Researchers at Incheon National University have developed biodegradable gas sensors designed to reduce electronic waste while improving air quality monitoring. The technology targets nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to fossil fuel combustion and respiratory diseases.
The sensors are built using organic field-effect transistors, a lightweight and low-energy alternative suited for portable environmental monitoring devices. OFET-based systems are also easier to manufacture compared with traditional silicon electronics.
To create the sensing layer, the research team blended an organic semiconductor polymer, P3HT, with a biodegradable material, PBS. Each polymer was prepared separately in chloroform before being combined into a uniform solution.
Performance varied with solvent composition, with mixtures of chloroform and dichlorobenzene yielding the most consistent and sensitive sensor structures. High PBS concentrations remained effective without compromising detection accuracy.
Project lead Professor Park said the approach balances sustainability and performance, particularly for use in natural environments. The biodegradable design could contribute to long-term pollution monitoring and waste reduction.
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AI tools are already widely used in higher education, with more than half of surveyed students required to use them in coursework and nearly two-thirds using them for assignments. However, the survey suggests that students are largely learning to use AI on their own, relying mainly on informal experimentation rather than structured university-led training.
At the same time, awareness and participation in formal AI education remain limited. Only 31% of students said they were aware of AI-related courses offered by their college or university, and fewer than 20% had taken one, highlighting a gap between widespread use and institutional teaching.
Despite this, many students recognise AI’s growing importance for their careers. Around half believe proficiency with AI tools will be important in the future, reflecting expectations that AI skills will be increasingly valued in the workplace.
Overall, the findings point to an opportunity for universities to strengthen AI education by integrating practical, advanced, and ethical AI training into curricula, helping students move beyond basic use toward workplace-ready skills.
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Technology firms in China are rolling out large cash incentive campaigns to attract users to their AI chatbots ahead of the expected launch of new AI models later this month.
Alibaba Group has earmarked CNY 3 billion for users of its Qwen AI app, with the promotion beginning on 6 February to coincide with Lunar New Year celebrations.
Tencent Holdings and Baidu have announced similar offers, together committing around CNY 1.5 billion in cash rewards and consumer electronics, including smartphones and televisions.
To qualify for prizes, users must register on the platforms and interact with the chatbots during the promotional period by asking questions or completing everyday planning tasks.
The incentives reflect intensifying competition with global developers such as Google and OpenAI, while also strengthening efforts to position China-based firms as potential local AI partners for Apple in the Chinese market.
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Oracle is expanding AI data centres across the United States while pairing infrastructure growth with workforce development through its philanthropic education programme, Oracle Academy.
The initiative provides schools and educators with curriculum, cloud tools, software, and hands-on training designed to prepare students for enterprise-scale technology roles increasingly linked to AI operations.
As demand for specialised skills rises, Oracle Academy is introducing Data Centre Technician courses to fast-track learners into permanent roles supporting AI infrastructure development and maintenance.
The programme already works with hundreds of institutions across multiple US states, including Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New Mexico, spanning disciplines from computer science and engineering to construction management and supply chain studies.
Alongside new courses in machine learning, generative AI, and analytics, Oracle says the approach is intended to close skills gaps and ensure local communities benefit from the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure.
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About 50 residents of Quilicura, an urban community near Chile’s capital, spent a day answering thousands of questions and creating hand-drawn images through a human-powered chatbot called Quili.AI, designed to demonstrate alternatives to instant AI responses and raise awareness of the hidden environmental toll of AI infrastructure.
Participants responded to more than 25,000 global requests, often taking minutes for answers and sketches that would be instantaneous with commercial AI models.
The project, organised by environmental group Corporación NGEN, emphasised that AI systems, especially data centres that host them, consume large amounts of electricity and water, with Quilicura itself becoming a hub for data centres run by major cloud providers.
Organisers said the human chatbot wasn’t an argument against AI’s value but a way to prompt reflection on responsible and sustainable use, especially in regions facing water scarcity and climate stresses like drought and wildfires.
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At the Summit for Clinical Operations Executives (SCOPE) 2026, major players in life sciences showcased artificial intelligence-enabled systems built to accelerate and optimise oncology clinical trials.
Massive Bio’s TrialRelay uses AI routing (“TrialRouter”) to orchestrate the enrolment process, reducing the risk that patients are lost in the referral pipeline after being matched to a study.
ConcertAI’s Accelerated Clinical Trials (ACT) platform, powered by its proprietary agentic AI, integrates real-world and proprietary datasets with advanced workflows to shorten trial timelines by 10–20 months, improve study design and reduce costly amendments, helping sponsors and contract research organisations (CROs) bring therapies to patients faster.
AI adoption in clinical research is rising across recruitment, trial design, data handling and operational forecasting, though integration challenges, regulatory alignment and rapid technological change remain obstacles.
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Snapchat has blocked more than 415,000 Australian accounts after the national ban on under-16s began, marking a rapid escalation in the country’s effort to restrict children’s access to major platforms.
The company relied on a mix of self-reported ages and age-detection technologies to identify users who appeared to be under 16.
The platform warned that age verification still faces serious shortcomings, leaving room for teenagers to bypass safeguards rather than supporting reliable compliance.
Facial estimation tools remain accurate only within a narrow range, meaning some young people may slip through while older users risk losing access. Snapchat also noted the likelihood that teenagers will shift towards less regulated messaging apps.
The eSafety commissioner has focused regulatory pressure on the 10 largest platforms, although all services with Australian users are expected to assess whether they fall under the new requirements.
Officials have acknowledged that the technology needs improvement and that reliability issues, such as the absence of a liveness check, contributed to false results.
Hamad Bin Khalifa University has unveiled the UNESCO Chair on Digital Technologies and Human Behaviour to strengthen global understanding of how emerging tools shape society.
An initiative, located in the College of Science and Engineering in Qatar, that will examine the relationship between digital adoption and human behaviour, focusing on digital well-being, ethical design and healthier online environments.
The Chair is set to address issues such as internet addiction, cyberbullying and misinformation through research and policy-oriented work.
By promoting dialogue among international organisations, governments and academic institutions, the programme aims to support the more responsible development of digital technologies rather than approaches that overlook societal impact.
HBKU’s long-standing emphasis on ethical innovation formed the foundation for the new initiative. The launch event brought together experts from several disciplines to discuss behavioural change driven by AI, mobile computing and social media.
An expert panel considered how GenAI can improve daily life while also increasing dependency, encouraging users to shift towards a more intentional and balanced relationship with AI systems.
UNESCO underlined the importance of linking scientific research with practical policymaking to guide institutions and communities.
The Chair is expected to strengthen cooperation across sectors and support progress on global development goals by ensuring digital transformation remains aligned with human dignity, social cohesion and inclusive growth.
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Scientists are increasingly applying generative AI models to address complex problems in materials science, such as predicting structures, simulating properties, and guiding the discovery of advanced materials with novel functions.
Traditional computational methods, such as density functional theory, can be slow and resource-intensive, whereas AI-based tools can learn from existing data and propose candidate materials more efficiently.
Early applications of these generative approaches include designing materials for energy storage, catalysis, and electronic applications, speeding up workflows that previously involved large amounts of trial and error.
Researchers emphasise that while AI does not yet replace physics-based modelling, it can complement it by narrowing the search space and suggesting promising leads for experimental validation.
The work reflects a broader trend of AI-augmented science, where machine learning and generative models act as accelerators for discovery across disciplines such as chemistry, physics and bioengineering.
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A proposal filed with the US Federal Communications Commission seeks approval for a constellation of up to one million solar-powered satellites designed to function as orbiting data centres for artificial intelligence computing, according to documents submitted by SpaceX.
The company described the network as an efficient response to growing global demand for AI processing power, positioning space-based infrastructure as a new frontier for large-scale computation.
In its filing, SpaceX framed the project in broader civilisational terms, suggesting the constellation could support humanity’s transition towards harnessing the Sun’s full energy output and enable long-term multi-planetary development.
Regulators are unlikely to approve the full scale immediately, with analysts viewing the figure as a negotiating position. The USFCC recently authorised thousands of additional Starlink satellites while delaying approval for a larger proposed expansion.
Concerns continue to grow over orbital congestion, space debris, and environmental impacts, as satellite numbers rise sharply and rival companies seek similar regulatory extensions.
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