Telecommunications infrastructure

Europe boosts defence with Leonardo’s Michelangelo Dome

Italian defence company Leonardo has revealed plans for the ‘Michelangelo Dome’, an AI-powered shield designed to protect cities and critical infrastructure from missile attacks and drone swarms. The system will integrate multiple defence platforms and is expected to be fully operational by the end of the decade.

The project follows a surge in European defence spending amid geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over US support.

Leonardo’s CEO, Roberto Cingolani, highlighted the system’s open architecture, allowing compatibility with other nations’ defence networks and emphasising the need for innovation and international cooperation.

European defence companies are increasingly investing in integrated command systems rather than standalone hardware.

Private investors are also backing startups developing autonomous and AI-driven defence technologies, creating competition for traditional primes such as Leonardo, BAE Systems, Rheinmetall, and Thales.

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ByteDance launches AI voice assistant for phones

ByteDance unveiled a new AI voice assistant that will debut on ZTE’s Nubia M153 smartphone. The tool uses the Doubao large language model to handle spoken tasks such as content searches and ticket bookings.

ZTE’s shares jumped after the announcement, helped by strong interest in the device and recent 5G contract wins in Vietnam. The prototype handset is priced at 3,499 yuan and can be pre-ordered in limited quantities.

ByteDance confirmed discussions with multiple manufacturers to integrate the assistant into future smartphones. The firm stated it has no intention of developing its own hardware.

The assistant enters a competitive market led by Huawei and Xiaomi, while Apple has yet to introduce Apple Intelligence in China. Doubao remains China’s most popular consumer AI app, with 159 million monthly active users.

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EU members raise concerns over the Digital Networks Act

Six EU member states urged the Union to reconsider the direction of the Digital Networks Act by asking for greater room for national decision-making.

Their joint position emphasised the wish to retain authority over frequency management and questioned proposals that could expand telecom rules into the digital services sector.

An intervention that followed previous debates at the ministerial level, where governments signalled reluctance to introduce new interconnection measures and stressed the need to consider the specific roles of different actors across the value chain instead of applying a single regulatory model to all.

Consumer groups and business organisations voiced further doubts as plans for network fees resurfaced in recent discussions. They argued that earlier consultations had already shown major risks for competition, innovation, and net neutrality, making renewed consideration unnecessary.

The US–EU trade agreement added another layer by including a clause that commits the EU to avoid such fees, leaving open how the Commission will balance domestic expectations with international obligations.

The Digital Networks Act faced an additional setback when the EU’s Regulatory Scrutiny Board delivered a negative opinion about its preparedness. That view disrupted earlier hopes of releasing a draft before the end of the year.

Even so, the Commission is expected to present an updated proposal in January 2026, setting the stage for one of the most difficult legislative debates of the coming year.

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EU-South Korea digital partnership enhances collaboration

The European Union and the Republic of Korea strengthened their digital partnership during the third Digital Partnership Council meeting in Seoul, where both sides emphasised the value of deeper cooperation in advanced technologies.

The discussions focused on how joint research on semiconductors, 6G, AI and quantum technologies can support competitiveness and provide broader economic benefits.

Both sides agreed to continue collaborative work on semiconductor research to advance more efficient chips suitable for AI and automated mobility. Quantum research under Horizon Europe is set to expand through shared expertise and long-term cooperation.

Regulatory alignment on AI will progress through dialogue on conformity assessment results linked to the EU AI Act, supported by joint work on innovation, standardisation and safety evaluation.

Information exchange on emerging data spaces is also expected to grow, with both partners assessing whether a dedicated working group could enhance interoperability.

Cyber cooperation remains a priority, covering threat information sharing, software supply chain security and the safety of connected devices, combined with efforts to strengthen skills and explore new research.

Engagement in international standardisation bodies such as the International Telecommunications Union will continue to support broader global alignment. The two partners plan to meet again in Brussels in 2026 to assess progress.

The partnership reflects broader EU objectives in the Indo-Pacific and supports the goals of the International Digital Strategy.

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Estonia invests in Germany to strengthen European tech independence

During an official visit to Germany, Prime Minister Kristen Michal joined Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer to open a new Skeleton Technologies factory near Leipzig, underlining Estonia’s long-term commitment to European technological development.

An investment of 220 million euros that marks the most significant industrial commitment an Estonian company has made in Germany and reflects a shift towards mutual economic engagement.

The factory produces supercapacitors that aim to reduce energy consumption in AI data centres while enhancing the reliability of the power grid.

Michal noted that the relationship between the two countries has entered a new phase, as Estonia is now investing in Germany, rather than only receiving investment. He pointed to Germany’s industrial capacity and Estonia’s digital expertise as complementary strengths.

The project benefited from financial and strategic support through programmes such as EUBatIn, while partnerships with Siemens and Marubeni strengthened the technological foundation of the initiative.

Cooperation between Estonia and Saxony already extends across innovation, microelectronics and digital public services.

Several Estonian technology firms operate in the region, while universities in both countries maintain active collaboration in engineering, IT and business administration. These links continue to grow and support talent, research and industrial development.

The new factory is presented as a practical step towards European technological resilience, as the components used in the supercapacitors are sourced from European suppliers.

Estonian officials argue that Europe must develop and produce key technologies instead of relying on external suppliers. The opening of the plant is seen as the beginning of broader cooperation in IT, green technology, defence and advanced manufacturing.

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Salesforce expands investment in Greece with Greek AgentForce

The presence in Greece is expanding as Salesforce increases its investment and introduces AgentForce in the Greek language.

Salesforce works with major Greek groups such as Motor Oil and OPAP and plans to enter more sectors, including banking and insurance. Senior executives view Greece as a market with strong potential for broader adoption of AI tools.

Executives at the company highlighted growing interest among Greek firms that are already testing or deploying AI agents to support customer services and internal operations.

Robin Fisher, Senior Vice President for the EMEA Growth Markets, noted that the organisation has doubled the number of staff supporting the Greek market over the past two years and intends to continue increasing its investment every three years or sooner.

He also pointed to the presence of Energy Cloud in Greek enterprises and the rapid development of new AI agents for local clients.

The introduction of AgentForce in the Greek language is expected to help companies manage processes more efficiently and support a more profound digital transformation. The initial release covers AgentForce Service and Employee Agent, with broader availability planned for the future.

AgentForce Service operates as a constantly available customer service platform that can be adapted to any sector, offering faster issue resolution and more personalised assistance based on real-time data.

Its design enables full cooperation between employees and AI agents, providing a more effective service model.

Employee Agent functions as a proactive digital assistant that supports staff with daily tasks inside familiar environments, such as Slack or mobile devices. It can manage meetings, assist with onboarding, access internal knowledge and prepare summaries before client discussions.

Salesforce emphasises that the broader rollout of Greek language support will help organisations improve productivity and achieve greater efficiency by combining human expertise with automated capabilities.

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New digital strategy positions Uzbekistan as emerging AI hub

Uzbekistan has outlined an extensive plan to accelerate digital development by introducing new measures at major AI forums in Tashkent.

The leadership detailed a national effort to strengthen the domestic AI ecosystem, supported by a supercomputer cluster built with Nvidia and a National Transfer Office established in Silicon Valley.

AI-focused curricula will be introduced across regional Future Centres to broaden access to advanced training.

A strong emphasis has been placed on nurturing young talent. An annual interschool competition will identify promising AI startup ideas. At the same time, a presidential contest will select one hundred young participants each year for internships in leading technology companies in the US, the UAE and Europe.

November will be marked as ‘AI month for youth’, and the Silk Road AI Forum will become a recurring event.

A central part of the strategy is the ‘five million AI leaders’ project, which aims to train millions of students, along with teachers and public servants, by 2030. The programme will integrate AI education across schools, vocational institutions and universities instead of limiting it to specialist groups.

The government highlighted the country’s growing appeal for technology investment. Nearly two billion dollars have already been secured for AI and digital projects, IT service exports have risen sharply, and startup activity has expanded significantly.

Work has begun on a central green data centre, developed in collaboration with a Saudi partner, as Uzbekistan seeks to strengthen its position in regional digital innovation.

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Huawei and ZTE expand 5G foothold in Vietnam amid US concern

Vietnam has moved to expand its use of Chinese 5G technology, awarding Huawei and ZTE a series of new contracts. Under recent deals, the two companies will supply advanced 5G radio equipment to strengthen network coverage, while European vendors remain responsible for core systems.

Vietnam, which borders China, Laos, and Cambodia, previously echoed allies’ warnings that Chinese-made 5G gear posed an unacceptable security risk. Recent tariff frictions with the United States and shifting economic priorities have since pushed officials to reconsider that stance.

According to local reports, Huawei and ZTE have together secured contracts worth about 43 million dollars for non-core 5G equipment. Ericsson and Nokia are expected to continue supplying the 5G core, with Chinese vendors focused on antennas and related infrastructure at the network edge.

In April, a consortium including Huawei won a 23 million dollar deal to provide 5G gear, shortly after new US tariffs on Vietnamese exports came into force. Analysts say those measures have strained ties between Hanoi and Washington while nudging Vietnam to deepen economic and technological links with Beijing.

Vietnamese supply chain specialist Nguyen Hung says Hanoi is prioritising its own strategic interests, seeing closer ties with Chinese vendors as a route to deeper regional integration. US officials warn the deals could damage network trust and limit access to advanced American technology.

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South Korea accelerates AI adoption as NVIDIA strengthens national ecosystem

NVIDIA AI Day Seoul drew more than 1,000 visitors who gathered to explore sovereign AI and the rapid progress shaping South Korea’s digital landscape.

Attendees joined workshops, technical sessions and startup showcases designed to highlight the country’s expanding ecosystem instead of focusing only on theoretical advances.

Five finalists from the Inception Grand Challenge also presented their work, reflecting the growing strength of South Korea’s startup community.

Speakers outlined how AI now supports robotics, industrial production, entertainment and public administration.

Conglomerates from South Korea, such as Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and NAVER Cloud, have intensified their investment in AI, while government agencies rely on accelerated computing to process documents and policy information at scale.

South Korea’s ecosystem continues to expand with hundreds of Inception startups, sovereign LLM initiatives and major supercomputing deployments.

Developers engaged directly with NVIDIA engineers through workshops and a Q&A area covering AI infrastructure, LLMs, robotics and automotive technologies. Plenary sessions examined agentic AI, reasoning models and the evolution of AI factories.

Partners presented advances in training efficiency, agentic systems and large-scale AI infrastructure built with NVIDIA’s platforms instead of legacy hardware.

South Korea’s next phase of development will be supported by access to 260,000 GPUs announced during the APEC Summit. Officials expect the infrastructure to accelerate startup growth, stimulate national AI priorities and attract new collaboration across research and industry.

The Seoul event marks another step in the country’s effort to reinforce its digital foundation while expanding its role in global AI innovation.

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Australia moves to curb nudify tools after eSafety action

A major provider of three widely used nudify services has cut off Australian access after enforcement action from eSafety.

The company received an official warning in September for allowing its tools to be used to produce AI-generated material that harmed children.

A withdrawal that follows concerns about incidents involving school students and repeated reminders that online services must meet Australia’s mandatory safety standards.

eSafety stated that Australia’s codes and standards are encouraging companies to adopt stronger safeguards.

The Commissioner noted that preventing the misuse of consumer tools remains central to reducing the risk of harm and that more precise boundaries can lower the likelihood of abuse affecting young people.

Attention has also turned to underlying models and the hosting platforms that distribute them.

Hugging Face has updated its terms to require users to take steps to mitigate the risks associated with uploaded models, including preventing misuse for generating harmful content. The company is required to act when reports or internal checks reveal breaches of its policies.

eSafety indicated that failure to comply with industry codes or standards can lead to enforcement measures, including significant financial penalties.

The agency is working with the government on further reforms intended to restrict access to nudify tools and strengthen protections across the technology stack.

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