Lawmakers in New York have proposed a three-year moratorium on permits for new data centres amid pressure to address the strain prominent AI facilities place on local communities.
The proposal mirrors similar moves in several other states and reflects rising concern that rapidly expanding infrastructure may raise electricity costs and worsen environmental conditions rather than supporting balanced development.
Politicians from both major parties have voiced unease about the growing power demand created by data-intensive services. Figures such as Bernie Sanders and Ron DeSantis have warned that unchecked development could drive household bills higher and burden communities.
More than 230 environmental organisations recently urged Congress to consider a national pause to prevent further disruption.
The New York bill, sponsored by Liz Krueger and Anna Kelles, aims to give regulators time to build strict rules before major construction continues. Krueger described the state as unprepared for the scale of facilities seeking entry, arguing that residents should not be left covering future costs.
Supporters say a temporary halt would provide time to design policies that protect consumers rather than encourage unrestrained corporate expansion.
Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the Energize NY Development initiative, intended to modernise the grid connection process and ensure large energy users contribute fairly.
The scheme would require data centre operators to improve their financial responsibility as New York reassesses its approach to extensive AI-driven infrastructure.
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Kris Marszalek, CEO of Crypto.com, has launched ai.com, a platform enabling users to create personal AI agents for everyday digital tasks. The rollout marks Marszalek’s expansion beyond crypto infrastructure into autonomous AI systems.
The beta debut was promoted through a high-profile television commercial aired during Super Bowl 60 on NBC, leveraging one of the world’s largest broadcast audiences. Early access lets users reserve usernames while waiting for their customised AI agents to be deployed.
Marszalek said the long-term goal is a decentralised network of self-improving AI agents that handle email, scheduling, shopping, and travel planning. The initiative aims to accelerate the development of artificial general intelligence through distributed AI agent networks.
The launch arrives amid intensifying competition in the AI agent sector. Major tech firms are launching agent platforms and large ad campaigns, signalling rising commercial momentum behind autonomous digital assistants.
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Substack confirmed a data breach that exposed user email addresses and phone numbers. The company said passwords and financial information were not affected. The incident occurred in October and was later investigated.
Chief executive Chris Best told users the vulnerability was identified in February and has since been fixed, with an internal investigation now underway. The company has not disclosed the technical cause of the breach or why the intrusion went undetected for several months.
Substack also did not confirm how many users were affected or provide evidence showing whether the exposed data has been misused. Users were advised to remain cautious about unexpected emails and text messages following the incident.
The breach was first reported by TechCrunch, which said the company declined to provide further operational details. Questions remain around potential ransom demands or broader system access.
Substack reports more than 50 million active subscriptions, including 5 million paid users, and raised $100 million in Series C funding in 2025, led by BOND and The Chernin Group, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz and other investors.
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European lawmakers remain divided over whether AI tools that generate non-consensual sexual images should face an explicit ban in the EU legislation.
The split emerged as debate intensified over the AI simplification package, which is moving through Parliament and the Council rather than remaining confined to earlier negotiations.
Concerns escalated after Grok was used to create images that digitally undressed women and children.
The EU regulators responded by launching an investigation under the Digital Services Act, and the Commission described the behaviour as illegal under existing European rules. Several lawmakers argue that the AI Act should name pornification apps directly instead of relying on broader legal provisions.
Lead MEPs did not include a ban in their initial draft of the Parliament’s position, prompting other groups to consider adding amendments. Negotiations continue as parties explore how such a restriction could be framed without creating inconsistencies within the broader AI framework.
The Commission appears open to strengthening the law and has hinted that the AI omnibus could be an appropriate moment to act. Lawmakers now have a limited time to decide whether an explicit prohibition can secure political agreement before the amendment deadline passes.
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The confrontation between Spain and Telegram founder Pavel Durov has intensified after he claimed that Pedro Sánchez endangered online freedoms.
Government officials responded that the tech executive spread lies rather than engage with the proposed rules in good faith. Sánchez argued that democracy would not be silenced by what he called the techno-oligarchs of the algorithm.
The dispute followed the unveiling of new measures aimed at major technology companies. The plan introduces a ban on social media use for under-16s and holds corporate leaders legally responsible when unlawful or hateful content remains online rather than being removed.
Platforms would also need to adopt age-verification tools such as ID checks or biometric systems, which Durov argued could turn Spain into a surveillance state by allowing large-scale data collection.
Tensions widened as Sánchez clashed with prominent US tech figures. Sumar urged all bodies linked to the central administration to leave X, a move that followed Elon Musk’s accusation that the Spanish leader was acting like a tyrant.
The row highlighted how Spain’s attempt to regulate digital platforms has placed its government in open conflict with influential technology executives.
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Renowned physicist John Martinis, a Nobel Prize winner, is pursuing a new quantum computing breakthrough. His early work proved electrical circuits could behave like quantum particles, enabling modern quantum machines.
Momentum grew when Martinis led Google’s ‘quantum supremacy’ experiment, outperforming classical computers in specialised tasks. Scaling remains difficult because fragile qubits, complex wiring and manufacturing limits reduce reliability.
Startup QoLab, founded in 2024, is redesigning quantum chip architecture to solve those hardware problems. Integrating components onto chips could reduce wiring, improve stability and enable larger systems.
Useful quantum computers could transform chemistry, materials science and complex simulations beyond classical limits. Martinis believes hardware innovation and scalable manufacturing will determine future industry leaders.
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A senior German official has voiced frustration over joint tech sovereignty efforts with France, describing the experience as disillusioning. The remarks followed a high profile digital summit hosted by Germany and France in Berlin.
The comments came from Luise Hölscher of Germany, who said approaches to buying European technology differ sharply between Germany and France. Germany tends to accept solutions from across Europe, while France often favours domestic providers.
Despite tensions, Hölscher said the disagreement has not damaged the wider partnership between Germany and France. Germany is now exploring closer cooperation with other European countries.
The debate unfolds as the EU considers new rules on cloud services and AI procurement across Germany and France. European institutions are weighing how far public bodies should prioritise European suppliers.
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres has formally submitted, for consideration and appointment by the United Nations General Assembly, the proposed composition of a new Independent International Scientific Panel on AI, marking a step towards evidence-based global AI governance.
The panel brings together 40 experts from across regions and disciplines, selected through an open global call that attracted more than 2,600 applications, and members serve in a personal and independent capacity.
In his submission to the General Assembly, Guterres said the body would act as the first fully independent global scientific authority focused on closing the AI knowledge gap and assessing real-world impacts across economies and societies.
According to the UN chief, a reliable and unbiased understanding of AI has become essential as technologies reshape governance, labour markets, and social systems at an accelerating speed.
The panel will operate for an initial three-year term, aiming to provide a shared scientific foundation for international cooperation amid rising geopolitical tension and technological competition.
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The European Commission is testing a European open source system for its internal communications as worries grow in Brussels over deep dependence on US software.
A spokesperson said the administration is preparing a solution built on the Matrix protocol instead of relying solely on Microsoft Teams.
Matrix is already used by several European institutions, including the French government, German healthcare bodies and armed forces across the continent.
The Commission aims to deploy it as a complement and backup to Teams rather than a full replacement. Officials noted that Signal currently fills that role but lacks the flexibility needed for an organisation of the Commission’s size.
The initiative forms part of a wider push for digital sovereignty within the EU. A Matrix-based tool could eventually link the Commission with other Union bodies that currently lack a unified secure communication platform.
Officials said there is already an operational connection with the European Parliament.
The trial reflects growing sensitivity about Europe’s strategic dependence on non-European digital services.
By developing home-grown communication infrastructure instead of leaning on a single foreign supplier, the Commission hopes to build a more resilient and sovereign technological foundation.
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Preparing to restrict social media access for children under 15s, Greece plans to use the Kids Wallet app as its enforcement tool amid rising European concern over youth safety.
The Ministry of Digital Governance intends to rely on the Kids Wallet application, introduced last year, as a mechanism for enforcing the measure instead of developing a new control framework.
Government planning is advanced, yet the precise timing of the announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has not been finalised.
In addition to the legislative initiative in Greece, the European debate on children’s online safety is intensifying.
Spain recently revealed plans to prohibit social media access for those under sixteen and to create legislation that would hold platform executives personally accountable for hate speech.
Such moves illustrate how governments are seeking to shape the digital environment for younger users rather than leaving regulation solely in private hands.
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