Digital cooperation

SenseTime and Cambricon strengthen cooperation for China’s AI future

SenseTime and Cambricon Technologies have entered a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop an open and mutually beneficial AI ecosystem in China. The partnership will focus on software-hardware integration, vertical industry innovation, and the globalisation of AI technologies.

By combining SenseTime’s strengths in large model R&D, AI infrastructure, and industrial applications with Cambricon’s expertise in intelligent computing chips and high-performance hardware, the collaboration supports the national ‘AI+’ strategy of China.

Both companies aim to foster a new AI development model defined by synergy between software and hardware, enhancing domestic innovation and global competitiveness in the AI sector.

The agreement also includes co-development of adaptive chip solutions and integrated AI systems for enterprise and industrial use. By focusing on compatibility between the latest AI models and hardware architectures, the two firms plan to offer scalable, high-efficiency computing solutions.

A partnership that seeks to drive intelligent transformation across industries and promote the growth of emerging AI enterprises through joint innovation and ecosystem building.

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UK and US freeze assets of Southeast Asian online scam network

The UK and US governments have jointly sanctioned a transnational network operating illegal scam centres across Southeast Asia. These centres use sophisticated methods, including fake romantic relationships, to defraud victims worldwide.

Many of the individuals forced to conduct these scams are trafficked foreign nationals, coerced under threat of torture. Authorities have frozen a £12 million North London mansion, along with a £100 million City office and several London flats.

Network leader Chen Zhi and his associates used corporate proxies and overseas companies to launder proceeds from their scams through London’s property market.

The sanctioned entities include the Prince Group, Jin Bei Group, Golden Fortune Resorts World Ltd., and Byex Exchange. Scam operations trap foreign nationals with fake job adverts, forcing them to commit online fraud, often through fake cryptocurrency schemes.

Proceeds are then laundered through a complex system of front businesses and gambling platforms.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said the action protects human rights, UK citizens, and blocks criminals from storing illicit funds. Coordination with the US ensures these sanctions disrupt the network’s international operations and financial access.

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Wider AI applications take centre stage at Japan’s CEATEC electronics show

At this year’s CEATEC exhibition in Japan, more companies and research institutions are promoting AI applications that stretch well beyond traditional factory or industrial automation.

Innovations on display suggest an increasing emphasis on ‘AI as companion’ systems, tools that help, advise, or augment human abilities in everyday settings.

Fujitsu’s showcase is a strong example. The company is using AI skeleton recognition and agent-based analysis to help people improve movement, whether for sports performance (such as refining a golf swing) or for healthcare settings. These systems give live feedback, coaching form, and offer suggestions, all in real time.

Other exhibits combine sensor tech, vision, and AI in consumer-friendly ways. For example, smart fridge compartments that monitor produce, earbuds or glasses that recognise real-world context (a flyer in a shop, say) and suggest recipes, or wearable systems that adapt to your motion.

These are not lab demos, they’re meant for direct, everyday interaction. Rising numbers of startups and university groups at CEATEC underscore Japan’s push toward embedding AI deeply in daily life.

The ‘AI for All’ theme and ‘Partner Parks’ at the show reflect a movement toward socially oriented technologies, with suggestions, health, ease, and personalisation. Japan seems to be leaning into AI not just for productivity gains but for lifestyle and well-being enhancements.

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OpenAI forms Expert Council to guide well-being in AI

OpenAI has announced the establishment of an Expert Council on Well-Being and AI to help it shape ChatGPT, Sora and other products in ways that promote healthier interactions and better emotional support.

The council comprises eight distinguished figures from psychology, psychiatry, human-computer interaction, developmental science and clinical practice.

Members include David Bickham (Digital Wellness Lab, Harvard), Munmun De Choudhury (Georgia Tech), Tracy Dennis-Tiwary (Hunter College), Sara Johansen (Stanford), Andrew K. Przybylski (University of Oxford), David Mohr (Northwestern), Robert K. Ross (public health) and Mathilde Cerioli (everyone.AI).

OpenAI says this new body will meet regularly with internal teams to examine how AI should function in ‘complex or sensitive situations,’ advise on guardrails, and explore what constitutes well-being in human-AI interaction. For example, the council already influenced how parental controls and user-teen distress notifications were prioritised.

OpenAI emphasises that it remains accountable for its decisions, but commits to ongoing learning through this council, the Global Physician Network, policymakers and experts. The company notes that different age groups, especially teenagers, use AI tools differently, hence the need for tailored insights.

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OpenAI partners with Walmart for ChatGPT shopping

OpenAI has announced a partnership with Walmart that will allow users to buy products directly through ChatGPT, turning the chatbot into a virtual shopping assistant. The move represents the company’s latest expansion into online retail as it seeks to generate new revenue streams.

Walmart said the feature will enable customers to ‘simply chat and buy’, letting them order groceries, household items, or other goods while chatting within ChatGPT. Instant Checkout, powered by payments firm Stripe, will process the transactions.

OpenAI previously launched similar integrations with Shopify and Etsy, but joining forces with Walmart marks a far larger step into e-commerce. The company continues to seek profitability as it scales up the cost of running its AI systems.

Walmart, meanwhile, is expanding its use of AI across operations, from its digital assistant Sparky to warehouse automation. Executives said the collaboration would help make everyday purchases faster and more intuitive for millions of customers.

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Students design app to support teen mental health

Six students from Blythe Bridge High School in Staffordshire are developing an app to help reduce mental health stigma among young people. Their project, called Mindful Mondays, was chosen as the winner of a national competition organised by the suicide prevention charity the Oli Leigh Trust.

The app aims to create a safe and supportive space where teenagers can talk anonymously about their mental health while completing small challenges designed to improve wellbeing. The team hopes it will encourage open conversations and promote positive habits in schools.

Student Sophie Hodgkinson said many young people struggle in silence due to stigma, while teammate Tilly Hyatt added that young creators understand their peers’ challenges better than adults. Their teacher praised the project as a positive step in addressing one of the biggest issues facing schools.

The Oli Leigh Trust said it hopes the app will inspire further innovation led by young people, empowering students to take an active role in supporting each other’s mental health. Development of Mindful Mondays in the UK is now under way.

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Google and World Bank join forces to build AI-driven public infrastructure

Google and the World Bank Group have announced a partnership to develop AI-powered digital infrastructure for emerging markets. The collaboration aims to accelerate digital transformation by deploying Open Network Stacks that make essential public services more accessible.

The initiative combines Google Cloud’s Gemini AI models with the World Bank Group’s development expertise to help governments build interoperable networks in key areas such as healthcare, agriculture and education. Citizens will be able to access these services in over 40 languages, even on basic devices.

A successful pilot project in India’s Uttar Pradesh demonstrated how AI can improve livelihoods, with smallholder farmers increasing profitability through digital tools.

To support long-term growth, Google.org is funding a new nonprofit, Networks for Humanity, which will build universal digital infrastructure, create regional innovation labs and test social impact applications globally.

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Argentina poised to host Latin America’s first Stargate AI project

Argentina is set to become the host of Latin America’s first Stargate project, a major AI infrastructure initiative powered by clean energy. Led by Sur Energy with OpenAI, the plan aims to make Argentina a regional and global AI leader while boosting economic growth.

OpenAI and Sur Energy have signed a Letter of Intent to explore building a large-scale data centre in Argentina. Sur Energy will lead the consortium responsible for developing the project, ensuring that the ecosystem is powered by secure, efficient, and sustainable energy sources.

OpenAI is expected to be a key offtaker for the facility.

The project follows high-level talks in Buenos Aires between President Javier Milei, government ministers, and an OpenAI delegation led by Chris Lehane. With AI use tripling and millions using ChatGPT, Argentina ranks among Latin America’s top AI developers, making it an ideal choice for the project.

As part of OpenAI’s OpenAI for Countries initiative, discussions are underway to integrate AI tools into government operations. CEO Sam Altman said the project represents ‘more than just infrastructure’ and will help make Argentina an AI hub for Latin America.

Sur Energy’s Emiliano Kargieman called it a historic opportunity that combines renewable energy with digital innovation to create jobs and attract global investment.

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Abu Dhabi deploys AI-first systems with NVIDIA and Oracle

Oracle and NVIDIA have joined forces to advance sovereign AI, supporting Abu Dhabi’s vision of becoming an AI-native government by 2027.

The partnership combines the computing platforms of NVIDIA with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to create secure, high-performance systems that deliver next-generation citizen services, including multilingual AI assistants, automatic notifications, and intelligent compliance solutions.

The Government Digital Strategy 2025-2027 of Abu Dhabi, backed by a 13-billion AED investment, follows a phased ‘crawl, walk, run’ approach. The initiative has already gone live across 25 government entities, enabling over 15,000 daily users to access AI-accelerated services.

Generative AI applications are now integrated into human resources, procurement, and financial reporting, while advanced agentic AI and autonomous workflows will further enhance government-wide operations.

The strategy ensures full data sovereignty while driving innovation and efficiency across the public sector.

Partnerships with Deloitte and Core42 provide infrastructure and compliance support, while over 200 AI-powered capabilities are deployed to boost digital skills, economic growth, and employment opportunities.

By 2027, the initiative is expected to contribute more than 24 billion AED to Abu Dhabi’s GDP and create over 5,000 jobs, demonstrating a global blueprint for AI-native government transformation.

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Dell joins Microsoft and Nscale on hyperscale AI capacity

Nscale has signed an expanded deal with Microsoft to deliver about 200,000 NVIDIA GB300 GPUs across Europe and the US, with Dell collaborating. The company calls it one of the largest AI infrastructure contracts to date. The build-out targets surging enterprise demand for GPU capacity.

A ~240MW hyperscale AI campus in Texas, US, will host roughly 104,000 GB300s from Q3 2026, leased from Ionic Digital. Nscale plans to scale the site to 1.2GW, with Microsoft holding an option on a second 700MW phase from late 2027. The campus is optimised for air-cooled, power-efficient deployments.

In Europe, Nscale will deploy about 12,600 GB300s from Q1 2026 at Start Campus in Sines, Portugal, supporting sovereign AI needs within the EU. A separate UK facility at Loughton will house around 23,000 GB300s from Q1 2027. The 50MW site is scalable to 90MW to support Azure services.

A Norway programme also advances Aker-Nscale’s joint venture plans for about 52,000 GB300s at Narvik, along with Nscale’s GW+ greenfield sites and orchestration for target training, fine-tuning, and inference at scale. Microsoft emphasises sustainability and global availability.

Both firms cast the pact as deepening transatlantic tech ties and accelerating the rollout of next-gen AI services. Nscale says few providers can deploy GPU fleets at this pace. The roadmap points to sovereign-grade, multi-region capacity with lower-latency platforms.

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