The UK and Bulgaria are expanding cooperation on semiconductor technology to strengthen supply chains and support Europe’s growing need for advanced materials.
A partnership that links British expertise with the ambitions of Bulgaria under the EU Chips Act 2023, creating opportunities for investment, innovation and skills development.
The Science and Technology Network has acted as a bridge between both countries by bringing together government, industry and academia. A high-level roundtable in Sofia, a study visit to Scotland and a trade mission to Bulgaria encouraged firms and institutions to explore new partnerships.
These exchanges helped shape joint projects and paved the way for shared training programmes.
Several concrete outcomes have followed. A €350 million Green Silicon Carbide wafer factory is moving ahead, supported by significant UK export wins.
Universities in Glasgow and Sofia have signed a research memorandum, while TechWorks UK and Bulgaria’s BASEL have agreed on an industry partnership. The next phase is expected to focus on launching the new factory, deepening research cooperation and expanding skills initiatives.
Bulgaria’s fast-growing electronics and automotive sectors have strengthened its position as a key European manufacturing hub. The country produces most sensors used in European cars and hosts modern research centres and smart factories.
The combined effect of the EU funding, national investment and international collaboration is helping Bulgaria secure a prominent role in Europe’s semiconductor supply chain.
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UN experts are intensifying efforts to shape a people-first approach to AI, warning that unchecked adoption could deepen inequality and disrupt labour markets. AI offers productivity gains, but benefits must outweigh social and economic risks, the organisation says.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly stressed that human oversight must remain central to AI decision-making. UN efforts now focus on ethical governance, drawing on the Global Digital Compact to align AI with human rights.
Education sits at the heart of the strategy. UNESCO has warned against prioritising technology investment over teachers, arguing that AI literacy should support, not replace, human development.
Labour impacts also feature prominently, with the International Labour Organization predicting widespread job transformation rather than inevitable net losses.
Access and rights remain key concerns. The UN has cautioned that AI dominance by a small group of technology firms could widen global divides, while calling for international cooperation to regulate harmful uses, protect dignity, and ensure the technology serves society as a whole.
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The East Asian country is preparing to enforce a nationwide ban on mobile phone use in classrooms, yet schools remain divided over how strictly the new rules should be applied.
A ban that takes effect in March under the revised education law, and officials have already released guidance enabling principals to warn students and restrict smart devices during lessons.
These reforms will allow devices only for limited educational purposes, emergencies or support for pupils with disabilities.
Schools may also collect and store phones under their own rules, giving administrators the authority to prohibit possession rather than merely restricting use. The ministry has ordered every principal to establish formal regulations by late August, leaving interim decisions to each school leader.
Educators in South Korea warn that inconsistent approaches are creating uncertainty. Some schools intend to collect phones in bulk, others will require students to keep devices switched off, while several remain unsure how far to go in tightening their policies.
The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations argues that such differences will trigger complaints from parents and pupils unless the ministry provides a unified national standard.
Surveys show wide variation in current practice, with some schools banning possession during lessons while others allow use during breaks.
Many teachers say their institutions are ready for stricter rules, yet a substantial minority report inadequate preparation. The debate highlights the difficulty of imposing uniform digital discipline across a diverse education system.
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Millions of South Africans are set to gain access to AI and digital skills through a partnership between Microsoft South Africa and the national broadcaster SABC Plus. The initiative will deliver online courses, assessments, and recognised credentials directly to learners’ devices.
Building on Microsoft Elevate and the AI Skills Initiative, the programme follows the training of 1.4 million people and the credentialing of nearly half a million citizens since 2025. SABC Plus, with over 1.9 million registered users, provides an ideal platform to reach diverse communities nationwide.
AI and data skills are increasingly critical for employability, with global demand for AI roles growing rapidly. Microsoft and SABC aim to equip citizens with practical, future-ready capabilities, ensuring learning opportunities are not limited by geography or background.
The collaboration also complements Microsoft’s broader initiatives in South Africa, including Ikamva Digital, ElevateHer, Civic AI, and youth certification programmes, all designed to foster inclusion and prepare the next generation for a digital economy.
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OpenAI has launched Prism, a cloud-based LaTeX workspace designed to streamline the drafting, collaboration, and publication of academic papers. The tool integrates writing, citation management, real-time collaboration, and AI assistance into a single environment to reduce workflow friction.
Built specifically for scientific use, Prism embeds GPT-5.2 directly inside documents rather than as a separate chatbot. Researchers can rewrite sections, verify equations, test arguments, and clarify explanations without leaving the editing interface, positioning AI as a background collaborator.
Users can start new LaTeX projects or upload existing files through prism.openai.com using a ChatGPT account. Co-authors can join instantly, enabling simultaneous editing while maintaining structured formatting for equations, references, and manuscript layout.
OpenAI says Prism supports academic search, converts handwritten formulas into clean LaTeX, and allows voice-driven edits for faster reviews. Completed papers export as publication-ready PDFs alongside full source files.
Initially available for free to personal ChatGPT users, the workspace will later expand to Business, Enterprise, and Education plans. The company frames the tool as a practical productivity layer rather than a research disruption platform.
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The government has expanded the UK joint industry programme offering free AI training to every adult, with the ambition of upskilling 10 million workers by 2030.
Newly benchmarked courses are available through the AI Skills Hub, giving people practical workplace skills while supporting Britain’s aim to become the fastest AI adopter in the G7.
The programme includes short online courses that teach workers in the UK how to use basic AI tools for everyday tasks such as drafting text, managing content and reducing administrative workloads.
Participants who complete approved training receive a government-backed virtual AI foundations badge, setting a national standard for AI capability across sectors.
Public sector staff, including NHS and local government employees, are among the groups targeted as the initiative expands.
Ministers also announced £27 million in funding to support local tech jobs, graduate traineeships and professional practice courses, alongside the launch of a new cross-government unit to monitor AI’s impact on jobs and labour markets.
Officials argue that widening access to AI skills will boost productivity, support economic growth and help workers adapt to technological change. The programme builds on existing digital skills initiatives and brings together government, industry and trade unions to shape a fair and resilient future of work.
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Google is expanding AI learning tools in India by adding full-length Joint Entrance Exam practice tests to Gemini, targeting millions of engineering applicants.
Students can complete full mock JEE exams directly in Gemini. The questions are developed using vetted material from education platforms in India, including Physics Wallah and Careers360, and will be expanded further.
Gemini provides instant feedback after each test. It explains correct answers and generates personalised study plans based on performance, supporting structured exam preparation.
In addition to these exam-focused features, preparation tools will also roll out to AI Mode in Search, specifically including Canvas. These tools will allow students to build interactive quizzes and study guides from their own notes.
Alongside providing enhanced tools for students, Google is also partnering with universities, government agencies, and nonprofits to integrate AI across education systems, aiming to scale access to tens of millions of learners by 2027.
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EU member states are preparing to open formal discussions on the risks posed by AI-powered deepfakes and their use in cyberattacks, following an initiative by the current Council presidency.
The talks are intended to assess how synthetic media may undermine democratic processes and public trust across the bloc.
According to sources, capitals will also begin coordinated exchanges on the proposed Democracy Shield, a framework aimed at strengthening resilience against foreign interference and digitally enabled manipulation.
Deepfakes are increasingly viewed as a cross-cutting threat, combining disinformation, cyber operations and influence campaigns.
The timeline set out by the presidency foresees structured discussions among national experts before escalating the issue to the ministerial level. The approach reflects growing concern that existing cyber and media rules are insufficient to address rapidly advancing AI-generated content.
An initiative that signals a broader shift within the Council towards treating deepfakes not only as a content moderation challenge, but as a security risk with implications for elections, governance and institutional stability.
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Lao PDR has unveiled plans for a national AI strategy guided by UNESCO’s ethics framework to support responsible and inclusive digital development. The framework will inform policy design across governance, education, infrastructure, and economic transformation.
The assessment outlines Laos’ readiness to govern AI, noting progress in digital policy alongside gaps in access, skills, and research capacity. Officials stressed the need for homegrown AI solutions that respect culture, reduce inequality, and deliver broad social benefit.
UNESCO and the UN Country Team said the strategy aligns with Laos’ broader digital transformation goals under its 10th development plan. The initiative aims to improve coordination, increase R&D investment, and modernise education to support ethical AI deployment.
Lao PDR joins 77 countries worldwide using UNESCO’s tools to shape national AI policies, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable innovation, ethical governance, and inclusive growth as artificial intelligence becomes central to future development.
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India is emerging as a potential test case for age-based social media restrictions as several states examine Australia-style bans on children’s access to platforms.
Goa and Andhra Pradesh are studying whether to prohibit social media use for those under 16, citing growing concerns over online safety and youth well-being. The debate has also reached the judiciary, with the Madras High Court urging the federal government to consider similar measures.
The proposals carry major implications for global technology companies, given that India’s internet population exceeds one billion users and continues to skew young.
Platforms such as Meta, Google and X rely heavily on India for long-term growth, advertising revenue and user expansion. Industry voices argue parental oversight is more effective than government bans, warning that restrictions could push minors towards unregulated digital spaces.
Australia’s under-16 ban, which entered force in late 2025, has already exposed enforcement difficulties, particularly around age verification and privacy risks. Determining users’ ages accurately remains challenging, while digital identity systems raise concerns about data security and surveillance.
Legal experts note that internet governance falls under India’s federal authority, limiting what individual states can enforce without central approval.
Although the data protection law of India includes safeguards for children, full implementation will extend through 2027, leaving policymakers to balance child protection, platform accountability and unintended consequences.
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