The European Commission is collaborating with the EU capitals to narrow the list of proposals for large AI training hubs, known as AI Gigafactories. The €20 billion plan will be funded by the Commission (17%), the EU countries (17%), and industry (66%) to boost computing capacity for European developers.
The first call drew 76 proposals from 16 countries, far exceeding the initially planned four or five facilities. Most submissions must be merged or dropped, with Poland already seeking a joint bid with the Baltic states as talks continue.
Some EU members will inevitably lose out, with Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, hinting that priority could be given to countries already hosting AI Factories. That could benefit Finland, whose Lumi supercomputer is part of a Nokia-led bid to scale up into a Gigafactory.
The plan has raised concerns that Europe’s efforts come too late, as US tech giants invest heavily in larger AI hubs. Still, Brussels hopes its initiative will allow EU developers to compete globally while maintaining control over critical AI infrastructure.
A formal call for proposals is expected by the end of the year, once the legal framework is finalised. Selection criteria and funding conditions will be set to launch construction as early as 2026.
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South Korea has secured a significant partnership with BlackRock to accelerate its ambition of becoming Asia’s leading AI hub. The agreement will see the global asset manager join the Ministry of Science and ICT in developing hyperscale AI data centres.
A deal that followed a meeting between President Lee Jae Myung and BlackRock chair Larry Fink, who pledged to attract large-scale international investment into the country’s AI infrastructure.
Although no figures were disclosed, the partnership is expected to focus on meeting rising demand from domestic users and the wider Asia-Pacific region, with renewable energy powering the facilities.
The move comes as Seoul increases national funding for AI, semiconductors and other strategic technologies to KRW150 trillion ($107.7 billion). South Korean companies are also stepping up efforts, with SK Telecom announcing plans to raise AI investment to a third of its revenue over five years.
BlackRock’s involvement signals international confidence in South Korea’s long-term vision to position itself as a regional AI powerhouse and secure a leadership role in next-generation digital infrastructure.
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Standing 1.75 metres tall and weighing 32 kilograms, Xueba 01 has become the first robot doctoral student at the Shanghai Theatre Academy. Over the next four years, it will study digital performance design, focusing on traditional Chinese opera movements and techniques.
The programme, launched in partnership with the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, combines technical and artistic training. USST provides technical guidance, while STA develops the robot’s artistic performance, focusing on interaction, expression, and cognitive growth.
Xueba 01 features an advanced tendon-based bionic structure, human-like facial technology, and the ability to perform over 100 lifelike expressions. Based on audience feedback, it can adjust its height and appearance, perform for extended periods, and adapt its performance in real time.
Motion capture technology helps it learn from professional performers to refine movements and gestures.
STA faculty highlight the robot’s role in exploring the intersection of art and technology. The initiative aims to integrate AI with traditional Chinese arts, preserve cultural heritage, and inspire contemporary artists to combine technological literacy with humanistic and interdisciplinary skills.
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OpenAI and NVIDIA have unveiled plans for a major partnership to build next-generation AI infrastructure, with NVIDIA committing up to $100 billion to support OpenAI’s push toward superintelligence. The deal, outlined in a letter of intent, will see NVIDIA provide at least 10 gigawatts of computing power, with the first systems expected to be online in late 2026 through its new Vera Rubin platform.
NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang called the agreement the next leap forward in AI, noting the companies’ decade-long collaboration from the early DGX supercomputers to the rise of ChatGPT. OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman stressed that computing power is now the backbone of the future economy, framing the new investment as vital for both breakthroughs and large-scale access to AI.
OpenAI President Greg Brockman emphasised the scale of the move, saying 10 gigawatts of computing will allow the organisation to expand the frontier of intelligence and make the benefits of AI more widely available. NVIDIA will serve as OpenAI’s preferred partner for compute and networking, with both companies coordinating their hardware and software roadmaps.
The alliance builds on OpenAI’s existing collaborations with companies like Microsoft, Oracle, and SoftBank, which are working with the group to develop advanced AI infrastructure. Together, they are targeting global enterprise adoption while ensuring systems can grow at a pace that matches AI’s rapid evolution.
With over 700 million weekly active users and strong uptake across businesses and developers, OpenAI sees the partnership as central to its mission of creating artificial general intelligence that benefits humanity. Details of the deal are expected to be finalised in the coming weeks.
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Albania has made history by introducing the world’s first AI government minister, named Diella, who gave her inaugural address to parliament this week. Appearing in a video as a woman in traditional Albanian dress, Diella defended her appointment by stressing she was ‘not here to replace people, but to help them.’
She also dismissed accusations of being ‘unconstitutional,’ saying the real threat to the constitution comes from ‘inhumane decisions of those in power.’ Prime Minister Edi Rama announced that the AI minister will oversee all public tenders, promising full transparency and a corruption-free process.
The move comes as Albania struggles with corruption scandals, including the detention of Tirana’s mayor on charges of money laundering and abuse of contracts. Albania currently ranks 80th out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s corruption index.
VIDEO: 🇦🇱 Albania's new AI-generated minister makes first address to parliament
The world's first AI government minister defended her role as "not here to replace people, but to help them". 'Diella' was appointed by Prime Minister Edi Rama last week pic.twitter.com/2dFh082DLz
The opposition, however, fiercely rejected the initiative. Former prime minister and Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha called the project a publicity stunt, warning that Diella cannot curb corruption and that it is unconstitutional. The opposition has vowed to challenge the appointment in the Constitutional Court after boycotting the parliamentary vote.
Despite the controversy, the government insists the AI minister reflects its commitment to reform and the EU integration. Rama has set an ambitious goal of leading Albania, a nation of 2.8 million, into the European Union by 2030, with the fight against corruption at the heart of that mission.
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AI headlines often flip between hype and fear, but the truth is more nuanced. Much research is misrepresented, with task overlaps miscast as job losses. Leaders and workers need clear guidance on using AI effectively.
Microsoft Research mapped 200,000 Copilot conversations to work tasks, but headlines warned of job risks. The study showed overlap, not replacement. Context, judgment, and interpretation remain human strengths, meaning AI supports rather than replaces roles.
Other research is similarly skewed. METR found that AI slowed developers by 19%, but mostly due to the learning curves associated with first use. MIT’s ‘GenAI Divide’ measured adoption, not ability, showing workflow gaps rather than technology failure.
Better studies reveal the collaborative power of AI. Harvard’s ‘Cybernetic Teammate’ experiment demonstrated that individuals using AI performed as well as full teams without it. AI bridged technical and commercial silos, boosting engagement and improving the quality of solutions produced.
The future of AI at work will be shaped by thoughtful trials, not headlines. By treating AI as a teammate, organisations can refine workflows, strengthen collaboration, and turn AI’s potential into long-term competitive advantage.
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Nissan has announced plans to launch its next-generation ProPILOT system in fiscal year 2027. The upgraded system will include Nissan Ground Truth Perception, next-generation Lidar, and Wayve AI Driver, enhancing collision avoidance and autonomous driving.
Wayve AI Driver software is built on an embodied AI foundation model that enables human-like decision-making in complex real-world driving conditions. By efficiently learning from large volumes of data, the system continuously enhances Nissan vehicles’ performance and safety.
Wayve, a global AI company, specialises in embodied AI for driving. Its foundation model leverages extensive real-world experience to deliver reliable point-to-point navigation across urban and highway environments, while adapting quickly to new scenarios and platforms.
The partnership positions Nissan at the forefront of autonomous vehicle technology, combining cutting-edge sensors, AI, and adaptive software to redefine safety and efficiency in future mobility.
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Global AI spending is projected to reach $1.5 trillion in 2025 and exceed $2 trillion in 2026, yet a critical element is missing: human judgement. A growing number of organisations are turning to behavioural science to bridge this gap, coding it directly into AI systems to create what experts call behavioural AI.
Early adopters like Clarity AI utilise behavioural AI to flag ESG controversies before they impact earnings. Morgan Stanley uses machine learning and satellite data to monitor environmental risks, while Google Maps influences driver behaviour, preventing over one million tonnes of CO₂ annually.
Behavioural AI is being used to predict how leaders and societies act under uncertainty. These insights guide corporate strategy, PR campaigns, and decision-making. Mind Friend combines a network of 500 mental health experts with AI to build a ‘behavioural infrastructure’ that enhances judgement.
The behaviour analytics market was valued at $1.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $10.8 billion by 2032. Major players, such as IBM and Adobe, are entering the field, while Davos and other global forums debate how behavioural frameworks should shape investment and policy decisions.
As AI scrutiny grows, ethical safeguards are critical. Companies that embed governance, fairness, and privacy protections into their behavioural AI are earning trust. In a $2 trillion market, winners will be those who pair algorithms with a deep understanding of human behaviour.
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The University of Oxford will become the first UK university to offer free ChatGPT Edu access to all staff and students. The rollout follows a year-long pilot with 750 academics, researchers, and professional services staff across the University and Colleges.
ChatGPT Edu, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-5 model, is designed for education with enterprise-grade security and data privacy. Oxford says it will support research, teaching, and operations while encouraging safe, responsible use through robust governance, training, and guidance.
Staff and students will receive access to in-person and online training, webinars, and specialised guidance on the use of generative AI. A dedicated AI Competency Centre and network of AI Ambassadors will support users, alongside mandatory security training.
The prestigious UK university has also established a Digital Governance Unit and an AI Governance Group to oversee the adoption of emerging technologies. Pilots are underway to digitise the Bodleian Libraries and explore how AI can improve access to historical collections worldwide.
A jointly funded research programme with the Oxford Martin School and OpenAI will study the societal impact of AI adoption. The project is part of OpenAI’s NextGenAI consortium, which brings together 15 global research institutions to accelerate breakthroughs in AI.
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Researchers have introduced a new AI-driven method that could help solve long-standing mathematical problems in fluid dynamics, physics, and engineering. The study examines unstable singularities, where equations fail and predict impossible results like infinite pressure or velocity.
Using Physics-Informed Neural Networks, the team discovered new unstable singularities across three fluid equations, including the Navier–Stokes system. Their findings reveal emerging patterns that could point to even more elusive solutions, advancing understanding of fluid motion.
The method combines deep mathematical knowledge with machine learning techniques, enabling precision at levels previously unattainable. For example, researchers reduced computational errors to a scale comparable with measuring the Earth’s diameter within just a few centimetres.
Such accuracy is essential for building reliable computer-assisted proofs in mathematics.
The study, carried out with mathematicians and geophysicists from leading universities, signals a shift in mathematical research. By embedding physics directly into neural networks, the approach transforms AI into a discovery tool that may reshape how complex equations are tackled in the years ahead.
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