ai

Oxford secures £118 million for AI-enhanced vaccine research programme

In partnership with the Ellison Institute of Technology, Oxford University has received a £118 million grant to launch CoI-AI, Correlates of Immunity-AI, a five-year vaccine research programme.

Led by Professors Sir Andrew Pollard and Daniela Ferreira, the initiative will combine human challenge trials with AI analysis to explore how the immune system responds to antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli.

AI models developed at EIT will process vast human-derived datasets, including blood and tissue samples, to identify protective immune responses, profoundly accelerating vaccine discovery and design. CoI-AI pioneers a collaboration of biomedical science and advanced AI within a high-risk, precision-driven framework.

Orange funding will also support the creation of Oxford–EIT research infrastructure, including a new £1 billion campus opening in 2027, embedding AI-driven innovation into cutting-edge medical research.

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Gemini upgrade for Google Home coming soon

An upcoming upgrade for Google Home devices is set to bring a new AI assistant, Gemini, to the smart home ecosystem. A recent post by the Made by Google account on X revealed that more details will be announced on 1 October.

The move follows months of user complaints about Google Home’s performance, including issues with connectivity and the assistant’s failure to recognise basic commands.

With Gemini’s superior ability to understand natural language, the upgrade is expected to improve how users interact with their smart devices significantly. Home devices should better execute complex commands with multiple actions, such as dimming some lights while leaving others on.

However, the update will also introduce ‘Gemini Live’ to compatible devices, a feature allowing for natural, back-and-forth conversations with the AI chatbot.

The Gemini for Google Home upgrade will initially be rolled out on an early access basis. It will be available in free and paid tiers, suggesting that some more advanced features may be locked behind a subscription.

The update is anticipated to make Google Home and Nest devices more reliable and to handle complex requests easily.

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Salesforce cuts 4,000 support jobs as AI handles half of customer queries

Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has confirmed that the company cut 4,000 customer support positions in 2025 after deploying its Agentforce AI agents. Support staff numbers fell from 9,000 to roughly 5,000.

Agentforce AI now conducts approximately 50 percent of customer interactions and has helped Salesforce reconnect with over 100 million previously neglected sales leads. The move enabled rebalancing of headcount and increased capacity for sales operations.

This development follows earlier claims that AI would augment rather than replace human roles. The company emphasises that AI handles standard cases while humans oversee complex or ambiguous ones, likening the interaction to a ‘self-driving’ model where the human steps in when needed.

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OpenAI eyes India for large-scale AI infrastructure

According to Bloomberg, OpenAI is weighing partnerships in India to build a data centre of at least 1 gigawatt capacity as part of its Stargate project. Such a facility would represent one of Asia’s most significant AI infrastructure investments.

The company recently registered as a legal entity in India and is recruiting a local team. It also announced plans in August to open its first office in New Delhi later this year, highlighting the importance of India’s second-largest market by user base.

The prospective data centre is linked to Stargate, a private-sector AI investment programme valued at up to $500 billion and backed by SoftBank, OpenAI and Oracle. The project was first introduced in January by US President Donald Trump.

Details on the timing and location of the Indian facility remain unclear. Reports suggest that OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman could provide further information during a visit to India in September.

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Human behaviour remains weak link in cyber defence

Cyber security specialists warn that human behaviour remains the most significant vulnerability in digital defence, despite billions invested in AI and advanced systems.

Experts note that in the Gulf, many cybersecurity breaches in 2025 still originate from human error, often triggered by social engineering attacks. Phishing emails, false directives from executives, or urgent invoice requests exploit psychological triggers such as authority, fear and habit.

Analysts argue that building resilience requires shifting workplace culture. Security must be seen not just as the responsibility of IT teams but embedded in everyday decision-making. Staff should feel empowered to question, report and learn without fear of reprimand.

AI-driven threats, from identity-based breaches to ransomware campaigns, are growing more complex across the region. Organisations are urged to focus on digital trust, investing in awareness programmes and user-centred protocols so employees become defenders rather than liabilities.

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Kazakhstan supports China’s global AI cooperation plan

Kazakhstan has announced its support for China’s proposal to establish a Global Organisation for Cooperation in AI, highlighting its ambition to strengthen digital ties with Beijing.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev voiced his backing during the Kazakh-Chinese Business Council meeting in Beijing, following his participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin.

Tokayev stressed that joint efforts in AI were vital as experts predict the global market could reach $5 trillion by 2033, accounting for nearly one-third of the technology sector. He praised China’s digital achievements and urged bilateral collaboration in emerging technologies.

Kazakhstan has taken notable steps to position itself as a regional digital hub, launching Central Asia’s first supercomputer and the AlemAI International Centre for AI earlier this year.

Tokayev added that partnerships with Chinese firms, including a major construction agreement, would accelerate the development of Alatau City as a separate innovation ecosystem.

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Rapid Fusion unveils AI assistant for 3D printing

Exeter technology firm Rapid Fusion has introduced an AI-powered print assistant to enhance its robotic additive manufacturing systems. Known as Bob, the system has been in development for eight months and is now being rolled out to clients.

The AI aims to simplify machine operation, provide greater control and reduce downtime through predictive maintenance.

It is compatible with the company’s Apollo, Zeus and Medusa models, including the first UK large-format hybrid 3D gantry printer.

Rapid Fusion’s chief technology officer, Martin Jewell, said the system represents a breakthrough in making complex 3D printing more accessible. A standard version will be released in early 2026, while select partners and universities will act as super users to refine future updates.

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UK institutions embrace enterprise AI through global tech alliance

Microsoft, Accenture, and Avanade are deepening their 25-year partnership to bring AI into some of the UK’s most vital sectors, including healthcare and finance. NHS England is piloting AI-powered tools to streamline patient services and cut down on time-consuming administrative tasks, while Nationwide Building Society is deploying machine learning to improve customer services, speed up mortgage approvals, and enhance fraud detection.

The three companies have different responsibilities in tackling the challenges of enterprise AI. Microsoft provides the Azure cloud platform and pre-built AI models, Accenture contributes sector-specific expertise and governance frameworks, and Avanade integrates the technology into existing systems and workflows. That structure helps organisations move beyond experimental AI pilots and scale solutions reliably in highly regulated industries.

Unlike consumer applications, enterprise AI must meet strict compliance requirements, especially concerning sensitive patient data or financial transactions. The partnership emphasises embedding AI directly into day-to-day operations rather than treating it as an add-on, reducing disruption for staff and ensuring systems work seamlessly once live.

With regulators tightening oversight, the alliance highlights responsible AI as a key focus. By prioritising transparency, security, and ethical use, Microsoft, Accenture, and Avanade are positioning their collaboration as a blueprint for how AI can be adopted across critical institutions without compromising trust or reliability.

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AI boom drives massive surge in data centre power demand

According to Goldman Sachs, the surge in AI is set to transform global energy markets, with data centres expected to consume 165% more electricity by 2030 compared to 2023. The bank reports that US spending on data centre construction has tripled in just three years, while occupancy rates at existing facilities remain close to record highs.

The demand is driven by hyperscale operators like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, which are rapidly expanding their infrastructure to meet the power-hungry needs of AI systems.

Global data centres use about 55 gigawatts of electricity, more than half of which supports cloud computing. Traditional workloads like email and storage still account for a third, while AI represents just 14%.

However, Goldman Sachs projects that by 2027, overall consumption could rise to 84 gigawatts, with AI’s share growing to over a quarter. That shift is straining grids and pushing operators toward new solutions as AI servers can consume ten times more electricity than traditional racks.

Meeting this demand will require massive investment. Goldman Sachs estimates that global grid upgrades could cost as much as US$720 billion by 2030, with US utilities alone needing an additional US$50 billion in new generation capacity for data centres.

While renewables like wind and solar are increasingly cost-competitive, their intermittent output means operators lean on hybrid models with backup gas and battery storage. At the same time, technology companies are reviving interest in nuclear power, with contracts for over 10 gigawatts of new capacity signed in the US last year.

The expansion is most evident in Europe and North America, with Nordic countries, Spain, and France attracting investment due to their renewable energy resources. At the same time, hubs like Germany, Britain, and Ireland rely on incentives and established ecosystems. Yet, uncertainty remains.

Advances like DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model reportedly as capable as US systems but more efficient, could temper power demand growth. For now, however, the trajectory is clear, AI is reshaping the data centre industry and the global energy landscape.

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AI-generated media must now carry labels in China

China has introduced a sweeping new law that requires all AI-generated content online to carry labels. The measure, which came into effect on 1 September, aims to tackle misinformation, fraud and copyright infringement by ensuring greater transparency in digital media.

The law, first announced in March by the Cyberspace Administration of China, mandates that all AI-created text, images, video and audio must carry explicit and implicit markings.

These include visible labels and embedded metadata such as watermarks in files. Authorities argue that the rules will help safeguard users while reinforcing Beijing’s tightening grip over online spaces.

Major platforms such as WeChat, Douyin, Weibo and RedNote moved quickly to comply, rolling out new features and notifications for their users. The regulations also form part of the Qinglang campaign, a broader effort by Chinese authorities to clean up online activity with a strong focus on AI oversight.

While Google and other US companies are experimenting with content authentication tools, China has enacted legally binding rules nationwide.

Observers suggest that other governments may soon follow, as global concern about the risks of unlabelled AI-generated material grows.

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