The European Commission has missed a key deadline to issue guidance on how companies should classify high-risk AI systems under the EU AI Act, fuelling uncertainty around the landmark law’s implementation.
Guidance on Article 6, which defines high-risk AI systems and stricter compliance rules, was due by early February. Officials have indicated that feedback is still being integrated, with a revised draft expected later this month and final adoption potentially slipping to spring.
The delay follows warnings that regulators and businesses are unprepared for the act’s most complex rules, due to apply from August. Brussels has suggested delaying high-risk obligations under its Digital Omnibus package, citing unfinished standards and the need for legal clarity.
Industry groups want enforcement delayed until guidance and standards are finalised, while some lawmakers warn repeated slippage could undermine confidence in the AI Act. Critics warn further changes could deepen uncertainty if proposed revisions fail or disrupt existing timelines.
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European data and legal software stocks fell sharply after US AI startup Anthropic launched a new tool for corporate legal teams. The company said the software can automate contract reviews, compliance workflows, and document triage, while clarifying that it does not offer legal advice.
Investors reacted swiftly, sending shares in Pearson, RELX, Sage, Wolters Kluwer, London Stock Exchange Group, and Experian sharply lower. Thomson Reuters also suffered a steep decline, reflecting concern that AI tools could erode demand for traditional data-driven services.
Market commentators warned that broader adoption of AI in professional services could compress margins or bypass established providers altogether. Morgan Stanley flagged intensifying competition, while AJ Bell pointed to rising investor anxiety across the sector.
The sell-off also revived debate over AI’s impact on employment, particularly in legal and other office-based roles. Recent studies suggest the UK may face greater disruption than other large economies as companies adopt AI tools, even as productivity gains continue to rise.
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The United Arab Emirates is strengthening its global tech role by treating advanced innovation as a pillar of sovereignty rather than a standalone growth driver. National strategy increasingly links technology with long-term economic resilience, security, and geopolitical relevance.
A key milestone was the launch of the UAE Advanced Technology Centre with the Technology Innovation Institute and the World Economic Forum, announced alongside the Davos gathering.
The initiative highlights the UAE’s transition from technology consumer to active participant in shaping global governance frameworks for emerging technologies.
The centre focuses on policy and governance for areas including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, robotics, and space-based payment systems.
Backed by a flexible regulatory environment, the UAE is promoting regulatory experimentation and translating research into real-world applications through institutions such as the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and innovation hubs like Masdar City.
Alongside innovation, authorities are addressing rising digital risks, particularly deepfake technologies that threaten financial systems, public trust, and national security.
By combining governance, ethical standards, and international cooperation, the UAE is advancing a model of digital sovereignty that prioritises security, shared benefits, and long-term strategic independence.
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The Second International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit opened this week in Porto, Portugal, bringing together senior officials from governments, international organisations, and industry to address the growing risks facing the underwater cables that carry most of the world’s internet traffic. The event highlighted how submarine cables have become critical infrastructure for the global digital economy, especially as societies grow more dependent on cloud services, AI, and cross-border data flows.
Opening the summit, Ambassador João Mira Gomes, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations Office at Geneva, explained that Portugal’s infrastructure minister was absent due to ongoing storm recovery efforts, underlining the real-world pressures facing critical infrastructure today. He recalled Portugal’s long history in global connectivity, noting that one of the earliest submarine cables linking Portugal and the United Kingdom was built to support the port wine trade, a reminder that communication networks and economic exchange have long evolved together.
Professor Sandra Maximiano, co-chair of the International Advisory Body for Submarine Cable Resilience, placed the discussions in a broader historical context. She pointed to the creation of the International Telecommunication Union in 1865 as the first global organisation dedicated to managing international communications, stressing that cooperation on submarine cables has always been a ‘positive-sum game’ in which all countries benefit from shared rules and coordination.
Maximiano also highlighted Portugal’s strategic role as a cable hub, citing its extensive coastline, large exclusive economic zone, and favourable landing conditions connecting Europe, the Americas, Africa, and Asia. She outlined key projects such as the Atlantic CAM system linking mainland Portugal with Madeira and the Azores using a resilient ring design and smart cable technology that combines telecommunications with seismic and oceanographic monitoring. Existing and planned systems, she said, are not just data pipelines but foundations for innovation, scientific cooperation, and strategic autonomy.
A major outcome of the summit was the adoption of the Porto Declaration on Submarine Cable Resilience, developed with input from more than 150 experts worldwide. The declaration sets out practical guidance to improve permitting and repair processes, strengthen legal frameworks, promote route diversity and risk mitigation, and enhance capacity-building, with special attention to the needs of small island states and developing countries.
ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin framed these efforts within a rapidly changing digital landscape, announcing that 2026 will be designated the ‘year of resilience.’ She warned that the scale of global digital dependence has transformed the impact of cable disruptions, as even minor outages can ripple across AI systems, cloud platforms, and autonomous services. Resilience, she argued, now depends as much on international coordination and preparedness as on cable design itself.
From the European Union perspective, European Commission Vice-President Henna Virkkunen outlined upcoming EU measures, including a submarine cable security toolbox and targeted funding through the Connecting Europe Facility. She stressed the importance of regional coordination and praised Portugal’s active role in aligning EU initiatives with global efforts led by the ITU.
Closing the opening session, Ambassador Gomes linked cable resilience to broader goals of development and peace, warning that digital divides fuel inequality and instability, and reaffirming Portugal’s commitment to international cooperation and capacity-building as the summit moves the global conversation from policy to action.
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UpScrolled has surpassed 2.5 million users globally, gaining rapid momentum following TikTok’s restructuring of its US ownership earlier this year, according to founder Issam Hijazi.
The social network grew to around 150,000 users in its first six months before accelerating sharply in January, crossing one million users within weeks and reaching more than 2.5 million shortly afterwards.
Positioned as a hybrid of Instagram and X, UpScrolled promotes itself as an open platform free of shadowbanning and selective content suppression, while criticising major technology firms for data monetisation and algorithm-driven engagement practices.
Hijazi said the company would avoid amplification algorithms but acknowledged the need for community guidelines, particularly amid concerns about explicit content appearing on the platform.
Interest in alternative social networks has increased since TikTok’s shift to US ownership, though analysts note that long-term growth will depend on moderation frameworks, feature development, and sustained community trust.
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Japan and the United Kingdom have formalised a Strategic Cyber Partnership focused on strengthening cooperation in cybersecurity, including information sharing, defensive capabilities, and resilience of critical infrastructure. In related high-level discussions between the two leaders, Japan and the UK also agreed on the need to work with like-minded partners to address vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains.
The Strategic Cyber Partnership outlines three core areas of cooperation:
sharing cyber threat intelligence and enhancing cyber capabilities;
supporting whole-of-society resilience through best practices on infrastructure and supply chain protection and alignment on regulatory and standards issues;
collaborating on workforce development and emerging cyber technologies.
The agreement is governed through a joint Cyber Dialogue mechanism and is non-binding in nature.
Separately, at a summit meeting in Tokyo, the leaders noted the importance of strengthening supply chains for minerals identified as critical for modern industry and technology, and agreed to coordinate efforts with other partners on this issue.
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Europe is stepping up efforts to industrialise quantum technologies with a €50 million investment in superconducting quantum devices. Funding from the EU Chips Joint Undertaking and national agencies will support the Supreme consortium’s work from early 2026.
Superconducting quantum systems rely on ultra-low temperatures to maintain qubit stability, making manufacturing processes complex and costly. Supreme aims to develop reliable fabrication methods that can be scaled across Europe.
Access to these technologies will be opened to companies through shared pilot production runs and process design kits. Such tools are intended to lower barriers for firms developing quantum hardware and related systems.
The initiative also responds to Europe’s weaker performance in quantum patents compared with research output. Alignment with the upcoming Quantum Act and the EU Chips Act is expected to strengthen commercial uptake and industrial competitiveness.
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Researchers at Incheon National University have developed biodegradable gas sensors designed to reduce electronic waste while improving air quality monitoring. The technology targets nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to fossil fuel combustion and respiratory diseases.
The sensors are built using organic field-effect transistors, a lightweight and low-energy alternative suited for portable environmental monitoring devices. OFET-based systems are also easier to manufacture compared with traditional silicon electronics.
To create the sensing layer, the research team blended an organic semiconductor polymer, P3HT, with a biodegradable material, PBS. Each polymer was prepared separately in chloroform before being combined into a uniform solution.
Performance varied with solvent composition, with mixtures of chloroform and dichlorobenzene yielding the most consistent and sensitive sensor structures. High PBS concentrations remained effective without compromising detection accuracy.
Project lead Professor Park said the approach balances sustainability and performance, particularly for use in natural environments. The biodegradable design could contribute to long-term pollution monitoring and waste reduction.
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AI tools are already widely used in higher education, with more than half of surveyed students required to use them in coursework and nearly two-thirds using them for assignments. However, the survey suggests that students are largely learning to use AI on their own, relying mainly on informal experimentation rather than structured university-led training.
At the same time, awareness and participation in formal AI education remain limited. Only 31% of students said they were aware of AI-related courses offered by their college or university, and fewer than 20% had taken one, highlighting a gap between widespread use and institutional teaching.
Despite this, many students recognise AI’s growing importance for their careers. Around half believe proficiency with AI tools will be important in the future, reflecting expectations that AI skills will be increasingly valued in the workplace.
Overall, the findings point to an opportunity for universities to strengthen AI education by integrating practical, advanced, and ethical AI training into curricula, helping students move beyond basic use toward workplace-ready skills.
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Technology firms in China are rolling out large cash incentive campaigns to attract users to their AI chatbots ahead of the expected launch of new AI models later this month.
Alibaba Group has earmarked CNY 3 billion for users of its Qwen AI app, with the promotion beginning on 6 February to coincide with Lunar New Year celebrations.
Tencent Holdings and Baidu have announced similar offers, together committing around CNY 1.5 billion in cash rewards and consumer electronics, including smartphones and televisions.
To qualify for prizes, users must register on the platforms and interact with the chatbots during the promotional period by asking questions or completing everyday planning tasks.
The incentives reflect intensifying competition with global developers such as Google and OpenAI, while also strengthening efforts to position China-based firms as potential local AI partners for Apple in the Chinese market.
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