FutureMain, Sensoteq, Al Bahlaq Trading, and Colonel have formed a strategic partnership at ADIPEC 2024 to accelerate the global expansion of FutureMain’s ExRBM industrial predictive maintenance solution, particularly in the Middle Eastern market. That collaboration integrates Sensoteq’s advanced wireless sensor technology with FutureMain’s AI-powered ExRBM solution, enabling real-time monitoring of equipment conditions and proactive maintenance through precise diagnostics.
As a result, the sensors help detect potential failures early, minimising downtime and reducing maintenance costs. Moreover, Colonel and Al Bahlaq Trading, UAE-based companies with expertise in data development, IoT, and security systems, will support the local implementation and market entry of ExRBM in the region.
By leveraging their extensive networks, they will provide customised solutions that address specific industrial needs. Together, these partnerships aim to improve operational efficiency, enhance equipment reliability, and offer tailored solutions that reduce equipment failures, optimise productivity, and create long-term customer value in the Middle East.
Additionally, the collaboration highlights the tangible benefits that clients will experience, including cost savings and productivity gains. Furthermore, the partnership reaffirms the commitment to advancing technology and expanding global partnerships, ultimately delivering differentiated value to the industrial sector. That will create a stable environment for regional customers to adopt ExRBM effectively and achieve long-term operational improvements.
Google has started rolling out its AI-powered Scam Detection feature for the Pixel Phone app, initially available only in the beta version for US users. First announced during Google I/O 2024, the feature uses onboard AI to help users identify potential scam calls. Currently, the update is accessible to Pixel 6 and newer models, with plans to expand to other Android devices in the future.
Scam Detection analyses the audio from incoming calls directly on the device, issuing alerts if suspicious activity is detected. For example, if a caller claims to be from a bank and pressures the recipient to transfer funds urgently, the app provides visual and audio warnings. The processing occurs locally on the phone, utilising the Pixel 9’s Gemini Nano chip or similar on-device machine learning models on earlier Pixel versions, ensuring no data is sent to the cloud.
This feature is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to tackle digital fraud, as the rise in generative AI has made scam calls more sophisticated. It joins the suite of security tools on the Pixel Phone app, including Call Screen, which uses a bot to screen calls before involving the user. Google’s localised approach aims to keep users’ information secure while enhancing their safety.
Currently, Scam Detection requires manual activation through the app’s settings, as it isn’t enabled by default. Google is seeking feedback from early adopters to refine the feature further before a wider release to other Android devices.
California’s sole remaining nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, is adopting artificial intelligence to navigate the complex challenges of staying operational. Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has partnered with Atomic Canyon, a local startup, to deploy an AI system called Neutron Enterprise. The tool will help manage the plant’s decades-old infrastructure by analysing and organising millions of historical documents, a task critical for meeting federal licensing requirements to keep the facility running for another 20 years.
Located on the coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles in the US, the Diablo Canyon facility was commissioned in 1985 and once slated for closure. However, in 2022, California reversed course to meet its ambitious carbon-reduction targets. The plant’s vice president, Maureen Zawalick, revealed that the facility stores over 9 million records, many originating from outdated formats like microfiche, making data retrieval and management a daunting task.
Using NVIDIA-powered systems, Atomic Canyon’s software can process these archives in natural language, significantly improving document accessibility and usability. According to the startup’s founder, Trey Lauderdale, the AI will streamline data searches, saving time and resources. Over time, the technology may also optimise maintenance schedules, an effort-intensive process that requires careful coordination of the plant’s aging systems.
Indonesian students are now encouraged to explore AI and coding to unlock new talents and prepare for a tech-driven future. Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar stated that the option to study these subjects opens opportunities for young people, but she urged schools to make these courses voluntary rather than mandatory, allowing students to choose these areas of study according to their interests.
AI and coding education is part of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s vision for a ‘Golden Indonesia’, aiming to create a generation equipped with essential digital skills. The initiative seeks to introduce these courses at both primary and secondary education levels, supporting Indonesia’s global competitiveness in a world increasingly shaped by technology.
The internet, widely accessible across Indonesia, offers new avenues for self-directed learning in AI and coding, according to Umar. She pointed out that many Indonesian game developers have already taught themselves coding through online resources, demonstrating that digital skills can be acquired outside formal educational settings.
Umar highlighted the potential of AI and coding to inspire Indonesia’s youth, noting that with the right digital knowledge, young Indonesians can become innovative leaders. Harnessing this potential could foster new ideas and entrepreneurial success, helping to fulfil Indonesia’s vision of a future led by a skilled, tech-savvy generation.
YouTube is testing an AI-driven feature allowing select creators to remix songs by describing desired stylistic changes. This builds on its Dream Track toolset, which debuted last year and lets users generate AI-based tracks using artist vocals. The new feature, ‘Restyle a track,’ enables creators to transform a song’s genre or mood, producing 30-second snippets for Shorts while preserving the original’s essence.
The tool uses Google DeepMind’s Lyria model and ensures proper crediting of the original music. YouTube has partnered with Universal Music Group to compensate artists and rights holders, addressing potential concerns from the music industry. Creators participating in the trial can experiment with a limited selection of tracks under this system.
This development follows a growing trend of platforms enabling AI-generated music customisation. YouTube’s approach highlights its commitment to both creative innovation and maintaining industry standards. Competitors like Hook, an app for remixing music, are also exploring similar functionalities for short-form video content.
A report by the Alan Turing Institute warns that AI has fuelled harmful narratives and spread disinformation during a major year for elections. Conducted by the Institute’s Centre for Emerging Technology and Security (CETaS), the study explores how generative AI tools, including deepfake technology and bot farms, have been used to amplify conspiracy theories and sway public opinion. While no concrete evidence links AI directly to changes in election outcomes, the study points to growing concerns over AI’s influence on voter trust.
Researchers observed AI-driven bot farms that mimicked genuine voters and used fake celebrity endorsements to spread conspiracies during key elections. These tactics, they argue, have eroded trust in democratic institutions and heightened public fear of AI’s potential misuse. Lead author Sam Stockwell noted that while evidence remains limited on AI changing electoral results, the urgent need for transparency and better access to social media data is clear.
The Institute has outlined steps to counteract AI’s potential threats to democracy, suggesting stricter deterrents against disinformation, enhanced detection of deepfake content, improved media guidance, and stronger societal defences against misinformation. These recommendations aim to create a safer information environment as AI technology continues to advance.
In response to AI’s growing presence, major AI companies, including those behind ChatGPT and Meta AI, have tightened security to prevent misuse. However, some startups, like Haiper, still lag behind, with fewer safeguards in place, leading to concerns over potentially harmful AI content reaching the public.
In Poznan, Poland, a new chapel is combining tradition with cutting-edge technology. Created by priest Radek Rakowski, the modern chapel features an AI-powered system that answers visitors’ questions about Catholicism. Housed in a residential building, the chapel includes a coffee corner and app-based amenities that control lighting and drink orders.
The AI assistant, accessible via a lectern, offers objective and comprehensive responses drawn from the Bible, catechism, and Church documents. Rakowski emphasises that the system helps address sensitive questions without emotional bias or human error. He views it as a tool to make faith discussions more open and accurate.
With its neon-lit, welcoming design and innovative approach, the Polish chapel symbolises a shift toward integrating technology with spirituality. Visitors can now explore their faith in an environment that blends community warmth with futuristic convenience.
As AI becomes more integrated into daily life, Americans have expressed mixed feelings about its role in job hiring. A survey conducted by Talker Research between October 21-24 revealed that 43% of respondents felt uneasy with AI conducting job interviews, while 32% were comfortable. Generational differences were also evident, with younger generations, particularly Gen Z, more accepting of AI-led interviews than older generations like Baby Boomers.
Despite the concerns, AI’s role in recruitment continues to grow. Philip Gjørup, co-founder of Nord Comms, believes AI could revolutionise the hiring process by swiftly identifying key attributes in candidates. Similarly, Lars Nyman from CUDO Compute points out that AI is already used to assess resumes and assess initial candidate fit, making AI-led interviews a logical next step.
However, AI faces limitations in capturing the personal touch needed in job interviews. While experts agree that AI can streamline recruitment, they also acknowledge that nuanced interpersonal skills, which are vital in interviews, remain beyond the capabilities of current AI technology.
The rising use of AI in hiring has raised concerns about the dehumanising effects of algorithms making important career decisions. Many worry about a lack of empathy in the process, with some likening it to pitching one’s career story to a ‘vending machine.’ As AI technology develops, it may take more time for people to adapt to its growing presence in the hiring process.
Israeli startup Panjaya.ai has raised $9.5 million in funding to develop BodyTalk, an AI-powered platform that translates content while synchronising lip movements and body gestures. The platform offers natural, accurate translations in any language, creating a seamless viewing experience across cultures. The funding was provided by Viola Ventures, R-Squared Ventures, GroundUp Ventures, and a number of notable angel investors.
Co-founded by Hilik Shani and Ariel Shalom, Panjaya aims to revolutionise AI translations. In 2023, the company was joined by Guy Piekarz, former Match co-founder and Apple executive, who now serves as CEO. By blending neural voice synthesis, computer vision, and Natural Language Processing (NLP), the platform enables organisations to provide culturally authentic experiences to diverse audiences.
The pilot programme of BodyTalk has already proven successful, with TED integrating the platform into its global content strategy. TED has used BodyTalk to translate Talks into multiple languages, including Portuguese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. The AI ensures that translated content feels authentic to the original message, enhancing engagement for international audiences.
Panjaya’s platform is designed to offer something rare in digital communication: an authentic, culturally nuanced translation experience. CEO Guy Piekarz highlighted the significance of synchronisation in delivering content that truly resonates with global audiences. BodyTalk aims to set a new standard for multilingual communication, making it more impactful and inclusive.
China Mobile and ZTE have launched an AI-driven Green Telco Cloud solution designed to optimise energy consumption in telecom networks while maintaining business continuity and a high-quality user experience. The solution monitors and analyses key parameters such as server load and network traffic in real-time, dynamically adjusting computing resources like CPU frequency and sleep modes by utilising advanced deep neural networks.
The energy-saving approach has been successfully validated on both X86 and ARM cloud platforms, with notable results in China Mobile’s Hunan and Anhui branches, demonstrating up to a 25% reduction in energy consumption. As a result, the solution lowers operational costs through improved resource utilisation and reduced equipment maintenance and contributes to global sustainability efforts by reducing carbon emissions. Therefore, that technology represents a significant step toward transforming the telecom industry into a more energy-efficient, green sector as 4G and 5G networks expand.
Furthermore, China Mobile and ZTE are committed to further optimising and expanding their AI-driven Green Telco Cloud solution to promote long-term sustainability in the telecom sector. Through their collaboration, both companies emphasise the importance of technological innovation in achieving environmental goals while simultaneously enhancing telecom operators’ corporate image and competitiveness. Additionally, they plan to drive the widespread adoption of energy-saving technologies, ensuring that the telecom industry contributes to a greener, low-carbon future.
