Prominent personalities

Former Google CEO backs Antarctic drone venture

A reported investment by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt aims to deploy advanced drone systems to navigate Antarctic waters under extreme conditions. The project involves autonomous aerial and underwater drones tailored for polar environments.

Schmidt’s initiative would target the Southern Ocean’s carbon cycle, ice dynamics, and climate modelling. Designers intend drones to operate where traditional vessels cannot, gathering otherwise unreachable data to refine climate models.

Technologies under development reportedly include cold-resistant batteries, autonomous navigation systems, satellite or acoustic communications, and ice-penetrating radar for subsurface mapping. The designs emphasise minimal human intervention.

There is room for application beyond research, including maritime logistics in polar routes and environmental monitoring. If real, the investment could reshape the future of work on how scientists and explorers gather data in remote, hostile regions.

On the other hand, there are criticisms to exploring the area with technologies that could disturb the ecosystem and native species already under other threats. Therefore, careful consideration will have to be made of the ecological impact of this initiative.

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Germany invests €1.6 billion in AI but profits remain uncertain

In 2025 alone, €1.6 billion is being committed to AI in Germany as part of its AI action plan.

The budget, managed by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space, has grown more than twentyfold since 2017, underlining Berlin’s ambition to position the country as a European hub for AI.

However, experts warn that the financial returns remain uncertain. Rainer Rehak of the Weizenbaum Institute argues that AI lacks a clear business model, calling the current trend an ‘investment game’ fuelled by speculation.

He cautioned that if real profits do not materialise, the sector could face a bubble similar to past technology hype cycles. Even OpenAI chief Sam Altman has warned of unsustainable levels of investment in AI.

Germany faces significant challenges in computing capacity. A study by the eco Internet Industry Association found that the country’s infrastructure may only expand to 3.7 gigawatts by 2030, while demand from industry could exceed 12 gigawatts.

Deloitte forecasts a capacity gap of around 50% within five years, with the US already maintaining more than twenty times Germany’s capacity. Without massive new investments in data centres, Germany risks lagging further behind.

Some analysts believe the country needs a different approach. Professor Oliver Thomas of Osnabrück University argues that while large-scale AI models are struggling to find profitability, small and medium-sized enterprises could unlock practical applications.

He advocates for speeding up the cycle from research to commercialisation, ensuring that AI is integrated into industry more quickly.

Germany has a history of pioneering research in fields such as computer technology, MP3, and virtual and augmented reality, but much of the innovation was commercialised abroad.

Thomas suggests focusing less on ‘made in Germany’ AI models and more on leveraging existing technologies from global providers, while maintaining digital sovereignty through strong policy frameworks.

Looking ahead, experts see AI becoming deeply integrated into the workplace. AI assistants may soon handle administrative workflows, organise communications, and support knowledge-intensive professions.

Small teams equipped with these tools could generate millions in revenue, reshaping the country’s economic landscape.

Germany’s heavy spending signals a long-term bet on AI. But with questions about profitability, computing capacity, and competition from the US, the path forward will depend on whether investments can translate into sustainable business models and practical use cases across the economy.

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Grok controversies shadow Musk’s new Grokipedia project

Elon Musk has announced that his company xAI is developing Grokipedia, a planned Wikipedia rival powered by its Grok AI chatbot. He described the project as a step towards achieving xAI’s mission of understanding the universe.

In a post on X, Musk called Grokipedia a ‘necessary improvement over Wikipedia,’ renewing his criticism of the platform’s funding model and what he views as ideological bias. He has long accused Wikimedia of leaning left and reflecting ‘woke’ influence.

Despite Musk’s efforts to position Grok as a solution to bias, the chatbot has occasionally turned on its creator. Earlier this year, it named Musk among the people doing the most harm to the US, alongside Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

The Grok 4 update also drew controversy when users reported that the chatbot praised and adopted the surname of a controversial historical figure in its responses, sparking criticism of its safety. Such incidents raised questions about the limits of Musk’s oversight.

Grok is already integrated into X as a conversational assistant, providing context and explanations in real time. Musk has said it will power the platform’s recommendation algorithm by late 2025, allowing users to customise their feeds dynamically through direct requests.

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Portugal to bring AI into bureaucracy to save time

The Portuguese government is preparing to bring AI into public administration to accelerate licensing procedures and cut delays, according to State Reform Minister Gonçalo Matias.

Speaking at a World Tourism Day conference in Tróia, he said AI can play a key role in streamlining decision-making while maintaining human oversight at the final stage.

Matias explained that the reform will reallocate staff from routine tasks to work of higher value, while introducing a system of prior notifications.

Under the plan, citizens and businesses in Portugal will be allowed to begin most activities without a licence, with tacit approval granted if the administration fails to respond within set deadlines.

The minister said the reforms will be tied to strict accountability measures, emphasising a ‘trust contract’ between citizens, businesses and the public administration. He argued the initiative will not only speed up processes but also foster greater efficiency and responsibility across government services.

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Instagram head explains why ads feel like eavesdropping

Adam Mosseri has denied long-standing rumours that the platform secretly listens to private conversations to deliver targeted ads. In a video he described as ‘myth busting’, Mosseri said Instagram does not use the phone’s microphone to eavesdrop on users.

He argued that such surveillance would not only be a severe breach of privacy but would also quickly drain phone batteries and trigger visible microphone indicators.

Instead, Mosseri outlined four reasons why adverts may appear suspiciously relevant: online searches and browsing history, the influence of friends’ online behaviour, rapid scrolling that leaves subconscious impressions, and plain coincidence.

According to Mosseri, Instagram users may mistake targeted advertising for surveillance because algorithms incorporate browsing data from advertisers, friends’ interests, and shared patterns across users.

He stressed that the perception of being overheard is often the result of ad targeting mechanics rather than eavesdropping.

Despite his explanation, Mosseri admitted the rumour is unlikely to disappear. Many viewers of his video remained sceptical, with some comments suggesting his denial only reinforced their suspicions about how social media platforms operate.

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Liverpool scientists develop low-cost AI blood test for Alzheimer’s

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have developed a low-cost blood test that could enable earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease. The handheld devices, powered by AI and equipped with polymer-based biosensors, deliver results with accuracy comparable to hospital tests at a fraction of the cost.

Alzheimer’s affects more than 55 million people worldwide and remains the most common cause of dementia. Existing hospital tests are accurate but expensive and inaccessible in many clinics, delaying diagnosis and treatment, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

One study utilised plastic antibodies on a porous gold surface to detect p-tau181, matching high-end laboratory methods. Another built a circuit-board device with a chemical coating that distinguished healthy from patient samples at a lower cost.

The platform is linked to a low-cost reader and a web app that utilises AI for instant analysis. Lead researcher Dr Sanjiv Sharma said the aim was to make Alzheimer’s testing ‘as accessible as checking blood pressure or blood sugar.’

The World Health Organisation has called for decentralised brain disease diagnostics. Researchers say these technologies bring that vision closer to reality, offering hope for earlier treatment and better care.

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Doctors and nurses outperform AI in patient triage

Human staff are more accurate than AI in assessing patient urgency in emergency departments, according to research presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress in Barcelona.

The study, led by Dr Renata Jukneviciene of Vilnius University, tested ChatGPT 3.5 against clinicians and nurses using real case studies.

Doctors achieved an overall accuracy of 70.6% and nurses 65.5%, compared with 50.4% for AI. Doctors also outperformed AI in surgical and therapeutic cases, while nurses were more reliable overall.

AI did show strength in recognising the most critical cases, surpassing nurses in both accuracy and specificity. Researchers suggested that AI may help prioritise life-threatening situations and support less experienced staff instead of acting as a replacement.

However, over-triaging by AI could lead to inefficiencies, making human oversight essential.

Future studies will explore newer AI models, ECG interpretation, and integration into nurse training, particularly in mass-casualty scenarios.

Commenting on the findings, Dr Barbra Backus from Amsterdam said AI has value in certain areas, such as interpreting scans, but it cannot yet replace trained staff for triage decisions.

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Athens Democracy Forum highlights AI challenge for democracy

The 2025 Athens Democracy Forum opened in Athens with a dedicated session on AI, ethics and democracy, co-organised by Kathimerini in partnership with The New York Times.

Held at the Athens Conservatoire, the event placed AI at the heart of discussions on the future of democratic governance.

Speakers underlined the urgency of addressing systemic challenges created by AI.

Achilleas Tsaltas, president of the Democracy & Culture Foundation, described AI as the central concern of the era. At the same time, Greece’s minister of digital governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, warned that AI should remain a servant instead of becoming a master.

Axel Dauchez, founder of Make.org, pointed to the conflict between democratic and authoritarian governance models and called for stronger civic education.

The opening panel brought together academics such as Oxford’s Stathis Kalyvas and Yale’s Hélène Landemore, who examined how AI affects liberal democracies, global inequalities and political accountability.

Discussions concluded with a debate on Aristotle’s ethics as a framework for evaluating opportunities and risks in AI development, moderated by Stephen Dunbar-Johnson of The New York Times.

The session continues with panels on the AI transformation blueprint of Greece, regulation of AI, and the emerging concept of AI sovereignty as a business model.

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Greece considers social media ban for under-16s, says Mitsotakis

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has signalled that Greece may consider banning social media use for children under 16.

He raised the issue during a UN event in New York, hosted by Australia, titled ‘Protecting Children in the Digital Age’, held as part of the 80th UN General Assembly.

Mitsotakis emphasised that any restrictions would be coordinated with international partners, warning that the world is carrying out the largest uncontrolled experiment on children’s minds through unchecked social media exposure.

He cautioned that the long-term effects are uncertain but unlikely to be positive.

The prime minister pointed to new national initiatives, such as the ban on mobile phone use in schools, which he said has transformed the educational experience.

He also highlighted the recent launch of parco.gov.gr, which provides age verification and parental control tools to support families in protecting children online.

Mitsotakis stressed that difficulties enforcing such measures cannot serve as an excuse for inaction, urging global cooperation to address the growing risks children face in the digital age.

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AI agents complete first secure transaction with Mastercard and PayOS

PayOS and Mastercard have completed the first live agentic payment using a Mastercard Agentic Token, marking a pivotal step for AI-driven commerce. The demonstration, powered by Mastercard Agent Pay, extends the tokenisation infrastructure that already underpins mobile payments and card storage.

The system enables AI agents to initiate payments while enforcing consent, authentication, and fraud checks, thereby forming what Mastercard refers to as the trust layer. It shows how card networks are preparing for agentic transactions to become central to digital commerce.

Mastercard’s Chief Digital Officer, Pablo Fourez, stated that the company is developing a secure and interoperable ecosystem for AI-driven payments, underpinned by tokenized credentials. The framework aims to prepare for a future where the internet itself supports native agentic commerce.

For PayOS, the milestone represents a shift from testing to commercialisation. Chief executive Johnathan McGowan said the company is now onboarding customers and offering tools for fraud prevention, payments risk management, and improved user experiences.

The achievement signals a broader transition as agentic AI moves from pilot to real-world deployment. If security models remain effective, agentic payments could soon differentiate platforms, merchants, and issuers, embedding autonomy into digital transactions.

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