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Berlin summit links digital strategy to wider European security

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron will host a Berlin summit to reduce Europe’s reliance on US tech platforms and to shape a more independent EU digital strategy. The meeting coincides with planned revisions to EU AI and data rules.

The push for digital independence reflects growing concern that Europe risks falling behind the US in strategic technologies. Leaders argue that regulatory changes must support competitiveness while maintaining core privacy and safety principles.

Germany is also hosting a two-day European security conference in Berlin, featuring German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. The parallel agendas highlight how digital strategy and geopolitical security are increasingly linked in EU policy debates.

The German foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, has meanwhile backed the EU enlargement in the Western Balkans during a visit to Montenegro, signalling continued geopolitical outreach alongside internal reforms.

The Berlin discussions are expected to shape Europe’s stance ahead of upcoming AI and data proposals, setting the tone for broader talks on industrial policy, technology sovereignty, and regional security.

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Eurofiber France confirms the major data breach

The French telecommunications company Eurofiber has acknowledged a breach of its ATE customer platform and digital ticket system after a hacker accessed the network through software used by the company.

Engineers detected the intrusion quickly and implemented containment measures, while the company stressed that services remained operational and banking data stayed secure. The incident affected only French operations and subsidiaries such as Netiwan, Eurafibre, Avelia, and FullSave, according to the firm.

Security researchers instead argue that the scale is far broader. International Cyber Digest reported that more than 3,600 organisations may be affected, including prominent French institutions such as Orange, Thales, the national rail operator, and major energy companies.

The outlet linked the intrusion to the ransomware group ByteToBreach, which allegedly stole Eurofiber’s entire GLPI database and accessed API keys, internal messages, passwords and client records.

A known dark web actor has now listed the stolen dataset for sale, reinforcing concerns about the growing trade in exposed corporate information. The contents reportedly range from files and personal data to cloud configurations and privileged credentials.

Eurofiber did not clarify which elements belonged to its systems and which originated from external sources.

The company has notified the French privacy regulator CNIL and continues to investigate while assuring Dutch customers that their data remains safe.

A breach that underlines the vulnerability of essential infrastructure providers across Europe, echoing recent incidents in Sweden, where a compromised IT supplier exposed data belonging to over a million people.

Eurofiber says it aims to strengthen its defences instead of allowing similar compromises in future.

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OpenAI accelerates enterprise AI growth after Gartner names it an emerging leader

The US tech firm, OpenAI, gained fresh momentum after being named an Emerging Leader in Generative AI by Gartner. The assessment highlights strong industry confidence in OpenAI’s ability to support companies that want reliable and scalable AI systems.

Enterprise clients have increasingly adopted the company’s tools after significant investment in privacy controls, data governance frameworks and evaluation methods that help organisations deploy AI safely.

More than one million companies now use OpenAI’s technology, driven by workers who request ChatGPT as part of their daily tasks.

Over eight hundred million weekly users arrive already familiar with the tool, which shortens pilot phases and improves returns, rather than slowing transformation with lengthy onboarding. ChatGPT Enterprise has experienced sharp expansion, recording ninefold growth in seats over the past year.

OpenAI views generative AI as a new layer of enterprise infrastructure rather than a peripheral experiment. The next generation of systems is expected to be more collaborative and closely integrated with corporate operations, supporting new ways of working across multiple sectors.

The company aims to help organisations convert AI strategies into measurable results, rather than abstract ambitions.

Executives described the recognition as encouraging, although they stressed that broader progress still lies ahead. OpenAI plans to continue strengthening its enterprise platform, enabling businesses to integrate AI responsibly and at scale.

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EU aviation regulator opens debate on AI oversight and safety

EASA has issued its first regulatory proposal on AI in aviation, opening a three-month consultation for industry feedback. The draft focuses on trustworthy, data-driven AI systems and anticipates applications ranging from basic assistance to human–AI teaming.

The move comes amid wider criticism of EU AI rules from major tech firms and political leaders. Aviation stakeholders are now assessing whether compliance costs and operational demands could slow development or disrupt competitive positioning across the sector.

Experts warn that adapting to the framework may require significant investment, particularly for companies with limited resources. Others may accelerate AI adoption to preserve market advantage, especially where safety gains or efficiency improvements justify rapid deployment.

EASA stresses that consultation is essential to balance strict assurance requirements with the flexibility needed for innovation. Privacy and personal data issues remain contentious, shaping expectations for acceptable AI use in safety-critical environments.

Meanwhile, Airbus is pushing to reach 75 A320-family deliveries per month by 2027, driven by the A321neo’s strong order book. In parallel, Mitsui OSK Lines continues to lead the global LNG carrier market, reflecting broader momentum across adjacent transport sectors.

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Report calls for new regulations as AI deepfakes threaten legal evidence

US courtrooms increasingly depend on video evidence, yet researchers warn that the legal system is unprepared for an era in which AI can fabricate convincing scenes.

A new report led by the University of Colorado Boulder argues that national standards are urgently needed to guide how courts assess footage generated or enhanced by emerging technologies.

The authors note that judges and jurors receive little training on evaluating altered clips, despite more than 80 percent of cases involving some form of video.

Concerns have grown as deepfakes become easier to produce. A civil case in California collapsed in September after a judge ruled that a witness video was fabricated, and researchers believe such incidents will rise as tools like Sora 2 allow users to create persuasive simulations in moments.

Experts also warn about the spread of the so-called deepfake defence, where lawyers attempt to cast doubt on genuine recordings instead of accepting what is shown.

AI is also increasingly used to clean up real footage and to match surveillance clips with suspects. Such techniques can improve clarity, yet they also risk deepening inequalities when only some parties can afford to use them.

High-profile errors linked to facial recognition have already led to wrongful arrests, reinforcing the need for more explicit courtroom rules.

The report calls for specialised judicial training, new systems for storing and retrieving video evidence and stronger safeguards that help viewers identify manipulated content without compromising whistleblowers.

Researchers hope the findings prompt legal reforms that place scientific rigour at the centre of how courts treat digital evidence as it shifts further into an AI-driven era.

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New Quantum Echoes system reveals molecular structures at scale

Google says its new Quantum Echoes algorithm runs 13,000 times faster than leading supercomputers, marking what it calls the first verifiable quantum result across different hardware. The breakthrough brings real-world use cases in medicine and materials science closer to feasibility.

Quantum Echoes is built to overcome a core limitation in today’s models: constrained memory that prevents long reasoning chains. The method uses structured world models to maintain a single research goal while processing tens of millions of tokens across multiple agent runs.

Powered by the Willow quantum chip, the system reads thousands of scientific papers and executes tens of thousands of lines of analysis code in a single run. Early estimates suggest one execution could match six months of human scientific labour.

Recent studies have shown that the algorithm reproduces known molecular findings and generates new insights using a technique likened to a quantum molecular ruler. Results matched those of nuclear magnetic resonance techniques, indicating that quantum tools could reveal previously inaccessible structural detail.

Experts still caution that practical quantum computing remains years away. Google faces competition from IBM, Microsoft, and Chinese labs, yet the company argues that Quantum Echoes proves its hardware and algorithms are converging toward usable scientific applications.

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Nokia to build Surge’s 5G fixed-wireless network in Indonesia

Indonesian telecom provider Surge (Solusi Sinergi Digital) and Nokia have entered a multi-year agreement to roll out a 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) network across Java, Papua, and Maluku.

Nokia will leverage its existing FTTx, IP and optical infrastructure for backhaul, and deploy a new RAN and customer premises equipment (CPE) tailored for FWA. The deployment will utilise Nokia’s AirScale RAN portfolio, comprising baseband, remote radio heads, and zero-footprint sites, all enabled by its energy-efficient ReefShark chip technology.

To help manage the network, Surge will utilise Nokia’s MantaRay NM network management system, which provides a unified view of operations. The agreement also includes deployment, maintenance and support services, with AI-based performance, efficiency and safety enhancements.

This project supports broader aims of digital inclusion in Indonesia: Surge plans to offer flat-rate 5G FWA services at around IDR 100,000 (~US$6) per month, with speeds of up to 100 Mb/s and no data cap.

From a policy and infrastructure standpoint, the deal is noteworthy. It shows how 5G FWA can be used to address connectivity gaps in regions where fibre rollout is challenging, and how advanced RAN technologies, combined with AI-led operations, can make large-scale broadband deployment more feasible.

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New strategy targets Africa’s connectivity gap

Africa’s latest digital summit in Cotonou presented a growing concern. Coverage has expanded across West and Central Africa, yet adoption remains stubbornly low. Nearly two-thirds of Africans remain offline, despite most already living in areas with mobile networks.

Senior figures at the World Bank argued that the continent now faces an inclusion challenge rather than an infrastructure gap, as many households weigh daily necessities against the cost of connectivity.

Affordability has become the dominant barrier. Mobile Internet often consumes more than twice the global threshold for acceptable pricing, while fixed broadband can account for a striking share of monthly income. Devices remain expensive, and digital literacy is far from widespread.

Women, in particular, lag, and many rural communities lack the necessary skills to utilise essential digital services. Concerns also extend to businesses that struggle to train staff for digital tools and emerging AI solutions.

Policymakers now argue for a shift in strategy. The World Bank intends to prioritise digital public goods such as digital identification, electronic payments and interoperable platforms, believing that valuable services will encourage people to go online.

Governments hope that a stronger ecosystem will make online health, connected agriculture and digital learning more accessible and therefore more valuable.

Benin used the summit to highlight its advances in online administration and training programmes. Regional leaders also called for the creation of an African Single Digital Market that would lower access costs, encourage cross-border investment and harmonise regulations.

Officials insisted that a unified approach could accelerate development and equip African workers with the skills required for the digital jobs expected to expand by the end of the decade.

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New report warns retailers are unprepared for AI-powered attacks

Retailers are entering the peak shopping season amid warnings that AI-driven cyber threats will accelerate. LevelBlue’s latest Spotlight Report says nearly half of retail executives are already seeing significantly higher attack volumes, while one-third have suffered a breach in the past year.

The sector is under pressure to roll out AI-driven personalisation and new digital channels, yet only a quarter feel ready to defend against AI attacks. Readiness gaps also cover deepfakes and synthetic identity fraud, even though most expect these threats to arrive soon.

Supply chain visibility remains weak, with almost half of executives reporting limited insight into software suppliers. Few list supplier security as a near-term priority, fuelling concern that vulnerabilities could cascade across retail ecosystems.

High-profile breaches have pushed cybersecurity into the boardroom, and most retailers now integrate security teams with business operations. Leadership performance metrics and risk appetite frameworks are increasingly aligned with cyber resilience goals.

Planned investment is focused on application security, business-wide resilience processes, and AI-enabled defensive tools. LevelBlue argues that sustained spending and cultural change are required if retailers hope to secure consumer trust amid rapidly evolving threats.

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AI Scientist Kosmos links every conclusion to code and citations

OpenAI chief Sam Altman has praised Future House’s new AI Scientist, Kosmos, calling it an exciting step toward automated discovery. The platform upgrades the earlier Robin system and is now operated by Edison Scientific, which plans a commercial tier alongside free access for academics.

Kosmos addresses a key limitation in traditional models: the inability to track long reasoning chains while processing scientific literature at scale. It uses structured world models to stay focused on a single research goal across tens of millions of tokens and hundreds of agent runs.

A single Kosmos run can analyse around 1,500 papers and more than 40,000 lines of code, with early users estimating that this replaces roughly six months of human work. Internal tests found that almost 80 per cent of its conclusions were correct.

Future House reported seven discoveries made during testing, including three that matched known results and four new hypotheses spanning genetics, ageing, and disease. Edison says several are now being validated in wet lab studies, reinforcing the system’s scientific utility.

Kosmos emphasises traceability, linking every conclusion to specific code or source passages to avoid black-box outputs. It is priced at $200 per run, with early pricing guarantees and free credits for academics, though multiple runs may still be required for complex questions.

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