World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS)
Women researchers showcase accessibility breakthroughs at WSIS
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, the session titled ‘Media and Education for All: Bridging Female Academic Leaders and Society towards Impactful Results’ spotlighted how female academic experts are applying AI to make media and education more inclusive and accessible. Organised by the AXS-CAT network at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and moderated by Dr Anita Lamprecht from Diplo, the session showcased a range of innovative projects that translate university research into real-world impact. One highlight was the ENACT project, presented by Professor Ana Matamala, which develops simplified news content to serve audiences such as migrants, people with intellectual disabilities, and language learners. While 13 European organisations already offer some easy-to-understand content, challenges remain in maintaining journalistic integrity while ensuring accessibility. – https://dig.watch/updates/women-researchers-showcase-accessibility-breakthroughs-at-wsis
Towards a unified digital future: WSIS+20 and GDC seek synergy, not redundancy
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, global digital leaders gathered to align two major initiatives shaping the future of digital governance: the WSIS+20 Review and the Global Digital Compact (GDC). With resource efficiency and institutional coherence high on the UN’s agenda, the session emphasised avoiding duplication and building on two decades of WSIS infrastructure, rather than creating new frameworks. Discussions pointed to a shared vision: a streamlined and inclusive approach to digital governance rooted in collaboration and practical results. Co-facilitators from Kenya and Albania, UN agency leaders, and the EU representatives voiced strong consensus that the WSIS legacy—built on multistakeholder participation—should remain central to the digital governance agenda. – https://dig.watch/updates/towards-a-unified-digital-future-wsis20-and-gdc-seek-synergy-not-redundancy
Two decades on, WSIS+20 sets course for inclusive digital future
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) The WSIS+20 High-Level Event opened in Geneva with a celebratory yet forward-looking tone, marking the 20th anniversary of the World Summit on the Information Society. With over 160 countries represented and over 50,000 stakeholders having engaged with WSIS over the years, speakers reflected on the summit’s legacy in expanding global internet access, from just 16% in 2003 to 68% today. ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin called multistakeholder collaboration ‘the beating heart of WSIS,’ reaffirming its importance in guiding digital development. Despite the gains, participants underscored stark digital divides that persist, particularly in the Global South. – https://dig.watch/updates/two-decades-on-wsis20-sets-course-for-inclusive-digital-future
East Meets West: Reimagining education in the age of AI
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, the session ‘AI (and) education: Convergences between Chinese and European pedagogical practices’ brought together educators, students, and industry experts to examine how AI reshapes global education. Led by Jovan Kurbalija of Diplo and Professor Hao Liu of Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), with industry insights from Deloitte’s Norman Sze, the discussion focused on the future of universities and the evolving role of professors amid rapid AI developments. Drawing on philosophical traditions from Confucius to Plato, the session emphasised the need for a hybrid approach that preserves the human essence of learning while embracing technological transformation. – https://dig.watch/updates/east-meets-west-reimagining-education-in-the-age-of-ai
WSIS+20 panel urges smarter digital governance
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, global leaders and experts gathered to reflect on the two-decade legacy of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and chart a course for the future of digital cooperation. Moderated by Anriette Esterhuysen of the Association for Progressive Communications, the panel underscored how the WSIS process helped connect over 5.6 billion people to the internet and solidified the importance of multistakeholder governance. Speakers lauded successes in infrastructure and inclusion but were clear-eyed about persistent gaps, especially the 2.5 billion people who still lack connectivity. – https://dig.watch/updates/wsis20-panel-urges-smarter-digital-governance
Governance and Legislation
Regions seek role in EU hospital cyber strategy
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) The European Commission’s latest plan to strengthen hospital cybersecurity has drawn attention from regional authorities across the EU, who say they were excluded from key decisions. Their absence, they argue, could weaken the strategy’s overall effectiveness. With cyberattacks on healthcare systems growing, regional representatives insist they should have a seat at the table. – https://dig.watch/updates/regions-seek-role-in-eu-hospital-cyber-strategy
Council of Europe picks Jylo to power AI platform
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) The Council of Europe has chosen Jylo, a European enterprise AI provider, to support over 3,000 users across its organisation. The decision followed a competitive selection process involving multiple AI vendors, with Jylo standing out for its regulatory compliance and platform adaptability. As Europe’s leading human rights body, the Council aims to use AI responsibly to support its legal and policy work. Jylo’s platform will streamline document-based workflows and reduce administrative burdens, helping staff focus on critical democratic and legal missions. – https://dig.watch/updates/council-of-europe-picks-jylo-to-power-ai-platform
Geostrategies
BRICS calls for AI data regulations amid challenges with de-dollarisation
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) BRICS leaders in Rio de Janeiro have called for stricter global rules on how AI uses data, demanding fair compensation for content used without permission. The group’s draft statement highlights growing frustration with tech giants using vast amounts of unlicensed content to train AI models. Despite making progress on digital policy, BRICS once again stalled on a long-standing ambition to reduce reliance on the US dollar. – https://dig.watch/updates/brics-calls-for-ai-data-regulations-amid-challenges-with-de-dollarisation
Security
Global instability fuels surge in cyberattacks
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) A surge in cyberattacks is fuelled by global instability, with businesses worldwide now facing heightened risks. A new report by GlobalData warns that rising geopolitical tensions are giving state actors, terrorists, hacktivists and cybercriminals more opportunities to strike. Conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have created a volatile digital landscape. Cyberattackers are exploiting weakened defences, targeting both national infrastructure and private enterprises. – https://dig.watch/updates/global-instability-fuels-surge-in-cyberattacks
Hackers steal $180M in Brazil’s biggest bank breach
(DigWatch – 6 July 2025) Hackers stole over R$1 billion (around $180 million) from Brazil’s banking system by exploiting a vulnerability in the PIX payment network. The breach began via C&M Software, a Central Bank-approved provider linking banks and fintechs to the financial system. Criminals drained reserve accounts, including one tied to BMP, and moved the funds through crypto platforms to convert them into Bitcoin and USDT. Authorities and crypto platforms reacted fast, freezing suspicious transactions and returning some of the blocked funds. – https://dig.watch/updates/hackers-steal-180m-in-brazils-biggest-bank-breach
Defence, Intelligence, and Warfare
The FBI’s Dangerous Failure to Adapt to the Digital Age
(Susan Landau – Lawfare – 7 July 2025) In 2011 Hezbollah apprehended a group of CIA informants based in Beirut. After obtaining access to Lebanon’s phone providers’ records—not exactly difficult for the terrorist organization that effectively controlled large portions of Beirut—Hezbollah was able to find “interesting” patterns of small sets of people who communicated exclusively with one another. In the intelligence world, these patterns can easily be used to identify agents connecting with informants. For over two decades, the U.S. had been using similar types of investigative techniques in Afghanistan and Iraq; it should have been no surprise that U.S. adversaries had adopted these methods to flush out their foes. The surprise was that the CIA had lacked the foresight to anticipate this, employing poor intelligence tradecraft that left agents vulnerable. Now, a recent report by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (OIG) shows that today a different intelligence institution—the FBI—is similarly falling short in its efforts to adapt to novel adversarial threats enabled by technological transformation. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-fbi-s-dangerous-failure-to-adapt-to-the-digital-age
Airbus transforms A400M into a warzone beast with drones, jammers, and firepower
(Interesting Engineering – 7 July 2025) Airbus is transforming the A400M into one of the most versatile aircraft in military service. Designed as a tactical airlifter, it is now being equipped to handle next-generation warfare, remote firefighting, and drone coordination. The changes are part of a long-term push to keep the aircraft relevant for increasingly complex missions. The A400M, already known for its rugged performance, is getting new capabilities to meet future demands. “As a highly capable and versatile aircraft, it must operate effectively in the most challenging scenarios, both now and in the future,” Airbus said in an official press release. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/airbus-a400m-upgrade-drone-firefight-jammer
India needs a quantum leap in defence AI, says LatentAI founder
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) Jags Kandasamy, founder of US-based defence tech company LatentAI, is working with Indian firms to pursue defence contracts, but says India must leapfrog forward in AI-enabled warfare. In an interview with HT, he outlined the challenges and opportunities in the India-US defence tech partnership. At Aero India, Kandasamy saw an Indian Army prototype using computer vision on automated border weapons. While promising, the system’s heavy computing requirements limit scalability. LatentAI, which helped the US Navy optimise AI models for underwater vehicles, offers solutions by compressing models to fit limited hardware. ‘Autonomous warfare is the future,’ he said, noting the impact of drones and AI on intelligence, targeting and surveillance. – https://dig.watch/updates/india-needs-a-quantum-leap-in-defence-ai-says-latentai-founder
Frontiers
MIT Researchers Develop Autonomous Robotic System for Fast Measurements of Semiconductor Materials
(AI Insider – 7 July 2025) MIT researchers have developed a fully autonomous robotic system that can perform over 3,000 precise photoconductance measurements in 24 hours, a key for accelerating semiconductor material discovery. Backed by funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, First Solar, and others, the robot combines a self-supervised neural network and domain-informed path planning to optimize speed and accuracy. The system automates a traditionally slow and manual process, enabling faster identification of promising solar cell materials and laying groundwork for future fully autonomous materials labs. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/07/07/mit-researchers-develop-autonomous-robotic-system-for-fast-measurements-of-semiconductor-materials/
AI tool could change marine forecasting methods
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) An AI-driven forecasting tool developed by the Met Office and the University of Exeter is poised to reshape how marine operations are planned. The low-cost model, MaLCOM, has successfully predicted ocean currents in the Gulf of Mexico. Designed initially to forecast regional wave patterns around the UK, the framework’s adaptability is now helping model ocean currents in new environments. The tool’s ability to run on a laptop makes it highly accessible, offering real-time insights that could aid offshore energy. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-tool-could-change-marine-forecasting-methods
Video: World’s first garage-built humanoid robot now yours to customize freely
(Interesting Engineering – 7 July 2025) Imagine having a humanoid robot in your kitchen preparing bread using the toaster while you get ready to leave for work. The advent of humanoids promises a rich potential to speed up manual work, but the majority of it is projected only for big corporations and factories. Benjamin Bolte’s K-Scale Labs is poised to change that scenario with their latest humanoid, the K-Bot. Positioned as an ‘open-source personal robot,’ the K-Bot intends to disrupt the robotics market by making the technology of humanoids available to the common man. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/worlds-first-garage-built-humanoid-robot
Video: Korea’s humanoid robot nails pull-ups with 44-pound weight strapped on
(Interesting Engineering – 7 July 2025) The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has dropped a new video showcasing the remarkable strength of its headline robot, the ARMstrong Dex. A humanoid-scale, dual-arm, hydraulic-powered robot, the latest video shows the ARMstrong performing a series of dead-hang pull-ups while carrying a 44-pound (20 kg) weight. This new video is not just about showing off, though it is impressive. It is intended to mark a critical step forward in developing robots capable of handling physically demanding tasks in disaster zones and hazardous environments. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/kaeri-humanoid-robot-pull-ups
Japan’s sci-fi glove steers drones with hand gestures in high-precision teleoperation
(Interesting Engineering – 7 July 2025) Researchers at the University of Tokyo’s Dragon Lab have developed an intuitive hand-based teleoperation system that allows human operators to control omnidirectional aerial robots with high precision. This system, which operates in six degrees of freedom (6-DoF), utilizes motion-tracking markers and a data glove to correlate the operator’s shoulder and hand movements—finger gestures included—with the drone’s position and orientation. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/hand-gesture-drone-control
FlySafair introduces AI interface for smarter bookings
(DigWatch – 7 July 2025) South African airline FlySafair has introduced Lindi, an AI-powered interface to assist customers with booking and travel management. Accessible 24/7 via WhatsApp, Lindi can handle single-passenger flight bookings, seat or name changes, and provide travel details. FlySafair is the first South African carrier to implement a free AI travel assistant capable of managing bookings and setting a new benchmark for customer service. The initiative reflects the airline’s commitment to affordable, efficient, and tech-driven travel experiences. – https://dig.watch/updates/flysafair-introduces-ai-interface-for-smarter-bookings
AI errors are creating new jobs for human experts
(DigWatch – 5 July 2025) A growing number of writers and developers are finding steady work correcting the flawed outputs of AI systems that businesses use. From bland marketing copy to broken website code, over-reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT is causing costly setbacks that require human intervention. In Arizona, writer Sarah Skidd was paid $100 an hour to rewrite poor-quality website text initially produced by AI entirely. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-errors-are-creating-new-jobs-for-human-experts
Southern Water uses AI to cut sewer floods
(DigWatch – 5 July 2025) AI used in the sewer system has helped prevent homes in West Sussex from flooding, Southern Water has confirmed. The system was able to detect a fatberg in East Lavington before it caused damage. The AI monitors sewer flow patterns and distinguishes between regular use, rainfall and developing blockages. On 16 June, digital sensors flagged an anomaly—leading teams to clear the fatberg before wastewater could flood gardens or homes. – https://dig.watch/updates/southern-water-uses-ai-to-cut-sewer-floods