French startup Rounded is developing an orchestration platform that allows companies to create their own AI voice agents. Initially focused on web3, the company shifted its attention to AI-powered voice interactions in mid-2023. Its first product, Donna, was designed for anesthetists, helping private hospitals handle large volumes of routine patient calls. The AI agent has already managed hundreds of thousands of conversations, improving in speed and accuracy over time.
After refining its technology, Rounded expanded its focus to offer a platform where businesses can build their own AI voice agents. Users can integrate various AI models, such as speech-to-text and text-to-speech engines, selecting components from providers like Azure, GPT-4o mini, and ElevenLabs. The platform also helps define prompts and parameters to optimise each agent’s performance for specific use cases.
The startup has secured €600,000 in funding from UC Berkeley’s SkyDeck accelerator and business investors. With growing interest in AI-powered customer interactions, Rounded is poised to attract further investment as it expands its product offering.
AI is transforming the way new medicines are developed, with AI-powered drug discovery advancing at an unprecedented pace. Insilico Medicine, a US-based biotech firm, has designed an experimental treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) using AI to identify a potential drug target and generate molecules. The approach significantly reduced the time and resources needed, with the drug discovery process taking 18 months instead of the usual four years.
AI-driven methods are being adopted by both startups and major pharmaceutical companies to accelerate drug development. Insilico Medicine has multiple drug candidates in clinical trials, while Recursion Pharmaceuticals is using AI to analyse vast biological datasets and uncover new treatment possibilities. A molecule designed by Recursion to target lymphoma and solid tumours has already entered human trials, demonstrating the growing potential of AI in medical research.
Despite the progress, experts note that AI-discovered drugs have yet to complete full clinical trials. The technology faces challenges, particularly in data availability and bias, but researchers remain optimistic. As AI continues to refine drug discovery, many believe it will lead to faster, more cost-effective treatments and a higher success rate in bringing new medicines to market.
Dragos and Singapore’s Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) are collaborating to enhance cybersecurity capabilities through a strategic partnership focusing on planning, training, and exchanging information about cyber threats. The agreement, announced during the Critical Infrastructure Defence Exercise (CIDeX) 2024, aims to fortify the defence of Singapore’s critical infrastructure and increase its resilience to cyber attacks.
The partnership builds on Dragos’s long-standing collaboration with Singapore, including a previous agreement in August 2023 with the Cyber Security Agency (CSA) to improve operational technology (OT) cybersecurity. DIS emphasised the importance of expanding cybersecurity partnerships across sectors, while Dragos commended Singapore’s proactive approach to cybersecurity as an example for other nations to follow.
That partnership underscores the shared commitment of both parties to secure critical infrastructure amid an evolving cyber threat landscape. By leveraging their expertise, Dragos and DIS aim to provide Singapore with the necessary tools and knowledge to navigate emerging challenges, ensuring the protection of its infrastructure and citizens.
Brazil is becoming a major hub for data centres, with billions of dollars in investments expected as AI and digital infrastructure drive demand. Growth limitations in larger markets such as the United States and Europe have led companies to expand in Brazil, taking advantage of the country’s political stability, renewable energy resources, and increasing local demand. Several major players, including Ascenty, Equinix, and ODATA, are making significant investments to establish or expand their facilities.
Grupo FS is entering the sector with a $1.8 billion investment to build three new data centres. Equinix is expanding in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, while ODATA continues to grow following its acquisition by Aligned Data Centers. Tecto, backed by Brazilian bank BTG, has secured land in São Paulo for a new hyperscale facility powered entirely by renewable energy. Meanwhile, Elea Data Centers is expanding across Brazil, focusing on sustainable operations in key regions.
Investors see Brazil as an attractive destination due to its growing digital economy and strategic location. Companies are increasing their footprint to meet rising demand for cloud computing and AI-driven technologies. As the industry expands, Brazil is positioning itself as a leading data centre hub in Latin America, benefiting from a mix of international and domestic investment.
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk is strengthening its collaboration with a United States tech firm Valo Health to develop new treatments for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases using artificial intelligence and human data. The agreement, originally signed in 2023, has been expanded to cover up to 20 drug candidates, nearly doubling the initial scope of 11 treatments.
The expansion comes as Novo seeks to maintain its competitive edge in the booming obesity drug market, expected to be worth $150 billion in the next decade. A recent clinical trial for its weight-loss drug candidate, CagriSema, delivered underwhelming results, increasing pressure to develop a successor to its best-selling drug, Wegovy. Rival pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly is also pushing forward with its own obesity treatments, intensifying the race for dominance in the sector.
Under the revised deal, Valo Health will receive up to $190 million in near-term payments and milestone payments of around $4.6 billion, significantly increasing its earnings potential compared to the original agreement, which offered up to $2.7 billion. Novo hopes the collaboration will lead to groundbreaking therapies that extend the health benefits of weight-loss drugs beyond obesity treatment.
Meta is set to trial a new feature allowing users in Germany, France, and the United States to browse eBay listings directly on Facebook Marketplace. Transactions will still be completed on eBay’s platform, but the integration aims to provide Facebook users with a wider selection of products while giving eBay sellers greater exposure.
The move follows a hefty $840 million fine imposed by the European Commission in November over alleged anticompetitive practices related to Facebook Marketplace. While Meta continues to appeal the decision, it says it is working to address regulators’ concerns. The European Commission has yet to comment on the latest development.
Meta’s partnership with eBay reflects broader efforts by tech companies to expand online marketplaces and enhance user experience. The initiative is expected to benefit both buyers and sellers by increasing reach and streamlining access to listings.
Honeywell and NXP Semiconductors are expanding their partnership to develop AI-powered aviation technology, focusing on autonomous flying systems. The collaboration will integrate Honeywell’s Anthem avionics, a cloud-connected cockpit system, with NXP’s computing architecture to improve flight planning and management.
NXP’s autonomy architecture, originally designed for the automotive industry, will be adapted to enhance autonomous flying capabilities when combined with Anthem. No financial details were disclosed, but the agreement builds on a previous partnership centred on building management systems.
Interest in autonomous technology continues to grow, particularly in the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) sector. Vertical Aerospace, an eVTOL manufacturer, plans to test its VX4 aircraft using the Anthem system.
The Dutch government announced a deal with Nvidia on Thursday to provide hardware and expertise for a potential AI supercomputing facility. The planned facility is part of the Netherlands‘ broader strategy to bolster AI research and contribute to EU efforts to strengthen Europe’s digital economy.
Last year, the Netherlands allocated €204.5 million ($210 million) for AI investments, with additional funding expected from European subsidies. Economy Minister Dirk Beljaarts hailed the Nvidia agreement as a major step toward realising the project, emphasising the intense global competition for advanced AI technologies.
‘This deal brings building a Dutch AI facility a lot closer,’ Beljaarts said after meeting Nvidia representatives in Silicon Valley, although he refrained from disclosing specific details of the agreement.
Panasonic has introduced Umi, a digital assistant designed to support family wellness, at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. Developed in partnership with AI startup Anthropic, Umi uses the Claude AI model to help families set and achieve personal goals, such as improving fitness or spending more time together. The interactive platform allows users to engage with the AI through voice chat and a mobile app, where they can create routines, manage tasks, and communicate in group chats.
The assistant is also aimed at caregivers looking after aging parents, offering a way to stay informed about their well-being even when living apart. Panasonic has collaborated with AARP to enhance Umi’s ability to support older adults. Additionally, the platform will connect users with wellness experts and integrate with partners such as Calm, Blue Apron, SleepScore Labs, and Precision Nutrition to help families build healthy habits.
Umi is expected to launch in the United States in 2025, with Panasonic positioning it as part of a broader wellness initiative. The partnership with Anthropic extends beyond consumer products, as Panasonic plans to integrate the Claude AI model into its own operations to enhance customer service, marketing, and coding efficiency.
Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani plans to invest $20 billion in the growing US data centre sector over the coming years. The announcement was made alongside US President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where Sajwani, chairman of Dubai-based developer DAMAC, expressed the potential for even larger investments depending on market conditions.
Sajwani’s company owns the only Trump-branded golf course in the Middle East, located in Dubai. The two have a long-standing relationship, with Sajwani celebrating New Year with Trump in Florida. Trump’s focus on economic growth aligns with this announcement, though previous investment promises, such as the Foxconn factory in Wisconsin, fell short of expectations.
A surge in AI technology, particularly since the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, has driven significant investment in data infrastructure. Microsoft recently revealed plans to spend $80 billion this fiscal year on expanding its AI capacity. SoftBank’s CEO Masayoshi Son also committed $100 billion in US investments, further highlighting the sector’s momentum.
US restrictions on advanced AI chip exports to China have intensified under the Biden administration. Trump’s recent appointments of China hard-liners in key economic and diplomatic roles signal a continued focus on limiting China’s access to cutting-edge technologies.
