Development

Canada-EU digital partnership expands cooperation on AI and security

The European Union and Canada have strengthened their digital partnership during the first Digital Partnership Council in Montreal. Both sides outlined a joint plan to enhance competitiveness and innovation, while supporting smaller firms through targeted regulation.

Senior representatives reconfirmed that cooperation with like-minded partners will be essential for economic resilience.

A new Memorandum of Understanding on AI placed a strong emphasis on trustworthy systems, shared standards and wider adoption across strategic sectors.

The two partners will exchange best practices to support sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, energy, culture and public services.

They also agreed to collaborate on large-scale AI infrastructures and access to computing capacity, while encouraging scientific collaboration on advanced AI models and climate-related research.

A meeting that also led to an agreement on a structured dialogue on data spaces.

A second Memorandum of Understanding covered digital credentials and trust services. The plan includes joint testing of digital identity wallets, pilot projects and new use cases aimed at interoperability.

The EU and Canada also intend to work more closely on the protection of independent media, the promotion of reliable information online and the management of risks created by generative AI.

Both sides underlined their commitment to secure connectivity, with cooperation on 5G, subsea cables and potential new Arctic routes to strengthen global network resilience. Further plans aim to deepen collaboration on quantum technologies, semiconductors and high-performance computing.

A renewed partnership that reflects a shared commitment to resilient supply chains and secure cloud infrastructure as both regions prepare for future technological demands.

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Tether backs Italian humanoid robotics startup

Tether Investments has backed Generative Bionics in a €70m round to accelerate the development of intelligent humanoid robots. The company develops platforms that combine robotics and AI to enhance industrial performance and foster human-centred interaction.

Investment funds will support industrial validation, the creation of a production facility and the rollout of early deployment programmes across sectors such as manufacturing, logistics and healthcare.

Generative Bionics brings together dozens of engineers and researchers from IIT, drawing on two decades of robotics expertise and a portfolio of over 60 prototype systems.

Analysts expect the humanoid robotics sector to grow sharply in the coming decades, with Physical AI becoming a core component of future industrial ecosystems. Tether’s investment aligns with its strategy to boost resilient infrastructure and lessen reliance on centralised systems.

The company plans to unveil its first complete humanoid robot at CES in Las Vegas, signalling a move from research to commercial-ready platforms and strengthening Italy’s role in the global robotics landscape.

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Argentina weighs letting banks offer crypto services

Argentina may soon shift its digital-asset policy as the central bank considers rules allowing banks to offer crypto trading and custody services. The proposal marks a move towards integrating a market that has largely operated through exchanges and fintech platforms.

Industry sources say approval could arrive by April 2026 if the process stays on schedule.

Crypto usage in Argentina remains far above regional averages, driven by years of inflation and strict currency controls. Many households use digital assets as a store of value, and regulated banks could provide clearer safeguards and easier access for everyday users.

Regulators are still debating sensitive issues such as custody requirements, capital treatment and which tokens banks would be permitted to handle.

The conversation continues in the shadow of the Libra meme-coin scandal, which left thousands of Argentines with steep losses and highlighted the risks of politically amplified speculation.

Regulators are weighing custody, capital, and token rules while aiming to formalise the market without boosting volatility.

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Instacart deepens partnership with OpenAI for real-time AI shopping

OpenAI and Instacart are expanding their longstanding collaboration by introducing a fully integrated grocery shopping experience inside ChatGPT.

Users can receive meal inspiration, browse products and place orders in one continuous conversation instead of switching across separate platforms.

A service that brings together Instacart’s real-time retail network with OpenAI’s most advanced models to produce an experience that feels like a direct link between a simple request and completed delivery.

The Instacart app becomes the first service to offer a full checkout flow inside ChatGPT by using the Agentic Commerce Protocol. When users mention food, ingredients or recipe ideas, ChatGPT can surface the app immediately.

Once the user connects an Instacart account, the system selects suitable items from nearby retailers and builds a complete cart that can be reviewed before payment. Users then pay securely inside the chat while Instacart manages collection and delivery through its established network.

The update also reflects broader cooperation between the two companies. Instacart continues to rely on OpenAI APIs to support personalised suggestions and real time guidance across its customer experience.

ChatGPT Enterprise assists internal teams, while Codex powers an internal coding agent that shortens development cycles instead of slowing them down with manual tasks. The partnership builds on Instacart’s early involvement in the Operator research preview, where it helped refine emerging agentic technologies.

A renewed partnership that strengthens OpenAI’s growing enterprise ecosystem. The company already works with major global brands across sectors such as retail, financial services and telecommunications.

The Instacart integration offers a view of how conversational agents may act as a bridge between everyday intent and immediate real-world action.

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Egypt reaffirms commitment to AI and digital transformation

During a recent meeting with the Digital Cooperation Organization (DCO) at the Doha Forum, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed the country’s dedication to advancing responsible digital transformation, data governance and AI.

He highlighted Egypt’s active role not only domestically but across the Arab and African regions, positioning the country as a key partner in shaping multilateral frameworks for digital cooperation. Among the milestones he noted were the launch of the second phase of Egypt’s national AI strategy and the adoption, in 2025, of a national open-data policy.

As well as AI and data governance, the agenda includes expanding digital capacity building, strengthening cybersecurity, and exploring future cooperation in AI, digital inclusion, and public-private collaborations.

This commitment aligns with broader government efforts: earlier in 2025, Egypt approved its first Open Data Policy, making public-sector data more accessible and machine-readable, a foundational step for data-driven governance, transparency and innovation.

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Japan turns to AI and robotics to tackle dementia crisis

Japan is intensifying efforts to use technology to address a worsening dementia crisis, as more than 18,000 older people went missing last year and care-related costs continue to climb.

With nearly 30% of its population now aged 65 or older, Japan is experimenting with GPS wearables and community alert systems that help authorities locate missing individuals within hours. AI tools are also entering clinical practice, including Fujitsu’s aiGait system, which analyses posture and movement to detect early cognitive decline.

Researchers at Waseda University are developing AIREC, a humanoid robot that can perform basic daily-living tasks and may one day assist with continence care and pressure-ulcer prevention.

Smaller social robots such as Sharp’s Poketomo aim to reduce loneliness by prompting medications, offering weather updates and providing companionship. Despite this technological push, caregivers and researchers stress that human connection remains fundamental.

Community initiatives such as Tokyo’s Restaurant of Mistaken Orders show how social engagement can support dignity and wellbeing even as automation and AI begin to supplement routine care tasks.

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Growing app restrictions hit ByteDance’s AI smartphone rollout

ByteDance is facing mounting pushback after major Chinese apps restricted how its agentic AI smartphone can operate across their platforms. Developers moved to block or limit Doubao, the device’s voice-driven assistant, following concerns about automation, security and transactional risks.

Growing reports from early adopters describe locked accounts, interrupted payments and app instability when Doubao performs actions autonomously. ByteDance has responded by disabling the assistant’s access to financial services, rewards features and competitive games while collaborating with app providers to establish clearer guidelines.

The Nubia M153, marketed as an experimental device, continues to attract interest for its hands-free interface, even as privacy worries persist over its device-wide memory system. Its long-term success hinges on whether China’s platforms and regulators can align with ByteDance’s ambitions for seamless, AI-powered smartphone interaction.

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Real-time journalism becomes central to Meta AI strategy

Meta has signed commercial agreements with news publishers to feed real-time reporting into Meta AI, enabling its chatbot to answer news-related queries with up-to-date information from multiple editorial sources.

The company said responses will include links to full articles, directing users to publishers’ websites and helping partners reach new audiences beyond traditional platform distribution.

Initial partners span US and international outlets, covering global affairs, politics, entertainment, and sports, with Meta signalling that additional publishing deals are in the works.

The shift marks a recalibration. Meta previously reduced its emphasis on news across Facebook and ended most publisher payments, but now sees licensed reporting as essential to improving AI accuracy and relevance.

Facing intensifying competition in the AI market, Meta is positioning real-time journalism as a differentiator for its chatbot, which is available across its apps and to users worldwide.

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Claude Code expands automated AI fine tuning for businesses

Anthropic’s Claude Code now supports automated fine-tuning of open-source AI models, significantly widening access to advanced customisation for small-to-medium-sized (SMB) businesses. The new capability allows companies to train personalised systems using their own data without needing specialised technical expertise.

Claude Code’s hf-llm-trainer skill manages everything from hardware selection to authentication and training optimisation, simplifying what was once a highly complex workflow. Early accounts suggest the process can cost only a few cents, lowering barriers for firms seeking tailored AI solutions.

Businesses can now use customer logs, product manuals or internal documents to build AI models adapted to their operations, enabling improved support tools and content workflows. Many analysts view the advance as a major step in giving SMBs affordable access to company-specific AI that previously required substantial investment.

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Pudu showcases next-generation D5 robot dog at Tokyo exhibition

Pudu Robotics’ latest showcase in Tokyo reflects its ambition to strengthen its global footprint with the debut of the D5 robot dog. The four-legged machine demonstrated stable stair-descent, smooth mobility and autonomous obstacle avoidance during the IREX exhibition.

Equipped with Nvidia’s Orin chip, fisheye cameras and dual lidar units, the D5 is engineered for inspection, monitoring and delivery tasks across demanding environments. Pudu highlights the robot’s resilience, crediting its in-house joint modules and motors for improved precision and durability.

Growth across the service-robot sector continues to accelerate, supported by falling manufacturing costs in China and wider industry adoption. Pudu, which has surpassed 100,000 global sales, is now steering development towards specialised and humanoid forms as it prepares for an IPO.

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