Digital business models

CelcomDigi convergence project earns ZTE top 5G service honour

ZTE has won the Best Mobile/5G Service Innovation award at the 2025 Global Connectivity Awards for its work on Malaysia’s CelcomDigi dual-network convergence. The project integrates network assets across four regions and six operators, marking the largest deployment of its kind in the country.

The company introduced an intelligent, integrated, and connected management model built on big-data platforms for site deployment, optimisation, and value analysis. Eight smart tools support planning, commissioning, and operations, enabling end-to-end oversight of project delivery and performance.

Phase-one results show a 15 percent rise in coverage, 25 percent faster downloads, higher traffic, and a more than 60 percent reduction in complaints. ZTE also deployed AI-based energy-saving systems to reduce emissions and advance sustainability goals across the network.

The project incorporates talent-building measures by prioritising localisation and working with Malaysian universities. ZTE says this approach supports long-term sector resilience alongside near-term performance gains.

CAPACITY’s Global Connectivity Awards, held in Malaysia, evaluate innovation, execution, and industry impact. ZTE states that it will continue to develop new project management models and partner globally to build more efficient, intelligent, and sustainable communications networks.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Old laws now target modern tracking technology

Class-action privacy litigation continues to grow in frequency, repurposing older laws to address modern data tracking technologies. Recent high-profile lawsuits have applied the California Invasion of Privacy Act and the Video Privacy Protection Act.

A unanimous jury verdict recently found Meta Platforms violated CIPA Section 632 (which is now under appeal) by eavesdropping on users’ confidential communications without consent. The court ruled that Meta intentionally used its SDK within a sexual health app, Flo, to intercept sensitive real-time user inputs.

That judgement suggests an electronic device under the statute need not be physical, with a user’s phone qualifying as the requisite device. The legal success in these cases highlights a significant, rising risk for all companies utilising tracking pixels and software development kits (SDKs).

Separately, the VPPA has found new power against tracking pixels in the case of Jancik v. WebMD concerning video-viewing data. The court held that a consumer need not pay for a video service but can subscribe by simply exchanging their email address for a newsletter.

Companies must ensure their privacy policies clearly disclose all such tracking conduct to obtain explicit, valid consent. The courts are taking real-time data interception seriously, noting intentionality may be implied when a firm fails to stem the flow of sensitive personally identifiable information.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

ALX and Anthropic partner with Rwanda on AI education

A landmark partnership between ALX, Anthropic, and the Government of Rwanda has launched a major AI learning initiative across Africa.

The program introduces ‘Chidi’, an AI-powered learning companion built on Anthropic’s Claude model. Instead of providing direct answers, the system is designed to guide learners through critical thinking and problem-solving, positioning African talent at the centre of global tech innovation.

An initiative, described as one of the largest AI-enhanced education deployments on the continent, that will see Chidi integrated into Rwanda’s public education system. A pilot phase will involve up to 2,000 educators and select civil servants.

According to the partners, the collaboration aims to ensure Africa’s youth become creators of AI technology instead of remaining merely consumers of it.

A three-way collaboration that unites ALX’s training infrastructure, Anthropic’s AI technology, and Rwanda’s progressive digital policy. The working group, the researchers noted, will document insights to inform Rwanda’s national AI policy.

The initiative sets a new standard for inclusive, AI-powered learning, with Rwanda serving as a launch hub for future deployments across the continent.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Google launches WeatherNext 2 for faster forecasts

WeatherNext 2, Google’s latest AI forecasting model, offers significantly faster and more precise weather predictions. Developed by DeepMind and Google Research, the model produces forecasts eight times faster with hourly resolution, aiding decisions from supply chains to daily commutes.

The model generates hundreds of weather scenarios from a single starting point, enabling agencies and businesses to plan for all potential outcomes, including extreme events.

Its predictions outperform the previous WeatherNext model on 99.9% of variables, providing more accurate forecasts for temperature, wind, humidity, and other factors.

A Functional Generative Network (FGN) powers WeatherNext 2, allowing it to predict both individual weather elements and complex interconnected systems. The system enables applications such as forecasting regional heatwaves or wind farm output, while keeping predictions physically realistic.

Forecast data is available through Google Earth Engine, BigQuery, and an early access programme on Vertex AI, while WeatherNext 2 now powers Search, Gemini, Pixel Weather, and Google Maps’ Weather API.

Google plans to expand access further, supporting researchers, developers, and businesses to make informed decisions and accelerate scientific discovery.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Singapore’s HTX boosts Home Team AI capabilities with Mistral partnership

HTX has signed a new memorandum of understanding with France’s Mistral AI to accelerate joint research on large language and multimodal models for public safety. The partnership will expand into embodied AI, video analytics, cybersecurity, and automated fire safety systems.

The deal builds on earlier work co-developing Phoenix, HTX’s internal LLM series, and a Home Team safety benchmark for evaluating model behaviour. The organisations will now collaborate on specialised models for robots, surveillance platforms, and cyber defence tools.

Planned capabilities include natural-language control of robotic systems, autonomous navigation in unfamiliar environments, and object retrieval. Video AI tools will support predictive tracking and proactive crime alerts across multiple feeds.

Cybersecurity applications include automated architecture reviews and on-demand vulnerability testing. Fire safety tools will use multimodal comprehension to analyse architectural plans and flag compliance issues without manual checks.

The partnership forms part of the HTxAI movement, which aims to strengthen Home Team AI capacity through research collaborations with industry and academia. Mistral’s flagship models, Mistral Medium 3.1 and Magistral, are currently among the top performers in multilingual and multimodal benchmarks.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Cloudflare buys AI platform Replicate

Cloudflare has agreed to purchase Replicate, a platform simplifying the deployment and running of AI models. The technology aims to cut down on GPU hardware and infrastructure needs typically required for complex AI.

The acquisition will integrate Replicate’s extensive library of over 50,000 AI models into the Cloudflare platform. Developers can then access and deploy any AI model globally using just a single line of code for rapid implementation.

Matthew Prince, Cloudflare’s chief executive, stated the acquisition will make his company the ‘most seamless, all-in-one shop for AI development’. The move abstracts away infrastructure complexities so developers can focus only on delivering amazing products.

Replicate had previously raised $40m in venture funding from prominent investors in the US. Integrating Replicate’s community and models with Cloudflare’s global network will create a singular platform for building tomorrow’s next big AI applications.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Abridge AI scribe allegedly gives doctors an hour back daily

A new study led by Yale University confirmed that Abridge’s ambient AI scribe significantly reduces burnout for medical professionals. Clinicians who used the documentation technology experienced a sharp decline in burnout rates over the first thirty days of use.

AI may offer a scalable solution to administrative demands faced by practitioners nationwide. The quality study, published in ‘Jama Network Open’, examined 263 practitioners across six different healthcare systems.

Burnout rates dropped from 51.9 percent to 38.8 percent after the one-month intervention programme. Secondary analysis showed the AI scribes reduced the odds of burnout by a substantial seventy-four percent.

The ambient AI scribe also led to substantial improvements in the clinicians’ cognitive task load. Practitioners reported they were better able to give undivided attention to patients during their clinical consultations.

High documentation demands are increasing clinician attrition, whilst physician shortages multiply across the sector. Reducing the burdensome administrative load is now critical for maintaining quality patient care and professional well-being.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Outage at Cloudflare takes multiple websites offline worldwide

Cloudflare has suffered a major outage, disrupting access to multiple high-profile websites, including X and Letterboxd. Users encountered internal server error messages linked to Cloudflare’s network, prompting concerns of a broader infrastructure failure.

The problems began around 11.30 a.m. UK time, with some sites briefly loading after refreshes. Cloudflare issued an update minutes later, confirming that it was aware of an incident affecting multiple customers but did not identify a cause or timeline for resolution.

Outage tracker Down Detector was also intermittently unavailable, later showing a sharp rise in reports once restored. Affected sites displayed repeated error messages advising users to try again later, indicating partial service degradation rather than full shutdowns.

Cloudflare provides core internet infrastructure, including traffic routing and cyberattack protection, which means failures can cascade across unrelated services. Similar disruption followed an AWS incident last month, highlighting the systemic risk of centralised web infrastructure.

The company states that it is continuing to investigate the issue. No mitigation steps or source of failure have yet been disclosed, and Cloudflare has warned that further updates will follow once more information becomes available.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UK uses AI to fight drug-resistant infections

The UK is harnessing AI to combat the growing threat of drug-resistant infections, a crisis often called ‘the silent pandemic’. The Fleming Initiative and GSK will invest £45m in AI research to speed up new antibiotics and combat deadly bacteria and fungi.

The project targets Gram-negative bacteria, such as E. coli and Klebsiella, which resist treatment due to their protective outer layers. Researchers will test different molecules and use AI to identify which can penetrate and persist in these bacteria.

The goal is to shorten years of laboratory work into rapid computational predictions that guide the design of effective antibiotics.

AI will predict how resistant infections emerge and spread, helping scientists anticipate threats early. The initiative will also target deadly fungal infections, such as Aspergillus, which threaten people with weakened immune systems.

Experts hope the approach can outpace bacterial evolution and reduce the human toll from untreatable infections. Fleming Initiative director Alison Holmes emphasised the vital role of antibiotics in modern medicine and warned that overuse has squandered this critical resource.

Tony Wood, GSK’s chief scientific officer, said the project will open new avenues for discovering antibiotics while anticipating resistance, transforming the treatment and prevention of serious infections worldwide.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Bitcoin edges into yearly losses as volatility rises

Bitcoin has slipped into negative territory for the year after a sharp retreat that pushed the price below $90,000 for the first time in seven months. The cryptocurrency has now fallen more than 28% from its peak above $126,000, erasing over $600 billion in market value.

Investors have been rotating out of speculative assets, with concerns around potential Federal Reserve decisions adding to the risk-off sentiment.

Market analysts note that long-term holders have been taking profits following the extraordinary rally that carried Bitcoin to new records in October. Uncertainty around monetary policy, tightening liquidity, and broader macroeconomic pressures have fuelled the downturn.

The impact of the October flash crash, triggered by renewed US-China trade tensions, continues to weigh heavily as thinner order books leave Bitcoin more vulnerable to abrupt price swings.

Bitcoin had rallied strongly throughout the year, supported by optimism over pro-crypto policies under President Donald Trump and the rollout of new digital-asset regulations. Yet the cryptocurrency has now surrendered its gains, underperforming major benchmarks such as the S&P 500 and gold.

Analysts say the market is approaching a pivotal moment, with some fearing a deeper reset while others view the current consolidation as an opportunity for strategic accumulation.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!