Cybersecurity

DualEntry raises $90m to scale AI-first ERP platform

New York ERP startup DualEntry has emerged from stealth with $90 million in Series A funding, co-led by Lightspeed and Khosla Ventures. Investors include GV, Contrary, and Vesey Ventures, bringing the total funding to more than $100 million within 18 months of the company’s founding.

The capital will accelerate the growth of its AI-native ERP platform, which has processed $100 billion in journal entries. The platform targets mid-market finance teams, aiming to automate up to 90% of manual tasks and scale without external IT support or add-ons.

Early adopters include fintech firm Slash, which runs its $100M+ ARR operation with a single finance employee. DualEntry offers a comprehensive ERP suite that covers general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, audit controls, FP&A, and live bank connections.

The company’s NextDay Migration tool enables complete onboarding within 24 hours, securely transferring all data, including subledgers and attachments. With more than 13,000 integrations across banking, CRM, and HR systems, DualEntry establishes a centralised source of accounting information.

Founded in 2024 by Benedict Dohmen and Santiago Nestares, the startup positions itself as a faster, more flexible alternative to legacy systems such as NetSuite, Sage Intacct, and Microsoft Dynamics, while supporting starter tools like QuickBooks and Xero.

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Dutch government criticised over reliance on Microsoft cloud

Despite privacy concerns and parliamentary criticism, the Dutch Tax Administration will move much of its digital workplace to Microsoft’s cloud. State Secretary Eugène Heijnen told lawmakers that no suitable European alternatives met the technical, legal, and functional requirements.

Privacy advocates warn that using a US-based provider could put compliance with GDPR at risk, especially when data may leave the EU. Concerns about long-term dependency on a single cloud vendor have also been raised, making future transitions costly and complex.

Heijnen said sensitive documents would remain on internal servers, while cloud services would handle workplace functions. Employees had complained that the current system was inefficient and difficult to use.

The Court of Audit reported earlier this year that nearly two-thirds of the Dutch government’s public cloud services had not been properly risk-assessed. Despite this, Heijnen insisted that Microsoft offered the most viable option.

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US AI models outperform Chinese rival DeepSeek

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Centre for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI) found AI models from Chinese developer DeepSeek trail US models in performance, cost, security, and adoption.

Evaluations covered three DeepSeek and four leading US models, including OpenAI’s GPT-5 series and Anthropic’s Opus 4, across 19 benchmarks.

US AI models outperformed DeepSeek across nearly all benchmarks, with the most significant gaps in software engineering and cybersecurity tasks. CAISI found DeepSeek models costlier and far more vulnerable to hijacking and jailbreaking, posing risks to developers, consumers, and national security.

DeepSeek models were observed to echo inaccurate Chinese Communist Party narratives four times more often than US reference models. Despite weaknesses, DeepSeek model adoption has surged, with downloads rising nearly 1,000% since January 2025.

CAISI is a key contact for industry collaboration on AI standards and security. The evaluation aligns with the US government’s AI Action Plan, which aims to assess the capabilities and risks of foreign AI while securing American leadership in the field.

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FRA presents rights framework at EU Innovation Hub AI Cluster workshop in Tallinn

The EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security’s AI Cluster gathered in Tallinn on 25–26 September for a workshop focused on AI and its implications for security and rights.

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) played a central role, presenting its Fundamental Rights Impact Assessment framework under the AI Act and highlighting its ongoing project on assessing high-risk AI.

A workshop that also provided an opportunity for FRA to give an update on its internal and external work in the AI field, reflecting the growing need to balance technological innovation with rights-based safeguards.

AI-driven systems in security and policing are increasingly under scrutiny, with regulators and agencies seeking to ensure compliance with EU rules on privacy, transparency and accountability.

In collaboration with Europol, FRA also introduced plans for a panel discussion on ‘The right to explanation of AI-driven individual decision-making’. Scheduled for 19 November in Brussels, the session will form part of the Annual Event of the EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security.

It is expected to draw policymakers, law enforcement representatives and rights advocates into dialogue about transparency obligations in AI use for security contexts.

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Harvard physicists build first continuous quantum computer

Harvard physicists have developed the first continuously operating quantum computer, running for more than two hours without interruption and potentially indefinitely.

Until now, most quantum machines lasted milliseconds, with the longest recorded runtime about 13 seconds. The Harvard team overcame the problem of qubit loss by replenishing atoms in real time using an optical lattice conveyor belt and optical tweezers.

The system contains 3,000 qubits and can inject 300,000 atoms per second, allowing information to be preserved as older particles escape. The findings were produced with MIT collaborators and mark a turning point in quantum research.

Researchers say machines capable of running indefinitely could arrive within two to three years, accelerating progress in medicine, finance, and cryptography. Harvard has heavily invested in the field, launching one of the first PhD programmes in quantum science.

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Lincoln Lab launches most powerful AI supercomputer at US university

Lincoln Laboratory has unveiled TX-GAIN, the most powerful AI supercomputer at any US university. Optimised for generative AI, the system ranks on the TOP500 list and significantly boosts research across the MIT campus.

Equipped with more than 600 NVIDIA GPU accelerators, TX-GAIN delivers two AI exaflops of peak performance. Researchers are using it to advance biodefence, protein modelling, weather analysis, network security, and new materials development.

Generative AI applications go beyond large language models, with teams at Lincoln Laboratory exploring radar evaluation, chemical interactions, and anomaly detection in digital systems. The laboratory’s design lets researchers access vast computing power without needing expertise in parallel programming.

TX-GAIN is also supporting collaborations with MIT institutions and the US military, including projects in quantum engineering, space operations, and AI-driven flight scheduling. The system in an energy-efficient Massachusetts facility continues the lab’s supercomputing tradition.

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Taiwan rejects US proposal on semiconductor production split

Taiwan has dismissed reports of a US plan to divide global semiconductor production evenly between the two sides. Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun, returning from tariff talks in Washington, said her negotiating team had never discussed or agreed to a 50-50 split on chipmaking.

‘Rest assured, we did not discuss this issue during this round of talks, nor would we agree to such conditions,’ Cheng told reporters.

The clarification followed comments by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who suggested Washington was seeking such an arrangement. Neither the US Department of Commerce nor the Office of the Trade Representative commented on the reports.

Taiwan, home to leading chipmaker TSMC, currently faces a 20% tariff on exports to the United States but hopes negotiations will lead to more favourable trade terms.

TSMC is already expanding production abroad with a $165 billion investment in factories in Arizona, though the majority of its output will remain in Taiwan. The government has emphasised that the ongoing trade talks with Washington have achieved ‘certain progress’ but remain focused on tariffs, not production quotas.

Separately, President Lai Ching-te met with US officials to discuss agricultural trade. Taiwan pledged to purchase $10 billion worth of American agricultural products, including soybeans, wheat, corn, and beef, over the next four years, signalling broader economic cooperation despite tensions over chips.

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ECB names firms for digital euro components

The European Central Bank (ECB) has named the providers selected to deliver core components for the digital € project. The announcement follows a call for applications launched in January 2024, with results published on 2 October 2025.

Technology and payment companies chosen include Sapient GmbH, Tremend Software Consulting, equensWorldline, Feedzai, Capgemini, Almaviva, Fabrick, Giesecke+Devrient, and Senacor FCS.

Their roles cover services such as risk and fraud management, app development, offline solutions, and secure exchange of payment information. Second-ranked firms will only be engaged if required.

The ECB underlined that a decision on whether to issue the digital € has not been taken. Progress depends on the Digital Euro Regulation and approval by the ECB Governing Council, with development moving forward only once both are secured.

Framework agreements signed with the chosen providers involve no payments at this stage. They also include safeguards to allow adjustments, ensuring alignment with any future changes in European legislation.

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Japan and OpenAI team up for public sector AI innovation

Japan’s Digital Agency partners with OpenAI to integrate AI into public services, enhancing efficiency and innovation. Gennai, an OpenAI-powered tool, will enable government employees to explore innovative public sector applications, supporting Japan’s modern governance vision.

The collaboration supports Japan’s leadership in the Hiroshima AI Process, backed by the OECD and G7. The framework sets global AI guidelines, ensuring safety, security, and trust while promoting inclusive governance across governments, industry, academia, and civil society in Asia and beyond.

OpenAI is committed to meeting Japan’s rigorous standards and pursuing ISMAP certification to ensure secure and reliable AI use in government operations. The partnership strengthens trust and transparency in AI deployment, aligning with Japan’s national policies.

OpenAI plans to strengthen ties with Japanese authorities, educational institutions, and industry stakeholders. The collaboration seeks to integrate AI into society responsibly, prioritising safety, transparency, and global cooperation for sustainable benefits.

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Meta faces fines in Netherlands over algorithm-first timelines

A Dutch court has ordered Meta to give Facebook and Instagram users in the Netherlands the right to set a chronological feed as their default.

The ruling follows a case brought by digital rights group Bits of Freedom, which argued that Meta’s design undermines user autonomy under the European Digital Services Act.

Although a chronological feed is already available, it is hidden and cannot be permanent. The court said Meta must make the settings accessible on the homepage and Reels section and ensure they stay in place when the apps are restarted.

If Meta does not comply within two weeks, it faces a fine of €100,000 per day, capped at €5 million.

Bits of Freedom argued that algorithmic feeds threaten democracy, particularly before elections. The court agreed the change must apply permanently rather than temporarily during campaigns.

The group welcomed the ruling but stressed it was only a small step in tackling the influence of tech giants on public debate.

Meta has not yet responded to the decision, which applies only in the Netherlands despite being based on EU law. Campaigners say the case highlights the need for more vigorous enforcement to ensure digital platforms respect user choice and democratic values.

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