Governance, Legislation, and Geostrategies

Viral AI image trends drive up water consumption

(DigWatch – 16 April 2025) Behind ChatGPT’s digital charm lies an increasingly concerning environmental toll, largely driven by its water consumption. According to recent reports, OpenAI’s GPT-4 model consumes around 500 millilitres of clean, drinkable water for every 100-word response. The surge in demand, fuelled by viral trends like Studio Ghibli-style portraits and Barbie-themed avatars, has significantly amplified this impact. – https://dig.watch/updates/viral-ai-image-trends-drive-up-water-consumption

AI firm DeepSeek opens up on model deployment tech

(DigWatch – 16 April 2025) Chinese AI startup DeepSeek has announced its intention to share the technology behind its internal inference engine, a move aimed at enhancing collaboration within the open-source AI community. The company’s inference engine and training framework have played a vital role in accelerating the performance and deployment of its models, including DeepSeek-V3 and R1. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-firm-deepseek-opens-up-on-model-deployment-tech

Navigating the Entanglements in the U.S.-China Quantum Technology Race

(Linda Nhon, Andreas Kuehn – Observer Research Foundation – 15 April 2025) Trump 2.0’s overall policy directions in critical and emerging technologies will likely hew to common expectations. The details, however, of what technologies the new administration will prioritise and how actions, such as tariffs and export controls for example, will affect the United States’ (US) innovation and technology leadership remains underexplored. The US administration will continue a hardline stance on China’s access to cuttingedge technology, even as the US and its allies, on one side, and China on the other, remain intertwined in relevant areas of science and technology. Moreover, in the case of quantum technologies, there are significant and extensive dependencies on China. Such technological, scientific, and geopolitical entanglements of the two countries in the field of quantum information science and technology (QIST) begs the question: How can the US rapidly advance its position in the field, at least in the short term, given China’s control, especially over critical quantum materials? – https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/navigating-the-entanglements-in-the-u-s-china-quantum-technology-race

Greening AI: US-India Role in Balancing Innovation and Sustainability

(Urmi Tat – Observer Research Foundation – 14 April 2025) Artificial Intelligence has become deeply integrated into modern society, reshaping industries, daily life, and economic structures. At its core, AI refers to systems that mimic human cognition and decision-making. While early AI concepts date back to the mid-20th century, recent breakthroughs in machine learning, computing capabilities, and vast data generation have propelled its rapid evolution. Today, AI’s potential to impact human lives is immense: AI could deliver an additional US$13 trillion to global economic activity by 2030, which is about 16 percent higher cumulative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) compared to current levels, or approximately an additional 1.2 percent growth in GDP per year. The US is investing heavily in AI infrastructure, with a notable surge in federal spending on AI, shifting from experimental projects to large-scale investments. An example of this is the US$ 500 billion Stargate project, a collaboration between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank, which exemplifies the US’s drive to be competitive and build AI infrastructure. – https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/greening-ai-us-india-role-in-balancing-innovation-and-sustainability

U.S. AI Action Plan: Recommendations to the National Science Foundation and the Office of Science and Technology Policy

(Siddharth Yadav, Anirban Sarma – Observer Research Foundation – 14 April 2025) The Donald Trump administration is prioritising the enhancement of United States leadership in artificial intelligence through deregulation, private-sector investment, and strategic policy development. To this end, President Trump announced the Stargate Project on 21 January 2025. The joint venture—whose initial equity funders are OpenAI, SoftBank, Oracle, and MGX—aims to invest up to US$500 billion in AI infrastructure across the US by 2029. Stargate will focus on constructing data centres, building new AI infrastructure, enhancing AI capabilities, and creating “hundreds of thousands of American jobs”. Shortly thereafter, on 23 January 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14179, marking a clear shift in American domestic and foreign policy on AI development. The Trump administration aims to “sustain and enhance America’s global AI dominance to promote human flourishing, economic competitiveness, and national security.”[2] To achieve this objective, the US will need to balance a domestic pro-innovation approach with a pro-security foreign policy. This report is in response to the White House call for public comment regarding the development of an AI Action Plan. The authors recommend two sets of interventions for the proposed Action Plan: reprioritising domestic policy through the US AI Safety Institute and adjusting export controls. – https://www.orfonline.org/research/u-s-ai-action-plan-recommendations-to-the-national-science-foundation-and-the-office-of-science-and-technology-policy

Security, Defense, Intelligence, and Warfare

NATO allies strengthen cyber defenses against critical infrastructure threats

(DigWatch – 16 April 2025) Between 7 and 11 April, representatives from 20 allied governments and national agencies participated in a NATO-led exercise designed to strengthen mutual support in the cyber domain. The activity aimed to improve coordination and collective response mechanisms for cyber incidents affecting critical national infrastructure. Through simulated threat scenarios, participants practised real-time information exchange, joint decision-making, and coordinated response planning – https://dig.watch/updates/nato-allies-strengthen-cyber-defenses-against-critical-infrastructure-threats

China’s tech to detect low-frequency in deep-sea could help spot submarines near Alaska

(Interesting Engineering – 16 April 2025) Scientists in China have developed a new tech that can reportedly help detect a low-frequency sound source originating from the extreme depths in waters. Developed by scientists at Harbin Engineering University (HEU), the acoustic technology could help detect underwater vessels with near-perfect accuracy in the Arctic’s Beaufort Sea. The area is of strategic importance for the naval operations of the United States as it’s a critical gateway to Alaska. Chinese scientists have claimed that with the help of new tech, they can pinpoint the depth of a low-frequency sound source. However, they admitted the fact that submarine hunts in Arctic-like conditions could be affected by rapid ice melt, a sudden Pacific water influx or any other type of sudden environmental changes. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/china-could-detect-submarines-near-alaska

Frontiers

NASA to Launch First Space-Based Quantum Gravity Sensor to Map Earth’s Hidden Shifts

(Quantum Insider – 16 April 2025) NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is developing the first space-based quantum gravity gradiometer, using ultra-cold rubidium atoms to detect gravitational anomalies with high precision from orbit. The Quantum Gravity Gradiometer Pathfinder (QGGPf) will test atom interferometry-based sensing in space, with potential sensitivity up to ten times greater than classical gravity sensors. The mission is supported by collaborations with companies like AOSense, Infleqtion, and Vector Atomic, which are contributing sensor head and laser system technologies. Scheduled for launch by the end of the decade, QGGPf is intended to validate space-based quantum sensing and inform future Earth and planetary science missions. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/04/16/nasa-to-launch-first-space-based-quantum-gravity-sensor-to-map-earths-hidden-shifts/

HRL Laboratories and Boeing Achieve Key Milestone in Quantum Entanglement Swapping Satellite Mission

(Quantum Insider – 16 April 2025) HRL Laboratories and Boeing completed construction and validation of a quantum communication subassembly for the Q4S satellite mission to demonstrate four-photon entanglement swapping in space. The system achieved high-fidelity quantum entanglement and over 2,500 photon pair detections per second, meeting key performance targets for space-based quantum networking. The subassembly, now flight-ready, will serve as a ground twin for the on-orbit payload as part of efforts to establish secure quantum communication links in space. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/04/16/hrl-laboratories-and-boeing-achieve-key-milestone-in-quantum-entanglement-swapping-satellite-mission/

IonQ and Intellian Partner to Explore Quantum Networking for Secure Satellite Communications

(Quantum Insider – 16 April 2025) IonQ and Intellian Technologies signed an MoU to explore how secure quantum networking can enhance satellite communications, including satellite-to-satellite and ground-to-satellite links. The partnership builds on IonQ’s existing connections with South Korea, where the company has collaborated with government agencies, universities, and major corporations like Hyundai, Samsung, and SK Telecom to advance the national quantum ecosystem. IonQ is working towards leadership in quantum-enabled communications, with long-term goals that include quantum time synchronization as a potential alternative to GPS. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/04/16/ionq-and-intellian-partner-to-explore-quantum-networking-for-secure-satellite-communications/

QuantX Labs Prepares First Orbital Launch of Optical Frequency Comb for Space-Based Precision Timing

(Quantum Insider – 16 April 2025) QuantX Labs will launch an optical frequency comb into orbit as part of its TEMPO atomic clock system, supported by a $3.7 million grant from the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative. The mission, scheduled for late 2025 aboard Exotrail’s spacevan™ and SpaceX, will be the first time an optical frequency comb will be deployed in space, enabling applications in deep-space communications, navigation, and synchronized Earth observation. QuantX’s subsystem has passed extensive environmental testing, demonstrating its resilience to temperature extremes, vacuum, vibration, and radiation expected during launch and in orbit. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/04/16/quantx-labs-prepares-first-orbital-launch-of-optical-frequency-comb-for-space-based-precision-timing/

Quminex Secures Pre-Seed Investment From QV Studio, Quantacet and Quantonation

(Quantum Insider – 16 April 2025) Quminex, a Canadian startup, is using AI and quantum computing to improve mineral exploration by turning complex data into actionable insights for critical resource discovery. The company has secured pre-seed investments from QV Studio, Quantacet, and Quantonation, and is among the first accepted into the QV Studio program at Distriq in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Quminex’s experienced founding team and focus on responsible, data-driven exploration have attracted attention from leading quantum-focused investors seeking to advance sustainable mineral supply chains. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/04/16/quminex-secures-pre-seed-investment-from-qv-studio-quantacet-and-quantonation/

PsiQuantum Announces $10.8 Million Contract with Air Force Research Laboratory

(Quantum Insider – 16 April 2025) PsiQuantum secured a $10.8 million contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory to co-develop quantum photonic chips using its Omega chipset and Barium Titanate electro-optic components. The contract enables AFRL to design and test quantum optical circuits on PsiQuantum’s fabrication pipeline, integrating AFRL-developed designs with PsiQuantum’s high-performance BTO material. This agreement supports U.S. quantum hardware capabilities through industrial-scale manufacturing at GlobalFoundries and advances national security applications in partnership with Rome Lab in Upstate New York. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/04/16/psiquantum-announces-10-8-million-contract-with-air-force-research-laboratory/

Honda Research Institute and BlueQubit Achieve Quantum Image Classification Milestone

(Quantum Insider – 16 April 2025) Honda Research Institute and BlueQubit executed the world’s first quantum image classification using a proprietary automotive dataset, marking a milestone in applying quantum computing to real-world AI tasks. The project used BlueQubit’s QSaaS platform and IBM and Quantinuum quantum hardware to classify dynamic driving scenes, achieving up to 94% accuracy with advanced quantum encoding methods. This success demonstrates the feasibility of quantum-enhanced machine learning for complex applications like autonomous driving, signaling near-term quantum readiness in AI-intensive industries. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/04/16/honda-research-institute-and-bluequbit-achieve-quantum-image-classification-milestone/

Entrust Announces Unified Cryptographic Security Platform

(Quantum Insider – 16 April 2025) Entrust has launched the Cryptographic Security Platform, the first unified solution for managing encryption keys, secrets, and certificates across enterprise environments. The platform addresses rising threats from AI-enhanced cyberattacks and cryptographic sprawl by providing centralized visibility, risk management, and lifecycle control. Designed to support post-quantum cryptography, the system integrates with major security and IT tools and will be available in May 2025. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/04/16/entrust-announces-unified-cryptographic-security-platform/