Key Internet developments

Google Maps launches AI-powered live lane guidance for safer driving

Google has introduced AI-powered live lane guidance for cars with Google built in, marking a significant step toward intelligent in-vehicle navigation.

A new feature that enables Google Maps to interpret roads and lanes like a driver, offering real-time audio and visual cues to help motorists make timely lane changes and avoid missed exits.

Using AI that analyses lane markings and road signs through the vehicle’s front-facing camera, Google Maps integrates the live data with its navigation system, used by over two billion people monthly. The result is more accurate guidance alongside existing traffic, ETA, and hazard updates.

The feature will debut in Polestar 4 vehicles in the US and Sweden, with plans to expand across more models and road types in collaboration with major automakers.

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AWS launches Fastnet, a subsea cable to strengthen transatlantic cloud and AI connectivity

Amazon Web Services has announced Fastnet, a high-capacity transatlantic subsea cable connecting Maryland and County Cork.

Set to be operational in 2028, Fastnet will expand AWS’s network resilience and deliver faster, more reliable cloud and AI services between the US and Europe.

The cable’s unique route provides critical redundancy, ensuring service continuity even when other cables face disruptions. Capable of transmitting over 320 terabits per second, Fastnet supports large-scale cloud computing and AI workloads while integrating directly into AWS’s global infrastructure.

The system’s design enables real-time data redirection and long-term scalability to meet the increasing demands of AI and edge computing.

Beyond connectivity, AWS is investing in community benefit funds for Maryland and County Cork, supporting local sustainability, education, and workforce development.

A project that reflects AWS’s wider strategy to reinforce critical digital infrastructure and strengthen global innovation in the cloud economy.

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AI tool on smartwatch detects hidden structural heart disease

An AI algorithm paired with smartwatch sensors has successfully detected structural heart diseases, including valve damage and weakened heart muscles, in adults. The study, conducted at Yale School of Medicine, will be presented at the American Heart Association’s 2025 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans.

The AI model was trained on over 266,000 electrocardiogram recordings and validated across multiple hospitals and population studies. When tested on 600 participants using single-lead ECGs from a smartwatch, it achieved an 88% accuracy in detecting heart disease.

Researchers said smartwatches could offer a low-cost, accessible method for early screening of structural heart conditions that usually require echocardiograms. The algorithm’s ability to analyse single-lead ECG data could enable preventive detection before symptoms appear.

Experts emphasised that smartwatch data cannot replace medical imaging, but it could complement clinical assessments and expand access to screening. Larger studies in the US are planned to confirm effectiveness and explore community-based use in preventive heart care.

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Reliance and Google expand Gemini AI access across India

Google has partnered with Reliance Intelligence to expand access to its Gemini AI across India.

Under the new collaboration, Jio Unlimited 5G users aged between 18 and 25 will receive the Google AI Pro plan free for 18 months, with nationwide eligibility to follow soon.

The partnership grants access to the Gemini 2.5 Pro model and includes increased limits for generating images and videos with the Nano Banana and Veo 3.1 tools.

Users in India will also benefit from expanded NotebookLM access for study and research, plus 2 TB of cloud storage shared across Google Photos, Gmail and Drive for data and WhatsApp backups.

According to Google, the offer represents a value of about ₹35,100 and can be activated via the MyJio app. The company said the initiative aims to make its most advanced AI tools available to a wider audience and support everyday productivity across India’s fast-growing digital ecosystem.

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US Internet Bill of Rights unveiled as response to global safety laws

A proposed US Internet Bill of Rights aims to protect digital freedoms as governments expand online censorship laws. The framework, developed by privacy advocates, calls for stronger guarantees of free expression, privacy, and access to information in the digital era.

Supporters argue that recent legislation such as the UK’s Online Safety Act, the EU’s Digital Services Act, and US proposals like KOSA and the STOP HATE Act have eroded civil liberties. They claim these measures empower governments and private firms to control online speech under the guise of safety.

The proposed US bill sets out rights including privacy in digital communications, platform transparency, protection against government surveillance, and fair access to the internet. It also calls for judicial oversight of censorship requests, open algorithms, and the protection of anonymous speech.

Advocates say the framework would enshrine digital freedoms through federal law or constitutional amendment, ensuring equal access and privacy worldwide. They argue that safeguarding free and open internet access is vital to preserve democracy and innovation.

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NVIDIA and Nokia join forces to build the AI platform for 6G

Nokia and NVIDIA have announced a $1 billion partnership to develop an AI-powered platform that will drive the transition from 5G to 6G networks.

The collaboration will create next-generation AI-RAN systems, combining computing, sensing and connectivity to transform how the US mobile networks process data and deliver services.

However, this partnership marks a strategic step in both companies’ ambition to regain global leadership in telecommunications.

By integrating NVIDIA’s new Aerial RAN Computer and Nokia’s AI-RAN software, operators can upgrade existing networks through software updates instead of complete infrastructure replacements.

T-Mobile US will begin field tests in 2026, supported by Dell’s PowerEdge servers.

NVIDIA’s investment and collaboration with Nokia aim to strengthen the foundation for AI-native networks that can handle the rising demand from agentic, generative and physical AI applications.

These networks are expected to support future 6G use cases, including drones, autonomous vehicles and advanced augmented reality systems.

Both companies see AI-RAN as the next evolution of wireless connectivity, uniting data processing and communication at the edge for greater performance, energy efficiency and innovation.

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Nvidia and Deutsche Telekom plan €1 billion AI data centre in Germany

Plans are being rolled out for a €1 billion data centre in Germany to bolster Europe’s AI infrastructure, with Nvidia and Deutsche Telekom set to co-fund the project.

The facility is expected to serve enterprise customers, including SAP SE, Europe’s largest software company, and to deploy around 10,000 advanced chips known as graphics processing units (GPUs).

While significant for Europe, the build is modest compared with gigawatt-scale sites elsewhere, highlighting the region’s push to catch up with US and Chinese capacity.

An announcement is anticipated next month in Berlin alongside senior industry and government figures, with Munich identified as the planned location.

The move aligns with the EU efforts to expand AI compute, including the €200 billion initiative announced in February to grow capacity over the next five to seven years.

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AMD powers US AI factory supercomputers for national research

The US Department of Energy and AMD are joining forces to expand America’s AI and scientific computing power through two new supercomputers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Named Lux and Discovery, the systems will drive the country’s sovereign AI strategy, combining public and private investment worth around $1 billion to strengthen research, innovation, and security infrastructure.

Lux, arriving in 2026, will become the nation’s first dedicated AI factory for science.

Built with AMD’s EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs alongside Oracle and HPE technologies, Lux will accelerate research across materials, medicine, and advanced manufacturing, supporting the US AI Action Plan and boosting the Department of Energy’s AI capacity.

Discovery, set for deployment in 2028, will deepen collaboration between the DOE, AMD, and HPE. Powered by AMD’s next-generation ‘Venice’ CPUs and MI430X GPUs, Discovery will train and deploy AI models on secure US-built systems, protecting national data and competitiveness.

It aims to deliver faster energy, biology, and national security breakthroughs while maintaining high efficiency and open standards.

AMD’s CEO, Dr Lisa Su, said the collaboration represents the best public-private partnerships, advancing the nation’s foundation for science and innovation.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright described the initiative as proof that America leads when government and industry work together toward shared AI and scientific goals.

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NVIDIA AI Day Sydney showcases Australia’s growing role in global AI innovation

Australia took centre stage in the global AI landscape last week as NVIDIA AI Day Sydney gathered over a thousand participants to explore the nation’s path toward sovereign AI.

The event, held at ICC Sydney Theatre, featured discussions on agentic and physical AI, robotics and AI factories, highlighting how the next generation of computing is driving transformation across sectors.

Industry leaders, including Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Canva and emerging startups, joined NVIDIA executives to discuss how advanced computing and AI are shaping innovation.

Brendan Hopper of the Commonwealth Bank praised NVIDIA’s role in expanding Australia’s AI ecosystem through infrastructure, partnerships and education.

Speakers such as Giuseppe Barca of QDX Technologies emphasised how AI, high-performance computing and quantum research are redefining scientific progress.

With over 600 NVIDIA Inception startups and more than 20 universities using NVIDIA technologies, Australia’s AI ecosystem is expanding rapidly. Partners like Firmus Technologies, ResetData and SHARON AI underscored how AI Day Sydney demonstrated the nation’s readiness to become a regional AI hub.

The event also hosted Australia’s first ‘Startup, VC and Partner Connect’, linking entrepreneurs, investors and government officials to accelerate collaboration.

Presentations from quantum and healthcare innovators, alongside hands-on NVIDIA Deep Learning Institute sessions, showcased real-world AI applications from generative design to medical transcription.

NVIDIA’s Sudarshan Ramachandran said Australia’s combination of high-performance computing heritage, visual effects expertise and emerging robotics sector positions it to lead in the AI era.

Through collaboration and infrastructure investment, he said, the country is building a thriving ecosystem that supports discovery, sustainability and economic growth.

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Airbus, Leonardo and Thales merge space units for 2027 launch

Three of Europe’s leading aerospace firms, Airbus, Leonardo and Thales, have agreed to merge their space businesses into a single joint venture to strengthen Europe’s global competitiveness.

A new company that will combine satellite and space service operations from the three groups, bringing together about 25,000 employees and generating around €6.5 billion in annual revenue.

The joint venture, expected to start operating in 2027 following regulatory approval, will integrate Airbus’s Space Systems and Space Digital units, Leonardo’s Space Division, and Thales’s stakes in Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio and optics company Thales SESO.

Airbus will hold a 35 per cent stake, while Leonardo and Thales will each own 32.5 per cent.

The companies said the partnership aims to accelerate innovation, unify Europe’s fragmented space sector, and enhance its autonomy in critical technologies.

Executives described the move as a milestone for Europe’s space ambitions, combining resources and research capacity to boost exports and technological leadership.

Project Bromo, as it was internally known, had been in development for more than a year. After months of valuation and governance talks, the agreement now paves the way for a new European space powerhouse capable of challenging US rivals and shaping the future of global space operations.

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