Capacity development

Eric Schmidt warns that AI growth is limited by electricity

Former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt has warned that electricity, rather than semiconductors, will limit the future growth of AI.

Speaking on the Moonshots podcast, Schmidt said the push towards artificial superintelligence—AI that exceeds human cognitive ability in almost all domains—will depend on securing sufficient power instead of just developing more advanced chips.

Schmidt noted the US alone may require an extra 92 gigawatts of electricity to support AI growth, equivalent to dozens of nuclear power stations.

Instead of waiting for new plants, companies such as Microsoft are seeking to retrofit closed facilities, including the Three Mile Island plant targeted for relaunch in 2028.

Schmidt highlighted growing environmental pressures, citing Microsoft’s 34% increase in water use within a year, a trend experts link directly to rising AI workloads.

Major AI developers like OpenAI’s Sam Altman also acknowledge energy as a key constraint. Altman has invested in nuclear fusion through Helion, while firms such as Microsoft and AMD are pressing US policymakers to fast-track energy permits.

Environmental groups, including Greenpeace, warn that unchecked AI expansion risks undermining climate goals instead of supporting them.

Schmidt believes superintelligence is inevitable and approaching rapidly, predicting specialised AI tools across all fields within five years. Rather than focusing solely on AI’s capabilities, he stressed the urgent need for planning energy infrastructure today to match tomorrow’s AI demands.

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Malaysia pushes clean tech and innovation for growth

Malaysia is accelerating its transition to a low-carbon and digitally driven economy by channelling investments into green technologies and innovation.

At the National Economic Forum 2025, Minister Chang Lih Kang outlined the country’s strategy to support sustainable growth through carbon management, hydrogen energy, green materials and circular economic models.

The government is also exploring advanced nuclear technologies such as Small Modular Reactors to support decarbonisation and enhance research, talent development and technology transfer.

A 17% increase in private R&D investment last year, mainly in clean energy and digital health, has helped build investor confidence. Authorities are now encouraging further growth through co-investment strategies, grants and collaborative innovation platforms.

Malaysia’s National Biotechnology Policy is also supporting biopharmaceuticals and agricultural biotech, in line with sustainability and ESG objectives. The Malaysian government aims to create a resilient, inclusive and innovation-driven economy for the next phase of regional development.

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Amazon cuts hundreds of AWS jobs amid AI shift

Amazon has reportedly cut hundreds of jobs within its Amazon Web Services cloud computing division, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Instead of providing specific numbers, Amazon confirmed the decision, citing ongoing efforts to optimise resources while continuing to invest in customer-focused innovation.

These layoffs follow warnings by CEO Andy Jassy, who recently said the rising use of generative AI would reduce workforce needs across the company.

The cuts affect several AWS teams, including specialists who support customers in developing new products and selling services. Employees reported receiving termination emails on Thursday, with their system access deactivated soon after.

Rather than focusing solely on AWS, Amazon has also been reducing roles in other units, such as its books division, devices and services unit, and Wondery podcast platform.

Despite these workforce reductions, AWS sales rose 17% in the first quarter to $29.3 billion compared to a year earlier, with operating income increasing by 23% to $11.5 billion.

Amazon, alongside firms like Microsoft, Meta, and CrowdStrike, is increasingly relying on AI tools instead of human workers to automate tasks, write software code, and streamline operations as part of a broader trend affecting the tech industry.

Amazon’s latest cuts reflect efforts by Jassy to reduce bureaucracy and eliminate managerial layers, aiming to keep the company agile amid rapid AI adoption and changing business priorities.

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Mistral’s chatbot Le Chat takes on ChatGPT with major upgrade

France-based AI startup Mistral has rolled out a major update to Le Chat, its AI chatbot, introducing new features aimed at challenging rivals like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. The update includes Deep Research, voice interaction, reasoning capabilities and a refreshed image editor.

According to the company’s latest blog post, the new Deep Research mode transforms Le Chat into a structured assistant that can clarify needs, search sources and deliver summarised findings. The tool enables users to receive comprehensive responses in a neatly formatted report.

In addition, Mistral unveiled Vocal mode, allowing users to speak to the chatbot as if they were talking to a person. The feature is powered by the firm’s voice input model, Voxtral, which handles voice recognition in real time.

The company also introduced Think mode, based on its Magistral reasoning model. Designed for multilingual and complex tasks, the feature provides thoughtful and clear responses, even when answering legal or professional queries in languages like Spanish or Japanese.

For users juggling multiple conversations or tasks, the new Projects tool groups related chats into separate spaces. Each project includes a dedicated Library for storing files and content, while also remembering individual tools and settings.

Users can upload documents directly into Projects and revisit past chats or references. Content from the Library can also be pulled into the active conversation, supporting a more seamless and personalised experience.

A revamped image editor rounds out the update, offering users the ability to tweak AI-generated visuals while maintaining consistency in character design and fine details. Mistral says the upgrade helps improve image customisation without compromising visual integrity.

All features are now available through Le Chat’s web platform at ‘chat.mistral.ai’ or via the company’s mobile apps on Android and iOS. The update reflects Mistral’s growing ambition to differentiate itself in the increasingly competitive AI assistant market.

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Perplexity AI overtakes ChatGPT on India’s App Store

Perplexity AI has overtaken OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the top AI app on Apple’s App Store in India, following a new partnership with telecom provider Airtel.

Instead of paying the usual ₹17,000 annual fee for Perplexity AI Pro, Airtel customers now receive a free 12-month subscription, triggering a sharp increase in downloads and user engagement.

Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas confirmed the app’s rise to the number one position via LinkedIn.

The Perplexity app, available on iOS and browsers, offers AI search features including image generation, research tools, file analysis, and access to models like Claude, Grok 4, and GPT-4.1.

Although the app has been in the App Store for months, it has not surpassed ChatGPT until now.

The Airtel offer applies to all mobile, broadband, and DTH customers, who can redeem their subscription directly through the Airtel Thanks app.

Instead of limiting access to just the app, Perplexity Pro users can also use its advanced AI functionalities via Safari or Chrome browsers.

The offer is seen as especially beneficial for students, researchers, and professionals, encouraging a broader audience to try the service without an upfront payment.

Perplexity’s rapid rise in popularity highlights growing competition in India’s AI app market, with local telecom partnerships becoming a key driver instead of relying solely on organic growth through app stores.

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Denmark launches quantum initiative with world‑leading computer

Positioning itself at the forefront of quantum innovation, Denmark has made a €80 million commitment led by the Novo Nordisk Foundation and EIFO.

The Quantum initiative, operating under the new entity QuNorth, aims to deploy a system named Magne, expected to deliver unprecedented computational power when it becomes operational in late 2026 or early 2027.

Magne will boast approximately 50 logical qubits, enabling tasks beyond the reach of classical computers. Built by Atom Computing and powered by Microsoft’s quantum stack, it marks one of the first Level 2 quantum systems with integrated error correction.

The ambition is to eventually scale to hundreds or even a thousand logical qubits, entering a realm of applications that include transformative chemistry modelling, accelerated drug discovery and optimised logistics.

Boasting full Danish ownership, Magne is based in Copenhagen, and QuNorth will facilitate access for Nordic businesses and researchers.

Stakeholders see this as a vital step in stimulating Europe’s quantum ecosystem and boosting national competitiveness amid global tech rivalries with the US and China.

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xAI eyes data centre deal with Humain

Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, has entered early discussions with Humain to secure data centre capacity instead of relying solely on existing infrastructure.

According to Bloomberg, the arrangement could involve several gigawatts of capacity, although Humain has yet to start building its facilities, meaning any deal would take years to materialise.

Humain is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Public Investment Fund (PIF). xAI is reportedly considering a fresh funding round where PIF might also invest.

At the same time, xAI is negotiating with a smaller company constructing a 200-megawatt data centre, offering a more immediate solution while waiting for larger projects.

Rather than operating in isolation, xAI joins AI competitors like Google, Meta and Microsoft in racing to secure vast computing power for training large AI models. The push for massive data centre capacity reflects the escalating demands of advanced AI systems.

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How cultural heritage can go green through digital preservation

A Europe-wide survey has exposed how cultural heritage institutions (CHIs) protect humanity’s legacy digitally while unintentionally harming the environment.

Instead of focusing only on efficiency, the Europeana Climate Action Community recommends a shift towards environmentally sustainable and regenerative digital preservation.

Led by the Environmental Sustainability Practice Task Force, the survey collected input from 108 organisations across 24 EU countries. While 80% of CHIs recognise environmental responsibility, just 42% follow formal environmental strategies and a mere 14% measure carbon footprints.

Many maintain redundant data backups without assessing the ecological cost, and most lack policies for retiring digital assets responsibly.

The report suggests CHIs develop community-powered archives, adopt hardware recycling and repair, and prioritise sufficiency instead of maximising digital volume. Interviews with institutions such as the National Library of Finland and the POLIN Museum revealed good practices alongside common challenges.

With digital preservation increasingly essential, the Europeana Initiative calls for immediate action. By moving from isolated efficiency efforts to collective regeneration strategies, CHIs can protect cultural memory while reducing environmental impact for future generations.

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Google expands AI tools in Search with new subscriber perks

Google has begun rolling out new AI features in Search, introducing AI-powered phone calling to help users gather business information instead of contacting places manually.

The service, free for everyone in the US, allows people to search for businesses and have Google’s AI check pricing and availability on their behalf.

Subscribers to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra receive additional exclusive capabilities. These include access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, Google’s most advanced AI model, which supports complex queries such as coding or financial analysis.

Users can enable Gemini 2.5 Pro through the AI Mode tab instead of relying on the default model. Google is also launching Deep Research tools through Deep Search for in-depth investigations related to work, studies, or major life decisions.

Rather than rolling everything out all at once, Google is phasing in the features gradually. AI-powered calling is now available to all Search users in the US, while Gemini 2.5 Pro and Deep Research are becoming available specifically to AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers.

With these updates, Google aims to position Search as more than a simple information tool by transforming it into an active digital assistant capable of handling everyday tasks and complex research instead of merely providing quick answers.

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South Korea’s new Science Minister pledges AI-led national transformation

South Korea’s new Science and ICT Minister, Bae Kyung-hoon, has pledged to turn the nation into one of the world’s top three AI powerhouses.

Instead of following outdated methods, Bae outlined a bold national strategy centred on AI, science and technology, aiming to raise Korea’s potential growth rate to 3 per cent and secure a global economic leadership position.

Bae, a leading AI expert and former president of LG AI Research, officially assumed office on Thursday.

Drawing from experience developing hyperscale AI models like LG’s Exaone, he emphasised the need to build a unique competitive advantage rooted in AI transformation, talent development and technological innovation.

Rather than focusing only on industrial growth, Bae’s policy agenda targets a broad AI ecosystem, revitalised research and development, world-class talent nurturing, and addressing issues affecting daily life.

His plans include establishing AI-centred universities, enhancing digital infrastructure, promoting AI semiconductors, restoring grassroots research funding, and expanding consumer rights in telecommunications.

With these strategies, Bae aims to make AI accessible to all citizens instead of limiting it to large corporations or research institutes. His vision is for South Korea to lead in AI development while supporting social equity, cybersecurity, and nationwide innovation.

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