"Scores" of workers at Google DeepMind, the company's British AI research arm, are demanding union recognition over the use of their work by Israel and the US military.
A major Telstra outage in Australia disrupted mobile and data services nationwide, cancelled train services, and affected payment systems. An investigation is underway into emergency calls that may not have connected, though the core triple-zero system is reported operational. The exact cause is unknown but not a cyber attack.
Tech giants like Google and Amazon are seeing increased carbon emissions due to AI investments, jeopardizing net-zero goals. Meanwhile, Meta is exploring new revenue streams like cloud computing and prediction markets amid stock decline and legal challenges.
Delivery robots are appearing on sidewalks in cities globally, but residents and local authorities are raising concerns about safety, accessibility, and pedestrian movement. Some cities have implemented bans or restrictions, while others are considering them, as a petition in Chicago calls for a suspension until safety tests and clear rules are established.
Lancaster University stores valuable Helium-3 gas, costing $2,000 per litre, in beer kegs for quantum computing and fusion research. With current supply from nuclear weapons limited and future demand rising, companies are exploring lunar extraction, though challenges remain regarding concentration and cost.
Scotland's government may consider a moratorium on new datacenters, a move that could jeopardize the UK's AI strategy. The SNP national council passed a motion to freeze projects lacking planning permission, citing "overdevelopment" and environmental concerns.
China's robotaxi industry leverages its strong EV ecosystem for rapid, low-cost innovation. Companies like Baidu and WeRide face competition from US firms like Waymo, but complex driving conditions in China provide valuable data. Challenges include safety concerns, regulatory hurdles, and geopolitical data security issues.
