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US Cyber Command proposes $5M AI Initiative for 2026 budget

US Cyber Command is seeking $5 million in its fiscal year 2026 budget to launch a new AI project to advance data integration and operational capabilities.

While the amount represents a small fraction of the command’s $1.3 billion research and development (R&D) portfolio, the effort reflects growing emphasis on incorporating AI into cyber operations.

The initiative follows congressional direction set in the fiscal year (FY) 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which tasked Cyber Command and the Department of Defense’s Chief Information Officer—working with the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer, DARPA, the NSA, and the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering—to produce a five-year guide and implementation plan for rapid AI adoption.

However, this roadmap, developed shortly after, identified priorities for deploying AI systems, applications, and supporting data processes across cyber forces.

Cyber Command formed an AI task force within its Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF) to operationalise these priorities. The newly proposed funding would support the task force’s efforts to establish core data standards, curate and tag operational data, and accelerate the integration of AI and machine learning solutions.

Known as Artificial Intelligence for Cyberspace Operations, the project will focus on piloting AI technologies using an agile 90-day cycle. This approach is designed to rapidly assess potential solutions against real-world use cases, enabling quick iteration in response to evolving cyber threats.

Budget documents indicate the CNMF plans to explore how AI can enhance threat detection, automate data analysis, and support decision-making processes. The command’s Cyber Immersion Laboratory will be essential in testing and evaluating these cyber capabilities, with external organisations conducting independent operational assessments.

The AI roadmap identifies five categories for applying AI across Cyber Command’s enterprise: vulnerabilities and exploits; network security, monitoring, and visualisation; modelling and predictive analytics; persona and identity management; and infrastructure and transport systems.

To fund this effort, Cyber Command plans to shift resources from its operations and maintenance account into its R&D budget as part of the transition from FY2025 to FY2026.

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Pakistan launches AI customs system to tackle tax evasion

Pakistan has launched its first AI-powered Customs Clearance and Risk Management System (RMS) to cut tax evasion, reduce corruption, and modernise port operations by automating inspections and declarations.

The initiative, part of broader digital reforms, is led by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) with support from the Intelligence Bureau.

By minimising human involvement in customs procedures, the system enables faster, fairer, and more transparent processing. It uses AI and automated bots to assess goods’ value and classification, improve risk profiling, and streamline green channel clearances.

Early trials showed a 92% boost in system performance and more than double the efficiency in identifying compliant cargo.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the collaboration between the FBR and IB, calling the initiative a key pillar of national economic reform. He urged full integration of the system into the country’s digital infrastructure and reaffirmed tax reform as a government priority.

The AI system is also expected to close loopholes in under-invoicing and misdeclaration, which have long been used to avoid duties.

Meanwhile, video analytics technology is trialled to detect factory tax fraud, with early tests showing 98% accuracy. In recent enforcement efforts, authorities recovered Rs178 billion, highlighting the potential of data-driven approaches in tackling fiscal losses.

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Wimbledon faces backlash over AI line judges after tech errors spark outrage

Wimbledon’s decision to fully replace human line judges with an AI-powered system has sparked growing discontent among players and fans.

Although designed for precision, the Hawk-Eye Live system has made questionable calls, been difficult to hear during matches, and even shut down unexpectedly, raising concerns about its reliability.

British players Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu both expressed frustration over key points lost due to what they believed were inaccurate calls. Sonay Kartal’s match was interrupted in a particularly disruptive incident when the AI system crashed mid-game, prompting organisers to apologise.

The All England Club defends the system as more impartial than human officials, but not everyone agrees. Over 300 line judges lost their jobs, and some staged protests outside the grounds.

With no way to challenge calls made by the machine, players say the system removes accountability and human judgement from the sport.

While Wimbledon continues to market the move as progress, critics argue that the tournament has sacrificed tradition and clarity for automation.

As other Grand Slams like the French Open retain human officials, questions remain over whether AI is improving the sport or changing it for the worse.

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Meta hires Apple’s top AI executive amid tech talent war

Apple has lost a key AI executive to Meta, dealing a fresh blow to the tech giant’s internal AI ambitions.

Ruoming Pang, who led Apple’s foundation models team, is joining Meta’s newly formed superintelligence group, according to people familiar with the matter.

Meta reportedly offered Pang a lucrative package worth tens of millions annually, continuing its aggressive hiring streak.

The company, led by Mark Zuckerberg, has already brought in several high-profile AI experts from Scale AI, OpenAI, Anthropic and elsewhere, with Zuckerberg personally involved in recruitment efforts.

Pang’s team at Apple had been responsible for the core language models behind Apple Intelligence and Siri.

However, internal dissatisfaction has been mounting as the company considered shifting to third-party models, including from OpenAI and Anthropic.

That shift, combined with recent leadership changes and reduced responsibilities for Apple’s AI chief John Giannandrea, has weakened morale across the team.

Following Pang’s exit, the team will now be managed by Zhifeng Chen under a new multi-tier structure.

Several engineers are also reportedly planning to leave, raising concerns about Apple’s ability to retain AI talent as Meta increases its investment and influence in the race for advanced AI development.

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Experts gather in Malta to address digital risks in insurance

Malta is leading in the insurance sector’s response to digital transformation and emerging global risks.

At the centre of this push was a high-level forum, Innovating Insurance: Malta’s Digital Shift and Emerging Risks, hosted by FinanceMalta and the University of Malta’s Department of Insurance and Risk Management.

The event gathered regulators, professionals, academics, and students from across Europe and beyond to examine the future of insurance.

Two panel sessions addressed how technological innovations are reshaping the insurance landscape, focusing on the role of AI, cyber threats, and climate-related risks.

Speakers praised AI’s ability to enhance fairness and transparency by processing large data sets, warning of the need to retain human oversight for accountability.

Cyber insurance was highlighted as a fast-growing necessity, though panellists underlined it should complement—not replace—strong internal risk management and resilience strategies.

Regulatory authorities welcomed a growing cultural shift towards more proactive risk governance, encouraging businesses to match their investment in digital tools with equal commitment to cybersecurity.

Discussions also explored new digital models’ legal and regulatory consequences, reaffirming Malta’s role as a serious contributor to global insurance dialogue.

The event formed part of an international course on insurance regulation, underlining Malta’s strong academic–industry–regulator collaboration.

Organisers and speakers expressed confidence that Malta, despite its size, is playing a meaningful part in shaping a resilient and future-oriented insurance ecosystem.

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Mental health support is evolving with AI

AI is beginning to play a growing role in the mental health space, offering personalised and consistent support for those experiencing stress, anxiety or depression.

Tools like Woebot use natural language processing to engage individuals in conversations based on evidence-based techniques, such as cognitive behavioural therapy.

These digital companions are not designed to replace therapists but to complement their work by providing timely interventions and ongoing monitoring.

One of the key benefits of AI mental health agents is their accessibility. They can offer round-the-clock support, especially in regions or communities with limited professional mental health services.

By helping users identify emotional patterns and offering practical coping strategies, AI agents may serve as a first step toward care or help bridge the gap between sessions.

Despite their potential, AI tools also raise important ethical questions. Ensuring user privacy, avoiding algorithmic bias, and maintaining emotional safety are essential for earning public trust.

Experts suggest that the future of AI in mental health lies in the thoughtful integration of AI with human-led care, guided by rigorous standards and ethical safeguards.

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Reliance set for $50 billion growth with AI and green energy

According to analysts at Morgan Stanley, Reliance Industries is set to grow its market value by $50 billion through large-scale investments in AI infrastructure and new energy. The conglomerate, led by Mukesh Ambani, is retooling its energy and digital units as part of a long-term transformation strategy.

Central to this growth is constructing a generative AI data centre in Jamnagar, India, which will feature 1GW of capacity powered by 1.3GW of green energy. Reliance plans to source this power from its rapidly scaling renewable ecosystem, including solar and green hydrogen.

The firm aims to integrate 10GW of solar capacity by 2026 and has launched lithium battery and green hydrogen projects on a 2,000-acre site in Gujarat. Nvidia’s Blackwell chips will power the upcoming data centres, signalling Reliance’s ambition to make India a hub for next-gen digital infrastructure.

Morgan Stanley estimates up to $60 billion in value creation from the clean energy vertical alone, as Reliance uses electricity to drive data centres, refineries, and chemical facilities. The strategy reflects a broader vision to replace traditional operations with AI-driven, sustainable systems at a global scale.

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Capgemini invests in AI-driven operations with WNS

Capgemini has announced it will acquire Indian IT firm WNS for $3.3 billion to accelerate its leadership in agentic AI. The acquisition will significantly enhance Capgemini’s business process services (BPS) by integrating advanced AI capabilities into core operations.

The boards of both companies have approved the deal, which offers WNS shareholders a 28% premium over the 90-day average share price. Completion is expected by the end of 2025, pending regulatory approvals.

The company sees strong potential in embedding AI into enterprise operations, with BPS becoming a key showcase. The integration will strengthen Capgemini’s US presence and unlock cross-selling opportunities across the combined client networks.

Both firms emphasised a shared vision of intelligent operations powered by agentic AI, aiming to help clients shift from automation to AI-driven autonomy. Capgemini’s existing partnerships with tech giants like Microsoft, Google and NVIDIA will support this vision.

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Podcast-based training helps improve AI dialogue

Researchers have developed PodGPT, a new AI model designed to enhance reasoning and dialogue skills by training on scientific podcasts. The project aims to integrate dynamic, conversational audio data into language models to boost their performance in STEMM subjects.

The team used over 3,700 hours of English-language STEMM podcast transcripts, alongside material from the New England Journal of Medicine. Transcripts were generated using Whisper large-v3 and fed into open-source AI models such as Gemma, Mixtral, and LLaMA.

PodGPT improves multilingual understanding and factual accuracy, particularly in answering science-based queries. It also performs better at retrieving evidence from long documents and engaging in human-like scientific dialogue.

The researchers suggest that podcast-based training provides more realistic language use and diverse reasoning patterns than traditional datasets. Their work demonstrates the value of spoken, expert-led content in preparing models for advanced scientific applications.

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East Meets West: Reimagining education in the age of AI

At the WSIS+20 High-Level Event in Geneva, the session ‘AI (and) education: Convergences between Chinese and European pedagogical practices’ brought together educators, students, and industry experts to examine how AI reshapes global education.

Led by Jovan Kurbalija of Diplo and Professor Hao Liu of Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), with industry insights from Deloitte’s Norman Sze, the discussion focused on the future of universities and the evolving role of professors amid rapid AI developments.

Drawing on philosophical traditions from Confucius to Plato, the session emphasised the need for a hybrid approach that preserves the human essence of learning while embracing technological transformation.

Professor Liu showcased BIT’s ‘intelligent education’ model, a human-centred system integrating time, space, knowledge, teachers, and students. Moving beyond rigid, exam-focused instruction, BIT promotes creativity and interdisciplinary learning, empowering students with flexible academic paths and digital tools.

Jovan Kurbalija at WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 — Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of Diplo

Meanwhile, Norman Sze highlighted how AI has accelerated industry workflows and called for educational alignment with real-world demands. He argued for reorienting learning around critical thinking, ethical literacy, and collaboration—skills that AI cannot replicate and remain central to personal and professional growth.

A key theme was whether teachers and universities remain relevant in an AI-driven future. Students from around the world contributed compelling reflections: AI may offer efficiency, but it cannot replace the emotional intelligence, mentorship, and meaning-making that only human educators provide.

As one student said, ‘I don’t care about ChatGPT—it’s not human.’ The group reached a consensus: professors must shift from ‘sages on the stage’ to ‘guides on the side,’ coaching students through complexity rather than merely transmitting knowledge.

The session closed on an optimistic note, asserting that while AI is a powerful catalyst for change, the heart of education lies in human connection, dialogue, and the ability to ask the right questions. Participants agreed that a truly forward-looking educational model will emerge not from choosing between East and West or human and machine, but from integrating the best of all to build a more inclusive and insightful future of learning.

Track all key events from the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 on our dedicated page.