The United Arab Emirates has joined Pax Silica, a US-led alliance focused on AI and semiconductor supply chains. The move places Abu Dhabi among Washington’s trusted technology partners.
The pact aims to secure access to chips, computing power, energy and critical minerals. The US Department of State says technology supply chains are now treated as strategic assets.
UAE officials view the alliance as supporting economic diversification and AI leadership ambitions. Membership strengthens access to advanced semiconductors and large-scale data centre infrastructure.
Pax Silica reflects a broader shift in global tech diplomacy towards allied supply networks. Analysts say participation could shape future investment in AI infrastructure and manufacturing.
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Children and young adults across South Asia are increasingly turning to AI tools for emotional reassurance, schoolwork and everyday advice, even while acknowledging their shortcomings.
Easy access to smartphones, cheap data and social pressures have made chatbots a constant presence, often filling gaps left by limited human interaction.
Researchers and child safety experts warn that growing reliance on AI risks weakening critical thinking, reducing social trust and exposing young users to privacy and bias-related harms.
Studies show that many children understand AI can mislead or oversimplify, yet receive little guidance at school or home on how to question outputs or assess risks.
Rather than banning AI outright, experts argue for child-centred regulation, stronger safeguards and digital literacy that involves parents, educators and communities.
Without broader social support systems and clear accountability from technology companies, AI risks becoming a substitute for human connection instead of a tool that genuinely supports learning and wellbeing.
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Elon Musk’s X has limited the image editing functions of its Grok AI tool after criticism over the creation of sexualised images of real people.
The platform said technological safeguards have been introduced to block such content in regions where it is illegal, following growing concern from governments and regulators.
UK officials described the move as a positive step, although regulatory scrutiny remains ongoing.
Authorities are examining whether X complied with existing laws, while similar investigations have been launched in the US amid broader concerns over the misuse of AI-generated imagery.
International pressure has continued to build, with some countries banning Grok entirely instead of waiting for platform-led restrictions.
Policy experts have welcomed stronger controls but questioned how effectively X can identify real individuals and enforce its updated rules across different jurisdictions.
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At General Wolfe School and other Winnipeg classrooms, students are using AI tools to help with tasks such as translating language and understanding complex terms, with teachers guiding them on how to verify AI-generated information against reliable sources.
Teachers are cautious but optimistic, developing a thinking framework that prioritises critical thinking and human judgement alongside AI use rather than rigid policies as the technology evolves.
Educators in the Winnipeg School Division are adapting teaching methods to incorporate AI while discouraging over-reliance, stressing that students should use AI as an aid rather than a substitute for learning.
This reflects broader discussions in education about how to balance innovation with foundational skills as AI becomes more commonplace in school environments.
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A senior PwC expert has outlined how AI can play a pivotal role in speeding up the transition to clean energy, particularly by improving forecasting, enhancing operational efficiency and enabling smarter planning of renewable systems.
According to the specialist, AI tools can analyse complex data from wind, solar and grid systems to predict output and optimise maintenance, helping utilities and policymakers make better decisions in real time.
AI also supports decarbonisation by modelling scenarios for energy demand and emissions, allowing energy planners to prioritise investments in technologies that deliver the most impact.
The expert emphasised that data integration and digital infrastructure are essential to unlock these benefits at scale, and cautioned that firms must pair AI’s technical capabilities with strong governance and clear regulatory frameworks.
PwC’s perspective reflects a broader industry belief that AI will be integral to managing increasingly complex energy systems, especially as countries pursue net-zero targets and integrate variable renewables into their grids.
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Researchers at the University of Wolverhampton in the UK are launching a Digital Futures Lab, focusing on virtual reality and AI in the humanities. The hub opens on 7 February.
The facility will support collaboration between academics, students, businesses and cultural organisations. Launch events will showcase practical uses of VR, AI and digital language tools across research and culture.
Speakers will discuss chatbots, algorithms and data analysis shaping modern arts and humanities research. The project builds on the university’s wider investment in cyber resilience and AI.
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The tech giant, IBM, has announced IBM Sovereign Core, a new software offering designed to help organisations deploy and manage AI-ready environments under sovereign control.
The product addresses growing regulatory and governance requirements as enterprises and governments seek greater authority over data, infrastructure and AI operations.
Digital sovereignty, according to IBM, extends beyond where data is stored and includes who controls systems, how access is governed and under which jurisdiction AI workloads operate.
IBM Sovereign Core is positioned as a foundational software layer that embeds sovereignty into operations instead of applying controls after deployment.
Built on Red Hat’s open-source technologies, the software enables customer-operated control planes, in-jurisdiction identity management and continuous compliance reporting. AI workloads, including inference and model hosting, can be governed locally without exporting data to external providers.
IBM plans to offer the software across on-premises environments, in-region cloud infrastructure and through selected service providers.
A technology preview is expected to begin in February, with full general availability planned for mid-2026.
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Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that foams, long assumed to behave like static glass, remain in constant internal motion while preserving their outward form.
Computer simulations revealed that bubbles in wet foams continue shifting through many configurations instead of settling into fixed positions.
Researchers observed that this behaviour closely mirrors the mathematics behind deep learning, where AI systems repeatedly adjust internal parameters during training. Instead of converging on a single optimal state, both foams and AI models operate within broad solution spaces that allow flexibility and resilience.
The study challenges earlier theories that treated foam bubbles as particles trapped in low-energy states. A revised mathematical approach shows that continuous reorganisation offers stability at a larger scale, rather than undermining structural integrity.
The findings suggest that learning-like dynamics may represent a broader organising principle across materials science, biology and computation.
Researchers believe the insight could inform the design of adaptive materials and improve understanding of dynamic biological structures such. as cellular scaffolding.
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AI is no longer confined to chatbots and content tools. In the food and beverage sector, companies are utilising advanced AI systems to forecast consumer trends, expedite product development, and explore new ingredients for future products.
Mars, the multinational behind brands such as Dolmio, Pedigree, and Mars bars, is using AI to support its health and sustainability goals. Darren Logan, vice president of research at the Mars Advanced Research Institute, said the company is exploring plant compounds and alternative proteins.
Fermentation is also expanding Mars’ ingredient research by generating new chemical compounds through interactions between plants and microbes. Logan said combining plants with microbes increases chemical diversity, producing substances that would not otherwise exist.
The chocolate manufacturer partnered with UC Davis spin-out PIPA and its AI research platform LEAP to support this work. The system constructs knowledge graphs utilising scientific literature, databases, and the company’s proprietary data to establish connections between ingredients, microbes, and human health.
Logan said the platform helps reduce the time and cost of experimentation by guiding researchers towards more promising test options. Human oversight remains central to every AI-assisted decision.
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Gadget makers face rising costs as AI drives intense demand for memory chips. Supplies of DRAM and storage components have tightened across global markets.
Manufacturers have shifted production towards AI data centres, squeezing availability for consumer devices. Analysts warn the memory shortage could extend well into next year.
Higher prices are already affecting laptops, smartphones and connected devices. Some companies are redesigning products or limiting features to manage the costs of chip components.
Industry experts say engineers are writing leaner software to reduce memory use. The AI surge is marking the end of an era of cheap and abundant memory.
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