Yesterday, Canada announced that it has moved forward with a significant partnership that places Nokia at the centre of national ambitions for advanced 5G research.
A groundbreaking event in Ottawa marked the beginning of an expanded programme of work focused on AI, machine learning and next-generation network development. Government ministers emphasised that the investment enhances digital infrastructure, rather than relying on outdated foundations that limit growth.
Nokia plans to revitalise and enlarge its Ottawa facility by adding new lab space and new streams of research activity. The project is expected to create more than 300 jobs and widen opportunities for post-secondary students, strengthening the region’s technology base.
Canada has contributed $40 million through the Strategic Response Fund to support these developments and reinforce the country’s role in the global telecommunications sector.
Government officials argued that the collaboration will fuel economic prosperity and broaden Canada’s capacity to innovate. Advanced 5G networks are expected to bring benefits extending from defence and telecommunications to clean energy, precision agriculture and modern telemedicine.
Ministers presented the partnership as a means to a highly skilled workforce, rather than one that relies on imported expertise.
Nokia’s leadership described the project as a long-term commitment to Canada’s innovation ecosystem. The company highlighted the importance of local talent, secure digital infrastructure and future-oriented research in AI, quantum technology and advanced connectivity.
The expansion strengthens Canada’s position as a leader in next-generation networks and supports an innovation-driven economy.
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EU lawmakers have accused national governments of stalling a major customs overhaul aimed at tackling the rise in low-cost parcels from China. Parliament’s lead negotiator Dirk Gotink argues that only stronger EU-level powers can help authorities regain control of soaring e-commerce volumes.
Talks have slowed over a proposed e-commerce data hub linking national customs services. Parliament wants European prosecutors to gain direct access to the hub, while capitals insist that national authorities must remain the gatekeepers to sensitive information.
Gotink warns that limiting access would undermine efforts to stop non-compliant goods such as those from China, entering the single market. Senior MEP Anna Cavazzini echoes the concern, saying EU-level oversight is essential to keep consumers safer and improve coordination across borders.
The Danish Council Presidency aims to conclude negotiations in mid-December but concedes that major disputes remain. Trade groups urge a swift deal, arguing that a modernised customs system must support enforcement against surging online imports.
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Amazon Web Services plans to invest $50 billion in high performance AI infrastructure dedicated to US federal agencies. The programme aims to broaden access to AWS tools such as SageMaker AI, Bedrock and model customisation services, alongside support for Anthropic’s Claude.
The expansion will add around 1.3 gigawatts of compute capacity, enabling agencies to run larger models and speed up complex workloads. AWS expects construction of the new data centres to begin in 2026, marking one of its most ambitious government-focused buildouts to date.
Chief executive Matt Garman argues the upgrade will remove long-standing technology barriers within government. The company says enhanced AI capabilities could accelerate work in areas ranging from cybersecurity to medical research while strengthening national leadership in advanced computing.
AWS has spent more than a decade developing secure environments for classified and sensitive government operations. Competitors have also stepped up US public sector offerings, with OpenAI, Anthropic and Google all rolling out heavily discounted AI products for federal use over the past year.
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The European Commission has launched a confidential tool enabling insiders at AI developers to report suspected rule breaches. The channel forms part of wider efforts to prepare for enforcement of the EU AI Act, which will introduce strict obligations for model providers.
Legal protections for users of the tool will only apply from August 2026, leaving early whistleblowers exposed to employer retaliation until the Act’s relevant provisions take effect. The Commission acknowledges the gap and stresses strong encryption to safeguard identities.
Advocates say the channel still offers meaningful progress. Karl Koch, founder of the AI whistleblower initiative, argues that existing EU whistleblowing rules on product safety may already cover certain AI-related concerns, potentially offering partial protection.
Koch also notes parallels with US practice, where regulators accept overseas tips despite limited powers to shield informants. The Commission’s transparency about current limitations has been welcomed by experts who view the tool as an important foundation for long-term AI oversight.
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Riyadh hosted the UN’s Global Industry Summit this week, showcasing sustainable solutions to challenges faced by businesses in the Global South. Experts highlighted how sustainable agriculture and cutting-edge technology can provide new opportunities for farmers and industry leaders alike.
Indian social enterprise Nature Bio Foods received a ONE World Innovation Award for its ‘farm to table’ approach, helping nearly 100,000 smallholder farmers produce high-quality organic food while supporting community initiatives. Partnerships with government and UNIDO have allowed the company to scale sustainably, introducing solar energy and reducing methane emissions from rice production.
AI technology was also a major focus, with UNIDO demonstrating tools that solve real-world problems, such as AI chips capable of detecting food waste. Leaders emphasised that ethical deployment of AI can connect governments, private sector players, and academia to promote efficient and responsible development across industries in developing nations.
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A new benchmark known as HumaneBench has been launched to measure whether AI chatbots protect user well-being rather than maximise engagement. Building Humane Technology, a Silicon Valley collective, designed the test to evaluate how models behave in everyday emotional scenarios.
Researchers assessed 15 widely used AI models using 800 prompts involving issues such as body image, unhealthy attachment and relationship stress. Many systems scored higher when told to prioritise humane principles, yet most became harmful when instructed to disregard user well-being.
Only four models, including GPT 5.1, GPT 5, Claude 4.1 and Claude Sonnet 4.5, maintained stable guardrails under pressure. Several others, such as Grok 4 and Gemini 2.0 Flash, showed steep declines, sometimes encouraging unhealthy engagement or undermining user autonomy.
The findings arrive amid legal scrutiny of chatbot-induced harms and reports of users experiencing delusions or suicidal thoughts following prolonged interactions. Advocates argue that humane design standards could help limit dependency, protect attention and promote healthier digital habits.
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Researchers at Penn State have developed a smartphone application, NaviSense, that helps visually impaired users locate objects in real time using AI-powered audio and vibration cues.
The tool relies on vision-language and large-language models to identify objects without preloading 3D models.
NaviSense incorporates feedback from visually impaired users to offer conversational search and real-time hand guidance, improving flexibility and precision compared to existing visual aid solutions.
Tests showed it reduced search time and increased detection accuracy, with users praising the directional feedback.
The development team continues to optimise the application’s battery use and AI efficiency in preparation for commercial release. Supported by the US National Science Foundation, NaviSense represents a significant step towards practical, user-centred accessibility technology.
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AI is transforming neuroscience research, providing tools to accelerate discoveries and enhance clinical care. At the 2025 Society for Neuroscience meeting, experts highlighted how AI can analyse data, guide experiments, and even enhance scientific manuscripts.
Modified artificial neural networks and deep learning models are helping researchers understand brain function in unprecedented ways.
NeuroInverter, for instance, predicts ion channel compositions in neurons, enabling the creation of ‘digital twins’ that could advance the study of neurological disorders. Brain-inspired models are also proving faster and more efficient in simulating perception and sensory integration.
AI is expanding into practical healthcare applications. Machine learning algorithms can analyse smartphone videos to identify gait impairments with high accuracy, while predictive models detect freezing of gait in Parkinson’s patients before it occurs.
Brain-computer interfaces trained with AI can also decode semantic information from neural activity, thereby supporting communication for individuals with severe disabilities.
Overall, AI is emerging as a powerful collaborator in the field of neuroscience. By bridging fundamental research and clinical practice, it promises faster discoveries, personalised treatments, and new ways to understand the human brain.
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European business leaders heard an urgent message in Brussels as Google underlined the scale of the continent’s AI opportunity and the risks of falling behind global competitors.
Debbie Weinstein, Google’s President for EMEA, argued that Europe holds immense potential for a new generation of innovative firms. Yet, too few companies can access the advanced technologies that already drive growth elsewhere.
Weinstein noted that only a small share of European businesses use AI, even though the region could unlock over a trillion euros in economic value within a decade.
She suggested that firms are hampered by limited access to cutting-edge models, rather than being supported with the most capable tools. She also warned that abrupt policy shifts and a crowded regulatory landscape make it harder for founders to experiment and expand.
Europe has the skills and talent to build strong AI-driven industries, but it needs more straightforward rules and a long-term approach to training.
Google pointed to its own investments in research centres, cybersecurity hubs and digital infrastructure across the continent, as well as programmes that have trained millions of Europeans in digital and entrepreneurial skills.
Weinstein insisted that a partnership between governments, industry and civil society is essential to prepare workers and businesses for the AI era.
She argued that providing better access to advanced AI, clearer legislation instead of regulatory overlap and sustained investment in skills would allow European firms to compete globally. With those foundations in place, she said Europe could secure its share of the emerging AI economy.
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European policymakers are being urged to accelerate the adoption of AI, as Christine Lagarde warns that Europe risks missing another major technological shift. Her message highlights that global AI investment is soaring, yet its economic impact remains limited, similar to that of earlier innovation waves.
Lagarde argues that AI could boost productivity faster than past technologies because the infrastructure already exists, and the systems can improve their own performance. Scientific progress powered by AI, such as the rapid prediction of protein structures, signals how R&D can scale far quicker than before.
Europe’s challenge, she notes, is not building frontier models but ensuring rapid deployment across industries. Strong uptake of generative AI by European firms is encouraging, but fragmented regulation, high energy costs and limited risk capital remain significant frictions.
Strategic resilience in chips, data centres and interoperable standards is also essential to avoid deeper dependence on non-European systems.
Greater cooperation in shared data spaces, such as Manufacturing-X and the European Health Data Space, could unlock competitive advantages. Lagarde emphasises that Europe must act swiftly, as delays would hinder adoption and erode industrial competitiveness.
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