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Quantum technologies tested to strengthen energy systems

Energy systems are under growing pressure from rising demand, geopolitical volatility and increasingly complex grid operations. Electrification, renewable integration and digital infrastructure growth are making power systems harder to optimise and secure with conventional tools.

The World Economic Forum’s white paper Quantum for Energy and Utilities: Key Opportunities for Energy Transition, developed with Aramco, highlights quantum technologies as complementary tools for specific high-value challenges.

Operational optimisation is one of the earliest use cases. Power networks must balance renewable generation, storage, flexible demand and grid limits in real time.

Hybrid quantum-classical approaches are being tested, including EDF and Pasqal’s electric-vehicle smart charging work, in which a neutral-atom quantum system enabled scheduling across more than 100 qubits to better align charging with grid conditions.

Quantum approaches are also being explored for materials and monitoring. Simulating batteries, hydrogen systems and carbon capture remains computationally heavy, slowing innovation.

Quantum sensing is also being trialled for emissions and infrastructure monitoring, including methane detection tests at the Flotta Oil Terminal in Scotland that captured intermittent emissions missed by periodic inspections.

Infrastructure security is another focus, especially long-term cyber risk. Trials such as Austria’s Verbund testing quantum-safe communications in live grid environments show early progress in post-quantum cryptography.

Despite advances, limitations in hardware, scalability and integration keep most applications in pilot phases, with wider adoption dependent on structured investment and clear use cases.

Why does it matter?

Energy systems are growing more complex as rising demand, renewable integration and digitalisation stretch traditional optimisation and security tools to their limits. Even in early pilots, quantum approaches could boost grid efficiency, accelerate the discovery of clean-energy materials and enhance long-term infrastructure security.

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Microsoft highlights healthcare AI use in emergency response, diagnosis, and hospital operations

Microsoft has published a source feature presenting seven examples of how AI is being used in healthcare and well-being settings in different countries.

The piece frames the examples around pressures on health systems facing tight budgets, rising demand, and growing administrative workloads, and says AI tools are being deployed to reduce documentation burdens, improve information flows, and support working conditions for clinicians and pharmacists.

According to the feature, one example comes from the Munich Fire Department, where an AI operator is being tested to handle non-emergency patient transport calls while handing cases to human staff when needed. Microsoft says the system is intended to free dispatchers to focus on life-threatening emergencies and is currently in beta testing at LMU Klinikum in Munich.

The article also points to the use of ambient clinical documentation technology in the United Kingdom. At Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Microsoft says clinicians are using Dragon Copilot to turn clinical conversations into structured medical notes, aiming to reduce paperwork and increase time with patients. The feature cites hospital estimates that the time savings could allow treatment of up to a quarter of a million additional patients each year.

In Kenya, Microsoft highlights an AI-powered app called Zendawa used by independent pharmacies to track inventory, reduce waste, and support business planning. The feature says the app helps forecast stock needs and uses sales data to support loan applications.

Another example comes from Spain, where Microsoft says DxGPT, a diagnostic support tool built on Microsoft Azure, is being used to help identify rare diseases more quickly. The feature links the tool to Foundation 29 and states that it is already integrated into Madrid’s public health system and is expanding to two additional Spanish regions.

Microsoft also points to clinician burnout and documentation pressures in the United States. At Intermountain Health, the article says Dragon Copilot has been integrated into electronic health records and rolled out to more than 2,500 clinicians, with the organisation reporting faster documentation, lower cognitive load, and improved clinician satisfaction and patient engagement.

Cybersecurity recovery is another theme in the feature. Microsoft says Osaka General Medical Center in Japan adopted Microsoft security and cloud tools after a 2022 ransomware attack that disrupted access to servers, patient data, and internal communications. The article presents the case as a broader hospital security reset rather than only a clinical AI deployment example.

A final example focuses on Ribera, a private hospital operator active in Spain, Portugal, and Central Europe. Microsoft says Ribera uses a mix of AI and digital tools to monitor chronic patients, predict risks such as pressure ulcers and falls, and test generative AI for discharge letters in routine procedures, with the stated aim of redirecting clinician time back to patient care.

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Six Spanish cities receive EIB support on electric mobility infrastructure

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched a technical advisory service to support the rollout of electric charging infrastructure in six Spanish cities participating in the European Union’s Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission: Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Valencia, Valladolid, and Zaragoza.

The agreement is intended to help the cities determine investment requirements for charging infrastructure and phase in deployment by 2030.

According to the EIB, the advisory support will focus on charging infrastructure for cars, vans, and light goods vehicles, while also encouraging broader integration of electric vehicles into urban transport systems.

The service helps cities identify investment gaps, develop public-private partnership approaches, and examine European funding mechanisms for sustainable mobility projects.

All six cities are part to the European Union Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission and hold the EU Mission Label for their climate plans and investment strategies. The agreement is also intended to support the exchange of best practices and replicable models that could be used elsewhere in Spain and across Europe.

Technical assistance under the agreement is not linked to EIB financing and instead centres on advisory work. This includes building project pipelines, analysing barriers to investment and rollout, encouraging collaboration between public authorities, private investors, and sector specialists, and monitoring impacts through agreed metrics.

The advisory work will be delivered with support from the SUEZ/IDOM consultancy consortium and is financed by the InvestEU Advisory Hub. In the background section, the EIB links the initiative to the wider Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission under Horizon Europe, which aims to support climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 and use them as hubs for wider urban transition by 2050.

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South Korea leads AI patents per capita while strengthening models and policy frameworks

According to the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI‘s AI Index 2026 report, South Korea leads globally in AI patents per capita, reflecting a high concentration of innovation relative to population size.

Such a measure highlights the country’s strong research and development intensity in emerging technologies.

While China and the US dominate in total patent volume, South Korea ranks first in innovation density and third in the number of notable AI models, indicating a balanced performance across research output and technological deployment.

The findings also point to rapid growth in generative AI adoption, alongside sustained legislative activity.

Over recent years, multiple AI-related laws have been enacted, positioning South Korea among the leading economies in developing governance frameworks to support innovation.

The combination of technical output, policy support and adoption trends illustrates how coordinated national strategies can strengthen AI ecosystems, linking research capacity with regulatory development and real-world application.

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UK invests in technical colleges to address skills shortages and support industry growth

The UK Government has announced the expansion of Technical Excellence Colleges, with 19 new institutions aimed at strengthening high-level technical education across key sectors.

Backed by £175 million in public funding, the initiative targets industries such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defence and digital technologies.

The policy responds to projected labour shortages, with estimates indicating demand for hundreds of thousands of additional skilled workers by 2030.

By aligning training provision with regional economic needs, the colleges are designed to support local labour markets while contributing to national industrial priorities.

An initiative that forms part of a broader strategy to elevate technical education alongside university pathways, expanding access to higher-level learning and improving workforce readiness.

It also emphasises collaboration between institutions, with designated colleges expected to share expertise and raise standards across the system.

By strengthening skills pipelines and supporting sector-specific training, the programme in the UK aims to enhance economic resilience and ensure that workforce development keeps pace with technological and industrial change.

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Brazil links AI and technical standards in competitiveness push

Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade said the integration of AI and technical standardisation should be treated as a strategic issue for the country’s competitiveness.

The position was presented during a meeting organised by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, which brought together public bodies and specialists to discuss AI governance and its effects on the productive sector and on the state.

Pedro Ivo, secretary for Competitiveness and Regulatory Policy at the Ministry of Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, said technical standards can help reduce costs, facilitate trade, and improve competitiveness. He also said linking that process to AI could support a more predictable regulatory environment.

According to the ministry, the discussion also highlighted the international dimension of the issue and Brazil’s efforts to expand its role in shaping AI-related standards and guidelines. The programme included discussions of global AI impacts, regulatory challenges, and the role of international organisations in technical regulation for information and communication technologies.

Tiago Munk, the ministry’s coordinator-general for quality infrastructure, said technical standards can play a central role in AI governance by defining criteria, requirements, and good practices for systems, products, and services. He added that Brazil should take an active role in developing international standards.

The meeting was presented as part of a broader government effort to strengthen coordination on AI, with attention to policy direction, institutional coordination, and the country’s position in the digital economy.

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EU committee backs digital vehicle registration and mileage data sharing

The European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism has backed draft rules introducing digital vehicle registration certificates and wider cross-border sharing of vehicle data, including mileage and inspection results, as part of the revision of the EU rules on vehicle registration documents.

According to the committee, the digital vehicle registration certificate would become the main format within three years of the new rules entering into force. Members of the European Parliament also want a physical version to remain available on request for people with limited digital access or skills, and support the use of a QR code for immediate access to vehicle information.

The draft rules would require core vehicle information to be registered electronically, including the vehicle’s make, weight, owner, regular inspection results, and reasons for cancelling registration. The committee says this is intended to support roadworthiness inspectors and authorities responsible for re-registering vehicles.

To address fraud, questionable practices in the second-hand car market, and the illegal trade in stolen vehicles, the draft text would also require EU countries to make these registers accessible to one another.

In addition to vehicle registration data, mileage, and regular and roadside inspection results, the committee added an obligation to share, where available, remote sensing data and data relating to tampered heavy-duty vehicles.

The committee also backed opening negotiations with the EU member states on the final form of the legislation. That decision still requires approval by Parliament as a whole.

The proposal forms part of the roadworthiness package, presented by the European Commission in 2025, which seeks to update minimum standards for vehicle inspections, vehicle registration documents, and roadside inspections to improve road safety, support sustainable mobility, and facilitate the free movement of people and goods.

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Canada and Finland set out sovereign technology and AI cooperation agenda

Canada and Finland have issued a joint statement setting out a new phase of bilateral cooperation focused on Arctic and maritime issues, defence and resilience, and advanced technologies, including sovereign technology, AI, quantum computing, and high-performance computing.

The statement says the two countries met in Ottawa to advance bilateral cooperation amid strategic competition and an emerging international order.

On technology, the statement welcomes a Canada–Finland joint statement on sovereign technology and AI cooperation, aimed at expanding collaboration on advanced technologies that deliver shared economic benefits.

It also says the two countries will deepen coordination to strengthen sovereign technology, grow capacity, and reduce dependencies in what it describes as an increasingly contested digital landscape. Finland’s participation in the Sovereign Technology Alliance is also to be explored.

The two governments also say they will collaborate on research and innovation in high-performance computing and AI, including support for AI adoption across industry and government and the identification of investment opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The statement adds that they will continue cooperation on network communication technologies that will underpin sovereign AI infrastructure and promote opportunities for their telecommunications industries through multilateral initiatives, including the Global Coalition on Telecommunications.

The text also refers to AI gigafactories, facilities designed to provide the computing power needed to develop, train, and deploy advanced AI models and applications. In that context, it welcomes the longstanding cooperation between Export Development Canada and Nokia and notes a memorandum of understanding signed this week to support Nokia’s efforts to build AI gigafactories.

Beyond AI, the statement says Canada and Finland will explore cooperation in quantum research, innovation, commercialisation, and workforce development, including through a Canadian quantum trade mission to Finland. It also links bilateral technology cooperation to critical minerals, trusted supply chains, and wider economic and security cooperation.

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South Korea deploys AI smart city pilots across Southeast Asia

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in South Korea has selected six pilot projects under the K-City Network Global Cooperation Program to deploy AI-based smart city models across Southeast Asia.

The initiative reflects efforts to extend tested domestic systems into international urban contexts.

Projects will be implemented in Brunei, Bacoor, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Surin and Penang, focusing on areas such as traffic optimisation, water management and disaster response. These pilots aim to assess the adaptability and performance of AI-enabled infrastructure in diverse environments.

The programme operates as a government-to-government cooperation mechanism, combining technical deployment with policy coordination. Selected projects were evaluated based on innovation, feasibility and potential for broader regional application.

By testing AI-driven urban systems in partner countries, the initiative by South Korea seeks to support digital transformation while contributing to more efficient, resilient and data-driven public services.

It also reflects wider trends in cross-border collaboration on smart city governance and infrastructure development.

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Canada launches hybrid AI weather model

Environment and Climate Change Canada has announced the launch of a hybrid AI weather forecasting model aimed at improving predictions of severe weather. The system combines AI with traditional physics-based forecasting methods.

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the model uses AI to analyse large datasets while relying on established models to account for local weather factors such as temperature, wind and precipitation. This combination is expected to improve forecast accuracy.

The department states the system will enhance performance across all forecast timeframes and provide earlier warnings of major weather events. In some cases, forecasts could identify large systems more than 24 hours earlier than current capabilities.

Environment and Climate Change Canada said the model has been extensively tested alongside existing systems and will support better preparedness and public safety as extreme weather events increase in Canada.

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