Development Archives | Page 338 of 541 | Digital Watch Observatory

AI research project aims to improve drug-resistant epilepsy outcomes

A research collaboration between Swansea University and King’s College London has secured a prestigious Medical Research Council project grant to tackle drug-resistant epilepsy.

The project brings together clinicians, data scientists, AI specialists, and individuals with lived experience from the Epilepsy Research Institute’s Shape Network to advance understanding and treatment of the condition.

Drug-resistant epilepsy affects around 30% of the 600,000 people living with epilepsy in the UK, leading to ongoing seizures, memory issues, and mood disorders.

Researchers will use advanced natural language processing, AI, and anonymised healthcare data to better predict who will develop resistance to medications and how treatments can be prioritised.

Project lead Dr Owen Pickrell from Swansea University highlighted the unique opportunity to combine real-world clinical data with cutting-edge AI to benefit people living with the condition.

Annee Amjad from the Epilepsy Research Institute also welcomed the project, noting that it addresses several of the UK’s top research priorities for epilepsy.

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Fibocom’s AI mobile hotspot promises faster, smarter connectivity

Fibocom has launched its new 5G AI Mobile Hotspot Solution, combining next-generation 5G connectivity with advanced AI-driven voice interaction.

The intelligent mobile hotspot, powered by Fibocom’s customised AI app, supports multilingual voice control, real-time document retrieval, and an AI translation engine covering more than 20 languages with up to 95% accuracy, making it an ideal tool for international communication and travel.

The solution is built on Qualcomm’s QCM4490 platform, featuring an 8-core 4nm CPU with speeds up to 2.4GHz. It supports dual SIM standby, USB 3.1, Ethernet, and boasts 15W fast and reverse charging capabilities.

Fully compliant with 3GPP Release 16, the device achieves downlink speeds up to 2.33Gbps on Sub-6GHz bands and supports Android and Linux operating systems, external cameras, and 1080P displays for broad application use.

Significantly, the mobile hotspot integrates Qualcomm’s next-generation Wi-Fi 7 chipset, offering concurrent dual-band modes and speeds up to BE5800.

Ralph Zhao, Vice President of Fibocom’s MC Product Management Department, said the launch transforms mobile hotspots into intelligent companions, driving forward the integration of 5G, AI, and edge computing technologies.

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DeepSeek shifts towards commercial AI products with urgent hiring drive

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is urgently hiring for product and design roles as it pivots from pure research towards commercialising its large language model technology.

A job notice posted on its official WeChat account called for candidates with experience in product management and visual design to work in Beijing and Hangzhou.

The hiring move reflects DeepSeek’s ambition to create the ‘next generation of intelligent product experience’ centred on its powerful open-source models, following the success of its low-cost R1 reasoning model.

Founded in 2023 by Liang Wenfeng, DeepSeek has quickly made a name for itself by challenging industry giants like OpenAI with affordable, high-performing models.

Its latest models, including the upgraded V3 and upcoming R2, have been praised for their strong reasoning and coding abilities, with open-source availability under the permissive MIT licence.

Major Chinese firms such as Tencent and Baidu have already integrated DeepSeek’s technology into their platforms, boosting its reputation as a major force in China’s AI race.

The rush to recruit product and operational leaders mirrors a wider industry trend as AI firms recognise the critical role of product managers in translating technological breakthroughs into real-world applications.

DeepSeek’s founder has made it clear that creativity and passion outweigh traditional experience in the company’s hiring priorities.

As the global AI industry continues to evolve, DeepSeek’s bold shift from research to product development signals a maturing market with fierce competition on both sides of the Pacific.

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SK Telecom begins SIM card replacement after data breach

South Korea’s largest carrier, SK Telecom, began replacing SIM cards for its 23 million customers on Monday following a serious data breach.

Instead of revealing the full extent of the damage or the perpetrators, the company has apologised and offered free USIM chip replacements at 2,600 stores nationwide, urging users to either change their chips or enrol in an information protection service.

The breach, caused by malicious code, compromised personal information and prompted a government-led review of South Korea’s data protection systems.

However, SK Telecom has secured less than five percent of the USIM chips required, planning to procure an additional five million by the end of May instead of having enough stock ready for immediate replacement.

Frustrated customers, like 30-year-old Jang waiting in line in Seoul, criticised the company for failing to be transparent about the amount of data leaked and the number of users affected.

Instead of providing clear answers, SK Telecom has focused on encouraging users to seek chip replacements or protective measures.

South Korea, often regarded as one of the most connected countries globally, has faced repeated cyberattacks, many attributed to North Korea.

Just last year, police confirmed that North Korean hackers had stolen over a gigabyte of sensitive financial data from a South Korean court system over a two-year span.

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Japanese startup Craif raises funds to expand urine-based cancer test

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with nearly 20 million new cases and 9.7 million deaths recorded in 2022.

In response, Japanese startup Craif, spun off from Nagoya University in 2018, is developing an AI-powered early cancer detection software using microRNA (miRNA) instead of relying on traditional methods.

The company has just raised $22 million in Series C funding, bringing its total to $57 million, with plans to expand into the US market and strengthen its research and development efforts.

Craif was founded after co-founder and CEO Ryuichi Onose experienced the impact of cancer within his own family. Partnering with associate professor Takao Yasui, who had discovered a new technique for early cancer detection using urinary biomarkers, the company created a non-invasive urine-based test.

Instead of invasive blood tests, Craif’s technology allows patients to detect cancers as early as Stage 1 from the comfort of their own homes, making regular screening more accessible and less daunting.

Unlike competitors who depend on cell-free DNA (cfDNA), Craif uses microRNA, a biomarker known for its strong link to early cancer biology. Urine is chosen instead of blood because it contains fewer impurities, offering clearer signals and reducing measurement errors.

Craif’s first product, miSignal, which tests for seven different types of cancers, is already on the market in Japan and has attracted around 20,000 users through clinics, pharmacies, direct sales, and corporate wellness programmes.

The new funding will enable Craif to enter the US market, complete clinical trials by 2029, and seek FDA approval. It also plans to expand its detection capabilities to cover ten types of cancers this year and explore applications for other conditions like dementia instead of limiting its technology to cancer alone.

With a growing presence in California and partnerships with dozens of US medical institutions, Craif is positioning itself as a major player in the future of early disease detection.

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AI educational race between China and USA brings some hope

The AI race between China and the USA shifts to classrooms. As AI governance expert Jovan Kurbalija highlights in his analysis of global AI strategies, two countries see AI literacy as a ‘strategic imperative’. From President Trump’s executive order to advance AI education to China’s new AI education strategy, both superpowers are betting big on nurturing homegrown AI talent.

Kurbalija sees focus on AI education as a rare bright spot in increasingly fractured tech geopolitics: ‘When students in Shanghai debug code alongside peers in Silicon Valley via open-source platforms, they’re not just building algorithms—they’re building trust.’

This grassroots collaboration, he argues, could soften the edges of emerging AI nationalism and support new types of digital and AI diplomacy.

He concludes that the latest AI education initiatives are ‘not just about who wins the AI race but, even more importantly, how we prepare humanity for the forthcoming AI transformation and coexistence with advanced technologies.’

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Quantum encryption achieves new milestone without cryogenics

Computer scientists at Toshiba Europe have set a new record by distributing quantum encryption keys across 158 miles using standard computer equipment and existing fibre-optic infrastructure.

Instead of relying on expensive cryogenic cooling, which is often required in quantum computing, the team achieved this feat at room temperature, marking a significant breakthrough in the field.

Experts believe this development could lead to the arrival of metropolitan-scale quantum encryption networks within a decade.

David Awschalom, a professor at the University of Chicago, expressed optimism that quantum encryption would soon become commonplace, reflecting a growing confidence in the potential of quantum technologies instead of viewing them as distant possibilities.

Quantum encryption differs sharply from modern encryption, which depends on mathematical algorithms to scramble data. Instead of mathematical calculations, quantum encryption uses the principles of quantum mechanics to secure data through Quantum Key Distribution (QKD).

Thanks to the laws of quantum physics, any attempt to intercept quantum-encrypted data would immediately alert the original sender, offering security that may prove virtually unbreakable.

Until recently, the challenge was distributing quantum keys over long distances because traditional fibre-optic lines distort delicate quantum signals. However, Toshiba’s team found a cost-effective solution using twin-field quantum key distribution (TF-QKD) instead of resorting to expensive new infrastructure.

Their success could pave the way for a quantum internet within decades, transforming what was once considered purely theoretical into a real-world possibility.

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OpenAI to tweak GPT-4o after user concerns

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company would work on reversing recent changes made to its GPT-4o model after users complained about the chatbot’s overly appeasing behaviour. The update, rolled out on 26 April, had been intended to enhance the intelligence and personality of the AI.

Instead of achieving balance, however, users felt the model became sycophantic and unreliable, raising concerns about its objectivity and its weakened guardrails for unsafe content.

Mr Altman acknowledged the feedback on X, admitting that the latest updates had made the AI’s personality ‘too sycophant-y and annoying,’ despite some positive elements. He added that immediate fixes were underway, with further adjustments expected throughout the week.

Instead of sticking with a one-size-fits-all approach, OpenAI plans to eventually offer users a choice of different AI personalities to better suit individual preferences.

Some users suggested the chatbot would be far more effective if it simply focused on answering questions in a scientific, straightforward manner instead of trying to please.

Venture capitalist Debarghya Das also warned that making the AI overly flattering could harm users’ mental resilience, pointing out that chasing user retention metrics might turn the chatbot into a ‘slot machine for the human brain.’

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Russian governor proposes gas-powered Bitcoin mining solution

A Russian provincial governor has proposed a solution to Bitcoin mining-related energy shortages. He suggested that associated gas from oil drilling sites could power mining operations.

Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev suggested that crypto miners collaborate with oil and gas companies to build data centres powered by alternative fuels. The suggestion comes amidst mounting energy concerns, especially after the recent year-round ban on Bitcoin mining in southern Irkutsk.

Governor Kobzev stated that the regional government supports Bitcoin mining but is committed to ensuring reliable electricity for residents and businesses.

He pointed out that mining operations should address the region’s electricity shortages. The government is ready to facilitate partnerships between miners and the oil and gas sectors.

Russian companies like BitRiver and Gazprom Neft have already experimented with using associated gas to power crypto mining facilities.

The Ministry of Energy is reportedly considering additional regional mining bans due to the strain on electricity networks.

Despite concerns, Governor Kobzev supports associated gas-powered mining, viewing it as a solution to reduce flaring and the environmental impact.

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Alphabet surpasses expectations with strong Q1 performance and major buyback plan

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, announ c ed a $70 billion share buyback after posting first-quarter profits that exceeded Wall Street forecasts. The company’s shares surged 4% after-hours trading, boosting its market value by around $75 billion. Alphabet reported $90.23 billion in revenue, mainly driven by steady growth in its core digital advertising business, which offset a slight slowdown in its cloud computing segment.

Despite concerns over economic uncertainty linked to US trade policies, Alphabet’s ad revenue, making up 75% of its total income, rose 8.5% to $66.89 billion, surpassing analyst expectations. CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted strong engagement in Google Search, particularly with AI-powered features, attracting 1.5 billion monthly users.

Meanwhile, Google Cloud saw a 28% revenue increase, narrowly missing projections but still reflecting solid growth. The tech giant also ramped up capital spending by 43% to $17.2 billion as part of its $75 billion annual investment plan, focusing on expanding data centres and AI infrastructure.

Despite rising costs and global competition in the AI sector, Pichai emphasised the need for heavy investment to enhance services like Search and develop AI tools. Alphabet’s positive results lifted other digital ad players, with Meta, Amazon, and Snap seeing gains in extended trading.

While Big Tech remains committed to AI spending, signs of caution emerge as some companies begin to scale back data centre expansions amid economic pressures.

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