Deutsche Telekom has strengthened its collaboration with Google, moving more of its services to the Google Cloud platform as part of its transformation into an ‘AI-first company.’ The expanded partnership aims to improve the agility and efficiency of Deutsche Telekom’s operations through AI-driven solutions.
Stefan Schloter, Chief Infrastructure Officer for Europe at Deutsche Telekom, highlighted how leveraging data and AI will enhance digital solutions across business entities, software engineering, and customer interfaces.
The MyMagenta app, for example, will integrate Google’s AI-powered Gemini assistant, further improving customer experience.
Google Cloud will also serve as the technical foundation of Deutsche Telekom’s new AI platform, the ‘One Data Ecosystem.’ However, this platform consolidates data systems and enhances data processing speed while ensuring compliance with privacy and data-sharing regulations.
Marianne Janik, Vice President of Google Cloud for Northern Europe, expressed excitement about the partnership, noting how cloud technology is pivotal for communications providers in driving innovation, flexibility, and growth for enhanced user experiences.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
UFC President Dana White has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Meta, following his recent appointment to the tech giant’s board.
The collaboration marks a significant moment for both organisations, with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, a well-known MMA enthusiast and practitioner, praising White’s ability to elevate global sports brands.
The deal aims to revolutionise fan engagement through cutting-edge technologies. According to White, plans are already underway to redesign the UFC’s ranking system, with hopes of delivering more compelling matchups.
While details remain under wraps, he hinted that AI could be central to the project, potentially transforming how fights are scored and analysed in real time.
Zuckerberg expressed excitement about the future of UFC fan experiences, suggesting Meta’s tech resources could introduce innovative ways for audiences to connect with the sport.
Enhanced data analysis may also support fighters in training and strategy, leading to higher-quality contests and fewer controversial decisions.
The full impact of the partnership will unfold in the coming years, with fans and athletes alike anticipating significant change.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
The tool, built on the DeepSeek platform, facilitates communication in Chinese, Myanmar, and English, helping responders coordinate aid. The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar confirmed that more than 700 people have used the system since the earthquake struck.
Developed in just seven hours, the translation tool was created by a language service team from the National Language Service Corps of China and Beijing Language and Culture University.
The Corps, a public-service alliance guided by various Chinese government agencies, specialises in providing language support during emergencies and key national initiatives.
The use of AI-powered translation in disaster response highlights the growing role of language technology in humanitarian aid.
By breaking down communication barriers, the system enables more effective coordination, reinforcing efforts to build stronger international cooperation in times of crisis.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
Siemens announced on Wednesday its acquisition of US software firm Dotmatics for $5.1 billion, aiming to enhance its AI capabilities for drug discovery.
The German company described the deal as complementary to its expansion into Life Sciences, positioning itself in a market increasingly reliant on digital transformation to meet growing medical needs.
Siemens expects Dotmatics to generate $100 million annually in the mid-term, rising to $500 million in the long run, and said the acquisition would be immediately profitable. The transaction is set to be completed in the first half of next year.
Founded in 2005, Dotmatics employs 800 people and specialises in AI-driven R&D software designed to accelerate drug research. This move follows Siemens’ recent $10 billion purchase of another AI-powered US software firm, Altair Engineering.
As Siemens’ industrial software faces slowing demand, its digital division has been driving revenue growth instead of its traditional factory automation products. The company, Germany’s second-largest by market value, continues expanding its software portfolio to capitalise on AI-driven innovations.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
Chinese smartphone maker Honor has unveiled a $10 billion investment plan aimed at advancing AI technologies across its product ecosystem. The announcement was made by CEO James Li at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, where he outlined the company’s ambition to evolve beyond smartphones and expand into AI-powered PCs, tablets, and wearables.
The major funding initiative comes as Honor prepares for a public listing, following a shareholder restructuring completed in December. While a date for the IPO has yet to be confirmed, the company appears to be positioning itself as a key player in China’s AI race, spurred by growing domestic interest in large language models like those developed by DeepSeek.
Despite slipping to fourth place in China’s smartphone market last year, Honor continues to receive strong backing from the Shenzhen local government. Support has included R&D funding, tax incentives, and assistance with international expansion. The company’s strategic pivot to AI reflects broader trends in China’s tech sector, as firms seek to integrate smart features into a wider range of consumer devices.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
Apple CEO Tim Cook made a surprise visit to China last week, marking the 10th anniversary partnership between Apple and Zhejiang University. During the visit, Cook announced a donation of RMB 30 million (£3.4 million) to support programming education and cultivate future talent in app development. The funds will establish the Apple Mobile Application Incubation Fund, offering training and connecting students to industry mentors and opportunities.
Zhejiang University, located in Hangzhou and considered one of the top institutions in China, has worked with Apple on mobile app innovation since 2015. Their long-standing collaboration has already reached over 30,000 students through competitions and workshops across the country. The new investment brings the total funding from Apple over the decade to RMB 80 million (£9.1 million).
Apple’s move reinforces its commitment to the Chinese market amid ongoing regulatory challenges. Some Apple Intelligence features remain unavailable in China, prompting the company to explore partnerships with local AI firms. While no formal agreements have been announced, the tech giant’s engagement with Chinese academia may also pave the way for future tech integration and regulatory compliance.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
Sam Altman sparked interest among Indian users on X after praising the country’s rapid AI adoption and sharing an AI-generated image of himself playing cricket. In his 2 April post, the OpenAI CEO called India’s AI creativity an ‘explosion,’ claiming the country was outpacing the world in adoption rates.
Users questioned why Altman singled out India, with some turning to AI chatbots like Perplexity and Grok for verification. His comments followed a February visit to India, where he met IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and highlighted India as OpenAI’s second-largest market.
Altman’s remarks also came shortly after OpenAI’s GPT-4o update, which enhanced AI-generated images and illustrations. To showcase this, he shared an anime-style image of himself as a cricket player, sporting a Team India jersey.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
Qualcomm has acquired MovianAI, the generative AI division of Vietnam’s VinAI, in a move aimed at enhancing its capabilities across smartphones, PCs, and automotive technologies.
The US chipmaker described the acquisition as a strategic step to fuel future innovation in AI, with particular emphasis on customised models and advanced engineering.
MovianAI brings expertise in machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing. Qualcomm highlighted the value of adding ‘high-calibre talent’ to its engineering team, with MovianAI’s founder and CEO Hung Bui, who previously worked at Google DeepMind, set to join the company.
Bui stated that his team is eager to contribute to Qualcomm’s mission of scaling foundational AI breakthroughs across industries.
Qualcomm has a two-decade history of working with Vietnamese companies, particularly in 5G, IoT, and AI development. While the financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed, Vietnamese outlet VNExpress International reported that Qualcomm has acquired a 65 per cent stake in MovianAI.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
Joelle Pineau, the Vice President of AI research at Meta, announced she will be leaving the company by the end of May, after nearly eight years with the organisation.
Pineau, who joined Meta in 2017, has overseen key AI initiatives, including the FAIR research unit, PyTorch, and the Llama AI models.
In a LinkedIn post, Pineau reflected on her time at Meta, mentioning the creation of groundbreaking AI projects such as PyTorch, FAISS, and Roberta.
She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside top AI researchers, with the aim of accelerating innovation through open-source contributions.
Pineau, also a professor at McGill University, stated that after her departure, she plans to take some time to reflect before pursuing new ventures. Her departure comes as Meta intensifies its focus on AI, including the recent launch of its Meta AI chatbot in Europe.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
Nokia has signed a multi-year deal with Bharti Airtel to expand their core network collaboration instead of maintaining a limited partnership, aiming to enhance 5G service delivery.
The move will integrate 5G and 4G technologies into a unified server setup instead of running them separately, while also helping Airtel grow its 4G/5G customer base.
Nokia’s Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) will provide additional solutions for home broadband and enterprise-critical applications instead of relying solely on traditional infrastructure.
The rollout will cover network automation across most Airtel service regions in India, helping the telecom giant optimise its hardware footprint and reduce costs per bit by using appliance-based Packet Core gateways.
Airtel CTO Randeep Sekhon highlighted that Nokia’s Packet Core deployment will improve network quality and reliability instead of allowing congestion to impact customers.
Nokia’s president of cloud and network services, Raghav Sahgal, emphasised that this collaboration strengthens Airtel’s 5G standalone (SA) readiness, reinforcing Nokia’s leadership in core network solutions in India and globally.
For more information on these topics, visit diplomacy.edu.
