Development Archives | Page 174 of 538 | Digital Watch Observatory

Global AI adoption rises quickly but benefits remain unequal

Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute has released its 2025 AI Diffusion Report, detailing global AI adoption, innovation hubs, and the impact of digital infrastructure. AI has reached over 1.2 billion users in under three years, yet its benefits remain unevenly distributed.

Adoption rates in the Global North are roughly double those in the Global South, highlighting the risk of long-term inequalities.

AI adoption depends on strong foundational infrastructure, including electricity, data centres, internet connectivity, digital and AI skills, and language accessibility.

Countries with robust foundations- such as the UAE, Singapore, Norway, and Ireland- have seen rapid adoption, even without frontier-level model development. In contrast, regions with limited infrastructure and low-resource languages lag significantly, with adoption in some areas below 10%.

Ukraine exemplifies the potential for rapid AI growth, despite current disruptions from the war, with an adoption rate of 9.1%. Strategic investments in connectivity, AI skills, and language-inclusive solutions could accelerate recovery, strengthen resilience, and drive innovation.

AI is already supporting cybersecurity and helping businesses and organisations maintain operations amid ongoing challenges.

The concentration of AI infrastructure remains high, with the US and China hosting 86% of the global data centre capacity. A few countries dominate frontier AI development, yet the performance gap between leading models is narrowing.

Coordinated efforts across infrastructure, skills, and policy are crucial to ensure equitable access and maximise AI’s potential worldwide.

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

Nvidia stake sale powers SoftBank’s $22.5bn OpenAI bet

SoftBank sold its entire Nvidia stake for $5.83 billion and part of its T-Mobile holding for $9.17 billion, raising cash for OpenAI. Alongside a margin loan on Arm, the proceeds fund a $22.5 billion commitment and other projects. Nvidia slipped 2%; SoftBank referred to it as asset monetisation, not a valuation call.

Executives said the goal is an investor opportunity with balance-sheet strength, including backing for ABB’s robotics deal. Analysts called the quarter’s funding need unusually large but consistent with an AI pivot. SoftBank said the sale recycles capital, not a retreat from Nvidia.

SoftBank has a history with Nvidia: the Vision Fund invested in 2017 and exited in 2019; group ventures still utilise its technology. Projects include the $500 billion Stargate data centre programme, built on accelerated computing. Shares remain volatile amid concerns about the AI bubble and questions regarding the timing of deployment.

Results reflected the shift, with $19 billion in Vision Fund gains helping to double profit in fiscal Q2. SoftBank says its OpenAI stake will rise from 4% to 11% after the recapitalisation, with scope to increase further. The group aims to avoid setting a controlling threshold while scaling exposure to AI.

Management stressed liquidity and shareholder access, flagging a four-for-one stock split and ‘very safe’ funding plans. Further portfolio monetisation is possible as it backs AI infrastructure and applications at scale. Investors will closely monitor execution risks and the timing of returns from OpenAI and its adjacent bets.

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

MK1 joins AMD to accelerate enterprise AI and reasoning technologies

AMD has completed the acquisition of MK1, a California-based company specialising in high-speed inference and reasoning-based AI technologies.

The move marks a significant step in AMD’s strategy to strengthen AI performance and efficiency across hardware and software layers. MK1’s Flywheel and comprehension engines are designed to optimise AMD’s Instinct GPUs, offering scalable, accurate, and cost-efficient AI reasoning.

The MK1 team will join the AMD Artificial Intelligence Group, where their expertise will advance AMD’s enterprise AI software stack and inference capabilities.

Handling over one trillion tokens daily, MK1’s systems are already deployed at scale, providing traceable and efficient AI solutions for complex business processes.

By combining MK1’s advanced AI software innovation with AMD’s compute power, the acquisition enhances AMD’s position in the enterprise and generative AI markets, supporting its goal of delivering accessible, high-performance AI solutions globally.

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

Vision AI Companion turns Samsung TVs into conversational AI platforms

Samsung has unveiled the Vision AI Companion, an advanced conversational AI platform designed to transform the television into a connected household hub.

Unlike voice assistants meant for personal devices, the Vision AI Companion operates on the communal screen, enabling families to ask questions, plan activities, and receive visualised, contextual answers through natural dialogue.

Built into Samsung’s 2025 TV lineup, the system integrates an upgraded Bixby and supports multiple large language models, including Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity.

With its multi-AI agent platform, Vision AI Companion allows users to access personalised recommendations, real-time information, and multimedia responses without leaving their current programme.

It supports 10 languages and includes features such as Live Translate, AI Gaming Mode, Generative Wallpaper, and AI Upscaling Pro. The platform runs on One UI Tizen, offering seven years of software upgrades to ensure longevity and security.

By embedding generative AI into televisions, Samsung aims to redefine how households interact with technology, turning the TV into an intelligent companion that informs, entertains, and connects families across languages and experiences.

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

OpenAI loses German copyright lawsuit over song lyrics reproduction

A Munich regional court has ruled that OpenAI infringed copyright in a landmark case brought by the German rights society GEMA. The court held OpenAI liable for reproducing and memorising copyrighted lyrics without authorisation, rejecting its claim to operate as a non-profit research institute.

The judgement found that OpenAI had violated copyright even in a 15-word passage, setting a low threshold for infringement. Additionally, the court dismissed arguments about accidental reproduction and technical errors, emphasising that both reproduction and memorisation require a licence.

It also denied OpenAI’s request for a grace period to make compliance changes, citing negligence.

Judges concluded that the company could not rely on proportionality defences, noting that licences were available and alternative AI models exist.

OpenAI’s claim that EU copyright law failed to foresee large language models was rejected, as the court reaffirmed that European law ensures a high level of protection for intellectual property.

The ruling marks a significant step for copyright enforcement in the age of generative AI and could shape future litigation across Europe. It also challenges technology companies to adapt their training and licensing practices to comply with existing legal frameworks.

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

Joint quantum partnership unites Canada and Denmark for global research leadership

Canada and Denmark have signed a joint statement to deepen collaboration in quantum research and innovation.

The agreement, announced at the European Quantum Technologies Conference 2025 in Copenhagen, reflects both countries’ commitment to advancing quantum science responsibly while promoting shared values of openness, ethics and excellence.

Under the partnership, the two nations will enhance research and development ties, encourage open data sharing, and cultivate a skilled talent pipeline. They also aim to boost global competitiveness in quantum technologies, fostering new opportunities for market expansion and secure supply chains.

Canadian Minister Mélanie Joly highlighted that the cooperation showcases a shared ambition to accelerate progress in health care, clean energy and defence.

Denmark’s Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund, described Canada as a vital partner in scientific innovation. At the same time, Minister Evan Solomon stressed the agreement’s role in empowering researchers to deliver breakthroughs that shape the future of quantum technologies.

Both Canada and Denmark are recognised as global leaders in quantum science, working together through initiatives such as the NATO Transatlantic Quantum Community.

A partnership that supports Canada’s National Quantum Strategy, launched in 2023, and reinforces its shared goal of driving innovation for sustainable growth and collective security.

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

Finland to enforce stricter crypto tax reporting from 2026

Finland will introduce stricter reporting obligations for crypto asset service providers from 2026 as part of international efforts to enhance tax transparency.

The move aligns with the OECD’s Crypto Asset Reporting Framework (CARF), which aims to standardise the exchange of crypto-related tax information globally. More than 70 countries and jurisdictions have already committed to the framework.

Finnish and foreign crypto providers must collect and report users’ transaction data, including purchases, sales, and transfers. The Finnish Tax Administration will begin receiving annual reports in 2027, enabling cross-border exchange under the CARF and the amended EU DAC8 directive.

The government proposal, due for parliamentary debate in autumn 2025, would extend Finland’s reporting requirements beyond international standards. Providers must also supply data allowing authorities to calculate capital gains and losses for Finnish residents and estates.

The Tax Administration will review and update its guidance on financial account reporting to align with these changes.

Despite the increased flow of information, individuals trading crypto assets will still need to declare profits, losses, and related income in their annual tax returns. The first international exchange of crypto asset data is expected to take place by September 2027.

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

Artist secretly hangs AI print Cardiff museum

An AI-generated print by artist Elias Marrow was secretly placed on a gallery wall at the National Museum Cardiff before staff were alerted, and it was removed. The work, titled Empty Plate, shows a young boy in a school uniform holding a plate and was reportedly seen by hundreds of visitors.

Marrow said the piece represents Wales in 2025 and examines how public institutions decide what is worth displaying. He defended the stunt as participatory rather than vandalism, emphasising that AI is a natural evolution of artistic tools.

Visitors photographed the artwork, and some initially thought it was performance art, while the museum confirmed it had no prior knowledge of the piece. Marrow has carried out similar unsanctioned displays at Bristol Museum and Tate Modern, highlighting his interest in challenging traditional curation.

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

Winning the AI race means winning developers in China, says Huang of Nvidia

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said China is ‘nanoseconds’ behind the US in AI and urged Washington to lead by accelerating innovation and courting developers globally. He argued that excluding China would weaken the reach of US technology and risk splintering the ecosystem into incompatible stacks.

Huang’s remarks came amid ongoing export controls that bar Nvidia’s most advanced processors from the Chinese market. He acknowledged national security concerns but cautioned that strict limits can slow the spread of American tools that underpin AI research, deployment, and scaling.

Hardware remains central, Huang said, citing advanced accelerators and data-centre capacity as the substrate for training frontier models. Yet diffusion matters: widespread adoption of US platforms by global developers amplifies influence, reduces fragmentation, and accelerates innovation.

With sales of top-end chips restricted, Huang warned that Chinese firms will continue to innovate on domestic alternatives, increasing the likelihood of parallel systems. He called for policies that enable US leadership while preserving channels to the developer community in China.

Huang framed the objective as keeping America ahead, maintaining the world’s reliance on an American tech stack, and avoiding strategies that would push away half the world’s AI talent.

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

Japan develops system to measure and share physical and mental pain

Japanese mobile carrier NTT Docomo has developed a system that measures physical and mental pain and translates it into a format others can understand.

The technology utilises brainwave analysis to convert subjective sensations, such as injuries, stomachaches, spiciness, or emotional distress, into quantifiable levels.

The system, created in collaboration with startup Pamela Inc., allows recipients to understand what a specific pain score represents and even experience it through a device.

Docomo sees potential applications in medical diagnosis, rehabilitation, immersive gaming, and support for individuals who have been exposed to psychological or social harm.

Officials said the platform could be introduced for practical use alongside sixth-generation cellular networks, which are expected to be available in the 2030s.

The innovation aims to overcome the challenge of pain being experienced differently by each person, creating a shared understanding of physical and emotional discomfort.

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