Capacity development

AI brain atlas reveals unprecedented detail in MRI scans

Researchers at University College London have developed NextBrain, an AI-assisted brain atlas that visualises the human brain in unprecedented detail. The tool links microscopic tissue imaging with MRI, enabling rapid and precise analysis of living brain scans.

NextBrain maps 333 brain regions using high-resolution post-mortem tissue data, which is combined into a digital 3D model with the aid of AI. The atlas was created over the course of six years by dissecting, photographing, and digitally reconstructing five human brains.

AI played a crucial role in aligning microscope images with MRI scans, ensuring accuracy while significantly reducing the time required for manual labelling. The atlas detects subtle changes in brain sub-regions, such as the hippocampus, crucial for studying diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Testing on thousands of MRI scans demonstrated that NextBrain reliably identifies brain regions across different scanners and imaging conditions, enabling detailed analysis of ageing patterns and early signs of neurodegeneration.

All data, tools, and annotations are openly available through the FreeSurfer neuroimaging platform. The public release of NextBrain aims to accelerate research, support diagnosis, and improve treatment for neurological conditions worldwide.

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Microsoft Elevate expands AI skills training across the UAE

Microsoft has expanded its Microsoft Elevate initiative in the UAE, aiming to equip one million people with AI skills by the end of the decade. The programme is training over 250,000 students and staff, plus 55,000 government employees, to prepare the UAE workforce for an AI-driven future.

Partnerships with educational institutions and nonprofits are central to the initiative. Collaborations with organisations such as GEMS and INJAZ UAE are embedding AI skills into schools, training 10,000 teachers and over 150,000 students.

Higher education institutions, including MBZUAI, UAE University, and the Higher Colleges of Technology, are also participating to advance AI literacy, research, and digital skills across the academic community.

Government employees are a key focus, with 55,000 federal staff set to receive AI training through specialised courses developed with G42 and delivered via the JAHIZ platform. Leadership programmes with INSEAD train senior officials and executives, enhancing strategic skills and promoting responsible AI use.

Microsoft Elevate is closing the UAE’s AI skills gap and expanding opportunities for students, educators, and public servants. The programme combines technical and leadership training to strengthen the UAE’s talent pipeline and global AI leadership.

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EU pushes for stronger global climate action at COP30 in Brazil

The European Union will use the COP30 Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, to reinforce its commitment to a fair and ambitious global clean transition.

The EU aims to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement by driving decarbonisation, promoting renewables, and supporting vulnerable nations most affected by climate change.

President Ursula von der Leyen said the transition is ‘ongoing and irreversible’, stressing that it must remain inclusive and equitable.

Additionally, the EU will call for new efforts to close implementation gaps, limit temperature overshoot beyond 1.5°C, and advance the Global Stocktake outcomes from COP28. It will also promote the global pledges to triple renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.

A new climate target will commit to cutting net greenhouse gas emissions by between 66.25% and 72.5% below 1990 levels by 2035, on the path to a 90% reduction by 2040.

The EU also supports the creation of a Coalition for Compliance Carbon Markets and increased finance for developing countries through the Baku to Belém Roadmap.

Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said Europe’s climate ambition strengthens both competitiveness and independence. He urged major economies to raise ambition and accelerate implementation to keep the Paris target within reach.

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EU conference highlights the need for collaboration in digital safety and growth

European politicians and experts gathered in Billund for the conference ‘Towards a Safer and More Innovative Digital Europe’, hosted by the Danish Parliament.

The discussions centred on how to protect citizens online while strengthening Europe’s technological competitiveness.

Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen, Chair of the Danish Parliament’s Digitalisation and IT Committee, stated that the event demonstrated the need for the EU to act more swiftly to harness its collective digital potential.

She emphasised that only through cooperation and shared responsibility can the EU match the pace of global digital transformation and fully benefit from its combined strengths.

The first theme addressed online safety and responsibility, focusing on the enforcement of the Digital Services Act, child protection, and the accountability of e-commerce platforms importing products from outside the EU.

Participants highlighted the importance of listening to young people and improving cross-border collaboration between regulators and industry.

The second theme examined Europe’s competitiveness in emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing. Speakers called for more substantial investment, harmonised digital skills strategies, and better support for businesses seeking to expand within the single market.

A Billund conference emphasised that Europe’s digital future depends on striking a balance between safety, innovation, and competitiveness, which can only be achieved through joint action and long-term commitment.

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OpenAI becomes fastest-growing business platform in history

OpenAI has surpassed 1 million business customers, becoming the fastest-growing business platform in history. Companies in healthcare, finance, retail, and tech use ChatGPT for Work or API access to enhance operations, customer experiences, and team workflows.

Consumer familiarity is driving enterprise adoption. With over 800 million weekly ChatGPT users, rollouts face less friction. ChatGPT for Work now has more than 7 million seats, growing 40% in two months, while ChatGPT Enterprise seats have increased ninefold year-over-year.

Businesses are reporting strong ROI, with 75% seeing positive results from AI deployment.

New tools and integrations are accelerating adoption. Company knowledge lets AI work across Slack, SharePoint, and GitHub. Codex accelerates engineering workflows, while AgentKit facilitates rapid enterprise agent deployment.

Multimodal models now support text, images, video, and audio, allowing richer workflows across industries.

Many companies are building applications directly on OpenAI’s platform. Brands like Canva, Spotify, and Shopify are integrating AI into apps, and the Agentic Commerce Protocol is bringing conversational commerce to everyday experiences.

OpenAI aims to continue expanding capabilities in 2026, reimagining enterprise workflows with AI at the core.

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MAI-Image-1 arrives in Bing and Copilot with EU launch on the way

Microsoft’s in-house image generator, MAI-Image-1, now powers Bing Image Creator and Copilot Audio Expressions, with EU availability coming soon, according to Mustafa Suleyman. It’s optimised for speed and photorealism in food, landscapes, and stylised lighting.

In Copilot’s Story Mode, MAI-Image-1 pairs artwork with AI audio, linking text-to-image and text-to-speech. Microsoft pitches realism and fast iteration versus larger, slower models to shorten creative workflows.

The rollout follows August’s MAI-Voice-1 and MAI-1-preview. Copilot is shifting to OpenAI’s GPT-5 while continuing to offer Anthropic’s Claude, signalling a mixed-model strategy alongside homegrown systems.

Bing’s Image Creator lists three selectable models, which are MAI-Image-1, OpenAI’s DALL-E 3, and OpenAI’s GPT-4o. Microsoft says MAI-Image-1 enables faster ideation and hand-off to downstream tools for refinement.

Analysts see MAI-Image-1 as part of a broader effort to reduce dependence on third-party image systems while preserving user choice. Microsoft highlights safety tooling and copyright-aware practices across Copilot experiences as adoption widens.

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Kraken Pro unlocks crypto-collateralized futures for EU traders

Kraken Pro has expanded its offerings in the EU by allowing clients to use crypto, including BTC, ETH, and certain stablecoins, as collateral for more than 150 perpetual futures markets.

The move positions the platform among the first regulated venues in Europe to provide crypto-collateralised, USD-margined futures contracts. It combines flexibility, speed, and capital efficiency with compliance under MiFID II.

Using crypto as collateral enables traders to maintain exposure to their digital assets while accessing leveraged positions. Clients can post BTC, ETH, or stablecoins without converting to fiat, avoiding fees and delays.

The system also supports cross-asset hedging and stablecoin-backed trades, allowing users to manage risk and diversify strategies more efficiently.

Kraken Pro’s regulated futures comply with EU rules, offering up to 10x leverage, multi-asset collateral, and supervision under MiCA and MiFID II. The platform offers deep liquidity, tight spreads, and reliable execution for both individual and institutional traders, even during volatile market conditions.

To begin trading, clients must enable futures on Kraken EU, fund their accounts with crypto assets, select their preferred collateral, and then open or manage leveraged perpetual positions. The update enhances strategic options for both hedging and directional trades.

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SoftBank and OpenAI bring enterprise AI revolution to Japan

SoftBank and OpenAI have announced the launch of SB OAI Japan, a new joint venture established to deliver an advanced enterprise AI solution known as Crystal Intelligence. Unveiled on 5 November 2025, the initiative aims to transform Japan’s corporate management through tailored AI solutions.

SB OAI Japan will exclusively market Crystal Intelligence in Japan starting in 2026. The platform integrates OpenAI’s latest models with local implementation, system integration, and ongoing support.

Designed to enhance productivity and streamline management, Crystal Intelligence will help Japanese companies adopt AI tools suited to their specific operational needs.

SoftBank Corp. will be the first to deploy Crystal intelligence, testing and refining the technology before wider release. The company plans to share insights through SB OAI Japan to drive AI-powered transformation across industries.

The partnership underscores SoftBank’s vision of becoming an AI-native organisation. The group has already developed around 2.5 million custom GPTs for internal use.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that the venture marks a significant step in bringing advanced AI to global enterprises. At the same time, SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son described it as the beginning of a new era where AI agents autonomously collaborate to achieve business goals.

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Perplexity’s Comet hits Amazon’s policy wall

Amazon removed Perplexity’s Comet after receiving warnings that it was shopping without identifying itself. Perplexity says an agent inherits a user’s permissions. The fight turns a header detail into a question of who gets to intermediate online buying.

Amazon likens agents to delivery or travel intermediaries that announce themselves, and hints at blocking non-compliant bots. With its own assistant, Rufus, critics fear rules as competitive moats; Perplexity calls it gatekeeping.

Beneath this is a business-model clash. Retailers monetise discovery with ads and sponsored placement. Neutral agents promise price-first buying and fewer impulse ads. If bots dominate, incumbents lose margin and control of merchandising levers.

Interoperability likely requires standards, including explicit bot IDs, rate limits, purchase scopes, consented data access, and auditable logs. Stores could ship agent APIs for inventory, pricing, and returns, with 2FA and fraud checks for transactions.

In the near term, expect fragmentation as platforms favour native agents and restrictive terms, while regulators weigh transparency and competition. A workable truce: disclose the agent, honour robots and store policies, and use clear opt-in data contracts.

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OpenAI’s Sora app launches on Android

OpenAI’s AI video generator, Sora, is now officially available for Android users in the US, Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The app, which debuted on iOS in September, quickly reached over 1 million downloads within a week.

Its arrival on the Google Play Store is expected to attract a wider audience and boost user engagement.

The Android version retains key features, including ‘Cameos,’ which allow users to generate videos of themselves performing various activities. Users can share content in a TikTok-style feed, as OpenAI aims to compete with TikTok, Instagram, and Meta’s AI video feed, Vibes.

Sora has faced criticism over deepfakes and the use of copyrighted characters. Following user-uploaded videos of historical figures and popular characters, OpenAI strengthened guardrails and moved from an ‘opt-out’ to an ‘opt-in’ policy for rights holders.

The app is also involved in a legal dispute with Cameo over the name of its flagship feature.

OpenAI plans to add new features, including character cameos for pets and objects, basic video editing tools, and personalised social feeds. These updates aim to enhance user experience while maintaining responsible and ethical AI use in video generation.

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