Development Archives | Page 279 of 540 | Digital Watch Observatory

San Francisco deploys AI assistant to 30,000 staff

San Francisco has equipped almost 30,000 city employees, from social workers and healthcare staff to administrators, with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat. The large-scale rollout followed a six-month pilot where workers gained up to five extra hours a week handling routine tasks, particularly in 311 service lines.

Copilot Chat helps streamline bureaucratic functions, such as drafting documents, translating over 40 languages, summarising lengthy reports, and analysing data. The goal is to free staff to focus more on serving residents directly.

A comprehensive five-week training scheme, supported by InnovateUS, ensures that employees learn to use AI securely and responsibly. This includes best practices for data protection, transparent disclosure of AI-generated content, and thorough fact-checking procedures.

City leadership emphasises that all AI tools run on a secure government cloud and adhere to robust guidelines. Employees must reveal when AI is used and remain accountable for its output. The city also plans future AI deployments in traffic management, permitting, and connecting homeless individuals with support services.

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Apple accused of blocking real browser competition on iOS

Developers and open web advocates say Apple continues to restrict rival browser engines on iOS, despite obligations under the EU’s Digital Markets Act. While Apple claims to allow competition, groups like Open Web Advocacy argue that technical and logistical hurdles still block real implementation.

The controversy centres on Apple’s refusal to allow developers to release region-specific browser versions or test new engines outside the EU. Developers must abandon global apps or persuade users to switch manually to new EU-only versions, creating friction and reducing reach.

Apple insists it upholds security and privacy standards built over 18 years and claims its new framework enables third-party browsers. However, critics say those browsers cannot be tested or deployed realistically without access for developers outside the EU.

The EU held a DMA compliance workshop in Brussels in June, during which tensions surfaced between Apple’s legal team and advocates. Apple says it is still transitioning and working with firms like Mozilla and Google on limited testing updates, but has offered no timeline for broader changes.

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Trump launches $70 billion AI and energy investment plan

President Donald Trump has announced a $70 billion initiative to strengthen America’s energy and data infrastructure to meet growing AI-driven demand. The plan was revealed at Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Energy & Innovation Summit, with over 60 primary energy and tech CEOs in attendance.

The investment will prioritise US states such as Pennsylvania, Texas, and Georgia, where energy grids are increasingly under pressure due to rising data centre usage. Part of the funding will come from federal-private partnerships, alongside potential reforms led by the Department of Energy.

Analysts suggest the plan redirect federal support away from wind and solar energy in favour of nuclear and fossil fuel development. The proposal may also scale back green tax credits introduced under the Inflation Reduction Act, potentially affecting more than 300 gigawatts of renewable capacity.

The package includes a project to transform a disused steel mill in Aliquippa into a large-scale data centre hub, forming part of a broader strategy to establish new AI-energy corridors. Critics argue the plan could prioritise legacy systems over decarbonisation, even as AI pushes infrastructure to its limits.

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EXA to boost European connectivity with new fibre route and subsea cable

EXA Infrastructure has launched a strategic 1,200 km high-capacity fibre route connecting London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Brussels (FLAP cities), featuring the first new subsea cable in the North Sea corridor in 25 years.

The new deployment includes 1,085 km of low-loss terrestrial fibre and a 115 km subsea segment using ultra-low-loss G.654C cable, running between Margate (UK) and Ostend (Belgium).

The project also introduces two new landing stations, EXA’s 21st and 22nd globally, enhancing its infrastructure across the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands. These efforts complement EXA’s prior investments in the Channel Tunnel route, including upgrades to in-line amplifier (ILA) facilities and modern, high-fibre-count cables.

The new route is part of EXA’s broader push to improve Europe’s digital infrastructure with ultra-low latency, high-bandwidth, and scalable fibre paths between key hubs.

Over 65,000 km of its network is now 400G-enabled, supporting future scalability demands. EXA’s network spans 155,000 km across 37 countries, including six transatlantic cables. Among them is EXA Express, which offers the lowest latency link between Europe and North America.

The network serves a range of mission-critical functions, including hyperscale infrastructure for global enterprises, government networks, and specialised solutions for latency-sensitive industries like finance, gaming, and broadcasting.

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LatAm moves to speed up telecom infrastructure deployment

The LatAm region is actively implementing policies to streamline permitting and environmental licensing processes to facilitate the deployment of telecom infrastructure.

El Salvador recently approved a decree to accelerate permitting for passive infrastructure, including towers and low-income housing, requiring companies to submit applications through a single platform with unified fees.

Peru’s transport and communications ministry is drafting proposals to exempt more low-impact projects from submitting environmental technical reports, update criteria for environmental impact assessments to reduce approval times, simplify ecological regulations, and extend deadlines for adapting existing projects.

In Chile, a newly approved law aims to reduce processing times for telecom permits by 30 to 70 percent, simplify procedures based on associated risks, and introduce ‘positive administrative silence,’ meaning permits are automatically granted if authorities do not respond within a specified period.

The LatAm judicial landscape is evolving to support telecom infrastructure deployment. Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that only the federal government can tax permits for telecom installations, settling conflicts with municipalities.

In Argentina, courts have invalidated local rules and actions that block infrastructure projects, promoting smoother cross-jurisdictional telecom services.

LatAm governments have also encouraged infrastructure sharing to tackle network deployment challenges, especially in remote areas. Brazil introduced mandatory tower sharing in 2009 but abolished it in 2021.

Tower Group Abrintel opposes this repeal, citing risks to competition, consumer costs, and smaller providers. These legal and policy shifts highlight the region’s push to improve telecom connectivity.

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US House passes NTIA cyber leadership bill after Salt Typhoon hacks

The US House of Representatives has passed legislation that would officially designate the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as the federal lead for cybersecurity across communications networks.

The move follows last year’s Salt Typhoon hacking spree, described by some as the worst telecom breach in US history.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act, introduced by Representatives Jay Obernolte and Jennifer McClellan, cleared the House on Monday and now awaits Senate approval.

The bill would rebrand an NTIA office to focus on both policy and cybersecurity, while codifying the agency’s role in coordinating cybersecurity responses alongside other federal departments.

Lawmakers argue that recent telecom attacks exposed major gaps in coordination between government and industry.

The bill promotes public-private partnerships and stronger collaboration between agencies, software developers, telecom firms, and security researchers to improve resilience and speed up innovation across communications technologies.

With Americans’ daily lives increasingly dependent on digital services, supporters say the bill provides a crucial framework for protecting sensitive information from cybercriminals and foreign hacking groups instead of relying on fragmented and inconsistent measures.

Pentagon awards AI contracts to xAI and others after Grok controversy

The US Department of Defence has awarded contracts to four major AI firms, including Elon Musk’s xAI, as part of a strategy to boost military AI capabilities.

Each contract is valued at up to $200 million and involves developing advanced AI workflows for critical national security tasks.

Alongside xAI, Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI have also secured contracts. Pentagon officials said the deals aim to integrate commercial AI solutions into intelligence, business, and defence operations instead of relying solely on internal systems.

Chief Digital and AI Officer Doug Matty states that these technologies will help maintain the US’s strategic edge over rivals.

The decision comes as Musk’s AI company faces controversy after its Grok chatbot was reported to have published offensive content on social media. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, have raised ethical concerns about awarding national security contracts to a company under public scrutiny.

xAI insists its Grok for Movement platform will help speed up government services and scientific innovation.

Despite political tensions and Musk’s past financial support for Donald Trump’s campaign, the Pentagon has formalised its relationship with xAI and other AI leaders instead of excluding them due to reputational risks.

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Nvidia to restart China AI chip sales after US talks

Nvidia has announced plans to resume sales of its H20 AI chip in China, following meetings between CEO Jensen Huang and US President Donald Trump in Beijing.

The move comes after US export controls previously banned sales of the chip on national security grounds, costing Nvidia an estimated $15 billion in lost revenue.

The company confirmed it is filing for licences with the US government to restart deliveries of the H20 graphics processing unit, expecting approval shortly.

Nvidia also revealed a new RTX Pro GPU designed specifically for China, compliant with US export rules, offering a lower-cost alternative instead of risking further restrictions.

Huang, attending a supply chain expo in Beijing, described China as essential to Nvidia’s growth, despite rising competition from local firms like Huawei.

Chinese companies remain highly dependent on Nvidia’s CUDA platform, while US lawmakers have raised concerns about Nvidia engaging with Chinese entities linked to military or intelligence services.

Nvidia’s return to the Chinese market comes as Washington and Beijing show signs of easing trade tensions, including relaxed rare earth export rules from China and restored chip design services from the US.

Analysts note, however, that Chinese firms are likely to keep diversifying suppliers instead of relying solely on US chips for supply chain security.

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Malicious Gravity Forms versions prompt urgent WordPress update

Two versions of the popular Gravity Forms plugin for WordPress were found infected with malware after a supply chain attack, prompting urgent security warnings for website administrators. The compromised plugin files were available for manual download from the official page on 9 and 10 July.

The attack was uncovered on 11 July, when researchers noticed the plugin making suspicious requests and sending WordPress site data to an unfamiliar domain.

The injected malware created secret administrator accounts, providing attackers with remote access to websites, allowing them to steal data and control user accounts.

According to developer RocketGenius, only versions 2.9.11.1 and 2.9.12 were affected if installed manually or via composer during that brief window. Automatic updates and the Gravity API service remained secure. A patched version, 2.9.13, was released on 11 July, and users are urged to update immediately.

RocketGenius has rotated all service keys, audited admin accounts, and tightened download package security to prevent similar incidents instead of risking further unauthorised access.

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Asia’s humanities under pressure from AI surge

Universities across Asia, notably in China, are slashing liberal arts enrollments to expand STEM and AI programmes. Institutions like Fudan and Tsinghua are reducing intake for humanities subjects, as policymakers push for a high-tech workforce.

Despite this shift, educators argue that sidelining subjects like history, philosophy, and ethics threatens the cultivation of critical thinking, moral insight, and cultural literacy, which are increasingly necessary in an AI-saturated world.

They contend that humanistic reasoning remains essential for navigating AI’s societal and ethical complexities.

Innovators are pushing for hybrid models of education. Humanities courses are evolving to incorporate AI-driven archival research, digital analysis, and data-informed argumentation, turning liberal arts into tools for interpreting technology, rather than resisting it.

Supporters emphasise that liberal arts students offer distinct advantages: they excel in communication, ethical judgement, storytelling and adaptability, capacities that machines lack. These soft skills are increasingly valued in workplaces that integrate AI.

Analysts predict that the future lies not in abandoning the humanities but in transforming them. When taught alongside technical disciplines, through STEAM initiatives and cross-disciplinary curricula, liberal arts can complement AI, ensuring that technology remains anchored in human values.

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