Microsoft has expanded its Microsoft Elevate initiative in the UAE, aiming to equip one million people with AI skills by the end of the decade. The programme is training over 250,000 students and staff, plus 55,000 government employees, to prepare the UAE workforce for an AI-driven future.
Partnerships with educational institutions and nonprofits are central to the initiative. Collaborations with organisations such as GEMS and INJAZ UAE are embedding AI skills into schools, training 10,000 teachers and over 150,000 students.
Higher education institutions, including MBZUAI, UAE University, and the Higher Colleges of Technology, are also participating to advance AI literacy, research, and digital skills across the academic community.
Government employees are a key focus, with 55,000 federal staff set to receive AI training through specialised courses developed with G42 and delivered via the JAHIZ platform. Leadership programmes with INSEAD train senior officials and executives, enhancing strategic skills and promoting responsible AI use.
Microsoft Elevate is closing the UAE’s AI skills gap and expanding opportunities for students, educators, and public servants. The programme combines technical and leadership training to strengthen the UAE’s talent pipeline and global AI leadership.
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An Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union has said national competition authorities may lawfully seize employee emails during investigations without prior judicial approval. The opinion applies only when a strict legal framework and effective safeguards against abuse are in place.
The case arose after Portuguese medical companies challenged the competition authority’s seizure of staff emails, arguing it breached the right to privacy and correspondence under the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The authority acted under authorisation from the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
According to the Advocate General, such seizures may limit privacy and data protection rights under Articles 7 and 8 of the Charter, but remain lawful if proportionate and justified. The processing of personal data is permitted under the GDPR where it serves the public interest in enforcing competition law.
The opinion emphasised that access to business emails did not undermine the essence of data protection rights, as the investigation focused on professional communications. The final judgment from the CJEU is expected to clarify how privacy principles apply in competition law enforcement across the EU.
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An escalating tech clash has emerged between ByteDance and Anthropic over AI access and service restrictions. ByteDance has halted use of Anthropic’s Claude model on its infrastructure after the US firm imposed access limitations for Chinese users.
The suspension follows Anthropic’s move to restrict China-linked deployments and aligns with broader geopolitical tensions in the AI sector. ByteDance reportedly said it would now rely on domestic alternatives, signalling a strategic pivot away from western-based AI models.
Industry watchers view the dispute as a marker of how major tech firms are navigating export controls, national security concerns and sovereignty in AI. Observers warn the rift may prompt accelerated investment in home-grown AI ecosystems by Chinese companies.
While neither company has detailed all operational impacts, the episode highlights AI’s fraught position at the intersection of technology and geopolitics. US market reaction may hinge on whether other firms follow suit or partnerships are redefined around regional access.
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Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has formally notified major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, that they must comply with new minimum age restrictions from 10 December.
The rule will require these services to prevent social media users under 16 from creating accounts.
eSafety determined that nine popular services currently meet the definition of age-restricted platforms since their main purpose is to enable online social interaction. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to block underage users may face enforcement measures, including fines of up to 49.5 million dollars.
The agency clarified that the list of age-restricted platforms will not remain static, as new services will be reviewed and reassessed over time. Others, such as Discord, Google Classroom, and WhatsApp, are excluded for now as they do not meet the same criteria.
Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the new framework aims to delay children’s exposure to social media and limit harmful design features such as infinite scroll and opaque algorithms.
She emphasised that age limits are only part of a broader effort to build safer, more age-appropriate online environments supported by education, prevention, and digital resilience.
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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed that it will transition from Microsoft Office to Open Desk, a European open-source office platform. The move, first reported by German newspaper Handelsblatt, reflects a broadertrend among public institutions seeking to reduce reliance on technology provided by non-European companies.
Euractiv notes that concerns over technological dependence have increased in recent years, particularly since the start of US President Donald Trump’s second term. For the ICC, these concerns are tied to previous tensions with the United States. The former administration imposed sanctions on ICC officials, including Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan.
Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported that Microsoft had suspended Khan’s email account, although Microsoft has rejected this claim.
Open Desk is developed by the German Centre for Digital Sovereignty of the Public Administration (Zendis), a publicly owned entity. Zendis is part of a newly established EU-level initiative, founded by four member states, aimed at developing sovereign digital infrastructure across Europe.
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The European Union will use the COP30 Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil, to reinforce its commitment to a fair and ambitious global clean transition.
The EU aims to accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement by driving decarbonisation, promoting renewables, and supporting vulnerable nations most affected by climate change.
President Ursula von der Leyen said the transition is ‘ongoing and irreversible’, stressing that it must remain inclusive and equitable.
Additionally, the EU will call for new efforts to close implementation gaps, limit temperature overshoot beyond 1.5°C, and advance the Global Stocktake outcomes from COP28. It will also promote the global pledges to triple renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.
A new climate target will commit to cutting net greenhouse gas emissions by between 66.25% and 72.5% below 1990 levels by 2035, on the path to a 90% reduction by 2040.
The EU also supports the creation of a Coalition for Compliance Carbon Markets and increased finance for developing countries through the Baku to Belém Roadmap.
Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said Europe’s climate ambition strengthens both competitiveness and independence. He urged major economies to raise ambition and accelerate implementation to keep the Paris target within reach.
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European politicians and experts gathered in Billund for the conference ‘Towards a Safer and More Innovative Digital Europe’, hosted by the Danish Parliament.
The discussions centred on how to protect citizens online while strengthening Europe’s technological competitiveness.
Lisbeth Bech-Nielsen, Chair of the Danish Parliament’s Digitalisation and IT Committee, stated that the event demonstrated the need for the EU to act more swiftly to harness its collective digital potential.
She emphasised that only through cooperation and shared responsibility can the EU match the pace of global digital transformation and fully benefit from its combined strengths.
The first theme addressed online safety and responsibility, focusing on the enforcement of the Digital Services Act, child protection, and the accountability of e-commerce platforms importing products from outside the EU.
Participants highlighted the importance of listening to young people and improving cross-border collaboration between regulators and industry.
The second theme examined Europe’s competitiveness in emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing. Speakers called for more substantial investment, harmonised digital skills strategies, and better support for businesses seeking to expand within the single market.
A Billund conference emphasised that Europe’s digital future depends on striking a balance between safety, innovation, and competitiveness, which can only be achieved through joint action and long-term commitment.
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AI is transforming the job market as companies cut traditional roles and expand AI-driven positions. Major employers like Accenture, IBM and Amazon are investing heavily in training while reducing headcount, signalling a shift in what skills truly matter.
Research from Drexel University highlights a growing divide between organisations that adopt AI and workers who are prepared to use it effectively. Surveys show that while most companies rely on AI in daily operations, fewer than four in ten believe their employees are ready to work alongside intelligent systems.
Experts say the future belongs to those with ‘human-AI fluency’ that means people who can question, interpret and apply machine output to real business challenges. Firms that build trust, encourage learning and blend technical understanding with sound judgement are proving best equipped to thrive in the AI era.
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A new Artificial Intelligence Council has been launched in Jersey to strengthen collaboration and coordinate the island’s approach to AI adoption. Led by Digital Jersey, the council seeks to bring together public and private sector initiatives to ensure AI technologies are used responsibly and effectively.
The council’s mission is to facilitate cooperation and knowledge exchange among key organisations, including the government, Jersey Finance, and the Institute of Directors. It aims to create a unified plan that draws on members’ expertise to maximise benefits while reducing potential risks.
Tony Moretta, chief executive of Digital Jersey and chair of the AI Council, said the island was at a pivotal stage in its AI journey. He emphasised that collective action could accelerate progress far more than isolated efforts across individual organisations.
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Microsoft’s in-house image generator, MAI-Image-1, now powers Bing Image Creator and Copilot Audio Expressions, with EU availability coming soon, according to Mustafa Suleyman. It’s optimised for speed and photorealism in food, landscapes, and stylised lighting.
In Copilot’s Story Mode, MAI-Image-1 pairs artwork with AI audio, linking text-to-image and text-to-speech. Microsoft pitches realism and fast iteration versus larger, slower models to shorten creative workflows.
MAI-Image-1 has shipped 🚢 Try it now at https://t.co/24MRu9VQ0z or the Bing app, plus it'll generate custom art for your Story Mode audio at https://t.co/9hL81LTFwF It really excels at: -artistic lighting/photorealistic detail -nature scenes -food! Drop your creations below ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/E2J20L2PpX
The rollout follows August’s MAI-Voice-1 and MAI-1-preview. Copilot is shifting to OpenAI’s GPT-5 while continuing to offer Anthropic’s Claude, signalling a mixed-model strategy alongside homegrown systems.
Bing’s Image Creator lists three selectable models, which are MAI-Image-1, OpenAI’s DALL-E 3, and OpenAI’s GPT-4o. Microsoft says MAI-Image-1 enables faster ideation and hand-off to downstream tools for refinement.
Analysts see MAI-Image-1 as part of a broader effort to reduce dependence on third-party image systems while preserving user choice. Microsoft highlights safety tooling and copyright-aware practices across Copilot experiences as adoption widens.
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