The Nobel Prize in Physics has spotlighted quantum mechanics’ growing role in shaping a smarter, more sustainable future. Such advances are reshaping technology across communications and energy.
Researchers are finding new ways to use quantum effects to boost efficiency. Quantum computing could ease AI’s power demands, while novel production methods may transform energy systems.
A Institute of Science Tokyo team has built a quantum energy harvester that captures waste heat and converts it into power, bypassing traditional thermodynamic limits.
MIT has observed frictionless electron movement, and new quantum batteries promise faster charging by storing energy in photons. The breakthroughs could enable cleaner and more efficient technologies.
Quantum advances offer huge opportunities but also risks, including threats to encryption. Responsible governance will be crucial to ensure these technologies serve the public good.
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Discord has confirmed that official ID images belonging to around 70,000 users may have been exposed in a cyberattack targeting a third-party service provider. The platform itself was not breached, but hackers targeted a company involved in age verification processes.
The leaked data may include personal information, partial credit card details, and conversations with Discord’s customer service agents. No full credit card numbers, passwords, or activity beyond support interactions were affected. Impacted users have been contacted, and law enforcement is investigating.
The platform has revoked the support provider’s access to its systems and has not named the third party involved. Zendesk, a customer service software supplier to Discord, said its own systems were not compromised and denied being the source of the breach.
Discord has rejected claims circulating online that the breach was larger than reported, calling them part of an attempted extortion. The company stated it would not comply with demands from the attackers. Cybercriminals often sell personal information on illicit markets for use in scams.
ID numbers and official documents are especially valuable because, unlike credit card details, they rarely change. Discord previously tightened its age-verification measures following concerns over the misuse of some servers to distribute illegal material.
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Countries are racing to harness AI, and the European Commission has unveiled two strategies to maintain Europe’s competitiveness. Apply AI targets faster adoption across industries and the public sector, while AI in Science focuses on boosting Europe’s research leadership.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that Europe must shape AI’s future by balancing innovation and safety. The European Commission is mobilising €1 billion to boost adoption in healthcare, manufacturing, energy, defence, and culture, while supporting SMEs.
Measures include creating AI-powered screening centres for healthcare, backing frontier models, and upgrading testing infrastructure. An Apply AI Alliance will unite industry, academia, civil society, and public bodies to coordinate action, while an AI Observatory will monitor sector trends and impacts.
The AI in Science Strategy centres on RAISE, a new virtual institute to pool and coordinate resources for applying AI in research. Investments include €600 million in compute power through Horizon Europe and €58 million for talent networks, alongside plans to double annual AI research funding to over €3 billion.
The EU aims to position itself as a global hub for trustworthy and innovative AI by linking infrastructure, data, skills, and investment. Upcoming events, such as the AI in Science Summit in Copenhagen, will showcase new initiatives as Europe pushes to translate its AI ambitions into tangible outcomes.
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The US tech giant, Google, has announced a €5 billion investment in Belgium to strengthen its AI and cloud infrastructure over the next two years.
A plan that includes major expansions of its Saint-Ghislain data centre campuses and the creation of 300 full-time jobs.
The company has also signed agreements with Eneco, Luminus and Renner to develop new onshore wind farms and supply the Belgian grid with clean energy.
Alongside the infrastructure push, Google will fund non-profits to deliver free AI training for low-skilled workers, ensuring broader access to digital skills.
By deepening its presence in Belgium, Google aims to bolster the country’s technological and economic future. The initiative marks one of Europe’s largest AI infrastructure investments, reflecting growing competition to secure leadership in the continent’s digital transformation.
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Over 4.3 million New Zealand account details have been exposed online, according to the National Cyber Security Centre. As Cyber Smart Week begins, the agency is launching a free tool called ‘How Exposed Am I‘ through its Own Your Online platform to help people check their data and strengthen defences.
The tool utilises the Have I Been Pwned database to display users whose personal details have been compromised. It then provides steps to enhance security, giving individuals greater control over their digital safety. Authorities say scammers can easily exploit exposed information to compromise accounts.
New research highlights the scale of the threat. More than half of users in New Zealand faced an online security issue within six months, yet fewer than half felt personally vulnerable. Losses reached NZ$1.6 billion in 2024, affecting over 830,000 people, with an average loss of NZ$1,260 per incident.
NCSC’s Mike Jagusch says almost everyone leaves a digital footprint that exposes them to scammers. Simple steps, such as using long, unique passwords and enabling two-factor authentication, can greatly reduce risk. He notes that two-factor authentication alone can block 99% of automated attacks.
The initiative is part of Own Your Online’s broader push to improve national cyber resilience. Users are encouraged to start by securing their most critical accounts, such as banking, email, and social media, to build stronger protection against future scams.
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The Swedish-Swiss electrical engineering corporation ABB has agreed to sell its Robotics division to Japan’s SoftBank Group for an enterprise value of $5.375 billion, abandoning plans for a spin-off.
However, the move marks one of the most significant robotics transactions in recent years, and reflects both firms’ ambition to drive the next era of AI-based automation.
A divestment that will allow ABB to focus on its core businesses in electrification and automation, while SoftBank expands its ‘Physical AI’ strategy.
ABB said the sale would create immediate shareholder value and that proceeds would be used according to its capital allocation principles.
The Robotics division, which employs around 7,000 people and generated $2.3 billion in 2024 revenues, will become part of SoftBank’s portfolio upon completion of the deal, expected by mid-to-late 2026. The transaction is projected to yield ABB a pre-tax book gain of about $2.4 billion.
SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son said the acquisition aligns with his vision to combine artificial superintelligence and robotics to ‘propel humanity forward’.
ABB’s CEO Morten Wierod said the partnership would unite ABB’s industrial expertise with SoftBank’s AI capabilities, strengthening its global leadership in advanced robotics.
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A September breach at one of Discord’s customer service vendors has exposed user data, highlighting the growing cybersecurity risks associated with third-party providers. Attackers exploited vulnerabilities in the external platform, but Discord’s core systems were not compromised.
Exposed information includes usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, and partial payment details, such as the last four digits of credit card numbers. No full card numbers, passwords, or messages were accessed, which limited the scope of the incident compared to more severe breaches.
Discord revoked the vendor’s system access, launched an investigation, and engaged law enforcement and forensic experts. Only users who contacted support were affected. Individuals impacted are being notified by email and advised to remain vigilant for potential scams.
The incident underscores the growing risk of supply chain attacks, where external service providers become weak points in otherwise well-secured organisations. As companies rely more on vendors, attackers are increasingly targeting these indirect pathways.
Cybersecurity analysts warn that third-party breaches are on the rise amid increasingly sophisticated phishing and AI-enabled scams. Strengthening vendor oversight, improving internal training, and maintaining clear communication with users are seen as essential next steps.
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Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov has directed the full implementation of AI across government agencies to meet President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s goal of reducing the shadow economy’s share in GDP to 15 percent in 2025.
At a government session, Bektenov said progress must go beyond reports and correspondence, calling for structural reforms in taxation, digitalisation, and business regulation. He urged ministries to pursue a ‘transparent economy’ through comprehensive AI and data integration initiatives.
Bektenov stressed that digitalisation projects such as cashless payments and the digital tenge have already proven effective in curbing unrecorded transactions and improving financial oversight.
AI will also be deployed in customs risk profiling and cargo inspection analysis to detect fraud and reduce corruption.
The Ministries of Finance, Justice, Trade, and National Economy were instructed to integrate databases under the Smart Data Finance system and to finalise an automated risk management system for company registration by 25 November.
Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin will oversee coordination.
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US electric utilities are set to spend nearly $208 billion on the power grid in 2025 and more than $1.1 trillion over the next five years, according to the Edison Electric Institute. The surge in investment reflects rising demand from data centres, artificial intelligence, and wider electrification across the economy.
EEI data shows that investor-owned utilities spent $765 billion on capital projects in the five years to 2024. The new spending represents a significant increase and is aimed at upgrading and expanding infrastructure to keep pace with the accelerating demand for electricity.
The growing investment comes as demand from energy-intensive technologies continues to rise. Data centres and AI workloads are driving sustained growth in US power consumption, placing unprecedented pressure on existing infrastructure and prompting utilities to scale up their spending plans.
David Weeks, supply chain industry practice lead at Moody’s, warned that the escalating energy crisis could become a limiting factor across multiple industries. He said grid constraints and permitting delays must be factored into corporate supply chain strategies to avoid future disruptions.
As electrification spreads across the economy, grid reliability and capacity are becoming critical considerations for companies. The planned investment underscores the urgency of modernising the power grid to support economic growth while adapting to new technological demands.
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OpenAI has launched AgentKit, a new suite of developer tools designed to simplify AI-powered agents’ creation, deployment, and optimisation. The platform unifies workflows that previously required multiple systems, offering a faster and more visual way to build intelligent applications.
AgentKit’s AI includes Agent Builder, Connector Registry, ChatKit, and advanced evaluation tools. Developers can now design multi-agent workflows on a visual canvas, manage data connections across workspaces, and integrate chat-based agents directly into apps and websites.
Early users such as Ramp and LY Corporation built working agents in just a few hours, cutting development cycles by up to 70%. Companies including Canva and HubSpot have used ChatKit to embed conversational support agents, transforming customer experience and developer engagement.
New evaluation features and reinforcement fine-tuning allow users to test, grade, and improve agents’ reasoning abilities. AgentKit is now available to developers and enterprises through OpenAI’s API and ChatGPT Enterprise, with a wider rollout expected later this year.
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