Governance
Bangladesh unveils national roadmap for ethical AI development
(DigWatch) Bangladesh has launched its first national AI Readiness Assessment Report to guide ethical, inclusive and rights-centred development of AI across public services. The report was unveiled in Dhaka with representatives from government, international organisations, academia, civil society and the private sector. Officials described the assessment as a pivotal step as the country prepares for an increasingly AI-driven era. – https://dig.watch/updates/bangladesh-unveils-national-roadmap-for-ethical-ai-development
Twitch is classified as age-restricted by the Australian regulator
(DigWatch) Australia’s online safety regulator has moved to classify Twitch as an age-restricted social media platform after ruling that the service is centred on user interaction through livestreamed content. The decision means Twitch must take reasonable steps to stop children under sixteen from creating accounts from 10 December instead of relying on its own internal checks. – https://dig.watch/updates/twitch-is-classified-as-age-restricted-by-the-australian-regulator
Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism
Congress Takes One Step Closer to Challenging ISIS’ AI Revolution
(Tom O’Connor – Newsweek) A new bill passed by the House of Representatives seeks to ramp up U.S. efforts to combat the growing use of artificial intelligence in the hands of militant groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS). Representative August Pfluger, the senior Texas Republican and reserve U.S. Air Force colonel who introduced the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act passed unanimously by lawmakers late Wednesday, said the move marks a win in the ever-evolving battle against malign actors waging an increasingly high-tech war in cyberspace. “I spent two decades as a fighter pilot, flying combat missions in the Middle East against terrorist organizations,” Pfluger said in a statement shared with Newsweek. “Since then, I have witnessed the terror landscape evolve into a digital battlefield shaped by the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. To confront this emerging threat and stop terrorist organizations from weaponizing AI to recruit, train, and inspire attacks on U.S. soil, I am proud that the House passed my Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act today.”. “While my uniform has changed, my mission to protect the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic, has not,” he added. “From the cockpit to serving as Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, I know how critical it is for our policies and capabilities to keep pace with the threats of tomorrow. That is exactly what my legislation ensures.” – https://www.newsweek.com/congress-takes-one-step-closer-to-challenging-isis-ai-revolution-11077708
Courts and Litigation
Spain opens inquiry into Meta over privacy concerns
(DigWatch) Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has announced that an investigation will be launched against Meta following concerns over a possible large-scale violation of user privacy. The company will be required to explain its conduct before the parliamentary committee on economy, trade and digital transformation instead of continuing to handle the issue privately. – https://dig.watch/updates/spain-opens-inquiry-into-meta-over-privacy-concerns
Meta allegedly hid evidence of social media harm to mental health
(Anna Zhadan – Cybernews) Meta is accused of halting internal research into the negative effects of Facebook and Instagram after findings showed the platforms harmed users’ mental health. A claim filed in a class action lawsuit by US school districts against Meta and other social media platforms, including Google, TikTok, and Snapchat, argues that the companies have intentionally hidden the known information about the risk of their products. The lawsuit was filed by Motley Rice on behalf of school districts across the country. Where are these allegations coming from? They’re tied to Meta’s own research project, coded Project Mercury, which investigated the effect of “deactivating” Facebook and Instagram in collaboration with survey firm Nielsen. – https://cybernews.com/news/meta-allegedly-hid-evidence-of-social-media-harm-to-mental-health/
Legal action targets Uber AI pay model
(DigWatch) Uber has been confronted with legal demands to halt the use of its AI-driven pay systems after accusations that they have reduced driver incomes. Worker Info Exchange, a non-profit foundation, alleges that the ride-hailing firm breached European data protection laws by varying pay through algorithms. – https://dig.watch/updates/legal-action-targets-uber-ai-pay-model
Geostrategies
UAE plans $1b investment to boost African AI Infrastructure
(Anna Zhadan – Cybernews) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) plans to invest $1 billion to support the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure and services across African countries. UAE Minister of State Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri said the “AI for development initiative”, announced at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, aims to support African countries in developing digital and AI infrastructure and expanding the use of AI technologies and services across various sectors, including education, healthcare, agriculture, digital identity, and climate adaptation. In a statement cited by Reuters, he said the UAE considers AI not just as a future industry but a cornerstone of humanity’s future. – https://cybernews.com/ai-news/uae-plans-1b-investment-to-boost-african-ai-infrastructure/ – https://dig.watch/updates/uae-launches-1-billion-ai-initiative-for-africa
Trump’s ‘America First’ AI Policy
(Khyati Singh – Manohar Parrikar Institute) President Trump’s AI policy positions AI as a crusade for global dominance, achieved through the politicisation of technology and aggressive deregulation. The approach is fraught with long-term risks, including widening societal discrimination domestically. – https://www.idsa.in/publisher/issuebrief/trumps-america-first-ai-policy
UK Critical Minerals Strategy 2035: What It Means for Quantum Computing and Quantum Technologies
(Quantum Insider) The UK’s new Vision 2035 minerals strategy aims to secure lithium, rare earths and other critical materials to support advanced industries including clean energy, defense, semiconductors and emerging quantum technologies. By expanding domestic refining, midstream processing and recycling capacity, the plan reduces reliance on concentrated global supply chains that also underpin superconducting, photonic and trapped-ion quantum hardware. The strategy’s diversification targets, investment tools and defense-sector resilience measures position the UK to stabilize upstream inputs for future quantum processors, sensors and networking systems while strengthening broader industrial security. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/11/24/uk-critical-minerals-strategy-2035-what-it-means-for-quantum-computing-and-quantum-technologies/
Armenia promotes AI partnership during ambassador’s meeting with Apple in Cupertino
(DigWatch) Armenia’s ambassador, Narek Mkrtchyan, has met senior Apple representatives in Cupertino to discuss expanding the company’s activities in the country. The visit included talks with Jason Lundgaard, Apple’s senior director for international cooperation at corporate government affairs. The ambassador outlined the Armenia–US memorandum on AI and semiconductor cooperation signed on 8 August and highlighted Armenia’s technology ecosystem and investment potential. Both sides explored areas for collaboration and the conditions under which Apple could expand its presence. – https://dig.watch/updates/armenia-promotes-ai-partnership-during-ambassadors-meeting-with-apple-in-cupertino
Europe needs clearer regulation to capture AI growth, Google says
(DigWatch) Google says Europe faces a pivotal moment as AI reshapes global competitiveness, arguing that the region has the talent to lead the way. It points to growing demand for tools that help businesses innovate and expand. Startups like Idoven are highlighted as examples of Europe’s emerging strengths. Google highlights its long-standing partnership with Europe, pointing to significant investments in infrastructure, security, and research. It has more than 40 offices and 31,000 staff across the region. DeepMind’s scientific advances, including broad use of AlphaFold, remain central to that work. – https://dig.watch/updates/europe-needs-clearer-regulation-to-capture-ai-growth-google-says
EU approves funding for a new Onsemi semiconductor facility in the Czech Republic
(DigWatch) The European Commission has approved €450 million in Czech support for a new integrated Onsemi semiconductor facility in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm. A project that will help strengthen Europe’s technological autonomy by advancing Silicon Carbide power device production instead of relying on non-European manufacturing. The Czech Republic plans to back a €1.64 billion investment that will create the first EU facility covering every stage from crystal growth to finished components. These products will be central to electric vehicles, fast charging systems and renewable energy technologies. – https://dig.watch/updates/eu-approves-funding-for-a-new-onsemi-semiconductor-facility-in-the-czech-republic
Security and Surveillance
US warns of rising senior health fraud as AI lifts scam sophistication
(DigWatch) AI-driven fraud schemes are on the rise across the US health system, exposing older adults to increasing financial and personal risks. Officials say tens of billions in losses have already been uncovered this year. High medical use and limited digital literacy leave seniors particularly vulnerable. Criminals rely on schemes such as phantom billing, upcoding and identity theft using Medicare numbers. Fraud spans home health, hospice care and medical equipment services. Authorities warn that the ageing population will deepen exposure and increase long-term harm. – https://dig.watch/updates/us-warns-of-rising-senior-health-fraud-as-ai-lifts-scam-sophistication
Disgruntled IT worker hacks former employer, resets 2,500 passwords
(Anton Mous – Cybernews) An IT contractor has cost his former boss a considerable amount of money. He was so angry at his ex-employer that he disrupted the company’s entire business operations, resulting in more than $862,000 in damages. Being laid off is never easy. Most people would be upset for a while, but eventually they would pick themselves up and attempt to find a new job. However, Maxwell Schultz, a 35-year-old man from Columbus, Ohio, harbored a massive grudge against his former employer after being fired. – https://cybernews.com/cybercrime/disgruntled-it-worker-hacks-former-employer-resets-2500-passwords/
FCC rolls back ISP cybersecurity rules despite looming threat from China-linked hackers
(Anton Mous – Cybernews) The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has rolled back several security measures for internet service providers (ISPs). These measures were implemented after Chinese hackers successfully gained access to ISP networks for several months. “The Federal Communications Commission today took action to correct course and rescind an unlawful and ineffective prior Declaratory Ruling misconstruing the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA),” the communications regulator said in a press release published on Friday. These regulations obligated carriers to implement various minimum security measures to prevent unauthorized access to their networks. In addition, they had to submit annual FCC certifications to show that they met these ends. Lastly, ISPs were required to treat the security of their networks as a legal obligation. – https://cybernews.com/security/fcc-isp-cybersecurity-rules-threat-china-hackers/
AI attack agents are accelerators, not autonomous weapons: the Anthropic attack
(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs) Anthropic recently published a report that sparked a lively debate about what AI agents can actually do during a cyberattack. The study shows an AI system, trained specifically for offensive tasks, handling 80–90% of the tactical workload in simulated operations. At first glance, this sounds like a giant leap toward autonomous cyber weapons, but the real story is more nuanced, and far less dramatic. Anthropic’s agent excelled at one thing: speed. It generated scripts in seconds, tested known exploits with no fatigue, scanned configurations at scale, and built basic infrastructure faster than any analyst could. These tasks normally take hours or days, and the AI completed them almost instantly. It automated the “grunt work” that fills so much of an attacker’s time. – https://securityaffairs.com/184943/security/ai-attack-agents-are-accelerators-not-autonomous-weapons-the-anthropic-attack.html
Iberia Airlines Notifies Customers of Supply Chain Data Breach
(Phil Muncaster – Infosecurity Magazine) Customers of Iberia Airlines will need to be on high alert for phishing attacks after the carrier revealed personal information had been compromised via a supplier. Owned by the International Airlines Group (IAG) that also contains British Airways and Aer Lingus, Spain’s largest airline began sending notifications out over the weekend. Cyber tracker Hackmanac shared the note, written in Spanish, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/iberia-airlines-supply-chain-data/ – https://securityaffairs.com/184985/data-breach/iberia-discloses-security-incident-tied-to-supplier-breach.html – https://cybernews.com/security/iberia-airline-data-breach/
VPN credential theft emerges as top ransomware entry point
(DigWatch) Cyber Express reports that compromised VPN credentials are now the most common method for ransomware attackers to gain entry. In Q3 2025, nearly half of all ransomware incidents began with valid, stolen VPN logins. The analysis, based on data from Beazley Security (the insurance arm of Beazley), reveals that threat actors are increasingly exploiting remote access tools, rather than relying solely on software exploits or phishing. – https://dig.watch/updates/vpn-credential-theft-emerges-as-top-ransomware-entry-point
Popular Python AI library compromised to deliver malware
(DigWatch) Security researchers have confirmed that the Ultralytics YOLO library was hijacked in a supply-chain attack, where attackers injected malicious code into the PyPI-published versions 8.3.41 and 8.3.42. When installed, these versions deployed the XMRig cryptominer. – https://dig.watch/updates/popular-python-ai-library-compromised-to-deliver-malware
Defence, Military, and Warfare
Technology, Armoured Forces and Future of Warfare
(Karanbir Singh Brar – Manohar Parrikar Institute) Every network-centric force is made up of platforms, but not every platform-centric force is networked. The transition is not merely technical—it is doctrinal, cultural and organisational. The shift from isolated excellence to connected intelligence defines the true evolution of military power in the information age. – https://www.idsa.in/publisher/issuebrief/technology-future-of-warfare
MoD Launches World’s First Military Gaming Tournament
(Phil Muncaster – Infosecurity Magazine) The UK government has announced the world’s first military esports tournament, which it claims will help to improve the cyber skills of serving personnel. The International Defence Esports Games (IDEG) was launched in London on Friday with 40 allied nations and follows a decision by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2024 to recognize esports as a military sport. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/mod-worlds-first-military-gaming/
Frontiers and Markets
Chen Deli warns that AGI progress could bring dangerous societal consequences
(DigWatch) DeepSeek made a rare public appearance at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, where senior researcher Chen Deli restated the firm’s ambition to develop AGI. He joined other companies known as China’s ‘six little dragons’ of AI and acknowledged the potential risks of advanced systems. – https://dig.watch/updates/chen-deli-warns-that-agi-progress-could-bring-dangerous-societal-consequences
DOE Researchers Use Quantum Computers to Simulate Particle Physics Beyond Supercomputers
(Quantum Insider) DOE-backed researchers achieved the largest quantum simulation to date, using scalable quantum circuits on IBM’s quantum computers to model particle physics phenomena too complex for classical supercomputers. The team first developed circuits for small systems using classical computation, then scaled them to more than 100 qubits to simulate vacuum properties and hadron pulses. The scalable circuits offer a path to studying matter in extreme conditions, potentially illuminating the matter-antimatter imbalance, supernova nucleosynthesis, and properties of ultra-dense matter. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/11/21/doe-quantum-simulations-ibm/
NVIDIA AI transforms smart cities
(DigWatch) Cities worldwide face increasing operational challenges as populations grow and infrastructure becomes strained. Traffic congestion, emergency response coordination, and fragmented data pipelines make it difficult for local authorities to obtain real-time insights for effective decision-making. NVIDIA’s Blueprint for smart city AI, combined with OpenUSD digital twins, allows cities to simulate complex scenarios and generate accurate sensor data. – https://dig.watch/updates/nvidia-ai-transforms-smart-cities
AI shows promise in supporting emergency medical decisions
(DigWatch) Drexel University researchers studied how AI can aid emergency decisions in pediatric trauma at Children’s National Medical Center. Clinicians used the AI display DecAide to view key patient data, AI-synthesised information, or AI data with treatment recommendations. The study tested 35 emergency care providers across 12 scripted scenarios, comparing their decisions to established ground truth outcomes. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-shows-promise-in-supporting-emergency-medical-decisions
Rising data demand powers India’s 5G surge
(DigWatch) India is forecast to surpass one billion 5G subscriptions by the end of 2031. Ericsson’s latest Mobility Report highlights the rapid uptake in a market that is already leading global data consumption. The study estimates that there will be approximately 394 million Indian 5G subscriptions by the end of 2025, roughly one-third of all connections. The average monthly mobile data usage per smartphone is expected to increase from 36GB today to 65GB by 2031. – https://dig.watch/updates/rising-data-demand-powers-indias-5g-surge
Greece accelerates AI training for teachers
(DigWatch) A national push to bring AI into public schools has moved ahead in Greece after the launch of an intensive training programme for secondary teachers. Staff in selected institutions will receive guidance on a custom version of ChatGPT designed for academic use, with a wider rollout planned for January. – https://dig.watch/updates/greece-accelerates-ai-training-for-teachers
‘ChatGPT for Teachers’ launches for US schools
(DigWatch) OpenAI has unveiled ‘ChatGPT for Teachers’, a version of the chatbot built specifically for K-12 educators and school districts in the US. The tool allows teachers to handle student information securely, receive tailored teaching support and collaborate with colleagues. – https://dig.watch/updates/chatgpt-for-teachers-launches-for-us-schools
Creative industries seek rights protection amid AI surge
(DigWatch) British novelists are raising concerns that AI could replace their work, with nearly half saying the technology could ‘entirely replace’ them. The MCTD survey of 332 authors found deep unease about the impact of generative tools trained on vast fiction datasets. – https://dig.watch/updates/creative-industries-seek-rights-protection-amid-ai-surge
Smarter AI processing could lead to cleaner air, say UCR engineers
(DigWatch) As AI continues to scale rapidly, the environmental cost of powering massive data centres is becoming increasingly urgent. Machines require substantial amounts of electricity and water to stay cool, and a significant portion of this energy comes from fossil-fuel sources. Scientists at UC Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering, led by Professors Mihri and Cengiz Ozkan, have proposed a novel solution called Federated Carbon Intelligence (FCI). – https://dig.watch/updates/smarter-ai-processing-could-lead-to-cleaner-air-say-ucr-engineers
OpenAI Academy supports small firms with AI training
(DigWatch) OpenAI Academy is running a US nationwide Small Business AI Jam for more than 1,000 owners. Workshops in San Francisco, New York, Detroit, Houston and Miami give practical help using AI to handle everyday tasks. Participants from restaurants, retailers, professional services and creative firms work alongside mentors to build tailored AI tools. Typical projects include marketing assistants, customer communication helpers and organisers for bookings, stock or paperwork. Everyone leaves with at least one ready to use workflow. – https://dig.watch/updates/openai-academy-supports-small-firms-with-ai-training
New NVIDIA model drives breakthroughs in conservation biology
(DigWatch) Researchers have introduced a biology foundation model that can recognise over a million species and understand relationships across the animal and plant kingdoms. BioCLIP 2 was trained on one of the most extensive biological datasets ever compiled, allowing it to identify traits, cluster organisms and reveal patterns that support conservation efforts. – https://dig.watch/updates/new-nvidia-model-drives-breakthroughs-in-conservation-biology
Firgun Ventures Launches $250 Million VC Fund to Invest in Quantum, Announces First $70 Million Close
(Quantum Insider) Firgun Ventures announced a $70 million first close to launch what it calls the market’s first VC fund focused on early growth-stage quantum technology companies, backed by the Qatar Investment Authority. The fund, targeting $250 million, will invest globally in quantum computing, sensing, communications, and related applications in sectors such as healthcare, climate science, finance, and cybersecurity. Founded by Kris Naudts and Zeynep Koruturk, the firm combines scientific, entrepreneurial, and financial expertise supported by an advisory council from leading institutions including Cambridge, Oxford, MIT, Google, the European Investment Bank, and the Wellcome Trust. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/11/24/firgun-ventures-launches-250-million-vc-fund-to-invest-in-quantum-announces-first-70-million-close/
Mozilla Foundation Joins The Unitary Foundation to Further Open-Source Mission
(Quantum Insider) The Unitary Foundation said the Mozilla Foundation has joined as a Supporting Member, forming a new partnership centered on public-interest approaches to quantum technology. The collaboration extends Mozilla’s long-standing work on internet openness into quantum computing, aligning with efforts to apply principles such as transparency and community stewardship to an emerging field. The organizations plan to explore public-interest frameworks for quantum systems and will jointly host a 2026 Open Source Fellow to support work on the quantum open-source ecosystem. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/11/22/mozilla-foundation-joins-the-unitary-foundation-to-further-open-source-mission/
TRUMPF Aims to Improve Its Lasers With Quantum Computers
(Quantum Insider) TRUMPF, Fraunhofer ILT, and the Dahlem Center at Freie Universität Berlin are jointly researching whether quantum computers can better simulate the quantum-mechanical processes inside lasers and eventually accelerate laser-development cycles. The project focuses on CO₂ and semiconductor lasers, aiming to predict amplification and energy-transfer processes with quantum algorithms that could one day improve efficiency and industrial performance. Fraunhofer ILT, FU Berlin, and TRUMPF each contribute specialized expertise, with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research providing €1.8 million to support early algorithm testing and model translation from classical to quantum systems. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/11/22/trumpf-aims-to-improve-its-lasers-with-quantum-computers/
Lanchi Ventures Backed Genspark Secures $275M Series B, Launches AI Workspace to Put Busywork on Autopilot
(AI Insider) Genspark raised an oversubscribed $275 million Series B at a $1.25 billion valuation, reaching over $50 million in annualized run rate within five months — one of the fastest growth trajectories among AI companies. The company launched the Genspark AI Workspace, a platform that uses a Mixture-of-Agents architecture to autonomously execute complex workflows and deliver finished work — selecting from 30+ AI models and 150+ tools without step-by-step prompting. Backed by Emergence Capital Partners, SBI Investment, LG Technology Ventures, and others, Genspark aims to redefine how 1 billion knowledge workers operate by shifting from AI-assisted tasks to fully autonomous execution across presentations, financial models, reports, software, and more. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/11/22/lanchi-ventures-backed-genspark-secures-275m-series-b-launches-ai-workspace-to-put-busywork-on-autopilot/