Digital business models

Canada deepens 5G leadership with major Nokia expansion

Yesterday, Canada announced that it has moved forward with a significant partnership that places Nokia at the centre of national ambitions for advanced 5G research.

A groundbreaking event in Ottawa marked the beginning of an expanded programme of work focused on AI, machine learning and next-generation network development. Government ministers emphasised that the investment enhances digital infrastructure, rather than relying on outdated foundations that limit growth.

Nokia plans to revitalise and enlarge its Ottawa facility by adding new lab space and new streams of research activity. The project is expected to create more than 300 jobs and widen opportunities for post-secondary students, strengthening the region’s technology base.

Canada has contributed $40 million through the Strategic Response Fund to support these developments and reinforce the country’s role in the global telecommunications sector.

Government officials argued that the collaboration will fuel economic prosperity and broaden Canada’s capacity to innovate. Advanced 5G networks are expected to bring benefits extending from defence and telecommunications to clean energy, precision agriculture and modern telemedicine.

Ministers presented the partnership as a means to a highly skilled workforce, rather than one that relies on imported expertise.

Nokia’s leadership described the project as a long-term commitment to Canada’s innovation ecosystem. The company highlighted the importance of local talent, secure digital infrastructure and future-oriented research in AI, quantum technology and advanced connectivity.

The expansion strengthens Canada’s position as a leader in next-generation networks and supports an innovation-driven economy.

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EU pushes for stronger powers in delayed customs reform

EU lawmakers have accused national governments of stalling a major customs overhaul aimed at tackling the rise in low-cost parcels from China. Parliament’s lead negotiator Dirk Gotink argues that only stronger EU-level powers can help authorities regain control of soaring e-commerce volumes.

Talks have slowed over a proposed e-commerce data hub linking national customs services. Parliament wants European prosecutors to gain direct access to the hub, while capitals insist that national authorities must remain the gatekeepers to sensitive information.

Gotink warns that limiting access would undermine efforts to stop non-compliant goods such as those from China, entering the single market. Senior MEP Anna Cavazzini echoes the concern, saying EU-level oversight is essential to keep consumers safer and improve coordination across borders.

The Danish Council Presidency aims to conclude negotiations in mid-December but concedes that major disputes remain. Trade groups urge a swift deal, arguing that a modernised customs system must support enforcement against surging online imports.

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Deepfake and AI fraud surges despite stable identity-fraud rates

According to the 2025 Identity Fraud Report by verification firm Sumsub, the global rate of identity fraud has declined modestly, from 2.6% in 2024 to 2.2% this year; however, the nature of the threat is changing rapidly.

Fraudsters are increasingly using generative AI and deepfakes to launch what Sumsub calls ‘sophisticated fraud’, attacks that combine synthetic identities, social engineering, device tampering and cross-channel manipulation. These are not mass spam scams: they are targeted, high-impact operations that are far harder to detect and mitigate.

The report reveals a marked increase in deepfake-related schemes, including synthetic-identity fraud (the creation of entirely fake but AI-generated identities) and biometric forgeries designed to bypass identity verification processes. Deepfake-fraud and synthetic-identity attacks now represent a growing share of first-party fraud cases (where the verified ‘user’ is actually the fraudster).

Meanwhile, high-risk sectors such as dating apps, cryptocurrency exchanges and financial services are being hit especially hard. In 2025, romance-style scams involving AI personas and deepfakes accounted for a notable share of fraud cases. Banks, digital-first lenders and crypto platforms report rising numbers of impostor accounts and fraudulent onboarding attempts.

This trend reveals a significant disparity: although headline fraud rates have decreased slightly, each successful AI-powered fraud attempt now tends to be far more damaging, both financially and reputationally. As Sumsub warned, the ‘sophistication shift’ in digital identity fraud means that organisations and users must rethink security assumptions.

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Oakley Meta glasses launch in India with AI features

Meta is preparing to introduce its Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses to the Indian market as part of a new effort to bring AI-powered eyewear to a broader audience.

A launch that begins on 1 December and places the glasses within a growing category of performance-focused devices aimed at athletes and everyday users who want AI built directly into their gear.

The frame includes an integrated camera for hands-free capture and open-ear speakers that provide audio cues without blocking outside sound.

These glasses are designed to suit outdoor environments, offering IPX4 water resistance and robust battery performance. Also, they can record high-quality 3K video, while Meta AI supplies information, guidance and real-time support.

Users can expect up to eight hours of active use and a rapid recharge, with a dedicated case providing an additional forty-eight hours of battery life.

Meta has focused on accessibility by enabling full Hindi language support through the Meta AI app, allowing users to interact in their preferred language instead of relying on English.

The company is also testing UPI Lite payments through a simple voice command that connects directly to WhatsApp-linked bank accounts.

A ‘Hey Meta’ prompt enables hands-free assistance for questions, recording, or information retrieval, allowing users to remain focused on their activity.

The new lineup arrives in six frame and lens combinations, all of which are compatible with prescription lenses. Meta is also introducing its Celebrity AI Voice feature in India, with Deepika Padukone’s English AI voice among the first options.

Pre-orders are open on Sunglass Hut, with broader availability planned across major eyewear retailers at a starting price of ₹ 41,800.

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AWS commits $50bn to US government AI

Amazon Web Services plans to invest $50 billion in high performance AI infrastructure dedicated to US federal agencies. The programme aims to broaden access to AWS tools such as SageMaker AI, Bedrock and model customisation services, alongside support for Anthropic’s Claude.

The expansion will add around 1.3 gigawatts of compute capacity, enabling agencies to run larger models and speed up complex workloads. AWS expects construction of the new data centres to begin in 2026, marking one of its most ambitious government-focused buildouts to date.

Chief executive Matt Garman argues the upgrade will remove long-standing technology barriers within government. The company says enhanced AI capabilities could accelerate work in areas ranging from cybersecurity to medical research while strengthening national leadership in advanced computing.

AWS has spent more than a decade developing secure environments for classified and sensitive government operations. Competitors have also stepped up US public sector offerings, with OpenAI, Anthropic and Google all rolling out heavily discounted AI products for federal use over the past year.

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UN summit showcases AI and sustainable development transforming the Global South

Riyadh hosted the UN’s Global Industry Summit this week, showcasing sustainable solutions to challenges faced by businesses in the Global South. Experts highlighted how sustainable agriculture and cutting-edge technology can provide new opportunities for farmers and industry leaders alike.

Indian social enterprise Nature Bio Foods received a ONE World Innovation Award for its ‘farm to table’ approach, helping nearly 100,000 smallholder farmers produce high-quality organic food while supporting community initiatives. Partnerships with government and UNIDO have allowed the company to scale sustainably, introducing solar energy and reducing methane emissions from rice production.

AI technology was also a major focus, with UNIDO demonstrating tools that solve real-world problems, such as AI chips capable of detecting food waste. Leaders emphasised that ethical deployment of AI can connect governments, private sector players, and academia to promote efficient and responsible development across industries in developing nations.

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New benchmark tests chatbot impact on well-being

A new benchmark known as HumaneBench has been launched to measure whether AI chatbots protect user well-being rather than maximise engagement. Building Humane Technology, a Silicon Valley collective, designed the test to evaluate how models behave in everyday emotional scenarios.

Researchers assessed 15 widely used AI models using 800 prompts involving issues such as body image, unhealthy attachment and relationship stress. Many systems scored higher when told to prioritise humane principles, yet most became harmful when instructed to disregard user well-being.

Only four models, including GPT 5.1, GPT 5, Claude 4.1 and Claude Sonnet 4.5, maintained stable guardrails under pressure. Several others, such as Grok 4 and Gemini 2.0 Flash, showed steep declines, sometimes encouraging unhealthy engagement or undermining user autonomy.

The findings arrive amid legal scrutiny of chatbot-induced harms and reports of users experiencing delusions or suicidal thoughts following prolonged interactions. Advocates argue that humane design standards could help limit dependency, protect attention and promote healthier digital habits.

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Google teams with Accel to boost India’s AI ecosystem

Google has partnered with VC firm Accel to support early-stage AI start-ups in India, marking the first time its AI Futures Fund has collaborated directly on regional venture investment.

Through the newly created Atoms AI Cohort 2026, selected start-ups will receive up to US$2 million in funding, with Google and Accel each contributing up to US$1 million. Founders will also gain up to US$350,000 in compute credits, early access to models from Gemini and DeepMind, technical mentorship, and support for scaling globally.

The collaboration is designed to stimulate India’s AI ecosystem across a broad set of domains, including creativity, productivity, entertainment, coding, and enterprise automation. According to Accel, the focus will lie on building products tailored for local needs, with potential global reach.

This push reflects Google’s growing bet on India as a global hub for AI. For digital-policy watchers and global technology observers, this partnership raises essential questions.

Will increased investment accelerate India’s role as an AI-innovation centre? Could this shift influence tech geopolitics and data-governance norms in Asia? The move follows the company’s recently announced US$15 billion investment to build an AI data centre in Andhra Pradesh.

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Real-time guidance for visually impaired users

Researchers at Penn State have developed a smartphone application, NaviSense, that helps visually impaired users locate objects in real time using AI-powered audio and vibration cues.

The tool relies on vision-language and large-language models to identify objects without preloading 3D models.

Tests showed it reduced search time and increased detection accuracy, with users praising the directional feedback.

The development team continues to optimise the application’s battery use and AI efficiency in preparation for commercial release. Supported by the US National Science Foundation, NaviSense represents a significant step towards practical, user-centred accessibility technology.

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AI supercomputer to study eye behaviour

Researchers at the University of Essex are using one of the UK’s most powerful AI supercomputers to investigate how mental fatigue affects the eye.

The EyeWarn project has been granted 10,000 hours on the government-funded Isambard-AI to analyse eye movements in natural settings.

Led by Dr Javier Andreu-Perez, the study aims to combine human and environmental data to understand how cognition influences eye behaviour. Insights from the project could help predict fatigue levels and improve monitoring of human factors in real-world scenarios.

The initiative involves collaboration with academics across the UK and AI firm Solvemed Group. Essex is also set to become a hub for AI innovation with the upcoming £2 billion data centre in Loughton.

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