Digital cooperation

Meta boosts AI spending plans for 2026

Meta plans to nearly double its AI investment in 2026, according to its latest earnings report. Spending is expected to reach between $115bn and $135bn as the company expands large-scale infrastructure.

Mark Zuckerberg said the investment will focus on data centres needed to train advanced AI models. The strategy is designed to support long-term AI development across Meta’s platforms in the US.

Zuckerberg described 2026 as a pivotal year for AI, with Meta working on multiple products rather than a single launch. Testing is reportedly underway on new models intended to succeed the Llama family in the US.

Meta said building proprietary AI models allows greater control over future products. The company positioned AI as a tool for personal empowerment, setting its approach apart from more centralised automation strategies in the US.

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W debuts as Europe seeks social media independence

Swiss technology and privacy expert Anna Zeiter is leading the development of W Social, a new European-built social media network designed as an alternative to X. The project aims to reduce reliance on US tech and strengthen European digital sovereignty.

W Social will require users to verify their identity and provide a photo to ensure genuine human accounts, tackling fake profiles and bot driven disinformation that critics link to existing platforms. Zeiter said the name W stands for ‘We’ as well as values and verification.

The platform’s infrastructure will be hosted in Europe under strict EU data protection laws, with decentralised storage and offices planned in Berlin and Paris. Early support comes from European political and tech figures, signalling interest beyond Silicon Valley.

W Social could launch a beta version as early as February, with broader public access planned by year-end. Backers hope the network will foster more positive dialogue and provide a European alternative to US based social media influence.

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EU–US data privacy certification strengthens StackAdapt compliance

StackAdapt has secured EU–US Data Privacy Framework certification, strengthening GDPR compliance and enabling cross-border data transfers between the EU and the US.

The certification allows the advertising technology firm to manage personal data without relying on additional transfer mechanisms.

The framework, adopted in 2023, provides a legal basis for EU-to-US data flows while strengthening oversight and accountability. Certification requires organisations to meet strict standards on data minimisation, security, transparency, and individual rights.

By joining the framework, StackAdapt enhances its ability to support advertisers, publishers, and partners through seamless international data processing.

The move also reduces regulatory complexity for European customers while reinforcing the company’s broader commitment to privacy-by-design and responsible data use.

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Council presidency launches talks on AI deepfakes and cyberattacks

EU member states are preparing to open formal discussions on the risks posed by AI-powered deepfakes and their use in cyberattacks, following an initiative by the current Council presidency.

The talks are intended to assess how synthetic media may undermine democratic processes and public trust across the bloc.

According to sources, capitals will also begin coordinated exchanges on the proposed Democracy Shield, a framework aimed at strengthening resilience against foreign interference and digitally enabled manipulation.

Deepfakes are increasingly viewed as a cross-cutting threat, combining disinformation, cyber operations and influence campaigns.

The timeline set out by the presidency foresees structured discussions among national experts before escalating the issue to the ministerial level. The approach reflects growing concern that existing cyber and media rules are insufficient to address rapidly advancing AI-generated content.

An initiative that signals a broader shift within the Council towards treating deepfakes not only as a content moderation challenge, but as a security risk with implications for elections, governance and institutional stability.

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SoftBank plans massive new investment in OpenAI

SoftBank is in discussions to invest an additional $30 billion in OpenAI, as the Japanese conglomerate deepens its commitment to the AI pioneer. The potential funding round could reach $100 billion, valuing OpenAI at approximately $830 billion.

Chief Executive Masayoshi Son has taken an aggressive approach in the AI race, following a $41 billion investment last year that secured an 11 percent stake. OpenAI is facing increasing operational costs to train and maintain its AI models while competing with Alphabet’s Google.

Both SoftBank and OpenAI are also investors in Stargate, a $500 billion project to build AI data centres critical to US efforts to maintain a technological edge over China. The ambitious plan highlights the strategic importance of AI infrastructure in the global market.

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UK AI and coding school expands to Dubai

A UK-based AI and coding educator, The School of Coding and AI, has announced plans to open a £3 million campus in Dubai Media City, marking its expansion into the Middle East. The new site is scheduled to open in March, with student enrolment beginning in May, and will welcome learners from the UAE and international markets.

The expansion reflects the school’s ambition to become a global player in AI and computer science education, with the Gulf region identified as a key growth market. The move is supported by the UK Department for Business and Trade and aligns with wider efforts to strengthen UK–UAE cooperation in technology, education, and skills development.

The Dubai campus will offer flexible programmes in AI, computer science, and digital skills, aiming to upskill around 2,000 students and provide pathways to higher education. The initiative is intended to respond to growing regional demand for innovation-driven training and advanced digital capabilities.

The expansion of the School of Coding and AI underscores the growing importance of education exports and skills development in meeting global demand for AI talent.

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EU and India deepen strategic partnership at the 16th New Delhi summit

The European Union and India have opened a new phase in their relationship at the 16th EU-India Summit in New Delhi, marked by the conclusion of a landmark Free Trade Agreement and the launch of a Security and Defence Partnership.

These agreements signal a shared ambition to deepen economic integration while strengthening cooperation in an increasingly volatile global environment.

The EU-India Free Trade Agreement ranks among the largest trade deals worldwide, significantly reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers and unlocking new opportunities for businesses of all sizes.

By improving market access and establishing clear and enforceable rules, the agreement supports more resilient supply chains, greater trade diversification and stronger joint economic security for both partners.

Alongside trade, leaders signed an EU-India Security and Defence Partnership covering maritime security, cyber and hybrid threats, counterterrorism, space and defence industrial cooperation.

Negotiations were also launched on a Security of Information Agreement, paving the way for India’s participation in EU security and defence initiatives.

The Summit further expanded cooperation on innovation, emerging technologies, climate action and people-to-people ties.

Initiatives include new EU-India Innovation Hubs, closer research collaboration, enhanced labour mobility frameworks and joint efforts on clean energy, connectivity and global development, reinforcing the partnership as a defining pillar of 21st-century geopolitics.

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Snap faces new AI training lawsuit in California

A group of YouTubers has filed a copyright lawsuit against Snap in the US, alleging their videos were used to train AI systems without permission. The case was lodged in a federal court in California and targets AI features used within Snapchat.

The creators claim that Snap relied on large-scale video-language datasets intended initially for academic research. According to the filing in California, access to the material required bypassing YouTube safeguards and license restrictions on commercial use.

The lawsuit in the US seeks statutory damages and a permanent injunction to block further use of the content. The case is led by creators behind the h3h3 channel, alongside two smaller US-based golf channels.

The action adds Snap to a growing list of tech companies facing similar claims in the US. Courts in California and elsewhere continue to weigh how copyright law applies to AI training practices.

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Zurich researchers link AI with spirituality studies

Researchers at the University of Zurich have received a Postdoc Team Award for SpiritRAG, an AI system designed to analyse religion and spirituality in United Nations documents. The interdisciplinary project brings together expertise from Zurich across computer science, linguistics, education and spiritual care.

SpiritRAG connects large language models with more than 7,500 UN texts, allowing users in Zurich and beyond to ask context sensitive questions grounded in original sources. The system addresses challenges where meaning varies across cultures, history and political settings.

The Zurich based team presented SpiritRAG at EMNLP 2025 in Suzhou, China, and later at the AI+X Summit in Zurich. Interest from organisations outside Zurich highlights demand for transparent AI tools supporting research and policy analysis.

Designed as open source infrastructure, SpiritRAG allows deployment with different datasets while using limited resources. Researchers in Zurich say the approach supports responsible AI use in complex domains where accuracy and context remain critical.

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Data privacy shifts from breaches to authorised surveillance

Data Privacy Week has returned at a time when personal information is increasingly collected by default rather than through breaches. Campaigns urge awareness, yet privacy is being reshaped by lawful, large-scale data gathering driven by corporate and government systems.

In the US, companies now collect, retain and combine data with AI tools under legal authority, often without meaningful consent. Platforms such as TikTok illustrate how vast datasets are harvested regardless of ownership, shifting debates towards who controls data rather than how much is taken.

US policy responses have focused on national security rather than limiting surveillance itself. Pressure on TikTok to separate from Chinese ownership left data collection intact, while border authorities in the US are seeking broader access to travellers’ digital and biometric information.

Across the US technology sector, privacy increasingly centres on agency rather than secrecy. Data Privacy Week highlights growing concern that once information is gathered, control is lost, leaving accountability lagging behind capability.

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