Artificial intelligence

AI investment gathers pace as Armenia seeks regional influence

Armenia is stepping up efforts to develop its AI sector, positioning itself as a potential regional hub for innovation. The government has announced plans to build a large-scale AI data centre backed by a $500 million investment, with operations expected to begin in 2026.

Officials say the project could support start-ups, research and education, while strengthening links between science and industry.

The initiative is being developed through a partnership involving the Armenian government, US chipmaker Nvidia, cloud company Firebird.ai and Team Group. The United States has already approved export licences for advanced chips, a move experts describe as strategically significant given global competition for semiconductor supply.

Armenian officials argue the project signals the country’s intention to participate actively in the global AI economy rather than remain on the sidelines.

Despite growing international attention, including recognition of Armenia’s technology leadership in global rankings, experts warn that the country lacks a clear and unified AI strategy. AI is already being used in areas such as agriculture mapping, tax risk analysis and social services, but deployment remains fragmented and transparency limited. Ongoing reforms and a shift towards cloud-based systems add further uncertainty.

Security specialists caution that without strong governance, expertise and long-term planning, AI investments could expose the public sector to cyber risks and poor decision-making. Armenia’s challenge, they argue, lies in moving quickly enough to seize emerging opportunities while ensuring that AI adoption strengthens, rather than undermines, institutional capacity and human judgement.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

NVIDIA expands open AI tools for robotics

NVIDIA has unveiled a new suite of open physical AI models and frameworks aimed at accelerating robotics and autonomous systems development. The announcement was made at CES 2026 in the US.

The new tools span simulation, synthetic data generation, training orchestration and edge deployment in the US. NVIDIA said the stack enables robots and autonomous machines to reason, learn and act in real-world environments using shared 3D standards.

Developers in the US showcased applications ranging from construction and factory robots to surgical and service systems. Companies, including Caterpillar and NEURA Robotics, demonstrated how digital twins and open AI models improve safety and efficiency.

NVIDIA said open-source collaboration is central to advancing physical AI in the US and globally. The company aims to shorten development cycles while supporting safer deployment of autonomous machines across industries.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Conversational advertising arrives as OpenAI integrates sponsored content into ChatGPT

OpenAI has begun testing advertising placements inside ChatGPT, marking a shift toward monetising one of the world’s most widely used AI platforms. Sponsored content now appears below chatbot responses for free and low-cost users, integrating promotions directly into conversational queries.

Ads remain separate from organic answers, with OpenAI saying commercial content will not influence AI-generated responses. Users can see why specific ads appear, dismiss irrelevant placements, and disable personalisation. Advertising is excluded for younger users and sensitive topics.

Initial access is limited to enterprise partners, with broader availability expected later. Premium subscription tiers continue without ads, reflecting a freemium model similar to streaming platforms offering both paid and ad-supported options.

Pricing places ChatGPT ads among the most expensive digital formats. The value lies in reaching users at high-intent moments, such as during product research and purchase decisions. Measurement tools remain basic, tracking only impressions and clicks.

OpenAI’s move into advertising signals a broader shift as conversational AI reshapes how people discover information. Future performance data and targeting features will determine whether ChatGPT becomes a core ad channel or a premium niche format.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

China moves toward data centres in orbit

China is planning to develop large-scale space-based data centres over the next five years as part of a broader push to support AI development. The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has announced plans to build gigawatt-class digital infrastructure in orbit, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Under CASC’s five-year development plan, the space data centres are expected to combine cloud, edge and terminal technologies, allowing computing power, data storage and communication capacity to operate as an integrated system. The aim is to create high-performance infrastructure capable of supporting advanced AI workloads beyond Earth.

The initiative follows a recent CASC policy proposal calling for solar-powered, gigawatt-scale space-based hubs to supply energy for AI processing. The proposal aligns with China’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, which is set to place AI at the centre of national development priorities.

China has already taken early steps in this direction. In May 2025, Zhejiang Lab launched 12 low Earth orbit satellites to form the first phase of its ‘Three-Body Computing Constellation.’ The research institute plans to eventually deploy around 2,800 satellites, targeting a total computing power of 1,000 peta operations per second.

Interest in space-based data centres is growing globally. European aerospace firm Thales Alenia Space has been studying its feasibility since 2023, while companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and several startups in the US and the UAE are exploring similar concepts at varying stages of development and ambition.

Supporters argue that space data centres could reduce environmental impacts on Earth, benefit from constant solar energy and simplify cooling. However, experts warn that operating in space brings its own challenges, including exposure to radiation, solar flares and space debris, as well as higher costs and greater difficulty when repairs are needed.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Google launches Project Genie allowing users to create interactive AI-generated worlds

Google has launched Project Genie, an experimental prototype that allows users to create and explore interactive AI-generated worlds. The web application, powered by Genie 3, Nano Banana Pro, and Gemini, is rolling out to Google AI Ultra subscribers in the US aged 18 and over.

Genie 3 represents a world model that simulates environmental dynamics and predicts how actions affect them in real time. Unlike static 3D snapshots, the technology generates paths in real time as users move and interact, simulating physics for dynamic environments.

Project Genie centres on three core capabilities: world sketching, exploration, and remixing. Users can prompt with text and images to create environments, define character perspectives, and preview worlds before entering.

As users navigate, the system generates paths in real time based on their actions.

The experimental prototype has known limitations, including generation restrictions to 60 seconds, potential deviations from prompts or real-world physics, and occasional character controllability issues.

Google emphasises responsible development as part of its mission to build AI that benefits humanity, with ongoing improvements planned based on user feedback.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

EU confronts Grok abuse as Brussels tests its digital power

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Grok after the tool produced millions of sexualised images of women and children.

A scrutiny that centres on whether X failed to carry out adequate risk assessments before releasing the undressing feature in the European market. The case arrives as ministers, including Sweden’s deputy prime minister, publicly reveal being targeted by the technology.

Brussels is preparing to use its strongest digital laws instead of deferring to US pressure. The Digital Services Act allows the European Commission to fine major platforms or force compliance measures when systemic harms emerge.

Experts argue the Grok investigation represents an important test of European resolve, particularly as the bloc tries to show it can hold powerful companies to account.

Concerns remain about the willingness of the EU to act decisively. Reports suggest the opening of the probe was delayed because of a tariff dispute with Washington, raising questions about whether geopolitical considerations slowed the enforcement response.

Several lawmakers say the delay undermined confidence in the bloc’s commitment to protecting fundamental rights.

The investigation could last months and may have wider implications for content ranking systems already under scrutiny.

Critics say financial penalties may not be enough to change behaviour at X, yet the case is still viewed as a pivotal moment for European digital governance. Observers believe a firm outcome would demonstrate that emerging harms linked to synthetic media cannot be ignored.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Large language models mirror human brain responses to unexpected twists

Researchers at the University of Chicago are using AI to uncover insights into how the human brain processes surprise. The project, directed by Associate Professor Monica Rosenberg, compares human and AI responses to narrative moments to explore cognitive processes.

The study involved participants listening to stories whilst researchers recorded their responses through brain scans. Researchers then fed identical stories to the language model Llama, prompting it to predict subsequent text after each segment.

When AI predictions diverged from actual story content, that gap served as a measure of surprise, mirroring the discrepancy human readers experience when expectations fail.

Results showed a striking alignment between AI prediction errors and both participants’ reported feelings and brain-scan activity patterns. The correlation emerged when texts were analysed in 10 to 20-word chunks, suggesting humans and AI encode surprise at broader levels where ideas unfold.

Fourth-year data science student Bella Summe, involved in the Cognition, Attention and Brain Lab research, noted the creative challenge of working in an emerging field.

Few studies have explored whether LLM prediction errors could serve as measures of human surprise, requiring constant problem-solving and experimental design adaptation throughout the project.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

AI reduces late breast cancer diagnoses by 12% in landmark study

AI in breast cancer screening reduced late diagnoses by 12% and increased early detection rates in the largest trial of its kind. The Swedish study involved 100,000 women randomly assigned to AI-supported screening or standard radiologist readings between April 2021 and December 2022.

The AI system analysed mammograms and assigned low-risk cases to single readings and high-risk cases to double readings by radiologists.

Results published in The Lancet showed 1.55 cancers per 1,000 women in the AI group versus 1.76 in the control group, with 81% detected at the screening stage, compared with 74% in the control group.

Dr Kristina Lång from Lund University said AI-supported mammography could reduce radiologist workload pressures and improve early detection, but cautioned that implementation must be done carefully with continuous monitoring.

Researchers stressed that screening still requires at least one human radiologist working alongside AI, rather than AI replacing human radiologists. Cancer Research UK’s Dr Sowmiya Moorthie called the findings promising but noted more research is needed to confirm life-saving potential. 

Breast Cancer Now’s Simon Vincent highlighted the significant potential for AI to support radiologists, emphasising that earlier diagnosis improves treatment outcomes for a disease that affects over 2 million people globally each year.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Millions use Telegram to create AI deepfake nudes as digital abuse escalates

A global wave of deepfake abuse is spreading across Telegram as millions of users generate and share sexualised images of women without consent.

Researchers have identified at least 150 active channels offering AI-generated nudes of celebrities, influencers and ordinary women, often for payment. The widespread availability of advanced AI tools has turned intimate digital abuse into an industrialised activity.

Telegram states that deepfake pornography is banned and says moderators removed nearly one million violating posts in 2025. Yet new channels appear immediately after old ones are shut, enabling users to exchange tips on how to bypass safety controls.

The rise of nudification apps on major app stores, downloaded more than 700 million times, adds further momentum to an expanding ecosystem that encourages harassment rather than accountability.

Experts argue that the celebration of such content reflects entrenched misogyny instead of simple technological misuse. Women targeted by deepfakes face isolation, blackmail, family rejection and lost employment opportunities.

Legal protections remain minimal in much of the world, with fewer than 40% of countries having laws that address cyber-harassment or stalking.

Campaigners warn that women in low-income regions face the most significant risks due to poor digital literacy, limited resources and inadequate regulatory frameworks.

The damage inflicted on victims is often permanent, as deepfake images circulate indefinitely across platforms and are impossible to remove, undermining safety, dignity and long-term opportunities comprehensively.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Prism launches as OpenAI’s new workspace for scientific papers

OpenAI has launched Prism, a cloud-based LaTeX workspace designed to streamline the drafting, collaboration, and publication of academic papers. The tool integrates writing, citation management, real-time collaboration, and AI assistance into a single environment to reduce workflow friction.

Built specifically for scientific use, Prism embeds GPT-5.2 directly inside documents rather than as a separate chatbot. Researchers can rewrite sections, verify equations, test arguments, and clarify explanations without leaving the editing interface, positioning AI as a background collaborator.

Users can start new LaTeX projects or upload existing files through prism.openai.com using a ChatGPT account. Co-authors can join instantly, enabling simultaneous editing while maintaining structured formatting for equations, references, and manuscript layout.

OpenAI says Prism supports academic search, converts handwritten formulas into clean LaTeX, and allows voice-driven edits for faster reviews. Completed papers export as publication-ready PDFs alongside full source files.

Initially available for free to personal ChatGPT users, the workspace will later expand to Business, Enterprise, and Education plans. The company frames the tool as a practical productivity layer rather than a research disruption platform.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!