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AMD powers US AI factory supercomputers for national research

The US Department of Energy and AMD are joining forces to expand America’s AI and scientific computing power through two new supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Named Lux and Discovery, the systems will drive the country’s sovereign AI strategy, combining public and private investment worth around $1 billion to strengthen research, innovation, and security infrastructure.

Lux, arriving in 2026, will become the nation’s first dedicated AI factory for science.

Built with AMD’s EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs alongside Oracle and HPE technologies, Lux will accelerate research across materials, medicine, and advanced manufacturing, supporting the US AI Action Plan and boosting the Department of Energy’s AI capacity.

Discovery, set for deployment in 2028, will deepen collaboration between the DOE, AMD, and HPE. Powered by AMD’s next-generation ‘Venice’ CPUs and MI430X GPUs, Discovery will train and deploy AI models on secure US-built systems, protecting national data and competitiveness.

It aims to deliver faster energy, biology, and national security breakthroughs while maintaining high efficiency and open standards.

AMD’s CEO, Dr Lisa Su, said the collaboration represents the best public-private partnerships, advancing the nation’s foundation for science and innovation.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright described the initiative as proof that America leads when government and industry work together toward shared AI and scientific goals.

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Two founders turn note-taking into an AI success

Two 20-year-old drop-outs, Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan, are behind Turbo AI, an AI-powered notetaker that has grown to around 5 million users and reached a multi-million-dollar annual recurring revenue (ARR) in a short timeframe.

Their app addresses a clear pain point, which is that meetings, lectures, and long videos produce information overload. Turbo AI uses generative AI to convert audio, typed notes or uploads into structured summaries, highlight key points and help users organise insights. The founders describe it as a ‘productivity assistant’ more than a general-purpose chat agent.

The business model appears lean, meaning that freemium user acquisition is scaling quickly, then converting power users into paid subscriptions. The insights are that a well-targeted niche tool can win strong uptake even in a crowded productivity-AI market.

Arora and Dhawan say they kept the feature set focused and user experience simple, enabling rapid word-of-mouth growth.

The growth raises interesting implications for enterprise and consumer AI alike. While large language models dominate headlines, tools like Turbo AI show the value of vertical-specific applications addressing tangible workflows (e.g., note-taking, summarisation). It also underscores how younger founders are building AI tools outside the major tech hubs and scaling globally.

At this stage, challenges remain: user retention, differentiation in a field where major players (Microsoft, Google, OpenAI) are adding similar capabilities, and privacy/data governance (especially with audio and meeting content). However, the early results suggest that targeted AI productivity tools can achieve a meaningful scale quickly.

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MoonshotAI released KIMI-K2 and OK Computer

KIMI-K2 is a large language model (LLM) developed by Beijing-based Moonshot AI, offering strong performance in writing and coding across diverse applications. Open-source and versatile, it delivers high-quality outputs across multiple domains, from text generation to programming.

Alongside KIMI-K2, the developers introduced OK Computer, an agent that extends the model’s abilities. Using this agent, users can build websites, conduct research, generate images, and create presentations or graphics from a single prompt, making complex workflows simpler and more accessible.

These tools reflect a growing trend in AI, which is combining multiple capabilities into one accessible system. By offering open-source solutions, KIMI-K2 and OK Computer empower users to tackle creative, technical, and research tasks with minimal effort.

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Lawmakers urge EU to curb Huawei’s role in solar inverters over security risks

Lawmakers and security officials are increasingly worried that Huawei’s dominant role in solar inverters could create a new supply-chain vulnerability for Europe’s power grids. Two MEPs have written to the European Commission urging immediate steps to limit ‘high-risk’ vendors in energy systems.

Inverters are a technology that transforms solar energy into the electrical current fed into the power network; many are internet-connected so vendors can perform remote maintenance. Cyber experts warn that remote access to large numbers of inverters could be abused to shut devices down or change settings en masse, creating surges, drops or wider instability across the grid.

Chinese firms, led by Huawei and Sungrow, supply a large share of Europe’s installed inverter capacity. SolarPower Europe estimates Chinese companies account for roughly 65 per cent of the market. Some member states are already acting: Lithuania has restricted remote access to sizeable Chinese installations, while agencies in the Czech Republic and Germany have flagged specific Huawei components for further scrutiny.

The European Commission is preparing an ICT supply-chain toolbox to de-risk critical sectors, with solar inverters listed among priority areas. Suspicion of Chinese technology has surged in recent years. Beijing, under President Xi Jinping, requires domestic firms to comply with government requests for data sharing and to report software vulnerabilities, raising Western fears of potential surveillance.

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NVIDIA AI Day Sydney showcases Australia’s growing role in global AI innovation

Australia took centre stage in the global AI landscape last week as NVIDIA AI Day Sydney gathered over a thousand participants to explore the nation’s path toward sovereign AI.

The event, held at ICC Sydney Theatre, featured discussions on agentic and physical AI, robotics and AI factories, highlighting how the next generation of computing is driving transformation across sectors.

Industry leaders, including Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Canva and emerging startups, joined NVIDIA executives to discuss how advanced computing and AI are shaping innovation.

Brendan Hopper of the Commonwealth Bank praised NVIDIA’s role in expanding Australia’s AI ecosystem through infrastructure, partnerships and education.

Speakers such as Giuseppe Barca of QDX Technologies emphasised how AI, high-performance computing and quantum research are redefining scientific progress.

With over 600 NVIDIA Inception startups and more than 20 universities using NVIDIA technologies, Australia’s AI ecosystem is expanding rapidly. Partners like Firmus Technologies, ResetData and SHARON AI underscored how AI Day Sydney demonstrated the nation’s readiness to become a regional AI hub.

The event also hosted Australia’s first ‘Startup, VC and Partner Connect’, linking entrepreneurs, investors and government officials to accelerate collaboration.

Presentations from quantum and healthcare innovators, alongside hands-on NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute sessions, showcased real-world AI applications from generative design to medical transcription.

NVIDIA’s Sudarshan Ramachandran said Australia’s combination of high-performance computing heritage, visual effects expertise and emerging robotics sector positions it to lead in the AI era.

Through collaboration and infrastructure investment, he said, the country is building a thriving ecosystem that supports discovery, sustainability and economic growth.

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UK tightens grip on Apple and Google mobile power

Apple and Google have been designated with strategic market status over UK mobile platforms. The CMA’s decision covers operating systems, app stores, browsers, and browser engines. Tailored conduct rules and special abuse oversight can now be imposed.

Regulators say entrenched power across iOS and Android risks limiting rivals and developers. The move is enabled by the UK’s DMCC framework and mirrors EU ambitions. Implementation will follow consultations on specific remedies for competition and consumer choice.

In Europe, gatekeeper rules already bite as Apple was fined €500 million over anti-steering. Alphabet faces preliminary findings over Play Store and search preferencing under the DMA. Further penalties could follow if non-compliance persists.

Both companies criticised the UK move, warning of harmed innovation and user experience. Google called the decision disappointing and disproportionate, while Apple attacked EU-style rules. The CMA also recently gave Google’s search and ads businesses SMS status.

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UC Santa Cruz uses NVIDIA AI to map global coastal flood risks

Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, are using NVIDIA’s accelerated computing to model coastal flooding and support climate adaptation planning.

Led by Professor Michael Beck, the team develops high-resolution, GPU-powered visualisations to assess how coral reefs, mangroves, and dunes can reduce flood damage.

The centre employs NVIDIA CUDA-X software and RTX GPUs to speed up flood simulations from six hours to just 40 minutes. Using tools such as SFINCS and Unreal Engine 5, the team can now generate interactive visual models of storm impact scenarios, providing vital insights for governments and insurers.

The researchers’ current goal is to map flooding risks across small island states worldwide ahead of COP30. Their previous visualisations have already helped secure reef insurance policies in Mexico’s Mesoamerican Barrier Reef region, ensuring funding for coral restoration after severe storms.

A project, part of CoSMoS ADAPT, that aims to expand the US Geological Survey’s coastal modelling system and integrate nature-based solutions like dunes and reefs into large-scale flood resilience strategies.

Through NVIDIA’s technology and academic grants, the initiative demonstrates how accelerated computing can drive real-world environmental protection.

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General Motors unveils AI and robotics innovations for next-generation vehicles

General Motors showcased AI, robotics, and software at GM Forward, showing how cars are becoming intelligent assistants. CEO Mary Barra unveiled advances in autonomy, AI, computing, and energy, signalling a move toward smarter, safer, and more personalised vehicles.

GM plans to bring eyes-off driving to market in 2028, debuting on the Cadillac ESCALADE IQ electric SUV. The company has already mapped 600,000 miles of hands-free roads in North America, with Super Cruise drivers completing 700 million miles without a crash attributed to the system.

Cruise’s driverless technology adds over five million fully autonomous miles of experience, forming the foundation for GM’s next phase of personal autonomy.

Vehicles will also feature conversational AI powered by Google Gemini from next year, allowing drivers to interact naturally with their car. In the future, GM plans to introduce its own AI, fine-tuned to individual vehicles and driver preferences via OnStar.

A new centralised computing platform, launching in 2028, will integrate propulsion, steering, infotainment, and safety on a single high-speed core, increasing update capacity, bandwidth, and AI performance dramatically.

GM is also advancing robotics at its Autonomous Robotics Center and Mountain View lab. Collaborative robots trained on decades of production data are being deployed in US assembly plants to improve efficiency, safety, and workplace quality.

Additionally, GM’s EVs can provide backup power to homes and, from 2026, to the electrical grid, supported by an integrated home energy system and smartphone app. Together, these innovations mark a significant step toward intelligent, personalised, and sustainable mobility.

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UK data stays in the UK as OpenAI rolls out residency

OpenAI will offer UK data residency for API Platform, ChatGPT Enterprise, and ChatGPT Edu from October 24. The option, announced by Deputy PM David Lammy, is tied to a Ministry of Justice partnership. The government says it boosts privacy, security, and resilience for public services and business.

Lammy will unveil the ‘sovereign capability’ at OpenAI Frontiers, citing early MoJ efficiency gains. Over 1,000 probation officers will use Justice Transcribe to record and auto-transcribe offender meetings. Hours of admin shift to AI so staff can focus on supervision and public protection.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says UK usage has quadrupled in the past year. The company pitches AI as a way to save time and lift productivity across sectors. MoJ pilots have sparked interest from other departments, with broader adoption expected.

Data residency is a key blocker for regulated sectors, and this move aims to address that gap. Keeping data within the UK can simplify compliance and reduce perceived risk. It also underpins continuity plans by localising sensitive workloads.

ChatGPT Atlas, an AI-first web browser, was also announced this week. Its arrival could nudge users away from keyword searches toward conversational answers. OpenAI faces rivals Anthropic, Perplexity, and big tech incumbents in that shift.

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Kazakhstan to achieve full Internet access for all citizens by 2027

Kazakhstan aims to provide Internet access to its entire population by 2027 as part of the national ‘Affordable Internet’ project.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of AI and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev outlined the country’s digital transformation goals during a government session, highlighting plans to eliminate digital inequality and expand broadband connectivity.

Over one trillion tenge has been invested in telecommunications in the past three years, bringing average Internet speeds to 94 Mbps. By 2027, Kazakhstan expects to achieve 100% Internet coverage, speeds above 100 Mbps, and fiber-optic access for 90% of rural settlements.

Currently, 84% of villages already have mobile Internet, and 2,606 are connected to main fibre-optic lines.

The plan includes 4G coverage for 92% of settlements, 5G deployment in 20 cities, and 4G connectivity across 40,000 km of highways. Satellite Internet will reach 504 remote villages by 2025.

Madiyev also noted Kazakhstan’s strategic role in global data transit, with projects such as the Caspian Sea undersea fibre-optic line aiming to raise its share of international traffic from 1.5% to 5% by 2027.

An initiative that supports Kazakhstan’s ambition to become a regional IT hub by 2030, with the number of IT racks set to grow from 4,000 to 20,000, and at least nine Tier III-IV data centres planned.

The country has also launched the National Supercomputer Center ‘alem.cloud’ and the ‘Al-Farabium’ tech cluster to strengthen its digital ecosystem.

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