Digital standards

How Microsoft is shaping UN reform through digital infrastructure

Microsoft has announced a multi-year pledge to support the United Nations’ UN80 reform initiative, positioning AI and digital infrastructure as central tools for modernising multilateral governance.

The commitment follows agreement among all UN member states on efficiency and financial-stability measures, as the organisation faces growing operational demands amid constrained resources.

The initiative includes a dedicated innovation fund, preferential pricing for digital services, and free AI training for UN staff across agencies and missions.

Rather than focusing on policy direction, Microsoft frames its role as enabling institutional capacity, from procurement and logistics to humanitarian response and development planning, while encouraging other private-sector actors to align behind UN80 priorities.

Microsoft also plans to mobilise partners such as EY to support reform efforts, reinforcing a model where large technology firms contribute expertise, infrastructure, and coordination capacity to global governance systems.

Previous collaborations with UNICEF, UNHCR, ITU, and the ILO are cited as evidence that AI-driven tools can accelerate service delivery at scale.

The pledge highlights how multilateral reform increasingly depends on private technological ecosystems instead of purely intergovernmental solutions.

As AI becomes embedded in the core operations of international institutions, questions around accountability, influence, and long-term dependency are likely to shape debates about the future balance between public authority and corporate power.

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Hong Kong crypto licensing overhaul draws industry concern

Hong Kong’s proposed crypto licensing overhaul has drawn criticism from industry leaders, who warn it could disrupt compliant firms and deter blockchain exposure.

Under the proposals, the existing allowance enabling firms to allocate up to 10% of fund assets to crypto without additional licensing would be removed. Even minimal exposure would require a full licence, a move the association called disproportionate and harmful to market experimentation.

Concerns also focused on the absence of transitional arrangements. Without a grace period, firms may be forced to suspend operations while licence applications are reviewed.

The association proposed a six- to 12-month transitional window to allow continued activity during regulatory processing.

Further criticism focused on custody rules restricting client assets to SFC-licensed custodians. Industry representatives warned the measure could limit access to early-stage tokens, restrict Web3 investment, and impose unnecessary geographic constraints.

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ChatGPT introduces age prediction to strengthen teen safety

New safeguards are being introduced as ChatGPT uses age prediction to identify accounts that may belong to under-18s. Extra protections limit exposure to harmful content while still allowing adults full access.

The age prediction model analyses behavioural and account-level signals, including usage patterns, activity times, account age, and stated age information. OpenAI says these indicators help estimate whether an account belongs to a minor, enabling the platform to apply age-appropriate safeguards.

When an account is flagged as potentially under 18, ChatGPT limits access to graphic violence, sexual role play, viral challenges, self-harm, and unhealthy body image content. The safeguards reflect research on teen development, including differences in risk perception and impulse control.

ChatGPT users who are incorrectly classified can restore full access by confirming their age through a selfie check using Persona, a secure identity verification service. Account holders can review safeguards and begin the verification process at any time via the settings menu.

Parental controls allow further customisation, including quiet hours, feature restrictions, and notifications for signs of distress. OpenAI says the system will continue to evolve, with EU-specific deployment planned in the coming weeks to meet regional regulatory requirements.

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New AI system helps improve cross-neurotype communication

Researchers at Tufts University have developed an AI-based learning tool designed to improve communication between autistic and neurotypical people. The project focuses on helping non-autistic users better understand autistic communication preferences.

The tool, called NeuroBridge, uses large language models to simulate everyday conversations and highlight how wording, tone and clarity can be interpreted differently. Users are guided towards more direct and unambiguous communication styles that reduce misunderstanding.

Unlike many interventions, NeuroBridge does not aim to change how autistic people communicate. The AI system instead trains neurotypical users to adapt their own communication, reflecting principles from the social model of disability.

The research, presented at the ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility, received a best student paper award. Early testing showed users gained clearer insight into how everyday language choices can affect cross-neurotype interactions.

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New consortium applies AI to early drug research

A new AI-driven drug discovery initiative with a budget exceeding €60 million has launched, bringing together academic and industry partners across Europe and North America. University College London is acting as the lead academic partner in the UK.

The five-year LIGAND-AI programme is funded through the Innovative Health Initiative and aims to speed up early drug discovery. Researchers will generate large open datasets showing how molecules bind to human proteins, supporting the training of advanced AI models.

The consortium, led by Pfizer and the Structural Genomics Consortium, includes 18 partners in nine countries. Work will focus on proteins linked to diseases such as cancer, neurological conditions and rare disorders.

UK based UCL scientists will help build global research networks and promote open sharing of protein samples and machine learning models. Organisers say the project supports open science and long-term goals to map chemical modulators for every human protein.

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EU telecoms reform advances in small steps

The European Commission has unveiled the Digital Networks Act, aiming to reduce fragmentation across the EU telecoms sector. Proposals include limited spectrum harmonisation and an EU-wide numbering scheme to support cross-border business services.

Despite years of debate, the plan stops short of creating a fully unified telecoms market. National governments continue to resist deeper integration, particularly around control of 4G, 5G and wi-fi spectrum management.

The proposal reflects a cautious approach from the European Commission, balancing political pressure for reform against opposition from member states. Longstanding calls for consolidation have struggled to gain consensus.

Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has backed greater market integration, though the latest measures represent an incremental step rather than a structural overhaul.

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Amodei warns US AI chip exports to China risk national security

Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has criticised the US decision to allow the export of advanced AI chips to China, warning it could undermine national security. Speaking at the World Economic Forum 2026 in Davos, he questioned whether selling US-made hardware abroad strengthens American influence.

Amodei compared the policy to ‘selling nuclear weapons to North Korea‘, arguing that exporting cutting-edge chips risks narrowing the technological gap between the United States and China. He said Washington currently holds a multi-year lead in advanced chipmaking and AI infrastructure.

Sending powerful hardware overseas could accelerate China’s progress faster than expected, Amodei told Bloomberg. He warned that AI development may soon concentrate unprecedented intelligence within data centres controlled by individual states.

Amodei said AI should not be treated like older technologies such as telecoms equipment. While spreading US technology abroad may have made sense in the past, he argued AI carries far greater strategic consequences.

The debate follows recent rule changes allowing some advanced chips, including Nvidia’s H200 and AMD’s MI325X, to be sold to China. The US administration later announced plans for a 25% tariff on AI chip exports, adding uncertainty for US semiconductor firms.

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Horizon1000 aims to bring powerful AI healthcare tools to Africa

The Gates Foundation and OpenAI have launched a joint healthcare initiative, Horizon1000, to expand the use of AI across primary care systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. The partnership includes a $50 million commitment in funding, technology, and technical support to equip 1,000 clinics with AI tools by 2028.

Horizon1000’s Operations will begin in Rwanda, where local authorities will work with the two organisations to deploy AI systems in frontline healthcare settings. The initiative reflects the Foundation’s long-standing aim to ensure that new technologies reach lower-income regions without long delays.

Bill Gates said the project responds to a critical shortage of healthcare workers, which threatens to undermine decades of progress in global health. Sub-Saharan Africa currently faces a shortfall of nearly six million medical professionals, limiting the capacity of overstretched clinics to deliver consistent care.

Low-quality healthcare contributes to between six and eight million deaths annually in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. Rwanda, the first pilot country, has only one healthcare worker per 1,000 people, far below the WHO’s recommended level.

AI tools under Horizon1000 are intended to support, rather than replace, health workers by assisting with clinical guidance, administration, and patient interactions. The Gates Foundation said it will continue working with regional governments and innovators to scale the programme.

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EU alternative app store Setapp Mobile closes

European users will soon lose access to Setapp Mobile, an alternative app store created under the EU Digital Markets Act. The service will shut down on 16 February 2026.

MacPaw, a Ukrainian software developer known for Mac productivity tools, launched Setapp as a subscription-based app platform. Its mobile store debuted in 2024 to challenge Apple’s App Store in the EU.

Ongoing uncertainty around Apple’s EU fee structure weakened the business case. The Core Technology Fee and frequent commercial changes made planning and sustainable monetisation difficult.

Setapp’s desktop service will continue operating, while the mobile store is discontinued. Other alternative app stores remain available in the EU, including Epic Games Store and the open source AltStore.

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WhatsApp faces growing pressure in Russia

Authorities in Russia are increasing pressure on WhatsApp, one of the country’s most widely used messaging platforms. The service remains popular despite years of tightening digital censorship.

Officials argue that WhatsApp refuses to comply with national laws on data storage and cooperation with law enforcement. Meta has no legal presence in Russia and continues to reject requests for user information.

State backed alternatives such as the national messenger Max are being promoted through institutional pressure. Critics warn that restricting WhatsApp targets private communication rather than crime or security threats.

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