextGov – 14 October 2025) Washington is paring back its defenses against influence operations, even as adversaries supercharge them with AI. Much of the fight is shifting to the private sector. – https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2025/10/inside-americas-next-information-war/408796/?oref=ng-home-top-story
Defence, Military, and Warfare
AM General Announces Collaboration with Carnegie Robotics and Textron Systems to Develop Modular Unmanned Ground Vehicle for U.S. Army Modernization
(AI Insider – 15 October 2025) AM General, Carnegie Robotics, and Textron Systems formed a team to design an autonomous platform for the U.S. Army’s Medium Modular Equipment Transport (M-MET) program. The HUMVEE-based unmanned system pairs a rugged chassis with a hybrid-electric powerpack (~30 kW exportable power), drive-by-wire controls, an autonomy suite, and MOSA-compliant payload integration to cut lead time and boost adaptability. Built to close logistics gaps between brigade support areas and dispersed units, the modular UGV will autonomously deliver multi-class supplies and operational energy, with an Army RFP expected in 2026. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/15/am-general-announces-collaboration-with-carnegie-robotics-and-textron-systems-to-develop-modular-unmanned-ground-vehicle-for-u-s-army-modernization/
Lockheed’s missile with ramjet engine, combined-cycle propulsion to offer 620-mile range
(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) An American weapon manufacturer recently showcased its prototype Increment 4 Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) design. Lockheed Martin displayed the concept during the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) annual convention on October 13. Displayed with no identification, the model will be equipped with a ramjet with a solid rocket motor. The company plans to deliver the weapon with a combined-cycle propulsion system. This is expected to deliver a range of more than 620 miles (1,000 kms). The missile is expected to follow critical path to hit the target. This makes missile tough to be intercepted by enemy weapons. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/lockheed-missile-ramjet-engine-long-range
Grenade-launching war-ready robot dog that strikes autonomously unveiled in US
(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) Skyborne Technologies has launched Controller-Operated Direct-Action Quadruped (CODiAQ), a new robotic system that uses artificial intelligence and can move independently. It also features modular weapons to deliver precise attacks from ground-based quadruped platforms. The CODiAQ is one of the first operational weaponized robots designed for direct-action missions. It received funding from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (OASD(SO/LIC)) through the SSO Irregular Warfare Capabilities Development and Innovation Directorate. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/grenade-launching-robot-dog-us
Frontiers
Miniature bioelectronic 3D human colon brings lifelike precision to cancer research
(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) In a major leap for cancer research and precision medicine, engineers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a three-dimensional human colon model integrated with bioelectronics. The innovation promises a more ethical, accurate, and cost-efficient alternative to animal testing in colorectal cancer research and drug discovery. The study describes the creation of the “3D in vivo mimicking human colon” (3D-IVM-HC) model. The miniaturized 5-by-10-millimeter colon replica reproduces key anatomical features, including the organ’s distinctive curvature, layered cellular structure, and cryptlike folds essential to colon function and tumor biology. – https://interestingengineering.com/health/3d-human-colon-model-cancer-drug-testing
Soft robotic vine slithers through arteries and jet engines with lifelike movement
(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) A new generation of soft robots is here. Flexible, adaptable, and capable of navigating spaces once unreachable, these robots are designed to move like living organisms, transforming how doctors perform surgeries or how engineers inspect machinery. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/soft-vine-robot-navigates-arteries-jet-engines
China unveils humanoid robot with lifelike skin and blinking eyes built for daily life
(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) A Shanghai-based company has developed humanoid robots that appear as real as humans. The advanced bionic humanoid robot is integrated with self-supervised AI algorithms. Named Elf V1, the robot can perceive the world, communicate, learn, and interact intelligently with its surroundings. Developed by AheadForm Technology, the robot offers up to 30 degrees of freedom, powered by a precise control system and an advanced AI learning algorithm. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/china-aheadform-humanoid-robot-expression
New AI predicts future knee X-rays for osteoarthritis patients
(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) In the UK, an AI system developed at the University of Surrey can predict what a patient’s knee X-ray will look like a year in the future, offering a visual forecast alongside a risk score for osteoarthritis progression. The technology is designed to help both patients and doctors better understand how the condition may develop, allowing earlier and more informed treatment decisions. Trained on nearly 50,000 knee X-rays from almost 5,000 patients, the system delivers faster and more accurate predictions than existing AI tools. – https://dig.watch/updates/new-ai-predicts-future-knee-x-rays-for-osteoarthritis-patients – https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/ai-predicts-future-x-rays-help-osteoarthritis-patients-and-their-doctors-see-whats-coming
Dell joins Microsoft and Nscale on hyperscale AI capacity
(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) Nscale has signed an expanded deal with Microsoft to deliver about 200,000 NVIDIA GB300 GPUs across Europe and the US, with Dell collaborating. The company calls it one of the largest AI infrastructure contracts to date. The build-out targets surging enterprise demand for GPU capacity. A ~240MW hyperscale AI campus in Texas, US, will host roughly 104,000 GB300s from Q3 2026, leased from Ionic Digital. Nscale plans to scale the site to 1.2GW, with Microsoft holding an option on a second 700MW phase from late 2027. The campus is optimised for air-cooled, power-efficient deployments. – https://dig.watch/updates/dell-joins-microsoft-and-nscale-on-hyperscale-ai-capacity – https://www.nscale.com/press-releases/nscale-microsoft-2025
Oxford scientists achieve quantum teleportation milestone
(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) Scientists at the University of Oxford have achieved quantum teleportation between two quantum computers, marking a major step toward distributed quantum computing. The experiment successfully transmitted a quantum algorithm wirelessly between processors using quantum entanglement. Rather than moving physical matter, the process transferred data instantaneously by linking qubits, the basic units of quantum information. The two computers, though separated by two metres, shared data as if operating as one, greatly enhancing their combined computing power. – https://dig.watch/updates/oxford-scientists-achieve-quantum-teleportation-milestone – https://www.bgr.com/1988900/how-scientists-achieved-teleportation-quantum-supercomputers/
Salesforce invests $15 billion in San Francisco’s AI future
(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) The US cloud-based software company, Salesforce, has announced a $15 billion investment in San Francisco over the next five years, strengthening the city’s position as the world’s AI capital. The funding will support a new AI Incubator Hub on the company’s campus, workforce training programmes, and initiatives to help businesses transform into ‘Agentic Enterprises’. – https://dig.watch/updates/salesforce-invests-15-billion-in-san-franciscos-ai-future – https://www.salesforce.com/news/press-releases/2025/10/13/san-francisco-investment/
Heidi Secures $65M in Series B Funding to Accelerate Building an AI Care Partner for Every Clinician
(AI Insider – 15 October 2025) Heidi raised $65M in Series B funding led by Point72 Private Investments, valuing the healthcare AI startup at $465M and bringing total funding to nearly $100M. The company’s AI Care Partner automates clinical admin tasks, returning over 18 million hours to clinicians and supporting 73 million patient consults across 116 countries. Heidi is expanding globally across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and Europe, partnering with major health systems like the NHS, Beth Israel Lahey Health, and Monash Health to combat clinician burnout and boost efficiency. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/15/heidi-secures-65m-in-series-b-funding-to-accelerate-building-an-ai-care-partner-for-every-clinician/
Gutter Capital Launches ‘Elbow Grease’ AI Accelerator in New York City
(AI Insider – 15 October 2025) Gutter Capital has launched Elbow Grease, an eight-week AI accelerator in New York City to support early-stage founders with funding and mentorship. The program will invest $300,000 in each of five selected companies, offering hands-on guidance from veteran founders and leaders in the “Gutterverse.”. Applications are open through Thanksgiving, with the program set to begin in January 2026 at Gutter Capital’s Canal Street headquarters. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/15/gutter-capital-launches-elbow-grease-ai-accelerator-in-new-york-city/
Renowned AI Researcher Bolei Zhou Joins Coco Robotics to Lead the World’s Largest Autonomous Delivery Fleet
(AI Insider – 15 October 2025) Coco Robotics appointed UCLA professor and highly cited AI researcher Bolei Zhou as Chief AI Scientist to lead a new Physical AI Lab advancing fleet performance. The lab will convert data from thousands of daily sidewalk deliveries into deployable advances in simulation, neural rendering, generative AI, and reinforcement learning to improve adaptation across diverse cities. Coco says its unique urban-robotics dataset underpins plans to scale to 10,000+ robots in 2026, accelerating safe, reliable autonomous delivery. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/15/renowned-ai-researcher-bolei-zhou-joins-coco-robotics-to-lead-the-worlds-largest-autonomous-delivery-fleet/