They successfully transmitted data at a blistering 1.02 petabits per second, a breakthrough speed equivalent to transferring Netflix-quality content or entire encyclopedias in under a second. The test covered nearly 1,800 km, showcasing raw capacity and long-haul viability.
A pioneering 19-core optical fibre, no thicker than typical single-core cables, enabled this achievement. Multiple wavelength bands were combined and amplified 21 times to ensure signal integrity across the distance.
However, this feat doubles last year’s record and retains compatibility with existing fibre infrastructure.
Beyond breaking records, the project signals that future networks could support the massive bandwidth demands of AI, 8K streaming, cloud computing and even 6G.
The Dutch government has released a policy paper urging the European Union to take coordinated action to reduce its heavy dependence on non-EU cloud providers, especially from the United States.
The document recommends that the European Commission introduce a clearer and harmonized approach at the EU level.
Key proposals include creating a consistent definition of ‘cloud sovereignty,’ adjusting public procurement rules to allow prioritizing sovereignty, promoting open-source technologies and standards, setting up a common European decision-making framework for cloud choices, and ensuring sufficient funding to support the development and deployment of sovereign cloud technologies.
These measures aim to strengthen the EU’s digital independence and protect public administrations from external political or economic pressures.
A recent investigation found that over 20,000 Dutch institutions rely heavily on US cloud services, with Microsoft holding about 60% of the market.
The Dutch government warned this dependence risks national security and fundamental rights. Concerns escalated after Microsoft blocked the ICC prosecutor’s email following US sanctions, sparking political outrage.
In response, the Dutch parliament called for reducing reliance on American providers and urged the government to develop a roadmap to protect digital infrastructure and regain control.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Congress has under 90 days to renew the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (CISA) of 2015 and avoid a regulatory setback. The law protects companies from liability when they share cyber threat indicators with the government or other firms, fostering collaboration.
Before CISA, companies hesitated due to antitrust and data privacy concerns. CISA removed ambiguity by offering explicit legal protections. Without reauthorisation, fear of lawsuits could silence private sector warnings, slowing responses to significant cyber incidents across critical infrastructure sectors.
Debates over reauthorisation include possible expansions of CISA’s scope. However, many lawmakers and industry groups in the United States now support a simple renewal. Health care, finance, and energy groups say the law is crucial for collective defence and rapid cyber threat mitigation.
Security experts warn that a lapse would reverse years of progress in information sharing, leaving networks more vulnerable to large-scale attacks. With only 35 working days left for Congress before the 30 September deadline, the pressure to act is mounting.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Since the launch of its Digital Kazakhstan initiative in 2017, the country has shifted from resource-dependent roots to digital leadership.
It ranks 24th globally on the UN’s e‑government index and among the top 10 in online service delivery. Over 90% of public services, such as registrations, healthcare access, and legal documentation, are digitised, aided by mobile apps, biometric ID and QR authentication.
Central to this is a Tier III data-centre-based AI supercluster, launching in July 2025, and the Alem.AI centre, both designed to supply computing power for universities, startups and enterprises.
Kazakhstan is also investing heavily in talent and innovation. It aims to train up to a million AI-skilled professionals and supports over 1,600 startups at Astana Hub. Venture capital surpassed $250 million in 2024, bolstered by a new $1 billion Qazaqstan Venture Group fund.
Infrastructure upgrades, such as a 3,700 km fibre-optic corridor between China and the Caspian Sea, support a growing tech ecosystem.
Regulatory milestones include planned AI law reforms, data‑sovereignty zones like CryptoCity, and digital identity frameworks. These prepare Kazakhstan to become Central Asia’s digital and AI nexus.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A Turkish court has issued a nationwide ban on Grok, the AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s company xAI, following recent developments involving the platform.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday by a criminal court in Ankara, instructed Turkey’s telecommunications authority to block access to the chatbot across the country. The decision came after public filings under Turkey’s internet law prompted a judicial review.
Grok, which is integrated into the X platform (formerly Twitter), recently rolled out an update to make the system more open and responsive. The update has sparked broader global discussions about the challenges of moderating AI-generated content in diverse regulatory environments.
In a brief statement, X acknowledged the situation and confirmed that appropriate content moderation measures had been implemented in response. The ban places Turkey among many countries examining the role of generative AI tools and the standards that govern their deployment.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 in Geneva, global leaders and experts gathered to reflect on the two-decade legacy of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) and chart a course for the future of digital cooperation. Moderated by Anriette Esterhuysen of the Association for Progressive Communications, the panel underscored how the WSIS process helped connect over 5.6 billion people to the internet and solidified the importance of multistakeholder governance.
Speakers lauded successes in infrastructure and inclusion but were clear-eyed about persistent gaps, especially the 2.5 billion people who still lack connectivity.
He expressed concern over the drift from WSIS’s original vision of a global information society toward digital sovereignty, urging participants to stay true to a collaborative global model.
Experts emphasised the need for future frameworks to evolve without duplicating efforts. Professor Kathleen Kramer of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers highlighted the urgency of strong STEM education and technical standards to scale emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing responsibly.
The session closed with a renewed commitment to WSIS’s people-centred, inclusive values, even as the digital landscape becomes increasingly complex. With reflections on past achievements and a unified call for non-duplicative, collaborative governance, panellists offered a hopeful yet pragmatic vision for the next chapter of global digital development.
Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.
xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, has secured permits to operate 15 natural gas turbines at its Memphis data centre, despite facing legal threats over alleged Clean Air Act violations.
The Shelby County Health Department approved the generators, which can produce up to 247 megawatts, provided specific emissions controls are in place.
Environmental lawyers say xAI had already been running as many as 35 generators without permits. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), acting on behalf of the NAACP, has accused the company of serious pollution and is preparing to sue.
Even under the new permit, xAI is allowed to emit substantial pollutants annually, including nearly 10 tons of formaldehyde — a known carcinogen.
Community concerns about the health impact remain strong. A local group pledged $250,000 for an independent air quality study, and although the City of Memphis carried out its own tests, the SELC questioned their validity.
The tests missed ozone levels and were reportedly conducted in favourable wind conditions, with equipment placed too close to buildings.
Officials previously argued that the turbines were exempt from regulation due to their ‘mobile’ status, a claim the SELC refuted as legally flawed. Meanwhile, xAI has recently raised $10 billion, split between debt and equity, highlighting its rapid expansion, even as regulatory scrutiny grows.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
For years, a few US tech giants have dominated Europe’s digital infrastructure, threatening both its economy and democracy. Despite talk of ‘tech sovereignty,’ leaked reports suggest EU enforcement may be weakened in trade talks, risking public backing.
Surveys show strong support across the EU for tougher regulation of Big Tech, even at the cost of US tensions. The Digital Markets Act provides tools to challenge monopolies like Google, but enforcement remains slow and under-resourced.
Europe must take coordinated action: break up monopolies harming local media and jobs, strengthen enforcement, and invest in homegrown digital platforms. Redirecting funds from tech giants could empower startups and businesses dependent on these platforms.
Decisive political will is essential to turn tech sovereignty from rhetoric into reality. Effective regulation and strategic investment can restore Europe’s control over its digital future.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
On the final day of the Internet Governance Forum 2025 in Lillestrøm, Norway, stakeholders from governments, civil society, technical communities, and the private sector gathered to launch the new work cycle of the Policy Network on Internet Fragmentation (PNIF). Now entering its third year, the PNIF unveiled a structured framework to analyse internet fragmentation across three dimensions: user experience, internet governance coordination, and the technical infrastructure layer.
The session emphasised the urgent need for international cooperation to counter growing fragmentation threats, as enshrined in paragraph 29C of the Global Digital Compact. Speakers raised alarm over how political and economic forces are re-shaping the global internet.
With internet shutdowns and digital censorship increasingly normalised as tools of state control—highlighted by Iran’s recent 90-million-person shutdown—concerns about sovereignty overriding openness were prominent. Michel Lambert described this shift as a ‘political normalisation of network control.’
Marilia Maciel, Director of Digital Trade and Economic Security at Diplo, emphasised how trade and investment policies fuel economic fragmentation. Cuts to internet freedom funding were highlighted by both Lambert and Joyce Chen, who noted severe consequences for underserved regions like the Pacific.
Marilia Maciel, Director of Digital Trade and Economic Security at Diplo
From the technical community, Dhruv, representing the Internet Architecture Board, stressed the importance of safeguarding the internet’s interoperability by including technical experts in regulatory processes. Joyce Chen also pointed to successful coordination initiatives such as the Technical Community Coalition on Multi-Stakeholderism (TCCM).
Naim Gjokaj, State Secretary in Montenegro, offered a government perspective, advocating for stronger legal frameworks and regional coordination to avoid inadvertent fragmentation while supporting connectivity in rural areas.
The session concluded with a call to action: PNIF will focus its upcoming work on developing concrete, risk-based recommendations to implement the Global Digital Compact. Co-facilitators Sheetal Kumar and Bruna Santos encouraged broad community participation, aiming to deliver a final report by 1 November.
Despite the challenges, the atmosphere remained collaborative and forward-looking, reinforcing the importance of inclusive dialogue to ensure the internet remains a unified, accessible, and resilient resource for all.
Track all key moments from the Internet Governance Forum 2025 on our dedicated IGF page.
At the 2025 Internet Governance Forum in Lillestrøm, Norway, experts gathered to discuss how to involve diverse communities—especially indigenous and underrepresented groups—better in the technical governance of the internet. The session, led by Niger’s Anne Rachel Inne, emphasised that meaningful participation requires more than token inclusion; it demands structural reforms and practical engagement tools.
Central to the dialogue was the role of multilingualism, which UNESCO’s Guilherme Canela de Souza described as both a right and a necessity for true digital inclusion. ICANN’s Theresa Swinehart spotlighted ‘Universal Acceptance’ as a tangible step toward digital equality, ensuring that domain names and email addresses work in all languages and scripts.
Real-world examples, like hackathons with university students in Bahrain, showcased how digital cooperation can bridge technical skills and community needs. Meanwhile, Valts Ernstreits from Latvia shared how international engagement helped elevate the status of the Livonian language at home, proving that global advocacy can yield local policy wins.
The workshop addressed persistent challenges to inclusion: from bureaucratic hurdles that exclude indigenous communities to the lack of connections between technical and policy realms. Panellists agreed that real change hinges on collaboration, mentorship, and tools that meet people where they are, like WhatsApp groups and local capacity-building networks.
Participants also highlighted UNESCO’s roadmap for multilingualism and ICANN’s upcoming domain name support program as critical opportunities for further action. In a solution-oriented close, speakers urged continued efforts to make digital spaces more representative.
They underscored the need for long-term investment in community-driven infrastructure and policies that reflect the internet’s global diversity. The message was clear: equitable internet governance can only be achieved when all voices—across languages, regions, and technical backgrounds—are heard and empowered.
Track all key moments from the Internet Governance Forum 2025 on our dedicated IGF page.
