Governance
Global Dialogue on AI Governance officially launched
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) On 25 September 2025, the President of the UN General Assembly chaired a high-level multistakeholder informal meeting to launch the Global Dialogue on AI Governance. The creation of the Dialogue was agreed by UN member states in September 2024, with the adoption of the Global Digital Compact. In August 2025, the General Assembly adopted a resolution outlining the terms of reference and modalities for this new global mechanism. – https://dig.watch/updates/global-dialogue-on-ai-governance-officially-launched – https://www.un.org/pga/80/2025/09/18/letter-from-the-president-of-the-general-assembly-on-high-level-meeting-to-launch-global-dialogue-on-ai-governance-revised-concept-note/
UN Secretary-General warns humanity cannot rely on algorithms
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged world leaders to act swiftly to ensure AI serves humanity rather than threatens it. Speaking at a UN Security Council debate, he warned that while AI can help anticipate food crises, support de-mining efforts, and prevent violence, it is equally capable of fueling conflict through cyberattacks, disinformation, and autonomous weapons. – https://dig.watch/updates/un-secretary-general-warns-humanity-cannot-rely-on-algorithms – https://press.un.org/en/2025/sgsm22830.doc.htm
White House Places AI as a Critical Technology in its Top R&D Priorities
(AI Insider – 27 September 2025) The White House FY 2027 R&D memorandum places artificial intelligence at the center of federal priorities, directing agencies to advance both fundamental research and applied uses across defense, health, energy, and space. AI progress is tied to supporting technologies such as semiconductors, secure communications, advanced computing, and manufacturing, with agencies tasked to build infrastructure, datasets, and evaluation methods to strengthen reliability and resilience. Crosscutting actions include implementing “Gold Standard Science,” expanding STEM workforce development, and protecting sensitive U.S. research from foreign exploitation while encouraging broader collaboration across government, academia, and industry. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/09/27/white-house-places-ai-as-a-critical-technology-in-its-top-rd-priorities/
UK to introduce mandatory digital ID for work
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) The UK government has announced plans to make digital ID mandatory for proving the right to work by the end of the current Parliament, expected no later than 2029. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the scheme would tighten controls on illegal employment while offering wider benefits for citizens. The digital ID will be stored on smartphones in a format similar to contactless payment cards or the NHS app. It is expected to include core details such as name, date of birth, nationality or residency status, and a photo. – https://dig.watch/updates/uk-to-introduce-mandatory-digital-id-for-work – https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn832y43ql5o
UK sets up expert commission to speed up NHS adoption of AI
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) Doctors, researchers and technology leaders will work together to accelerate the safe adoption of AI in the NHS, under a new commission launched by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The body will draft recommendations to modernise healthcare regulation, ensuring patients gain faster access to innovations while maintaining safety and public trust. MHRA stressed that clear rules are vital as AI spreads across healthcare, already helping to diagnose conditions such as lung cancer and strokes in hospitals across the UK. – https://dig.watch/updates/uk-sets-up-expert-commission-to-speed-up-nhs-adoption-of-ai – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-commission-to-help-accelerate-nhs-use-of-ai
YouTube rolls back rules on Covid-19 and 2020 election misinformation
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) Google’s YouTube has announced it will reinstate accounts previously banned for repeatedly posting misinformation about Covid-19 and the 2020 US presidential election. The decision marks another rollback of moderation rules that once targeted health and political falsehoods. The platform said the move reflects a broader commitment to free expression and follows similar changes at Meta and Elon Musk’s X. – https://dig.watch/updates/youtube-rolls-back-rules-on-covid-19-and-2020-election-misinformation – https://edition.cnn.com/2025/09/24/tech/youtube-reinstate-banned-accounts-covid-19-2020-election
Geostrategies
UNDP and RIPE NCC join forces for sustainable development
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC) have signed a new agreement to boost cooperation on digital development. The Memorandum of Understanding, announced in New York during the UN General Assembly’s High-Level Week, focuses on building scalable, secure, and resilient internet infrastructure across the Arab States and beyond. – https://dig.watch/updates/undp-and-ripe-ncc-join-forces-for-sustainable-development – https://www.undp.org/arab-states/press-releases/undp-and-ripe-ncc-sign-mou-strengthen-digital-cooperation-sustainable-development
A TikTok ‘Deal’?
(Kate Klonick, Alan Z. Rozenshtein – Lawfare – 26 September 2025) President Trump signed an executive order certifying that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, has initiated a “qualified divestiture” of the popular social media app. This certification comes more than eight months after the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACAA), which effectively banned TikTok in the United States absent such a divestiture, went into effect. The administration’s sudden move follows a lengthy period of conspicuous non-enforcement, during which it has asserted broad executive authority over foreign relations to justify its inaction. But while the White House may be declaring victory, a closer look at the reported deal raises serious questions about whether it truly satisfies the stringent requirements of the law. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/a-tiktok–deal
Brazil to host massive AI-ready data centre by RT-One
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) T-One plans to build Latin America’s largest AI data centre after securing land in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The US$1.2bn project will span over one million square metres, with 300,000 m² reserved as protected green space. The site will support high-performance computing, sovereign cloud services, and AI workloads, launching with 100MW capacity and scaling to 400MW. It will run on 100% renewable energy and utilise advanced cooling systems to minimise its environmental impact. – https://dig.watch/updates/brazil-to-host-massive-ai-ready-data-centre-by-rt-one – https://www.uberlandia.mg.gov.br/2025/09/24/maior-data-center-de-inteligencia-artificial-da-america-latina-sera-construido-na-regiao-oeste-de-uberlandia/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
The EU unveils VLQ quantum computer in Czech Republic
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) A new quantum computer has been inaugurated at the IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Centre in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The system is the second quantum computer launched under the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking and forms part of Europe’s push to build its quantum infrastructure. Developed by IQM Quantum Computers, VLQ houses 24 superconducting qubits arranged in a star-shaped topology, designed to reduce swap operations and improve efficiency.- https://dig.watch/updates/the-eu-unveils-vlq-quantum-computer-in-czech-republic – https://www.lumi-supercomputer.eu/lumi-q-inaugurated/
Uzbekistan positions itself as Central Asia’s new AI and technology hub
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) Using its largest-ever ICT Week, Uzbekistan is showcasing ambitions to become a regional centre for AI and digital transformation. More than 20,000 participants, 300 companies, and delegations from over 50 countries gathered in Tashkent, signalling Central Asia’s growing role in the global technology landscape. The country invests in AI projects across various sectors, including education, healthcare, banking, and industry, with more than 100 initiatives underway. – https://dig.watch/updates/uzbekistan-positions-itself-as-central-asias-new-ai-and-technology-hub – https://new.gov.uz/en/digital/news/view/88699
The Geopolitical AI Chessboard: Securing Africa’s Shared Commons
(Folashadé Soulé-Kohndou, Leslie N. L. Mills, Charles Falajiki – CIGI – 25 September 2025) “Africa and the Geopolitics of Artificial Intelligence,” a webinar held on November 19, 2024, explored AI development and regulation in Africa and the practice of African agency within AI geopolitics. The webinar was convened under the Negotiating Africa’s Digital Partnerships project hosted at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and supported by the Centre for International Governance Innovation. Topics of discussion included the political economy of AI in Africa, the complexities of AI geopolitics, and the opportunities and challenges they present to Africa’s digital sovereignty. – https://www.cigionline.org/publications/the-geopolitical-ai-chessboard-securing-africas-shared-commons/
Security
SuperQ Quantum Releases Post-Quantum Cryptography AI
(Quantum Insider – 27 September 2025) SuperQ Quantum has launched Super™ PQC Analyst, a tool that diagnoses Web2 and Web3 infrastructure for post-quantum cryptography readiness and provides mitigation strategies. The product addresses rising risks from “harvest-now, decrypt-later” attacks and the potential for quantum computers to break current cryptographic protections within the next five years. Positioned in a rapidly growing cybersecurity and cryptocurrency market, Super™ PQC Analyst is the first step toward a full PQC Module set for release in Q4 2025. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/09/28/superq-quantum-releases-post-quantum-cryptography-pqc-ai/
Defence and War
Anti-jamming GPS to be integrated into precision-guided missiles to meet NATO needs
(Interesting Engineering – 28 September 2025) Two aerospace and defense technology companies have joined hands to develop next-generation,anti-jamming Global Positioning System (GPS) technology into precision-guided weapons. BAE Systems’ anti-jamming technology will be integrated into Hanwha Aerospace’s Deep Strike Capability systems. The step is aimed at countering sophisticated electronic warfare threats. The capability is expected to help European and other allied nations. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/anti-jamming-gps-into-missiles
67,000-pound payload capacity: US Navy’s new unmanned attack boat to offer 10,000-mile range
(Interesting Engineering – 28 September 2025) A new type of attack boat with modular capability is being built for the US Navy. Named Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC), the vessel is expected to carry more than 67,000 pounds (28,122 kilograms) of payload, which is double the capacity of comparable craft. BlackSea Technologies’ boat will include 198 kWe electrical power to support advanced sensors and weapon systems. The vessel offers 3,000 nm range at 10 knots and extended self-deploying range of 10,000 nm. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/unmanned-attack-boat-us-longer-range
Rhombus Power Snags $200 Million US Air Force Contract for AI-Powered Strategic Decision Making Platform
(AI Insider – 27 September 2025) The U.S. Air Force awarded Rhombus Power an IDIQ contract worth up to $200 million to mature its SBIR Phase II work into an AI platform for strategic decision-making and PPBE decision/analysis tools. Work will be performed in Moffett Field, CA, through Sept. 25, 2030; the award stemmed from SBIR open call AF192, with $2,500 in FY25 O&M funds obligated on the first task order at award. Rhombus Power describes its offering as human-in-the-loop, predictive decision intelligence that unifies multi-domain data into real-time insights for defense, intelligence, and national-security users. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/09/27/rhombus-power-snags-200-million-us-air-force-contract-for-ai-powered-strategic-decision-making-platform/
US to soon spot hostile drones at longer ranges using new system that can’t be detected
(Interesting Engineering – 27 September 2025) The United States could soon get the capability to detect hostile drones at longer ranges. An AI-enabled drone detection system was recently demonstrated at the Technology Readiness Experimentation event. L3Harris Technologies and Shield AI recently showcased the system that can detect hostile UAVs faster than current systems. The test event also demonstrated that the system can detect UAVs even if drones are partially obscured by buildings or clouds. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-to-soon-detect-hostile-drones
US military unveils automated cybersecurity construct for modern warfare
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) The US Department of War has unveiled a new Cybersecurity Risk Management Construct (CSRMC), a framework designed to deliver real-time cyber defence and strengthen the military’s digital resilience. A model that replaces outdated checklist-driven processes with automated, continuously monitored systems capable of adapting to rapidly evolving threats. – https://dig.watch/updates/us-military-unveils-automated-cybersecurity-construct-for-modern-warfare – https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4314411/department-of-war-announces-new-cybersecurity-risk-management-construct/
Frontiers
Hitachi launches AI Factory with NVIDIA
(DigWatch – 28 September 2025) Hitachi has unveiled a global AI Factory built on NVIDIA’s reference architecture to accelerate the development of physical AI solutions. The new platform uses Hitachi iQ systems powered by NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs, alongside the Spectrum-X networking platform, to deliver unified AI infrastructure for research and deployment. – https://dig.watch/updates/hitachi-launches-ai-factory-with-nvidia – https://hitachidigital.com/news/ai-factory-to-accelerate-physical-ai-innovation/?utm_source=chatgpt%E2%80%A6
Bond Trading, Quantum Bond Trading: A Deeper Look at HSBC And IBM’s Bond Trading Study
(Quantum Insider – 28 September 2025) Researchers from HSBC and IBM found that noisy quantum processors improved machine learning models for predicting corporate bond trade execution by up to 34%. The study showed that quantum-transformed data consistently outperformed classical and noiseless quantum simulations, suggesting hardware noise may enhance statistical structure in financial models. Results are based on European corporate bond data and require further validation, but they point to potential near-term applications of quantum devices in finance. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/09/28/bond-trading-quantum-bond-trading-a-deeper-look-at-hsbc-and-ibms-bond-trading-study/
China to build robot ‘boot camps’ as training centers to power next-gen humanoids
(Interesting Engineering – 27 September 2025) China is planning to open a series of robot “boot camps” around many of its major cities in the near future. Including major hubs like Beijing and Shanghai, these camps will act as “gyms” or “obstacle courses” for the nation’s burgeoning humanoid robot industry. The largest of these camps will be built in Beijing’s Shijingshan district. This mega facility will cover an area of more than 108,000 square feet (10,000 square meters) and will generate over 6 million data points every year. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/china-to-build-robot-gyms
Kepler Moves World’s First Commercially Available Hybrid-Architecture Humanoid Robot Into Mass Production
(AI Insider – 27 September 2025) Shanghai Kepler Robotics began mass production and shipments of its K2 “Bumblebee” humanoid—described by the company as the world’s first commercially available hybrid-architecture unit—marking a shift from prototypes to scaled deliveries. The K2 combines planetary roller-screw linear and rotary actuators for a straight-knee bipedal gait and industrial durability validated in environmental and endurance tests, with up to 81.3% energy efficiency, ~8 hours per charge, a 30-kg dual-arm payload, and a listed price of RMB 248,000. Kepler says it has framework agreements for several thousand units worth hundreds of millions of yuan, targeting logistics, manufacturing, R&D and exhibitions while building a supply-chain ecosystem to standardize, service and scale deployments. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/09/27/kepler-moves-worlds-first-commercially-available-hybrid-architecture-humanoid-robot-into-mass-production/
Quantum-classical hybrid outperforms, according to HSBC and IBM study
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) HSBC and IBM have reported the first empirical evidence of the value of quantum computers in solving real-world problems in bond trading. Their joint trial showed a 34% improvement in predicting the likelihood of a trade being filled at a quoted price compared to classical-only techniques. The trial used a hybrid approach that combined quantum and classical computing to optimise quote requests in over-the-counter bond markets. Production-scale trading data from the European corporate bond market was run on IBM quantum computers to predict winning probabilities. – https://dig.watch/updates/quantum-classical-hybrid-outperforms-according-to-hsbc-and-ibm-study – https://www.hsbc.com/news-and-views/news/media-releases/2025/hsbc-demonstrates-worlds-first-known-quantum-enabled-algorithmic-trading-with-ibm?utm_source=chatgpt.com
AI robot ‘robin’ brings emotional support to children’s hospitals in USA
(DigWatch – 26 September 2025) An AI-powered robot named Robin transforms patient care in the USA pediatric hospitals by offering emotional support and companionship to young patients. Developed by Expper Technologies, Robin resembles a child in appearance and voice, engaging patients with games, music, and conversation. Its childlike demeanour helps ease anxiety, especially during stressful medical procedures. Initially launched in Armenia, Robin now operates in 30 healthcare facilities across the USA, including Massachusetts, California, Indiana, and New York. Designed to combat healthcare staff shortages, the robot is about 30% autonomous, with remote human operators guiding its interactions under clinical supervision. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-robot-robin-brings-emotional-support-to-childrens-hospitals-in-usa – https://japantoday.com/category/tech/a-robot-programmed-to-act-like-a-7-year-old-girl-works-to-combat-fear-and-loneliness-in-hospitals
Evolve Closes $1M in Seed Funding to Redefine Corporate Learning with AI
(AI Insider – 26 September 2025) Evolve, a US-based AI-native learning platform, raised $1M in seed funding led by AltaIR Capital with participation from 500 Global, ULTRA.VC, Funders VC, and Brayne.vc to accelerate growth and expand its AI-driven solutions. The platform automates course creation from any content type, personalizes learning paths, and delivers real-time feedback through smart assessments and simulations, turning onboarding and upskilling into faster, measurable business outcomes. Launched in 2024 across the US and Europe, Evolve integrates with HRIS and LMS systems, offers multilingual support, and uses AI-powered simulations and analytics to boost engagement, retention, and performance for enterprise clients. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/09/26/evolve-closes-1m-in-seed-funding-to-redefine-corporate-learning-with-ai/
Blacksmith Raises $10M to Unblock AI Development with Fast CI for GitHub Actions
(AI Insider – 26 September 2025) Blacksmith raised $10M in a Series A led by Google Ventures, with participation from angels and prior backers, to accelerate its mission of making continuous integration (CI) faster, cheaper, and more transparent for GitHub Actions users. Its platform doubles CI speed, cuts compute costs by up to 75% using high-performance gaming-grade CPUs instead of generic cloud hardware, and provides unified observability tools for diagnosing failures and flaky tests. Since launching from Y Combinator in 2024, Blacksmith has grown to $1M ARR with 800+ customers including Supabase, VEED, and Chroma, and will use the funding to expand its team, open U.S. offices, and enhance its observability stack. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/09/26/blacksmith-raises-10m-to-unblock-ai-development-with-fast-ci-for-github-actions/
Google DeepMind Announces Two New Models to Take AI Agents to Robotics
(AI Insider – 26 September 2025) Google DeepMind unveiled Gemini Robotics‑ER 1.5 (embodied‑reasoning VLM) and Gemini Robotics 1.5 (vision‑language‑action) to push “physical AI” so robots can perceive, plan, use tools and act on multi‑step tasks; Robotics‑ER 1.5 is available via the Gemini API and Robotics 1.5 to select partners. The models work in an agentic framework where Robotics‑ER 1.5 creates stepwise plans and can call tools (e.g., Search), while Robotics 1.5 performs pre‑action reasoning to convert visual context and natural‑language instructions into motor commands and transfer skills across different robot embodiments. Google DeepMind reports state‑of‑the‑art results on embodied spatial benchmarks for Robotics‑ER 1.5 and says safety is layered via upgraded ASIMOV evaluations and governance, with developer access and documentation in Google AI Studio to support general‑purpose robotics. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/09/26/google-deepmind-announces-two-new-models-to-take-ai-agents-to-robotics/