Capacity development

Apple partners with Anthropic on AI coding tool

Apple is reportedly collaborating with Anthropic, a startup backed by Amazon, to develop a new AI-powered coding platform called ‘vibe coding’, according to Bloomberg.

The platform will use Anthropic’s Claude Sonnet model to write, edit, and test code on behalf of programmers, updating Apple’s existing Xcode software instead of launching an entirely separate tool.

‘Vibe coding’ refers to a growing trend in AI development where intelligent agents generate code autonomously instead of relying on manual programming. Apple is said to be testing the system internally for now, with no confirmed decision on whether it will become publicly available.

The move comes as tech firms race to lead in generative AI. While Apple previously introduced a similar tool, Swift Assist, it was never released to developers amid concerns from engineers about possible slowdowns in app creation.

Apple and Anthropic have not commented publicly on the reported collaboration.

With rivals like OpenAI pushing ahead—reportedly negotiating a $3 billion acquisition of coding assistant Windsurf—Apple is equipping its devices with more advanced chips and AI features, including ChatGPT integration, to compete in the rapidly evolving landscape instead of falling behind.

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Nvidia moves to comply with US export rules

Nvidia is planning to redesign its AI chips to comply with tightened US export restrictions, aiming to retain its foothold in China instead of pulling back.

According to a report by The Information, the chipmaker has already informed major Chinese clients, such as Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent, about its revised strategy. The discussions reportedly occurred during CEO Jensen Huang’s visit to Beijing in mid-April.

The visit came just after Washington expanded its curbs on high-performance AI chip exports to China, specifically targeting Nvidia’s H20 chip.

Originally developed to meet earlier US rules, the H20 has now also been deemed too powerful for export under the new regulations. The US government says the move is aimed at preventing China’s military from accessing cutting-edge AI.

Nvidia previously warned that the latest restrictions could cost it up to $5.5 billion in lost revenue. Instead of backing away, the company is now preparing redesigned chips to stay within legal bounds while continuing to serve Chinese tech firms.

Customers have been told that prototype chips could be ready by June.

In addition, Nvidia is developing a tailored version of its next-generation AI chip, Blackwell, specifically for China. These efforts underline Nvidia’s attempt to balance regulatory compliance with its commercial interests in one of the world’s largest AI markets.

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RackBank launches $118 million AI data centre park in India

RackBank has opened a new AI data centre park in Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh, with an initial investment of ₹10 billion (around $118 million).

Instead of relying on conventional data infrastructure, the facility focuses on GPU-based computing, AI processing and data analytics, and is expected to generate over 500 jobs, primarily in the IT sector.

Spread across 13.5 acres, the park includes a designated Special Economic Zone and begins operations with a 5 MW capacity. Rather than stopping there, RackBank plans to scale the facility to 150 MW, which could draw an additional ₹20 billion in investment.

The park has been designed to position India as a competitive force in AI infrastructure.

Instead of standard cooling methods, RackBank is deploying its proprietary direct-to-chip and Varuna liquid immersion systems, which aim to cut cooling costs by up to 70% and enhance energy efficiency.

The company envisions the centre as a hub for academic, industrial and governmental collaboration, helping businesses leverage India’s growing GPU capabilities.

Officials see the initiative as a major step toward digital self-reliance. Rather than concentrating such developments in traditional tech hubs, the project puts Chhattisgarh on the national map for data management and AI innovation.

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Google admits using opted-out content for AI training

Google has admitted in court that it can use website content to train AI features in its search products, even when publishers have opted out of such training.

Although Google offers a way for sites to block their data from being used by its AI lab, DeepMind, the company confirmed that its broader search division can still use that data for AI-powered tools like AI Overviews.

An initiative like this has raised concern among publishers who seek reduced traffic as Google’s AI summarises answers directly at the top of search results, diverting users from clicking through to original sources.

Eli Collins, a vice-president at Google DeepMind, acknowledged during a Washington antitrust trial that Google’s search team could train AI using data from websites that had explicitly opted out.

The only way for publishers to fully prevent their content from being used in this way is by opting out of being indexed by Google Search altogether—something that would effectively make them invisible on the web.

Google’s approach relies on the robots.txt file, a standard that tells search bots whether they are allowed to crawl a site.

The trial is part of a broader effort by the US Department of Justice to address Google’s dominance in the search market, which a judge previously ruled had been unlawfully maintained.

The DOJ is now asking the court to impose major changes, including forcing Google to sell its Chrome browser and stop paying to be the default search engine on other devices. These changes would also apply to Google’s AI products, which the DOJ argues benefit from its monopoly.

Testimony also revealed internal discussions at Google about how using extensive search data, such as user session logs and search rankings, could significantly enhance its AI models.

Although no model was confirmed to have been built using that data, court documents showed that top executives like DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis had expressed interest in doing so.

Google’s lawyers have argued that competitors in AI remain strong, with many relying on direct data partnerships instead of web scraping.

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MIT researchers boost quantum computing speed

Researchers at MIT have achieved a significant milestone in quantum computing by demonstrating what they say is the strongest nonlinear light-matter coupling ever recorded.

Using a novel superconducting circuit architecture, the team developed a ‘quarton coupler’ that could dramatically boost the speed of quantum operations, making it possible to run processors about ten times faster than previous systems.

The coupler enables far stronger interactions between photons and artificial atoms—key components of quantum systems—which in turn allows for much faster and more accurate measurements of quantum data.

These improvements are crucial for increasing the number of error-correction rounds that can be completed before qubits lose their coherence, a major limitation in current quantum technology.

Faster readout could therefore pave the way toward fault-tolerant quantum computing, where large-scale real-world applications become possible.

Although the technology is not yet ready for commercial deployment, the research team sees this experiment as an essential foundation.

The architecture could eventually be adapted into more complex quantum processors with built-in readout circuits, allowing scientists to perform quantum computations at greater speed and precision.

The work was supported by the Army Research Office, the AWS Center for Quantum Computing, and MIT’s Center for Quantum Engineering.

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Trump administration eyes overhaul of Biden-era AI chip export rules

The Trump administration is reviewing a Biden-era rule that restricts global access to US-made advanced AI chips, with discussions underway to eliminate the current tiered system that governs chip exports, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The existing rule, known as the Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion, was introduced by the US Department of Commerce in January and is set to take effect on 15 May.

It divides the world into three groups: trusted allies (like the EU and Taiwan) with unlimited access, Tier 2 countries with chip quotas, and restricted countries such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

Officials are considering replacing this structure with a global licensing regime based on government-to-government agreements—aligning with Donald Trump’s broader trade strategy of negotiating bilateral deals and using US-made chips as leverage.

Other possible changes include tightening export thresholds: under current rules, orders under the equivalent of 1,700 Nvidia H100 chips only require notification, not a licence. The new proposal could reduce that threshold to around 500 chips.

Supporters of the change argue it would increase US bargaining power and simplify enforcement. Critics, however, warn that scrapping the tier system may complicate compliance and drive countries toward Chinese chip alternatives.

Tech firms such as Oracle and Nvidia, along with several US lawmakers, have criticised the current framework, saying it risks harming American competitiveness and pushing international buyers toward cheaper, unregulated Chinese substitutes.

The Commerce Department declined to comment.

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Amazon launches first Kuiper satellites to challenge Starlink

Amazon has launched the first 27 satellites of its Project Kuiper broadband network into low-Earth orbit, marking a major step in its $10bn plan to deliver global internet coverage and rival Elon Musk’s Starlink.

The satellites were launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, after weather delays earlier this month. They are the first of over 3,200 that Amazon intends to deploy, with the aim of reaching underserved and remote areas around the world.

Project Kuiper, announced in 2019, has been slow to get off the ground. Amazon must deploy at least half its satellite constellation—1,618 units—by mid-2026 to meet US regulatory requirements, though analysts expect the company to seek an extension.

The launch puts Amazon into direct competition with SpaceX, which has already deployed over 8,000 Starlink satellites and serves more than 5 million users across 125 countries.

While SpaceX dominates the sector, Amazon hopes its strengths in cloud computing and consumer devices will give Kuiper an edge.

Jeff Bezos said he expects both Kuiper and Starlink to succeed, citing strong global demand for satellite internet. Kuiper consumer terminals will sell for under $400 and come in various sizes, including one comparable to a Kindle.

Amazon has booked 83 future launches with partners including ULA, Arianespace, and Bezos’s Blue Origin, making it the biggest satellite launch programme in history.

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UK refuses to include Online Safety Act in US trade talks

The UK government has ruled out watering down the Online Safety Act as part of any trade negotiations with the US, despite pressure from American tech giants.

Speaking to MPs on the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, the parliamentary under-secretary for online safety, stated unequivocally that the legislation was ‘not up for negotiation’.

‘There have been clear instructions from the Prime Minister,’ she said. ‘The Online Safety Act is not part of the trade deal discussions. It’s a piece of legislation — it can’t just be negotiated away.’

Reports had suggested that President Donald Trump’s administration might seek to make loosening the UK’s online safety rules a condition of a post-Brexit trade agreement, following lobbying from large US-based technology firms.

However, Baroness Jones said the legislation was well into its implementation phase and that ministers were ‘happy to reassure everybody’ that the government is sticking to it.

The Online Safety Act will require tech platforms that host user-generated content, such as social media firms, to take active steps to protect users — especially children — from harmful and illegal content.

Non-compliant companies may face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover, whichever is greater. In extreme cases, platforms could be blocked from operating in the UK.

Mark Bunting, a representative of Ofcom, which is overseeing enforcement of the new rules, said the regulator would have taken action had the legislation been in force during last summer’s riots in Southport, which were exacerbated by online misinformation.

His comments contrasted with tech firms including Meta, TikTok and X, which claimed in earlier hearings that little would have changed under the new rules.

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Trump eases auto tariffs amid industry concerns

President Donald Trump has signed executive orders easing his controversial 25% tariffs on automobiles and parts, aiming to relieve pressure on carmakers struggling with rising costs.

The move follows warnings from manufacturers and analysts that the tariffs could inflate prices, harm domestic production and slow the industry’s recovery. Trump framed the measure as a temporary bridge, allowing automakers time to shift more manufacturing into the US instead of facing harsh penalties.

The changes include a short-term rebate system tied to the proportion of foreign parts used in vehicles assembled domestically. Automakers have been told they’ll have two years of reduced levies, giving them time to reconfigure supply chains and invest in new US-based facilities.

Officials claim announcements on job creation and plant expansion are expected soon, with companies like Stellantis, Ford, and GM praising the policy shift as a step toward competitiveness rather than an immediate fix.

However, some experts warn that the industry needs stability instead of unpredictable policy swings. They argue that relocating production takes years and billions in investment, not mere months.

With vehicle prices already high and supply chains stretched, economists question whether the tariff adjustments can offset the broader economic risks posed by Trump’s wider trade strategy.

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Tech giants circle as Chrome faces possible break-up

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, may soon be forced to split into separate entities, with its Chrome browser emerging as a particularly attractive target.

With Chrome controlling over 65% of the global browser market, interest is mounting from AI-driven firms and legacy tech companies alike, all eager to take control of a platform that reaches billions of users.

OpenAI, known for ChatGPT, sees Chrome as a natural fit for its expanding AI ecosystem, especially with search features increasingly integrated into its chatbot.

Rival AI search firm Perplexity is also eyeing Chrome instead of building from scratch, viewing it as a shortcut to mainstream adoption and a rich source of user data and engagement.

Yahoo, backed by Apollo Global Management, is reportedly considering a $50 billion bid, even while developing its own browser internally.

Despite legal uncertainties and the threat of drawn-out regulatory battles, the opportunity to own Chrome could radically shift influence in the tech sector, especially while Google faces mounting antitrust scrutiny.

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