Development Archives | Page 17 of 557 | Digital Watch Observatory

European Commission urges fast rollout of EU age verification app

The European Commission has adopted a recommendation urging member states to accelerate the rollout of the EU age verification app and make it available by the end of the year. The recommendation says the app can be deployed either as a standalone solution or integrated into a European Digital Identity Wallet.

According to the Commission, the app is intended to let users prove they meet a required age threshold without disclosing their exact age, identity, or other personal details. The Commission has also published a blueprint for the system, leaving it to member states to customise and produce the app for their citizens.

The recommendation sets out actions for member states to support rapid availability and interoperability, including implementation plans and coordination to ensure the swift rollout of the solution across the EU.

The measure forms part of the EU’s wider approach to protecting minors online under the Digital Services Act, which requires online platforms to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security for minors.

Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen said: ‘Effective and privacy-preserving age verification is the next piece of the puzzle that we are getting closer to completing, as we work towards an online space where our children are safe and empowered to use positively and responsibly without restricting the rights of adults.’

Why does it matter?

The move takes age verification in the EU from a general policy objective to a more concrete implementation phase. Rather than leaving platforms and member states to develop separate solutions, the Commission is trying to steer the bloc towards a common privacy-preserving model that can work across borders.

That matters for both child protection and regulatory coherence, because if countries adopt incompatible systems or move at very different speeds, enforcement under the Digital Services Act could become uneven in practice.

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UK links digital waste tracking to enforcement in Waste Crime Action Plan

The UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has linked the rollout of digital waste tracking to its wider effort to tackle waste crime in England, presenting stronger traceability as part of its Waste Crime Action Plan.

Defra says waste crime costs the economy an estimated £1 billion a year and continues to damage communities, the environment, and legitimate businesses. Its Waste Crime Action Plan for England combines tighter regulation, stronger enforcement, and faster clean-up of the most harmful illegal waste sites.

A central part of that approach is digital waste tracking. Defra says the system will create a near real-time record of where waste goes at each stage of its journey, making it harder for criminal operators to exploit gaps in the existing system. Better-quality data across the waste chain is also intended to support a more intelligence-led approach to regulation and enforcement.

The department has presented the launch of the public beta for the ‘Report Receipt of Waste’ service as a major step in that process. The service allows waste receivers to submit data on the waste they handle. It is intended to support a more accountable system in which waste movements can be tracked, verified, and audited.

Defra describes digital waste tracking as a shift away from a largely paper-based and bureaucratic system. For legitimate businesses, the department says the new approach should reduce administrative burdens while improving clarity and confidence across the sector.

The rollout will take place in phases. Defra says the first phase begins with the public beta and will become mandatory from October 2026 for licensed or permitted operators of waste receiving sites, including recycling centres, landfills, and treatment facilities. Around 12,000 permitted waste receiving sites will be covered in the first phase, with more than 100,000 operators expected to come into scope as the service expands.

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Latvia shows average AI tool adoption levels

Recent data from Eurostat and the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia highlights that around one-third of people in Latvia use AI tools. Latvian Public Media reports that usage broadly matches the EU average.

In Latvia, 35.1 percent of internet users reported using AI in 2025, slightly above the EU figure of 33 percent. Adoption is highest among younger people, with nearly three-quarters of those aged 16 to 24 using such tools.

Usage varies across demographics, with higher rates among educated users and employed individuals. Men use AI slightly more than women, while regional differences show stronger uptake in the Riga area.

Many non-users say they see no need for AI, while others cite a lack of skills or awareness. The findings were reported based on official data in Latvia.

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AI research collaboration expands as Google plans campus in South Korea

A major step in global AI expansion is underway as Google prepares to establish its first overseas AI campus in Seoul within 2026. The initiative reflects a broader effort to deepen collaboration between global technology firms and regional innovation ecosystems.

The project is being developed in coordination with Google DeepMind and institutions in South Korea, with a dedicated research team expected to support joint development. Around ten specialists will lead technical cooperation, strengthening links between academia, startups and industry.

A central pillar of this collaboration is the K-Moonshot Project, which applies AI to challenges in biotechnology, climate and energy. Alongside this, an agreement with the Ministry of Science and ICT aims to enhance research capabilities and develop specialised human capital in advanced technologies.

The initiative highlights a growing convergence between national innovation strategies and global AI leadership, signalling a shift towards more distributed and collaborative research infrastructures across regions.

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MIT researchers develop tool to estimate energy use of AI workloads

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab have developed a rapid estimation system that calculates the energy consumption of AI workloads in seconds, offering a major improvement over traditional methods that take hours or days.

The tool, known as EnergAIzer, is designed to support data centre operators as AI demand accelerates and electricity consumption rises. With AI infrastructure expected to account for a significant share of US power usage in the coming years, more efficient resource planning has become increasingly critical.

EnergAIzer analyses repeatable workload patterns and GPU behaviour to generate fast predictions of energy use across different hardware setups. After incorporating real GPU measurements, the system achieves high accuracy while remaining lightweight and adaptable to current and future chip designs.

By providing immediate feedback on energy consumption, the tool allows developers and operators to optimise workloads, reduce waste, and test different configurations before deployment. The approach is positioned as a practical step towards improving sustainability across large-scale AI systems.

Why does it matter?

Energy use is becoming one of the defining constraints of AI growth, as large-scale models push data centres towards unprecedented electricity demand. A tool like EnergAIzer directly addresses this bottleneck by making power consumption visible and measurable before deployment.

Faster and more accurate estimation changes how AI systems are designed and scaled. Rather than reacting to energy costs after deployment, developers and operators can optimise workloads in advance, cutting waste and improving efficiency.

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Meta partners with Overview and Noon Energy to power AI data centres

Meta has announced two energy partnerships to support its AI infrastructure, teaming up with Overview Energy for space solar power and Noon Energy for ultra-long-duration storage, with up to 1 GW reserved under each agreement.

Overview Energy operates satellites in geosynchronous orbit, roughly 22,000 miles above Earth, where sunlight is constant. The satellites collect solar energy and beam it to existing ground-based solar farms as low-intensity, near-infrared light, enabling around-the-clock electricity generation without requiring additional land or grid infrastructure.

Noon Energy‘s technology relies on modular, reversible solid-oxide fuel cells and carbon-based storage, offering over 100 hours of energy storage. Meta has reserved up to 1 GW/100 GWh, with an initial 25 MW/2.5 GWh pilot demonstration expected by 2028. The company describes this as among the largest commitments to ultra-long-duration storage in the industry.

Both partnerships build on Meta’s existing energy portfolio, which includes more than 30 GW of contracted clean and renewable energy. The company is also one of the largest corporate purchasers of nuclear energy in the US, with 7.7 GW secured across agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, Oklo and Constellation Energy.

Overview Energy’s orbital demonstration is planned for 2028, with commercial delivery to the US grid potentially starting as early as 2030. Noon Energy’s demonstration project targets the same year, with its modular design allowing capacity to scale alongside Meta’s growing data centre footprint.

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ILO report highlights persistent weaknesses in global governance systems

A new report from the International Labour Organization shows that global governance standards have seen limited improvement over the past three decades, with declines occurring more frequently than progress. Analysis covering 208 economies reveals persistent institutional weaknesses and uneven reform outcomes.

More than half of economies face conditions that create business uncertainty, while only a small share offer stable and predictable governance. Strong-performing countries tend to remain stable, whereas weaker systems struggle to improve, reinforcing long-term structural divides.

Political governance, including accountability and institutional checks, emerges as the most vulnerable area. Although regulatory frameworks can gradually improve, political instability and weakening oversight continue to undermine broader governance gains across multiple regions.

The report also highlights gaps in employers’ organisations, which often lack the capacity to influence policy despite formal independence. Strengthening institutions and focusing on long-term, resilient reforms are identified as critical steps to support investment, sustainable growth, and functioning labour markets.

Why does it matter?

Findings from the International Labour Organization highlight governance as a core driver of economic stability rather than a secondary factor. Weak institutions and declining accountability increase uncertainty, discourage investment, and limit the effectiveness of broader economic policies, particularly in emerging markets.

Persistent governance gaps also signal long-term structural risk. When decline is more common than progress, reforms become harder to sustain and gains easier to reverse.

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UNESCO and Oxford University launch global AI course for courts

A free online course aimed at preparing judicial systems for the growing role of AI in legal decision-making has been launched, with UNESCO in partnership with the University of Oxford positioned at the centre of the initiative.

AI is already shaping court processes, influencing evidence assessment, and affecting access to justice. Yet, many legal professionals lack structured guidance to evaluate such systems within a rule-of-law framework.

The UNESCO programme introduces a practical, human rights-based approach to AI, combining legal, ethical, and operational perspectives.

Developed with institutions including Oxford’s Saïd Business School and Blavatnik School of Government, the course equips participants with tools to assess algorithmic outputs, manage risks of bias, and maintain judicial independence in increasingly digital court environments.

Central to UNESCO’s initiative is a newly developed AI and Rule of Law Checklist, designed to help courts scrutinise AI systems and their outputs, including use as evidence.

The course also addresses broader concerns, including fairness, transparency, accountability, and the protection of vulnerable groups, reflecting rising global reliance on AI across justice systems.

Supported by the EU, the course is available globally, free of charge, with certification from the University of Oxford. As AI becomes embedded in judicial processes, capacity-building efforts aim to ensure technological adoption strengthens rather than undermines the rule of law.

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UN prepares first Global Dialogue on AI governance ahead of Geneva meeting

The United Nations is advancing preparations for the first Global Dialogue on Artificial Intelligence Governance, set to take place in Geneva on 6–7 July 2026 alongside the AI for Good Summit.

Speaking at a UN Geneva press briefing, Egriselda López, Permanent Representative of El Salvador and co-chair of the Dialogue, said the initiative was established by UN member states as a universal forum to discuss AI governance. The process is intended to bring together governments and stakeholders with the aim of producing tangible outcomes.

López said the initial meeting will be structured around thematic clusters, including one focusing on AI opportunities and implications and another addressing the digital divide. She added that consultations with member states and stakeholders are ongoing to ensure an inclusive format for the discussions.

Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative of Estonia and co-chair of the Dialogue, said the forum aims to connect existing AI initiatives and best practices from around the world. He stressed the importance of interoperability and coordination, noting that the Dialogue seeks to create synergies rather than duplicate existing efforts.

According to Tammsaar, additional thematic areas will include interoperability, safety, and human rights. While human rights are expected to be a cross-cutting issue, stakeholders have also called for it to be addressed as a standalone theme.

Amandeep Gill, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Technology, described the initiative as part of a broader approach to ensuring that AI benefits humanity as a whole. He said the Dialogue is designed as a ‘dialogue of dialogues’, enabling governments, experts and other stakeholders to exchange knowledge in a rapidly evolving technological environment.

Gill also highlighted the role of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, which is expected to present its findings at the Geneva meeting. He noted that global capacity to both use and govern AI remains uneven, underlining the need to address disparities between countries.

Officials emphasised that the Dialogue is intended to complement existing initiatives rather than centralise governance efforts. It will focus on issues such as safety and human rights, while discussions on military uses of AI fall outside its mandate.

A second Global Dialogue on AI Governance meeting is planned for May 2027 in New York, as part of ongoing efforts to develop a more coordinated and inclusive global approach to AI governance.

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Saudi initiative attempts to link AI with sustainability goals

A new AI-enabled sustainability platform developed with support from the World Economic Forum aims to strengthen partnerships across sectors. The initiative is led by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Economy and Planning as part of its wider development agenda.

The platform, known as SUSTAIN, uses AI to match organisations with potential partners and opportunities. It is designed to connect government, businesses, academia, and civil society more efficiently and to help move sustainability projects from planning to implementation.

Developers say the system could accelerate collaboration and support the delivery of higher-impact sustainability projects. Official estimates suggest it could help unlock partnerships worth up to $20 billion in Saudi Arabia and significantly more across the wider region.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to advance long-term sustainability goals through more coordinated action and practical uses of AI. The project is being developed in Saudi Arabia and presented as a tool to strengthen cross-sector cooperation rather than a stand-alone sustainability programme.

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