Digital business models

UK customer‑experience leaders champion human‑centred AI

Marketing Week’s CX50 2025 accolades spotlight ten individuals who are redefining customer experience by putting people before pixels.

These leaders are harnessing AI thoughtfully, augmenting frontline staff with tools that personalise service without eroding the human touch.

Their work spans retail, hospitality, financial services and the public sector, showcasing how AI-driven systems can streamline operations while nurturing empathetic engagement.

Strategies include using automation for routine tasks and intelligent routing, freeing teams to focus on empathy, insight and dialogue.

Partners Cognizant, Google Cloud and Salesforce helped assemble the CX50 list. The initiative underscores a growing movement: top-performing brands blend algorithmic precision with human warmth to build trust and loyalty in increasingly digital markets.

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South Korean firm unveils faster AI data centre architecture with CXL-over-Xlink

South Korean company Panmnesia has introduced a new architecture for AI data centres aimed at improving speed and efficiency.

Instead of using only PCIe or RDMA-based systems, its CXL-over-Xlink approach combines Compute Express Link (CXL) with fast accelerator links such as UALink and NVLink.

The company claims this design can deliver up to 5.3 times faster AI training and reduce inference latency sixfold. By allowing CPUs and GPUs to access large shared memory pools via the CXL fabric, AI workloads are no longer restricted by the fixed memory limits inside each GPU.

It will enable data centres to scale compute and memory independently, adapting to changing workload demands without hardware overprovisioning.

Panmnesia’s system also reduces communication overhead using accelerator-optimised links for CXL traffic, helping maintain high throughput with sub-100ns latency.

The architecture incorporates a hierarchical memory model blending local high-bandwidth memory with pooled CXL memory, alongside scalable CXL 3.1 switches that connect hundreds of devices efficiently without bottlenecks.

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Malta’s rapid crypto approvals under EU review

The EU regulator ESMA has criticised Malta’s fast approval of crypto licences under the MiCA rules. The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) granted licences quickly but overlooked key compliance and risk checks.

Since January 2025, Malta has issued five licences to crypto firms like OKX and Crypto.com. While MFSA has adequate resources, some areas—such as governance and AML controls—were not fully assessed before approval.

ESMA urges Malta to slow the process and improve oversight as licence applications grow. The report stresses that all EU states must ensure thorough checks to protect the evolving crypto market.

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Thinking Machines Lab raises $2bn to build safer AI

Thinking Machines Lab, an AI startup founded earlier this year by former OpenAI executive Mira Murati, has raised $2 billion in new funding. The round, which values the company at $12 billion, was led by Andreessen Horowitz and backed by Nvidia, Cisco, AMD, and others.

The company aims to develop safer and more reliable AI systems by focusing on how people naturally interact with the world, including speech and vision. Its first product, due in the coming months, will offer open-source components designed to support researchers and startups.

At launch, nearly two-thirds of the team had previously worked at OpenAI, underscoring the company’s ambition to lead in the field of frontier AI. Murati said the startup plans to make its science publicly available to support understanding and transparency.

The investment comes amid a surge in AI-related funding, which accounted for over 64% of all US startup deal value in the first half of 2025. Growing interest in generative and multimodal AI continues to attract major capital despite wider concerns over tech sector spending.

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Wealthy Indians shift to crypto as traditional assets lag

As Indian equities plateau and fixed-income instruments underperform, the country’s wealthiest investors are increasingly turning to cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin’s recent surge past $123,000 and global institutional support have made digital assets a compelling addition to long-term portfolios.

Family offices, institutional players and high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) are shifting strategies, prioritising allocation plans and custody options over crypto’s legitimacy. Major Indian exchanges report rising volumes mainly from sophisticated investors, not retail traders seeking quick gains.

The trend is further fuelled by global signals, including the return of Donald Trump to the US presidency and bipartisan support for crypto regulation. International exposure and the rise of Bitcoin ETFs have also influenced Indian investor sentiment, particularly among those with cross-border holdings.

Despite the momentum, India’s 30% capital gains tax and 1% TDS continue to hinder broader participation. While the ultra-wealthy can absorb these costs, the crypto industry argues that friendlier tax rules are essential for innovation and mainstream adoption.

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Europe’s quantum ambitions meet US private power and China’s state drive

Quantum computing could fundamentally reshape technology, using quantum bits (qubits) instead of classical bits. Qubits allow complex calculations beyond classical computing, transforming sectors from pharmaceuticals to defence.

Europe is investing billions in quantum technology, emphasising technological sovereignty. Yet, it competes fiercely with the United States, which enjoys substantial private investment, and China, powered by significant state-backed funding.

The UK began quantum initiatives early, launching the National Quantum Programme 2014. It recently pledged £2.5 billion more, supporting start-ups like Orca Computing and Universal Quantum, alongside nations like Canada, Israel, and Japan.

Europe accounted for eight of the nineteen quantum start-ups established globally in 2024, including IQM Quantum Computers and Pasqal. Despite Europe’s scientific strengths, it only captured 5% of global quantum investments, versus 50% for the US.

The European Commission aims to strengthen quantum capabilities by funding six chip factories and a continent-wide Quantum Skills Academy. However, attracting sufficient private investment remains a significant challenge.

The US quantum industry thrives, driven by giants such as IBM, Google, Microsoft, IonQ, Rigetti, and D-Wave Quantum. Recent breakthroughs include Microsoft’s topological qubit and Google’s Willow quantum chip.

D-Wave Quantum has demonstrated real-world quantum advantages, solving complex optimisation problems in minutes. Its technology is now used commercially in logistics, traffic management, and supply chains.

China, meanwhile, leads in state-driven quantum funding, investing $15 billion directly and managing a $138 billion tech venture fund. By contrast, US federal investment totals about $6 billion, underscoring China’s aggressive approach.

Global investment in quantum start-ups reached $1.25 billion in Q1 2025 alone, reflecting a shift towards practical applications. By 2040, the quantum market is projected to reach $173 billion, influencing global economics and geopolitics.

Quantum computing raises geopolitical concerns, prompting democratic nations to coordinate through bodies like the OECD and G7. Interoperability, trust, and secure infrastructure have become essential strategic considerations.

Europe’s quantum ambitions require sustained investment, standard-setting leadership, and robust supply chains. Its long-term technological independence hinges on moving swiftly beyond initial funding towards genuine strategic autonomy.

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AI Appreciation Day highlights progress and growing concerns

AI is marking another milestone as experts worldwide reflect on its rapid rise during AI Appreciation Day. From reshaping business workflows to transforming customer experiences, AI’s presence is expanding — but so are concerns over its long-term implications.

Industry leaders point to AI’s growing role across sectors. Patrick Harrington from MetaRouter highlights how control over first-party data is now seen as key instead of just processing large datasets.

Vall Herard of Saifr adds that successful AI implementations depend on combining curated data with human oversight rather than relying purely on machine-driven systems.

Meanwhile, Paula Felstead from HBX Group believes AI could significantly enhance travel experiences, though scaling it across entire organisations remains a challenge.

Voice AI is changing industries that depend on customer interaction, according to Natalie Rutgers from Deepgram. Instead of complex interfaces, voice technology is improving communication in restaurants, hospitals, and banks.

At the same time, experts like Ivan Novikov from Wallarm stress the importance of securing AI systems and the APIs connecting them, as these form the backbone of modern AI services.

While some celebrate AI’s advances, others raise caution. SentinelOne’s Ezzeldin Hussein envisions AI becoming a trusted partner through responsible development rather than unchecked growth.

Naomi Buckwalter from Contrast Security warns that AI-generated code could open security gaps instead of fully replacing human engineering, while Geoff Burke from Object First notes that AI-powered cyberattacks are becoming inevitable for businesses unable to keep pace with evolving threats.

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Air Serbia suffers deep network compromise in July cyberattack

Air Serbia delayed issuing June payslips after a cyberattack disrupted internal systems, according to internal memos obtained by The Register. A 10 July note told staff: ‘Given the ongoing cyberattacks, for security reasons, we will postpone the distribution of June 2025 payslips.’

The IT department is reportedly working to restore operations, and payslips will be emailed once systems are secure again. Although salaries were paid, staff could not access their payslip PDFs due to the disruption.

HR warned employees not to open suspicious emails, particularly those appearing to contain payslips or that seemed self-addressed. ‘We kindly ask that you act responsibly given the current situation,’ said one memo.

Air Serbia first informed staff about the cyberattack on 4 July, with IT teams warning of possible disruptions to operations. Managers were instructed to activate business continuity plans and adapt workflows accordingly.

By 7 July, all service accounts had been shut down, and staff were subjected to company-wide password resets. Security-scanning software was installed on endpoints, and internet access was restricted to selected airserbia.com pages.

A new VPN client was deployed due to security vulnerabilities, and data centres were shifted to a demilitarised zone. On 11 July, staff were told to leave their PCs locked but running over the weekend for further IT intervention.

An insider told The Register that the attack resulted in a deep compromise of Air Serbia’s Active Directory environment. The source claims the attackers may have gained access in early July, although exact dates remain unclear due to missing logs.

Staff reportedly fear that the breach could have involved personal data, and that the airline may not disclose the incident publicly. According to the insider, attackers had been probing Air Serbia’s exposed endpoints since early 2024.

The airline also faced several DDoS attacks earlier this year, although the latest intrusion appears far more severe. Malware, possibly an infostealer, is suspected in the breach, but no ransom demands had been made as of 15 July.

Infostealers are often used in precursor attacks before ransomware is deployed, security experts warn. Neither Air Serbia nor the government of Serbia responded to media queries by the time of publication.

Air Serbia had a record-breaking year in 2024, carrying 4.4 million passengers — a 6 percent increase over the previous year. Cybersecurity experts recently warned of broader attacks on the aviation industry, with groups such as Scattered Spider under scrutiny.

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Meta unveils 5GW AI data centre plans

Meta has unveiled plans to build a 5GW data centre in Louisiana, part of a significant expansion of its AI infrastructure. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the Hyperion complex will cover an area nearly the size of Manhattan, with the first 1.5GW phase expected online in 2026.

The company is also constructing a 1GW cluster named Prometheus in US, Ohio, which combines Meta-owned infrastructure with leased systems. Both projects will use a mix of renewable and natural gas power, underlining Meta’s strategy to ramp up compute capacity rapidly.

Zuckerberg stated Meta would invest hundreds of billions of dollars into superintelligence development, supported by elite talent recruited from major rivals. He added that the new data centres would offer the highest compute-per-researcher in the industry.

Amidst growing demand, Meta recently sought $29 billion in financing and secured 1GW of renewable power. Yet the expansion has raised environmental concerns, with one data centre in Georgia reportedly consuming 10% of a county’s water supply.

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Trump unveils AI economy with $100 billion investment push

Donald Trump revealed during the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit that the US will receive over $100 billion in investments to drive its AI economy and energy infrastructure.

The funding is set to create tens of thousands of jobs across the energy and AI sectors, with Pennsylvania positioned as a central hub.

Trump stated the US is already ‘way ahead of China’ in AI development, adding that staying in the lead will require expanding power production.

Instead of relying solely on renewables, Trump highlighted ‘clean, beautiful coal, oil, and nuclear energy as key pillars supporting AI-related growth.

Westinghouse plans to build several nuclear plants nationwide, while Knighthead Capital will invest $15 billion in North America’s largest natural gas power plant in Homer City, Pennsylvania.

Additionally, Google will revitalise two hydropower facilities within the state, contributing to the broader investment wave. Trump mentioned that 20 major technology and energy firms are preparing further commitments in Pennsylvania, reinforcing its role in what he calls the US ‘AI economy’.

The event, hosted by Senator Dave McCormick at Carnegie Mellon University, also featured discussions with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.

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