Sustainable development

German state pushes digital sovereignty

The northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein is pushing ahead with an ambitious plan to replace Microsoft software in its public administration with open-source alternatives.

With around 30,000 civil servants, a workforce comparable to the European Commission, the region has already migrated most staff to new systems. It expects to cut its Office licences by more than two-thirds before the end of the month.

Instead of relying on Word, Outlook or SharePoint, staff are switching to LibreOffice, Thunderbird, Open Xchange and Nextcloud. A Linux pilot is also underway, testing the replacement of Windows itself.

The digital minister, Dirk Schrödter, admitted the schedule is tight but said that 24,000 employees are already using the new setup. By 2029, only a handful of Microsoft licences should remain, kept for compatibility with federal services.

A transition that has not been free of challenges. Some judges have called for a return to Outlook, citing outages, while larger providers such as SAP have proven difficult to adapt.

Still, Schrödter argued the investment is about sovereignty rather than cost-cutting, comparing Europe’s reliance on Big Tech to its dependence on Russian gas before 2022. He urged Brussels to prioritise open-source solutions in procurement rules to reduce dependence on foreign tech giants.

Although Schleswig-Holstein is a relatively small region, its programme has already influenced wider German and European initiatives.

Similar efforts, including Germany’s OpenDesk project, have gained traction in France, Italy and the Netherlands, with several governments now watching the experiment closely.

Schrödter said the state’s progress surprises many observers, but he believes it shows how public administrations can regain control of their digital infrastructure.

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Scientist and DeepMind’s CEO Demis Hassabis says learning how to learn is key to the AI future

The Nobel laureate, Demis Hassabis, has argued that the most crucial ability for the next generation will be learning how to learn.

Speaking at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece, he said adaptability was vital as AI reshapes work and education.

The neuroscientist and former chess prodigy predicted that AGI machines with human-level versatility could emerge within a decade. He described it as a development that may create a future of radical abundance, although he warned of risks.

Hassabis urged a stronger focus on ‘meta-skills’ such as optimising approaches to new subjects, instead of relying solely on traditional disciplines.

Given the speed of technological change, he emphasised that people will need to update their knowledge continuously throughout their careers.

His remarks came during a discussion with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who warned that the unchecked growth of technology giants could fuel economic inequality and social unrest if citizens do not see clear benefits from AI adoption.

Hassabis’s work on protein folding won him the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry.

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xAI cuts 500 jobs as focus turns to specialist AI tutors

Elon Musk’s company xAI has laid off around 500 staff from its data annotation team after deciding to reduce its focus on general AI tutors. The employees were told their system access would be revoked immediately, although salaries will be paid until contracts end or until 30 November.

According to reports, the company will instead invest more heavily in specialist AI tutors for areas such as video games, web design, data science, medicine, and STEM.

xAI announced plans to expand the specialist team tenfold, describing the roles as highly valuable to developing its technology.

The shift comes as xAI continues to promote its chatbot Grok. Musk recently highlighted its predictive abilities, sharing benchmarks that measure performance in forecasting politics, economics, sports, and cultural events.

Observers see the move toward specialist tutors as a way to refine Grok’s training and strengthen its commercial applications.

The layoffs follow earlier signs of restructuring, with some senior staff reportedly losing access to internal systems before the formal announcement.

Analysts suggest the changes reflect a strategic recalibration, aiming to boost productivity instead of spreading resources too thinly across generalist roles.

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Anthropic introduces memory feature to Claude AI for workplace productivity

The AI startup Anthropic has added a memory feature to its Claude AI, designed to automatically recall details from earlier conversations, such as project information and team preferences.

Initially, the upgrade is only available to Team and Enterprise subscribers, who can manage, edit, or delete the content that the system retains.

Anthropic presents the tool as a way to improve workplace efficiency instead of forcing users to repeat instructions. Enterprise administrators have additional controls, including entirely turning memory off.

Privacy safeguards are included, such as an ‘incognito mode’ for conversations that are not stored.

Analysts view the step as an effort to catch up with competitors like ChatGPT and Gemini, which already offer similar functions. Memory also links with Claude’s newer tools for creating spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs, allowing past information to be reused in future documents.

Anthropic plans a wider release after testing the feature with businesses. Experts suggest the approach could strengthen the company’s position in the AI market by offering both continuity and security, which appeal to enterprises handling sensitive data.

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New AI and digital ministry in Kazakhstan to drive national transformation

Kazakhstan is stepping up its digital ambitions with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announcing the creation of a Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development. Speaking during his annual state-of-the-nation address, Tokayev said the move is part of the country’s goal to become a fully digital nation within three years.

The new ministry will lead efforts to modernise the economy through AI, big data, and platform technologies, guided by a forthcoming national strategy called Digital Kazakhstan. Tokayev stressed that digital transformation is not optional but essential for Kazakhstan, which he described as being at the crossroads of global technological shifts.

He warned that while opportunities are vast, challenges such as geopolitical tensions, economic inequality, and even AI-based weapons are on the rise. For Kazakhstan, he said, the priority is to ensure stability, prosperity, and a secure future for the younger generation by embracing decisive reforms and adapting to the new technological order.

A major part of this vision is the development of Alatau City, a planned innovation hub near Almaty. Designed as the country’s first fully digital city, it will feature Smart City technologies, digital payments, and cryptocurrency use. Tokayev revealed that land and infrastructure are already prepared, and international partnerships, including with a Chinese company behind Shenzhen’s rise, are set to drive the project forward.

To secure Alatau City’s success, the government plans to grant it special status under direct state supervision within days, followed by a new law defining its governance and financial structure. Tokayev emphasised that the project is not merely a showcase but a practical step toward positioning Kazakhstan as a leader in digital innovation, blending cutting-edge technology with modern urban living.

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China creates brain-inspired AI model

Chinese scientists have unveiled SpikingBrain1.0, the world’s first large-scale AI language model to replicate the human brain. The model reduces energy use and runs independently of Nvidia chips, departing from conventional AI architectures.

Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, SpikingBrain1.0 uses spiking neural networks to activate only the required neurons for each task, rather than processing all information simultaneously.

Instead of evaluating every word in parallel, it focuses on the most recent and relevant context, enabling faster and more efficient processing. Researchers claim the model operates 25 to 100 times faster than traditional AI systems while keeping accuracy competitive.

A significant innovation is hardware independence. SpikingBrain1.0 runs on China’s MetaX chip platform, reducing reliance on Nvidia GPUs. It also requires less than 2% of the data typically needed for pre-training large language models, making it more sustainable and accessible.

SpikingBrain1.0 could power low-energy, real-time applications such as autonomous drones, wearable devices, and edge computing. The model highlights a shift toward biologically-inspired AI prioritising efficiency and adaptability over brute-force computation.

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OpenAI moves to for-profit with Microsoft deal

Microsoft and OpenAI have agreed to new non-binding terms that will allow OpenAI to restructure into a for-profit company, marking a significant shift in their long-standing partnership.

The agreement sets the stage for OpenAI to raise capital, pursue additional cloud partnerships, and eventually go public, while Microsoft retains access to its technology.

The previous deal gave Microsoft exclusive rights to sell OpenAI tools via Azure and made it the primary provider of compute power. OpenAI has since expanded its options, including a $300 billion cloud deal with Oracle and an agreement with Google, allowing it to develop its own data centre project, Stargate.

OpenAI aims to maintain its nonprofit arm, which will receive more than $100 billion from the projected $500 billion private market valuation.

Regulatory approval from the attorneys general of California and Delaware is required for the new structure, with OpenAI targeting completion by the end of the year to secure key funding.

Both companies continue to compete across AI products, from consumer chatbots to business tools, while Microsoft works on building its own AI models to reduce reliance on OpenAI technology.

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Albania names first AI-generated minister to fight corruption

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has unveiled the world’s first AI-generated minister, a virtual figure named Diella, who will oversee public tenders in an effort to eradicate corruption. The announcement was made as Rama presented his new cabinet following a decisive election victory in May.

Diella, meaning ‘Sun’ in Albanian, has already been active on the government’s e-Albania portal, where it has issued more than 36,000 digital documents and helped citizens access around 1,000 services.

Now, it will formally take on a cabinet role, marking what Rama described as a radical shift in governance where technology acts as a participant instead of a tool.

The AI will gradually take over responsibility for awarding government tenders, removing decisions from ministries and ensuring assessments are objective. Rama said the system would help Albania become ‘100 per cent corruption-free’ in procurement, a key area of concern in the country’s bid to join the EU by 2030.

Public tenders have long been linked to corruption scandals in Albania, a nation often cited as a hub for money laundering and organised crime. Supporters view Diella’s appointment as a bold step towards transparency, with local media calling it a major transformation in how state power is exercised.

Rama emphasised that the AI minister would have a special mandate to break down bureaucratic barriers and strengthen public trust in administration.

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UK launches CAF 4.0 for cybersecurity

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has released version 4.0 of its Cyber Assessment Framework to help organisations protect essential services from rising cyber threats.

An updated CAF that provides a structured approach for assessing and improving cybersecurity and resilience across critical sectors.

Version 4.0 introduces a deeper focus on attacker methods and motivations to inform risk decisions, ensures software in essential services is developed and maintained securely, and strengthens guidance on threat detection through security monitoring and threat hunting.

AI-related cyber risks are also now covered more thoroughly throughout the framework.

The CAF primarily supports energy, healthcare, transport, digital infrastructure, and government organisations, helping them meet regulatory obligations such as the NIS Regulations.

Developed in consultation with UK cyber regulators, the framework provides clear benchmarks for assessing security outcomes relative to threat levels.

Authorities encourage system owners to adopt CAF 4.0 alongside complementary tools such as Cyber Essentials, the Cyber Resilience Audit, and Cyber Adversary Simulation services. These combined measures enhance confidence and resilience across the nation’s critical infrastructure.

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Egypt launches AI readiness report with EU support

Egypt has released its first AI Readiness Assessment Report, developed by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology with UNESCO Cairo and supported by the EU funding.

The report reviews Egypt’s legal, policy, institutional and technical environment, highlighting the strengths and gaps in the country’s digital transformation journey. It emphasises ensuring that AI development is human-centred and responsibly governed.

EU officials praised Egypt’s growing leadership in ethical AI governance and reiterated their support for an inclusive digital transition. Cooperation between Egypt and the EU is expected to deepen in digital policy and capacity-building areas.

The assessment aims to guide future investments and reforms, ensuring that AI strengthens sustainable development and benefits all segments of Egyptian society.

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