Applied Digital is expanding in North Dakota with Polaris Forge 2, a $3 billion AI factory breaking ground in September 2025. The Harwood site will add 280 megawatts of capacity by 2027, cementing the state’s role in US AI infrastructure.
The project reflects demand and Applied Digital’s push to deliver high-performance compute power at scale. CEO Wes Cummins confirmed strong partner interest, including discussions with a US hyperscaler, and stated that the development will enhance growth and community value.
North Dakota has become a key destination for data centres, with abundant power, land, and a business-friendly climate. Polaris Forge 2 builds on the success of the Ellendale campus, with over 900 acres contracted and energy secured from Cass County Electric Cooperative.
The campus will employ more than 200 staff and contractors upon completion of operations. Governor Kelly Armstrong welcomed the investment, praising Applied Digital’s housing and workforce initiatives in Ellendale as a model for rural innovation and economic resilience.
Commerce Commissioner Chris Schilken said the Harwood site extends that success, reinforcing North Dakota as a hub for sustainable AI infrastructure. Applied Digital sees Polaris Forge 2 as advancing its mission to deliver innovation while driving local development and long-term growth.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The US government is reportedly considering acquiring a stake in Intel to support its domestic chip manufacturing plans. Talks began after Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan met with Trump administration officials on 11 August, following calls for his resignation over alleged China ties.
President Trump has pushed for greater control over the semiconductor sector and recently criticised Tan, prompting political pressure on Intel’s board.
While Intel declined to comment on a possible deal, it stated its commitment to supporting US technology and manufacturing leadership.
The proposed stake would aid Intel’s delayed Ohio chip factory project and expand its US production capacity.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A North Korean hacking unit has launched a ransomware campaign targeting South Korea and other countries, marking a shift from pure espionage. Security firm S2W identified the subgroup, ‘ChinopuNK’, as part of the ScarCruft threat actor.
The operation began in July, utilising phishing emails and a malicious shortcut file within a RAR archive to deploy multiple malware types. These included a keylogger, stealer, ransomware, and a backdoor.
ScarCruft, active since 2016, has targeted defectors, journalists, and government agencies. Researchers say the move to ransomware indicates either a new revenue stream or a more disruptive mission.
The campaign has expanded beyond South Korea to Japan, Vietnam, Russia, Nepal, and the Middle East. Analysts note the group’s technical sophistication has improved in recent years.
Security experts advise monitoring URLs, file hashes, behaviour-based indicators, and ongoing tracking of ScarCruft’s tools and infrastructure, to detect related campaigns from North Korea and other countries early.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Chrome security update fixes six flaws that could enable arbitrary code execution. Stable channel 139.0.7258.127/.128 (Windows, Mac) and .127 (Linux) ships high-severity patches that protect user data and system integrity.
CVE-2025-8879 is a heap buffer overflow in libaom’s video codec. CVE-2025-8880 is a V8 race condition reported by Seunghyun Lee. CVE-2025-8901 is an out-of-bounds write in ANGLE.
Detection methods included AddressSanitizer, MemorySanitizer, UndefinedBehaviorSanitizer, Control Flow Integrity, libFuzzer, and AFL. Further fixes address CVE-2025-8881 in File Picker and CVE-2025-8882, a use-after-free in Aura.
Successful exploitation could allow code to run with browser privileges through overflows and race conditions. The automatic rollout is staged; users should update it manually by going to Settings > About Chrome.
Administrators should prioritise rapid deployment in enterprise fleets. Google credited external researchers, anonymous contributors, and the Big Sleep project for coordinated reporting and early discovery.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Indonesia is urgently working to secure strategic autonomy in AI as Huawei rapidly expands its presence in the country’s critical infrastructure. Officials are under pressure to swiftly adopt enforceable safeguards to balance innovation and security. The aim is to prevent critical vulnerabilities from emerging.
Huawei’s telecom dominance extends into AI through 5G infrastructure, network tools, and AI cloud centres. Partnerships with local telecoms, along with government engagement, position the company at the heart of Indonesia’s digital landscape.
Experts warn that concentrating AI under one foreign supplier could compromise data sovereignty and heighten security risks. Current governance relies on two non-binding guidelines, providing no enforceable oversight or urgent baseline for protecting critical infrastructure.
The withdrawal of Malaysia from Huawei’s AI projects highlights urgent geopolitical stakes. Indonesia’s fragmented approach, with ministries acting separately, risks producing conflicting policies and leaving immediate gaps in security oversight.
Analysts suggest a robust framework should require supply chain transparency, disclosure of system origins, and adherence to data protection laws. Indonesia must act swiftly to establish these rules and coordinate policy across ministries to safeguard its infrastructure.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Quantum computing is set to shift from theory to real-world applications in 2025, driven by breakthroughs from Google and IBM. With error-corrected qubits and faster processing, the market is projected to reach $292 billion by 2035.
New chips, such as Google’s Willow, have significantly reduced errors, while interconnect innovations link multiple processors. Hybrid quantum-classical systems are emerging, with AI refining results for logistics, energy grids, and secure financial transactions.
The technology is accelerating drug discovery, climate modelling, and materials science, cutting R&D timelines and improving simulation accuracy. Global firms like Pasqal are scaling production in Saudi Arabia and South Korea, even as geopolitical tensions rise.
Risks remain high, from the energy demands of quantum data centres to threats against current encryption. Experts urge rapid adoption of post-quantum cryptography and fault-tolerant systems before mass deployment.
As the UN marks 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science, quantum computing is quietly being integrated into operations worldwide, solving problems that surpass those of classical machines. The revolution has begun, largely unnoticed but poised to redefine economies and technology.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The US Judiciary has confirmed suffering a cyberattack and says it is reinforcing systems to prevent further breaches. In a press release, it described ‘escalated cyberattacks of a sophisticated and persistent nature’ targeting its case management system and sensitive files.
Most documents in the judiciary’s electronic system are public; however, some contain confidential or proprietary information that is sealed from public view. The documents, it warned, are of interest to threat actors, prompting courts to introduce stricter controls on access under monitored conditions.
The Administrative Office of the US Courts is collaborating with Congress, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and other relevant agencies on security measures. No details were given on the exact methods of reinforcement.
The US court system has been a frequent target of cybercrime. Previous incidents include a 2020 federal court breach, a 2024 attack on Washington state courts, and a ransomware strike on the Los Angeles Superior Court in summer 2024.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Tesla has applied for a licence to supply electricity to homes and businesses across Britain, challenging the dominance of major energy firms. Ofgem could take up to nine months to decide, with operations potentially starting next year.
Known for electric vehicles, Tesla also runs solar and battery storage divisions, with more than 250,000 EVs and tens of thousands of home batteries already sold in the UK. The company’s experience in Texas, where it rewards customers for feeding surplus power to the grid, could inform its UK plans.
The move comes as Tesla’s European car sales decline sharply, with July registrations falling almost 60% in the UK and over 55% in Germany. Increased competition from Chinese manufacturer BYD has added to the pressure.
Tesla has faced public criticism linked to Elon Musk’s political positions, yet the energy push signals a strategic shift towards broader utility services in its key markets.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Google has become the first major tech firm to sign formal agreements with US electric utilities to ease grid pressure. The deals come as data centres drive unprecedented energy demand, straining power infrastructure in several regions.
The company will work with Indiana Michigan Power and Tennessee Valley Authority to reduce electricity usage during peak demand. These arrangements will help divert power to general utilities when needed.
Under the agreements, Google will temporarily scale down its data centre operations, particularly those linked to energy-intensive AI and machine learning workloads.
Google described the initiative as a way to speed up data centre integration with local grids while avoiding costly infrastructure expansion. The move reflects growing concern over AI’s rising energy footprint.
Demand-response programmes, once used mainly in heavy manufacturing and crypto mining, are now being adopted by tech firms to stabilise grids in return for lower energy costs.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The UK’s designation of data centres as Critical National Infrastructure highlights their growing strategic importance, yet a pressing concern remains over vulnerabilities in their OT and IoT systems. While IT security often receives significant investment, the same cannot be said for other technologies.
Attackers increasingly target these overlooked systems, gaining access through insecure devices such as IP cameras and biometric scanners. Many of these operate on outdated firmware and lack even basic protections, making them ideal footholds for malicious actors.
There have already been known breaches, with OT systems used in botnet activity and crypto mining, often without detection. These attacks not only compromise security in the UK but can destabilise infrastructure by overloading resources or bypassing safeguards.
Addressing these threats requires full visibility across all connected systems, with real-time monitoring, wireless traffic analysis, and network segmentation. Experts urge data centre operators to act now, not in response to a breach, but to prevent one entirely.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
