Artificial intelligence

UK AI and coding school expands to Dubai

A UK-based AI and coding educator, The School of Coding and AI, has announced plans to open a £3 million campus in Dubai Media City, marking its expansion into the Middle East. The new site is scheduled to open in March, with student enrolment beginning in May, and will welcome learners from the UAE and international markets.

The expansion reflects the school’s ambition to become a global player in AI and computer science education, with the Gulf region identified as a key growth market. The move is supported by the UK Department for Business and Trade and aligns with wider efforts to strengthen UK–UAE cooperation in technology, education, and skills development.

The Dubai campus will offer flexible programmes in AI, computer science, and digital skills, aiming to upskill around 2,000 students and provide pathways to higher education. The initiative is intended to respond to growing regional demand for innovation-driven training and advanced digital capabilities.

The expansion of the School of Coding and AI underscores the growing importance of education exports and skills development in meeting global demand for AI talent.

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UNESCO ethics framework guides national AI roadmap in Lao PDR

Lao PDR has unveiled plans for a national AI strategy guided by UNESCO’s ethics framework to support responsible and inclusive digital development. The framework will inform policy design across governance, education, infrastructure, and economic transformation.

The assessment outlines Laos’ readiness to govern AI, noting progress in digital policy alongside gaps in access, skills, and research capacity. Officials stressed the need for homegrown AI solutions that respect culture, reduce inequality, and deliver broad social benefit.

UNESCO and the UN Country Team said the strategy aligns with Laos’ broader digital transformation goals under its 10th development plan. The initiative aims to improve coordination, increase R&D investment, and modernise education to support ethical AI deployment.

Lao PDR joins 77 countries worldwide using UNESCO’s tools to shape national AI policies, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable innovation, ethical governance, and inclusive growth as artificial intelligence becomes central to future development.

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Anthropic CEO warns of civilisation-level AI risk

Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has issued a stark warning that superhuman AI could inflict civilisation-level damage unless governments and industry act far more quickly and seriously.

In a forthcoming essay, Amodei argues humanity is approaching a critical transition that will test whether political, social and technological systems are mature enough to handle unprecedented power.

Amodei believes AI systems will soon outperform humans across nearly every field, describing a future ‘country of geniuses in a data centre’ capable of autonomous and continuous creation.

He warns that such systems could rival nation-states in influence, accelerating economic disruption while placing extraordinary power in the hands of a small number of actors.

Among the gravest dangers, Amodei highlights mass displacement of white-collar jobs, rising biological security risks and the empowerment of authoritarian governments through advanced surveillance and control.

He also cautions that AI companies themselves pose systemic risks due to their control over frontier models, infrastructure and user attention at a global scale.

Despite the severity of his concerns, Amodei maintains cautious optimism, arguing that meaningful governance, transparency and public engagement could still steer AI development towards beneficial outcomes.

Without urgent action, however, he warns that financial incentives and political complacency may override restraint during the most consequential technological shift humanity has faced.

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New AI model detects wide range of health risks via sleep analysis

Recent research indicates that AI applied to sleep pattern analysis can identify signals linked to over 130 health conditions, including heart disease, metabolic dysfunction and respiratory issues, from a single night’s sleep record.

By using machine learning to analyse detailed physiological data collected during sleep, AI models may reveal subtle patterns that correlate with existing or future health risks.

Proponents suggest that this technology could support early detection and preventative healthcare by offering a non-invasive way to screen for multiple conditions simultaneously, potentially guiding timely medical intervention.

However, clinicians stress that such AI tools should complement, not replace, formal medical evaluation and diagnosis.

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AI and robots join forces in NHS trial to improve cancer diagnosis

The NHS England has launched an innovative pilot project that uses AI software to rapidly analyse lung scans and flag suspect nodules, followed by a robotic bronchoscopy system that can reach deep lung spots previously hard to biopsy.

This approach could replace weeks of repeat scans and invasive procedures with a single targeted session, helping doctors diagnose or rule out cancer sooner.

The project, led at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, aims to support expanded national lung screening programmes and reduce health outcome inequalities by detecting cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage.

Officials describe the technology as a ‘glimpse of the future’ of cancer detection, while pilots will gather evidence on effectiveness and safety before wider rollout.

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Meteorological authorities in China embrace AI for next-gen climate risk prediction

At a national meteorological work conference, the China Meteorological Administration said it will pilot an ‘imminent warning’ system and apply AI technologies to enhance detailed forecasts for extreme weather, including typhoons and heavy rain.

The initiative is part of a broader effort in 2026 to build new meteorological service systems, such as for agriculture, and improve disaster preparedness and climate risk management across the country.

Officials highlighted progress over the past year, including improved flood-season forecasting and reduced typhoon track-prediction errors. Strengthened interagency coordination and the development of new prediction products aim to support earlier warnings and better resource allocation for extreme climate events.

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Meta tests paid features on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp

Subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are set to be tested as Meta explores new revenue streams while keeping core access free. Paid tiers would place selected features and advanced sharing controls behind a subscription.

Early signals indicate the subscriptions could launch within months, with each platform offering its own set of premium tools. Meta has confirmed it will trial multiple formats rather than rely on a single bundled model.

AI plays a central role in the plan, with subscribers gaining access to AI-powered features, including video generation. The recently acquired Manus AI agent will be integrated across Meta services and offered separately to business users.

User reaction is expected to influence how far the company pushes the model, including potential bundles or platform-specific pricing. Wider acceptance could encourage other social networks to adopt similar subscription strategies.

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Australia’s green energy under pressure

The renewable energy sector in Australia encounters new challenges as major tech companies establish AI data centres across the country. Projects once planned to export solar power internationally are now influenced by domestic energy demands.

Sun Cable, supported by billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest, aimed to deliver Australian solar energy to Singapore via a 4,300-kilometre sea cable. The project symbolised a vision for Australia to become a leading exporter of renewable electricity.

The rapid expansion of AI facilities is shifting energy priorities towards domestic infrastructure. Tech companies’ demand for electricity is creating new competition with planned renewable export projects.

Energy policy decisions now carry broader implications for emissions, the national grid, and Australia’s role in the global clean energy market. Careful planning will be essential to balance domestic growth with long-term renewable ambitions.

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Audi dramatically transforms AI-driven smart factories

Audi is expanding the use of AI in production and logistics by replacing local factory computers with a central cloud platform. The Edge Cloud 4 Production enables flexible, networked automation while reducing hardware needs, maintenance costs, and improving IT security.

AI applications are being deployed to improve efficiency, quality, and employee support. AI-controlled robots are taking over physically demanding tasks, cloud-based systems provide real-time worker guidance, and vision-based solutions detect defects and anomalies early in the production process.

Data-driven platforms such as the P-Data Engine and ProcessGuardAIn allow Audi to monitor manufacturing processes in real time using machine and sensor data. These tools support early fault detection, reduce follow-up costs, and form the basis for predictive maintenance and scalable quality assurance across plants.

Audi is also extending automation to complex production areas that have traditionally relied on manual work, including wiring loom manufacturing and installation. In parallel, the company is working with technology firms and research institutions such as IPAI Heilbronn to accelerate innovation, scale AI solutions, and ensure the responsible use of AI across its global production network.

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AI reshapes university language classrooms

Universities are increasingly integrating AI into foreign language teaching as lecturers search for more flexible and personalised learning methods. AI-powered tools are being used to generate teaching materials, adapt content to student needs and expand practice beyond classroom limits.

Despite growing interest, adoption among language lecturers remains uneven across higher education. Studies suggest AI-supported learning can improve student motivation by offering personalised feedback and judgment-free speaking practice.

Educators highlight the value of AI for supporting curriculum and creating resources, particularly for less commonly taught languages. Tools can generate targeted dialogues, simplified texts and pronunciation feedback that would otherwise require significant manual effort.

Human interaction, however, remains central to effective language learning. Lecturers stress that AI works best as a supplement, enhancing teaching quality without replacing real-world communication and pedagogical expertise.

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