Young people in Guernsey are being offered a free six-week course on AI to help them understand both the opportunities and challenges of the technology. Run by Digital Greenhouse in St Peter Port, the programme is open to students and graduates over the age of 16, regardless of their academic background. Experts from University College London (UCL) deliver the lessons remotely each week.
Jenny de la Mare from Digital Greenhouse said the course was designed to “inform and inspire” participants while helping them stand out in job and university applications. She emphasised that the programme was not limited to STEM students and could serve as a strong introduction to AI for anyone interested in the field.
Recognising that young people in Guernsey may have fewer opportunities to attend major tech events in the UK, organisers hope the course will give them a competitive edge. The programme has already started but is still open for registrations, with interested individuals encouraged to contact Digital Greenhouse.
A trial in Sutton is using AI sensors to monitor the well-being of vulnerable people in their homes. The system tracks movement, temperature, and appliance usage to identify patterns and detect unusual activity, such as a missed meal or a fall. The initiative aims to allow individuals to live independently for longer while providing reassurance to their loved ones.
Margaret Linehan, 86, who has dementia, is one of over 1,200 residents using the system. She described it as a valuable safety net, helping alert her family if something is amiss. Her daughter-in-law, Marianne, can check an app to monitor activity and receive alerts. On one occasion, when Margaret got up for a cup of tea in the middle of the night, the system notified her son, highlighting its ability to detect unexpected behaviour.
The AI-powered technology, which does not use cameras or microphones, has already detected over 1,800 falls in the past year, enabling rapid responses from care teams. Sutton Council is trialling the system as part of a wider government initiative exploring AI’s role in improving public services. Experts hope the technology will revolutionise social care by providing proactive support while ensuring people’s privacy and independence.
Google’s X has spun out a new startup, Heritable Agriculture, which applies AI to revolutionise plant breeding. Using machine learning, the company analyses plant genomes to identify combinations that enhance yields, reduce water consumption, and increase carbon storage in soil.
The startup was founded by Brad Zamft, a former Google X researcher with a background in physics and biotech. Under his leadership, Heritable has tested thousands of plants using AI-powered models, running experiments in controlled growth chambers and field sites across the United States. Unlike gene-editing firms, Heritable focuses on refining traditional breeding methods rather than modifying DNA directly.
The company has secured investment from FTW Ventures, Mythos Ventures, and Google itself, though financial details remain undisclosed. As it steps into independence, Heritable Agriculture aims to commercialise its AI-driven approach, potentially reshaping the future of sustainable farming.
Chinese internet users have been captivated by the DeepSeek AI app, which has gained immense popularity since its launch during the Lunar New Year holiday. Users have explored its predictive and analytical capabilities, with some posing questions on politics, economics, and even personal matters. For example, law professor Wang Jiangyu asked how China should respond to US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, receiving a comprehensive seven-point answer that included potential new tariffs on US industries and other strategic moves. The model’s detailed responses have impressed users, though it censors certain politically sensitive topics, such as questions about Xi Jinping or the Tiananmen Square protests.
DeepSeek’s low-cost yet powerful AI has made waves in the tech sector, surpassing ChatGPT in downloads on the Apple App Store. The Hangzhou-based startup has become a source of national pride, with users sharing personal experiences, such as using the app to predict their fortunes or interpret dreams. This surge in popularity has drawn attention to the company’s rapid growth, and its founder, Liang Wengfeng, has emerged as a pop culture figure.
Despite its success, DeepSeek’s claims about the minimal cost of training its latest AI model—less than $6 million in computing power—have raised scepticism among some experts. Nevertheless, the platform’s effectiveness has prompted comparisons to the billions invested by US tech giants in AI development. The app’s rapid rise has also led to investigations by authorities in several countries, including Japan, South Korea, and several European nations, over concerns about its handling of personal data.
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, is shaking up the ΑΙ landscape by offering technology at a significantly lower cost compared to US competitors like OpenAI. Hemanth Mandapati, CEO of German startup Novo AI, recently switched to DeepSeek’s chatbot services, noting that the transition was quick and easy, and the cost savings were substantial. Mandapati reported that DeepSeek’s pricing was five times lower than what he was paying, with no noticeable difference in user performance. Analysts estimate that DeepSeek’s prices are 20 to 40 times cheaper than OpenAI’s, making it an attractive option for many startups.
The rise of DeepSeek is seen as a potential game-changer, particularly in Europe, where tech startups have struggled to compete with their US counterparts due to limited funding. Some believe DeepSeek’s low-cost offerings could democratise AI and help level the playing field with major tech companies. However, concerns about DeepSeek’s data practices, particularly regarding the potential copying of OpenAI’s data or censorship of Chinese content, have raised regulatory questions across Europe.
Despite scepticism around the actual cost of DeepSeek’s training and data usage, the company has garnered significant attention, especially after its model topped the productivity app rankings on the Apple App Store. Industry leaders argue that this shift in pricing could spark a broader movement in AI, with smaller companies gaining more access to advanced technologies without needing large budgets. This could foster innovation across the sector, although major corporations remain cautious due to security and integration concerns.
As the cost of AI continues to fall, competition is intensifying. For example, Microsoft recently made OpenAI’s reasoning model available for free to users of its Copilot platform. While price is becoming a dominant factor in AI adoption, industry experts suggest that trust and security certifications will still play a critical role for larger businesses when choosing their AI partners.
Blackstone has reaffirmed its confidence in its $80 billion data centre investments, stating that the rise of low-cost AI models from China‘s DeepSeek will not diminish the need for physical infrastructure. The asset manager stressed that data centres remain essential for training and running AI models, highlighting its partnerships with leading global companies as a sign of continued demand.
The emergence of DeepSeek has raised questions about whether more efficient AI models could reduce the need for large-scale data centres. However, Blackstone’s President and Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Gray believes lower costs could instead drive wider AI adoption, ultimately increasing demand for infrastructure. Analysts at Jefferies echoed this view, suggesting that hyperscalers are unlikely to slow their capital expenditure plans despite the industry’s rapid evolution.
AI investments by major tech firms remain strong, with Microsoft and Meta recently defending their heavy spending on AI to maintain a competitive edge. Blackstone’s shares were down nearly 4% in afternoon trading as investors closely monitored developments in AI infrastructure demand.
Voice cloning startup ElevenLabs has raised $180 million in a Series C funding round, tripling its valuation to $3.3 billion. Co-led by Andreessen Horowitz and Iconiq Growth, the funding round also saw participation from new investors like NEA and World Innovation Lab, alongside increased support from existing backers such as Sequoia Capital and Salesforce Ventures. The company aims to leverage the new funding to enhance its research into expressive voice AI, develop new products, and expand its tools for developers and businesses.
Founded in 2022 and headquartered in London, ElevenLabs specialises in AI-generated voices that replicate various languages, accents, and emotions. The startup’s technology has already found applications in publishing and gaming, with partnerships including The New Yorker and Cloud Imperium Games. In 2024, ElevenLabs broadened its product offerings to include speech generation, voice design, sound effects, and AI-driven dubbing across 32 languages.
CEO Mati Staniszewski, who co-founded the company with Piotr Dabkowski, described the funding as a significant step towards making voice interactions more natural and effortless. With a total of $281 million raised so far, ElevenLabs is poised to play a leading role in the rapidly growing generative AI sector.
Goldman Sachs has named Daniel Marcu, a former Amazon executive, as its global head of AI engineering and science. Marcu, who previously led Amazon’s AGI division, brings over 30 years of experience in academia, start-ups, and multinational corporations. He joins a team of technology experts at Goldman, including Marco Argenti, the bank’s Chief Information Officer and a fellow Amazon alumnus.
The Wall Street bank has been heavily investing in AI to modernise its technology infrastructure, boost productivity, and enhance its engineering capabilities. CEO David Solomon recently highlighted the use of AI in transforming operations during the company’s quarterly earnings call. As part of its AI initiatives, Goldman has introduced a generative AI assistant, GS AI, to approximately 10,000 employees, with plans to expand access to all knowledge workers by the end of the year.
In his new role, Marcu will oversee the development of AI platforms and products, working alongside Rahul Sharma, head of GS AI platform engineering, and Bing Xiang, head of AI research. Marcu’s extensive background, which includes two decades at the University of Southern California and the Information Sciences Institute, positions him to lead Goldman’s ambitious AI agenda as the bank continues to innovate in the competitive financial technology space.
Alphabet’s self-driving unit, Waymo, has announced plans to expand testing of its autonomous driving technology into over 10 new cities by 2025. The company highlighted successful adaptation of its Waymo Driver system in diverse environments, encouraging this expansion. Current test sites include destinations such as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Tokyo, with new testing set to include San Diego and Las Vegas, among other yet-to-be-revealed locations.
The testing process will begin with manual driving through high-traffic and complex areas, including city centres and freeways. Trained human specialists will oversee the vehicles during this phase. Each city will host fewer than 10 vehicles for several months to collect data and refine the technology. Waymo previously expanded its autonomous ride-hailing service to Miami, Florida, as part of its broader strategy to capture market share in the competitive autonomous vehicle industry.
Waymo’s growth comes as the firm faces heightened scrutiny from regulators following incidents involving autonomous driving systems. In October, the company secured $5.6 billion in funding led by parent company Alphabet, aimed at bolstering its technological advancements and operational expansion.
Google has quietly launched its latest AI model, Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental, through a changelog update for its Gemini chatbot app. The new model, now available to Gemini Advanced subscribers, promises improved accuracy and performance, particularly in coding and mathematics-related tasks.
The release comes as competition in the AI space intensifies, with Chinese startup DeepSeek gaining attention for its high-performing models. Unlike previous Gemini versions, Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental does not support real-time data access and may exhibit unexpected behaviours as it remains in an early preview phase.
Alongside this update, Google has also rolled out its Gemini 2.0 Flash model to all users of the Gemini app. The company continues to iterate rapidly on its AI technology, positioning Gemini as a key player in the evolving AI market.
