Google has announced a $20 million fund, with an additional $2 million in cloud credits, to support researchers using AI to tackle complex scientific challenges. The initiative, unveiled by Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis at the AI for Science Forum in London, is part of Google’s broader strategy to foster innovation and collaboration with academic and non-profit organisations globally.
The funding will prioritise interdisciplinary projects addressing challenges in fields such as rare disease research, experimental biology, sustainability, and materials science. Google plans to distribute the funding to approximately 15 organisations by 2026, ensuring each grant is substantial enough to drive impactful breakthroughs. The programme reflects Google’s aim to position itself as a key partner in advancing science through AI, building on successes like AlphaFold, which recently earned DeepMind leaders a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
The move aligns with a growing trend among Big Tech firms investing heavily in AI-driven research. Amazon’s AWS recently committed $110 million to similar grants, underscoring the race to attract leading scientists and researchers into their ecosystems. Hassabis expressed hope that the initiative would inspire greater collaboration between the private and public sectors and further demonstrate AI’s transformative potential in science.
A chapel in Lucerne, Switzerland, has introduced an AI-powered confessional, featuring an avatar named ‘AI Jesus’ to offer spiritual advice. Parishioners communicate with the AI by voicing concerns and receiving machine-generated guidance. The experiment, developed at a local university, aims to spark debate about technology’s role in religion.
Theologians involved highlight AI’s 24/7 availability as a key advantage, contrasting it with human pastors‘ limited schedules. Parishioners have expressed mixed reactions, with some praising its convenience and others criticising its generic responses as superficial.
Despite the novelty, the AI advises users not to disclose personal data, underscoring privacy concerns. Traditional clergy remain essential, as many see the AI as a supplementary tool rather than a replacement for spiritual leaders.
Russia has introduced a winter ban on cryptocurrency mining in three Siberian regions to prevent electricity shortages during the colder months. These areas, located near Lake Baikal, have become popular for mining due to their low-cost hydropower but face heightened demand for energy during harsh winters.
In territories of Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed, crypto-mining is also restricted due to extensive damage to energy infrastructure since 2022, causing power shortages.
As a major global crypto-mining player, Russia recently introduced regulations and taxes on the industry, expecting annual revenues of $2 billion.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed Assembly Bill 3030 (AB 3030) into law, which will regulate the use of generative AI (GenAI) in healthcare. Effective 1 January 2025, the law mandates that any AI-generated communications related to patient care must include a clear disclaimer informing patients of its AI origin. It also instructs patients to contact human healthcare providers for further clarification.
The bill is part of a larger effort to ensure patient transparency and mitigate risks linked to AI in healthcare, especially as AI tools become increasingly integrated into clinical environments. However, AI-generated communications that have been reviewed by licensed healthcare professionals are exempt from these disclosure requirements. The law focuses on clinical communications and does not apply to non-clinical matters like appointment scheduling or billing.
AB 3030 also introduces accountability for healthcare providers who fail to comply, with physicians facing oversight from the Medical Board of California. The law aims to balance AI’s potential benefits, such as reducing administrative burdens, with the risks of inaccuracies or biases in AI-generated content. California’s move is part of broader efforts to regulate AI in healthcare, aligning with initiatives like the federal AI Bill of Rights.
As the law takes effect, healthcare providers in California will need to adapt to these new rules, ensuring that AI-generated content is flagged appropriately while maintaining the quality of patient care.
A new studio, Promise, has been launched to revolutionise filmmaking with the use of generative AI. Backed by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz and former News Corp President Peter Chernin, the startup is setting its sights on blending AI with Hollywood storytelling. The announcement coincided with the conclusion of its fundraising round.
Founded by Fullscreen’s CEO George Strompolos, ex-YouTube executive Jamie Byrne, and AI artist Dave Clark, the studio aims to harness the GenAI boom to streamline and enhance content creation. Promise is collaborating with Hollywood stakeholders to develop a multi-year slate of films and series, combining creative expertise with cutting-edge technology.
The company is also developing an AI-driven software tool named Muse, designed to assist artists throughout the production process. Muse aims to integrate generative AI at every stage, offering a streamlined approach to creating movies and shows. Promise hopes to position itself as a leader in the evolving landscape of AI-powered media.
Generative AI has gained traction in Hollywood, with tools like OpenAI’s Sora and Adobe’s video-generation model prompting industry interest. These innovations have spurred discussions about potential collaborations to reduce costs and speed up production. Promise’s launch adds to this momentum, marking a step forward in AI-driven entertainment.
With AI adoption surging, data centers are bracing for a 160% jump in electricity consumption by 2030, driven by the energy demands of GPUs. Sagence AI, a startup led by Vishal Sarin, is addressing this challenge by developing analog chips that promise greater energy efficiency without sacrificing performance.
Unlike traditional digital chips, Sagence’s analog designs minimise memory bottlenecks and offer higher data density, making them a viable option for specialised AI applications in servers and mobile devices. While analog chips pose challenges in precision and programming, Sagence aims to complement, not replace, digital solutions, delivering cost-effective and eco-friendly alternatives.
Backed by $58M in funding from investors like TDK Ventures and New Science Ventures, Sagence plans to launch its chips in 2025. As it scales operations, the startup faces stiff competition from industry giants and will need to prove its technology can outperform established systems while maintaining lower energy consumption.
Malaysia is considering adopting an AI-driven system to improve road safety. The Automatic Road Incident Detection System (ARIDS), developed by a Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) team, uses neural networks to identify accidents and traffic anomalies in real time. Currently in pilot testing across 1,000km of expressways and roads, ARIDS has shown potential to reduce emergency response times significantly.
ARIDS, launched in February, has already been implemented in Brunei and parts of Xi’an, China. The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) is assessing its viability for nationwide implementation. A recent crash in Johor, detected by ARIDS 23 minutes before an official report was made, highlighted the system’s ability to enhance response efficiency. Authorities currently rely on CCTV monitoring and user reports for accident detection, which often causes delays.
The system’s mobile integration allows remote access, providing alerts through WhatsApp without human intervention. It also monitors traffic congestion and vehicle breakdowns, offering insights into road safety improvements like sturdier guardrails. Analysts believe this AI-powered solution could complement existing monitoring systems, such as the Traffic Monitoring System (TMS) and CCTVs, and boost predictive capabilities.
Broader adoption faces legal and operational hurdles. Concessionaires cannot currently enforce safety inspections on heavy vehicles without regulatory approval. However, integrating ARIDS with technologies like Weigh-In-Motion systems could streamline enforcement and reduce risks from overloaded or unsafe vehicles.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s new Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that failing to defend Ukraine would be an ‘existential loss’ for Europe. Speaking at the Web Summit in Lisbon, O’Flaherty emphasised the critical need for Europe to stand firm in supporting Ukraine amid growing authoritarianism and human rights abuses. He also highlighted the risks posed by emerging technologies, particularly AI, and stressed the importance of human rights safeguards in tech regulation.
O’Flaherty, in his first year as commissioner, underscored the enormous potential of AI to improve lives but also warned of its dangers, such as discrimination and misuse in warfare. He called for stronger regulations to ensure AI advancements align with human rights commitments. His focus on Ukraine comes at a time when the country’s challenges and human rights violations continue to dominate global discussions, with high-profile figures like Yulia Navalnaya and Olena Zelenska also speaking out on human rights issues at the summit.
As technology continues to evolve rapidly, O’Flaherty stressed the need for better communication between the tech sector and human rights advocates, aiming to create a more unified approach to solving global challenges. He also advocated for holding perpetrators of atrocities, like those in Ukraine, criminally accountable, reinforcing the preventive role of justice.
Amnesty International has raised significant concerns about the Danish welfare authority, Udbetaling Danmark (UDK), and its partner, Arbejdsmarkedets Tillægspension (ATP), using AI tools in fraud detection for social benefits.
The report condemns what it describes as mass surveillance practices, highlighting the erosion of privacy due to the extensive collection of sensitive data such as residency, citizenship, and family relationships. Amnesty argues that such practices not only compromise individual dignity but also facilitate algorithmic discrimination, particularly through systems like the ‘Really Single’ and ‘Model Abroad’ algorithms. These tools may unfairly target atypical family setups or those with foreign affiliations, further marginalising already vulnerable communities. The psychological impact is severe, with individuals describing the stress of ongoing investigations as living ‘at the end of a gun,’ exacerbating mental distress particularly among people with disabilities.
Why does it matter?
The report points to issues of transparency and accountability, critiquing UDK and ATP for resisting full disclosure of their AI systems and dismissing claims of using a social scoring mechanism without robust justification. It also links these practices to potential violations of international, EU, and Danish commitments to privacy and non-discrimination. Amnesty called for an immediate halt to the use of these algorithms, the prohibition of ‘foreign affiliation’ data in risk assessments, and urged the European Commission to provide clarity on AI practices considered as social scoring, ensuring that human rights are safeguarded amid technological advancements.
The Indian Ministry of Mines and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance India’s critical mineral sector. Through this collaboration, India will gain access to reliable data, analysis, and policy recommendations, improving decision-making and resource management.
Furthermore, the MoU aims to align India’s policies, regulations, and investment strategies with global best practices, accelerating the country’s transition to sustainable and resilient energy systems. In addition, the partnership will focus on capacity development and knowledge exchange through joint research projects, workshops, and training programs, which will enhance India’s technical and institutional capabilities in critical mineral management.
By learning from the experiences of other IEA member states, India seeks to foster innovation in technology development, extraction techniques, and recycling methods, ultimately boosting its competitiveness in the global market. Approved by the Union Cabinet in October 2024, this collaboration marks a significant milestone in securing India’s critical mineral resources.
As a result, the MoU underscores India’s commitment to adopting advanced global practices while addressing its domestic energy needs. Consequently, it sets the stage for long-term strategic growth in the critical minerals sector, promoting sustainability, innovation, and energy security across the nation.
