Development Archives | Page 70 of 545 | Digital Watch Observatory

Northumbria graduate uses AI to revolutionise cardiovascular diagnosis

Jack Parker, a Northumbria University alumnus and CEO/co-founder of AIATELLA, is leading a pioneering effort to speed up cardiovascular disease diagnosis using artificial intelligence, cutting diagnostic times from over 30 minutes to under 3 minutes, a potential lifesaver in clinical settings.

His motivation stems from witnessing delays in diagnosis that affected his own father, as well as broader health disparities in the North East, where cardiovascular issues often go undetected until later stages.

Parker’s company, now UK-Finnish, is undergoing clinical evaluation with three NHS trusts in the North East (Northumbria, Newcastle, Sunderland), comparing the AI tool’s performance against cardiologists and radiologists.

The technology has already helped identify individuals needing urgent intervention while working with community organisations in the UK and Finland.

Parker credits Northumbria University’s practical and inclusive education pathway, including a foundation degree and biomedical science degree, with providing the grounding to translate academic knowledge into real-world impact.

Support from the university’s Incubator Hub also helped AIATELLA navigate early business development and access funding networks.

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AI drives bold transformation in the East African Community

The East African Community (EAC) is positioning AI as a strategic instrument to address long-standing structural inefficiencies. Rather than viewing AI as a technological trend, the bloc increasingly recognises it as central to strengthening governance, accelerating regional integration, and enhancing economic competitiveness.

The region faces persistent challenges, including slow customs clearance, fragmented data systems, weak coordination, and revenue leakages. AI-powered systems could streamline procedures, improve data management, and strengthen oversight to reduce corruption and delays.

Beyond trade facilitation, AI has implications for public financial management and service delivery. Machine learning tools can detect procurement anomalies, identify irregular payments, and strengthen auditing systems. Such applications could enhance fiscal stability, transparency, and public trust across member states.

However, East Africa’s AI adoption remains constrained by limited computing infrastructure, skills shortages, and fragmented regulatory frameworks. Without harmonised governance standards, reliable data infrastructure, and sustained investment in capacity-building, AI initiatives risk remaining isolated and underutilised.

The upcoming regional AI conference in Kigali signals high-level political recognition of AI’s transformative potential. It is expected to advance discussions on policy coordination, ethical frameworks, and the development of a shared regional strategy.

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Institute of AI Education marks significant step for responsible AI in schools

The Institute of AI Education was officially launched at York St John University, bringing together education leaders, teachers, and researchers to explore practical and responsible approaches to AI in schools.

Discussions at the event focused on critical challenges, including fostering AI literacy, promoting fairness and inclusion, and empowering teachers and students to have agency over how AI tools are used.

The institute will serve as a collaborative hub, offering research-based guidance, professional development, and practical support to schools. A central message emphasised that AI should enhance the work of educators and learners, rather than replace them.

The launch featured interactive sessions with contributions from both education and technology leaders, as well as practitioners sharing real-world experiences of integrating AI into classrooms.

Strong attendance and active participation underscored the growing interest in AI across the education sector, with representatives from the Department for Education highlighting notable progress in early years and primary school settings.

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Russia signals no immediate Google ban as Android dependence remains critical

Officials in Russia have confirmed that no plans are underway to restrict access to Google, despite recent public debate about the possibility of a technical block. Anton Gorelkin, a senior lawmaker, said regulators clarified that such a step is not being considered.

Concerns centre on the impact a ban would have on devices running Android, which are used by a significant share of smartphone owners in the country.

A block on Google would disrupt essential digital services instead of encouraging the company to resolve ongoing legal disputes involving unpaid fines.

Gorelkin noted that court proceedings abroad are still in progress, meaning enforcement options remain open. He added that any future move to reduce reliance on Google services should follow a gradual pathway supported by domestic technological development rather than abrupt restrictions.

The comments follow earlier statements from another lawmaker, Andrey Svintsov, who acknowledged that blocking Google in Russia is technically feasible but unnecessary.

Officials now appear focused on creating conditions that would allow local digital platforms to grow without destabilising existing infrastructure.

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Hybrid AI could reshape robotics and defence

Investors and researchers are increasingly arguing that the future of AI lies beyond large language models. In London and across Europe, startups are developing so-called world models designed to simulate physical reality rather than simply predict text.

Unlike LLMs, which rely on static datasets, world models aim to build internal representations of cause and effect. Advocates say these systems are better suited to autonomous vehicles, robotics, defence and industrial simulation.

London based Stanhope AI is among companies pursuing this approach, claiming its systems learn by inference and continuously update their internal maps. The company is reportedly working with European governments and aerospace firms on AI drone applications.

Supporters argue that safety and explainability must be embedded from the outset, particularly under frameworks such as the EU AI Act. Investors suggest that hybrid systems combining LLMs with physics aware models could unlock large commercial markets across Europe.

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Researchers tackle LLM regression with on policy training

Researchers at MIT, the Improbable AI Lab and ETH Zurich have proposed a fine tuning method to address catastrophic forgetting in large language models. The issue often causes models to lose earlier skills when trained on new tasks.

The technique, called self distillation fine tuning, allows a model to act as both teacher and student during training. In Cambridge and Zurich experiments, the approach preserved prior capabilities while improving accuracy on new tasks.

Enterprise teams often manage separate model variants to prevent regression, increasing operational complexity. The researchers argue that their method could reduce fragmentation and support continual learning, useful for AI, within a single production model.

However, the method requires around 2.5 times more computing power than standard supervised fine tuning. Analysts note that real world deployment will depend on governance controls, training costs and suitability for regulated industries.

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Latam-GPT signals new AI ambition in Latin America

Chile has introduced Latam-GPT to strengthen Latin America’s presence in global AI.

The project, developed by the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence with support across South America, aims to correct long-standing biases by training systems on the region’s own data instead of material drawn mainly from the US or Europe.

President Gabriel Boric said the model will help maintain cultural identity and allow the region to take a more active role in technological development.

Latam-GPT is not designed as a conversational tool but rather as a vast dataset that serves as the foundation for future applications. More than eight terabytes of information have been collected, mainly in Spanish and Portuguese, with plans to add indigenous languages as the project expands.

The first version has been trained on Amazon Web Services. At the same time, future work will run on a new supercomputer at the University of Tarapacá, supported by millions of dollars in regional funding.

The model reflects growing interest among countries outside the major AI hubs of the US, China and Europe in developing their own technology instead of relying on foreign systems.

Researchers in Chile argue that global models often include Latin American data in tiny proportions, which can limit accurate representation. Despite questions about resources and scale, supporters believe Latam-GPT can deliver practical benefits tailored to local needs.

Early adoption is already underway, with the Chilean firm Digevo preparing customer service tools based on the model.

These systems will operate in regional languages and recognise local expressions, offering a more natural experience than products trained on data from other parts of the world.

Developers say the approach could reduce bias and promote more inclusive AI across the continent.

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AI safety leader quits Anthropic with global risk warning

A prominent AI safety researcher has resigned from Anthropic, issuing a stark warning about global technological and societal risks. Mrinank Sharma announced his departure in a public letter, citing concerns spanning AI development, bioweapons, and broader geopolitical instability.

Sharma led AI safeguards research, including model alignment, bioterrorism risks, and human-AI behavioural dynamics. Despite praising his tenure, he said ethical tensions and pressures hindered the pursuit of long-term safety priorities.

His exit comes amid wider turbulence across the AI sector. Another researcher recently left OpenAI, raising concerns over the integration of advertising into chatbot environments and the psychological implications of increasingly human-like AI interactions.

Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI staff, balances commercial AI deployment with safety and risk mitigation. Sharma plans to return to the UK to study poetry, stepping back from AI research amid global uncertainty.

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ChatGPT starts limited advertising rollout in the US

OpenAI has begun rolling out advertising inside ChatGPT, marking a shift for a service that has largely operated without traditional ads since its launch in 2022.

OpenAI said it is testing ads for logged-in Free and Go users in the United States, while paid tiers remain ad-free. The company said the test aims to fund broader access to advanced AI tools.

Ads appear outside ChatGPT responses and are clearly labelled as sponsored content, with no influence on answers. Placement is based on broad topics, with restrictions around sensitive areas such as health or politics.

Free users can opt out of ads by upgrading to a paid plan or by accepting fewer daily free messages in exchange for an ad-free experience. Users who allow ads can also opt out of ad personalisation, prevent past chats from being used for ad selection, and delete all ad-related history and data.

The rollout follows months of speculation after screenshots suggested that ads appeared in ChatGPT responses, which OpenAI described as suggestions. Rivals, including Anthropic, have contrasted their approach, promoting Claude as free from in-chat advertising.

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Saudi Arabia recasts Vision 2030 with new priorities

The new phase of Vision 2030 is being steered toward technology, digital infrastructure and advanced industry by Saudi Arabia instead of relying on large urban construction schemes.

Officials highlight the need to support sectors that can accelerate innovation, strengthen data capabilities and expand the kingdom’s role in global tech development.

The move aligns with ongoing efforts to diversify the economy and build long-term competitiveness in areas such as smart manufacturing, logistics technology and clean energy systems.

Recent adjustments involve scaling back or rescheduling some giga projects so that investment can be channelled toward initiatives with strong digital and technological potential.

Elements of the NEOM programme have been revised, while funding attention is shifting to areas that enable automation, renewable technologies and high-value services.

Saudi Arabia aims to position Riyadh as a regional hub for research, emerging technologies and advanced industries. Officials stress that Vision 2030 remains active, yet its next stage will focus on projects that can accelerate technological adoption and strengthen economic resilience.

The Public Investment Fund continues to guide investment toward ecosystems that support innovation, including clean energy, digital infrastructure and international technology partnerships.

An approach that reflects earlier recommendations to match economic planning with evolving skills, future labour market needs and opportunities in fast-growing sectors.

Analysts note that the revised direction prioritises sustainable growth by expanding the kingdom’s participation in global technological development instead of relying mainly on construction-driven momentum.

Social and regulatory reforms connected to digital transformation also remain part of the Vision 2030 agenda. Investments in training, digital literacy and workforce development are intended to ensure that young people can participate fully in the technology sectors the kingdom is prioritising.

With such a shift, the government seeks to balance long-term economic diversification with practical technological goals that reinforce innovation and strengthen the country’s competitive position.

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