At Climate Week NYC 2025, UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell urged governments and industries to accelerate clean energy, embrace industrial and AI transformation, and prepare for decisive progress at COP30 in Belém.
He highlighted that renewable investment reached US$2 trillion last year and that most new renewable projects are cheaper than fossil fuels, showing that the transition is already underway instead of being dependent on breakthroughs.
Stiell warned, however, that the benefits remain uneven and too many industrial projects lie idle. He called on governments to align policy and finance with the Paris Agreement sector by sector while unlocking innovation to create millions of jobs.
On AI, he stressed the importance of harnessing its catalytic potential responsibly, using it to manage energy grids, map climate risks and guide planning, rather than allowing it to displace human skills.
Looking ahead, the UN Climate Chief pointed to the Baku to Belém Roadmap, a plan to mobilise at least US$1.3 trillion annually by 2035 to support climate action in developing countries. He said COP30 must respond to this roadmap, accelerate progress on national climate commitments and deliver for vulnerable communities.
Above all, he argued that climate cooperation is bending the warming curve and must continue to drive real-world improvements in jobs, health and energy access instead of faltering.
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The US General Services Administration (GSA) has launched a OneGov initiative with Meta to give federal agencies streamlined access to Llama, its open source AI models. The approach eliminates individual agency negotiations, saving time and reducing duplicated work across departments.
The initiative supports America’s AI Action Plan and federal memoranda, promoting the government’s accelerated and efficient use of AI. Rapid access to Llama aims to boost innovation, governance, public trust, and operational efficiency.
Open source Llama models allow federal teams to maintain complete control over data processing and storage. Agencies can build, deploy, and scale AI applications at lower cost, enhancing public services while delivering value to taxpayers.
Meta’s free access to the models further enables agencies to develop tailored solutions without reliance on proprietary platforms.
Collaboration between GSA and Meta ensures federal requirements are met while providing consistent department access. The arrangement enhances the government’s ability to implement AI while promoting transparency, reproducibility, and flexible mission-specific applications.
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OpenAI and NVIDIA have announced a strategic partnership to build at least 10 gigawatts of AI data centres powered by millions of NVIDIA GPUs.
A deal, supported by the investment of up to $100 billion from NVIDIA, that aims to provide the infrastructure for OpenAI’s next generation of models, with the first phase scheduled for late 2026 on the NVIDIA Vera Rubin platform.
The companies said the collaboration will enable the development of AGI and accelerate AI adoption worldwide. OpenAI will treat NVIDIA as its preferred strategic compute and networking partner, coordinating both sides’ hardware and software roadmaps.
They will also continue working with Microsoft, Oracle, SoftBank and other partners to build advanced AI infrastructure.
OpenAI has grown to more than 700 million weekly users across businesses and developers globally. Executives at both firms described the new partnership as the next leap in AI computing power, one intended to fuel innovation at scale instead of incremental improvements.
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The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hajia Memounatou Ibrahima, has urged lawmakers to embrace AI to strengthen legislative work and democratic governance across West Africa.
Speaking at the Parliament’s 2025 Second Extraordinary Session in Port Harcourt, she said AI could improve communication with citizens, support regulatory frameworks, and drive inclusive growth.
Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Sen. Jibrin Barau, highlighted AI’s potential to enhance efficiency, accountability and oversight while cautioning lawmakers to examine associated risks.
Nigerian ambassador Ahmed Dunoma, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressed that AI is already shaping education and security sectors. He called for proactive guidance to ensure its deployment deepens integration and safeguards democracy.
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Amazon is meeting world leaders at the 80th UN General Assembly to share its vision for responsible AI and global internet access. The company highlighted Project Kuiper’s satellite initiative to provide affordable internet to underserved communities and bridge the digital divide.
The initiative aims to deliver fast, affordable internet to communities without access, boosting education and economic opportunities. Connectivity is presented as essential for participation in the modern economy, as well as for cultural and knowledge exchange across the globe.
Amazon emphasised the development of AI tools that are responsible, inclusive, and designed to enhance human potential. The company aims to make technology accessible, helping small businesses, speeding research, and offering tools once reserved for large organisations.
Collaboration remains central to Amazon’s approach. The company plans to work with governments, the UN, civil society, and other private sector partners to ensure technological advancements benefit humanity while mitigating potential risks.
Discussions at UNGA80 are expected to shape future strategies for innovation, governance, and sustainable development.
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South Korea has secured a significant partnership with BlackRock to accelerate its ambition of becoming Asia’s leading AI hub. The agreement will see the global asset manager join the Ministry of Science and ICT in developing hyperscale AI data centres.
A deal that followed a meeting between President Lee Jae Myung and BlackRock chair Larry Fink, who pledged to attract large-scale international investment into the country’s AI infrastructure.
Although no figures were disclosed, the partnership is expected to focus on meeting rising demand from domestic users and the wider Asia-Pacific region, with renewable energy powering the facilities.
The move comes as Seoul increases national funding for AI, semiconductors and other strategic technologies to KRW150 trillion ($107.7 billion). South Korean companies are also stepping up efforts, with SK Telecom announcing plans to raise AI investment to a third of its revenue over five years.
BlackRock’s involvement signals international confidence in South Korea’s long-term vision to position itself as a regional AI powerhouse and secure a leadership role in next-generation digital infrastructure.
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AI headlines often flip between hype and fear, but the truth is more nuanced. Much research is misrepresented, with task overlaps miscast as job losses. Leaders and workers need clear guidance on using AI effectively.
Microsoft Research mapped 200,000 Copilot conversations to work tasks, but headlines warned of job risks. The study showed overlap, not replacement. Context, judgment, and interpretation remain human strengths, meaning AI supports rather than replaces roles.
Other research is similarly skewed. METR found that AI slowed developers by 19%, but mostly due to the learning curves associated with first use. MIT’s ‘GenAI Divide’ measured adoption, not ability, showing workflow gaps rather than technology failure.
Better studies reveal the collaborative power of AI. Harvard’s ‘Cybernetic Teammate’ experiment demonstrated that individuals using AI performed as well as full teams without it. AI bridged technical and commercial silos, boosting engagement and improving the quality of solutions produced.
The future of AI at work will be shaped by thoughtful trials, not headlines. By treating AI as a teammate, organisations can refine workflows, strengthen collaboration, and turn AI’s potential into long-term competitive advantage.
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Global AI spending is projected to reach $1.5 trillion in 2025 and exceed $2 trillion in 2026, yet a critical element is missing: human judgement. A growing number of organisations are turning to behavioural science to bridge this gap, coding it directly into AI systems to create what experts call behavioural AI.
Early adopters like Clarity AI utilise behavioural AI to flag ESG controversies before they impact earnings. Morgan Stanley uses machine learning and satellite data to monitor environmental risks, while Google Maps influences driver behaviour, preventing over one million tonnes of CO₂ annually.
Behavioural AI is being used to predict how leaders and societies act under uncertainty. These insights guide corporate strategy, PR campaigns, and decision-making. Mind Friend combines a network of 500 mental health experts with AI to build a ‘behavioural infrastructure’ that enhances judgement.
The behaviour analytics market was valued at $1.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $10.8 billion by 2032. Major players, such as IBM and Adobe, are entering the field, while Davos and other global forums debate how behavioural frameworks should shape investment and policy decisions.
As AI scrutiny grows, ethical safeguards are critical. Companies that embed governance, fairness, and privacy protections into their behavioural AI are earning trust. In a $2 trillion market, winners will be those who pair algorithms with a deep understanding of human behaviour.
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Researchers have reached a major milestone in quantum computing, demonstrating a task that surpasses the capabilities of classical machines. Using Quantinuum’s 12-qubit ion-trap system, they delivered the first permanent, provable example of quantum supremacy, settling a long-running debate.
The experiment addressed a communication-complexity problem in which one processor (Alice) prepared a state and another (Bob) measured it. After 10,000 trials, the team proved that no classical algorithm could match the quantum result with fewer than 62 bits, with equivalent performance requiring 330 bits.
Unlike earlier claims of quantum supremacy, later challenged by improved classical algorithms, the researchers say no future breakthrough can close this gap. Experts hailed the result as a rare proof of permanent quantum advantage and a significant step forward in the field.
However, like past demonstrations, the result has no immediate commercial application. It remains a proof-of-principle demonstration showing that quantum hardware can outperform classical machines under certain conditions, but it has yet to solve real-world problems.
Future work could strengthen the result by running Alice and Bob on separate devices to rule out interaction effects. Experts say the next step is achieving useful quantum supremacy, where quantum machines beat classical ones on problems with real-world value.
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The University of Oxford will become the first UK university to offer free ChatGPT Edu access to all staff and students. The rollout follows a year-long pilot with 750 academics, researchers, and professional services staff across the University and Colleges.
ChatGPT Edu, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-5 model, is designed for education with enterprise-grade security and data privacy. Oxford says it will support research, teaching, and operations while encouraging safe, responsible use through robust governance, training, and guidance.
Staff and students will receive access to in-person and online training, webinars, and specialised guidance on the use of generative AI. A dedicated AI Competency Centre and network of AI Ambassadors will support users, alongside mandatory security training.
The prestigious UK university has also established a Digital Governance Unit and an AI Governance Group to oversee the adoption of emerging technologies. Pilots are underway to digitise the Bodleian Libraries and explore how AI can improve access to historical collections worldwide.
A jointly funded research programme with the Oxford Martin School and OpenAI will study the societal impact of AI adoption. The project is part of OpenAI’s NextGenAI consortium, which brings together 15 global research institutions to accelerate breakthroughs in AI.
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