A senior UN official has praised the Arab Digital Economy vision backed by President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, calling it a leading regional model for accelerating digital development.
The initiative, adopted by the Arab League, was described as a significant milestone for collective progress, rather than fragmented national efforts.
Speaking at the Knowledge Summit in Dubai, Dr Abdallah Al Dardari noted that the UAE has secured a central position in global and regional technological advancements through forward-looking policies and a strong commitment to innovation.
He argued that the country’s digital achievements provide an ideal foundation for Arab nations aiming to strengthen their own digital ecosystems.
Moreover, he highlighted the UAE’s combination of advanced infrastructure, modern legislation and innovation-friendly conditions, adding that its experience offers valuable guidance for states working to build integrated digital economies that can respond to rapid global change.
Dr Al Dardari concluded that the UAE’s role in driving regional and international development offers a model for a future economy shaped by knowledge and technology, rather than traditional growth approaches.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A recent survey reveals that 38.7% of Portuguese individuals aged 16 to 74 used AI tools in the three months preceding the interview, primarily for personal purposes. Usage is particularly high among 16 to 24-year-olds (76.5%) and students (81.5%).
Internet access remains widespread, with 89.5% of residents going online recently. Nearly half (49.6%) placed orders online, primarily for clothing, footwear, and fashion accessories, while 74.2% accessed public service websites, often using a Citizen Card or Digital Mobile Key for authentication.
Digital skills are growing, with 59.2% of the population reaching basic or above basic levels. Young adults and tertiary-educated individuals show the highest digital proficiency, at 83.4% and 88.4% respectively.
Household internet penetration stands at 90.9%, predominantly via fixed connections.
Concerns about online safety are on the rise, as 45.2% of internet users reported encountering aggressive or discriminatory content, up from 35.5% in 2023. Reported issues include discrimination based on nationality, politics, and sexual identity.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Researchers have introduced a biology foundation model that can recognise over a million species and understand relationships across the animal and plant kingdoms.
BioCLIP 2 was trained on one of the most extensive biological datasets ever compiled, allowing it to identify traits, cluster organisms and reveal patterns that support conservation efforts.
A model that relies on NVIDIA accelerated computing instead of traditional methods and demonstrates what large-scale biological learning can achieve.
Training drew on more than two hundred million images that cover hundreds of thousands of taxonomic classes. The AI model learned how species fit within wider biological hierarchies and how traits differ across age, gender and related groups without explicit guidance.
It even separated diseased leaves from healthy samples, offering a route to improved monitoring of ecosystems and agricultural resilience.
Scientists now plan to expand the project by utilising wildlife digital twins that simulate ecological systems in controlled environments.
Researchers will be able to study species interactions and test scenarios instead of disturbing natural habitats. The approach opens possibilities for richer ecological research and could offer the public immersive ways to view biodiversity from the perspective of different animals.
BioCLIP 2 is available as open-source software and has already attracted strong global interest. Its capabilities indicate a shift toward more advanced biological modelling powered by accelerated computing, providing conservationists and educators with new tools to address long-standing knowledge gaps.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Armenia’s ambassador, Narek Mkrtchyan, has met senior Apple representatives in Cupertino to discuss expanding the company’s activities in the country. The visit included talks with Jason Lundgaard, Apple’s senior director for international cooperation at corporate government affairs.
The ambassador outlined the Armenia–US memorandum on AI and semiconductor cooperation signed on 8 August and highlighted Armenia’s technology ecosystem and investment potential. Both sides explored areas for collaboration and the conditions under which Apple could expand its presence.
Apple plans to send a delegation to Armenia in the coming period to assess opportunities for growth and engagement with local institutions. The discussions signalled early steps toward a more structured partnership.
During the meeting, the ambassador thanked Mr Lundgaard for supporting the launch of Apple’s first educational programme at the Armenian College of Creative Technologies. The initiative forms part of a wider effort to strengthen skills development in Armenia’s digital sector.
Both sides reiterated their commitment to deepen cooperation and expand the educational partnership as Armenia positions itself as a regional hub for advanced technologies.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The report was unveiled in Dhaka with representatives from government, international organisations, academia, civil society and the private sector. Officials described the assessment as a pivotal step as the country prepares for an increasingly AI-driven era.
The report outlines Bangladesh’s current strengths, including solid progress in e-government and high public trust in digital services, while also identifying areas requiring urgent attention.
Connectivity gaps, digital divides, limited computing capacity and the need for stronger data protection and cybersecurity remain key challenges. Policymakers noted that evidence-based decisions are essential as Bangladesh completes its National AI Policy.
International partners highlighted that the direction of AI development will depend heavily on choices made today. Strengthening digital infrastructure, improving skills, and building rights-driven governance structures were cited as central to ensuring AI benefits all communities.
Stakeholders also stressed the importance of using AI to improve services across health, education, justice and social protection without deepening existing inequalities.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The rapid expansion of AI data centres is pushing up memory chip prices and straining an already tight supply chain. DRAM costs are rising as manufacturers prioritise high-bandwidth memory for AI systems, leaving fewer components available for consumer devices.
The shift is squeezing supply across sectors that depend on standard DRAM, from PCs and smartphones to cars and medical equipment. Analysts say the imbalance is driving up component prices quickly, with Samsung reportedly raising some memory prices by as much as 60%.
Rising demand for HBM reflects the needs of AI clusters, which rely on vast memory pools alongside GPUs, CPUs and storage. But with only a handful of major suppliers, including Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, the surge is pushing prices across the market higher.
Industry researchers warn that rising memory costs will likely be passed on to consumers, especially in lower-priced laptops and embedded systems. Makers may switch to cheaper parts or push suppliers for concessions, but the overall price trend remains upward.
While memory is known for cyclical booms and busts, analysts say the global race to build AI data centres makes it difficult to predict when supply will stabilise. Until then, higher memory prices look set to remain a feature of the market.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Meta has presented a new generation of AI glasses designed to increase independence for people with disabilities. The devices support hands-free calls, messages and translations while offering voice-activated photography and video capture.
Users can rely on spoken prompts instead of phones when they want to explore their surroundings or capture important moments.
The glasses help blind and low-vision individuals identify objects, read documents and understand scenes through detailed AI descriptions. Meta partnered with the Blinded Veterans Association to produce a training guide that explains how to activate voice commands and manage daily tasks more easily.
Veterans Affairs rehabilitation centres have adopted the glasses to support people who need greater autonomy in unfamiliar environments.
Creators and athletes describe how the technology influences their work and daily activities. A filmmaker uses first-person recording and AI-assisted scene guidance to streamline production. A Paralympic sprinter relies on real-time updates to track workouts without pausing to check a phone.
Other users highlight how hands-free photography and environmental awareness allow them to stay engaged instead of becoming distracted by screens.
Meta emphasises its collaboration with disabled communities to shape features that reflect diverse needs. The company views AI glasses as a route to improved participation, stronger confidence and wider digital access.
An approach that signals a long-term commitment to wearable technology that supports inclusion in everyday life.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
DeepSeek made a rare public appearance at the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen, where senior researcher Chen Deli restated the firm’s ambition to develop AGI. He joined other companies known as China’s ‘six little dragons’ of AI and acknowledged the potential risks of advanced systems.
Chen represented founder Liang Wenfeng, who has remained out of the public eye since meeting President Xi Jinping earlier this year. He said AI’s current limits create a short ‘honeymoon phase’ before automation reshapes employment and social stability.
The start-up, founded in 2023 as a High-Flyer spin-out, continues to focus on long-term AGI research rather than short-lived commercial trends. Chen said it was reasonable to consider the dangers of highly capable systems while still pursuing them.
His comments echoed an open letter calling for a pause on superintelligence work until strong public support and scientific consensus on safety emerge. Hundreds of experts and public figures backed the appeal for tighter oversight.
Chen argued that market incentives make slowing progress unrealistic and said widespread job replacement may ultimately define the AI revolution. Other firms from China, including Zhipu AI and Alibaba, outlined plans for more powerful infrastructure to meet rising compute demand.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
OpenAI Academy is running a US nationwide Small Business AI Jam for more than 1,000 owners. Workshops in San Francisco, New York, Detroit, Houston and Miami give practical help using AI to handle everyday tasks.
Participants from restaurants, retailers, professional services and creative firms work alongside mentors to build tailored AI tools. Typical projects include marketing assistants, customer communication helpers and organisers for bookings, stock or paperwork. Everyone leaves with at least one ready to use workflow.
A survey for OpenAI found around half of small business leaders want staff comfortable with AI. About sixty percent expect clear efficiency gains when employees have those skills, from faster content writing to smoother operations.
Only available in the US, owners gain access to an online academy hub before and after the in person events. Follow up offers a virtual jam on 4 December, office hours, and links to an AI for Main Street certification track and jobs platform.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Cities worldwide face increasing operational challenges as populations grow and infrastructure becomes strained. Traffic congestion, emergency response coordination, and fragmented data pipelines make it difficult for local authorities to obtain real-time insights for effective decision-making.
NVIDIA’s Blueprint for smart city AI, combined with OpenUSD digital twins, allows cities to simulate complex scenarios and generate accurate sensor data.
These digital twins enable authorities to test urban systems, train vision AI models, and deploy real-time AI agents for tasks such as video analytics, emergency response, and traffic monitoring.
Several cities and organisations have adopted these technologies with measurable results. Kaohsiung City reduced incident response times by 80%, Raleigh achieved 95% vehicle detection accuracy, and French rail networks cut energy use by 20%.
Applications range from optimising rail operations to automating street inspections and video review.
By integrating AI-driven insights into city management, authorities can shift from reactive measures to proactive operations. Simulation, monitoring, and analysis tools improve infrastructure planning, enhance efficiency, and allow urban systems to respond dynamically to emerging situations.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
