Plans to accelerate technological leadership have been outlined by the HM Treasury and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with a £2.5 billion investment targeting AI and quantum computing.
Ambition has been reinforced by Rachel Reeves, who positioned AI as a central driver of economic growth, alongside closer European ties and regional development. Strategy aims to secure the fastest adoption of AI across the G7 while supporting domestic innovation ecosystems.
Significant funding in the UK will be directed towards a Sovereign AI initiative, quantum infrastructure and research capacity. Plans include procurement of large-scale quantum systems and targeted investment in startups, helping companies scale while strengthening national capabilities in advanced technologies.
Expectations surrounding quantum computing are framed as transformative, with potential to reshape industries from healthcare to energy. Combined investment reflects a broader effort to align innovation policy with long-term economic growth and global competitiveness.
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A major cyber incident has impacted Stryker Corporation, where attackers targeted its internal Microsoft environment and remotely wiped tens of thousands of employee devices without deploying traditional malware.
Access to systems was reportedly achieved through a compromised administrator account, allowing attackers to issue remote wipe commands via Microsoft Intune.
As a result, large parts of the company’s internal infrastructure were disrupted, with some services remaining offline and business operations affected.
Responsibility has been claimed by Handala, a group often associated with broader geopolitical cyber activity. The incident reflects a growing trend of cyber operations blending disruption, data theft and strategic messaging.
Despite the scale of the attack, the company confirmed that its medical devices and patient-facing technologies were not impacted.
The case highlights increasing risks linked to identity compromise and cloud-based management tools, where attackers can cause significant damage without relying on conventional malware techniques.
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Debate over potential updates to the GDPR is intensifying, as Marina Kaljurand advocates a focused ‘fitness check’ rather than sweeping legislative changes in an omnibus package.
Concerns raised in the European Parliament highlight risks associated with altering foundational elements of the regulation, particularly its definitions to personal data. Preserving these core principles is seen as essential to maintaining the integrity of the EU’s data protection framework.
Ongoing discussions reflect broader policy tensions within the EU, where efforts to reduce regulatory complexity must be balanced against the need to uphold strong privacy safeguards. Proposals for simplification are therefore facing scrutiny from lawmakers prioritising stability and legal clarity.
Future developments are likely to shape how the EU adapts its data protection rules to evolving digital markets, while ensuring that existing protections remain effective in a rapidly changing technological environment.
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Efforts to improve the security of Europe’s digital infrastructure have advanced as the European Commission opens a €180 million funding call to support backup systems for subsea internet cables.
Investment by the EU will focus on developing alternative routes and redundancy mechanisms, ensuring continuity of connectivity in the event of disruptions affecting critical undersea networks that carry global data traffic.
Growing concerns around infrastructure vulnerability have increased attention on subsea cables, which play a central role in international communications. Strengthening resilience is therefore becoming a priority within broader European strategies on technological sovereignty and security.
Planned projects are expected to enhance reliability across the region, reducing risks associated with outages or potential external threats to essential telecommunications infrastructure.
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The UK Government has announced up to £2 billion in funding for quantum technologies, including more than £1 billion over the next four years, confirmed by UKRI in December 2025, and a new procurement programme called ProQure designed to support the scaling of quantum computing across the UK.
The announcement is being billed as the country’s ‘Quantum Leap’, positioning the UK as a first mover in quantum commercialisation.
The funding is distributed across several areas: over £500 million for quantum computing to help companies scale and develop applications in pharmaceuticals, financial services, and energy; £125 million for quantum networking; and £205 million for quantum sensing and navigation, with dedicated applications in medical diagnostics, greenhouse gas monitoring, and ultra-secure communications.
A further £13.8 million will be injected into the UK’s five National Quantum Research Hubs, with an additional £90 million for quantum infrastructure and £20 million for skills and commercialisation programmes.
techUK welcomed the announcement, noting that the UK is already home to 11% of the world’s quantum startups and has attracted 12% of global quantum private equity investment.
The trade association highlighted the ProQure procurement programme as a step in the right direction, but cautioned that sustained, long-term private investment will be essential to support deep-tech companies through lengthy development cycles.
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A service disruption has affected users of Microsoft Exchange Online, and Microsoft has confirmed ongoing investigations into mailbox access issues affecting enterprise customers worldwide.
Reports indicate that Microsoft users encountered difficulties connecting via multiple access points, including the Microsoft Outlook desktop and mobile applications and browser-based email services. The issue affects specific connection methods rather than the entire platform.
Organisations relying on cloud-based communication tools experienced interruptions in email workflows, calendar scheduling, and shared mailbox functionality. Such disruptions can significantly disrupt operational continuity, particularly for businesses that depend on real-time communication systems.
Updates through Microsoft’s service health channels suggest that engineering teams are working to identify the root cause, though no definitive explanation has yet been provided.
Such incidents highlight broader concerns around resilience in cloud infrastructure, as enterprises increasingly depend on centralised platforms for critical communication services.
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Unlike its predecessors, 6G is being designed from the ground up with AI as a core feature rather than a performance add-on.
From user devices and base stations through to the network core, AI and machine learning will enable 6G networks to self-optimise, manage interference, predict user mobility, and make real-time decisions with minimal human intervention.
One of 6G’s most distinctive capabilities will be Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), which allows radio signals to simultaneously carry data and sense the surrounding environment, effectively turning the network into a vast, distributed sensor capable of detecting motion, tracking objects, and supporting applications such as predictive maintenance and autonomous vehicles.
AI plays a central role in interpreting this sensing data in real time, enabling split-second responses to real-world conditions.
Standardisation efforts are already underway, with 3GPP’s Release 20 exploring how AI and machine learning can optimise the air interface and improve tasks such as channel state information compression.
Commercial 6G deployment is expected in the early 2030s, by which point AI is projected to act as the brain and nervous system of key parts of the network, constantly learning, adapting, and optimising with little human oversight.
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South Korea’s three major telecommunications operators plan to deploy advanced network technologies during the BTS comeback concert scheduled for 21 March at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul. The initiative aims to bolster network management, prevent congestion, and ensure stable connectivity as large crowds gather in a confined space.
SK Telecom said it will introduce its proprietary AI-powered network management system, A-One, at the event. The technology can recommend optimal equipment placement, predict traffic demand, and monitor real-time network performance to maintain service stability.
To manage heavy data usage during the concert, the company will operate multiple network systems across the venue’s different zones. The setup is designed to allow attendees inside the square to upload photos and videos quickly while enabling viewers outside the venue to stream the concert without interruptions. Additional equipment will also be installed in areas expected to attract international visitors.
KT will deploy its AI-based autonomous traffic management system, W-SDN, which monitors network usage in real time and automatically adjusts traffic flows if congestion is detected. The company will activate an emergency network control mode during the event and deploy about 80 engineers and portable base stations on site.
LG Uplus will also apply its autonomous network management technology, which predicts traffic changes and distributes network loads across nearby base stations. The South Korea-based operator said the system will help ensure uninterrupted connectivity for concertgoers throughout the event.
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X has submitted a compliance proposal to the European Commission outlining how it intends to modify its blue check verification system following regulatory concerns under the Digital Services Act.
The EU regulators concluded that the platform’s system allowed users to obtain verification simply by paying for a subscription without meaningful identity checks, potentially misleading users about the authenticity of accounts.
The Commission imposed a €120 million fine in December and gave the company 60 working days to propose corrective measures. Officials confirmed that X met the deadline for submitting a plan, which regulators will now assess.
The platform, owned by Elon Musk, must also pay the penalty while the Commission evaluates the proposed changes. The company has challenged the enforcement decision before the EU’s General Court.
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In the EU, France is calling for planned European AI ‘gigafactories’ to focus on testing and scaling European technologies rather than primarily increasing demand for hardware from companies such as Nvidia.
The large computing facilities are intended to provide the infrastructure needed to train advanced AI systems. However, officials in France argue that the projects should strengthen Europe’s technological capabilities rather than reinforce reliance on foreign suppliers.
Several EU countries, including Poland, Austria and Lithuania, support using the infrastructure to improve Europe’s digital resilience.
The initiative forms part of the European Commission’s wider plans to expand computing capacity and support the development of a stronger European AI ecosystem.
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