Sustainable development Archives | Page 225 of 304

Semiconductor industry’s environmental impact calls for EU action

The European Union is being advised to strengthen its focus on sustainable semiconductor production as emissions from the industry continue to rise.

A new study by the think-tank Interface highlights the growing pollution caused by the manufacturing of cutting-edge chips, essential for AI technology.

Over the past eight years, global energy consumption in the semiconductor sector has surged by 125%, largely due to the increasing demand for advanced chips, which require higher energy input and generate more emissions.

While the industry’s high-emission production methods have raised concerns, the report also points to opportunities for Europe to capitalise on its strengths in the manufacturing of ‘legacy’ chips.

These chips, used in sectors like automotive, energy, and industrial applications, tend to have a smaller environmental footprint. European companies such as STMicroelectronics, Infineon, and NXP are already market leaders in this area, which could be key to the EU’s efforts to foster a greener transition.

Despite the EU’s ambitions, including the 2023 Chips Act aimed at boosting production, questions remain over whether Europe should invest further in cutting-edge chip manufacturing.

The study suggests that pursuing this route could have significant environmental costs, particularly due to the high energy consumption involved. However, the EU’s access to renewable energy sources and water might provide an advantage over the high-cost, energy-hungry production processes in Asia.

Julia Hess, the study’s lead author, argues that chips manufactured under higher environmental standards could offer Europe a long-term competitive edge in the semiconductor industry, driving both sustainability and technological leadership.

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UK watchdog launches enforcement on file-sharing services

The UK’s internet watchdog, Ofcom, has launched a new enforcement programme under the Online Safety Act (OSA), targeting storage and file-sharing services due to concerns over the sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The regulator has identified these services as particularly vulnerable to misuse for distributing CSAM and will assess the safety measures in place to prevent such activities.

As part of the enforcement programme, Ofcom has contacted a number of file-storage and sharing services, warning them that formal information requests will be issued soon.

These requests will require the services to submit details on the measures they have implemented or plan to introduce to combat CSAM, along with risk assessments related to illegal content.

Failure to comply with the requirements of the OSA could result in substantial penalties for these companies, with fines reaching up to 10% of their global annual turnover.

Ofcom’s crackdown highlights the growing responsibility for online services to prevent illegal content from being shared on their platforms.

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EU delays ETIAS launch until late 2026

The European Union has announced that the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) will require visa-free travellers from non-EU countries, including the UK, to obtain authorisation before short stays in the Schengen Area.

Initially planned for 2026, the system has been delayed and is now set to launch in late 2026, with full implementation not expected until 2027. The ETIAS aims to improve border security and will apply to travellers from 60 non-EU countries who don’t need a visa.

To apply for the ETIAS, travellers will need to complete an online application, provide personal details, answer security questions, and pay a €7 fee.

However, this authorisation will be linked to the traveller’s passport and remain valid for three years, or until the passport expires. Also, children under 18 and adults over 70 will be exempt from the fee, though they still need to apply for authorisation.

The ETIAS will not become mandatory until six months after the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is fully operational. The EES, which is set to launch in phases starting in October 2025, will be a registration system for non-EU travellers, including those from the UK and US.

However, due to delays in the installation of necessary technology at Schengen borders, the launch of the ETIAS has been pushed back to late 2026.

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BMW to equip cars with Huawei HiCar system

BMW will integrate Huawei’s HiCar system into its locally produced models starting in 2026, strengthening its presence in the Chinese market.

The partnership will enable seamless connectivity between Huawei devices and BMW vehicles, enhancing smart driving applications through the Harmony operating system.

The German automaker emphasised its commitment to deeper collaboration with Chinese partners, aiming to integrate them more closely into its global innovation network.

By working with local suppliers, BMW seeks to foster long-term cooperation and technological advancement in one of the world’s largest automotive markets.

An approach that aligns with BMW’s broader strategy of leveraging local expertise to remain competitive in a fast-evolving automotive landscape.

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Europe’s tech giants push for sovereign fund

More than 90 European technology companies and lobby groups, including Airbus and Dassault Systèmes, have called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to establish a sovereign infrastructure fund.

In an open letter dated 14 March, they emphasised the urgent need for Europe to strengthen its strategic autonomy in critical digital infrastructure, from AI frameworks to semiconductor manufacturing.

The letter warns that Europe’s reliance on foreign technology creates security risks and weakens economic growth. It highlights the importance of public investment, particularly in capital-intensive sectors like quantum computing and microchips. The signatories also suggest a ‘buy European’ policy in government procurement to boost demand and encourage local businesses to invest.

Prominent supporters of the initiative include French cloud provider OVH Cloud, the European Software Institute, and the German AI Association. The appeal also reached EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen, as Europe faces increasing pressure to compete with major US and Asian technology powers.

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Turkey investigates Netflix, Disney, and Amazon for competition law violations

The Turkish Competition Board has opened an investigation into major subscription-based, on-demand video service providers, including Netflix, Disney, and Amazon. This decision follows a preliminary inquiry into whether these global streaming platforms have violated Turkey‘s competition laws.

The board is particularly focused on examining their business practices within the Turkish market and assessing whether any anti-competitive behaviour has occurred. The investigation highlights Turkey’s increasing scrutiny of digital platforms operating within its borders.

The inquiry comes at a time when subscription-based streaming services are growing rapidly in Turkey, with Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video among the most popular platforms in the country. The Turkish Competition Board’s investigation aims to ensure that the market remains competitive and that no service provider is unfairly dominating the sector.

By looking into the practices of these major players, the board seeks to protect consumers and maintain a level playing field for all companies involved in the digital entertainment industry.

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Thailand approves millions for data centres

Thailand has approved investments worth 90.9 billion baht ($2.7 billion) in data centres and cloud services, further boosting its growing tech sector. The newly approved projects include data centres by China’s Beijing Haoyang Cloud&Data Technology, Singapore-based Empyrion Digital, and Thailand’s GSA Data Center 02, according to the country’s investment board.

Among these, Beijing Haoyang plans to build a 300-megawatt data centre valued at 72.7 billion baht, while GSA Data Center 02 is investing 13.5 billion baht in a 35-megawatt facility.

The rapid rise of AI has fuelled demand for data infrastructure across Southeast Asia, making Thailand an attractive hub for investment. In January, TikTok’s parent company, Bytedance, announced plans to establish a data hosting service in Thailand worth 126.8 billion baht.

It follows significant investments from tech giants such as Google, which pledged $1 billion last year, and Amazon Web Services, which committed $5 billion over 15 years.

Microsoft has also revealed plans to open its first regional data centre in Thailand, reinforcing the country’s status as a growing digital hub in the region. With an increasing number of global technology firms choosing Thailand for data operations, the country is set to play a key role in Southeast Asia’s evolving digital economy.

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Baidu launches new AI models to compete in global race

Baidu has unveiled two new AI models, including ERNIE X1, which it claims matches the performance of DeepSeek R1 at half the cost. The company says X1 is a deep-thinking model capable of autonomous tool use, with enhanced reasoning, planning, and adaptability.

Meanwhile, Baidu’s latest foundation model, ERNIE 4.5, boasts improved multimodal capabilities, advanced language understanding, and a better grasp of satire and internet culture.

The Chinese tech giant has been striving to compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, where startups like DeepSeek have disrupted the industry with high-performing, cost-effective models. While Baidu was one of the first Chinese companies to launch a ChatGPT-style chatbot, its Ernie LLM has faced challenges in achieving widespread adoption.

With growing competition from domestic and international AI firms, Baidu aims to solidify its position through continuous innovation. The company’s latest advancements highlight the push for more sophisticated AI systems capable of processing diverse forms of data, including text, images, and audio, as China intensifies its efforts to lead in AI.

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Chinese hedge funds boost AI for competitive edge

China’s hedge fund industry is undergoing a transformative shift, spurred by High-Flyer’s integration of AI in its trading strategies. The multi-billion-dollar fund not only uses AI to enhance its portfolio but also created DeepSeek, a game-changing LLM that has disrupted the dominance of Western AI firms like those in Silicon Valley.

The breakthrough has ignited an AI arms race among Chinese asset managers, including firms like Baiont Quant, Wizard Quant, and Mingshi Investment Management, as they rush to incorporate AI into their investment workflows.

AI-powered trading has gained momentum, with many hedge funds now using AI to process market data and generate trading signals based on investor risk profiles. As competition for “alpha” (outperformance) intensifies, the demand for AI talent is surging.

Companies like Wizard Quant and Mingshi are actively recruiting top AI engineers, and even mutual funds, such as China Merchants Fund, have adopted DeepSeek to boost their efficiency. The open-source model has democratised access to AI, lowering the entry barrier for smaller Chinese funds, which had previously been unable to compete with their Western counterparts due to high costs.

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China claims quantum supremacy with Zuchongzhi 3.0 chip

Chinese researchers have developed the Zuchongzhi 3.0, a quantum processor 1 quadrillion times faster than the world’s best supercomputers. The 105-qubit chip, created at the University of Science and Technology of China, achieved impressive results, completing a quantum task in mere seconds—1 million times faster than Google’s Sycamore chip.

A breakthrough like this marks a major step forward in quantum computing, especially with its enhancements in coherence time and quantum error correction. The processor’s transmon qubits, made from materials like tantalum and niobium, also show significant improvements in gate fidelity, leading to more accurate computations.

Despite these advancements, experts note that classical computing methods could still close the gap, as seen in past quantum supremacy claims.

Zuchongzhi 3.0’s exceptional performance paves the way for more practical quantum computing applications, promising a new era of solving complex real-world challenges. The progress made in quantum gate fidelity and reduced noise sensitivity places China’s quantum processing technology at the forefront of global developments.

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