Canada boosts quantum research funding

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada has announced new funding to support the country’s quantum research ecosystem. The initiative aims to strengthen scientific capacity and innovation in the field.

According to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the funding will support researchers, projects and collaboration across institutions. It is intended to advance both fundamental research and applied development.

The programme also focuses on developing talent and building expertise, ensuring that researchers and students can contribute to the development of quantum technologies. This reflects a broader effort to sustain long-term growth in the sector.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada positions the funding as part of ongoing efforts to reinforce quantum capabilities and research leadership in Canada.

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Ghana expands AI skills with UN and the Government of Japan partners

The Ghanaian Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations has launched a public-sector AI capacity development programme in collaboration with the Government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme. The initiative aims to strengthen digital skills across government institutions.

According to the Ministry, the programme is designed to equip public officials with knowledge of AI and its applications in governance. It focuses on improving decision-making and service delivery, drawing on experience from the UN and Japan.

Why does it matter?

The initiative includes training, practical sessions and policy discussions to support responsible adoption of AI technologies. It also aims to help institutions identify relevant use cases and implementation strategies.

The Ministry presents the interdisciplinary programme as part of broader efforts to advance digital transformation and strengthen institutional capacity in Ghana.

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Google expands AI partnerships to support digital transformation in Latin America

A series of initiatives aimed at supporting AI adoption across Latin America has been announced by Google, in partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank.

These measures focus on public sector capacity, digital infrastructure and policy development as governments seek to integrate AI into economic and administrative systems.

The initiatives include the release of a policy-oriented report outlining how AI could contribute to regional economic growth, alongside guidance on workforce development, infrastructure expansion and regulatory frameworks.

An approach that emphasises responsible adoption, with attention to balancing innovation with risk management.

A further component involves the creation of an AI training academy for public officials, designed to improve institutional capacity to manage and deploy AI technologies.

In parallel, funding support has been allocated to expand digital public infrastructure (DPI), including cross-border digital identity systems intended to improve service delivery and administrative efficiency.

The programme by Google reflects broader trends in international cooperation on digital transformation, where public and private actors collaborate to scale AI adoption while addressing structural gaps in skills, infrastructure and governance across emerging economies.

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Indonesia calls for targeted strategy to close AI development gap

Indonesia is seeking to narrow gaps in AI development through targeted strategies in knowledge, investment and infrastructure. The approach was outlined by Deputy Minister Stella Christie during a policy discussion.

Christie said AI capabilities remain concentrated in developed countries, particularly in research output and patent production. She noted that understanding these gaps is essential to shaping effective national strategies.

She emphasised the need to build specialised capabilities aligned with national strengths, citing sectors such as seaweed research. Investment decisions should focus on areas that match domestic needs and priorities.

On infrastructure, Christie highlighted the importance of data management and local capacity as key components of AI systems. She added that data availability could support development if managed securely and effectively.

Infrastructure expansion, including data centres, must consider a stable and sustainable energy supply. She said coordinated efforts across education, investment and infrastructure are required to strengthen competitiveness.

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Microsoft highlights healthcare AI use in emergency response, diagnosis, and hospital operations

Microsoft has published a source feature presenting seven examples of how AI is being used in healthcare and well-being settings in different countries.

The piece frames the examples around pressures on health systems facing tight budgets, rising demand, and growing administrative workloads, and says AI tools are being deployed to reduce documentation burdens, improve information flows, and support working conditions for clinicians and pharmacists.

According to the feature, one example comes from the Munich Fire Department, where an AI operator is being tested to handle non-emergency patient transport calls while handing cases to human staff when needed. Microsoft says the system is intended to free dispatchers to focus on life-threatening emergencies and is currently in beta testing at LMU Klinikum in Munich.

The article also points to the use of ambient clinical documentation technology in the United Kingdom. At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Microsoft says clinicians are using Dragon Copilot to turn clinical conversations into structured medical notes, aiming to reduce paperwork and increase time with patients. The feature cites hospital estimates that the time savings could allow treatment of up to a quarter of a million additional patients each year.

In Kenya, Microsoft highlights an AI-powered app called Zendawa used by independent pharmacies to track inventory, reduce waste, and support business planning. The feature says the app helps forecast stock needs and uses sales data to support loan applications.

Another example comes from Spain, where Microsoft says DxGPT, a diagnostic support tool built on Microsoft Azure, is being used to help identify rare diseases more quickly. The feature links the tool to Foundation 29 and states that it is already integrated into Madrid’s public health system and is expanding to two additional Spanish regions.

Microsoft also points to clinician burnout and documentation pressures in the United States. At Intermountain Health, the article says Dragon Copilot has been integrated into electronic health records and rolled out to more than 2,500 clinicians, with the organisation reporting faster documentation, lower cognitive load, and improved clinician satisfaction and patient engagement.

Cybersecurity recovery is another theme in the feature. Microsoft says Osaka General Medical Center in Japan adopted Microsoft security and cloud tools after a 2022 ransomware attack that disrupted access to servers, patient data, and internal communications. The article presents the case as a broader hospital security reset rather than only a clinical AI deployment example.

A final example focuses on Ribera, a private hospital operator active in Spain, Portugal, and Central Europe. Microsoft says Ribera uses a mix of AI and digital tools to monitor chronic patients, predict risks such as pressure ulcers and falls, and test generative AI for discharge letters in routine procedures, with the stated aim of redirecting clinician time back to patient care.

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Six Spanish cities receive EIB support on electric mobility infrastructure

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched a technical advisory service to support the rollout of electric charging infrastructure in six Spanish cities participating in the European Union’s Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission: Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Valencia, Valladolid, and Zaragoza.

The agreement is intended to help the cities determine investment requirements for charging infrastructure and phase in deployment by 2030.

According to the EIB, the advisory support will focus on charging infrastructure for cars, vans, and light goods vehicles, while also encouraging broader integration of electric vehicles into urban transport systems.

The service helps cities identify investment gaps, develop public-private partnership approaches, and examine European funding mechanisms for sustainable mobility projects.

All six cities are part to the European Union Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission and hold the EU Mission Label for their climate plans and investment strategies. The agreement is also intended to support the exchange of best practices and replicable models that could be used elsewhere in Spain and across Europe.

Technical assistance under the agreement is not linked to EIB financing and instead centres on advisory work. This includes building project pipelines, analysing barriers to investment and rollout, encouraging collaboration between public authorities, private investors, and sector specialists, and monitoring impacts through agreed metrics.

The advisory work will be delivered with support from the SUEZ/IDOM consultancy consortium and is financed by the InvestEU Advisory Hub. In the background section, the EIB links the initiative to the wider Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission under Horizon Europe, which aims to support climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 and use them as hubs for wider urban transition by 2050.

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The Egyptian government emphasises the role of AI in the economy

The Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt has highlighted the role of AI in supporting national development, according to an official statement. The focus forms part of broader efforts to advance digital transformation.

The Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt emphasised that AI technologies are being integrated into key sectors to improve efficiency and support economic growth. The approach reflects a wider strategy to modernise public services.

The statement also underlined the importance of building technical capacity and strengthening infrastructure to support AI adoption. This includes developing skills and enhancing institutional readiness.

The Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt presented these efforts as part of long-term planning to expand digital capabilities and innovation in Egypt.

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US launches Permitting Innovators programme to modernise federal review systems

The White House has announced a new programme to modernise federal environmental review and permitting processes through collaboration with the private sector.

An initiative, led by the Council on Environmental Quality‘s Permitting Innovation Center in collaboration with NASA’s Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, that introduces ‘Permitting Innovators’ as a platform to identify and deploy technology solutions across government systems.

The programme builds on earlier efforts to address permitting inefficiencies, which have been linked to delays in infrastructure development and increased project costs.

By integrating digital tools and improving data sharing across agencies, the initiative aims to streamline coordination and decision-making.

A key component involves inviting industry participants to submit technological solutions, which will be evaluated and potentially showcased at a dedicated Expo in 2026.

Selected innovations will also be included in a solutions catalogue intended to guide future implementation across federal agencies.

Why does it matter?

The initiative reflects a broader policy direction in the US focused on digital transformation in public administration, with an emphasis on improving efficiency while maintaining environmental review standards.

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South Korea leads AI patents per capita while strengthening models and policy frameworks

According to the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI‘s AI Index 2026 report, South Korea leads globally in AI patents per capita, reflecting a high concentration of innovation relative to population size.

Such a measure highlights the country’s strong research and development intensity in emerging technologies.

While China and the US dominate in total patent volume, South Korea ranks first in innovation density and third in the number of notable AI models, indicating a balanced performance across research output and technological deployment.

The findings also point to rapid growth in generative AI adoption, alongside sustained legislative activity.

Over recent years, multiple AI-related laws have been enacted, positioning South Korea among the leading economies in developing governance frameworks to support innovation.

The combination of technical output, policy support and adoption trends illustrates how coordinated national strategies can strengthen AI ecosystems, linking research capacity with regulatory development and real-world application.

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UK invests in technical colleges to address skills shortages and support industry growth

The UK Government has announced the expansion of Technical Excellence Colleges, with 19 new institutions aimed at strengthening high-level technical education across key sectors.

Backed by £175 million in public funding, the initiative targets industries such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defence and digital technologies.

The policy responds to projected labour shortages, with estimates indicating demand for hundreds of thousands of additional skilled workers by 2030.

By aligning training provision with regional economic needs, the colleges are designed to support local labour markets while contributing to national industrial priorities.

An initiative that forms part of a broader strategy to elevate technical education alongside university pathways, expanding access to higher-level learning and improving workforce readiness.

It also emphasises collaboration between institutions, with designated colleges expected to share expertise and raise standards across the system.

By strengthening skills pipelines and supporting sector-specific training, the programme in the UK aims to enhance economic resilience and ensure that workforce development keeps pace with technological and industrial change.

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