The European Parliament has disabled AI features on the tablets it provides to lawmakers, citing cybersecurity and data protection concerns. Built-in AI tools like writing and virtual assistants have been disabled, while third-party apps remain mostly unaffected.
The decision follows an assessment highlighting that some AI features send data to cloud services rather than processing it locally.
Lawmakers have been advised to take similar precautions on their personal devices. Guidance includes reviewing AI settings, disabling unnecessary features, and limiting app permissions to reduce exposure of work emails and documents.
Officials stressed that these measures are intended to prevent sensitive data from being inadvertently shared with service providers.
The move comes amid broader European scrutiny of reliance on overseas digital platforms, particularly US-based services. Concerns over data sovereignty and laws like the US Cloud Act have amplified fears that personal and sensitive information could be accessed by foreign authorities.
AI tools, which require extensive access to user data, have become a key focus in ongoing debates over digital security in the EU.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Ericsson and Microsoft have integrated advanced 5G into Windows 11 to simplify secure enterprise laptop connectivity. The update embeds AI-driven 5G management, enabling IT teams to automate connections and enforce policy-based controls at scale.
The solution combines Microsoft Intune with Ericsson Enterprise 5G Connect, a cloud-based platform that monitors network quality and optimises performance. Enterprises can switch service providers and automatically apply internal connectivity policies.
IT departments can remotely provision eSIMs, prioritise 5G networks, and enforce secure profiles across laptop fleets. Automation reduces manual configuration and ensures consistent compliance across locations and service providers.
The companies say the integration addresses long-standing barriers to adopting cellular-connected PCs, including complexity and fragmented management. Multi-market pilots have preceded commercial availability in the United States, Sweden, Singapore, and Japan.
Additional launches are planned in 2026 across Spain, Germany, and Finland. Executives from both firms describe the collaboration as a step toward AI-ready enterprise devices with secure, always-on connectivity.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Meta announced a multiyear partnership with NVIDIA to build large-scale AI infrastructure across on-premises and cloud systems. Plans include hyperscale data centres designed for both training and inference workloads, forming a core part of the company’s long-term AI roadmap.
Deployment will include millions of Blackwell and Rubin GPUs, plus expanded use of NVIDIA CPUs and Spectrum-X networking. According to Mark Zuckerberg, the collaboration is intended to support advanced AI systems and broaden access to high-performance computing capabilities worldwide.
Jensen Huang highlighted the scale of Meta’s AI operations and the role of deep hardware-software integration in improving performance.
Efficiency gains remain a central objective, with Meta increasing the rollout of Arm-based NVIDIA Grace CPUs to improve performance per watt in data centres. Future Vera CPU deployment is being considered to expand energy-efficient computing later in the decade.
Privacy-focused AI development forms another pillar of the partnership. NVIDIA Confidential Computing will first power secure AI features on WhatsApp, with plans to expand across more services as Meta scales AI to billions of users.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Ericsson and Mastercard will integrate Mastercard Move into the Ericsson Fintech Platform to expand digital wallets and cross-border transfers. The partnership targets telecom operators, banks, and fintechs seeking to launch new payment services and reach underserved communities.
By combining Ericsson’s cloud-native fintech infrastructure with Mastercard Move’s money transfer network, the companies aim to simplify integration, deployment, and compliance. The integration is designed to reduce operational complexity and accelerate time-to-market for digital payment services.
Mastercard Move supports transfers in over 200 countries and territories and enables transactions in 150 currencies. Ericsson’s fintech platform operates in 22 countries, serving more than 120 million users and processing over 4 billion transactions per month.
The companies said the collaboration is intended to create new revenue streams and strengthen digital ecosystems in both emerging and developed markets. A global rollout will begin in the Middle East and Africa, where demand for mobile money and interoperable payment systems continues to grow.
Executives said the partnership will support faster, more secure cross-border transfers and promote financial inclusion. The integration aims to help telecom providers and financial institutions scale digital payment services and expand access to the digital economy.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Mistral AI has strengthened its position in Europe’s AI sector through the acquisition of Koyeb. The deal forms part of its strategy to build end-to-end capacity for deploying advanced AI systems across European infrastructure.
The company has been expanding beyond model development into large-scale computing. It is currently building new data centre facilities, including a primary site in France and a €1.2 billion facility in Sweden, both aimed at supporting high-performance AI workloads.
The acquisition follows a period of rapid growth for Mistral AI, which reached a valuation of €11.7 billion after investment from ASML. French public support has also played a role in accelerating its commercial and research progress.
Mistral AI now positions itself as a potential European technology champion, seeking to combine model development, compute infrastructure and deployment tools into a fully integrated AI ecosystem.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The European Parliament has disabled built-in AI features on tablets issued to lawmakers, citing cybersecurity and data protection risks. An internal email states that writing assistants, summarisation tools, and enhanced virtual assistants were turned off after security assessments.
Officials said some AI functions on tablets rely on cloud processing for tasks that could be handled locally, potentially transmitting data off the device. A review is underway to clarify how much information may be shared with service providers.
Only pre-installed AI tools were affected, while third-party apps remain available. Lawmakers were advised to review AI settings on personal devices, limit app permissions, and avoid exposing work emails or documents to AI systems.
The step reflects wider European concerns about digital sovereignty and reliance on overseas technology providers. US legislation, such as the Cloud Act, allows authorities to access data held by American companies, raising cross-border data protection questions.
Debate over AI security is intensifying as institutions weigh innovation against the risks of remote processing and granular data access. Parliament’s move signals growing caution around handling sensitive information in cloud-based AI environments.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Ghana is set to host the Pan African AI and Innovation Summit 2026 in Accra, reinforcing its ambition to shape Africa’s digital future. The gathering will centre on ethical artificial intelligence, youth empowerment and cross-sector partnerships.
Advocates argue that AI systems must be built on local data to reflect African realities. Many global models rely on datasets developed outside the continent, limiting contextual relevance. Prioritising indigenous data, they say, will improve outcomes across agriculture, healthcare, education and finance.
National institutions are central to that effort. The National Information Technology Agency and the Data Protection Commission have strengthened digital infrastructure and privacy oversight.
Leaders now call for a shift from foundational regulation to active enablement. Expanded cloud capacity, high-performance computing and clearer ethical AI guidelines are seen as critical next steps.
Supporters believe coordinated governance and infrastructure investment can generate skilled jobs and position Ghana as a continental hub for responsible AI innovation.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The launch strengthens the company’s position in AI infrastructure hardware as demand for accelerated computing intensifies.
Built on sixth-generation 10nm-class DRAM and a 4nm logic base die, HBM4 delivers transfer speeds of 11.7Gbps, with performance scalable to 13Gbps. Bandwidth per stack has surged, reducing data bottlenecks as AI models and processing demands grow.
Engineering upgrades extend beyond raw speed. Enhanced stacking architecture, low-power design integration, and thermal optimisation have improved energy efficiency and heat dissipation, supporting large-scale data centre deployments and sustained GPU workloads.
Production scale-up is already in motion, backed by expanded manufacturing capacity and industry partnerships. Samsung expects HBM revenue growth to accelerate into 2026, with next-generation variants and custom configurations scheduled for future release cycles.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
AI is shifting from answering questions to autonomously accomplishing tasks, a transformation AWS CEO Matt Garman believes will unlock far greater enterprise value.
Speaking at AWS re:Invent 2025, Garman explained that AI inference- the computing capability that allows models to generate content, make predictions, and take actions against real-world data-represents a fundamental new building block in computing.
He described it as developers gaining access to a ‘new Lego’ that enables applications to make decisions and complete work independently. The distinction between content generation and task accomplishment carries significant implications for enterprise value.
First-wave generative AI focused on writing emails and summarising documents. Task-accomplishing agents can review insurance claims, cross-reference medical records, and process approved claims without human intervention.
Garman predicts widespread enterprise value creation from agents in 2026. AWS announced Amazon Bedrock AgentCore and three frontier agents at re:Invent 2025, providing organisations with infrastructure to deploy autonomous AI agents at scale.
For business leaders, investments in agents that automate end-to-end workflows will deliver exponentially more return on investment than tools that help employees work faster.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The European Commission has unconditionally approved Google’s proposed acquisition of Wiz under the EU Merger Regulation, concluding that the deal raises no competition concerns in the European Economic Area.
The assessment focused on the fast-growing cloud security market, where both companies are active. Google provides cloud infrastructure and security services via Google Cloud Platform, while Wiz offers a cloud-native application protection platform for multi-cloud environments.
Regulators examined whether Google could restrict competition by bundling Wiz’s tools or limiting interoperability with rival cloud providers. The market investigation found customers would retain access to credible alternatives and could switch suppliers if needed.
The Commission also considered whether the acquisition would give Google access to commercially sensitive data relating to competing cloud infrastructure providers. Feedback from customers and rivals indicated that the data involved is not sensitive and is generally accessible to other cloud security firms.
Based on these findings, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in any relevant market. The deal was therefore cleared unconditionally following a Phase I review.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!