Japan’s government will not impose any tax increases to finance its ambitious 10 trillion yen ($65 billion) plan aimed at bolstering the country’s semiconductor and AI sectors, Industry Minister Yoji Muto announced on Tuesday. The statement followed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s unveiling of the substantial aid package to strengthen Japan‘s technology industry.
Prime Minister Ishiba clarified that deficit-covering bonds would not be issued to fund the initiative. The government’s approach to supporting high-tech projects is intended to enhance Japan’s global competitiveness without burdening taxpayers or adding to the national debt.
The funding strategy underscores Japan’s commitment to advancing domestic technology sectors while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The measures reflect a broader effort to secure the nation’s position in critical technology fields, vital for economic growth and national security.
Ben Peters, known for his work in autonomous vehicles, is shifting gears with Cogna, a UK-based AI startup that just secured $15M in Series A funding led by Notion Capital. Hoxton Ventures and Chalfen Ventures also joined the round, which follows an earlier $4.75M seed investment. Cogna’s mission is to revolutionise enterprise resource planning (ERP) by using AI to develop custom software tailored to businesses’ specific workflows.
Cogna’s AI-driven platform claims to streamline the traditionally cumbersome and expensive ERP processes used for managing procurement, supply chains, finance, and more. Customers like Cadent Gas and Network Plus have already adopted Cogna’s solutions, which deliver bespoke software experiences through a seamless SaaS interface. Peters emphasises that the platform enables non-technical teams to articulate their needs in natural language, letting the AI handle the rest.
Leveraging tools from providers like OpenAI and Anthropic, UK based Cogna combines generative AI with specialised engineering to write code that meets unique enterprise requirements. This approach positions Cogna to compete with established IT consulting giants while carving a niche in the lucrative enterprise AI market. Peters, drawing on his expertise from FiveAI, is confident in his ability to adapt and innovate as Cogna scales its groundbreaking solutions.
The Vatican has introduced advanced AI-enabled services to offer virtual and enhanced access to St. Peter’s Basilica, one of the world’s most renowned Renaissance landmarks. Launched with Microsoft and heritage digitalisation firm Iconem, the new platform provides a 3D model of the basilica, developed with drones, cameras, and lasers that capture over 400,000 images. The model is now viewable through an interactive website. This innovation comes as the Catholic Church gears up for its 2025 Jubilee celebrations, expected to draw even more visitors to Rome.
With around 40,000-50,000 people visiting St. Peter’s daily, these new digital tools will allow users worldwide to virtually explore its artistic and architectural marvels. Cardinal Mauro Gambetti likened the basilica to a “starry sky,” hoping the tools would bring an “enchanting” experience to global audiences. The digital replica is also intended to aid the basilica’s future preservation and restoration.
Pope Francis expressed support for the project, highlighting the importance of ethical AI use. He noted that while AI can expand access to cultural knowledge, its application should always aim to benefit humanity.
Baidu Inc. has launched several new AI-driven tools, including a text-to-image generator and a no-code app builder, aiming to make advanced technology more accessible. The unveiling took place at the Baidu World Conference, where CEO Robin Li presented innovations that showcase the company’s commitment to commercialising large language model (LLM) applications.
Among the new offerings is I-RAG, a text-to-image generator designed to prevent errors known as hallucinations—images deviating from input text or containing unreal elements. According to Li, the company’s Ernie platform now handles 1.5 billion interactions daily, a remarkable leap from 200 million requests just months ago. This platform supports tasks like text generation, question-answering, and other AI-assisted functions.
In its push for user-friendly AI, Baidu has introduced Miaoda, a no-code tool that leverages LLM capabilities to enable software creation without coding expertise. The company has also integrated these tools into its cloud services, providing AI-powered solutions across its product range for broader commercialisation.
Baidu’s expansion includes new hardware, with the debut of Xiaodu AI glasses, equipped with cameras and voice-interaction capabilities powered by the Ernie platform. Rather than building a single ‘super app’, Baidu is diversifying its approach, distinguishing itself from rivals by focusing on a more versatile AI product lineup.
Cloud monitoring firm Datadog raised its annual revenue and profit forecasts on Thursday, driven by increasing demand for its AI-backed cybersecurity products. The New York-based company now expects full-year revenue of about $2.66 billion, up from its previous projection of $2.62 to $2.63 billion, with analysts having anticipated $2.63 billion. Datadog also raised its adjusted profit forecast to between $1.75 and $1.77 per share, surpassing earlier estimates of $1.62 to $1.66.
The company’s performance has been bolstered by the growing adoption of AI applications by its customers, who are increasingly deploying these tools in live production environments. As AI apps run in the cloud, Datadog stands to benefit from the ongoing migration to cloud services, which drives demand for its monitoring software. For the quarter ending September 30, Datadog reported revenue of $690 million, beating the expected $664.3 million, and posted an adjusted profit of 46 cents per share, exceeding analysts’ predictions of 40 cents.
Despite the strong results and optimistic growth outlook, Datadog’s stock saw some volatility, rising 4.1% before later paring its gains as investors reacted to high expectations for the company’s performance.
French AI startup LightOn launched an initial public offering (IPO) on the Euronext Growth market in Paris, with its debut trading expected later this month. The company, known for its large language model (LLM) software used by businesses and the French government, will be Europe’s first publicly listed generative AI startup, a significant milestone as France aims to position itself as a leader in AI within Europe.
LightOn’s co-CEOs Igor Carron and Laurent Daudet emphasised that the IPO provides a ‘unique opportunity’ for investors to support a growing French tech company with a track record of success both in France and internationally. Shares are priced at 10.35 euros, valuing the company at around 50 million euros, and LightOn aims to raise roughly 10.4 million euros through the capital increase. The subscription period will run until November 20, with shares expected to trade beginning 26 November.
This move aligns with France’s broader push to close the innovation gap with the US and the UK, with ambitions for 100 tech ‘unicorns’ by 2030. LightOn’s listing could signal an opening for more European AI firms to seek public funding, offering investors access to an evolving tech market in the region.
Amazon is reportedly in advanced talks for a second multi-billion dollar investment in the AI startup Anthropic, building on its previous $4 billion commitment made in 2023. This new investment would not only bolster Amazon’s growing ties with Anthropic but also help enhance its strategic position in the highly competitive AI sector. Anthropic, which is using Amazon Web Services (AWS) to power its AI model training, has become a key player in the AI race.
In addition to providing financial backing, Amazon has reportedly asked Anthropic to utilise its servers, which are powered by Amazon’s custom-designed chips. However, sources note that Anthropic has a preference for using Nvidia-designed chips, which are widely recognised as the industry standard for AI processing. This dynamic highlights the ongoing competition between Amazon and Nvidia in the AI hardware space, as both tech giants vie for dominance in the rapidly expanding market.
Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI executives Dario and Daniela Amodei, has attracted significant interest from other major players in the tech industry. The startup secured a $500 million investment from Google’s parent company, Alphabet, last year, with Alphabet pledging an additional $1.5 billion over time. Despite these investments, both Amazon and Anthropic have declined to comment on the specifics of the latest talks regarding the new investment, underscoring the confidential nature of these high-stakes negotiations.
A woman from Littlehampton, West Sussex, is ‘deeply grateful’ to AI for detecting her breast cancer, which had previously gone unnoticed despite a routine mammogram showing no signs of the disease. Sheila Tooth, 68, had her mammogram at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, where AI is being used to enhance breast cancer screenings and identify cancers that human reviewers might miss.
Sheila’s cancerous cells were nearly undetectable by traditional methods, and she believes AI’s detection helped catch it at an early, treatable stage. ‘I just feel so lucky,’ she said, reflecting on how AI detected the cancer that could have become invasive if left unnoticed. The technology is part of a larger project involving 15 trusts across the UK, which reviewed over 12,000 mammograms to identify missed cases. AI flagged nearly 10% of these as potentially needing a second look, leading to further investigations for some women and five confirmed breast cancer diagnoses.
Dr Olga Strukowska, a consultant radiologist, called AI screening ‘exciting’ because it enhances the accuracy of breast cancer detection, reduces missed diagnoses, and lowers false positives. AI’s role in early and precise cancer detection could greatly improve outcomes for patients, according to Dr Strukowska. With about 650 women diagnosed with breast cancer annually in Sussex, the trust now plans to participate in a national trial to further integrate AI into routine breast screenings.
GEA Digital and EIT Digital Champions are collaborating to boost AI-driven innovation in the European defence sector through the prestigious EIT Digital Champions competition. As the sponsor of this 12th edition, GEA Digital is focused on advancing AI solutions for defence applications, particularly in areas like electronic warfare, real-time threat detection, autonomous drone identification, edge computing, and communication disruption.
The partnership offers European scaleups a unique platform to showcase their cutting-edge technologies, addressing the growing need for scalable and efficient defence capabilities. Through this competition, GEA Digital also aims to bridge the gap between startups and defence organisations, encouraging the defence sector to adopt a more open approach to innovation.
In January 2025, the finalists will pitch their solutions to an international panel of investors, with winners receiving tailored support from EIT Digital’s Growth Services program, exclusive access to Italian defence clients, and mentoring from GEA Digital’s experts. GEA Digital’s sponsorship reflects its commitment to modernising Italy’s defence industry at a crucial time.
With rising demands for advanced technology and a shrinking workforce, GEA Digital aims to promote collaboration between the defence sector and high-tech industries. This partnership supports Italy’s defence organisations in adopting innovative technologies, helping them stay competitive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
OpenAI has acquired Chat.com, adding another high-profile domain to its portfolio. Starting today, the website redirects directly to ChatGPT, the company’s popular AI chatbot, marking a significant move in expanding OpenAI’s online footprint. Though OpenAI has yet to reveal the acquisition price, reports indicate the domain previously sold for $15.5M when bought by HubSpot co-founder Dharmesh Shah, making it one of the largest known domain sales.
Last year, Shah sold Chat.com to an undisclosed buyer, which he recently confirmed on social media to be OpenAI. The sale may have included OpenAI shares as part of the deal, but no further details have been shared. While Chat.com now directs users to ChatGPT, it does not represent a rebranding. The domain acquisition aligns with OpenAI’s ongoing strategy of increasing accessibility to its AI offerings by securing memorable, high-value digital properties.
