Digital standards

IBM Cloud replaces free support with AI tools

The cloud computing services offered by IBM will end free human support under its Basic Support tier in January 2026, opting for an AI-driven self-service model instead.

Users will lose the option to open or escalate technical cases through the portal or APIs. However, they can still report service issues via the Cloud Console and raise billing or account cases through the Support Portal.

IBM will direct customers to its Watsonx-powered AI Assistant, upgraded earlier in the year, while introducing a ‘Report an Issue’ tool to improve routing. The company plans to expand its support library to provide more detailed self-help resources.

Starting at $200 per month, paid support will remain available for organisations needing faster response times and direct technical assistance.

The company describes the change as an alignment with industry norms. AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure already provide free tiers that rely on community forums, online resources and billing support.

However, IBM Cloud holds only 2–4 percent of the market, according to Synergy Research Group, which some analysts suggest makes cost reductions in support more likely. Tencent, another provider, previously withdrew support for basic users because they were not profitable.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

AI-powered home cinema and smart appliances unveiled by Hisense at IFA 2025

Hisense will debut AI-powered innovations at IFA 2025 under the theme ‘AI Your Life,’ showcasing entertainment, smart homes, and climate-friendly technologies. The company aims to make AI seamless and personal.

Entertainment highlights include the 116-inch RGB-MiniLED UX TV with 8,000 nits brightness, plus new laser projectors offering IMAX-level clarity and portability for home cinema and gaming.

Appliances get smarter with the PureFlat refrigerator, featuring a 21-inch screen for cooking, streaming, and AI art. ConnectLife agents will optimise chores and energy use in daily routines.

The U8 S Pro Air Conditioner brings presence detection, AI voice controls, and air purification, while Hisense expands into smart buildings, energy systems, and automotive climate solutions.

Combining advanced display technologies with next-gen appliances, Hisense says its innovations will empower people to live more freely and confidently across global markets.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Latvia launches open AI framework for Europe

Language technology company Tilde has released an open AI framework designed for all European languages.

The model, named ‘TildeOpen’, was developed with the support of the European Commission and trained on the Lumi supercomputer in Finland.

According to Tilde’s head Artūrs Vasiļevskis, the project addresses a key gap in US-based AI systems, which often underperform for smaller European languages such as Latvian. By focusing on European linguistic diversity, the framework aims to provide better accessibility across the continent.

Vasiļevskis also suggested that Latvia has the potential to become an exporter of AI solutions. However, he acknowledged that development is at an early stage and that current applications remain relatively simple. The framework and user guidelines are freely accessible online.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

SCO Tianjin Summit underscores economic cooperation and security dialogue

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin closed with leaders adopting the Tianjin Declaration, highlighting member states’ commitment to multilateralism, sovereignty, and shared security.

The discussions emphasised economic resilience, financial cooperation, and collective responses to security challenges.

Proposals included exploring joint financial mechanisms, such as common bonds and payment systems, to shield member economies from external disruptions.

Leaders also underlined the importance of strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, with China pledging additional funding and infrastructure support across the bloc. Observers noted that these measures reflect growing interest in alternative global finance and economic governance approaches.

Security issues are prominently featured, with agreements to enhance counter-terrorism initiatives and expand existing structures such as the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure. Delegates also called for greater collaboration against cross-border crime, drug trafficking, and emerging security risks.

At the same time, they stressed the need for political solutions to ongoing regional conflicts, including those in Ukraine, Gaza, and Afghanistan.

With its expanding membership and combined economic weight, the SCO continues to position itself as a platform for cooperation beyond traditional regional security concerns.

While challenges remain, including diverging interests among key members, the Tianjin summit indicated the bloc’s growing role in discussions on multipolar governance and collective stability.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Switzerland launches Apertus, an open multilingual AI model

Switzerland has launched its first large-scale open-source language model, Apertus, developed by EPFL, ETH Zurich, and the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre. Trained on the powerful Alps supercomputer in Lugano, Apertus is designed to set a new standard for transparency and multilingual inclusivity in Europe’s AI landscape.

The model comes in two sizes, 8 billion and 70 billion parameters, and supports over 1,000 languages, with 40% of its training data drawn from non-English sources. That allows it to handle underrepresented languages such as Swiss German and Romansh more effectively.

Unlike proprietary AI systems, Apertus is fully open. Its architecture, training data recipes, model weights, and documentation are publicly accessible.

The model can be downloaded from Hugging Face or accessed via Swisscom’s sovereign Swiss AI platform, with both research and commercial use permitted under a permissive license. Developers highlight that its design ensures compliance with Swiss and the EU regulations, with careful filtering of training data for quality and ethical standards.

The release comes just ahead of the Swiss {ai} Weeks hackathons, where developers and researchers will put Apertus to the test. Organisers describe the model as more than a research breakthrough, framing it as a tool to drive innovation across society and industry.

Looking ahead, the Apertus project aims to expand its family of models, improve efficiency, and develop specialised versions for fields like law, health, climate, and education, further strengthening Switzerland’s role in shaping open, public-benefit AI.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

AI improves detection of dangerous plaques linked to heart risk

Researchers have shown that AI can analyse coronary scans after a heart attack and predict future risks better than traditional review. The findings come from the PECTUS-AI study, published in the European Heart Journal.

Using optical coherence tomography, the AI algorithm identified vulnerable plaques across entire artery segments.

Patients with these thin-cap fibroatheromas were found to have significantly higher rates of death, repeat heart attacks or unplanned procedures over two years.

Manual frame-by-frame review by specialists remains time-consuming and inconsistent, while AI delivers a faster and more standardised assessment.

Researchers say further validation is needed before routine adoption, but the technology could play an important role in secondary prevention.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

MyRepublic unveils AI Automation Box for SMEs

Telecom operator MyRepublic has launched the AI Automation Box, a plug-and-play server aimed at helping SMEs automate operations.

The company says the device allows firms to build AI-driven workflows quickly without the need for expensive consultants or large IT teams.

Designed for organisations with 20 to 200 staff, the AI Automation Box combines a no-code workflow builder with options for custom coding.

It comes preloaded with large language models from providers such as OpenAI, Meta and DeepSeek, supported by enterprise-grade GPU hardware.

To support adoption, MyRepublic offers over 100 ready-made templates, tutorials and access to its AI Academy. Typical use cases include customer service, invoicing, reporting, and HR functions, with the system available at $255 a month.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Nvidia and Microsoft highlight industrial AI at Seoul Expo

At the Industrial AI Expo in Seoul, Nvidia, Microsoft, and other global tech leaders are showcasing their latest AI technologies.

The three-day exhibition opened on Wednesday at COEX under the theme of integrating AI with industries.

On the sidelines, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards signed an agreement with 10 significant industry associations to pool high-quality data for AI applications.

Officials say this collaboration will support innovation in the manufacturing supply chain.

The government emphasised its commitment to expanding AI-driven factories and physical AI systems to boost industrial competitiveness. Officials stressed that closer cooperation with the private sector will be essential to achieving these goals.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Amazon rolls out Lens Live for real-world AI shopping

Amazon has introduced Lens Live, an AI-powered feature that lets shoppers identify and buy products by pointing their phone camera at real-world items.

The tool builds on Amazon Lens by adding a live, real-time element to product discovery.

Lens Live is integrated with Amazon’s AI assistant Rufus, which provides AI-generated product summaries, suggested questions and insights to help users make informed decisions.

It is powered by Amazon SageMaker and AWS-managed OpenSearch, enabling machine learning at scale.

The feature has launched on the Amazon Shopping app for iOS, initially available to tens of millions of US shoppers, with no word yet on an international rollout.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Free GPU access offered to AI startups in Taiwan

Taiwan’s new Digital Minister Lin Yi-ching has unveiled his policy agenda, putting AI development, cybersecurity and anti-fraud at the forefront.

He pledged to build on the work of his predecessor while accelerating digital government projects.

Lin said the government will support the AI industry through five key tools: computing power, data, talent, marketing and funding.

Taiwan startups will gain free GPU access, revised regulations will release non-sensitive public data, and a sovereign AI corpus will be developed.

Cybersecurity and fraud prevention are also central. Measures include DNS blocking, government SMS codes, and partnerships with platforms like Google and Line to curb scams. Lin reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the digital certificate wallet.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!