Digital standards Archives | Page 192 of 391

Microsoft links datacentres into an AI superfactory

Microsoft has opened Fairwater, a new class of AI datacentres networked across the US. Atlanta began operating in October and links with the Wisconsin build to act as a single superfactory. The design targets faster training for models used by Microsoft, OpenAI and Copilot.

Fairwater sites pack hundreds of thousands of advanced GPUs with liquid cooling. Company materials highlight near-zero operational water use at Atlanta’s system and efficiency improvements in Wisconsin. Coverage confirms multi-site networking intended to accelerate model development.

Residents and experts voice concern over noise, power demand and water risks near proposed AI hubs. Georgia communities have pursued restrictions, citing environmental strain and rising utility bills, while Wisconsin groups demand transparency.

Microsoft expanded its Wisconsin investment and cancelled a separate Caledonia plan after severe local pushback. The Mount Pleasant project continues, with commitments on infrastructure costs and efficient cooling noted in filings and reports.

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AI tools deployed to set tailored attendance goals for English schools

England will introduce AI-generated attendance targets for each school, setting tailored improvement baselines based on the context and needs of each school. Schools with higher absence rates will be paired with strong performers for support. Thirty-six new Attendance and Behaviour Hubs will help drive the rollout.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said raising attendance is essential for opportunity. She highlighted the progress made since the pandemic, but noted that variation remains too high. The AI targets aim to disseminate effective practices across all schools.

A new toolkit will guide schools through key transition points, such as the transition from Year 7 to Year 8. CHS South in Manchester is highlighted for using summer family activities to ease anxiety. Officials say early engagement can stabilise attendance.

CHS South Deputy Head Sue Burke said the goal is to ensure no pupil feels left out. She credited the attendance team for combining support with firm expectations. The model is presented as a template for broader adoption.

The policy blends AI analysis with pastoral strategies to address entrenched absence. Ministers argue that consistent attendance drives long-term outcomes. The UK government expects personalised targets and shared practice to embed lasting improvement.

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UAE executes first government payment using Digital Dirham

The United Arab Emirates has completed its first government financial transaction using the Digital Dirham, marking a significant milestone in its transition towards a fully digital economy.

The Ministry of Finance and Dubai Finance carried out the transaction in collaboration with the Central Bank of the UAE, confirming the country’s leadership in advancing next-generation financial technologies.

Part of the Central Bank’s Financial Infrastructure Transformation Programme, the pilot phase of the Digital Dirham aims to accelerate digital payment adoption and strengthen the UAE’s position as a global financial hub.

Senior officials, including Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, described the initiative as a strategic step toward improving transparency, efficiency, and integration across government financial systems.

The first pilot transaction was executed through the government payments platform mBridge, which facilitates instant settlements using central bank digital currencies.

A transaction was completed in under two minutes, demonstrating the system’s technical efficiency and reliability. The mBridge platform, fully integrated with the Digital Dirham initiative, enables secure, intermediary-free settlements, reducing costs while improving accuracy and transparency.

Officials emphasised that the Digital Dirham will serve as a cornerstone for a sustainable digital economy, reinforcing national financial stability and global competitiveness.

The initiative reflects the UAE’s commitment to adopting cutting-edge technologies that promote integration and innovation across the public and private sectors.

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EU regulators, UK and eSafety lead the global push to protect children in the digital world

Children today spend a significant amount of their time online, from learning and playing to communicating.

To protect them in an increasingly digital world, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, the European Commission’s DG CNECT, and the UK’s Ofcom have joined forces to strengthen global cooperation on child online safety.

The partnership aims to ensure that online platforms take greater responsibility for protecting and empowering children, recognising their rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The three regulators will continue to enforce their online safety laws to ensure platforms properly assess and mitigate risks to children. They will promote privacy-preserving age verification technologies and collaborate with civil society and academics to ensure that regulations reflect real-world challenges.

By supporting digital literacy and critical thinking, they aim to provide children and families with safer and more confident online experiences.

To advance the work, a new trilateral technical group will be established to deepen collaboration on age assurance. It will study the interoperability and reliability of such systems, explore the latest technologies, and strengthen the evidence base for regulatory action.

Through closer cooperation, the regulators hope to create a more secure and empowering digital environment for young people worldwide.

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TikTok faces scrutiny over AI moderation and UK staff cuts

TikTok has responded to the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee regarding proposed cuts to its UK Trust and Safety teams. The company claimed that reducing staff while expanding AI, third-party specialists, and more localised teams would improve moderation effectiveness.

The social media platform, however, did not provide any supporting data or risk assessment to justify these changes. MPs previously called for more transparency on content moderation data during an inquiry into social media, misinformation, and harmful algorithms.

TikTok’s increasing reliance on AI comes amid broader concerns over AI safety, following reports of chatbots encouraging harmful behaviours.

Committee Chair Dame Chi Onwurah expressed concern that AI cannot reliably replace human moderators. She warned AI could cause harm and criticised TikTok for not providing evidence that staff cuts would protect users.

The Committee urges the Government and Ofcom to take action to ensure user safety before implementing staffing reductions. Dame Onwurah emphasised that without credible data, it is impossible to determine whether the changes will effectively protect users.

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AI and digital tools improve early dementia detection in primary care

Early detection of Alzheimer’s is often limited in primary care due to short consultations, focus on other health issues, and stigma. Researchers have now demonstrated that a fully digital, zero-cost approach can overcome these barriers without requiring additional clinician time.

A pragmatic clinical trial involving over 5,000 patients tested a dual method combining the Quick Dementia Rating System (QDRS), a ten-question patient-reported survey, with an AI-powered passive digital marker.

The approach, embedded in electronic health records, increased new dementia diagnoses by 31 percent compared with usual care and prompted 41 percent more follow-up assessments, such as cognitive tests and neuroimaging.

The passive digital marker from Regenstrief uses machine learning to analyse health records for memory issues and vascular concerns. Open-source and free, it flags at-risk patients and sends results to clinicians’ EHRs with no extra time or staff needed.

Researchers highlight that embedding these tools directly into routine care can improve equity, thereby reaching populations that the healthcare system has traditionally underserved.

Experts say that using patient-reported outcomes with AI is a scalable and efficient way to detect dementia early, without adding burden to primary care teams.

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Αnthropic pledges $50 billion to expand the US AI infrastructure

The US AI safety and research company, Anthropic, has announced a $50 billion investment to expand AI computing infrastructure inside the country, partnering with Fluidstack to build data centres in Texas and New York, with additional sites planned.

These facilities are designed to optimise efficiency for Anthropic’s workloads, supporting frontier research and development in AI.

The project is expected to generate approximately 800 permanent jobs and 2,400 construction positions as sites come online throughout 2026.

An investment that aligns with the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, aiming to maintain the US leadership in AI while strengthening domestic technology infrastructure and competitiveness.

Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, highlighted the importance of such an infrastructure in developing AI systems capable of accelerating scientific discovery and solving complex problems.

The company serves over 300,000 business customers, with a sevenfold growth in large accounts over the past year, demonstrating strong market demand for its Claude AI platform.

Fluidstack was selected as Anthropic’s partner for its agility in rapidly deploying high-capacity infrastructure. The collaboration aims to provide cost-effective and capital-efficient solutions to meet the growing demand, ensuring that research and development can continue to be at the forefront of AI innovation.

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Meta expands AI infrastructure with $1 billion sustainable facility

The US tech giant, Meta, has announced the construction of its 30th data centre in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, a $1 billion investment that will power the company’s growing AI infrastructure while benefiting the local community and environment.

A facility, designed to support Meta’s most demanding AI workloads, that will run entirely on clean energy and create more than 100 permanent jobs alongside 1,000 construction roles.

The company will invest nearly $200 million in energy infrastructure and donate $15 million to Alliant Energy’s Hometown Care Energy Fund to assist families with home energy costs.

Meta will also launch community grants to fund schools and local organisations, strengthening technology education and digital skills while helping small businesses use AI tools more effectively.

Environmental responsibility remains central to the project. The data centre will use dry cooling, eliminating water demands during operation, and restore 100% of consumed water to local watersheds.

In partnership with Ducks Unlimited, Meta will revitalise 570 acres of wetlands and prairie, transforming degraded habitats into thriving ecosystems. The facility is expected to achieve LEED Gold Certification, reflecting Meta’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and community-focused innovation.

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GPT-5.1 makes ChatGPT smarter and more personal

Meta has announced the construction of its 30th data centre in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The $1 billion investment will support the company’s expanding AI infrastructure while benefiting the local community and the environment.

A facility, designed to support Meta’s most demanding AI workloads, that will run entirely on clean energy and create more than 100 permanent jobs alongside 1,000 construction roles.

The company will invest nearly $200 million in energy infrastructure and donate $15 million to Alliant Energy’s Hometown Care Energy Fund to assist families with home energy costs.

Meta will also launch community grants to fund schools and local organisations, strengthening technology education and digital skills while helping small businesses use AI tools more effectively.

Environmental responsibility remains central to the project. The data centre will use dry cooling, eliminating water demands during operation, and restore 100% of consumed water to local watersheds.

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AI agents redefine customer service efficiency

Companies are transforming routine customer interactions into effortless experiences using AI-powered agents. Instead of endless phone transfers, users now get instant answers or bookings through Agentforce-powered systems.

The focus is not on selling more products, but on improving satisfaction with existing services.

Travel platform Engine is already seeing results. Its Agentforce assistant, Eva, can process partial booking cancellations in seconds by combining customer data with internal booking tools.

By narrowing Eva’s focus to a handful of topics, Engine improved both response speed and customer satisfaction by six points. The result is less frustration, reduced hold times, and smoother travel management.

Retailer Williams Sonoma, Inc. is also personalising customer interactions through its virtual assistant, Olive. Beyond processing returns, Olive provides menu suggestions, wine pairings, and meal preparation schedules to help customers host effortlessly.

The aim, according to Chief Technology and Digital Officer Sameer Hassan, is to deliver experiences that teach and inspire rather than promote sales.

Luxury fitness brand Equinox follows a similar path. Its AI assistant now helps members find and book classes directly, reducing clicks and improving usability. As EVP and CTO, Eswar Veluri said simplifying patterns is key to enhancing member experience through innovative tools.

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