BoomGrow Productions and CelcomDigi Berhad have formed a strategic partnership to revolutionise Malaysia’s agricultural industry by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as 5G, AI, and extended reality (XR) into precision farming practices. That collaboration represents a significant step towards enhancing sustainable farming and boosting food production in the country. The overarching goal of the partnership is to transform traditional agricultural methods by leveraging the power of advanced technologies and setting new standards for efficient and sustainable farming practices in Malaysia.
One of the key innovations at the heart of this partnership is the implementation of 5G-Enhanced Precision Farming in BoomGrow’s Machine Farms. By utilising CelcomDigi’s reliable 5G network, supported by ZTE, BoomGrow will be able to connect sensors and monitoring systems throughout its farms.
The integration of 5G technology enables real-time data feedback, facilitating precise control over indoor farming environments and ensuring optimal conditions for crop growth. The seamless connectivity provided by CelcomDigi’s extensive network coverage in Malaysia will allow for the consolidation of data from all BoomGrow Machine Farms into a central dashboard, enabling seamless oversight and management of the farming operations.
In addition, the partnership also focuses on leveraging AI-driven analytics to optimise productivity and decision-making processes within the Machine Farms. Advanced AI algorithms will provide in-depth analysis and insights by processing complex datasets and plant visualisations from multiple farms.
Apple has partnered with India’s second-largest telecom provider, Bharti Airtel, to expand its content streaming services in the country. The collaboration will offer free access to Apple Music and Apple TV+ to millions of Airtel’s customers, boosting Apple’s presence in the rapidly growing Indian digital market. This strategy marks a shift in focus for Apple, which has primarily been emphasising manufacturing in India as part of its effort to diversify production beyond China.
Apple Music will soon be available to premium users of Airtel’s Wynk music app, which is set to close, while Apple TV+ will be included in packages for postpaid customers. India’s streaming market is highly competitive, with Apple aiming to increase its footprint in both music and video services. Despite strong competition from established players like Spotify and Disney+ Hotstar, Apple hopes this partnership will help gain more subscribers.
Although Apple Music includes local Bollywood and regional-language content, its smaller library compared to rivals like Spotify may present a challenge. Apple TV+, known for its original English-language series, currently lacks the Hindi content and localised offerings that dominate the Indian market, making its growth potential uncertain.
The partnership highlights Apple’s broader ambitions for India as it seeks to increase revenue from its services. Airtel, for its part, aims to enhance customer loyalty and boost revenues by leveraging Apple’s premium content offerings, while phasing out its own Wynk platform to focus on distribution rather than content creation.
Elon Musk’s xAI has launched Colossus, now the world’s most powerful AI training system, setting a new benchmark in the rapidly advancing field of AI. Colossus, which boasts a 100k H100 training cluster, is set to double in size in the coming months, solidifying its position as a leading force in AI development. This achievement places xAI ahead of competitors, with Colossus surpassing the capabilities of even the most advanced models to date, including those from OpenAI.
This weekend, the @xAI team brought our Colossus 100k H100 training cluster online. From start to finish, it was done in 122 days.
Colossus is the most powerful AI training system in the world. Moreover, it will double in size to 200k (50k H200s) in a few months.
The development of Colossus was accomplished in collaboration with Nvidia, a leader in semiconductor technology. The system’s power is driven by many GPUs, making it the most potent AI training system currently available. Industry reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many experts praising the accomplishment as a significant milestone in AI technology. Nvidia, which provided the cutting-edge H200 semiconductors for Colossus, highlighted the model’s exceptional gains in energy efficiency.
Musk’s ambitions in AI extend beyond Colossus. He has plans for a supercomputer that could be operational by 2025 and has expressed support for regulatory measures to ensure the safe development of AI. Despite the controversies surrounding these regulations, Musk remains a vocal advocate for responsible AI innovation, aiming to balance progress with public safety.
Exciting to see Colossus, the world’s largest GPU #supercomputer, come online in record time. Colossus is powered by @nvidia's #acceleratedcomputing platform, delivering breakthrough performance with exceptional gains in #energyefficiency.
The rise of automated kitchens, once the stuff of science fiction, is now a global reality, with robots already preparing everything from burgers to sushi, says Patrick Lin, professor of philosophy at California State Polytechnic University. As AI-driven technology advances, its integration into kitchens – first in commercial settings and eventually in homes – could profoundly reshape how food is prepared and consumed. This transformation may echo the impact of the microwave oven, which revolutionised mealtime convenience but also brought social and cultural disruptions.
While AI kitchens promise benefits like enhanced creativity for chefs and personalised meal preparation, they also pose risks to human well-being and cultural traditions. Cooking, a therapeutic and educational experience, could become obsolete, weakening family bonds and diminishing the transfer of knowledge and skills. Moreover, AI’s tendency to simplify or stereotype cultural nuances could lead to a loss of culinary diversity and changes in community dynamics if robots replace human chefs.
AI kitchens’ potential safety and ethical challenges are significant, from food safety concerns to the loss of jobs in the food service industry. As these technologies continue to develop, it is crucial to consider their broader societal implications, ensuring that the benefits of automation do not come at the expense of our deeply rooted food traditions and the human experience they enrich.
In partnership with ZTE Corporation, Orange Liberia has completed the deployment of 128 RuralPilot EcoSites across rural Liberia in just three months. The project notably enhances network coverage in underserved areas, providing essential 2G voice and 4G data services.
Each site utilises low-power wireless base station equipment operating on the 800MHz and 900MHz bands and is equipped with solar energy systems and smart lithium batteries supported by PowerPilot AI energy-saving software—this innovative infrastructure addresses transmission challenges through microwave, satellite, and 4G relay technologies.
Jean Marius YAO, CEO of Orange Liberia, highlighted the company’s commitment to improving communication services, stating that these new sites will support rural communities’ economic and social development. Zhang Guanzhen, CEO of ZTE Orange MEA Account, praised the collaboration as a big milestone despite challenges like underdeveloped infrastructure.
With this new network in place, over 580,000 subscribers in rural areas will benefit from enhanced digital, financial, and energy inclusion, marking a transformative advancement in Liberia’s telecommunications landscape.
According to a senior government official, China has invested over 43.5 billion yuan ($6.1 billion) in building computing data centres nationwide. The investment, part of the ‘Eastern Data, Western Computing’ initiative, aligns with President Xi Jinping’s vision for a ‘digital China’ and responds to increasing US restrictions on advanced computing products.
The initiative, launched in early 2022, focuses on constructing eight major data centre hubs in western regions. These hubs leverage the West’s energy resources to provide computing power to economic centres along the coast. The strategy underscores China’s determination to enhance its computing capabilities despite external pressures.
Liu Liehong, head of the National Data Bureau, reported that the project has drawn more than 200 billion yuan in total investment and has installed over 1.95 million server racks, with around 63% currently in use. The project demonstrates China‘s commitment to fostering a robust digital infrastructure.
In addition to government spending, Beijing actively seeks private investment to further bolster the initiative. The significant investment highlights China’s ambition to lead the global digital economy while countering challenges posed by US technology restrictions.
Google is weighing plans to build its first large-scale data centre in Vietnam near Ho Chi Minh City. The project, still under internal discussion, would make Google the first major US tech firm to invest in such infrastructure in the country. A decision has yet to be finalised, but the data centre could be operational by 2027.
Vietnam‘s developing digital economy and the increasing demand for cloud services and YouTube content drive Google’s interest in the region. Despite this, the country has historically struggled to attract large tech investments due to its unreliable power grid, outdated infrastructure, and less favourable regulations. However, recent reforms have opened up opportunities for foreign ownership.
Vietnam lags behind neighbouring Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, which have successfully attracted significant data centre investments. Google’s planned facility would be one of the largest in the industry, potentially consuming as much power as a small city. Estimates suggest such a centre could cost up to $650 million.
As part of its broader growth strategy in Vietnam, Google has already opened a representative office and is hiring staff locally. It also launched initiatives such as offering AI scholarships and supporting startups, reflecting its deepening commitment to the country’s digital transformation.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has issued new guidance on using Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) funds for alternative technologies, such as unlicensed fixed wireless access (uFWA) and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. The guidance is open for public comment until 10 September 2024 and emphasises that while fibre remains the ‘gold standard,’ alternative technologies can help bridge the digital divide when reliable options like coaxial cable or licensed fixed wireless are too expensive or unavailable.
The document specifies that BEAD funds cannot be allocated to areas already served by uFWA or LEO services that meet the program’s speed and latency requirements, preventing unnecessary overbuilding. Eligible entities must include one-time installation costs and customer premises equipment in their funding proposals to alleviate consumer financial barriers. Additionally, LEO satellite services are permitted under specific conditions, distinguishing them from ineligible geostationary satellite services.
The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) has welcomed this clarification, viewing it as a positive step toward flexibility in the BEAD program and addressing concerns about overbuilding in areas already served.
Lip-Bu Tan, a high-profile board member at Intel, has resigned after disagreeing with CEO Pat Gelsinger and other directors over the company’s workforce size, risk-averse culture, and lagging AI strategy. His departure follows rising concerns that Intel’s turnaround efforts, led by Gelsinger, are hindered by inefficiencies and outdated practices. Tan, a semiconductor industry veteran, had joined Intel’s board to help restore its leadership in the chip industry.
Tan reportedly grew frustrated with Intel’s bloated workforce, which he believed was burdened by excessive layers of middle management. Despite attempts to streamline the company through layoffs, Tan argued that Intel had failed to make the necessary cuts to its bureaucracy. As competition in AI heats up, particularly with Nvidia, Intel has been criticised for falling behind in the race to develop cutting-edge AI chips.
Intel’s challenges are exacerbated by its struggle to build a foundry business that aims to manufacture chips for other companies. Without a bigger customer, the industry has yet to turn a profit. Additionally, a $5.4 billion deal to acquire Israel’s Tower Semiconductor was blocked by China, further complicating Intel’s efforts to expand its contract manufacturing capabilities.
Intel’s future remains uncertain as the company grapples with internal inefficiencies, external competition, and geopolitical obstacles. Tan’s exit has left a significant void on Intel’s board, raising further concerns about its ability to compete in a rapidly evolving semiconductor industry.
A recently published report by the University of Sheffield and its research partners proposes implementing a ‘digital vaccination’ for children to combat misinformation and bridge the digital divide. The report sets out recommendations for digital upskilling and innovative approaches to address the digital divide that hampers the opportunities of millions of children in the UK.
The authors warn that there could be severe economic and educational consequences without addressing these issues, highlighting that over 40% of UK children lack access to broadband or a device, and digital skills shortages cost £65 billion annually.
The report calls for adopting the Minimum Digital Living Standards framework to ensure every household has the digital infrastructure. It also stresses the need for improved school digital literacy education, teacher training, and new government guidance to mitigate online risks, including fake news.
