OpenAI‘s head of media partnerships, Varun Shetty, recently stated that the company does not intend to share advertising revenue from its SearchGPT product with publishers. During his address at the Twipe Digital Growth Summit in Brussels, Shetty highlighted OpenAI’s belief that it can provide value to publishers by driving significant traffic from new audiences rather than offering financial compensation. He also acknowledged the importance of a mutually beneficial relationship and indicated that OpenAI is exploring ways to ensure publishers find enough value to remain included in SearchGPT results.
Varun Shetty compared OpenAI’s approach to that of Google’s AI Overviews, which have been criticised for diminishing publishers’ visibility in search results. In contrast, the AI-powered search engine Perplexity has established revenue-sharing agreements with multiple publishers, and Microsoft has announced plans to pay publishers for content featured by its productivity assistant, Copilot. Currently, in an experimental phase, SearchGPT aims to provide answers in natural language while clearly indicating sources. OpenAI intends to integrate SearchGPT into its flagship ChatGPT product by the end of the year.
Shetty stressed the need to balance user experience with publisher needs, noting that while users seek answers, they also want to verify information. He assured publishers they could opt out of SearchGPT results if desired, and any publisher wanting to participate only needs to permit OpenAI’s search bot on their site. He emphasised that SearchGPT has the potential to drive significant traffic without complicating the decision-making regarding content training.
In addition to discussing SearchGPT, Shetty expressed how OpenAI could assist the news industry, noting that while audiences are not interested in AI-generated news, AI can help streamline journalistic tasks, such as story recommendations and multimedia management. He also hinted at advancements in the next GPT model, which will enable more complex user requests, enhancing its usefulness for various applications.
Italy is set to trial Starlink satellites to expand internet services in remote areas, according to a government official. Discussions are ongoing with regional administrations in different parts of the country as the government explores ways to complement its existing infrastructure with satellite technology.
Undersecretary Alessio Butti explained that the trials will address areas lacking terrestrial infrastructure or facing delays in fibre rollout. Italy’s broader strategy forms part of the European Union’s recovery plan, aiming to provide every household and business with gigabit-speed internet by 2026.
Despite efforts by state-supported firms Open Fiber and FiberCop, less than one-third of the targeted rollout has been achieved. Both companies secured €3.4 billion in EU funding in 2022 to ensure nationwide fibre-optic coverage, but progress has been slower than anticipated.
With over 50,000 customers in Italy already using Starlink services, the government is keen to assess how satellite-based solutions can bridge connectivity gaps. The trials will also help ensure Italy meets its internet goals under the post-pandemic recovery programme.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is launching a significant initiative to establish its optical fibre cable (OFC) network along major highways through a public-private partnership (PPP) model. This strategic endeavour aims to facilitate barrier-free tolling and foster the development of smart highways, significantly enhancing transportation efficiency nationwide.
The OFC infrastructure is expected to cover an impressive 146,000 kilometres, surpassing existing networks operated by RailTel and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL). NHAI will adopt a phased implementation strategy to effectively roll out this ambitious network, inviting package bids and signing separate concession agreements with successful bidders for each project segment.
The oversight and management of the initiative will be entrusted to the National Highways Logistics Management Ltd (NHLML), a subsidiary of NHAI. Pilot routes have already been identified, including significant stretches on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and the Hyderabad-Bangalore Corridor, with dedicated utility corridors for optical fibre cables. Additionally, capacity allocation policies will be established in collaboration with the Department of Telecom and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to ensure equitable access and effective network utilisation.
That ambitious project aims to improve highway operations and generate new revenue streams by leasing excess capacity for commercial purposes. However, transitioning the NHAI network to a digital framework may require substantial investment, with estimates suggesting costs exceeding ₹35,000 crore.
The remarkable growth in toll revenues over recent years indicates a promising potential for increased funding, which could further support highway development and expansion. By prioritising strategic partnerships and regulatory frameworks, NHAI aims to maximise the potential of the OFC network while supporting broader objectives of digital connectivity and infrastructure enhancement in India.
The House of Representatives has introduced a significant bill to provide free internet services in selected public places throughout Nigeria. The initiative highlights the critical role of information and communications technology (ICT) in nation-building and seeks to bridge the digital divide by enhancing connectivity in essential sectors like education and healthcare.
The proposed law outlines various locations eligible for free internet access, including government offices, secondary and tertiary institutions, public hospitals, military barracks, libraries, parks, and transport terminals. Users will not be charged for connecting to these public internet access points, separate from backend services used in government operations. To ensure quality, the bill mandates a minimum internet speed of two megabytes per second per user, aligning with the National Broadband Plan.
To facilitate the effective implementation of the bill, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will oversee the rollout and set standards for public locations included in the initiative. They are required to develop a comprehensive implementation plan within one year of the law’s commencement, collaborating with federal, state, and local governments, as well as private sector entities.
The legislation encourages public-private partnerships to enhance service delivery, allowing private partners to offer supplemental internet services for a fee. Additionally, it promotes cost reduction by encouraging private service providers to exchange data tariffs through designated domestic internet protocol exchanges, ultimately improving access for users in areas where the programme is implemented.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is enhancing its Destination Earth platform, an initiative by the European Commission to create a highly accurate digital replica of the Earth, known as a digital twin. The platform focuses on climate-related issues, helping policymakers model the effects of climate change on critical areas such as extreme weather events, sea level rise, rainfall and drought, and biodiversity.
The first version of Destination Earth launched in June 2024, featuring two initial digital twins, with plans to introduce additional twins over the next six years, culminating in a fully operational digital replica by 2030. To enrich its capabilities, the ESA is integrating AI technologies, including machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI, with the support of three selected French firms – Atos, Mews Partners, and ACRI-ST.
As a result of these advancements, users will gain access to various algorithms, digital tools, models, simulations, and visualisations, significantly improving the platform’s utility for climate adaptation and mitigation policy-making. The integration of AI is expected to streamline the development process and enhance the overall effectiveness of Destination Earth in addressing climate challenges.
In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, AI pioneer Yann LeCun dismissed concerns about AI poses an existential threat to humanity, calling them ‘complete B.S.’ LeCun, a professor at New York University and senior researcher at Meta, has been vocal about his scepticism, emphasising that current AI technology is far from achieving human-level intelligence. He previously tweeted that before worrying about super-intelligent AI, we need to first create a system that surpasses the intelligence of a house cat.
LeCun argued that today’s large language models (LLMs) lack essential capabilities like persistent memory, reasoning, planning, and a comprehension of the physical world—skills even a cat possesses. In his view, while these models are adept at manipulating language, this does not equate to true intelligence, and they are not advancing toward developing artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Despite his scepticism about current AI capabilities, LeCun is not entirely dismissive of the potential for AGI in the future. He suggested that developing AGI will require new approaches and pointed to ongoing work by his team at Meta, which is exploring ways to process and understand real-world video data.
Visitors to Cambridge University’s Museum of Zoology will soon be able to have conversations with animals on display using AI. The museum is offering two-way chats with 13 selected specimens, including a dodo, a red panda, and a narwhal skeleton, as part of a month-long experiment starting Tuesday.
The aim of this project is to encourage public engagement with the natural world and provide insights into visitors’ curiosity about the exhibits. Visitors can start a conversation by scanning a QR code near each display, with the animals responding based on their species’ traits and scientific data.
Nature Perspectives, the company behind the technology, has designed the AI responses to reflect the unique perspective of each specimen. The goal is to foster a deeper connection between visitors and nature, with the potential to shift public attitudes toward biodiversity loss.
To ensure the accuracy of the responses, the AI has been fine-tuned using a curated set of data provided by experts. This helps maintain the scientific integrity of the conversations while enhancing the overall visitor experience.
Google has signed the first-ever corporate agreement to source electricity from small modular reactors (SMRs) to power its AI operations. Partnering with Kairos Power, the tech giant plans to bring its first SMR online by 2030, with further installations expected by 2035. The innovative approach aims to ensure a reliable, around-the-clock supply of clean energy, addressing the growing energy demands triggered by the expansion of AI technology.
The agreement outlines Google’s commitment to purchasing 500 megawatts of power from six to seven SMRs, though details regarding the plants’ financial terms and locations remain undisclosed. The power output from these SMRs is significantly smaller than traditional nuclear reactors, but Google’s strategic investment signals a push toward long-term sustainability.
The tech industry’s focus on nuclear energy has gained momentum this year, with companies like Amazon and Microsoft entering similar agreements. According to Goldman Sachs, the demand for data centres in the US is expected to triple between 2023 and 2030. The surge in energy consumption has prompted technology companies to explore alternative energy sources, including nuclear, wind, and solar, to meet future needs.
Kairos Power must navigate regulatory hurdles, including securing permits from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and local agencies, which could take several years. However, the company achieved a key milestone last year by obtaining a construction permit to build a demonstration reactor in Tennessee, signalling progress toward deploying SMRs.
Despite the enthusiasm for SMRs, critics point to potential challenges, including high costs and the production of long-lasting nuclear waste. However, Google’s decision to commit to an order book framework with Kairos rather than purchasing individual reactors represents a strategic investment to accelerate the development of SMRs while ensuring cost-effectiveness and timely project delivery.
In a lengthy blog post, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei presented an optimistic vision for the future of AI, asserting that powerful AI could emerge as soon as 2026. He envisions AI that surpasses human intelligence in key fields, capable of performing complex tasks such as solving mathematical theorems and conducting sophisticated experiments. Amodei believes this advanced technology could lead to groundbreaking advancements in healthcare, potentially curing diseases and doubling human lifespans within the next few decades.
Critics are sceptical about Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s ambitious claims regarding the future of AI, pointing out current limitations such as the technology’s inability to think independently and the challenges in applying AI solutions in real-world healthcare settings. While Amodei envisions AI tackling global issues like hunger and climate change and boosting economies in developing countries, he concedes that achieving these goals will necessitate substantial global cooperation and philanthropic efforts.
Despite acknowledging the potential risks and biases associated with AI, Dario Amodei does not present concrete solutions for the economic disruptions that may occur as AI replaces human jobs. He suggests that society will need to rethink its economic structure in an AI-dominated future but offers minimal guidance on navigating these changes. While he frames AI as a transformative force for good, sceptics remain cautious about the significant challenges and ethical dilemmas it presents.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has unveiled a robotaxi called ‘Cybercab’, aiming to shift the focus from affordable electric cars to robotic vehicles. Set to cost under $30,000, the vehicle features gull-wing doors, no steering wheel or pedals, and is expected to enter mass production by 2026. Musk also introduced a robovan designed to carry up to 20 passengers.
BREAKING: Here is the first look at Tesla’s Cybercab.
Despite Musk’s bold vision for autonomous driving, experts raised concerns about safety, regulation, and the practicality of his timeline. Musk acknowledged previous delays but reaffirmed his belief that self-driving technology would drastically improve road safety, predicting a tenfold improvement over human drivers. However, little detail was provided on how Tesla plans to outpace its competitors.
Tesla’s new approach favours AI and camera-based technology, rather than the more common lidar, posing challenges both technically and in terms of regulation. Musk also teased advancements in Tesla’s humanoid robot ‘Optimus’, which is projected to cost between $20,000 and $30,000 and could perform household tasks in the future.
The event marked a pivotal moment in Tesla’s shift towards autonomous transportation. However, concerns linger about Musk’s ability to deliver on these promises, especially as Tesla faces increased competition in the robotaxi market and risks missing its delivery targets for the year.
