Netherlands urges EU to reduce reliance on US cloud providers

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) The Dutch government has released a policy paper urging the European Union to take coordinated action to reduce its heavy dependence on non-EU cloud providers, especially from the United States. The document recommends that the European Commission introduce a clearer and harmonized approach at the EU level. Key proposals include creating a consistent definition of ‘cloud sovereignty,’ adjusting public procurement rules to allow prioritizing sovereignty, promoting open-source technologies and standards, setting up a common European decision-making framework for cloud choices, and ensuring sufficient funding to support the development and deployment of sovereign cloud technologies. – https://dig.watch/updates/netherlands-urges-eu-to-reduce-reliance-on-us-cloud-providers

EU presses pause on probe of X as US trade talks heat up

(Ars Technica – 17 July 2025) The European Commission has stalled one of its investigations into Elon Musk’s X for breaking the bloc’s digital transparency rules, while it seeks to conclude trade talks with the US. Brussels was expected to finalise its probe into the social media platform before the EU’s summer recess but will miss this deadline, according to three officials familiar with the matter. They noted that a decision was likely to follow after clarity emerged in the EU-US trade negotiations. “It’s all tied up,” one of the officials added. The EU has several investigations into X under the bloc’s Digital Services Act, a set of rules for large online players to police their platforms more aggressively. – https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/07/eu-presses-pause-on-probe-of-x-as-us-trade-talks-heat-up/

Meta faces fresh EU backlash over Digital Markets Act non-compliance

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) Meta is again under EU scrutiny after failing to fully comply with the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), despite a €200 million fine earlier this year. The European Commission says Meta’s current ‘pay or consent’ model still falls short and could trigger further penalties. A formal warning is expected, with recurring fines likely if the company does not adjust its approach. The DMA imposes strict rules on major tech platforms to reduce market dominance and protect digital fairness. While Meta claims its model meets legal standards, the Commission says progress has been minimal. – https://dig.watch/updates/meta-faces-fresh-eu-backlash-over-digital-markets-act-non-compliance

Texas Just Created A New Model for State AI Regulation

(Matthew Ferraro, Anna Z. Saber – Tech Policy Press – 17 July 2025) Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) last month signed into law the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act, or TRAIGA (HB 149), joining Colorado as only the second state to adopt a comprehensive AI governance law. TRAIGA brings forth a new approach to AI regulation, both by limiting Texas’ ability to punish companies with prohibitions on only a few intentional harms and by expanding the state’s investigatory powers. When the law goes into force on January 1, 2026, the net effect will likely subject many private enterprises to regulatory review and few to actual punishment. Given the size and economic heft of Texas, the law will likely have substantial ramifications for the AI industry. – https://www.techpolicy.press/texas-just-created-a-new-model-for-state-ai-regulation/

Pennsylvania criminalises malicious deepfakes under new digital forgery law

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) Governor Shapiro has enacted a new statute enhancing Pennsylvania’s legal stance on AI-generated content by defining deceptive deepfakes as digital forgery. The law criminalises creating and distributing such content, mainly when used for deceit, highlighting a proactive response to deepening online threats. The legislation differentiates between uses of deepfakes: non-consensual impersonation will result in misdemeanour charges, while cases involving fraudulent intent, such as financial scams or political manipulation, are now classified as third-degree felonies. – https://dig.watch/updates/pennsylvania-criminalises-malicious-deepfakes-under-new-digital-forgery-law

Pediatricians Urge Carney Government to Prioritize New Online Safety Law

(Charlotte Moore Hepburn, Ashley Vandermorris, Alene Toulany, Rachel Mitchell – Tech Policy Press – 17 July 2025) Children and youth are being hurt online. As the new Carney government develops its online safety legislation, we’re calling on the Prime Minister to hold social media platforms accountable in keeping our kids safe online. Imagine cars without seatbelts. Cribs with dangerous drop sides. Toys with hidden choking hazards. Reckless, irresponsible, and dangerous. Yet this is the reality children and youth face every day in the digital world. With no pediatric-specific safeguards, children and youth are left to navigate toxic algorithms, addictive platforms, and predatory content with no basic safety standards designed with their well-being in mind. Too many kids are being hurt online. As doctors, we see the negative impact on our patients. We see parents struggling to protect their children. And we hear from kids themselves that they are experiencing harm. Canadians overwhelmingly agree that the government should address this generational hazard. – https://www.techpolicy.press/pediatricians-urge-carney-government-to-prioritize-new-online-safety-law/

ADB urges urgent reforms to bridge Pakistan’s digital divide

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has urged Pakistan to act quickly to close its widening digital gap by adopting urgent reforms. Its recommendations include accelerating delayed spectrum auctions and launching 5G services, significantly expanding fibre-optic infrastructure, especially in underserved areas, and reforming the telecom tax regime to attract private investment and lower consumer costs. The ADB also calls for gender-responsive and income-sensitive digital inclusion programs, greater investment in digital literacy, and targeted subsidies to help low-income and marginalised communities afford internet-enabled devices and connectivity. – https://dig.watch/updates/adb-urges-urgent-reforms-to-bridge-pakistans-digital-divide

Mapping the AI economy: Which regions are ready for the next technology leap

(Mark Muro and Shriya Methkupally – Brookings – 16 July 2025) Artificial intelligence has emerged as a general purpose technology with far-reaching consequences for industries, places, and people. AI systems promise to drive productivity by automating routine tasks or augmenting work, allowing humans to focus on higher-value activities. The technology is also accelerating the pace of discovery and innovation by analyzing vast datasets and identifying patterns humans might miss. And for that matter, AI enables more efficient resource allocation through intelligent forecasting and optimization. As such, AI could heavily influence the nation’s ability to achieve its larger goals, whether it be through faster drug development, personalized learning, or “virtual employees” optimizing supply chain complexities. With that in mind, it matters a lot whether and which U.S. cities and regions are prepared to facilitate AI development in high-quality ways, and are therefore demonstrating a readiness to truly benefit from future AI build-out. – https://www.brookings.edu/articles/mapping-the-ai-economy-which-regions-are-ready-for-the-next-technology-leap/

As energy demands for AI increase, so should company transparency

(Josie Stewart, Brooke Tanner, and Nicol Turner Lee – Brookings – 14 July 2025) The rise of commercially available AI systems has led to alarming headlines: each time ChatGPT writes an email, it’s like dumping out a bottle of water, or every prompt answered by a chatbot is equivalent to powering a light bulb for about 20 minutes. As the technology becomes more integrated into our daily lives, researchers are attempting to quantify AI’s impact on the environment. While concerns over AI’s energy demand and its increasing ubiquity grow, successful efforts among policymakers to track or regulate the industry’s footprint have not. That is largely due to the lack of relevant data and reporting mechanisms from companies in the tech and energy sectors. – https://www.brookings.edu/articles/as-energy-demands-for-ai-increase-so-should-company-transparency/

Tech & Democracy

Making Media Pluralism Work in the Age of Algorithms

(Urbano Reviglio – Tech Policy Press – 17 July 2025) Last September, over 60 civil society organizations and academics signed a call published in Le Monde advocating for “algorithmic pluralism” on social networks. Drawing from Francis Fukuyama’s 2021 “middleware” idea, the main proposal is to create the conditions for a consumer-facing market of algorithmic systems in social media, allowing users to choose which one to employ and thus shape their online experiences according to their tastes, interests, and moods. By choosing their customized feeds, users could outsource content curation to third-party providers, be it companies, newspapers, or even individual users and communities. In theory, such a market could spur competition, prompting platforms to refine their currently applied engagement-driven algorithms into more meaningful, interest-based curation systems. This idea is not new, and has been openly debated for several years now. Though it represents a promising path, it is widely acknowledged as a challenging one. Even in the best-case scenario, where most users enjoy many and more personalized experiences, it seems unlikely this would directly ensure a more pluralistic media environment. Traditional news consumption and algorithmic-driven news consumption are two fundamentally different experiences. Algorithmic systems behave differently with different users, and change across platforms and over time, eventually influencing not only what users are exposed to, thus affecting news discoverability and users’ worldviews, but even information behavior — how users consume news. – https://www.techpolicy.press/making-media-pluralism-work-in-the-age-of-algorithms/

Geostrategies

Europe’s quantum ambitions meet US private power and China’s state drive

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) Quantum computing could fundamentally reshape technology, using quantum bits (qubits) instead of classical bits. Qubits allow complex calculations beyond classical computing, transforming sectors from pharmaceuticals to defence. Europe is investing billions in quantum technology, emphasising technological sovereignty. Yet, it competes fiercely with the United States, which enjoys substantial private investment, and China, powered by significant state-backed funding. The UK began quantum initiatives early, launching the National Quantum Programme 2014. It recently pledged £2.5 billion more, supporting start-ups like Orca Computing and Universal Quantum, alongside nations like Canada, Israel, and Japan. Europe accounted for eight of the nineteen quantum start-ups established globally in 2024, including IQM Quantum Computers and Pasqal. Despite Europe’s scientific strengths, it only captured 5% of global quantum investments, versus 50% for the US. – https://dig.watch/updates/europes-quantum-ambitions-meet-us-private-power-and-chinas-state-drive 

Lee Jae-myung’s AI aspirations for South Korea may be too ambitious

(Afeeya Akhand – The Strategist – 17 July 2025) During his campaign, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung pledged 100 trillion Korean won (about A$112 billion) over a five-year period to turn the country into one of the top three AI powers in the world. However, faced with practical barriers such as funding constraints and talent shortages, Lee’s administration may fall short of its AI aspirations. South Korea’s transformation into a global AI powerhouse is a signature policy of Lee’s administration thus far. The policy focuses on developing the country’s AI capabilities, including a Korean-language large language model (LLM), by leveraging the expertise of five South Korean corporations, which are yet to be selected by the government. Lee’s AI push serves a dual purpose. First, in response to domestic economic woes, the government seeks to boost the country’s tech industry and accordingly consolidate global exports of AI technologies. Lee’s policy will build on the international efforts of South Korean tech companies such as KT and Naver, which are currently developing LLMs tailored to the cultural and linguistic nuances of the Thai and Saudi Arabian markets respectively. – https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/lee-jae-myungs-ai-aspirations-for-south-korea-may-be-too-ambitious/

Defence, Intelligence, and Warfare

BQP Raises a $5 Million Oversubscribed Seed Round Following Pilot Agreement with Air Force Research Lab for Quantum-Accelerated Digital Twin Platform

(Quantum Insider – 17 July 2025) BQP has raised an oversubscribed $4.9 million seed round to advance its quantum-accelerated digital twin platform, BQPhy®, targeting mission-critical applications in aerospace, defense, and semiconductor industries. The raise follows a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/RQ) to enhance simulation capabilities using hybrid quantum-classical computing. BQPhy delivers current 10X performance gains with quantum-inspired solvers on CPU/GPU systems, with future quantum-native versions projected to achieve up to 1000X acceleration. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/07/17/bqp-raises-a-5-million-oversubscribed-seed-round-following-pilot-agreement-with-air-force-research-lab-for-quantum-accelerated-digital-twin-platform/

Britain brings together cyber and EW. Australia, take note

(Chris Sheahan – The Strategist – 17 July 2025) This September, Britain will rename Strategic Command as the Cyber & Specialist Operations Command (CSOC) following emphasis on the cyber and electromagnetic (CyberEM) domain within the Strategic Defence Review issued on 2 June, marking deep organisational and doctrinal transformation. While the change is high-level, and doesn’t reflect much restructuring, it is a significant expression of prioritisation and intent. This will hopefully see some level of replication within US and Australian military organisations creating more flexible and adaptable forces in light of the complexity of modern operations. The CSOC will house a range of critical defence functions and agencies, including: intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities; Defence Intelligence; joint command and control for targeting; the Integrated Global Defence Network; Special Forces; Defence Medical Services; and the Defence Academy. –  https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/britain-brings-together-cyber-and-ew-australia-take-note/

For drone defence, Canberra should choose independent Australian companies

(Victor Abramowicz – The Strategist – 17 July 2025) A crucial decision will occur in the next few months that will shape Australia’s capability against small drones for decades: the selection of the systems integration partner (SIP) for Canberra’s Land 156 drone-defence project. The government should select genuinely domestic companies both for the SIP and the rest of Land 156 to reap a trifecta of capability, sovereign industry and export benefits. Defence’s urgent need for an improved capability to counter small drones is clear. The Australian Defence Force has scant protection against such weapons, and Ukraine’s successful use of them on 1 June in Operation Spiderweb against Russia has shown that a creative adversary can use such drones to strike anywhere. – https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/for-drone-defence-canberra-should-choose-independent-australian-companies/

Security

Chinese Hackers Target Taiwan’s Semiconductor Sector with Cobalt Strike, Custom Backdoors

(The Hacker News – 17 July 2025) The Taiwanese semiconductor industry has become the target of spear-phishing campaigns undertaken by three previously undocumented Chinese state-sponsored threat actors. “Targets of these campaigns ranged from organizations involved in the manufacturing, design, and testing of semiconductors and integrated circuits, wider equipment and services supply chain entities within this sector, as well as financial investment analysts specializing in the Taiwanese semiconductor market,” Proofpoint said in a report published Wednesday. The activity, per the enterprise security firm, took place between March and June 2025. They have been attributed to three China-aligned clusters it tracks as UNK_FistBump, UNK_DropPitch, and UNK_SparkyCarp. – https://thehackernews.com/2025/07/chinese-hackers-target-taiwans.html

UNC6148 deploys Overstep malware on SonicWall devices, possibly for ransomware operations

(Security Affairs – 17 July 2025) Google’s Threat Intelligence Group warns that a threat actor tracked as UNC6148 has been targeting SonicWall SMA appliances with new malware dubbed Overstep. Active since at least October 2024, the group uses a backdoor and user-mode rootkit to potentially enable data theft, extortion, or ransomware attacks. While these activities suggest financial motives, researchers have not yet confirmed them definitively. “GTIG assesses with high confidence that UNC6148 is leveraging credentials and one-time password (OTP) seeds stolen during previous intrusions, allowing them to regain access even after organizations have applied security updates.” reads the report published by Google. “Evidence for the initial infection vector was limited, as the actor’s malware is designed to selectively remove log entries, hindering forensic investigation; however, it is likely this was through the exploitation of known vulnerabilities.”. Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) assesses with moderate confidence that UNC6148 used a zero-day RCE vulnerability to deploy OVERSTEP malware on SonicWall SMA appliances. – https://securityaffairs.com/180035/hacking/unc6148-deploys-overstep-malware-on-sonicwall-devices-possibly-for-ransomware-operations.html

Frontiers

Qubitcore, an OIST Spin‑Out, Raises Pre‑Seed Funding to Advance Japan’s Ion‑Trap Quantum Computers

(Quantum Insider – 17 July 2025) Qubitcore Inc. closed its pre-seed funding round led by the OIST Lifetime Ventures Fund and signed an exclusive IP licensing agreement with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). The company is developing a distributed quantum computing architecture using OIST-developed ion-trap modules with integrated optical cavities and photonic links to enable scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computers. Funding will support hardware prototyping, team expansion, and a multi-phase roadmap that targets a 1,000-qubit-class prototype by 2029 and commercial deployment by 2030. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/07/17/qubitcore-an-oist-spin%e2%80%91out-raises-pre%e2%80%91seed-funding-to-advance-japans-ion%e2%80%91trap-quantum-computers/

Oxford Ionics And Iceberg Quantum Partner to Accelerate Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing

(Quantum Insider – 17 July 2025) Oxford Ionics has partnered with Iceberg Quantum to integrate advanced quantum error correction using qLDPC codes into its trapped-ion hardware, aiming to accelerate the path to fault-tolerant quantum computing. Unlike traditional surface codes that require high hardware overhead, qLDPC codes provide strong error protection with fewer physical qubits, leveraging a sparse, non-local structure ideal for real-time quantum operations. Oxford Ionics’ trapped-ion platform—with record-setting gate fidelities and long-range connectivity—is particularly suited to implementing qLDPC architectures developed by Iceberg Quantum. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/07/17/oxford-ionics-and-iceberg-quantum-partner-to-accelerate-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing/

HRL Laboratories Launches Open-Source Solution for Solid-State Spin Qubits

(Quantum Insider – 17 July 2025) HRL Laboratories has released spinQICK, an open-source extension of the Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit (QICK), providing a low-cost, FPGA-based solution for controlling semiconductor spin-qubits. The platform builds on Fermilab’s QICK toolkit and offers firmware and software tailored to spin-qubit research, supporting techniques like single-spin control, two-qubit gates, and electrostatic tune-up. Designed to accelerate research adoption and workforce development, spinQICK enables academic and industry users to deploy standardized spin-qubit control methods using affordable commercial hardware. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/07/17/hrl-laboratories-launches-open-source-solution-for-solid-state-spin-qubits/

Microsoft and Atom Computing Partner on Level 2 Quantum System for Nordic Users

(Quantum Insider – 17 July 2025) Denmark’s EIFO and the Novo Nordisk Foundation are investing €80 million to establish QuNorth and acquire Magne, a powerful commercial quantum computer based on logical qubits. The system will be built by Atom Computing and Microsoft, combining neutral atom hardware with advanced quantum software, and is expected to be operational by early 2027. QuNorth will be based in Copenhagen and aims to provide Nordic researchers and industries with priority access to Level 2 quantum computing for applications in chemistry, materials science, and beyond. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/07/17/microsoft-and-atom-computing-partner-on-level-2-quantum-system-for-nordic-users/

Quobly and Inria Partner on Integrated, Scalable Silicon Qubit Architecture

(Quantum Insider – 17 July 2025) Quobly and Inria have formed a strategic partnership to co-develop a fully integrated, scalable quantum computing architecture based on silicon qubits and advanced control software. The collaboration focuses on middleware and error correction protocols tailored to silicon-based quantum hardware, aiming to bridge the gap between physical qubits and quantum algorithms. This partnership supports France’s national Q-Loop program and aligns with Quobly’s industrial roadmap, including its recent launch of a quantum emulator deployed on OVHcloud. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/07/17/quobly-and-inria-partner-on-integrated-scalable-silicon-qubit-architecture/

Unify Raises $40M Series B to Transform Go-To-Market with AI

(AI Insider – 17 July 2025) Unify has closed a $40 million Series B round led by Battery Ventures, with backing from OpenAI Startup Fund and Thrive Capital, just nine months after raising $12 million. The platform uses AI agents to surface high-intent leads, personalize outreach at scale, and automate sales workflows — powering pipeline growth for clients like Airwallex and Perplexity. With 8x revenue growth in the past year, Unify is positioning itself as a next-gen GTM solution transforming outbound sales into a repeatable, scalable science. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/07/17/unify-raises-40m-series-b-to-transform-go-to-market-with-ai/

Boffins detail new algorithms to losslessly boost AI perf by up to 2.8x

(The Register – 17 July 2025) We all know that AI is expensive, but a new set of algorithms developed by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Intel Labs, and d-Matrix could significantly reduce the cost of serving up your favorite large language model (LLM) with just a few lines of code. Presented at the International Conference on Machine Learning this week and detailed in this paper, the algorithms offer a new spin on speculative decoding that they say can boost token generation rates by as much as 2.8x while also eliminating the need for specialized draft models. Speculative decoding, if you’re not familiar, isn’t a new concept. It works by using a small “draft” model (“drafter” for short) to predict the outputs of larger, slower, but higher quality “target” models. – https://www.theregister.com/2025/07/17/new_algorithms_boost_ai_perf/

Robots can now feel difference between pat and punch with new artificial nerves

(Interesting Engineering – 17 July 2025) KAIST has unveiled a neuromorphic semiconductor-based artificial sensory nervous system that lets robots ignore safe, familiar stimuli and react quickly to dangerous ones, much like living organisms. The technology aims to support intelligent, energy‑efficient responses in applications ranging from ultra‑small robots to robotic prosthetics. Animals and humans conserve energy by disregarding safe or familiar cues while staying alert to important or harmful signals. The steady sound of an air conditioner or the feel of clothing on skin soon fades from notice, but hearing your name or being touched by something sharp triggers rapid focus. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/robots-feel-difference-between-pat-and-punch

AI’s Inner Monologue Offers New Clues for Safety—But the Window May Be Closing

(AI Insider – 17 July 2025) A new study from researchers at OpenAI, DeepMind, Anthropic, and others finds that monitoring an AI system’s internal chain-of-thought (CoT) reasoning offers a promising but fragile opportunity for AI safety. CoT monitoring can reveal misalignment or harmful intent in intermediate reasoning steps, especially on complex tasks that require models to “think out loud.”. The researchers warn that future model architectures, training methods, and incentives could reduce or eliminate this visibility, and call for proactive efforts to preserve monitorability. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/07/17/ais-inner-monologue-offers-new-clues-for-safety-but-the-window-may-be-closing/

South Korean firm unveils faster AI data centre architecture with CXL-over-Xlink

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) South Korean company Panmnesia has introduced a new architecture for AI data centres aimed at improving speed and efficiency. Instead of using only PCIe or RDMA-based systems, its CXL-over-Xlink approach combines Compute Express Link (CXL) with fast accelerator links such as UALink and NVLink. The company claims this design can deliver up to 5.3 times faster AI training and reduce inference latency sixfold. By allowing CPUs and GPUs to access large shared memory pools via the CXL fabric, AI workloads are no longer restricted by the fixed memory limits inside each GPU. – https://dig.watch/updates/south-korean-firm-unveils-faster-ai-data-centre-architecture-with-cxl-over-xlink

AI system screens diabetic eye disease with near-perfect accuracy

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) A new AI programme is showing remarkable accuracy in detecting diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of preventable blindness. The SMART system, short for Simple Mobile AI Retina Tracker, can scan retinal images using even basic smartphones and has achieved over 99% accuracy. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in the US trained the AI using thousands of retinal images from diverse populations across six continents. The system processes images in under a second and can distinguish diabetic retinopathy from other eye diseases. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-system-screens-diabetic-eye-disease-with-near-perfect-accuracy

AI tool uses walking patterns to detect early signs of dementia

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) Fujitsu and Acer Medical are trialling an AI-powered tool to help identify early signs of dementia and Parkinson’s disease by analysing patients’ walking patterns. The system, called aiGait and powered by Fujitsu’s Uvance skeleton recognition technology, converts routine movements into health data. Initial tests are taking place at a daycare centre linked to Taipei Veterans Hospital, using tablets and smartphones to record basic patient movements. The AI compares this footage with known movement patterns associated with neurodegenerative conditions, helping caregivers detect subtle abnormalities. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-tool-uses-walking-patterns-to-detect-early-signs-of-dementia

AI blood test for breast cancer enters Australian clinics

(DigWatch – 17 July 2025) Scientists at UNSW Sydney are developing Australia’s first commercial lipid-based blood test for breast cancer, powered by AI. The tool is already in clinical use and promises non-invasive detection of early-stage tumours through biomarkers in the bloodstream. Led by Associate Professor Fatemeh Vafaee, the Vafaee Lab is also exploring blood-based detection for cancers of the lung, liver and brain. ‘The current detection methods rely heavily on imaging and tissue biopsies, which often miss the full tumour picture,’ says Vafaee. She explains that tumours consist of many cell types, so biopsy samples may not reflect their complete complexity. AI-driven blood tests offer a less invasive way to detect cancer early — potentially before symptoms or imaging can identify it. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-blood-test-for-breast-cancer-enters-australian-clinics

H2Ok Innovations Raises $12M Series A for AI-Powered Sensors That Disrupt and Transform CPG Manufacturing

(AI Insider – 17 July 2025) H2Ok Innovations raised $12.42M in Series A funding led by Greycroft to scale its patented inline sensor and AI platform that helps manufacturers optimize production and reduce waste. Trusted by companies like AB InBev, Coca-Cola, and Unilever, the system enables faster Clean-in-Place (CIP) and product changeovers, cutting downtime and utility usage by up to 20%. With deployments across six continents, the startup aims to transform industrial operations by combining real-time monitoring, AI optimization, and sustainable manufacturing practices. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/07/17/h2ok-innovations-raises-12m-series-a-for-ai-powered-sensors-that-disrupt-and-transform-cpg-manufacturing/

Callidus Legal AI Closes $10M in Funding to Build the AI Operating System for Litigators

(AI Insider – 17 July 2025) Callidus Legal AI has raised $10 million in an oversubscribed round led by Cervin Ventures, bringing total funding to $13 million to scale its end-to-end AI platform for litigators. The platform automates legal research and drafting using proprietary agentic AI and a 10M+ case law database, reducing week-long tasks to minutes while keeping lawyers in control. With tripled revenue in early 2025 and plans to expand its team and features, Callidus is rapidly emerging as a transformative force in legal tech. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/07/17/callidus-legal-ai-closes-10m-in-funding-to-build-the-ai-operating-system-for-litigators/

Hybrid jobs: How AI is rewriting work in finance

(Eduardo Levy Yeyati – Brookings – 10  July 2025) Artificial intelligence (AI) is not destroying jobs in finance, it is rewriting them. As models begin to handle underwriting, compliance, and asset allocation, the traditional architecture of financial work is undergoing a fundamental shift. This is not about coders replacing bankers. It is about a sector where knowing how the model works—what it sees and how it reasons—becomes the difference between making and automating decisions. It is also about the decline of traditional credentials and the rise of practical experience and critical judgement as key assets in a narrowing workforce. In what follows, we explore how the rise of generative AI and autonomous systems is reshaping the financial workforce: Which roles are fading, which ones are emerging, and how institutions—and policymakers—can bridge the looming talent divide. – https://www.brookings.edu/articles/hybrid-jobs-how-ai-is-rewriting-work-in-finance/