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NVIDIA and TSMC celebrate first US-made Blackwell AI chip

A collaboration between NVIDIA and TSMC has marked a historic milestone with the first NVIDIA Blackwell wafer produced on US soil.

The event, held at TSMC’s facility in Phoenix, symbolised the start of volume production for the Blackwell architecture and a major step toward domestic AI chip manufacturing.

NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang described it as a moment that brings advanced technology and industrial strength back to the US.

A partnership that highlights how the companies aim to strengthen the US’s semiconductor supply chain by producing the world’s most advanced chips domestically.

TSMC Arizona will manufacture next-generation two-, three- and four-nanometre technologies, crucial for AI, telecommunications, and high-performance computing. The process transforms raw wafers through layering, etching, and patterning into the high-speed processors driving the AI revolution.

TSMC executives praised the achievement as the result of decades of partnership with NVIDIA, built on innovation and technical excellence.

Both companies believe that local chip production will help meet the rising global demand for AI infrastructure while securing the US’s strategic position in advanced technology manufacturing.

NVIDIA also plans to use its AI, robotics, and digital twin platforms to design and manage future American facilities, deepening its commitment to domestic production.

The companies say their shared investment signals a long-term vision of sustainable innovation, industrial resilience, and technological leadership for the AI era.

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AWS glitch triggers widespread outages across major apps

A major internet outage hit some of the world’s biggest apps and sites from about 9 a.m. CET Monday, with issues traced to Amazon Web Services. Tracking sites reported widespread failures across the US and beyond, disrupting consumer and enterprise services.

AWS cited ‘significant error rates’ in DynamoDB requests in the US-EAST-1 region, impacting additional services in Northern Virginia. Engineers are mitigating while investigating root cause, and some customers couldn’t create or update Support Cases.

Outages clustered around Virginia’s dense data-centre corridor but rippled globally. Impacted brands included Amazon, Google, Snapchat, Roblox, Fortnite, Canva, Coinbase, Slack, Signal, Vodafone and the UK tax authority HMRC.

Coinbase told users ‘all funds are safe’ as platforms struggled to authenticate, fetch data and serve content tied to affected back-ends. Third-party monitors noted elevated failure rates across APIs and app logins.

The incident underscores heavy reliance on hyperscale infrastructure and the blast radius when core data services falter. Full restoration and a formal post-mortem are pending from AWS.

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Starcloud launches data centres into space

A new era in data technology is emerging as Starcloud, a member of NVIDIA’s Inception startup program, prepares to send its first AI-driven satellite into orbit next month.

The mission marks the debut of NVIDIA’s H100 GPU in space and represents a decisive step toward the creation of large-scale orbital data centres designed to meet the planet’s soaring demand for AI.

By operating data centres in space, Starcloud aims to cut energy costs by tenfold and significantly reduce carbon emissions. The vacuum of space will serve as a natural cooling system, while constant exposure to solar energy will eliminate the need for batteries or backup power.

According to CEO Philip Johnston, the only environmental cost will come from the launch itself, resulting in substantial carbon savings over the data centre’s lifetime.

Starcloud’s technology could transform how Earth observation data is processed. Instead of transmitting raw information back to the ground, satellites will analyse it in real time, improving responses to wildfires, weather changes, and agricultural needs.

The company plans to run Google’s open AI model Gemma on its satellite and eventually integrate NVIDIA’s next-generation Blackwell GPUs, boosting computing power even further.

Johnston predicts that within a decade, most new data centres will be built in orbit. If achieved, Starcloud’s innovation could mark the beginning of a sustainable digital revolution powered by the stars instead of the grid.

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Meta expands AI infrastructure with sustainable data centre in El Paso

The US tech giant, Meta, has begun construction on a new AI-optimised data centre in El Paso, Texas, designed to scale up to 1GW and power the company’s expanding AI ambitions.

The 29th in Meta’s global network, the site will support the next generation of AI models, underpinning technologies such as smart glasses, AI assistants, and real-time translation tools.

A data centre project that represents a major investment in both technology and the local community, contributing over $1.5 billion and creating about 1,800 construction jobs and 100 operational roles in its first phase.

Meta’s Community Accelerator programme will also help local businesses build digital and AI skills, while Community Action Grants are set to launch in El Paso next year.

Environmental sustainability remains central to the development. The data centre will operate on 100% renewable energy, with Meta covering the costs of new grid connections through El Paso Electric.

Using a closed-loop cooling system, the facility will consume no water for most of the year, aligning with Meta’s target to be water positive by 2030. The company plans to restore twice the amount of water used to local watersheds through partnerships with DigDeep and the Texas Water Action Collaborative.

The El Paso project, Meta’s third in Texas, underscores its long-term commitment to sustainable AI infrastructure. By combining efficiency, clean energy, and community investment, Meta aims to build the foundations for a responsible and scalable AI-driven future.

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An awards win for McAfee’s consumer-first AI defence

McAfee won ‘Best Use of AI in Cybersecurity’ at the 2025 A.I. Awards for its Scam Detector. The tool, which McAfee says is the first to automate deepfake, email, and text-scam detection, underscores a consumer-focused defence. The award recognises its bid to counter fast-evolving online fraud.

Scams are at record levels, with one in three US residents reporting victimisation and average losses of $1,500. Threats now range from fake job offers and text messages to AI-generated deepfakes, increasing the pressure on tools that can act in real time across channels.

McAfee’s Scam Detector uses advanced AI to analyse text, email, and video, blocking dangerous links and flagging deepfakes before they cause harm. It is included with core McAfee plans and available on PC, mobile, and web, positioning it as a default layer for everyday protection.

Adoption has been rapid, with the product crossing one million users in its first months, according to the company. Judges praised its proactive protection and emphasis on accuracy and trust, citing its potential to restore user confidence as AI-enabled deception becomes more sophisticated.

McAfee frames the award as validation of its responsible, consumer-first AI strategy. The company says it will expand Scam Detector’s capabilities while partnering with the wider ecosystem to keep users a step ahead of emerging threats, both online and offline.

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Abu Dhabi deploys AI-first systems with NVIDIA and Oracle

Oracle and NVIDIA have joined forces to advance sovereign AI, supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming an AI-native government by 2027.

The partnership combines the computing platforms of NVIDIA with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to create secure, high-performance systems that deliver next-generation citizen services, including multilingual AI assistants, automatic notifications, and intelligent compliance solutions.

The Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027 of Abu Dhabi, backed by a 13-billion AED investment, follows a phased ‘crawl, walk, run’ approach. The initiative has already gone live across 25 government entities, enabling over 15,000 daily users to access AI-accelerated services.

Generative AI applications are now integrated into human resources, procurement, and financial reporting, while advanced agentic AI and autonomous workflows will further enhance government-wide operations.

The strategy ensures full data sovereignty while driving innovation and efficiency across the public sector.

Partnerships with Deloitte and Core42 provide infrastructure and compliance support, while over 200 AI-powered capabilities are deployed to boost digital skills, economic growth, and employment opportunities.

By 2027, the initiative is expected to contribute more than 24 billion AED to Abu Dhabi’s GDP and create over 5,000 jobs, demonstrating a global blueprint for AI-native government transformation.

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Researchers expose weak satellite security with cheap equipment

Scientists in the US have shown how easy it is to intercept private messages and military information from satellites using equipment costing less than €500.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego and the University of Maryland scanned internet traffic from 39 geostationary satellites and 411 transponders over seven months.

They discovered unencrypted data, including phone numbers, text messages, and browsing history from networks such as T-Mobile, TelMex, and AT&T, as well as sensitive military communications from the US and Mexico.

The researchers used everyday tools such as TV satellite dishes to collect and decode the signals, proving that anyone with a basic setup and a clear view of the sky could potentially access unprotected data.

They said there is a ‘clear mismatch’ between how satellite users assume their data is secured and how it is handled in reality. Despite the industry’s standard practice of encrypting communications, many transmissions were left exposed.

Companies often avoid stronger encryption because it increases costs and reduces bandwidth efficiency. The researchers noted that firms such as Panasonic could lose up to 30 per cent in revenue if all data were encrypted.

While intercepting satellite data still requires technical skill and precise equipment alignment, the study highlights how affordable tools can reveal serious weaknesses in global satellite security.

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Vodafone restores UK network after major outage

Vodafone says its nationwide network outage that left thousands across the UK without broadband and mobile data has been fully resolved. The disruption, which began on Monday afternoon, triggered over 130,000 complaints to Downdetector as customers reported losing internet access.

The company confirmed that a software error from one of its vendors had caused the problem but stressed it was not the result of a cyberattack. Vodafone apologised and said the network had fully recovered after engineers implemented fixes late on Monday night.

Industry experts warned that the outage highlighted the need for stronger digital resilience. Analysts said businesses relying on Vodafone likely suffered missed deadlines and financial losses, with many expected to seek compensation.

The fault also impacted UK customers of Voxi, Lebara, and Talkmobile, which operate on Vodafone’s infrastructure. Cloudflare data showed Vodafone traffic temporarily dropped to zero, effectively cutting the network off from the internet for over an hour.

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Amazon expands Project Kuiper with new satellite launches

Amazon’s Project Kuiper is moving ahead with its global satellite internet network, adding another 24 satellites to orbit as part of its ongoing deployment plan.

The latest mission, known as KF-03, is scheduled for today, launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The KF-03 launch will bring the total number of Kuiper satellites to 153, furthering the plan of Amazon to build a low Earth orbit constellation of more than 3,200 spacecraft.

Once deployed at an altitude of 289 miles, the satellites will undergo health checks before being raised to their operational orbit of 392 miles. The mission marks Amazon’s third collaboration with SpaceX as part of over 80 launches planned for the project.

Earlier missions in 2025 included deployments using both SpaceX Falcon 9 and ULA Atlas V rockets. The first launch in April carried 27 satellites, followed by additional missions in June, July, August and September.

Each operation has strengthened the foundation of Kuiper’s network, which aims to provide reliable internet connectivity to customers and communities worldwide.

Amazon’s Project Kuiper represents a major investment in global connectivity infrastructure, with its Kennedy Space Center facility in Florida supporting multiple launch campaigns simultaneously.

Once complete, the system is expected to compete with other satellite internet networks by expanding digital access across underserved regions.

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Age verification and online safety dominate EU ministers’ Horsens meeting

EU digital ministers are meeting in Horsens on 9–10 October to improve the protection of minors online. Age verification, child protection, and digital sovereignty are at the top of the agenda under the Danish EU Presidency.

The Informal Council Meeting on Telecommunications is hosted by the Ministry of Digital Affairs of Denmark and chaired by Caroline Stage. European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen is also attending to support discussions on shared priorities.

Ministers are considering measures to prevent children from accessing age-inappropriate platforms and reduce exposure to harmful features like addictive designs and adult content. Stronger safeguards across digital services are being discussed.

The talks also focus on Europe’s technological independence. Ministers aim to enhance the EU’s digital competitiveness and sovereignty while setting a clear direction ahead of the Commission’s upcoming Digital Fairness Act proposal.

A joint declaration, ‘The Jutland Declaration’, is expected as an outcome. It will highlight the need for stronger EU-level measures and effective age verification to create a safer online environment for children.

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