The European Commission has announced a significant investment in the continent’s digital infrastructure through its second work program under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital, allocating €865 million in funding from 2024 to 2027. That initiative will target large-scale projects promoting the rollout of 5G and gigabit networks in key sectors such as healthcare, transport, logistics, and manufacturing.
By focusing on these industries, the EU aims to drive the integration of advanced technologies to meet increasing digital demands. The program also seeks to expand Europe’s digital backbone by strengthening quantum communication networks and laying new submarine cables to enhance connectivity with third countries.
Additionally, it will develop digital platforms for transport and energy, optimising ICT energy use while minimising environmental impact and ensuring seamless integration with existing European data, cloud, and connectivity infrastructures.
That initiative supports the EU’s ambitious 2030 Digital Decade goals, which aim to provide all citizens and businesses access to 5G and gigabit-speed internet. Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for Europe Fit for the Digital Age, emphasised the importance of enhancing connectivity to foster innovation and connect more citizens and businesses.
With a total budget of €2 billion until 2027, the broader CEF Digital program has already funded 65 projects, including 5G Smart Communities and cross-border 5G corridors. It plans to launch a fourth call for project proposals to accelerate digital transformation further.
Elon Musk’s platform, X (formerly known as Twitter), will not be classified as a ‘gatekeeper’ under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a landmark set of tech regulations that impose strict obligations on major digital players. According to sources familiar with the situation, the European Commission, which has been investigating X since May, is expected to confirm this decision in the coming week.
The DMA prevents dominant tech companies from abusing their market power, particularly in messaging apps and pre-installed software. Platforms designated as gatekeepers must comply with rules to promote competition, such as ensuring their messaging systems are interoperable with rival apps and allowing users to choose which apps to install by default on their devices.
Despite meeting the user-base threshold for a gatekeeper, X argued that it does not meet the additional criteria of being a key intermediary between businesses and consumers. This claim led the Commission to launch its investigation to clarify whether the platform should face the extra obligations imposed by the DMA.
As the Commission’s ruling draws near, it highlights the ongoing scrutiny faced by tech giants under EU regulations to curb their influence over the digital economy. For Musk’s X, this is a significant reprieve amid growing regulatory pressure on Big Tech worldwide.
Meta has announced the expansion of its AI chatbot to 21 new markets, including the UK and Brazil, as it intensifies competition with ChatGPT. The chatbot is now available to millions of users, offering support in several additional languages. The expansion reflects the ongoing race among technology companies to capture global interest in AI tools.
The AI chatbot already boasts almost 500 million monthly active users and is expected to be accessible in 43 countries by the end of the year. Its broadening reach includes more languages, with Meta aiming for it to become the leading AI assistant by the end of 2024.
While Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, revealed new character voices for the chatbot at the company’s Connect event, these will be rolled out at a later stage. Meta clarified that the new voices are part of a separate timeline, indicating a phased approach to the overall AI development.
In addition, Meta AI will soon be available through Ray-Ban Meta glasses in the UK and Australia, marking another innovative feature as the company seeks to integrate its technology into daily life.
Amazon has introduced AI-powered Shopping Guides to help customers navigate its vast product selection more efficiently. Starting Thursday, the guides will cover over 100 different product types, offering key information such as trusted brands, use cases, and popular features to simplify decision-making. The goal is to speed up the shopping process by consolidating research into an easy-to-navigate format.
The AI guides will not only focus on larger purchases like TVs or appliances but will also assist with everyday items such as dog food and running shoes. By using generative AI technology, Amazon aims to refine the search process and reduce the overwhelming number of choices shoppers face. Each guide is updated regularly through Amazon’s AI platform, Bedrock, ensuring users get the most current and relevant information.
Available first in the US via Amazon’s mobile apps and web, the AI Shopping Guides will appear during search suggestions and through personalised browsing prompts. Amazon also plans to expand the feature across more product categories in the coming months.
On September 21, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed Decision No. 1018/QD-TTg, establishing Vietnam‘s strategy and vision for developing its semiconductor industry. This strategic plan outlines both short-term objectives until 2030 and long-term projections extending to 2050, emphasising five key tasks – developing specialised chips, promoting the electronics industry, enhancing human resources and attracting talent, drawing investment into the semiconductor sector, and implementing additional relevant measures.
The strategy includes a three-phase roadmap. In Phase 1 (2024-2030), Vietnam aims to leverage its geographical advantages and existing semiconductor talent to attract foreign direct investment (FDI). The goals are to establish at least 100 design companies, one small semiconductor chip manufacturing plant, and 10 packaging and testing facilities, with the semiconductor industry projected to generate over USD 25 billion in revenue annually. The workforce is expected to exceed 50,000 engineers and university graduates.
During Phase 2 (2030-2040), Vietnam intends to strengthen its position as a global center for semiconductors, targeting 200 design companies, two chip manufacturing plants, and 15 packaging and testing facilities. The expected annual revenue for the semiconductor industry is projected to surpass USD 50 billion, with a workforce growing to over 100,000 engineers and graduates.
In Phase 3 (2040-2050), Vietnam aspires to become a leading player in the global semiconductor arena, aiming for at least 300 design companies, three semiconductor chip manufacturing plants, and 20 packaging and testing facilities. The semiconductor industry’s revenue is anticipated to exceed USD 100 billion annually, while the electronics sector is expected to surpass USD 1.045 trillion. Despite the government’s ambitious strategy, challenges remain, including power shortages, competitive salaries for talent, and a weak technological foundation.
Online shopping in Europe is making a comeback this year, with ecommerce turnover expected to reach €958 billion, up 8% from 2023, according to a report by Ecommerce Europe. While inflation has strained consumer spending power, recovering confidence is pushing more shoppers back online. However, the competitive market has intensified, particularly due to low-cost platforms like Temu, which is owned by PDD Holdings. These marketplaces, known for offering cheap products, are challenging local players across Europe.
In countries like Germany and Denmark, industry leaders have voiced concerns over the growing presence of Chinese platforms like Temu, which offer significantly lower-priced goods. These platforms are seen as creating an uneven playing field, as they are not always subject to the same regulations as European retailers. Despite these challenges, e-commerce in Europe is seeing its first real growth in years after adjusting for inflation, signaling a shift toward a “new normal” in consumer behavior.
Social media giant X, formerly known as Twitter, became accessible to some Brazilian users on Wednesday, just one day after the country’s Supreme Court cleared the platform to resume operations by complying with court rulings. Brazil’s telecommunications regulator, Anatel, announced that it had begun instructing internet providers to restore access to X. Many users celebrated the return of the platform, with topics like ‘we’re back’ trending across Latin America’s largest country.
Despite the reopening, some Brazilians still encountered difficulties accessing X, as Anatel indicated that the restoration time would depend on the procedures of individual internet providers. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who had been engaged in a lengthy dispute with billionaire Elon Musk, granted approval for X’s return on Tuesday afternoon. He instructed Anatel to ensure the platform was operational within 24 hours, affirming that X had fulfilled all necessary requirements to resume its services.
X had been suspended in Brazil since late August due to its failure to comply with court orders related to hate speech moderation and the absence of a designated legal representative in the country, as mandated by law. As the platform’s sixth-largest market worldwide, Brazil accounted for approximately 21.5 million users as of April, making the resumption of service a crucial step for X’s growth and presence in the region.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is making strategic moves to close the funding gap that often drives European start-ups to seek capital outside the continent, particularly in the United States. To counter this trend, the EIB is expanding its support for venture capital and private equity markets, creating an environment where European start-ups can thrive and scale domestically.
A key part of this strategy is the expansion of the European Tech Champions Initiative, which provides late-stage funding to high-potential companies. Additionally, the EIB is increasing its equity and venture debt investments and proposing a new fund to support European firms’ acquisition and public listing of tech start-ups. That push aligns with the EU’s broader objective of developing and integrating capital markets, ultimately making Europe a more attractive environment for growth-stage companies.
Furthermore, the EIB’s funding strategy strengthens Europe’s role in climate-friendly technologies, supporting start-ups that advance the EU’s net-zero CO2 goal by 2050. That initiative reflects a strong push to deepen capital market integration, enhancing Europe’s global competitiveness and enabling it to rival major economies like the US and China. Through these investments, the EIB is committed to keeping Europe at the forefront of technological and environmental progress.
OpenAI has teamed up with Hearst Communications Inc. to incorporate content from its magazines and newspapers into the ChatGPT chatbot. This partnership, announced on Tuesday, enables Hearst to license material from well-known publications such as Esquire, Cosmopolitan, and Elle, along with more than 40 newspapers for use in OpenAI’s products. The content will be displayed in ChatGPT with proper attribution, providing transparency and easy access to the original sources.
Jeff Johnson, President of Hearst Newspapers, highlighted the significance of including journalism from professional journalists in AI products as generative AI advances. He stated that this partnership enables Hearst’s trusted and curated content to enrich OpenAI’s offerings, resulting in more timely and relevant information.
OpenAI has been working to establish similar licensing agreements with a range of publishers, such as Condé Nast, News Corp., and Time magazine, to train its AI models and ensure access to authoritative information. Many of these agreements include commitments to provide news summaries with proper attribution. However, not all media outlets are on board; the New York Times filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in December, alleging the unauthorised use of its copyrighted articles. OpenAI has contested these claims, asserting that the newspaper is not presenting the full context of the situation.
Alchemy Pay has announced that its Virtual Card service is now compatible with Samsung Pay, making cryptocurrency payments faster and more convenient for users. This new feature allows cardholders to connect their virtual crypto cards to Samsung Pay, adding to the previously available Google Pay option. By linking their card, users can now seamlessly pay with cryptocurrency both online and in-store at millions of global locations.
With this integration, Alchemy Pay is making digital assets more accessible to everyday shoppers, offering flexibility to spend crypto on major platforms such as Amazon, Netflix, and eBay. Cardholders simply add their Virtual Card to Samsung Pay and can start making payments immediately.
Alchemy Pay is focused on expanding its payment capabilities and plans to collaborate with major card networks like Visa and Mastercard soon. This is part of a broader strategy to enhance crypto payments for both experienced users and newcomers alike.
