Cloud computing Archives | Page 43 of 56 | Digital Watch Observatory

Ooredoo launches local AI cloud service in Qatar

Ooredoo has unveiled a new sovereign AI cloud service powered by NVIDIA Hopper GPUs, hosted locally in Qatar’s data centres. The move supports the country’s broader aim to advance digital transformation and position itself as a regional leader in AI innovation.

The service accelerates AI adoption across key sectors such as energy, finance, logistics, healthcare and smart cities. As an NVIDIA Cloud Partner, Ooredoo now provides customers access to cutting-edge GPU technology and the NVIDIA AI Enterprise platform for developing and scaling AI solutions.

Use cases include real-time financial analysis, supply chain optimisation and chatbot development, all supported by high-performance cloud computing infrastructure operated by Syntys. These capabilities aim to deliver robust local AI services that meet national security and sovereignty requirements.

The initiative aligns with the Qatar Digital Agenda 2030 and the National AI Strategy, which advocate for local hosting, advanced digital infrastructure and responsible AI development. Ooredoo’s CEO, Sheikh Ali Bin Jabor Al-Thani, said the project will drive economic growth and innovation across all levels of society.

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Lloyds Bank to test neurosymbolic AI for better customer support

Lloyds has partnered with UnlikelyAI to test neurosymbolic AI across its operations to enhance customer service and reinforce its commitment to responsible AI. The trial will occur in Lloyd’s Innovation Sandbox and focus on ensuring accurate, consistent and explainable outputs.

UnlikelyAI combines neural networks with logic-based symbolic reasoning to produce AI that avoids hallucinations and supports transparent decision-making. The firm was founded by William Tunstall-Pedoe, the creator of voice assistant Evi, which helped build Amazon’s Alexa.

Lloyds hopes the technology will drive more personalised customer support and improve internal efficiency. The bank recently migrated its AI platforms to Google Cloud, further strengthening its digital infrastructure.

The announcement follows increased scrutiny from MPs over banks’ reliance on AI and tech vulnerabilities. Lloyds CEO Charlie Nunn believes new large language models could significantly improve customer interaction and personalised advice.

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Apple may use ChatGPT or Claude to power Siri

Apple is reportedly in talks with OpenAI and Anthropic as it considers outsourcing AI technology for its voice assistant, Siri.

The discussions are said to include the possibility of training versions of ChatGPT or Claude to run on Apple’s cloud infrastructure. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is currently leaning towards Anthropic’s Claude as a better fit for Siri, although no final decision has been made.

While Apple already allows users to access ChatGPT through its Apple Intelligence platform, the integration is currently optional and user-driven.

What is now under consideration would mark a significant shift, such as choosing a third-party model to power Siri directly. The initiative comes as the company struggles to keep pace in a rapidly advancing AI market dominated by Google, OpenAI, and others.

Apple is still developing its large language models under a project codenamed LLM Siri. However, these in-house systems are reportedly lagging behind leading models already available.

Should Apple proceed with a third-party integration, it would signal a rare admission that its internal AI efforts are not enough to compete at the highest level.

Once celebrated for breakthrough innovations like the iPhone, Apple has faced growing criticism for a lack of fresh ideas. With rivals embedding generative AI into everyday tools, the pressure is mounting.

If Siri remains limited — still unable to answer basic questions — Apple risks alienating even its most loyal users. Whether through partnership or internal progress, the company now faces a narrowing window to prove it still leads, instead of follows.

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Meta’s Facebook uses phone photos for AI if users allow it

Meta has introduced a new feature that allows Facebook to access and analyse users’ photos stored on their phones, provided they give explicit permission.

The move is part of a broader push to improve the company’s AI tools, especially after the underwhelming reception of its Llama 4 model. Users who opt in will be agreeing to Meta’s AI Terms of Service, which grants the platform the right to retain and use personal media for content suggestions.

The new feature, currently being tested in the US and Canada, is designed to offer Facebook users creative ideas for Stories by processing their photos and videos through cloud infrastructure.

When enabled, users may receive suggestions such as collages or travel highlights based on when and where images were captured, as well as who or what appears in them. However, participation is strictly optional and can be turned off at any time.

Facebook clarifies that the media analysed under the feature is not used to train AI models in the current test. Still, the system does upload selected media to Meta’s servers on an ongoing basis, raising privacy concerns.

The option to activate these suggestions can be found in the Facebook app’s settings, where users are asked whether they want camera roll data to inform sharing ideas.

Meta has been actively promoting its AI ambitions, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg pushing for the development of ‘superintelligence’. The company recently launched Meta Superintelligence Labs to lead these efforts.

Despite facing stiff competition from OpenAI, DeepSeek and Google, Meta appears determined to deepen its use of personal data to boost its AI capabilities.

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Nvidia’s sovereign AI vision gains EU support

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s call for ‘sovereign AI’ is gaining traction among European leaders who want more control over their data and digital future. He argues that nations must develop AI rooted in their own language, culture and infrastructure.

During a recent European tour, Huang unveiled major partnerships and investments European cities, citing the region’s over-reliance on US tech firms. European officials echoed his concerns, with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz supporting national AI initiatives.

The EU plans to build four AI gigafactories, aiming to reduce dependence on US cloud giants and strengthen regional innovation. Nvidia has committed to providing chips for these projects, while startups like Mistral are working to become local leaders in AI development.

Despite enthusiasm, high energy costs and limited resources may hinder Europe’s progress. Industry voices warn that without sustained investment, the region could struggle to match the spending power of US hyperscalers.

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Amazon launches AU$ 20 bn investment in Australian solar-powered data centres

Amazon will invest AU$ 20 billion to expand its data centre infrastructure in Australia, using solar and wind power instead of traditional energy sources.

The plan includes power purchase agreements with three utility-scale solar plants developed by European Energy, one of which—Mokoan Solar Park in Victoria—is already operational. The other two projects, Winton North and Bullyard Solar Parks, are expected to lift total solar capacity to 333MW.

The investment supports Australia’s aim to enhance its cloud and AI capabilities. Amazon’s commitment includes purchasing over 170MW of power from these projects, contributing to both data centre growth and the country’s renewable energy transition.

According to the International Energy Agency, electricity demand from data centres is expected to more than double by 2030, driven by AI.

Amazon Web Servic es CEO Matt Garman said the move positions Australia to benefit from AI’s economic potential. The company, already active in solar projects across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, continues to prioritise renewables to decarbonise operations and meet surging energy needs.

Instead of pursuing growth through conventional means, Amazon’s focus on clean energy could set a precedent for other tech giants expanding in the region.

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OpenAI turns to Google Cloud in shift from solo AI race

OpenAI has entered into an unexpected partnership with Google, using Google Cloud to support its growing AI infrastructure needs.

Despite being fierce competitors in AI, the two tech giants recognise that long-term success may require collaboration instead of isolation.

As the demand for high-performance hardware soars, traditional rivals join forces to keep pace. OpenAI, previously backed heavily by Microsoft, now draws from Google’s vast cloud resources, hinting at a changing attitude in the AI race.

Rather than going it alone, firms may benefit more by leveraging each other’s strengths to accelerate development.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai, speaking on a podcast, suggested there is room for multiple winners in the AI sector. He even noted that a major competitor had ‘invited me to a dance’, underscoring a new phase of pragmatic cooperation.

While Google still faces threats to its search dominance from tools like ChatGPT, business incentives may override rivalry.

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Brazilian telcos to push back on network fee ban

Brazilian telecom operators strongly oppose a bill that would ban charging network fees to big tech companies, arguing that these companies consume most of the network traffic, about 80% of mobile and 55% of fixed usage. The telcos propose a compromise where big techs either pay for usage above a set threshold or contribute a portion of their revenues to help fund network infrastructure expansion.

While internet companies claim they already invest heavily in infrastructure such as submarine cables and content delivery networks, telcos view the bill as unconstitutional economic intervention but prefer to reach a negotiated agreement rather than pursue legal battles. In addition, telcos are advocating for the renewal of existing tax exemptions on Internet of Things (IoT) devices and connectivity fees, which are set to expire in 2025.

These exemptions have supported significant growth in IoT applications across sectors like banking and agribusiness, with non-human connections such as sensors and payment machines now driving mobile network growth more than traditional phone lines. Although the federal government aims to reduce broad tax breaks, Congress’s outlook favours maintaining these IoT incentives to sustain connectivity expansion.

Discussions are also underway about expanding the regulatory scope of Brazil’s telecom watchdog, Anatel, to cover additional digital infrastructure elements such as DNS services, internet exchange points, content delivery networks, and cloud platforms. That potential expansion would require amendments to Brazil’s internet civil rights and telecommunications frameworks, reflecting evolving priorities in managing the country’s digital infrastructure and services.

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Coreweave expands AI infrastructure with Google tie‑up

CoreWeave has secured a pivotal role in Google Cloud’s new infrastructure partnership with OpenAI. The specialist GPU cloud provider will supply Nvidia‑based compute resources to Google, which will allocate them to OpenAI to support the rising demand for services like ChatGPT.

Already under a $11.9 billion, five‑year contract with OpenAI and backed by a $350 million equity investment, CoreWeave recently expanded the deal by another.

Adding Google Cloud as a customer helps the company diversify beyond Microsoft, its top client in 2024.

The arrangement positions Google as a neutral provider of AI computing power amid fierce competition with Amazon and Microsoft.

CoreWeave’s stock has surged over 270 percent since its March IPO, illustrating investor confidence in its expanding role in the AI infrastructure boom.

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Cisco to reinvent network security for the AI era

Cisco has introduced a major evolution in security policy management, aiming to help enterprises scale securely without increasing complexity. At the centre of this transformation is Cisco’s Security Cloud Control, a unified policy framework designed to simplify and centralise the enforcement of security policies across a wide range of environments and technologies.

With the introduction of the Mesh Policy Engine, organisations can now define a single, intent-based policy that applies seamlessly across Cisco and third-party firewalls. Cisco is also upgrading its network security infrastructure to support AI-ready environments.

The new Hybrid Mesh Firewall includes the high-performance 6100 Series for data centres and the cost-efficient 200 Series for branch deployments, offering advanced threat inspection and integrated SD-WAN. Enforcement is extended across SD-WAN, smart switches, and ACI fabric, ensuring consistent protection.

Additionally, Cisco has deepened its integration with Splunk to enhance threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR). Firewall log data feeds into Splunk for advanced analytics, while new SOAR integrations automate key responses like host isolation and policy enforcement.

Combined with telemetry from Cisco’s broader ecosystem, these tools provide faster, more informed threat management. Together, these advancements position Cisco as a leader in AI-era cybersecurity, offering a unified and intelligent platform that reduces complexity, improves detection and response, and secures emerging technologies like agentic AI. By embedding policy-driven security into the core of enterprise networks, Cisco is enabling organisations to innovate with AI safely and securely.

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