Development

EU launches three new digital skills academies

The European Commission has launched three new Digital Skills Academies focused on AI, quantum technologies and virtual worlds.

The academies were announced during Digital Skills EU Days, an annual event bringing together digital skills projects, national coalitions, policymakers, industry representatives and education organisations from across the EU.

Funded under the Digital Europe Programme, the academies are intended to establish specialised training in critical technology areas and help the EU meet its Digital Decade targets.

The Commission said Europe’s competitiveness and leadership depend on digital talent, linking the initiative to the Union of Skills, the AI Continent Action Plan, the Apply AI Strategy and the Digital Decade Policy Programme.

The new academies add to wider Digital Europe Programme investments in skilling, upskilling and reskilling. The programme has invested more than €294 million in the EU digital skills initiatives covering areas such as data, cloud, cybersecurity and AI.

During the event, the Commission also presented the 2026 European Digital Skills Awards, recognising projects focused on AI literacy, cybersecurity education, digital inclusion, research data management and women’s participation in ICT.

Why does it matter?

The new academies show that the EU is treating digital skills as part of its strategic technology agenda, alongside regulation, infrastructure and industrial policy. AI, quantum technologies and virtual worlds all require specialised expertise, and shortages in these areas could slow deployment across businesses, research institutions and public services. The initiative also supports the EU’s broader goal of strengthening technological competitiveness and reducing dependence on external talent and capabilities.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!  

South Korea and Japan expand AI and defence cooperation

South Korea and Japan have agreed to expand defence cooperation, including collaboration on AI and other advanced technologies, following talks between South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-Back and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in Seoul. The agreement was reached during a bilateral summit held in Seoul that day.

The ministers agreed to establish regular high-level visits and meetings, resume bilateral naval search and rescue exercises for the first time in nine years, and continue trilateral security cooperation with the United States to support regional peace and stability.

They also agreed to expand exchanges between South Korea’s Black Eagles and Japan’s Blue Impulse aerobatic teams to support search and rescue training. The agreement also included a commitment to strengthen ties in state-of-the-art science and technology, including AI, with the summit taking place at the Ministry of National Defence’s parade ground in Seoul.

Why does it matter?

The agreement marks a further improvement in defence relations between South Korea and Japan, whose security cooperation has often been constrained by historical and political tensions. The resumption of joint search and rescue exercises after nine years reflects growing alignment on shared regional security priorities.

The inclusion of AI and advanced technology cooperation also illustrates how emerging technologies are becoming integral to defence partnerships. As countries increasingly integrate AI into military planning, logistics and operational capabilities, technological collaboration is becoming a strategic component of broader security relationships, particularly within the Indo-Pacific.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Google says AI power users drive UK productivity gains

Workplace AI adoption in the UK has more than doubled over the past year, reaching 73%, according to a new Google report. However, the benefits remain uneven, with a small group of advanced users seeing significantly stronger career outcomes than the wider workforce.

The report categorises workers into four groups: AI Spectators, who have not yet engaged with the technology; Experimenters, who use basic AI functions; Practitioners, who use AI regularly; and AI Trailblazers, who apply it in advanced and innovative ways.

Although AI Trailblazers account for just 15% of users, they report significantly better outcomes, including faster promotions, larger pay increases and substantial weekly time savings.

The report found that advanced users outperform other workers across several indicators, including promotions, performance reviews and salary growth. However, differences in adoption across age, gender and geography suggest that unequal access to AI skills could widen existing labour market disparities.

Google argues that closing this gap will require greater investment in AI literacy, organisational support and workplace culture. Initiatives such as national upskilling programmes and diagnostic tools are intended to help workers progress from basic experimentation to more advanced AI use, supporting broader productivity growth.

Why does it matter? 

The findings suggest that simply adopting AI is not enough to generate widespread economic benefits. The greatest productivity and career gains are concentrated among workers who integrate AI deeply into their daily work, highlighting the importance of skills development and organisational support.

The report also points to a growing policy challenge. If access to advanced AI skills continues to vary across demographic groups and regions, AI could widen existing inequalities in the labour market. Expanding AI literacy and helping more workers move beyond basic use may therefore be as important as increasing adoption itself.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

UNESCO expands digital literacy training for educators

Around 10,000 literacy educators worldwide have completed a UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning digital skills course designed to strengthen the use of technology in literacy education.

The multilingual course was launched in December 2025 by the Secretariat of the Global Alliance for Literacy, in collaboration with Huawei. It is available in Arabic, English, French and Spanish.

The programme focuses on practical digital skills that educators can apply in literacy classrooms. It also encourages participants to use digital tools responsibly, evaluate online information critically and understand how technologies, including AI, shape learning and information use.

UNESCO said literacy today goes beyond reading and writing, requiring learners and educators to navigate digital environments and participate confidently in societies increasingly mediated by technology.

The course is delivered through 11 self-paced sessions and encourages educators to reflect on their teaching practice while developing new skills.

Participants from countries including Mexico, Pakistan and Togo reported stronger confidence in using digital tools, more learner-centred teaching approaches and greater use of collaboration and assessment technologies.

UNESCO said national and municipal adult education agencies, adult learning providers and UNESCO Learning Cities are helping expand the course across countries.

Why does it matter?

Digital literacy is becoming essential for both educators and learners, especially as AI and online platforms reshape access to information. Training literacy educators first can create a multiplier effect, helping adult learners and underserved communities build practical digital skills, critical thinking and confidence in online environments. The programme also shows how international education initiatives are moving beyond access to focus on effective and responsible use of technology.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

South Korea boosts AI funding to strengthen global competitiveness

South Korea’s National Assembly has approved a supplementary budget of 1.9067 trillion won for the AI sector, increasing the government’s original proposal by 61.8 billion won to strengthen the country’s global AI competitiveness. The Ministry of Science and ICT said the funding would be used to swiftly advance initiatives aimed at strengthening national AI competitiveness and positioning the country among the world’s top three AI leaders.

The funding is focused on three priorities: expanding AI computing infrastructure, advancing next-generation AI models and developing world-class talent. The largest allocation, 1.6341 trillion won, will be used to secure 10,000 advanced GPUs by the end of the year, alongside the leasing of a further 3,000 GPUs from the private sector to expand access.

A further 213.6 billion has been allocated to the proposed World Best LLM Project, under which five leading domestic AI teams will receive up to three years of support, including access to GPUs, high-quality datasets and specialist personnel. The Ministry will also launch the AI Pathfinder Project, offering grants of up to 2 billion won annually to attract leading international AI researchers.

Science and ICT Minister Yoo Sang-im said the funding comes at a pivotal moment as countries intensify competition for AI leadership. He said the government would pursue an all-out effort spanning advanced technology, talent development and AI adoption to establish South Korea among the world’s top three AI powers.

Why does it matter?

The supplementary budget demonstrates how governments are increasingly treating AI as strategic national infrastructure rather than simply an innovation policy issue. By investing simultaneously in computing capacity, foundation models and talent, South Korea is seeking to strengthen its long-term competitiveness in a global race increasingly defined by access to GPUs and skilled researchers.

The initiative also highlights that leadership in AI depends on more than financial investment alone. Competition for advanced chips and world-class talent has become increasingly intense, meaning the success of South Korea’s strategy will depend on how quickly it can translate funding into deployable infrastructure, cutting-edge research and commercial innovation.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Japan backs domestic AI model for robotics

Japan’s industry ministry has approved ¥387.3 billion in funding for a domestic AI project to develop a multimodal foundation model for physical AI systems that control robots. The initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen Japan’s position in advanced AI technologies.

The project aims to develop a foundation model that can be widely adopted by Japanese companies to support industrial automation and robotics. Officials see the initiative as a strategic effort to narrow the technology gap with the United States and China in next-generation AI.

The programme is being led by Noetra Corp., a consortium that includes SoftBank Corp. Engineers from SoftBank and Preferred Networks Inc. will contribute to development alongside researchers from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and other partners.

Over the next five years, the consortium plans to release an initial version of the foundation model during the current fiscal year, followed by annual upgrades incorporating industrial data from manufacturers and other participating companies.

Why does it matter? 

Japan’s investment reflects the growing importance of sovereign AI capabilities as countries seek greater control over the foundation models that will power future industries. By developing a domestic model tailored to robotics and industrial automation, Japan aims to strengthen its manufacturing sector while reducing reliance on foreign AI platforms.

The initiative also highlights the shift towards physical AI as the next frontier of AI development. As foundation models increasingly move beyond text and images to control robots and other autonomous systems, advances in multimodal AI could reshape manufacturing, logistics and other industrial sectors where Japan has long been a global leader.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!

India launches WhatsApp chatbot for public health services

India’s Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has launched Ayushman Sarathi, a WhatsApp chatbot developed by the National Health Authority to provide round-the-clock access to services under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), the country’s government-funded health insurance scheme.

Built on secure API integrations with the PM-JAY digital platform, the chatbot enables beneficiaries to check their eligibility, apply for and download Ayushman Cards, complete electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) verification, link their Aadhaar identity, view treatment history, locate empanelled hospitals and access other PM-JAY services directly through WhatsApp.

Users can also register, track and withdraw grievances, request callbacks, view wallet balances, and submit feedback after hospital discharge. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the chatbot is intended to improve accessibility, transparency and beneficiary engagement while reducing reliance on physical visits and call centres.

The chatbot also supports feedback collection and grievance management, providing health authorities with additional insight into service delivery while helping monitor PM-JAY implementation across India.

Why does it matter?

The launch reflects India’s continued expansion of digital public services by integrating government programmes into widely used consumer platforms. Delivering PM-JAY services through WhatsApp could make it easier for millions of beneficiaries to access healthcare information and administrative services without visiting government offices or contacting call centres.

The initiative also illustrates how digital public infrastructure is reshaping healthcare delivery. By combining secure digital identity, online service access and feedback mechanisms, the chatbot aims to improve efficiency, transparency and user engagement while supporting better monitoring of one of the world’s largest public health insurance programmes.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

NVIDIA and Palantir expand sovereign AI for US government

Palantir has announced a new sovereign AI capability built on NVIDIA’s open-source Nemotron models, enabling US government agencies and critical infrastructure operators to deploy, customise and continuously improve AI models within highly secure environments.

The platform combines NVIDIA Nemotron open models with Palantir’s Sovereign AI Operating System, allowing organisations to retain full control over their data, model weights and deployment infrastructure.

The system is designed for air-gapped and highly regulated environments where sensitive information cannot be connected to external networks.

Agencies will be able to train AI models using their own operational data, retain ownership of the resulting models and continuously improve performance through internal feedback loops.

The deployment is supported by NVIDIA AI Enterprise and Palantir’s Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP), Foundry, Ontology and Apollo platforms.

NVIDIA said the initiative reflects the growing importance of open AI models for government and enterprise development, arguing that they offer greater transparency, customisation and lower deployment costs than proprietary alternatives.

The company also highlighted the role of open models in strengthening AI adoption across sectors including defence, healthcare, energy, transportation and public administration.

Why does it matter?

The announcement reflects the growing importance of sovereign AI, as governments and operators of critical infrastructure seek to deploy advanced AI systems without relying on externally hosted services or relinquishing control over sensitive data. Open models combined with secure, self-managed infrastructure offer an alternative approach for organisations with strict security and regulatory requirements.

The partnership also highlights the strategic role of open foundation models in the evolving AI ecosystem. As competition intensifies between proprietary and open AI approaches, governments are increasingly viewing customisable, locally deployable models as critical assets for national security, digital sovereignty and public-sector modernisation.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Chief AI Officers to lead AI adoption across Australian government

Australian public service agencies are formalising the appointment of Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) to guide the safe, strategic and coordinated use of AI across government.

Under the APS AI Plan, all non-corporate Commonwealth entities must appoint a senior leader as Chief AI Officer by 30 June 2026. Corporate Commonwealth entities and Commonwealth companies are strongly encouraged to make similar appointments.

The role is intended to help agencies adopt and use AI, particularly generative AI, as the technology reshapes government operations, public service delivery and internal processes.

Chief AI Officers will complement, rather than replace, AI Accountable Officials. While Accountable Officials focus on governance, compliance and risk management, CAIOs will lead strategic adoption, organisational transformation and AI capability building.

The government said CAIOs should provide strategic leadership rather than focus primarily on technical implementation. Their responsibilities include identifying high-value AI use cases, building staff capability, championing responsible adoption and ensuring AI is deployed safely and effectively.

CAIOs will work across technology, data, policy, cybersecurity, privacy and human resources functions, while collaborating with counterparts across the Australian Public Service and the Department of Finance’s AI Delivery and Enablement team.

Chief AI Officers will also collaborate across the Australian Public Service, including with other CAIOs and the AI Delivery and Enablement function in the Department of Finance.

The government said AI should be viewed as a general-purpose capability rather than a conventional technology upgrade, reflecting its potential to transform multiple areas of public-sector work.

The CAIO role is intended to help agencies move from experimentation to more systematic and responsible adoption. It is also designed to support a whole-of-organisation view of AI risks and opportunities.

The AI Delivery and Enablement team has developed an information pack to support agencies in appointing CAIOs, along with a blog for newly appointed leaders.

A wide range of agencies have already appointed Chief AI Officers. The published list includes major departments, regulators, integrity bodies, health and research agencies, cultural institutions, security agencies and service delivery organisations.

A wide range of organisations have already appointed CAIOs, including major government departments, regulators, law enforcement bodies, research organisations and service delivery agencies such as the Department of Finance, Home Affairs, Treasury, the Australian Federal Police, Services Australia and the Australian Electoral Commission.

The appointments of Chief AI Officers reflect a broader effort to coordinate AI adoption across government while maintaining attention to safety, privacy, cybersecurity, governance and public value.

Why does it matter?

Australia’s initiative reflects a broader shift from experimental AI projects to coordinated, organisation-wide adoption across the public sector. By establishing dedicated AI leadership roles, the government is seeking to embed strategic oversight while ensuring that innovation is balanced with governance, privacy, cybersecurity and public accountability.

The creation of Chief AI Officers also highlights the growing recognition that AI adoption is an organisational transformation challenge rather than solely a technical one. As governments integrate AI into public services, dedicated leadership is becoming increasingly important to coordinate implementation, build capability and ensure AI delivers public value responsibly.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Malaysia adopts AI-centred digital strategy to 2030

Malaysia has launched the Malaysia Digital Action Plan 2030 (MD2030), a national roadmap that places the Ministry of Digital at the centre of efforts to achieve the country’s ambition of becoming an AI-driven nation by 2030.

Unveiled by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the strategy aims to transform Malaysia from a consumer of technology into a producer of homegrown digital innovation through a coordinated, whole-of-government approach.

The five-year plan sets national priorities across economic growth, digital public services, infrastructure, talent development, cybersecurity and AI innovation. It is built around seven strategic pillars covering government, the economy, infrastructure, talent, society, trust and security, and innovation.

MD2030 also aligns existing national initiatives, including the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint and the National Fourth Industrial Revolution Policy, while supporting the country’s broader economic agenda.

Implementation will be coordinated by the Ministry of Digital in collaboration with agencies including the National AI Office, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, CyberSecurity Malaysia, GovTech Malaysia and MyDIGITAL Corporation.

The government said the strategy will prioritise responsible AI governance, digital trust, AI readiness, smart public services, digital inclusion and the development of domestic AI capabilities across government, business and society.

Why does it matter?

MD2030 positions AI as a core driver of Malaysia’s economic development, public-sector modernisation and long-term competitiveness. By combining AI governance, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, skills development and innovation within a single national framework, the government is pursuing a coordinated approach to digital transformation rather than isolated technology initiatives.

The strategy also reflects intensifying regional competition to build sovereign AI capabilities. As Southeast Asian countries expand investment in AI infrastructure, talent and governance, Malaysia is seeking to strengthen its domestic innovation ecosystem while promoting trusted and responsible AI adoption across the economy.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!