The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is finalising key recommendations on the licensing timeframe and pricing, opting for a shorter period to monitor industry growth before making long-term commitments.
Musk’s Starlink recently secured a major distribution deal with Reliance, owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, after previously being on opposing sides regarding spectrum allocation.
While Starlink advocates for a two-decade allotment for stability and affordability, Reliance has supported a three-year licence with a reassessment later. Bharti Airtel, another Indian telecom giant, has also backed a shorter timeframe of three to five years.
A government official confirmed TRAI is inclined towards a five-year limit, allowing regulators to review the market and revise spectrum pricing as needed.
However, this decision could impact Starlink’s long-term plans in India, as its deals with Reliance and Airtel are still pending regulatory approvals. Meanwhile, industry forecasts suggest India’s satellite communication sector could expand over tenfold, reaching $25 billion by 2028.
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Chinese startup Zhipu AI has secured 500 million yuan (£54.8 million) in funding from the state-owned Huafa Group, following a separate 1 billion yuan capital raise earlier this month.
Huafa Group, a government-backed conglomerate based in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, announced its investment as Chinese cities compete to support AI firms, a sector seen as critical in Beijing’s technological rivalry with the US.
The funding comes amid increasing competition in China’s AI industry, particularly with Hangzhou-backed DeepSeek, whose large language models have gained attention for their cost-effectiveness and performance against Western alternatives.
Zhipu AI, established in 2019 and recognised as one of China’s ‘AI tigers,’ has received investments from major tech firms including Tencent, Meituan, and Xiaomi. The startup was valued at 20 billion yuan (£2.2 billion) in a funding round last July, according to business registration platform Qichacha.
With the new funding, Zhipu AI aims to enhance technological innovation and further develop its GLM foundation model.
However, the company faces challenges on the international stage, having been added to the US Commerce Department’s export control list in January, restricting its access to American components.
Despite these hurdles, China continues to bolster its AI sector as it seeks to establish a leading position in global artificial intelligence development.
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The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Wednesday that it does not need to delay its September trial against Amazon, contradicting an earlier claim by one of its attorneys about resource shortages.
Jonathan Cohen, an FTC lawyer, retracted his statement that cost-cutting measures had strained the agency’s ability to proceed, assuring the court that the FTC is fully prepared to litigate the case.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson reaffirmed the agency’s commitment, dismissing concerns over budget constraints and stating that the FTC will not back down from taking on Big Tech.
Earlier in the day, Cohen had described a ‘dire resource situation,’ citing employee resignations, a hiring freeze, and restrictions on legal expenses. However, he later clarified that these challenges would not impact the case.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, accuses Amazon of using ‘dark patterns’ to mislead consumers into enrolling in automatically renewing Prime subscriptions, a program with over 200 million users.
With claims exceeding $1 billion, the trial is expected to be a high-profile battle between regulators and one of the world’s largest tech companies. Amazon has denied any wrongdoing, and three of its senior executives are also named in the case.
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The UK government, through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), has commissioned research to evaluate best practices for managing risks associated with open-source software (OSS). The study assesses existing guidance on OSS security and resilience, examines its effectiveness across sectors, and provides recommendations for strengthening software supply chain security. That research is part of the government’s wider work to improve the UK’s cyber defences and protect and grow the economy.
The report outlines key recommendations for organisations using OSS, including:
Establishing an internal OSS policy to manage the adoption of OSS components.
Creating a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) to track OSS components and their dependencies.
Continuously monitoring the software supply chain with software composition analysis (SCA) tools to identify vulnerabilities and licensing issues.
Actively engaging with the OSS community to attract talent, foster innovation, enhance reputation, and ensure a sustainable ecosystem.
Using automation tools to streamline OSS management processes, particularly for smaller organisations, as a cost-effective alternative to manual practices.
The report also highlights the need for further research and policy development in areas such as scale-appropriate best practice guidance, industry-specific OSS management frameworks, standardised metrics for evaluating OSS component maturity, and the impact of community engagement on OSS quality and security.
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The Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) has introduced the Open Source Project Security Baseline (OSPS Baseline), a structured framework of security requirements designed to align with international cybersecurity regulations and best practices.
The OSPS Baseline provides a tiered approach that evolves with project maturity, integrating guidance from OpenSSF and industry experts to help open-source projects enhance their security posture. Following the Baseline enables developers to align with global cybersecurity regulations, including the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF).
Several projects, including GUAC, OpenVEX, bomctl, and Open Telemetry, participated in the pilot rollout. OpenSSF encourages developers and maintainers to adopt the framework and contribute to its ongoing refinement.
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Mark Cuban, the tech entrepreneur and investor, spoke at the SXSW conference, where he highlighted the importance of AI for small businesses. He stressed that while AI can be a valuable tool, it should never be seen as the ultimate answer to business success. Cuban explained that AI can help entrepreneurs by making it easier to start and grow businesses, answering questions, and aiding in tasks like research, emails, and sales calls. However, he cautioned against over-relying on AI.
Cuban encouraged entrepreneurs to spend time learning about AI, pointing out how much easier it is to start a business today compared to the past, thanks to the availability of AI tools and internet access. He acknowledged that AI can make mistakes and isn’t perfect, but noted that human experts can also be wrong. In creative fields, Cuban argued that while AI can help with certain tasks like video creation, it’s not a substitute for human creativity, especially when it comes to things like writing scripts or generating quality art.
The tech mogul highlighted that AI should amplify human skills, not replace them. He warned that those who neglect to use AI might find themselves at a disadvantage, as competitors who utilise AI will have the edge.
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Salesforce has announced a $1 billion investment in Singapore over the next five years to drive the adoption of its AI agent development platform, Agentforce.
The initiative aims to address labour shortages and enhance productivity by integrating autonomous AI agents into the workforce.
Singapore has been a key market for Salesforce, with its AI Research hub established in the country in 2019. The company’s local clients include Singapore Airlines, Grab, and FairPrice Group.
As part of the expansion, Salesforce has signed an agreement with Singapore Airlines to integrate Agentforce and other AI-driven solutions into its customer service operations.
The company continues to focus on AI innovation while restructuring its workforce, aligning itself with other tech giants investing in Southeast Asia’s digital future.
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has introduced HQC, a backup encryption algorithm designed to protect sensitive data from potential threats posed by future quantum computers.
As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity, the agency selected HQC to complement the existing post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standard, ML-KEM, in case quantum advancements compromise current encryption methods.
HQC relies on error-correcting codes, a mathematical approach used in data protection for decades, including in NASA missions.
The algorithm is larger than ML-KEM and requires more computing power, but experts determined it to be a secure and reliable alternative. A draft standard for HQC is expected within a year, with final approval anticipated by 2027.
NIST has been working to prepare for the so-called ‘Q day,’ when quantum computers could break conventional encryption. Three PQC algorithms were finalized in 2024, including ML-KEM and two digital signature standards.
In addition to announcing HQC, NIST is preparing to release a draft standard for the FALCON algorithm, further strengthening protections against future cyber threats.
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OpenAI has unveiled new tools to help developers and businesses build AI agents, which are automated systems that can independently perform tasks. These tools are part of OpenAI’s new Responses API, allowing enterprises to create custom AI agents that can search the web, navigate websites, and scan company files, similar to OpenAI’s existing Operator product. The company plans to phase out its older Assistants API by 2026, replacing it with the new capabilities.
The Responses API provides developers with access to powerful AI models, such as GPT-4o search and GPT-4o mini search, which are designed for high factual accuracy. OpenAI claims these models can offer more reliable answers than previous versions, with GPT-4o search achieving a 90% accuracy rate. Additionally, the platform includes a file search feature to help companies quickly retrieve information from their databases. The CUA model, which automates tasks like data entry, is also available, allowing developers to automate workflows with more precision.
Despite its promise, OpenAI acknowledges that there are still challenges to address, such as AI hallucinations and occasional errors in task automation. However, the company continues to improve its models, and the introduction of the Agents SDK gives developers the tools they need to build, debug, and optimise AI agents. OpenAI’s goal is to move beyond demos and create impactful tools that will shape the future of AI in enterprise applications.
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Celestial AI has raised an additional $250 million in venture capital, bringing its total funding to $515 million. The Silicon Valley startup is developing photonics-based technology to improve the speed and efficiency of AI computing.
By using light instead of electrical signals to connect AI chips with memory, the company aims to address the growing demand for higher memory bandwidth, a crucial factor in AI development.
Nvidia currently dominates this space with its NVLink and NVSwitch technologies, prompting a race among startups to develop alternative solutions.
Celestial AI’s ‘photonic fabric’ technology is designed to act as a high-speed bridge between chips, offering improved energy efficiency and lower latency. Backed by AMD’s venture arm, the company is positioning itself as a viable alternative to Nvidia’s proprietary systems.
The latest funding round was led by Fidelity Management & Research and included major investors such as BlackRock, Maverick Capital, and Tiger Global. Other participants included Temasek, Porsche Automobil Holding, and The Engine Ventures.
As AI hardware innovation accelerates, Celestial AI is among a growing group of startups seeking to reshape the industry with new approaches to chip design.
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