Digital cooperation

Agentic AI at scale with Salesforce and AWS

Salesforce and AWS outlined a tighter partnership on agentic AI, citing rapid growth in enterprise agents and usage. They set four pillars for the ‘Agentic Enterprise’: unified data, interoperable agents, modernised contact centres and streamlined procurement via AWS Marketplace.

Data 360 ‘Zero Copy’ accesses Amazon Redshift without duplication, while Data 360 Clean Rooms integrate with AWS Clean Rooms for privacy-preserving collaboration. 1-800Accountant reports agents resolving most routine inquiries so human experts focus on higher-value work.

Agentforce supports open standards such as Model Context Protocol and Agent2Agent to coordinate multi-vendor agents. Pilots link Bedrock-based agents and Slack integrations that surface Quick Suite tools, with Anthropic and Amazon Nova models available inside Salesforce’s trust boundary.

Contact centres extend agentic workflows through Salesforce Contact Center with Amazon Connect, adding voice self-service plus real-time transcription and sentiment. Complex issues hand off to representatives with full context, and Toyota Motor North America plans automation for service tasks.

Procurement scales via AWS Marketplace, where Salesforce surpassed $2bn in lifetime sales across 30 countries. AgentExchange listings provide prebuilt, customisable agents and workflows, helping enterprises adopt agentic AI faster with governance and security intact.

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Scaling a cell ‘language’ model yields new immunotherapy leads

Yale University and Google unveiled Cell2Sentence-Scale 27B, a 27-billion-parameter model built on Gemma to decode the ‘language’ of cells. The system generated a novel hypothesis about cancer cell behaviour, and CEO Sundar Pichai called it ‘an exciting milestone’ for AI in science.

The work targets a core problem in immunotherapy: many tumours are ‘cold’ and evade immune detection. Making them visible requires boosting antigen presentation. C2S-Scale sought a ‘conditional amplifier’ drug that boosts signals only in immune-context-positive settings.

Smaller models lacked the reasoning to solve the problem, but scaling to 27B parameters unlocked the capability. The team then simulated 4,000 drugs across patient samples. The model flagged context-specific boosters of antigen presentation, with 10–30% already known and the rest entirely novel.

Researchers emphasise that conditional amplification aims to raise immune signals only where key proteins are present. That could reduce off-target effects and make ‘cold’ tumours discoverable. The result hints at AI-guided routes to more precise cancer therapies.

Google has released C2S-Scale 27B on GitHub and Hugging Face for the community to explore. The approach blends large-scale language modelling with cell biology, signalling a new toolkit for hypothesis generation, drug prioritisation, and patient-relevant testing.

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Report warns of AI-driven divide in higher education

A new report from the Higher Education Policy Institute warns of an urgent need to improve AI literacy among staff and students in the UK. The study argues that without coordinated investment in training and policy, higher education risks deepening digital divides and losing relevance in an AI-driven world.

British report contributors say universities must move beyond acknowledging AI’s presence and instead adopt structured strategies for skill development. Kate Borthwick adds that both staff and students require ongoing education to manage how AI reshapes teaching, assessment, and research.

The publication highlights growing disparities in access and use of generative AI based on gender, wealth, and academic discipline. In a chapter written by ChatGPT, the report suggests universities create AI advisory teams within research offices and embed AI training into staff development programmes.

Elsewhere, Ant Bagshaw from the Australian Public Policy Institute warns that generative AI could lead to cuts in professional services staff as universities seek financial savings. He acknowledges the transition will be painful but argues that it could drive a more efficient and focused higher education sector.

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Humanity AI launches $500M initiative to build a people-centred future

A coalition of ten leading philanthropic foundations has pledged $500 million over five years to ensure that AI evolves in ways that strengthen humanity rather than marginalise it.

The initiative, called Humanity AI, brings together organisations such as the Ford, MacArthur, Mellon, and Mozilla foundations to promote a people-driven vision for AI that enhances creativity, democracy, and security.

As AI increasingly shapes every aspect of daily life, the coalition seeks to place citizens at the centre of the conversation instead of leaving decisions to a few technology firms.

It plans to support new research, advocacy, and partnerships that safeguard democratic rights, protect creative ownership, and promote equitable access to education and employment.

The initiative also prioritises the ethical use of AI in safety and economic systems, ensuring innovation does not come at the expense of human welfare.

John Palfrey, president of the MacArthur Foundation, said Humanity AI aims to shift power back to the public by funding technologists and advocates committed to responsible innovation.

Michele Jawando of the Omidyar Network added that the future of AI should be designed by people collectively, not predetermined by algorithms or corporate agendas.

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors will oversee the fund, which begins issuing grants in 2026. Humanity AI invites additional partners to join in creating a future where people shape technology instead of being shaped by it.

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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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