Governance

New Cisco study shows most companies aren’t AI-ready

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025) Most firms are still struggling to turn AI pilots into measurable value, Cisco’s 2025 AI Readiness Index finds. Only 13% are ‘AI-ready’, having scaled deployments with results. The rest face gaps in data, security and governance. Southeast Asia outperforms the global average at 16% ready. Indonesia reaches 23% and Thailand 21%, ahead of Europe at 11% and the Americas at 14%. Cisco says lower tech debt helps some emerging markets leapfrog. – https://dig.watch/updates/new-cisco-study-shows-most-companies-arent-ai-ready – https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/a/y2025/m10/cisco-ai-research-the-most-ai-ready-companies-outpace-peers-in-the-race-to-value.html

UK government uses AI to boost efficiency and save taxpayer money

(DigWatch – 16 October 2025) The UK government has developed an AI tool, named ‘Consult’, which analysed over 50,000 responses to the Independent Water Commission review in just two hours. The system matched human accuracy and could save 75,000 days of work annually, worth £20 million in staffing costs. Consult sorted responses into key themes at a cost of just £240, with experts needing only 22 hours to verify the results. The AI agreed with human experts 83% of the time, versus 55% between humans, letting officials focus on policy instead of administrative work. – https://dig.watch/updates/uk-government-uses-ai-to-boost-efficiency-and-save-taxpayer-money – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ground-breaking-use-of-ai-saves-taxpayers-money-and-delivers-greater-government-efficiency

New ISO 27701 update strengthens privacy compliance

(DigWatch – 16 October 2025) The International Organization for Standardization has released a major update to ISO 27701, the global standard for managing privacy compliance programmes. The revised version, published in 2025, separates the Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) from ISO 27001. – https://dig.watch/updates/new-iso-27701-update-strengthens-privacy-compliance – https://iapp.org/news/a/iso-updates-standard-on-managing-privacy-compliance-programs

Report warns of AI-driven divide in higher education

(DigWatch – 16 October 2025) A new report from the Higher Education Policy Institute warns of an urgent need to improve AI literacy among staff and students in the UK. The study argues that without coordinated investment in training and policy, higher education risks deepening digital divides and losing relevance in an AI-driven world. – https://dig.watch/updates/report-warns-of-ai-driven-divide-in-higher-education – https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-universities-2025-10-urgent-need-for-more-ai-literacy-in-higher-education-report-says/

Closing the Gaps in AI Interoperability

(Benjamin Faveri, Craig Shank, Richard Whitt, Philip Dawson – Tech Policy Press – 15 October 2025) AI regulatory and technical interoperability stands at a critical juncture. While significant technical and regulatory interoperability efforts have emerged to address ongoing fragmentation challenges, the current landscape reveals both remarkable progress and concerning gaps that threaten to undermine AI’s potential. The path forward requires considerable coordination across sectors, with each stakeholder playing a distinct and interconnected role in building coherent frameworks for AI governance and technical integration. – https://www.techpolicy.press/closing-the-gaps-in-ai-interoperability/

Bridging the gap: Unlock the power of AI for government agencies through cross-domain solutions

(Christopher Finch and Dave Flanagan – NextGov – 14 October 2025) Many organizations have already begun to realize the benefits of artificial intelligence, from automating routine tasks to generating new insights that accelerate decisionmaking. However, as the use of AI across government missions expands, the complexity of the digital environments they operate within presents unique challenges. Government data is highly segmented by design, often separated by security classification levels to protect sensitive data and operations. While this segmentation is essential for national security, it also presents data-sharing obstacles that must be overcome. Fortunately, Cross-Domain Solutions (CDS) can help overcome obstacles such as safely training AI models with untrusted data, sharing classified AI capabilities with partners and connecting users or systems to AI tools across classification boundaries. – https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2025/10/bridging-gap-unlock-power-ai-government-agencies-through-cross-domain-solutions/408783/?oref=ng-homepage-river

What Happens When You Give Millions of People Free Access to AI?

(Chris Stokel-Walker – Tech Policy Press – 14 October 2025) Hundreds of millions of people worldwide use generative AI chatbots. Tens of millions of us pay for access to premium versions of those products — at least 20 million pay for ChatGPT, according to an OpenAI spokesperson. But a clutch of countries, including one in Europe, are flipping the equation, offering access to AI tools at a population level in the belief that it can kickstart their economy and improve tech literacy. The furthest along is Sweden, where a homegrown champion is offering AI access to around a quarter of the population through a foundation established at a summit in Stockholm earlier this year by tech investors Olof Hernell and Nicklas Berild Lundblad, and tech founder Joel Hellermark. – https://www.techpolicy.press/what-happens-when-you-give-millions-of-people-free-access-to-ai/

To Have Democracy, We Must Contest Data

(Emily Tucker – Tech Policy Press – 14 October 2025) In her opening remarks at the UN General Assembly last month, Nobel Prize laureate Maria Ressa spoke about the takeover of information ecosystems by global technology companies and the disastrous impact on democracy worldwide. She mentioned the “Global Call for AI Redlines,” a statement signed by over 200 prominent individuals, including Ressa herself, urging governments that an “international agreement on clear and verifiable red lines is necessary for preventing universally unacceptable risks… ensuring that all advanced AI providers are accountable to shared thresholds.”. It was heartening to hear a person with Ressa’s moral authority issue a call, on such a big stage, for a coordinated effort to prevent technology companies from undermining political freedom and public safety. But the approach being advanced by the signatories of the “AI Redlines” letter she referenced is the wrong one. We don’t need redlines for “AI,” we need redlines for data. We need redlines that would put an end to many of the data practices of tech companies that sell “AI,” and we need those redlines to apply regardless of the types of products they are using data to create. I am not talking about a data governance regime focused on protecting individuals from privacy violations and other infringements of individual rights, which is at the heart of the GDPR in Europe and of most data governance proposals made in democratic contexts. I am referring to a data governance regime to protect political communities from the corporate power grab currently underway. Redlines that advance that goal would include restrictions on particular practices (like collecting certain types of data, stealing data, and selling data) that a technology company of any size might engage in. But what we need most urgently are redlines that set hard limits on the scale of corporate data collection and on the consumption of natural resources for data processing. If governments do not set and enforce such limits soon, they will quickly lose the power to set or enforce any meaningful limits on tech companies at all. – https://www.techpolicy.press/to-have-democracy-we-must-contest-data/

A common EU layer for age verification without a single age limit

(DigWatch – 14 October 2025) Denmark will push for EU-wide age-verification rules to avoid a patchwork of national systems. As Council presidency, Copenhagen prioritises child protection online while keeping flexibility on national age limits. The aim is coordination without a single ‘digital majority’ age. Ministers plan to give the European Commission a clear mandate for interoperable, privacy-preserving tools. An updated blueprint is being piloted in five states and aligns with the EU Digital Identity Wallet, which is due by the end of 2026. Goal: seamless, cross-border checks with minimal data exposure. – https://dig.watch/updates/a-common-eu-layer-for-age-verification-without-a-single-age-limit – https://www.euractiv.com/news/danes-push-for-eu-wide-age-verification-rules/

EU nations back Danish plan to strengthen child protection online

(DigWatch – 14 October 2025) EU countries have agreed to step up efforts to improve child protection online by supporting Denmark’s Jutland Declaration. The initiative, signed by 25 member states, focuses on strengthening existing EU rules that safeguard minors from harmful and illegal online content. However, Denmark’s proposal to ban social media for children under 15 did not gain full backing, with several governments preferring other approaches. – https://dig.watch/updates/eu-nations-back-danish-plan-to-strengthen-child-protection-online – https://www.digmin.dk/Media/638956829775203140/DIGMIN_The%20Jutland%20Declaration%20Shaping%20a%20Safe%20Online%20World%20for%20Minors%20101025.pdf

OpenAI wants to stop ChatGPT from validating users’ political views

(Ben Edwards – Ars Technica – 14 October 2025) “ChatGPT shouldn’t have political bias in any direction.”. That’s OpenAI’s stated goal in a new research paper released Thursday about measuring and reducing political bias in its AI models. The company says that “people use ChatGPT as a tool to learn and explore ideas” and argues “that only works if they trust ChatGPT to be objective.”. But a closer reading of OpenAI’s paper reveals something different from what the company’s framing of objectivity suggests. The company never actually defines what it means by “bias.” And its evaluation axes show that it’s focused on stopping ChatGPT from several behaviors: acting like it has personal political opinions, amplifying users’ emotional political language, and providing one-sided coverage of contested topics. – https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/10/openai-wants-to-stop-chatgpt-from-validating-users-political-views/

Generative AI’s Productivity Myth

(Eryk Salvaggio – Tech Policy Press – 13 October 2025) People may be using artificial intelligence, but that doesn’t mean it’s useful. OpenAI released a report last month looking at how consumers are using ChatGPT, finding that nearly 80% turned to it for “practical guidance,” for “seeking information” or for “writing,” and that nearly 70% of their usage was not work-related. The push to maximize productivity is at the heart of the current rush to adopt AI. It’s baked into every pitch, from Google’s personalized chatbot assistants promising that users can “get more done on the go,” to OpenAI promising that companies can “unlock productivity at scale,” and even the United States government gutting its workforce and speeding up its AI adoption under the guise of “efficiency.”. It’s worth reminding ourselves of why efficiency matters. Labor productivity is valued because it raises profits. Economists suggest that “growing the pie” drives up wages, tax bases and therefore standards of living. As a result, both businesses and politicians have embraced “the exceptional benefits that a flourishing AI ecosystem could offer our economy and our productivity.” Corporate growth typically requires investment into employees or resources, so cheap resources with strong returns are alluring. Sales pitches for AI anchor it as a resource that amplifies the productivity of employees, and some companies have cited AI as justification to lay off employees. – https://www.techpolicy.press/generative-ais-productivity-myth/

Tech giants race to remake social media with AI

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) Tech firms are racing to integrate AI into social media, reshaping online interaction while raising fresh concerns over privacy, misinformation, and copyright. Platforms like OpenAI’s Sora and Meta’s Vibes are at the centre of the push, blending generative AI tools with short-form video features similar to TikTok. OpenAI’s Sora allows users to create lifelike videos from text prompts, but film studios say copyrighted material is appearing without permission. OpenAI has promised tighter controls and a revenue-sharing model for rights holders, while Meta has introduced invisible watermarks to identify AI content. – https://dig.watch/updates/tech-giants-race-to-remake-social-media-with-ai – https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/11/tech/openai-sora-2-meta-ai-slop-social-media

A Joint International AI Lab: Design Considerations

(Duncan Cass-Beggs, Matthew da Mota, Abhiram Reddy – CIGI – 10 October 2025) Suppose that nations became so concerned about the risks from advanced artificial intelligence (AI) that they were willing to consider bold and ambitious international coordination proposals. One such proposal involves the establishment of a new international AI authority responsible for the safe and secure development of highly advanced AI systems. This paper expands on this idea by exploring design considerations for a joint international AI lab. First, it describes motivations: why nations may come together to participate in an international joint lab. The joint lab proposal is also compared to a proposal for a national “AGI Manhattan Project,” discussing some of the merits and drawbacks of each approach. Second, the paper discusses the purposes of a joint lab and its main objectives. Third, the paper outlines the governance of the joint lab. Drawing on precedents from Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) labs, the paper explains how the lab would operate and make critical decisions. Research and information security is discussed (techniques that the joint lab would use to prevent key parameters or insights from being stolen or leaked), as well as emergency protocols (techniques the lab would use to detect and prevent potential global security emergencies). Finally, the paper highlights the limitations of this proposal and open questions for future research. – https://www.cigionline.org/publications/a-joint-international-ai-lab-design-considerations/

When AI agents go rogue, the federal government needs reversible resilience

(Travis Rosiek – NextGov – 10 October 2025) The age of agentic AI — where autonomous systems make decisions and take actions at speed — has dawned in ways government agencies may struggle to grasp. As agencies explore ways to bring agentic AI into public service, resilience can no longer be a component of the strategy; it is the strategy. When integrating AI agents, the federal government must prioritize rapid reversibility and transparent, auditable recovery. – https://www.nextgov.com/ideas/2025/10/when-ai-agents-go-rogue-federal-government-needs-reversible-resilience/408757/?oref=ng-homepage-river

Like putting on glasses for the first time”—how AI improves earthquake detection

(Kai Williams – Ars Technica – 10 October 2025) On January 1, 2008, at 1:59 am in Calipatria, California, an earthquake happened. You haven’t heard of this earthquake; even if you had been living in Calipatria, you wouldn’t have felt anything. It was magnitude -0.53, about the same amount of shaking as a truck passing by. Still, this earthquake is notable, not because it was large but because it was small—and yet we know about it. Over the past seven years, AI tools based on computer imaging have almost completely automated one of the fundamental tasks of seismology: detecting earthquakes. What used to be the task of human analysts—and later, simpler computer programs—can now be done automatically and quickly by machine-learning tools. – https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/10/like-putting-on-glasses-for-the-first-time-how-ai-improves-earthquake-detection/

People, Planet, Progress: An opportunity for an international agreement on AI climate sustainability at India’s AI Impact Summit 2026

(Jon Truby, PhD – OECD.AI – 9 October 2025) India will host the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi in February 2026, bringing together global leaders to discuss artificial intelligence’s role in society. The summit’s theme of three ‘sutras’, including ‘People, Planet, Progress’, reflects a vision that technology should serve humanity and sustainability. Having recently become the ‘COP of AI’ for global policymakers, the summit is an opportunity to agree on high-level global governance to improve the climate sustainability of AI compute.  Policymakers can examine international governance measures to integrate AI into climate frameworks so they incorporate environmental accountability into AI development and use. The New Delhi summit builds on the momentum of its predecessors. The Bletchley Park and Seoul summits focused on AI safety. The Paris Action Summit in 2025 expanded the agenda by introducing sustainability and inclusivity priorities at the international level. The India meeting can go further by focusing the global discussion on the everyday impacts of AI and compute. It can give global governance a stronger focus on beneficial planetary outcomes rather than only risks. India is also well-positioned to help bridge the divide between the global North and South. – https://oecd.ai/en/wonk/people-planet-progress-an-opportunity-for-an-international-agreement-india-ai-impact-summit-2026

Legislation

Tech industry association sues to block Texas ‘censorship’ law age-gating access to apps

(Suzanne Smalley – The Record – 17 October 2025) A leading technology industry association on Thursday sued Texas, seeking to block a state law that requires app stores to verify user ages to purchase and download apps. The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) asserted in the lawsuit that the Texas App Store Accountability Act, which takes effect on January 1, is unconstitutional and amounts to a “broad censorship regime” by requiring anyone under 18 to obtain parental consent for nearly every app and in-app purchase they try to install. CCIA members include operators of app stores and developers of mobile apps. – https://therecord.media/tech-industry-texas-age-gating

What Tech Bills California Governor Newsom Signed Or Vetoed in 2025

(Jasmine Mithani – Tech Policy Press – 16 October 2025) California often leads the nation in setting rules for technology. It is also the home of Silicon Valley, leaving the tech industry’s lobbyists with a short commute to Sacramento. With this year’s legislative session officially in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take stock of what bills related to tech policy made it through the lobbying gauntlet and over Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. The state passed a significant number of bills related to AI harms, companion chatbots and consumer privacy, though some were punted to the next session by various committees. – https://www.techpolicy.press/what-tech-bills-california-governor-newsom-signed-or-vetoed-in-2025/

Vietnam unveils draft AI law inspired by EU model

(DigWatch – 16 October 2025) Vietnam is preparing to become one of Asia’s first nations with a dedicated AI law, following the release of a draft bill that mirrors key elements of the EU’s AI Act. The proposal aims to consolidate rules for AI use, strengthen rights protections and promote innovation. The law introduces a four-tier system for classifying risks, from banned applications such as manipulative facial recognition to low-risk uses subject to voluntary standards. High-risk systems, including those in healthcare or finance, would require registration, oversight and incident reporting to a national database. – https://dig.watch/updates/vietnam-unveils-draft-ai-law-inspired-by-eu-model  – https://iapp.org/news/a/vietnam-s-draft-ai-law-racing-toward-regulation-with-eu-inspirations

The EU’s Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act. An explainer for transatlantic policy

(Penny Naas, Lindsay Gorman, Antonia Wunnerlich – GMFUS – 15 October 2025) The EU adopted in July 2022 two landmark digital regulations, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA). Both pieces of legislation codify principles and create processes for digital services providers to follow to ensure a wide choice of safe services and derivative products. The laws also aim to allow businesses operating in Europe to freely and fairly compete online as they do offline. The two acts are a product of the European Commission’s strategy to create a fully integrated Digital Single Market (DSM) out of 27 national markets. When they were passed, European Commissioner for Internal Market and Services Thierry Breton stated, “We are finally building a single digital market, the most important one in the ‘free world’. The same predictable rules will apply, everywhere in the EU, for our 450 million citizens, bringing everyone a safer and fairer digital space.” –  https://www.gmfus.org/news/eus-digital-markets-act-and-digital-services-act

California’s New AI Law Misses the Mark on Whistleblower Protections

(Sophie Luskin – Tech Policy Press – 15 October 2025) California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) late last month signed into law the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act (TFAIA), or SB 53, which requires large AI companies to publicly report their safety and security protocols and the potential risks of their technologies. SB 53 marks a step forward by recognizing the need to provide employees with a secure channel to report concerns, permit and protect internal reporting and require the posting of rights in workplaces. Critically, it recognizes the importance of whistleblowing in AI and that employees need to be educated and reminded of their rights, with numerous other useful features. The text itself explains the importance of including such provisions, stating: “Whistleblower protections and public-facing information sharing are key instruments to increase transparency.” – https://www.techpolicy.press/californias-new-ai-law-misses-the-mark-on-whistleblower-protections-/

Newsom signs AI safety law but bends to lobby from big tech

(Cybernews – 14 October 2025) California’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has signed landmark legislation aimed at protecting children from risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI), but vetoed the bill restricting underage users’ access to chatbots. SB 243, a bill signed on Monday (October 13th), requires companies operating chatbots to issue a clear warning every three hours, reminding the user to take a break and that they are interacting with AI, not a human. Companies operating chatbots also must maintain a protocol for preventing the production of suicidal ideation, suicide, or self-harm content to the user. There’s a growing concern about the impact AI has on children. Last year, 16-year-old Adam Raine took his own life after confiding in a chatbot. His parents are suing the chatbot’s creator, OpenAI, alleging it validated Raine’s “most harmful and self-destructive thoughts.” – https://cybernews.com/ai-news/california-ai-safety-bill/

Datacenter water use? California governor says don’t ask, don’t tell

(The Register – 13 October 2025) California Governor Gavin Newsom has vetoed legislation requiring data centers to disclose their water consumption, even as he champions efforts to address the state’s water scarcity challenges. Assembly Bill 93 would have mandated that data center operators provide water suppliers with estimates of expected usage before obtaining business licenses, followed by annual reports of actual consumption when renewing permits. However, in an October 11 letter  to the California State Assembly, Newsom declined to sign the bill. “While I appreciate the author’s intent, I am reluctant to impose rigid reporting requirements about operational details on this sector without understanding the full impact on businesses and the consumers of their technology,” Newsom wrote. Newsom also noted AI-driven demand for datacenter capacity throughout the nation, and as “the global epicenter of the technology sector,” California is strategically positioned to support infrastructure development within the state – and he doesn’t want to do anything that may discourage this. – https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/13/california_datacenter_water_bill/

Senators try to save cyber threat sharing law, sans government funding

(The Register – 13 October 2025) A bipartisan Senate duo has introduced a bill to revive and extend America’s cyber threat-sharing law for another ten years after its authorization lapsed during the government shutdown. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced the Protecting America from Cyber Threats (PACT) Act in the upper legislative chamber on Thursday. The brief bill would extend the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (CISA) by ten years – from September 30, 2025, to September 30, 2035 – and proposes renaming it as the PACT Act throughout the US code. – https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/13/senators_cyber_threat_sharing_bill/

Google cautions Australia on youth social media ban proposal

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) The US tech giant, Google (also owner of YouTube), has reiterated its commitment to children’s online safety while cautioning against Australia’s proposed ban on social media use for those under 16. Speaking before the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee, Google’s Public Policy Senior Manager Rachel Lord said the legislation, though well-intentioned, may be difficult to enforce and could have unintended effects. – https://dig.watch/updates/google-cautions-australia-on-youth-social-media-ban-proposal – https://blog.google/intl/en-au/our-opening-statement-to-the-senate-environment-and-communications-references-committee/

Geostrategies

Quantum Companies Join Forces in Italy’s New Quantum Alliance

(Quantum Insider – 17 October 2025) IonQ and D-Wave have joined as founding members of Q-Alliance, a new initiative in Lombardy aimed at creating one of the world’s leading quantum hubs. The alliance, backed by the Italian government, seeks to accelerate quantum research, industrial adoption, and workforce development through an open and collaborative framework. Combining D-Wave’s annealing systems and IonQ’s trapped-ion technology, Q-Alliance will support both near-term applications and long-term quantum computing research. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/17/quantum-companies-join-forces-in-italys-new-quantum-alliance/

AI Infrastructure Partnership and BlackRock consortium acquire Aligned Data Centers

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025) A consortium comprising the Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership, MGX, and BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners has announced the acquisition of Aligned Data Centers for an estimated forty billion dollars. The move marks a major step towards expanding the infrastructure underpinning global AI and cloud growth. Aligned, headquartered in Dallas, operates more than fifty campuses and five gigawatts of capacity across the US and Latin America. The company is known for its patented air, liquid, and hybrid cooling systems that enhance efficiency and sustainability, particularly in high-density AI environments. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-infrastructure-partnership-and-blackrock-consortium-acquire-aligned-data-centers – https://www.global-infra.com/news/ai-infrastructure-partnership-aip-mgx-and-blackrocks-global-infrastructure-partners-gip-to-acquire-all-equity-in-aligned-data-centers/

Elumelu calls for investment to harness AI development in Africa

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025) Chairman of UBA Group Tony Elumelu told global financial leaders on Wednesday that AI could transform Africa’s healthcare, education, and agriculture sectors if inclusive development, skills, and access to capital are prioritised, as the continent risks being left behind in global AI development. Elumelu stressed that Africa’s digital growth must focus on people. He praised the continent’s youthful population and creativity as its greatest assets, recalling how the Mobile Money app has managed to reshape African finance despite the lack of infrastructure. – https://dig.watch/updates/elumelu-calls-for-investment-to-harness-ai-development-in-africa – https://nairametrics.com/2025/10/16/elumelu-calls-ai-africas-next-leap-at-imf-world-bank-meetings/

Microsoft to support UAE investment analytics with responsible AI tools

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025) The UAE Ministry of Investment and Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding at GITEX Global 2025 to apply AI to investment analytics, financial forecasting, and retail optimisation. The deal aims to strengthen data governance across the investment ecosystem. Under the MoU, Microsoft will support upskilling through its AI National Skilling Initiative, targeting 100,000 government employees. Training will focus on practical adoption, responsible use, and measurable outcomes, in line with the UAE’s National AI Strategy 2031. – https://dig.watch/updates/microsoft-to-support-uae-investment-analytics-with-responsible-ai-tools – https://www.zawya.com/en/press-release/government-news/uae-ministry-of-investment-and-microsoft-sign-mou-to-advance-ai-cooperation-in-investment-analytics-and-financial-forecasting-izmcqo1f

Google and World Bank join forces to build AI-driven public infrastructure

(DigWatch – 16 October 2025) Google and the World Bank Group have announced a partnership to develop AI-powered digital infrastructure for emerging markets. The collaboration aims to accelerate digital transformation by deploying Open Network Stacks that make essential public services more accessible.  – https://dig.watch/updates/google-and-world-bank-join-forces-to-build-ai-driven-public-infrastructure – https://blog.google/products/google-cloud/google-and-the-world-bank-group-ai-collaboration/

Starcloud launches data centres into space

(DigWarch – 16 October 2025) A new era in data technology is emerging as Starcloud, a member of NVIDIA’s Inception startup program, prepares to send its first AI-driven satellite into orbit next month. The mission marks the debut of NVIDIA’s H100 GPU in space and represents a decisive step toward the creation of large-scale orbital data centres designed to meet the planet’s soaring demand for AI. – https://dig.watch/updates/starcloud-launches-data-centres-into-space – https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/starcloud/

Meta expands AI infrastructure with sustainable data centre in El Paso

(DigWatch – 16 October 2025) The US tech giant, Meta, has begun construction on a new AI-optimised data centre in El Paso, Texas, designed to scale up to 1GW and power the company’s expanding AI ambitions. The 29th in Meta’s global network, the site will support the next generation of AI models, underpinning technologies such as smart glasses, AI assistants, and real-time translation tools. – https://dig.watch/updates/meta-expands-ai-infrastructure-with-sustainable-data-centre-in-el-paso – https://about.fb.com/news/2025/10/metas-new-ai-optimized-data-center-el-paso/

SenseTime and Cambricon strengthen cooperation for China’s AI future

(DigWatch – 16 October 2025) SenseTime and Cambricon Technologies have entered a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop an open and mutually beneficial AI ecosystem in China. The partnership will focus on software-hardware integration, vertical industry innovation, and the globalisation of AI technologies. By combining SenseTime’s strengths in large model R&D, AI infrastructure, and industrial applications with Cambricon’s expertise in intelligent computing chips and high-performance hardware, the collaboration supports the national ‘AI+’ strategy of China. – https://dig.watch/updates/sensetime-and-cambricon-strengthen-cooperation-for-chinas-ai-future  – https://www.sensetime.com/en/news-detail/51170164?categoryId=1072

Rare-Earth Minerals And Quantum Computing: How Secure Are The Supply Chains?

(Quantum Insider – 15 October 2025) Rare-earth elements such as ytterbium, erbium, europium, neodymium and yttrium form the hidden foundation of quantum technologies, enabling qubits, quantum memories, and photonic connections. China dominates the global rare-earth supply chain, controlling about 90 percent of refining capacity and the majority of downstream magnet manufacturing. Western governments are investing in new refining and recycling projects, but experts say diversifying processing—not just mining—remains the critical step to reduce dependency. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/15/rare-earth-minerals-and-quantum-computing-how-secure-are-the-supply-chains/

Trading Sovereignty for Scale? The Costs of the U.S.–U.K. Tech Prosperity Deal

(Isabella Wilkinson – Just Security – 15 October 2025) On Sept. 16 the United States and United Kingdom announced the Tech Prosperity Deal. Launched at a major bilateral summit attended both by heads of state and of frontier AI labs and technology companies (including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s Sam Altman), it promises an unprecedented $200 billion investment from U.S. firms into the United Kingdom’s AI ecosystem. The agreement has been celebrated as a game-changer for U.K. prosperity, security and sovereignty. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer declared it a “generational” advancement in the special relationship, expanding U.K. jobs, innovation, healthcare, and science. – https://www.justsecurity.org/121723/us-uk-deal-tech-sovereignty/

Argentina poised to host Latin America’s first Stargate AI project

(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) Argentina is set to become the host of Latin America’s first Stargate project, a major AI infrastructure initiative powered by clean energy. Led by Sur Energy with OpenAI, the plan aims to make Argentina a regional and global AI leader while boosting economic growth. OpenAI and Sur Energy have signed a Letter of Intent to explore building a large-scale data centre in Argentina. Sur Energy will lead the consortium responsible for developing the project, ensuring that the ecosystem is powered by secure, efficient, and sustainable energy sources. – https://dig.watch/updates/argentina-poised-to-host-latin-americas-first-stargate-ai-project – https://openai.com/global-affairs/argentinas-ai-opportunity/

Abu Dhabi deploys AI-first systems with NVIDIA and Oracle

(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) Oracle and NVIDIA have joined forces to advance sovereign AI, supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming an AI-native government by 2027. The partnership combines the computing platforms of NVIDIA with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to create secure, high-performance systems that deliver next-generation citizen services, including multilingual AI assistants, automatic notifications, and intelligent compliance solutions. The Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027 of Abu Dhabi, backed by a 13-billion AED investment, follows a phased ‘crawl, walk, run’ approach. The initiative has already gone live across 25 government entities, enabling over 15,000 daily users to access AI-accelerated services. – https://dig.watch/updates/abu-dhabi-deploys-ai-first-systems-with-nvidia-and-oracle – https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/oracle-nvidia-accelerate-sovereign-ai-abu-dhabi/

Cities take on tech giants in a new diplomatic arena

(DigWatch – 14 October 2025) In a world once defined by borders and treaties, a new kind of diplomacy is emerging, one where cities, not nations, take the lead. Instead of traditional embassies, this new diplomacy unfolds in startup hubs and conference halls, where ‘tech ambassadors’ represent cities in negotiations with powerful technology companies. These modern envoys focus not on trade tariffs but on data sharing, digital infrastructure, and the balance between innovation and public interest. The growing influence of global tech firms has shifted the map of power. – https://dig.watch/updates/cities-take-on-tech-giants-in-a-new-diplomatic-arena – https://www.diplomacy.edu/blog/can-cities-tame-big-tech/

Should the AI Race Be About Bigger Models, or the Search for Meaning?

(Vinay K. Chaudhri – Tech Policy Press – 13 October 2025) Top executives at American artificial intelligence giants OpenAI, Microsoft, and Advanced Micro Devices said at a US Senate hearing recently that while the US is ahead in the race, Washington needs to boost infrastructure and champion AI chip exports to stay ahead of Beijing. The fight for AI supremacy relies on the scaling hypothesis that says that by making current models larger, training them on ever-increasing amounts of data, and utilizing greater compute— the hardware resources required — we are sure to achieve Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). If the scaling hypothesis proves to be true, it will indeed be an exciting development for humanity, as the upside is tremendous. But what if the scaling hypothesis turns out to be false? Would that mean we have lost the AI race? What would be our Plan B? – https://www.techpolicy.press/should-the-ai-race-be-about-bigger-models-or-the-search-for-meaning/

JPMorganChase’s $1.5 Trillion Security and Resiliency Initiative Includes Investments in Quantum

(Quantum Insider – 13 October 2025) JPMorganChase launched the Security and Resiliency Initiative, a 10-year, $1.5 trillion plan to finance and invest in industries vital to U.S. economic and national security. The firm will make up to $10 billion in direct equity and venture capital investments and expand its total facilitation target by 50 percent to support companies in supply chain, defense, energy, and frontier technologies such as AI, cybersecurity, and quantum computing. The initiative includes hiring new experts, creating an external advisory council, and commissioning research on rare earths and emerging technologies while advocating for policies that accelerate R&D, permitting, and workforce development. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/13/jpmorganchases-1-5-trillion-security-and-resiliency-initiative-includes-investments-in-quantum/

China probes Qualcomm’s Autotalks deal amid rising US trade tensions

(The Register – 13 October 2025) China’s competition regulator has launched an investigation into Qualcomm’s purchase of Israeli firm Autotalks, the latest salvo in the escalating tech trade war between Washington and Beijing. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) described its probe as routine, according to state-run broadcaster CGTN, yet the timing is pointed. It came as China tightened exports of rare earth metals last Thursday, ratcheting up tensions with the US. In response, Donald Trump (…) threatened additional tariffs of 100 percent on Chinese imports. Qualcomm has now attracted scrutiny for its acquisition in June of Autotalks, an Israeli firm “devoted to vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications.” The company has operations in North America, Germany, France, China, Japan, and Korea – all the major automaking powers. Qualcomm had abandoned an earlier bid for Autotalks over concerns about regulatory approval. Presumably, the San Diego-based chip giant felt approvals were in the bag when it finally sealed a deal earlier this summer. However, SAMR has reportedly questioned whether Qualcomm jumped the gun, failing to inform the regulator of key details. Carthage Capital founder and managing partner Stephen Wu notes that China is pushing for standardization of vehicle communications. – https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/13/qualcomm_autotalks_china_probe/

Japan pushes domestic AI to boost national security

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) Japan will prioritise home-grown AI technology in its new national strategy, aiming to strengthen national security and reduce dependence on foreign systems. The government says developing domestic expertise is essential to prevent overreliance on US and Chinese AI models. Officials revealed that the plan will include better pay and conditions to attract AI professionals and foster collaboration among universities, research institutes and businesses. Japan will also accelerate work on a next-generation supercomputer to succeed the current Fugaku model. – https://dig.watch/updates/japan-pushes-domestic-ai-to-boost-national-security – https://japantoday.com/category/tech/japan-to-promote-domestic-ai-development-for-national-security

The United States Has Always Prepared to Fight a Space War

(Clayton Swope – Lawfare – 12 October 2025) The U.S. military has long understood it must prepare to fight in space and protect satellites that play a critical role in winning wars on Earth—a fact that U.S. allies increasingly recognize as well. The creation of the Space Force and reestablishment of the Space Command, announcement of the Golden Dome missile shield, and increased defense space spending by Germany are merely recent chapters in the story. However, some experts and countries—including, not surprisingly, Russia and China—suggest these developments signal a pivot, threaten peace, or might run afoul of international law. Many of these observations are anchored in a belief that outer space, from a legal perspective but also on principle, has been reserved only for peaceful purposes. While that may be a laudable aspirational goal, it has been neither a reality nor stipulated in any binding international agreement. Since the dawn of the space race, international treaties, as well as U.S. policies and actions, have always reflected the position that space will be used for both military and nonmilitary purposes. As far back as 1959, senior U.S. leaders were clear that space should be used to gain “scientific knowledge, military strength, economic capabilities, and political position.” These are the same goals for U.S. efforts in space today. To a large degree, national policies and international agreements about what types of activities should be permitted in outer space date back to the start of the Cold War and reflect a tension—dating back even further to Robert H. Goddard’s rocket research in the 1910s—about why nations have sought to develop technologies to reach space in the first place. On the one hand, countries have built rockets, satellites, and spacecraft to explore the cosmos, make scientific discoveries for the benefit of humankind, and peacefully pursue economic and commercial opportunities in orbit. On the other hand, nations have aimed to use all those same technologies for military advantage. The first artificial object to reach outer space was an Aggregat-4 rocket, more commonly known as the V-2 ballistic missile, designed and launched by Nazi Germany in June 1944. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-united-states-has-always-prepared-to-fight-a-space-war

Security and Surveillance

Collins Aerospace attack claimed by Everest, linking ransomware group to last month’s European airport chaos

(Cybernews – 18 October 2025) The Everest ransomware group is claiming responsibility for the September breach of Collins Aerospace and its MUSE check-in software – in an attack that impacted multiple major airports across Europe, causing travel chaos for days. – https://cybernews.com/security/colins-aerospace-attack-claimed-by-everest-linking-ransomware-group-to-europe-airports-disruption/

Meta announces new parental controls over teens’ chats with AI characters

(Cybernews – 18 October 2025) Meta will allow parents to disable their teens’ access to private one-on-one chats with AI characters and provide more insights into their interactions with the tool, as criticisms of AI chatbots and their communications with minors grow. The new protections mean that parents will now have more control and understanding of the topics their teens discuss with AI characters. They will be able to completely turn off their teens’ access to one-on-one chats with AI characters, block specific AI characters, or simply get more insights into what their teens are chatting about with the characters or Meta’s AI assistant. – https://cybernews.com/ai-news/meta-announces-new-parental-controls-over-teens-chats-with-ai-characters/

Microsoft warns of a 32% surge in identity hacks, mainly driven by stolen passwords

(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 16 October 2025) Hackers are increasingly using stolen identities to breach organizations, impersonating employees or contractors before stealing data and launching ransomware, according to new research. Microsoft’s 85-page Digital Defense Report 2025 covers dozens of pertinent cybersecurity issues including ransomware, nation-state attacks, AI and more. But the company’s researchers said the one statistic that stood out more than most others was the continued success of password attacks that allowed hackers to take over victim accounts. – https://therecord.media/microsoft-warns-of-surge-identity-hacks-passwords – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/microsoft-process-100-trillion/

North Korean hackers seen using blockchain to hide crypto-stealing malware

(Daryna Antoniuk – The Record – 16 October 2025) North Korean state-linked hackers have begun using public blockchains to deliver malware and steal cryptocurrency, in what researchers say is the first known case of a nation-state adopting the technique. Google security researchers said on Thursday that they observed a Pyongyang-backed hacking group, tracked as UNC5342, deploying a method known as EtherHiding — a way of embedding malicious code inside smart contracts on decentralized networks such as Ethereum and BNB Smart Chain. – https://therecord.media/north-korean-hackers-using-blockchain-hiding-malware

Europe’s borders go digital. Launched on 12 October 2025, the new Entry/Exit System (EES) has already registered over 300 000 movements

(Europol – 16 October 2025) The Entry/Exit System (EES) is the new IT system that digitally records the entry and exit of non-EU nationals travelling to 29 European countries for short stays. The system has already recorded over 300 000 movements, with the number continuing to grow daily. The EES began implementation on 12 October 2025 and will be fully operational by 10 April 2026. The EES is one of the world’s most modern border management systems, developed and managed by eu-LISA – the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. By collecting passport data, along with the dates and places of entry into and exit from European countries, as well as biometric data (facial images and fingerprints) and any refusals of entry, border checks will become faster and more efficient. The collection of biometric data will also improve the accuracy of identity verification. In addition, the new system will also help identify visa overstayers and prevent identity fraud. – https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/europe%E2%80%99s-borders-go-digital

Unproven Vape Detection Tech Expands Surveillance in Schools, Threatening Privacy

(Todd Whitney, Yung-Hsuan Wu, Greta Byrum, Eloïse Gabadou, Clarence Okoh, Marika Pfefferkorn – Tech Policy Press – 16 October 2025) Concerns about student safety are front of mind this fall across the United States. Faced with managing an expanding pool of school-related risks from gun violence to disease outbreaks — and dealing with political cross-currents including existential threats to public education — many superintendents and administrators are turning to AI-powered technologies, even in the absence of coherent safety standards and regulations. Meanwhile, the White House and the tech industry are touting AI as the future of the education system. Backed by venture capital and valued at $146 billion globally in 2023 with a growth rate of 14% annually, the educational technology (“edtech”) market offers plug-and-play answers not only to learning challenges but also complex school safety and health dilemmas. Increasingly, the role of AI in education includes not only learning platforms but rights-impacting surveillance devices, applications, and systems – leading to cameras, sensors, and other data collection and processing systems littering school hallways, grounds, classrooms, and yes, even bathrooms. – https://www.techpolicy.press/unproven-vape-detection-tech-expands-surveillance-in-schools-threatening-privacy/

Over 23 Million Victims Hit by Data Breaches in Q3

(Phil Muncaster – 16 October 2025) The number of US corporate data breaches and downstream victims appeared to slow in the third quarter of the year, according to new data from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC). The nonprofit tracked publicly reported breaches nationwide to compile its Q3 2025 Data Breach Analysis. It revealed that there were 835 separate data compromises in the period, resulting in around 23 million victim notices. That’s down somewhat on the first half of the year, when there were 1732 incidents, leading to over 165.7 million breach notifications. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/over-23-million-victims-data/

F5 Reveals Nation State Breach and Urges Immediate Patching

(Phil Muncaster – Infosecurity Magazine – 16 October 2025) The US government has urged federal agencies to take immediate action after security vendor F5 revealed it has been breached by a nation-state actor. The application security specialist informed its customers about the breach on October 15, despite making the discovery back in August. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/f5-nation-state-breach-immediate/

Ring to partner with Flock, giving law enforcement easier access to home security camera footage

(Suzanne Smalley – The Record – 16 October 2025) Surveillance camera company Ring announced it will begin sharing footage with Flock Safety, the manufacturer of automated license plate reader cameras and other police surveillance technologies. Millions of Americans own Ring cameras, which typically capture footage outside of homes. Under the new partnership, law enforcement agencies which use Flock Safety products can ask Ring owners to provide images for “evidence collection and investigative work,” according to a blog post on the Ring website. – https://therecord.media/ring-partner-flock-law-enforcement-video – https://blog.ring.com/about-ring/ring-expands-community-requests-to-additional-community-safety-partners/

Dairy Farmers of America confirms June cyberattack leaked personal data

(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 16 October 2025) The Dairy Farmers of America said cybercriminals breached company systems in June, gaining access to the information of employees and members of the cooperative. The organization previously confirmed to the outlet Dairy Herd Management in June that multiple manufacturing plants within its network were dealing with a ransomware attack. A notorious ransomware gang took credit for the incident days after the statement was released. – https://therecord.media/dairy-farm-leaked-info-ransomware

Qilin Ransomware announced new victims

(Pierluigi Paganini – Security Affairs – 15 October 2025) Resecurity’s new report details how the Qilin RaaS group relies on global bulletproof hosting networks to support its extortion operations – https://securityaffairs.com/183447/security/qilin-ransomware-announced-new-victims.html

Whisper 2FA Behind One Million Phishing Attempts Since July

(Alessandro Mascellino – Infosecurity Magazine – 15 October 2025) The phishing platform “Whisper 2FA” has rapidly become one of the most active tools used in large-scale credential theft campaigns, according to new research from Barracuda. Since July 2025, the platform has been responsible for nearly one million phishing attacks targeting accounts across multiple industries, placing it just behind Tycoon and EvilProxy in the global phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) landscape. – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/whisper-2fa-behind-1m-phishing/

UK, US Sanction Southeast Asia-Based Online Scam Network

(Kevin Poireault – Infosecurity Magazine – 15 October 2025) A network of at least four organizations running illegal scam centers in Southeast Asia has been sanctioned by the UK and US government. The sanctions will freeze these businesses and properties some of the network’s operators own in the UK with immediate effect, the UK’s Home Office and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) announced on October 14. The organizations targeted include the Prince Group, a high-profile, multi-billion-pound conglomerate operating casinos and compounds used as scam centers across Cambodia and beyond, and its chairman Chen Zhi, described by the UK government as “the leader of the network.” – https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/uk-us-sanction-online-scam-network/

Capita given record £14 million fine over ransomware attack security failings

(Alexander Martin – The Record – 15 October 2025) Capita, the United Kingdom’s largest outsourcing company, was on Wednesday fined £14 million ($18.7 million) over security failings that saw attackers compromise the personal information of 6.6 million people in a ransomware attack in 2023. The voluntary settlement is for less than a third of the £45 million ($60 million) Britain’s data protection regulator had initially intended to impose, but remains the largest fine the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ever issued in a ransomware case. – https://therecord.media/capita-record-fine-uk-ico-ransomware-attack

New York secures $14 million in fines from 8 car insurance companies after data breaches

(Jonathan Greig – The Record – 15 October 2025) Eight car insurance companies will pay a total of $14.2 million in fines to New York state following data breaches that exposed the private information of more than 825,000 people. The penalties center around a long-running campaign in which hackers targeted tools that quoted car insurance prices. Cybercriminals could provide a minimal amount of information, like names or addresses, and the tools would auto-populate a person’s driver’s license number, vehicle identification number, date of birth and more. – https://therecord.media/auto-insurance-companies-fined-ny-state-pre-fill-data-breaches

Researchers report rare intrusion by suspected Chinese hackers into Russian tech firm

(Daryna Antoniuk – The Record – 15 October 2025) Chinese state-linked hackers have reportedly breached a Russian IT service provider in what appears to be an espionage campaign — a rare case of Chinese threat actors targeting a purported ally, researchers said. According to a new report by cybersecurity firm Symantec, the hackers gained access to the Russian company’s software build and code-repository systems between January and May 2025 — suggesting the breach may have been an attempted software supply-chain attack aimed at the firm’s customers. – https://therecord.media/rare-china-linked-intrusion-russian-tech-firms

UK government urges firms to keep paper backups for cyberattack recovery

(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) The UK government has issued a strong warning to company leaders to prepare for cyber incidents by maintaining paper-based contingency plans. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) emphasised that firms must plan how to continue operations and rebuild IT systems if networks are compromised. The advice follows a series of high-profile cyberattacks this year targeting major UK firms, including Marks & Spencer, The Co-op, and Jaguar Land Rover, which experienced production halts and supply disruptions after their systems were breached. – https://dig.watch/updates/uk-government-urges-firms-to-keep-paper-backups-for-cyberattack-recovery – https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ced61xv967lo

Inside America’s next information war

(David DiMolfetta – NextGov – 14 October 2025) Washington is paring back its defenses against influence operations, even as adversaries supercharge them with AI. Much of the fight is shifting to the private sector. – https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2025/10/inside-americas-next-information-war/408796/?oref=ng-home-top-story

When AI Agents Join the Teams: The Hidden Security Shifts No One Expects

(Ido Shlomo – Bleeping Computer – 14 October 2025) AI assistants are no longer summarizing meeting notes, writing emails, and answering questions. They’re taking action, such as opening tickets, analyzing logs, managing accounts, and even automatically fixing incidents. Welcome to the age of agentic AI, which doesn’t just tell you what to do next – it does it for you. These agents are incredibly powerful, but they’re also introducing an entirely new kind of security risk. – https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/when-ai-agents-join-the-teams-the-hidden-security-shifts-no-one-expects/

Chinese hackers abuse geo-mapping tool for year-long persistence

(Bill Toulas – Bleeping Computer – 14 October 2025) Chinese state hackers remained undetected in a target environment for more than a year by turning a component in the ArcGIS geo-mapping tool into a web shell. The ArcGIS geographic information system (GIS) is developed by Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute) and has support for server object extensions (SOE) that can extend the basic functionality. The software is used by municipalities, utilities, and infrastructure operators to collect, analyze, visualize, and manage spatial and geographic data through maps. – https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/chinese-hackers-abuse-geo-mapping-tool-for-year-long-persistence/

Private messages to military data: Satellites are leaking secrets, study shocks

(Interesting Engineering – 14 October 2025) A new study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and the University of Maryland (UMD) has revealed that a vast portion of global satellite communications, including personal, corporate, and even military data, is being broadcast unencrypted and can be intercepted using less than $800 in off-the-shelf equipment. The team’s three-year investigation found that roughly half of all geostationary satellite signals are left vulnerable to eavesdropping. Using a small satellite receiver system set up on the roof of a UCSD building in San Diego, the researchers collected thousands of sensitive communications that were never intended to be public. – https://interestingengineering.com/culture/satellites-are-leaking-data-time – https://satcom.sysnet.ucsd.edu/docs/dontlookup_ccs25_fullpaper.pdf

“Empty shelves and stalled production lines:” UK suffering four major cyberattacks a week

(Cybernews – 14 October 2025) “Nationally significant” cyberattacks in the UK more than doubled compared to last year. Disruptions at Marks & Spencer, the Co‑op Group, and Jaguar Land Rover grabbed the headlines, and over 200 other major breaches occurred in one year, NCSC said in a report. In the 12 months to August 2025, the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) analyzed 1,727 cybersecurity incident tips, 429 of which required support from the Incident Management Team. “Nationally significant” incidents more than doubled, from 89 incidents a year ago to 204 this year. A small fraction, 18, of them were categorized as highly significant in nature, 50% more than a year ago. – https://cybernews.com/security/major-cyberattacks-in-uk-double-ncsc-calls-for-action/

Crimson Collective breaches Colombia lottery, leaks winner data

(Cybernews – 14 October 2025) A new threat group referring to itself as Crimson Collective has claimed responsibility for a data breach at Loteria de Medellin, a state-operated lottery in Colombia. The gang even shared samples of sensitive information about prize winners. The gang announced the breach on its Telegram channel, saying it was leaking the data samples and selling the whole batch because the lottery organization failed to respond to its emails, which presumably demanded a ransom. Crimson Collective seems to have exfiltrated over 1TB of compressed data from the lottery. The group also publicly leaked samples of what appears to be highly sensitive personal and financial information belonging to prize winners. – https://cybernews.com/cybercrime/crimson-collective-colombia-lottery-data-breach/

Hackers can snoop on Android screens and steal sensitive data with zero permissions

(Cybernews – 24 October 2025) One pixel at a time, hackers can peer into Android screens and steal one-time passwords (OTP), private messages, or other sensitive data. Researchers have disclosed a high-severity “Pixnapping” attack method, demonstrating that likely all modern Android devices are affected. No Android device or app is safe from this new class of attack. The researchers have demonstrated that it works on Google and Samsung phones, and they were able to recover sensitive data from Gmail and Google accounts and apps like Signal, Authenticator, Venmo, and others. A team of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Washington, and Carnegie Mellon University tested the exploit on Android versions 13-16, the Google Pixel versions 6-9, and the Samsung Galaxy S25. – https://cybernews.com/security/pixnapping-attack-enables-hackers-snoop-on-android-screens/

Before AI Exploits Our Chats, Let’s Learn from Social Media Mistakes

(Lucie-Aimée Kaffee, Giada Pistilli – Tech Policy Press – 13 September 2025) Meta is reportedly preparing to use data from generative AI interactions to target ads on Facebook and Instagram. It’s hard not to feel the déjà vu. In the 2010s, we slowly realized that our vacation photos, likes, and posts were not just “shared with friends” but the raw material of a surveillance economy. The Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal was the breaking point. The outrage that followed changed laws and norms. Many privacy-conscious social media users learned to read privacy policies, switch to encrypted messengers, and ask how “free” products made their money. And yet, a decade later, many of us are having far more personal exchanges with generative AI systems than we ever had on Facebook or Instagram, without asking any of those same questions. If these interactions are folded into targeted advertising, then intimacy itself becomes the new frontier of surveillance and monetization. – https://www.techpolicy.press/before-ai-exploits-our-chats-lets-learn-from-social-media-mistakes/

SimonMed Imaging discloses a data breach impacting over 1.2 million people

(Security Affairs – 13 October 2025) SimonMed Imaging suffered a ransomware attack by the Medusa group, which claimed to have stolen 200 GB of data. SimonMed Imaging is one of the largest outpatient medical imaging providers in the U.S., offering services such as MRI, CT, X-ray, ultrasound, and mammography across multiple states, focusing on advanced diagnostic imaging and patient-centered care. According to the data breach notification shared with the Maine Attorney General, the security breach affected over 1.2 million individuals, exposing sensitive information and highlighting the growing threat of large-scale cyberattacks on healthcare organizations. – https://securityaffairs.com/183342/uncategorized/simonmed-imaging-discloses-a-data-breach-impacting-over-1-2-million-people.html

Harvard investigating breach linked to Oracle zero-day exploit

(Bleeping Computer – 13 August 2025) Harvard University is investigating a data breach after the Clop ransomware gang listed the school on its data leak site, saying the alleged breach was likely caused by a recently disclosed zero-day vulnerability in Oracle’s E-Business Suite servers. “Harvard is aware of reports that data associated with the University has been obtained as a result of a zero-day vulnerability in the Oracle E-Business Suite system. This issue has impacted many Oracle E-Business Suite customers and is not specific to Harvard,” a Harvard University Information Technology spokesperson told BleepingComputer. “While the investigation is ongoing, we believe that this incident impacts a limited number of parties associated with a small administrative unit.” – https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/harvard-investigating-breach-linked-to-oracle-zero-day-exploit/

AI deepfake chaos disrupts South Korea’s National Assembly audit

(Cybernews – 13 October 2025)  Chaos erupted in South Korea’s National Assembly after an AI deepfake video, shown by lawmaker Kim Jang-kyun and depicting officials in a secret meeting, sparked outrage. The video disrupted proceedings and highlighted the risks of AI misinformation. – https://cybernews.com/ai-news/ai-deepfake-south-korea-politics/

Over 30 potential victims identified in action against human trafficking enabled online

(Europol – 13 October 2025) From 15 to 19 September 2025, Europol supported the fourth edition of the EMPACT Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) Hackathon, an action week against human trafficking enabled online. It was led by Dutch authorities, with the support of Germany and the United Kingdom, and brought together 73 specialists from 26 countries across the world. Eurojust also participated in the action. – https://www.europol.europa.eu/media-press/newsroom/news/over-30-potential-victims-identified-in-action-against-human-trafficking-enabled-online

Operation Heracles is a success: German police take down 1,400 scam websites used for cybertrading fraud

(Cybernews – 13 October 2025) German investigators and banking watchdog BaFin have shut down over 1,400 illegal domains in Eastern Europe that were involved in cybertrading fraud, officials said in a joint statement on Monday. Dubbed Operation Heracles, the probe was conducted by Baden Wuerttemberg state criminal police and BaFin, Europol and Bulgarian authorities in an effort to crack down on those facilitating the use of fraudulent trading accounts. – https://cybernews.com/cybercrime/german-police-nix-1400-websites-cybertrading-fraud/

“ChaosBot” malware turns Discord into a hacker command center

(Cybernews – 13 October 2025) New ChaosBot malware is spreading across Discord, with Chaos-C++ targeting large files and clipboard data for quick victim pressure. When you hear a name like “ChaosBot,” you wake up and take note. But what is it? ChaosBot is an elaborately named virus that was found in late 2025 in a financial firm’s system. The name came from the hacker or threat actor who called themselves chaos_00019. They used a new programming language, Rust, and often managed to bypass advanced antivirus tools. Hackers can control the ChaosBot through Discord, a chat app popular with gamers. Subsequently, they can send commands directly to infected PCs. – https://cybernews.com/cybercrime/chaosbot-malware-discord-hacker/

“Inflation Refund” scam texts spread among thousands of New Yorkers

(Cybernews – 13 October 2025) New Yorkers are getting thousands of text messages claiming they need to fill out documents to be eligible for the state’s “Inflation Refunds.” But this is, in fact, an ongoing smishing campaign. Already in late September, New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s office issued a warning about the scam, saying that the crooks were sending texts, emails, and even direct mail to trick people into providing sensitive payment information. But officials can’t seem to stop the smishing campaign, which is still active. So, if a New Yorker clicks on a link, they risk falling victim to it and probably losing money. – https://cybernews.com/security/inflation-refund-new-york-smishing/

Italy bans deepfake app that undresses people

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) Italy’s data protection authority has ordered an immediate suspension of the app Clothoff, which uses AI to generate fake nude images of real people. The company behind it, based in the British Virgin Islands, is now barred from processing personal data of Italian users. – https://dig.watch/updates/italy-bans-deepfake-app-that-undresses-people – https://www.gpdp.it/web/guest/home/docweb/-/docweb-display/docweb/10174320#english

Ofcom fines 4chan £20K and counting for pretending UK’s Online Safety Act doesn’t exist

(The Register – 13 October 2025) Ofcom, the UK’s Online Safety Act regulator, has fined online message board 4chan £20,000 ($26,680) for failing to protect children from harmful content. The fine could rise by a further £6,000 – £100 per day for a maximum 60 days – if it continues to ignore its duties to comply with the regulator’s request for information regarding two separate matters. 4chan can stop the additional fines by providing copies of its illegal content risk assessments and information about its qualifying worldwide revenue to Ofcom. The enforcement action announced today is months in the making after Ofcom first opened an investigation into the notorious image board on June 10. – https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/13/4chan_ofcom_fine/

Unapproved AI tools boom in UK workplaces

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) Microsoft research reveals 71% of UK employees use unapproved AI tools at work, with 51% doing so weekly, raising concerns about data privacy and cybersecurity risks. Organisations face heightened risks to data privacy and cybersecurity as sensitive information enters unregulated platforms. Despite these dangers, awareness remains low, as only 32% express concern over data privacy and 29% over IT system vulnerabilities. – https://dig.watch/updates/unapproved-ai-tools-boom-in-uk-workplaces – https://ukstories.microsoft.com/features/rise-in-shadow-ai-tools-raising-security-concerns-for-uk/

Defence, Military, and Warfare

US’ airborne laser mine detection system that offers high accuracy delivered to South Korea

(Interesting Engineering – 18 October 2025) A Virginia-based company has delivered the first Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) sensor pod to South Korea. Northrop Grumman’s system is expected to advance Seoul’s mine detection solutions. Northrop claims that the ALMDS has a proven and effective capability that provides rapid detection and classification of mines in coastal waters, and is operated today by the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-airborne-laser-mine-detection-korea

US plans to arm drones with fire-and-forget missiles that can work in GPS-denied environment

(Interesting Engineering – 18 October 2025) The US Army is moving forward with the Symbiotic UAS Delivery System, or SCBDS, project, which aims to equip drones with a compact, highly capable missile. The initiative seeks to create a weapon small enough to allow special operations forces to carry out multiple fire-and-forget kinetic strikes from medium-sized drones, while taking advantage of advanced target recognition systems. According to the Army Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) solicitation, the program targets launch platforms classified as Group 2 or 3 UAVs, meaning unmanned aircraft with maximum takeoff weights ranging from 21 to 1,320 pounds, reflecting a broader push to enhance drone versatility and lethality in modern operations. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-to-arm-drones-with-missiles

Defence Panel Discusses How to Bring Quantum & AI to Bear in a Hostile World

(Quantum Insider – 17 October 2025) Senior defense leaders and technologists at The City Quantum & AI Summit in London said quantum and artificial intelligence will be decisive in maintaining NATO’s strategic advantage amid rising geopolitical tensions. Panelists including representatives from Multiverse Computing, Aquark Technologies, BAE Systems, and MBDA highlighted how quantum sensing, AI assurance, and collaboration between startups and defense contractors are reshaping deterrence and resilience. Speakers warned that Europe’s quantum ambitions are constrained by funding and regulation, emphasizing the need for faster innovation, stronger public-private partnerships, and sustained defense investment before it is too late. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/18/defence-panel-discusses-how-to-bring-quantum-ai-to-bear-in-a-hostile-world/

DEUTZ to Invest in ARX Robotics for Strategic Partnership in Digitalized Drives and Unmanned Defense Systems

(AI Insider – 16 October 2025) DEUTZ will lead a new strategic funding round for ARX Robotics as part of a broader partnership to integrate DEUTZ’s drive systems into ARX’s unmanned ground vehicles and link them with ARX’s Mithra OS software platform. The collaboration will expand from battery-electric systems to hybrid and combustion drives, while DEUTZ provides mobile energy infrastructure—gensets, storage, and swappable batteries—and global production support to scale ARX’s defense robotics. Both companies frame the partnership as advancing European defense autonomy, following ARX’s AI-based reconnaissance pact with Helsing and DEUTZ’s recent drone-drive acquisition of SOBEK. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/16/deutz-to-invest-in-arx-robotics-for-strategic-partnership-in-digitalized-drives-and-unmanned-defense-systems/

Netherlands joins US for drone wingmen development

(Breaking Defense – 16 October 2025) The US and the Netherlands signed a pact today for the European nation to participate in the development of the US Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program. The two parties’ letter of intent was inked by Netherlands State Secretary for Defense Gijs Tuinman at the Netherlands embassy in Washington, paving the way for a transatlantic exchange of autonomous drone wingmen technologies. – https://breakingdefense.com/2025/10/netherlands-joins-us-for-drone-wingmen-development/

Embedded Human Judgment in the Age of Autonomous Weapons

(Lena Trabucco – Just Security – 16 October 2025) Few phrases dominate debates about autonomous weapons more than “meaningful human control.” It has become a central topic in diplomatic forums, academic discussions, and civil society campaigns. States negotiating at the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts on lethal autonomous weapons (GGE LAWS) have invoked the phrase regularly, and advocates see it as the minimum requirement for regulating AI-enabled autonomous weapons systems (AWS). Despite its prominence and controversy, the phrase is often considered vague, impractical, and misunderstood. What exactly does meaningful control mean? What is the threshold for meaningful? What does control look like and entail? And, importantly, who exercises it, when, and under what limits? – https://www.justsecurity.org/121345/embedded-human-judgment-autonomous-weapons/

1,700 miles in minutes: US Army to field first hypersonic missile battery in December

(Interesting Engineering – 16 October 2025) The US Army’s first hypersonic missile unit will finally receive a full complement of live rounds for its “Dark Eagle” weapons system by the end of this year, marking a key milestone in America’s race to field operational hypersonic capabilities. Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano, the Army’s program executive officer for missiles and space, told Defense News that the final batch of missiles for the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force, 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Field Artillery Brigade, based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington, will be delivered by December. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-field-first-hypersonic-battery

Mapping South Korea’s Defence Industrialisation in the Age of Smart Technologies

(Abhishek Sharma – Observer Research Foundation – 15 October 2025)  In the last decade, South Korea’s defence exports have become one of the successful case studies of the country’s export basket. However, given the changing nature of modern warfare, a shift focusing on the adoption of New Generation Technologies (NGT), such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and semiconductors, is taking place within the Korean defence industry. Given the strategic importance of these systems, the Korean government has given greater attention to developing these technologies for dual purposes, intending to boost domestic production and manufacturing capacity. This paper undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the transition in South Korea’s defence industrialisation by mapping the application of the three NGTs across industry, manufacturing, and military. – https://www.orfonline.org/research/mapping-south-korea-s-defence-industrialisation-in-the-age-of-smart-technologies

AM General Announces Collaboration with Carnegie Robotics and Textron Systems to Develop Modular Unmanned Ground Vehicle for U.S. Army Modernization

(AI Insider – 15 October 2025) AM General, Carnegie Robotics, and Textron Systems formed a team to design an autonomous platform for the U.S. Army’s Medium Modular Equipment Transport (M-MET) program. The HUMVEE-based unmanned system pairs a rugged chassis with a hybrid-electric powerpack (~30 kW exportable power), drive-by-wire controls, an autonomy suite, and MOSA-compliant payload integration to cut lead time and boost adaptability. Built to close logistics gaps between brigade support areas and dispersed units, the modular UGV will autonomously deliver multi-class supplies and operational energy, with an Army RFP expected in 2026. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/15/am-general-announces-collaboration-with-carnegie-robotics-and-textron-systems-to-develop-modular-unmanned-ground-vehicle-for-u-s-army-modernization/

Lockheed’s missile with ramjet engine, combined-cycle propulsion to offer 620-mile range

(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) An American weapon manufacturer recently showcased its prototype Increment 4 Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) design. Lockheed Martin displayed the concept during the Association of the U.S. Army’s (AUSA) annual convention on October 13. Displayed with no identification, the model will be equipped with a ramjet with a solid rocket motor. The company plans to deliver the weapon with a combined-cycle propulsion system. This is expected to deliver a range of more than 620 miles (1,000 kms). The missile is expected to follow critical path to hit the target. This makes missile tough to be intercepted by enemy weapons. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/lockheed-missile-ramjet-engine-long-range

Grenade-launching war-ready robot dog that strikes autonomously unveiled in US

(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) Skyborne Technologies has launched Controller-Operated Direct-Action Quadruped (CODiAQ), a new robotic system that uses artificial intelligence and can move independently. It also features modular weapons to deliver precise attacks from ground-based quadruped platforms. The CODiAQ is one of the first operational weaponized robots designed for direct-action missions. It received funding from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (OASD(SO/LIC)) through the SSO Irregular Warfare Capabilities Development and Innovation Directorate. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/grenade-launching-robot-dog-us

Making Sense of Britain’s Digital Targeting Web

(Noah Sylvia and Major Laurence Thomson – RUSI – 13 October 2025) The UK’s Digital Targeting Web promises cross-domain targeting fit for the modern digitalised battlefield – but organisational complexity, procurement and funding challenges and a dearth of outcome metrics threaten to make its delivery targets more aspirational than assured. Over two decades after the UK’s drive for Network Enabled Capability (NEC), joint low-latency targeting is seemingly within reach: a web of lethal, cross-cued sensors and weapons, augmented by artificial intelligence. But there are hurdles ahead. The near and long-term development of the UK’s Digital Targeting Web (DTW) is ambitious and holds promise; however, its development and subsequent introduction to Defence depends on more than just modern technology. – https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/making-sense-britains-digital-targeting-web

Boeing unveils concept for Army unmanned tiltrotor aircraft amid military push for drones

(Thomas Novelly – Defense One – 13 October 2025) Boeing is designing a tiltrotor drone wingman concept to support the Army’s helicopter fleet, similar to the Air Force’s push for collaborative combat aircraft, as the Army rushes to field unmanned drones. Renderings for the CxR aircraft revealed by Boeing on Monday at the Association of the U.S. Army’s conference in Washington. The company’s pitch would place unmanned vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft alongside Army helicopters in combat and cargo operations. – https://www.defenseone.com/business/2025/10/boeing-unveils-concept-army-unmanned-tiltrotor-aircraft-amid-military-push-drones/408779/?oref=d1-featured-river-top

The Army wants AI to help man artillery and air defense units

(Meghann Myers – Defense One – 13 October 2025) The Army’s artillery community envisions a future where artificial intelligence will scan the battlefield and tell soldiers where they need to aim the missiles. Now they just have to wait for the technology to mature. Language learning models aren’t at the point where they can do spatial reasoning or real-time situational awareness and deliver a plan to a soldier to act on. But the Army is working on what they want that to eventually look like, said Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano, who heads Program Executive Office Missiles and Space. – https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/10/army-wants-ai-help-man-artillery-and-air-defense-units/408778/?oref=d1-featured-river-secondary

Anduril debuts Eagle Eye, a modular, AI-powered soldier headset

(Meghann Myers – Defense One 13 October 2025) Anduril will display its entry into the Army’s Soldier Borne Mission Command program starting Monday at the AUSA annual meeting, CEO Palmer Lucky told reporters Thursday. Dubbed Eagle Eye, the program aims to produce four different head sets, two of which will be in the Anduril booth, with two more still in earlier phases of development. “We’ve been working on augmented-reality technology for warfighters since near the beginning of Anduril,” said Luckey, who invented the Oculus Rift virtual-reality headset over a decade ago. “It was one of the very first things that we started investing in, primarily building the software back end that would be able to properly feed a combat heads-up display.” – https://www.defenseone.com/defense-systems/2025/10/anduril-debuts-eagle-eye-modular-ai-powered-soldier-headset/408775/?oref=d1-homepage-river

Chinese tanks could soon get fighter jet-like ability to strike unseen targets

(Kapil Kajal – Interesting Engineering – 13 October 2025) China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is moving its ground forces from traditional close-range tank warfare to long-range, beyond-visual-range combat, enabled by its latest generation of main battle tanks, according to a PLA Daily report published Monday. The shift marks what Chinese military experts call a “battlefield transformation,” as the PLA integrates advanced sensors, artificial intelligence, and networked warfare capabilities into its armored units. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/chinese-tanks-could-get-fighter-jet-like-ability

Drones over Europe: when airspace is the new frontline

(Cybernews – 13 October 2025) Drone activity, particularly from Russia, is increasing over critical European infrastructure, raising security concerns. Current radar systems struggle to detect small drones, necessitating investment in new detection technologies & data sharing. A layered defense – combining detection, tracking & mitigation – is crucial, with open architecture key to effective protection, Ash Alexander-Cooper says. – https://cybernews.com/security/drones-russia-europe-airspace-danger-protection/

Startup aims to reinvent battlefield medicine for the drone era

(Patrick Tucker – Defense One – 12 October 2025) A startup called Valinor has unveiled what is essentially a field hospital in a box—one with integrated software and data connectivity missing from today’s battlefield medicine. Harbor is a 20-foot shipping container that can be modified for different types of battlefield care, such as immediate damage control or prolonged casualty care. The exterior can be hardened against ballistics and it can be modified to power anti-drone defensive systems. Anduril is partnering with Valinor to allow telehealth over its Lattice mesh network to manage and reduce the unit’s electromagnetic signatures.  –  https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2025/10/startup-aims-reinvent-battlefield-medicine-drone-era/408770/

Frontiers

AI and fusion combine to accelerate clean energy breakthroughs

(DigWatch – 18 October 2025) A new research partnership between Google and Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) aims to accelerate the development of clean, abundant fusion energy. Fusion powers the sun and offers limitless, clean energy, but achieving it on Earth requires stabilising plasma at over 100 million degrees Celsius. The collaboration builds on prior AI research in controlling plasma using deep reinforcement learning. Google and CFS are combining AI with the SPARC tokamak, using superconducting magnets to achieve net energy gain from fusion. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-and-fusion-combine-to-accelerate-clean-energy-breakthroughs – https://deepmind.google/discover/blog/bringing-ai-to-the-next-generation-of-fusion-energy/

Vanderbilt Research Aims to Improve AI Drug Discovery

(AI Insider – 17 October 2025) A Vanderbilt-led study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse introduces a more robust AI model for ranking drug candidates, aimed at cutting costs and improving reliability in early-stage discovery. The model focuses on “interaction space” rather than full 3D structures, improving generalizability across novel protein families often missed by standard machine learning methods. Researchers developed a validation protocol that mimics real-world use cases, revealing current ML tools often falter outside training data and highlighting the need for specialized architectures and stricter benchmarks. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/18/vanderbilt-research-aims-to-improve-ai-drug-discovery/

AI predicts how cells respond to drugs and genes

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025) KAIST researchers have developed AI that predicts cell responses to drugs and genes, with potential to transform drug discovery, cancer therapy, and regenerative medicine. The method models cell-drug interactions in a modular ‘Lego block’ approach, enabling analysis of previously untested combinations. The AI separates representations of cell states and drug effects in a ‘latent space’ and recombines them to forecast reactions. The system can predict gene effects on cells, providing a quantitative view of drug and genetic impacts. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-predicts-how-cells-respond-to-drugs-and-genes – https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251016/AI-predicts-cell-responses-to-drugs-and-genetic-changes.aspx

Peer AI Raises $12.1M to Accelerate Drug Approvals with an Intelligent Regulatory Workflow

(AI Insider – 17 October 2025) Peer AI raised $12.1M in funding led by Flare Capital Partners and SignalFire, with participation from Greycroft, Atria, and others, to scale its agentic AI platform for life sciences regulatory documentation. The platform automates drug approval paperwork, helping top pharma and biotech firms cut drafting times by up to 94%, reduce errors, and accelerate FDA submissions using domain-specific AI agents with expert human oversight. Adopted by major pharmaceutical clients, Peer AI is rapidly expanding in the $15B regulatory documentation market, aiming to modernize compliance workflows and speed life-saving treatments to patients. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/17/peer-ai-raises-12-1m-to-accelerate-drug-approvals-with-an-intelligent-regulatory-workflow/

Adaptive optics meets AI for cellular-scale eye care

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025) AI is moving from lab demos to frontline eye care, with clinicians using algorithms alongside routine fundus photos to spot disease before symptoms appear. The aim is simple: catch diabetic retinopathy early enough to prevent avoidable vision loss and speed referrals for treatment. New imaging workflows pair adaptive optics with machine learning to shrink scan times from hours to minutes while preserving single-cell detail. At the US National Eye Institute, models recover retinal pigment epithelium features and clean noisy OCT data to make standard scans more informative. – https://dig.watch/updates/adaptive-optics-meets-ai-for-cellular-scale-eye-care – https://www.asbmb.org/asbmb-today/science/101525/how-ai-is-transforming-retinal-imaging

AI system links hidden signals in patient records to improve diagnosis

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025)  Researchers at Mount Sinai and UC Irvine have developed a novel AI system, InfEHR, which creates a dynamic network of an individual’s medical events and relationships over time. The system detects disease patterns that traditional approaches often miss. InfEHR transforms time-ordered data, visits, labs, medications, and vital signs, into a graphical network for each patient. It then learns which combinations of clues across that network tend to correlate with hidden disease states – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-system-links-hidden-signals-in-patient-records-to-improve-diagnosis – https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251015/New-AI-system-connects-hidden-clues-in-medical-records-to-transform-diagnosis.aspx

Is It Time For Time Crystals? Researchers Report Time Crystals Could Power Future Quantum Computers

(Quantum Insider – 17 October 2025) Researchers at Aalto University and Lancaster University demonstrated that a continuous time crystal made of magnons can couple to a mechanical oscillator, forming a system that behaves like an optical cavity in optomechanics. The experiment confirmed a nonlinear, or quadratic, coupling between the time crystal and surface waves in superfluid helium-3, showing that their interaction mimics the dynamics of optomechanical systems used in precision physics. The findings suggest that time crystals could one day enhance quantum technologies by serving as long-lived memory elements or frequency references in quantum computers and sensing devices. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/17/is-it-time-for-time-crystals-researchers-report-time-crystals-could-power-future-quantum-computers/

Oracle and Microsoft partner to bring real-time AI insights into supply chains

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025) Oracle announced a collaboration with Microsoft aimed at improving supply chain responsiveness and efficiency. The project centres on a new integration blueprint that bridges Oracle Fusion Cloud SCM with Microsoft Azure IoT Operations and Microsoft Fabric. Under this plan, sensor and equipment data from factory floors is captured in real time via Azure IoT and forwarded through Fabric. That data will then feed directly into Oracle SCM workflows. – https://dig.watch/updates/oracle-and-microsoft-partner-to-bring-real-time-ai-insights-into-supply-chains – https://www.oracle.com/news/announcement/ai-world-oracle-collaborates-with-microsoft-to-enhance-supply-chain-efficiency-2025-10-15/

Agentic AI at scale with Salesforce and AWS

(DigWatch – 17 October 2025) Salesforce and AWS outlined a tighter partnership on agentic AI, citing rapid growth in enterprise agents and usage. They set four pillars for the ‘Agentic Enterprise’: unified data, interoperable agents, modernised contact centres and streamlined procurement via AWS Marketplace. Data 360 ‘Zero Copy’ accesses Amazon Redshift without duplication, while Data 360 Clean Rooms integrate with AWS Clean Rooms for privacy-preserving collaboration. 1-800Accountant reports agents resolving most routine inquiries so human experts focus on higher-value work. – https://dig.watch/updates/agentic-ai-at-scale-with-salesforce-and-aws – https://www.salesforce.com/news/stories/aws-collaboration-accelerates-ai-tranformation/

Moove and Waymo expand partnership to bring autonomous ride-hailing to London

(AI Insider – 17 October 2025) Moove expanded its partnership with Waymo to serve as fleet operations partner in London, laying groundwork for Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hailing service. The tie-up pairs Waymo’s L4 autonomy with Moove’s local ops expertise and large fleet footprint (39,000 vehicles across 29 cities) to advance safer, cleaner urban mobility. Moove, EBITDA break-even since Sept. 2024 and targeting ~$400M ARR, is launching a Series C to build the infrastructure layer for scaling Level-4 autonomy globally. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/17/moove-and-waymo-expand-partnership-to-bring-autonomous-ride-hailing-to-london/

Stellantis and Pony.ai Partner to Advance Robotaxi Development in Europe

(AI Insider – 17 October 2025) Stellantis and Pony.ai signed a non-binding MoU to accelerate European robotaxi deployment by integrating Pony.ai’s autonomy stack with Stellantis’ K0 AV-Ready BEV platform. Pilot vehicles based on the Peugeot e-Traveller will begin testing in Luxembourg in the coming months, with phased rollouts to additional European cities starting in 2026 pending safety, performance, and regulatory validation. The partnership will initially target light commercial vehicles, leveraging Stellantis’ Pro One LCV leadership to support use cases from compact robotaxis to multi-passenger vans. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/17/stellantis-and-pony-ai-partner-to-advance-robotaxi-development-in-europe/

China’s Agibot Unveils Industrial-Grade Interactive Embodied Robot Agibot G2

(AI Insider – 16 October 2025) Agibot launched the industrial-grade Agibot G2 embodied robot, combining high-performance actuators, force-controlled arms with full-arm torque sensing, and advanced spatial perception for multi-scenario use in manufacturing, logistics, and guided tours. The platform integrates Agibot’s GO-1 and GE-1 models for perception-to-action planning and world-model forecasting, runs large on-device AI on Jetson Thor T5000 (<10 ms latency), and supports rapid deployment with hot-swappable dual batteries and autonomous charging. Live demos and pilots span auto-parts assembly, precision electronics tasks, logistics parcel handling with the OmniHand gripper, and museum tours, with formal rollouts beginning in automotive parts manufacturing and prior traction in consumer electronics. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/16/chinas-agibot-unveils-industrial-grade-interactive-embodied-robot-agibot-g2/

Space Quarters Raises $5 Million in Seed Round to Advance Robotic Space Construction

(AI Insider – 16 October 2025) Space Quarters raised $5.0M in seed funding led by Frontier Innovations to advance space construction robotics and electron-beam welding for large orbital and lunar infrastructure. Founded in 2022 from Tohoku University, the startup aims to assemble modular materials in space with proprietary robotic welding systems, reducing launch constraints and enabling durable, large-scale structures. Proceeds will expand the team, upgrade test facilities, and prepare on-orbit and lunar demos targeted for 2027–2028, building on collaborations with Sky Perfect JSAT, JAXA, Obayashi, and IHI Aerospace. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/16/space-quarters-raises-5-million-in-seed-round-to-advance-robotic-space-construction/

Google DeepMind’s new AI helps find potential breakthrough in cancer treatment

(Interesting Engineering – 16 October 2025) In a major leap for cancer research, Google DeepMind and Yale University have unveiled an artificial intelligence system capable of uncovering new biological insights directly validated in living cells. Announced on October 15, the new foundation model, C2S-Scale 27B, represents one of the largest and most sophisticated AI systems ever developed to study cellular behavior. Built on Google’s Gemma family of models, it has generated a groundbreaking hypothesis about how cancer cells interact with the immune system—one that could reshape how future therapies are designed. – https://interestingengineering.com/health/google-deepmind-new-ai-cancer-treatment

Scaling a cell ‘language’ model yields new immunotherapy leads

(DigWatch – 16 October 2025) Yale University and Google unveiled Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B, a 27-billion-parameter model built on Gemma to decode the ‘language’ of cells. The system generated a novel hypothesis about cancer cell behaviour, and CEO Sundar Pichai called it ‘an exciting milestone’ for AI in science. The work targets a core problem in immunotherapy: many tumours are ‘cold’ and evade immune detection. Making them visible requires boosting antigen presentation. C2S-Scale sought a ‘conditional amplifier’ drug that boosts signals only in immune-context-positive settings. – https://dig.watch/updates/scaling-a-cell-language-model-yields-new-immunotherapy-leads – https://blog.google/technology/ai/google-gemma-ai-cancer-therapy-discovery/

World’s first connected time crystal opens door to new quantum computing era

(Interesting Engineering – 16 October 2025) European scientists have, for the first time, connected a time crystal to another system external to itself, which could one day help power quantum computers of the future. The scientists at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland, have published a study on the topic. Academy Research Fellow Jere Mäkinen first authored it. The study describes the process of the team turning the time crystal into an optomechanical system that can be used to develop extremely accurate sensors or memory systems for quantum computers. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/time-crystal-quantum-computing-europe

Inside U.S. Center for Quantum Technologies: Study Shows How Industry And Academia Are Collaborating to Unleash Quantum Tech

(Quantum Insider – 16 October 2025) The U.S. Center for Quantum Technologies (CQT), a multi-university consortium supported by the National Science Foundation, is connecting academia, industry, and government to accelerate quantum research and commercialization. According to the paper, CQT brings together Purdue University, Indiana University, and the University of Notre Dame with 12 corporate and federal partners to advance research in quantum computing, sensing, communications, and workforce development. Researchers affiliated with the consortium are developing quantum–AI hybrid algorithms, studying quantum materials and photonic systems, and expanding educational programs to prepare a quantum-ready workforce while seeking to grow industry participation. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/16/inside-u-s-center-for-quantum-technologies-study-shows-how-industry-and-academia-are-collaborating-to-unleash-quantum-tech/

BTQ Technologies Announces Quantum-Safe Bitcoin Using NIST Standardized Post-Quantum Cryptography

(Quantum Insider – 16 October 2025) BTQ Technologies announced the first successful demonstration of a quantum-resistant Bitcoin implementation using NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptography. The company’s Bitcoin Quantum Core Release 0.2 replaces vulnerable ECDSA signatures with ML-DSA, protecting the $2.4 trillion Bitcoin market from quantum attacks projected to emerge by 2030. BTQ plans to secure the entire Bitcoin network by 2026 through staged deployments, institutional pilots, and the launch of a quantum-safe mainnet. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/16/btq-technologies-announces-quantum-safe-bitcoin-using-nist-standardized-post-quantum-cryptography/

OVHcloud’s AI-powered Cooling Balances Performance And Environmental Responsibility in Data Centers

(AI Insider – 16 October 2025) OVHcloud has unveiled a new AI-driven cooling architecture for its data centers that reduces water use by up to 30% and cooling electricity consumption by up to 50%. The redesigned Smart Racks use a single closed-loop water circuit with compact cooling modules and 30+ sensors to autonomously adjust cooling in real time based on workload and environmental conditions. Predictive AI algorithms further optimize pump speed, fan operation, and valve settings to balance power, water, and noise constraints, advancing OVHcloud’s sustainable cloud strategy. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/16/ovhclouds-ai-powered-cooling-balances-performance-and-environmental-responsibility-in-data-centers/

Oath Surgical Secures $24M to Build the First Surgeon-Owned, AI-Powered Surgical System

(AI Insider – 16 October 2025) Oath Surgical raised $24M in an oversubscribed Series A led by FPV Ventures with participation from McKesson Ventures and others, bringing total funding to $35M to scale its AI-powered surgical network and expand into oncology and new specialties. Its flagship platform, OathOS, replaces fragmented surgical systems with an all-in-one AI operating platform that automates workflows, boosts efficiency, and improves safety from referral to recovery. Oath’s surgeon-led, value-based model has achieved standout results, including up to 80% cost savings, a 0.25% complication rate, and 98.5% patient satisfaction, positioning it for rapid national expansion through 2025. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/16/oath-surgical-secures-24m-to-build-the-first-surgeon-owned-ai-powered-surgical-system/

Hipp Health Raises $6.2M in Seed Funding

(AI Insider – 16 October 2025) Hipp Health raised $6.2M in seed funding led by RTP Global, with participation from Swift Ventures, Rackhouse Venture Capital, and Difference Partners, to advance its AI-native compliance and automation platform for behavioral health practices. The platform automates documentation, scheduling, billing, and analytics, helping clinics achieve up to a 90% reduction in outstanding claims while easing growing Medicaid compliance pressures. Founded by David Connors and Faaez Ul Haq in 2024, Hipp Health addresses the rising administrative burden in U.S. behavioral healthcare amid increasing diagnoses and regulatory demands. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/16/hipp-health-raises-6-2m-in-seed-funding/

Counsel Health Raises $25 Million to Launch Physician-Supervised AI Front Door for Healthcare

(AI Insider – 16 October 2025) Counsel Health raised $25 million in Series A funding led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and GV to launch a physician-supervised AI care platform. The company’s model combines AI with licensed physician oversight, achieving a 96% issue resolution rate, 2-minute physician response times, and $381 in annual savings per engaged member. Counsel plans to expand its physician network, invest further in AI, and grow partnerships with payers, employers, and provider groups, already serving over 100,000 members nationwide. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/16/counsel-health-raises-25-million-to-launch-physician-supervised-ai-front-door-for-healthcare/

Uniting Energy to Decode Digital: AUTOMA 2025

(AI Insider – 16 October 2025) The Oil and Gas Automation and Digitalisation Congress (AUTOMA) 2025 in Amsterdam showcased AI-powered transformation, smart infrastructure, digital decarbonisation, and autonomous operations across the energy sector. The event featured over 350 professionals, 11 sessions, and 288 B2B meetings, with leading companies presenting advances in hybrid-AI digital twins, IoT, and real-time monitoring for energy efficiency and carbon reduction. Discussions highlighted digital twins, AI integration, and clean hydrogen as key enablers of a net-zero transition, setting the stage for AUTOMA 2026 to focus on practical automation strategies. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/16/uniting-energy-to-decode-digital-automa-2025/

Swiss Quantum Technology SA Signs €10 Million Agreement to Deploy D-Wave Advantage2 Annealing Quantum Computer

(Quantum Insider – 15 October 2025) D-Wave Quantum Inc. has signed a €10 million agreement with Swiss Quantum Technology SA to deploy an Advantage2 annealing quantum computer in Europe. The 4,400+ qubit Advantage2 system will support Italy’s Q-Alliance initiative and be accessible through D-Wave’s Leap cloud platform. Both companies said the deployment aims to expand global access to quantum computing while advancing energy-efficient, production-grade quantum applications. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/15/swiss-quantum-technology-sa-signs-e10-million-agreement-to-deploy-d-wave-advantage2-annealing-quantum-computer/

LuxQuanta Secures €8 Million in Series A Funding to Accelerate Global Deployment of Quantum-Safe Cybersecurity Solutions

(Quantum Insider – 15 October 2025) LuxQuanta has closed an €8 million Series A funding round led by Big Sur Ventures and A&G, with participation from GMV, Wayra, the EIC Fund, Corning, and GTD to accelerate its growth in quantum cybersecurity. The funding will enable LuxQuanta to scale production, expand globally, and advance research in Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution (CV-QKD) and integrated photonics to strengthen quantum-safe communications. Founded as an ICFO spin-off in 2021, LuxQuanta has achieved multi-million-euro sales across Europe and international markets, positioning itself as a key player in securing critical communications against emerging quantum threats. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/15/luxquanta-secures-e8-million-in-series-a-funding-to-accelerate-global-deployment-of-quantum-safe-cybersecurity-solutions/

SemiQon’s Cryogenic Chip Technology For Quantum Computing And Space Applications Receives Award From EARTO

(Quantum Insider – 15 October 2025) SemiQon and VTT received EARTO’s “Impact Expected” award for their cryogenic CMOS chip innovation, which enables advanced CMOS functionality at ultra-low temperatures for use in quantum computing and space applications. The Cryo-CMOS chip offers up to 90% lower power consumption for space systems and can reduce quantum computer infrastructure costs by up to 30% in the short term and over tenfold in the long term. Originally developed at VTT and now produced at European facilities, the technology strengthens Europe’s semiconductor autonomy and supports sustainable computing by potentially saving $20–30 billion annually in global cooling costs. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/15/semiqons-cryogenic-chip-technology-for-quantum-computing-and-space-applications-receives-award-from-earto/

Miniature bioelectronic 3D human colon brings lifelike precision to cancer research

(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) In a major leap for cancer research and precision medicine, engineers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a three-dimensional human colon model integrated with bioelectronics. The innovation promises a more ethical, accurate, and cost-efficient alternative to animal testing in colorectal cancer research and drug discovery. The study describes the creation of the “3D in vivo mimicking human colon” (3D-IVM-HC) model. The miniaturized 5-by-10-millimeter colon replica reproduces key anatomical features, including the organ’s distinctive curvature, layered cellular structure, and cryptlike folds essential to colon function and tumor biology. – https://interestingengineering.com/health/3d-human-colon-model-cancer-drug-testing

Soft robotic vine slithers through arteries and jet engines with lifelike movement

(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) A new generation of soft robots is here. Flexible, adaptable, and capable of navigating spaces once unreachable, these robots are designed to move like living organisms, transforming how doctors perform surgeries or how engineers inspect machinery. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/soft-vine-robot-navigates-arteries-jet-engines

China unveils humanoid robot with lifelike skin and blinking eyes built for daily life

(Interesting Engineering – 15 October 2025) A Shanghai-based company has developed humanoid robots that appear as real as humans. The advanced bionic humanoid robot is integrated with self-supervised AI algorithms. Named Elf V1, the robot can perceive the world, communicate, learn, and interact intelligently with its surroundings. Developed by AheadForm Technology, the robot offers up to 30 degrees of freedom, powered by a precise control system and an advanced AI learning algorithm. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/china-aheadform-humanoid-robot-expression

New AI predicts future knee X-rays for osteoarthritis patients

(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) In the UK, an AI system developed at the University of Surrey can predict what a patient’s knee X-ray will look like a year in the future, offering a visual forecast alongside a risk score for osteoarthritis progression. The technology is designed to help both patients and doctors better understand how the condition may develop, allowing earlier and more informed treatment decisions. Trained on nearly 50,000 knee X-rays from almost 5,000 patients, the system delivers faster and more accurate predictions than existing AI tools. – https://dig.watch/updates/new-ai-predicts-future-knee-x-rays-for-osteoarthritis-patients – https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/ai-predicts-future-x-rays-help-osteoarthritis-patients-and-their-doctors-see-whats-coming

Dell joins Microsoft and Nscale on hyperscale AI capacity

(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) Nscale has signed an expanded deal with Microsoft to deliver about 200,000 NVIDIA GB300 GPUs across Europe and the US, with Dell collaborating. The company calls it one of the largest AI infrastructure contracts to date. The build-out targets surging enterprise demand for GPU capacity. A ~240MW hyperscale AI campus in Texas, US, will host roughly 104,000 GB300s from Q3 2026, leased from Ionic Digital. Nscale plans to scale the site to 1.2GW, with Microsoft holding an option on a second 700MW phase from late 2027. The campus is optimised for air-cooled, power-efficient deployments. – https://dig.watch/updates/dell-joins-microsoft-and-nscale-on-hyperscale-ai-capacity – https://www.nscale.com/press-releases/nscale-microsoft-2025

Oxford scientists achieve quantum teleportation milestone

(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) Scientists at the University of Oxford have achieved quantum teleportation between two quantum computers, marking a major step toward distributed quantum computing. The experiment successfully transmitted a quantum algorithm wirelessly between processors using quantum entanglement. Rather than moving physical matter, the process transferred data instantaneously by linking qubits, the basic units of quantum information. The two computers, though separated by two metres, shared data as if operating as one, greatly enhancing their combined computing power. – https://dig.watch/updates/oxford-scientists-achieve-quantum-teleportation-milestone – https://www.bgr.com/1988900/how-scientists-achieved-teleportation-quantum-supercomputers/

Salesforce invests $15 billion in San Francisco’s AI future

(DigWatch – 15 October 2025) The US cloud-based software company, Salesforce, has announced a $15 billion investment in San Francisco over the next five years, strengthening the city’s position as the world’s AI capital. The funding will support a new AI Incubator Hub on the company’s campus, workforce training programmes, and initiatives to help businesses transform into ‘Agentic Enterprises’. – https://dig.watch/updates/salesforce-invests-15-billion-in-san-franciscos-ai-future – https://www.salesforce.com/news/press-releases/2025/10/13/san-francisco-investment/

Heidi Secures $65M in Series B Funding to Accelerate Building an AI Care Partner for Every Clinician

(AI Insider – 15 October 2025) Heidi raised $65M in Series B funding led by Point72 Private Investments, valuing the healthcare AI startup at $465M and bringing total funding to nearly $100M. The company’s AI Care Partner automates clinical admin tasks, returning over 18 million hours to clinicians and supporting 73 million patient consults across 116 countries. Heidi is expanding globally across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and Europe, partnering with major health systems like the NHS, Beth Israel Lahey Health, and Monash Health to combat clinician burnout and boost efficiency. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/15/heidi-secures-65m-in-series-b-funding-to-accelerate-building-an-ai-care-partner-for-every-clinician/

Gutter Capital Launches ‘Elbow Grease’ AI Accelerator in New York City

(AI Insider – 15 October 2025) Gutter Capital has launched Elbow Grease, an eight-week AI accelerator in New York City to support early-stage founders with funding and mentorship. The program will invest $300,000 in each of five selected companies, offering hands-on guidance from veteran founders and leaders in the “Gutterverse.”. Applications are open through Thanksgiving, with the program set to begin in January 2026 at Gutter Capital’s Canal Street headquarters. –  https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/15/gutter-capital-launches-elbow-grease-ai-accelerator-in-new-york-city/

Renowned AI Researcher Bolei Zhou Joins Coco Robotics to Lead the World’s Largest Autonomous Delivery Fleet

(AI Insider – 15 October 2025) Coco Robotics appointed UCLA professor and highly cited AI researcher Bolei Zhou as Chief AI Scientist to lead a new Physical AI Lab advancing fleet performance. The lab will convert data from thousands of daily sidewalk deliveries into deployable advances in simulation, neural rendering, generative AI, and reinforcement learning to improve adaptation across diverse cities. Coco says its unique urban-robotics dataset underpins plans to scale to 10,000+ robots in 2026, accelerating safe, reliable autonomous delivery. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/15/renowned-ai-researcher-bolei-zhou-joins-coco-robotics-to-lead-the-worlds-largest-autonomous-delivery-fleet/

EU expands network of AI Factories

(DigWatch – 14 October 2025) The European Commission has announced the addition of six new AI Factories, increasing the total to 19 facilities across 16 Member States. The new centres in the Czech Republic, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and Poland will give startups, SMEs, and industry access to AI-optimised supercomputers and support. – https://dig.watch/updates/eu-expands-network-of-ai-factories – https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/eu-expands-network-ai-factories-strengthening-its-ai-continent-ambition

‘AI City Vizag’ moves ahead with ₹80,000-crore Google hyperscale campus in India

(DigWatch – 14 October 2025) Andhra Pradesh will sign an agreement with Google on Tuesday for a 1-gigawatt hyperscale data centre in Visakhapatnam. Officials describe the ₹80,000-crore investment as a centrepiece of ‘AI City Vizag’. Plans include clean-energy integration and resilient subsea and terrestrial connectivity. The campus will deploy Google’s full AI stack to accelerate AI-driven transformation across India. Infrastructure, data-centre capacity, large-scale energy, and expanded fibre converge in one hub. Design targets reliability, scalability, and seamless links into Google’s global network. – https://dig.watch/updates/ai-city-vizag-moves-ahead-with-%e2%82%b980000-crore-google-hyperscale-campus-in-india

Nvidia DGX Spark launches as the world’s smallest AI supercomputer

(DigWatch – 14 October 2025) Nvidia has launched the DGX Spark, described as the world’s smallest AI supercomputer. Designed for developers and smaller enterprises, the Spark offers data centre-level performance without the need for costly AI server infrastructure or cloud rentals. It features Nvidia’s GB10 Grace Blackwell superchip, ConnectX-7 networking, and the company’s complete AI software stack. – https://dig.watch/updates/nvidia-dgx-spark-launches-as-the-worlds-smallest-ai-supercomputer – https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-dgx-spark-arrives-for-worlds-ai-developers

IonQ Quantum Computing Achieves Greater Accuracy Simulating Complex Chemical Systems to Potentially Slow Climate Change

(Quantum Insider – 14 October 2025) IonQ demonstrated a new quantum-classical algorithm that accurately computes atomic-level forces, marking progress in applying quantum computing to complex chemical systems. The QC-AFQMC algorithm, developed with a Global 1000 automotive partner, achieved higher accuracy than classical methods and enables modeling of materials for efficient carbon capture. By calculating nuclear forces at critical reaction points, the approach integrates with classical workflows to improve reaction pathway modeling across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, batteries, and decarbonization. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/14/ionq-quantum-computing-achieves-greater-accuracy-simulating-complex-chemical-systems-to-potentially-slow-climate-change/

Industrial Automation Firm Caracol Raises $40M Series B Funding

(AI Insider – 14 October 2025) Caracol raised $40M in an oversubscribed Series B co-led by Omnes Capital and Move Capital (with CDP Venture Capital), to scale its large-format robotic manufacturing globally across Europe, the U.S., the Middle East, and APAC. Funds will deepen multi-process, multi-material platforms with software, automation, and AI for data-driven quality, ramp metal additive manufacturing for regulated sectors (aerospace/defense, energy, maritime), and expand polymer solutions in transportation, construction, and architecture. The company reports 100+ platforms installed, revenues more than doubling year over year, 100+ staff across Milan/Austin/Dubai with presence in 50+ countries, and recent milestones including a Texas HQ expansion and acquisition of Hans Weber’s additive robotic IP. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/14/industrial-automation-firm-caracol-raises-40m-series-b-funding/

Yamaha and Toyo Establish Joint Robotics Firm TY Robotics

(AI Insider – 14 October 2025) Yamaha Motor and Taiwan’s Toyo Automation formed TY Robotics in August on Yamaha’s Miyakoda campus to take over single-axis and Cartesian robot production, with manufacturing slated to begin January 2026. The JV is 81% owned by Toyo and 19% by Yamaha, capitalized at ¥99 million, led by Ryuichi Miura, and will manufacture, sell, and service actuators and industrial robots to expand the lineup and cut order-to-ship lead times. The deal formalizes a partnership dating to Yamaha’s 2019 investment and OEM ties with Toyo, which reported TWD 1.86B FY2024 revenue amid semiconductor, smartphone, and factory automation demand. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/14/yamaha-and-toyo-establish-joint-robotics-firm-ty-robotics/

Feedzai Accelerates AI-led Financial Crime Prevention with New Investment Round that Grows Company’s Valuation to $2B

(AI Insider – 13 October 2025) Feedzai secured $75M in new funding, pushing its valuation above $2B, with backing from Lince Capital, Iberis Capital, Explorer Investments, and existing investors Oxy Capital and Buenavista Equity Partners. The AI-native RiskOps platform now prevents over $2B in annual fraud losses, protecting $70B in payments through products like Feedzai Orchestration and Feedzai IQ while promoting responsible AI via its TRUST Framework. Feedzai consolidates fragmented financial crime tools into one end-to-end AI platform, helping global banks detect fraud, combat money laundering, and modernize legacy risk systems efficiently. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/13/feedzai-accelerates-ai-led-financial-crime-prevention-with-new-investment-round-that-grows-companys-valuation-to-2b/

Collaborative Fund Leads Phaidra’s $50M+ Series B to Build the AI Factories of the Future

(AI Insider – 13 October 2025) Phaidra raised over $50M in Series B funding led by Collaborative Fund, with participation from NVIDIA, Sony Innovation Fund, Index Ventures, and others, to make AI factories more energy-efficient using AI agents. The company builds intelligent control systems that optimize power, cooling, and workload management in large-scale data centers, maximizing computing output per watt of energy. Founded by ex-Google DeepMind engineers, Phaidra partners with NVIDIA to develop AI agents that cut costs, boost efficiency, and reduce the environmental footprint of next-generation AI infrastructure. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/13/collaborative-fund-leads-phaidras-50m-series-b-to-build-the-ai-factories-of-the-future/

Swisslog Healthcare Partners with Diligent Robotics to Enhance Hospital Logistics

(AI Insider – 13 October 2025) Swisslog Healthcare formed a strategic alliance with Diligent Robotics to deploy autonomous last-mile delivery robots in U.S. hospitals, expanding its end-to-end automation portfolio. The partnership offers a turnkey AMMR solution that complements TransLogic pneumatic tube systems with track-and-trace and addresses a service-robotics market projected to grow 15–18% annually over 3–5 years. Diligent’s Moxi is already proven with 1M+ deliveries (including ~300k pharmacy) across 25+ hospitals, and Swisslog will coordinate integration under Ray Castro to streamline workflows and free clinicians for patient care. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/13/swisslog-healthcare-partners-with-diligent-robotics-to-enhance-hospital-logistics/

AJJ Medtech and Huaxi Intelligent Sign into MoU for Joint Development Humanoid Elderly Care Robot

(AI Insider – 13 October 2025) AJJ Medtech and Huaxi Intelligent signed a binding MoU to form a Singapore JV to develop and launch a multifunctional humanoid elder-care robot, with Singapore as the exclusive launch market for two years. The platform targets real-world use (assisted living, vitals monitoring, “emotional” interaction) across care settings, localized for Singapore’s languages/dialects, and will pursue HSA/MOH, cybersecurity and PDPC compliance. Early commercialization signals include Huaxi’s HT-X1 with 1,000+ pre-orders and nine patents, while timelines remain contingent on regulatory approvals, IP reviews, and market conditions. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/13/ajj-medtech-and-huaxi-intelligent-sign-into-mou-for-joint-development-humanoid-elderly-care-robot/

Figma Partners with Google to Integrate Gemini AI Models and Accelerate Design Workflows

(AI Insider – 13 October 2025) Figma has announced a strategic partnership with Google to integrate advanced Gemini AI models directly into its design platform, expanding its suite of intelligent tools for product designers. The collaboration brings Gemini 2.5 Flash, Gemini 2.0, and Imagen 4 to Figma’s ecosystem, enhancing the platform’s image editing and generation capabilities for its 13 million monthly active users. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/13/figma-partners-with-google-to-integrate-gemini-ai-models-and-accelerate-design-workflows/

New open-source tool helps engineers create gradient 3D-printed designs

(Neetika Walter – Interesting Engineering – 13 October 2025) A new open-source software is shaking up the way engineers design and print multi-material objects. Charles Wade, a PhD student in computer science at the University of Colorado Boulder, has developed OpenVCAD, a design system that goes beyond traditional modeling by using code to map not just shapes but also the distribution of materials within 3D objects. Created in the Matter Assembly Computation Lab led by Assistant Professor Robert MacCurdy, the tool enables engineers to design spatially varying multi-material objects with remarkable ease and precision. The project reflects a growing interest in computational approaches that merge coding with design, a shift that could transform additive manufacturing. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/openvcad-multi-material-3d-design

Aramco, NVIDIA Expect Gusher of Energy Insights From New Quantum Computing Emulator

(Quantum Insider – 13 October 2025) Saudi Aramco has developed one of the region’s largest quantum computing emulators, Dammam 7Q, as part of its digital transformation strategy to enhance energy exploration and computational research. Built on Aramco’s Dammam 7 supercomputer and powered by NVIDIA’s CUDA-Q platform, the emulator allows researchers to simulate up to 30 qubits per GPU, test hybrid quantum algorithms, and process large seismic datasets used in subsurface imaging. Managed by the Upstream Digital Center, the initiative positions Aramco as a leader in hybrid supercomputing research, using quantum emulation to accelerate algorithm development and prepare for future quantum-enabled exploration technologies. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/10/13/aramco-nvidia-expect-gusher-of-energy-insights-from-new-quantum-computing-emulator/

Baselane Announces $34M in New Funding, Debuts AI-Powered Tools to Automate Banking and Bookkeeping for Real Estate Investors

(AI Insider – 13 October 2025) Baselane raised $34.4M ($20M Series B led by Thomvest Ventures + $14.4M Series A led by Matrix Partners) to expand its AI-powered financial platform for real-estate investors. Launched “Baselane Smart,” a subscription suite of automation tools that streamline bookkeeping, rent collection, tax reporting, and fund transfers — saving landlords up to 12 hours a week. Serving 50,000+ investors, Baselane has grown 900% since 2022, processing $2 billion annually and becoming a key financial hub for U.S. landlords managing 25 million rental units. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/13/baselane-announces-34m-in-new-funding-debuts-ai-powered-tools-to-automate-banking-and-bookkeeping-for-real-estate-investors/

Shuttle Pharma Plans $10 Million Acquisition of AI Startup Molecule.ai to Accelerate Therapeutics Discovery

(AI Insider – 13 October 2025) Shuttle Pharmaceuticals has signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire artificial intelligence firm Molecule.ai for $10 million in cash and stock. The acquisition aims to integrate Molecule.ai’s platform, which uses large language models and agentic AI to accelerate drug discovery and molecule evaluation. Under the agreement, Molecule.ai will expand its platform to include drug-target interaction modeling and autonomous AI workflows for end-to-end therapeutic design. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/10/13/shuttle-pharma-plans-10-million-acquisition-of-ai-startup-molecule-ai-to-accelerate-therapeutics-discovery/

UK waves £750M supercomputer contract at HPC builders

(The Register – 13 October 2025) The British government is putting out feelers to industry ahead of the procurement process for the country’s most powerful supercomputer, set to begin next year. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has issued a Preliminary Market Engagement Notice to get the attention of vendors that may have an interest in bidding to build the hardware for the Next National Supercomputing Service (NNSS), which will be based at the University of Edinburgh. – https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/13/edinburgh_supercomputer_procurement/

Tech connecting humanoid robots with machines nominated alongside Nvidia, Agibot

(Interesting Engineering – 13 October 2025) Flexxbotics, an American company known for its digital manufacturing solutions, is trying to make factories truly smart and humanoid-friendly with its FlexxCORE technology. The software technology company has been selected as a finalist in the Groundbreaking Technology category of the Humanoid Robotics Industry Awards 2025. The recognition places Flexxbotics among a competitive lineup of industry leaders, including Agibot for its AgiBot A2, LimX Dynamics for the LimX Oli, and NVIDIA for its Jetson Thor platform. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/flexxbotics-2025-humanoid-robotics-industry-award

‘World’s most advanced’ bricklaying robot assembles 360 blocks/hour for faster homes

(Interesting Engineering – 13 October 2025) A new and upgraded robot, which can lay bricks, has completed factory acceptance testing in Australia. FBR Limited has announced the completion of the new type of testing for its Hadrian bricklaying robot unit at its facility in Western Australia. The company says that in tests, Hadrian demonstrated improved reliability and accuracy by laying over 285 blocks per hour. One of the important characteristics of the Hadrian is that it is a unique mobile robotic system that is mounted into a classic cab-over-engine truck for easy transportation from and to the site. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/australia-bricklaying-robot-hadrian

Imperial College unveils plans for new AI campus in west London

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) Imperial College London has launched a public consultation on plans for a new twelve-storey academic building in White City dedicated to AI and data science. A proposed development that will bring together computer scientists, mathematicians, and business specialists to advance AI research and innovation. – https://dig.watch/updates/imperial-college-unveils-plans-for-new-ai-campus-in-west-london – https://www.imperial.ac.uk/white-city-campus/future/development-updates/new-academic-building/

Amazon expands Project Kuiper with new satellite launches

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) Amazon’s Project Kuiper is moving ahead with its global satellite internet network, adding another 24 satellites to orbit as part of its ongoing deployment plan. The latest mission, known as KF-03, is scheduled for today, launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The KF-03 launch will bring the total number of Kuiper satellites to 153, furthering the plan of Amazon to build a low Earth orbit constellation of more than 3,200 spacecraft. – https://dig.watch/updates/amazon-expands-project-kuiper-with-new-satellite-launches– https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/innovation-at-amazon/project-kuiper-satellite-rocket-launch-progress-updates

Purple Fest highlights AI for disabilities

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) Entrepreneurs at International Purple Fest in Goa, India, from 9 to 12 October 2025, showcased AI transforming assistive technologies. Innovations like conversational screen readers, adaptive dashboards, and real-time captioning empower millions with disabilities worldwide. Designed with input from those with lived experience, these tools turn barriers into opportunities for learning, working, and leading independently. – https://dig.watch/updates/purple-fest-highlights-ai-for-disabilities – https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/10/1166082

Study links higher screen time to weaker learning results in children

(DigWatch – 13 October 2025) A study by researchers from Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and St. Michael’s Hospital has found a correlation between increased screen time before age eight and lower scores in reading and mathematics. Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study followed over 3,000 Ontario children from 2008 to 2023, comparing reported screen use with their EQAO standardised test results. – https://dig.watch/updates/study-links-higher-screen-time-to-weaker-learning-results-in-children – https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2839927?guestAccessKey=1b34668e-afe8-4888-aa3d-dd05b3b83eff