Baidu is set to launch the next generation of its Ernie AI model, the Ernie 4.5, in mid-March. This upgraded version will feature improved reasoning capabilities and enhanced multimodal functions, allowing it to process and integrate a variety of data formats, including text, images, audio, and video. Baidu also plans to make the Ernie 4.5 series open source from June 30, marking a significant shift in its approach to AI development.
The Chinese tech giant has faced fierce competition in the AI race, particularly from the rising startup DeepSeek, whose models are seen as rivals to leading US systems at a much lower cost. Despite claiming that Ernie’s performance is comparable to OpenAI’s GPT-4, Baidu has struggled to gain widespread adoption of its AI model. The emergence of DeepSeek has further complicated Baidu’s aspirations in the sector, leading the company to reassess its strategy.
Baidu’s CEO, Robin Li, who once advocated for keeping AI models closed-source, has acknowledged the success of DeepSeek and other competitors. He now views the open-source approach as essential for the future of AI development. This shift comes as Baidu continues to compete with other tech giants, including Alibaba, which recently announced its plans to make its video and image-generating AI model, Wan 2.1, open source.
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Nomagic, a fast-growing Polish startup, has secured $44 million in funding to develop its robotic arms used in logistics operations like picking, packing, and moving. The company plans to use this investment to expand its technology and business, aiming to sell its robots in North America. Nomagic’s technology, which uses AI and automation software, has already gained significant traction in industries like e-commerce and pharmaceuticals, with a 220% growth in annual recurring revenue last year.
The funding round, led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), highlights the growing importance of robotics in rebuilding industrial competitiveness in Europe. Nomagic’s approach focuses on software rather than hardware, enabling its robotic arms to perform across various use cases with ease. This strategy sets it apart from other robotics companies and positions it to capitalise on the increasing demand for automation.
Nomagic’s competitors, such as Covariant, are also seeing success in the field, with Amazon hiring Covariant’s founders and licensing its technology. Industry leaders like Nvidia and SoftBank are also investing in robotic technology, underscoring the potential of this growing market. With government backing and increasing private investment, robotics is playing a key role in modernising logistics and manufacturing industries.
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Estonia has launched a new initiative aimed at preparing students and teachers for the age of AI. The ‘AI Leap’ programme will provide access to popular AI chatbots, including an educational version of ChatGPT, to help build digital skills. Starting in September 2025, the programme will involve 20,000 high school students and 3,000 teachers, with plans to expand to vocational schools and an additional 38,000 students and 3,000 teachers in 2026.
Education Minister Kristina Kallas emphasised that Estonia’s economic competitiveness depends on how well the country adapts to AI, ensuring young people are equipped for the future. As part of the initiative, Estonia will also invest in teacher training to support the integration of AI in classrooms.
The programme is a public-private partnership, with negotiations underway with major AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic. OpenAI has expressed its pride in collaborating with Estonia to bring ChatGPT Edu to the education system, aiming to better prepare students for the workforce. Estonia’s use of AI in education is seen as a model that other countries may follow as the EU pushes to increase digital skills across Europe by 2030.
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Australia’s corporate regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), has launched ‘preliminary inquiries’ into WiseTech Global amid a turbulent week for the logistics software company. This comes after a series of executive changes, including the surprise return of founder Richard White as chairman. Four non-executive directors resigned earlier this week, citing differing opinions on White’s previous role as CEO, which led to his reappointment as executive chairman.
Joe Longo, ASIC’s chairman, confirmed the inquiry and stated that decisions on the next steps would be made shortly. However, WiseTech has yet to comment on the situation. The company, founded by billionaire White, has been facing mounting challenges, including media reports of misconduct, governance issues, and a declining share price.
Since October, WiseTech’s stock has dropped by approximately 14%, following news of an internal review concerning White’s actions. However, following his return, shares rose by 2.1%, reaching A$96.5 per share. The company now faces intense scrutiny as it navigates these turbulent times.
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China accused Taiwan on Wednesday of attempting to hand over its semiconductor industry to the United States, claiming that the island’s government was using the industry to gain political support from Washington. The accusation comes amid reports that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, may be negotiating a stake in Intel. However, neither TSMC nor Intel has confirmed the talks and Taiwan’s government says it has not received such investment proposals from TSMC.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson, Zhu Fenglian, suggested without providing evidence that Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) was using TSMC to seek foreign support for independence, accusing the island of ‘selling out’ its companies to the US. Taiwan, however, rejected these claims, with Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council affirming the importance of TSMC to the island’s economy and stressing its commitment to maintaining a leading role in semiconductor technology.
The US has been critical of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, with former President Donald Trump calling for more manufacturing to return to the United States. Despite China’s claims, Taiwan maintains that it is responsible for its foreign investment decisions. The island continues to rely on the US for military support, though the US does not formally recognise Taiwan’s government.
TSMC, which supplies major companies like Apple and Nvidia, did not comment on the reports. Taiwan’s government, however, vowed to support the company amid rising tensions surrounding its semiconductor industry.
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Canada’s telecommunications regulator, the CRTC, announced on Wednesday that it will impose a fee on Google to cover the costs of enforcing the Online News Act, which requires large tech platforms to pay for news content shared on their sites. The levy, which will be implemented from April 1, will vary each year and has no upper limit. This move comes amid rising tensions between Canada and the US over issues like trade and a digital services tax on American tech firms.
The CRTC stated that most of its operations are funded by fees from the companies it regulates, and the new charge aims to recover costs related to the law. Google, which had previously raised concerns about the fairness of such a rule, had argued that it was unreasonable to impose 100% of the costs on one company. Despite this, Google has agreed to pay C$100 million annually to Canadian publishers in a deal that ensures its search results continue to feature news content.
The law, which is part of a global trend to make internet giants pay for news, was introduced last year in response to concerns that tech firms were crowding out news businesses in the online advertising market. While both Google and Meta were identified as major platforms required to make payments, Meta chose to block news from its platforms in Canada instead. Google, however, has continued to negotiate with the Canadian government, although it has yet to comment further on the CRTC’s decision.
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Quantum Machines (QM), a leader in quantum computing technology, has raised $170 million in a mid-stage funding round, bringing its total funding to $280 million. The investment is seen as a significant step in accelerating QM’s role in the rapidly evolving quantum computing industry. With quantum technology on the verge of becoming a major disruptive force, this funding will help QM expand its hardware and software offerings to meet the demands of quantum system developers globally.
Quantum computing holds enormous promise for breakthroughs in fields such as medicine and chemistry, offering the ability to solve problems far beyond the capabilities of classical computers. While the technology is still developing, key milestones are being reached, including IBM and Google’s advancements in achieving over 1,000 qubits. These developments signal that practical quantum computers could soon become a reality.
QM’s growth is supported by strong backing from major investors, including PSG Equity and Intel Capital, reflecting the increasing confidence in the potential of quantum computing. As the technology matures, companies like Microsoft and Nvidia are also contributing to the ecosystem, highlighting that the quantum race is heating up. Despite regional challenges, Israeli tech startups, including QM, are continuing to attract investment, contributing to the country’s growing tech sector.
With this new funding, QM is well-positioned to drive forward its mission to innovate and lead in the quantum computing space, which many consider one of the most important technological developments of the current generation.
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Quora has unveiled a new feature on its Poe platform that allows users to create custom AI-powered applications. Named Poe Apps, the tool enables users to describe the app they want to build, and it generates the necessary code, powered by Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet. The apps can integrate various AI models, such as OpenAI’s o3-mini or Google’s Veo 2, allowing for personalised functionality.
Once created, these apps can be run alongside Poe’s chatbot window or function as standalone web apps, with the option to adjust the underlying code manually. Poe Apps can currently be shared with other users on the web, with iOS and Android versions expected soon. While free users get a daily points allotment to use the models, premium subscribers have access to more flexible packages.
Quora has also hinted at future monetisation options for app creators, expanding the potential of Poe Apps. With this new feature, Quora is not only enabling the creation of unique apps but also setting the stage for users to earn from their AI-driven innovations.
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Meta Platforms is reportedly in talks to build a new data centre campus for its AI projects, potentially costing over $200 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter. The company is considering locations in states like Louisiana, Wyoming, and Texas, with senior executives visiting potential sites this month.
This comes as the AI sector sees a surge in investment, especially following the launch of Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022. Companies are eager to incorporate AI into their products, leading to significant spending on AI infrastructure.
Despite the report, a Meta spokesperson denied the claims, stating that its data centre plans and capital expenditures have already been disclosed and calling the rest ‘pure speculation’. Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, had previously mentioned that the company plans to invest up to $65 billion this year to expand its AI infrastructure.
In comparison, Microsoft has pledged around $80 billion in data centre investments for fiscal 2025, while Amazon has indicated its 2025 spending could exceed $75 billion.
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Apptronik, a leading developer of humanoid robots, has announced a new partnership with Jabil, a global supply chain and manufacturing firm. This deal follows a recent $350 million funding round and comes just over a year after Apptronik’s collaboration with Mercedes-Benz. The partnership will see Apollo, Apptronik’s humanoid robot, tested on Jabil’s manufacturing floors, performing repetitive tasks such as sorting and transporting parts.
Once Apollo’s commercial potential is validated, Jabil will begin producing the robots in its factories, a crucial step towards the eventual goal of self-production. Although the vision of robots building themselves is still distant, this deal represents significant progress. Apptronik plans to begin commercial manufacturing of Apollo by 2026.
The partnership with Jabil adds to Apptronik’s growing portfolio of alliances in the humanoid robotics space, which includes collaborations with companies like Google DeepMind. Despite stiff competition from other robotics firms, Apptronik’s decade of experience, combined with substantial funding, positions it strongly in this emerging market.
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