Europe is building a federated cloud and AI infrastructure intended to reduce reliance on US and Chinese technology providers and avoid ongoing strategic vulnerability.
The project, known as EURO-3C, was announced in Barcelona by Telefónica and is backed by the European Commission. More than seventy organisations across telecommunications, technology and emerging companies have joined the effort.
Architects of the scheme argue that linking national infrastructures into a shared network of nodes offers a realistic path forward, particularly as Europe cannot easily create a hyperscale cloud provider from scratch.
The initiative follows a series of US cloud outages that exposed the risks of excessive dependence on external infrastructure and raised questions about sovereignty, resilience and long-term competitiveness.
Commission officials described the programme as a way to build a secure cross-border digital ecosystem that supports industries such as automotive, e-health, public administration and sovereign government cloud.
Telefónica stressed that agentic AI, capable of taking autonomous actions, will play a central role in enabling Europe to develop technology rather than import it.
The partners view the project as a foundation for a unified and independent digital environment that strengthens industrial supply chains and prepares European sectors for the next phase of cloud and AI adoption.
They present the initiative as a significant step toward reducing strategic exposure while stimulating domestic innovation.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Deutsche Telekom is turning to satellite connectivity to address Europe’s persistent mobile coverage gaps, rather than relying solely on terrestrial networks.
The company announced a partnership with Starlink during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, arguing that non-terrestrial networks can help reach remote forests, mountains and islands that remain underserved despite broad coverage elsewhere.
A collaboration that aims to support direct-to-device satellite links by 2028, enabling future smartphones to connect to Starlink’s MSS spectrum without additional hardware.
Telecommunications leaders describe the plan as a step toward an ‘everywhere network’, extending reliable service to areas long constrained by topographical and conservation barriers. The partnership follows earlier joint work with SpaceX to eliminate dead zones.
Deutsche Telekom is also increasing its use of agentic AI, integrating autonomous network-enhancing systems intended to improve translation, search and service features across devices.
Executives say these capabilities work even on older phones, reducing dependence on apps and creating a more inclusive digital environment.
Although committed to European digital sovereignty, the company insists that global collaboration remains necessary for long-term competitiveness.
Leadership argues that precise regulation and controlled data environments aligned with European standards can balance international cooperation with privacy protection. They remain confident that European technology firms and start-ups will continue driving meaningful innovation across the sector.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
More users are exploring how to switch from ChatGPT to Claude while preserving their existing chat history and preferences. Rather than starting over with a new AI assistant, many want to migrate context and maintain continuity.
The first step is gathering your data from ChatGPT. In Settings, open Personalisation, then review the Memory section to copy any stored preferences you want to retain. You can also export your full chat history through Data Controls by selecting ‘Export Data’.
ChatGPT will generate downloadable files containing your conversations. If you prefer a lighter approach, manually copy key discussions or ask ChatGPT to summarise your main preferences, frequently discussed topics, and custom instructions.
Once your information is ready, open Claude and enable Memory under Settings and Capabilities. Start a new conversation and paste your summaries using a prompt such as ‘Here is important context about me. Please update your memory accordingly.’
After transferring the data, verify that Claude has stored the information accurately. If you plan to leave ChatGPT entirely, review and delete saved memory entries before removing your account to ensure your data is cleared.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A high-severity vulnerability dubbed ‘ClawJacked’ has been discovered in OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent framework that lets developers run autonomous AI assistants locally.
The flaw, uncovered by Oasis Security, allowed malicious websites to silently hijack a user’s local AI agent instance and steal sensitive data, all triggered by a single browser visit.
The attack exploited OpenClaw’s local WebSocket gateway, which assumed that traffic from localhost could be trusted. A malicious website could open a WebSocket connection to the gateway, brute-force the password at hundreds of guesses per second, with no rate limiting applied to local connections, and then silently register as a trusted device without any user prompt.
Once inside, attackers gained admin-level access to the AI agent, connected devices, logs, and configuration data. Oasis Security responsibly disclosed the flaw, and OpenClaw issued a patch within 24 hours, releasing version 2026.2.26.
Security experts are urging organisations to update immediately, audit the permissions held by their AI agents, and apply strict governance policies, treating AI agents as non-human identities that require the same oversight as human users or service accounts.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Deepfakes and injection attacks are no longer just tools for misinformation; they are now being deployed to break the identity verification systems that underpin banking, hiring, and account access.
Bad actors are targeting the critical moments when a system determines whether someone is a real person, from customer onboarding at banks to remote hiring and account recovery workflows.
Attackers exploit verification systems in two main ways: by using increasingly convincing synthetic faces and voice clones to mimic real people, and by launching injection attacks that substitute fraudulent video into the capture pipeline before it ever reaches the detection system.
According to the Entrust 2026 Identity Fraud Report, deepfakes are now linked to one in five biometric fraud attempts, with injection attacks rising 40% year-on-year.
Experts warn that detecting deepfakes alone is no longer sufficient. Enterprises must validate the whole session, including device integrity and behavioural signals, in real time.
Gartner predicts that by 2026, 30% of enterprises will no longer consider face-based identity verification reliable in isolation, given the pace AI AI-generated deepfake attacks.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
More than 40 million people use ChatGPT alone for health information every day, and both ChatGPT and Claude have recently launched services specifically designed to give consumers health advice.
Yale School of Medicine clinician-educator Shaili Gupta warns that whilst chatbots can democratise access to health information, the risks of overtrust are significant.
Gupta notes that AI chatbots are deliberately designed to feel personal, trained to use pronouns like ‘you’ and ‘I’, which makes users more likely to treat them as authoritative voices rather than information tools.
She cautions against the ‘three C’s’: chatbots that are too competent, too cogent, or too concrete, as these are the most likely to lead patients into harmful health decisions.
Human clinicians, Gupta argues, remain challenging to replace not only because they conduct physical examinations, but also because they bring instinct, experience, and genuine relatability to patient care. She recommends using chatbots for efficiency and general information, whilst leaving diagnosis firmly in the hands of medical professionals.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Qualcomm expects robotics to become a significant business opportunity within two years, according to chief executive Cristiano Amon. The company is increasingly expanding beyond smartphones as it searches for new long-term growth markets.
Earlier this year, Qualcomm introduced its Dragonwing processor designed specifically for robotics applications. The chipset aims to operate across multiple robotic platforms using a scalable approach similar to its successful mobile processor strategy.
Industry enthusiasm for robotics has grown alongside rapid advances in AI technologies. Often described as ‘physical AI’, these systems allow robots to interpret surroundings and perform complex tasks more effectively.
Market forecasts suggest strong future demand, with analysts predicting robotics could develop into a multi-trillion-dollar global industry. Technology leaders across the semiconductor sector increasingly view intelligent machines as a major next computing platform.
Robotics innovation featured prominently at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where companies showcased emerging autonomous machines. Growing investment highlights intensifying competition to shape the future of AI-powered automation worldwide.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The European Commission has unveiled a new counterterrorism agenda under the ProtectEU initiative, outlining measures to strengthen the EU’s response to evolving security threats. Officials say the strategy aims to improve preparedness, reinforce cooperation and protect citizens and businesses from emerging forms of terrorism and violent extremism.
Authorities warn that technological change is reshaping the threat landscape. Terrorist groups increasingly exploit digital tools such as social media, AI and encrypted platforms for recruitment, propaganda and fundraising.
New risks also include the potential misuse of drones, crypto-assets and 3D-printed weapons, while radicalisation of minors online has become a growing concern across Europe.
The agenda proposes stronger capabilities for anticipating threats through expanded intelligence analysis and enhanced support for Europol, including greater use of open-source intelligence. Additional research funding will explore the security implications of emerging technologies, while new initiatives aim to strengthen early prevention efforts and community engagement to counter radicalisation, particularly among young people.
Online safety forms another key priority. The Commission plans to intensify cooperation with digital platforms to remove extremist content more quickly and to strengthen enforcement of the Digital Services Act. A new EU Online Crisis Response Framework is also proposed to improve coordination between authorities and technology companies during security incidents.
Measures targeting the physical environment will focus on protecting public spaces and critical infrastructure, including investments in security projects and stronger monitoring of individuals suspected of terrorism.
The strategy also seeks to improve the tracking of terrorist financing, including through cryptocurrencies, and to expand cooperation with international partners, such as countries in the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean region.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Ocado has announced plans to cut 1,000 jobs from its 20,000 strong global workforce, with roles mainly affected in technology and support. The company, headquartered in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, said the move would save £150m and follows major investment in robotics and automation.
Chief executive Tim Steiner said Ocado had completed a significant phase of investment in automation, but the company declined to confirm that AI directly led to the redundancies. At its Luton warehouse, opened in 2023, human staff continue to work alongside AI powered robots.
Analysts suggested that competition has intensified as retailers in the UK, the US and Canada adopt similar AI driven systems. Some former clients in the US and Canada have invested in their own technology, reducing reliance on Ocado’s platform.
Retail experts argued that deeper structural challenges, including changing consumer expectations and cost pressures in Hertfordshire and beyond, are also at play. Local leaders in Welwyn Hatfield have requested urgent talks as the company reshapes its operating model.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Microsoft has temporarily locked its official Copilot Discord server after a surge of spam linked to criticism of its AI strategy. The disruption followed widespread use of the nickname ‘Microslop’, a term mocking the company’s AI push.
The backlash intensified after chief executive Satya Nadella urged the industry to embrace AI in a December 2025 blog post. Users began flooding the Copilot Discord server with variations of the term, bypassing Microsoft’s word filters.
Microsoft initially blocked the word before restricting channels and eventually taking the entire server offline. In a statement, the company said the move was intended to protect users from harmful spam.
The controversy reflects broader resistance to AI integration across Windows 11 and Microsoft software. Microsoft has not confirmed when the Copilot Discord server will return online.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
