News/Europe
London Book Fair to focus on AI integration and declining literacy rates
The London Book Fair (LBF), returning to Olympia London from March 11-13, 2025, is set to be the largest English-language publishing trade show since before the pandemic, with over 30,000 attendees and 845 exhibitors expected. Under new director Adam Ridgway's leadership, the fair is placing special emphasis on artificial intelligence's impact on publishing and initiatives to address declining youth readership. Key Themes and Programming: The 2025 fair centers on two major industry challenges - the integration of AI technology and the need to cultivate young readers in an era of declining literacy rates. Leading industry figures including Maria Pallante (Association...
read Feb 20, 2025AI cameras to detect phone and seatbelt offenses in UK Police trial
The growing prevalence of distracted driving and seatbelt violations has prompted UK police forces to explore advanced surveillance technologies. Essex Police is set to become the latest force to trial AI-powered cameras that can detect drivers using mobile phones and not wearing seatbelts. What you need to know: Essex Police will deploy high-definition AI cameras starting April 2025 to identify and document traffic violations related to mobile phone use and seatbelt compliance. The cameras, developed by tech company Acusensus, are currently in use across 19 police regions in England The system will be deployed using relocatable trailers positioned along roadsides...
read Feb 20, 2025Google’s AI scientist solves decades-long antibiotic-resistant bacteria puzzle in 2 days
The development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, known as superbugs, represents one of the most pressing challenges in modern medicine. A breakthrough in understanding how these dangerous pathogens spread between species has emerged through an unexpected collaboration between traditional scientific research and artificial intelligence. The breakthrough discovery: Google's AI tool "co-scientist" independently reached the same conclusions about superbug transmission mechanisms that took a research team at Imperial College London a decade to uncover and prove. Professor José R Penadés and his team discovered that superbugs can form virus-like tails enabling them to spread between different host species When presented with a simple...
read Feb 19, 2025The UK government is eager to deploy AI — if it can only get over public trust issues
The UK government is actively pursuing artificial intelligence initiatives while simultaneously shifting its focus from AI safety to security, as evidenced by recent policy decisions and international positions. This strategic pivot comes at a time when public trust in UK government institutions remains low, scoring just 42.3 on Forrester's 100-point trust scale. Recent policy shifts: The UK government has declined to sign a 60-country international AI agreement and rebranded its AI Safety Institute to the AI Security Institute, signaling a clear prioritization of security concerns over broader safety considerations. The government cited inadequate addressing of global AI governance and national...
read Feb 19, 2025Humanoid robot Ameca debuts to public in Cornwall, avoids dreaded ‘uncanny valley’
The emergence of humanoid robots that can mimic human expressions and gestures has reached a new milestone with the public debut of Ameca at the Cornwall Festival of Tech in the UK. Built by Falmouth-based company Engineered Arts, this sophisticated robot showcases advanced facial expression capabilities while maintaining a deliberately non-realistic appearance to avoid the "uncanny valley" effect. Development and Design Philosophy: Engineered Arts focused on creating a robot that excels at non-verbal communication while serving as a platform for artificial intelligence development. CEO Will Jackson emphasizes the importance of facial expressions as high-bandwidth communication tools, enabling the robot to...
read Feb 18, 2025Mistral launches Saba, a regional language AI model for the Middle East and Subcontinent
The development of large language models (LLMs) has predominantly focused on major world languages, leaving a significant gap in regional language capabilities. Mistral, a French AI startup, is addressing this limitation with its new regional language model initiative, beginning with the release of Saba. The big picture: Mistral's strategic shift toward regional language models reflects growing enterprise demand for AI solutions that better understand local languages and cultural nuances. Enterprise customers worldwide have expressed strong interest in models that are native to regional parlance, not just technically fluent Current general-purpose LLMs often struggle with cultural context and local language usage...
read Feb 18, 2025Financial crime-stopper Napier AI to create 100+ jobs in Belfast move
The growing fight against financial crime has led technology companies to establish regional hubs focused on AI-powered solutions. Napier AI, a London-based company specializing in anti-money laundering technology, is expanding its presence with a significant investment in Belfast. Investment details: Napier AI is investing £10 million to create 106 new jobs at its recently opened office in Belfast's Pearl Assurance building. Twenty-five positions have already been filled, with the remaining roles to be completed by 2027 The expansion is expected to contribute nearly £5 million in additional salaries to the Northern Ireland economy The new positions focus on high-end research...
read Feb 18, 2025AI detects potholes in UK roads before they happen
Pothole detection is moving beyond eyes-on-the-street and frustrated outreach to a local government representative... The development of pothole detection technology continues to advance as local governments seek proactive solutions to road maintenance challenges. Hertfordshire County Council in the UK is testing an AI-powered road scanning system that could transform how municipalities identify and address road surface deterioration before it becomes problematic. Project Overview: Hertfordshire County Council is conducting trials of the ARRES Eye scanner, developed by Robotiz3d, to detect potential road surface issues before they develop into potholes. The AI-powered scanner can be mounted on council vehicles to collect data...
read Feb 14, 2025AI chatbot Bridgit rolled out in UK to provide caregivers with round-the-clock guidance
Two large healthcare technology companies are piloting an AI-powered chatbot named Bridgit to support caregivers across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, and Norfolk regions in the UK. The virtual assistant, developed through a partnership between Caring Together Charity and local councils, aims to provide instant, personalized support and information to caregivers through both website and WhatsApp interfaces. The core functionality: Bridgit serves as a comprehensive digital platform designed to provide immediate assistance to caregivers while complementing existing in-person services. Users can receive customized advice by selecting specific care-related issues they need help with The system provides access to videos, event information, and connections...
read Feb 14, 2025How Blended Labs is reimagining K-12 education with AI
The education technology landscape is being transformed by AI-driven solutions that streamline school operations and enhance learning outcomes. Blended Labs, a German edtech company, has developed Blended OS, an AI-native school operating system powered by Llama 3.1 that serves over 10,000 users across multiple educational roles. Key Innovation: Blended Labs' SphereAI framework, built on Llama 3.1, enables personalized learning pathways and administrative efficiency through AI-native workflows that integrate seamlessly into the educational environment. The system's Teacher's AI Productivity Suite saves educators approximately 10 hours per week through automated grading, lesson planning, and performance analysis tools New Llama 3.2 vision model...
read Feb 14, 2025Google partners with Poland to advance AI development across critical domains of government
The Polish government and Google have formalized a partnership to accelerate artificial intelligence adoption across key sectors of the Polish economy. This agreement marks a significant step in Poland's efforts to modernize its technological infrastructure and leverage AI for economic development. Partnership scope: Google and Poland have signed a memorandum of understanding that focuses on implementing AI solutions in strategic sectors of the Polish economy. The collaboration will prioritize developments in cybersecurity, healthcare, and energy sectors The agreement aims to drive economic growth through targeted AI implementation Google CEO Sundar Pichai personally announced the partnership, highlighting its strategic importance Strategic...
read Feb 13, 2025AI in workplace gains widespread European support, survey finds, though privacy concerns aired
The European Union has been actively investing in digital transformation and workforce development through various funding programs totaling over €25 billion. A new Eurobarometer survey reveals strong public support for artificial intelligence integration in European workplaces, while highlighting concerns about privacy and transparency. Key survey findings: The Eurobarometer survey demonstrates widespread acceptance of AI and robotics in professional settings across Europe. More than 60% of Europeans have a positive view of robots and AI in the workplace Over 70% believe AI and robotics contribute to improved productivity A majority supports AI-driven decision-making in professional environments 84% of respondents emphasize the...
read Feb 12, 2025EU unveils €200 billion AI investment plan
The European Union is taking significant steps to boost its artificial intelligence capabilities through major funding initiatives. The European Commission has announced a €200 billion investment plan for AI development, with a specific focus on establishing AI gigafactories to enhance computing power for model training. Key funding details: The European Commission's comprehensive AI investment strategy includes €20 billion specifically allocated for AI gigafactories, designed to enable collaborative development of complex AI models. The initiative follows French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement of a €109 billion AI investment plan for France European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the goal of...
read Feb 12, 2025Le Chat app rivals ChatGPT in AI performance battle
Pardon their French, but Mistral can totally ____ take on ChatGPT. The release of Mistral AI's Le Chat mobile app marks the French company's entry into the consumer AI chatbot market, competing directly with OpenAI's ChatGPT. Through systematic testing across multiple tasks, both chatbots demonstrated comparable capabilities while exhibiting distinct characteristics in their approach and delivery. Head-to-head comparison: A series of practical tests revealed the unique strengths and limitations of both Le Chat and ChatGPT across various real-world scenarios. When asked for advice about making friends in a new city, Le Chat provided broader, more general suggestions while ChatGPT offered...
read Feb 12, 2025AI safety agreement rejected by US and UK at Paris summit
The United States and United Kingdom recently took a stance against international AI regulation at a major summit in Paris, highlighting growing divisions in global AI policy approaches. This development comes amid increasing debate over how to balance AI innovation with safety concerns at the international level. Key developments: The US and UK declined to sign a declaration advocating for "inclusive and sustainable" artificial intelligence development that garnered support from over 60 other nations, including China and the European Union. US Vice President JD Vance criticized what he characterized as "excessive regulation" of AI by the European Union The summit...
read Feb 12, 2025Convincing AI voice scam targeting CEOs leads to cash freeze by Italian police, fraudsters get the boot
The rapid evolution of AI technology has enabled sophisticated voice cloning scams, as demonstrated by a recent high-profile fraud case in Italy targeting prominent business figures. Defense Minister Guido Crosetto's voice was artificially replicated by scammers who used it to solicit urgent financial transfers under the guise of rescuing kidnapped journalists. The scam's methodology: Fraudsters orchestrated an elaborate scheme involving fake calls from government offices and AI-generated voice impersonation of Italy's Defense Minister. The scammers posed as defense ministry officials, making calls that appeared to originate from Rome government offices They claimed urgent funds were needed to secure the release...
read Feb 12, 2025Law firm brings the gavel down on AI usage after widespread staff adoption
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek have seen rapid adoption in professional settings, raising concerns about data security and proper usage protocols. Hill Dickinson, a major international law firm with over 1,000 UK employees, has recently implemented restrictions on AI tool access after detecting extensive usage among its staff. Key developments: Hill Dickinson's internal monitoring revealed substantial AI tool usage, with over 32,000 hits to ChatGPT and 3,000 hits to DeepSeek within a seven-day period in early 2024. The firm detected more than 50,000 hits to Grammarly, a writing assistance tool Much of the detected usage was found to...
read Feb 11, 2025EU to invest €50B to establish region as global AI leader
The European Union is significantly expanding its investment in artificial intelligence development, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announcing a major new funding initiative. This investment comes as Europe seeks to establish itself as a global leader in AI technology and innovation, competing with other major tech hubs worldwide. Key investment details: The European Commission will contribute an additional 50 billion euros ($51.6 billion) to support AI development across the European Union. The new funding will complement the existing European AI Champions Initiative, which has already secured 150 billion euros in commitments from private sector partners The combined...
read Feb 11, 2025AI regulation concern the focus in JD Vance Paris summit appearance
Recent shifts in US artificial intelligence policy have taken center stage at the Paris Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, where US Vice President JD Vance articulated the Trump administration's deregulatory stance on AI development. The administration's position marks a significant departure from previous US policy following Trump's repeal of Biden-era AI regulations last month. Key policy shift: The Trump administration is advocating for minimal AI regulation, arguing that excessive rules could stifle innovation in the emerging technology sector. Vance emphasized focusing on AI opportunities rather than safety concerns during his address to heads of state and CEOs The administration recently repealed...
read Feb 11, 2025AI chatbots distort news stories, BBC investigation reveals
Artificial Intelligence chatbots from major tech companies are struggling with accuracy when summarizing news articles, according to a comprehensive study by the BBC. The research evaluated the performance of ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity across 100 BBC news articles to assess their ability to provide accurate news summaries. Key findings: The BBC's investigation revealed that more than half of all AI-generated summaries contained significant accuracy issues, with particular concerns about factual errors and quote manipulation. 51% of all AI responses contained major accuracy issues 19% of responses included incorrect statements, numbers, and dates 13% of quoted material was...
read Feb 11, 2025EU chief outlines AI strategy at Paris tech summit
The European Union is positioning itself as a major player in artificial intelligence development, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlining ambitious plans at the Paris AI Summit. The EU aims to mobilize €200 billion in AI investments while developing a distinctly European approach to artificial intelligence that emphasizes collaboration, accessibility, and safety. Strategic vision and investment: The European Commission is crafting a comprehensive plan to establish Europe as a leading AI continent, backed by substantial financial commitment. Von der Leyen announced plans to mobilize €200 billion (approximately $206.38 billion) for AI investment across Europe The EU is making...
read Feb 11, 2025French-led coalition launches ‘Current AI’ to make AI that serves the public interest
The rapid development of artificial intelligence has sparked concerns about equitable access and public benefit. In response, a coalition of governments, tech companies, and philanthropic organizations has launched Current AI, a $400 million initiative aimed at developing AI technologies that serve the public interest. The big picture: The French government-led partnership, announced at the AI Action Summit in Paris, aims to raise $2.5 billion over five years to reshape the AI landscape with a focus on public benefit. Initial partners include Google, MacArthur Foundation, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, and Salesforce Ten governments, including Chile, Finland, Germany, and Nigeria, have committed...
read Feb 11, 2025Vance outlines AI policy vision in Paris speech
The Trump administration's stance on artificial intelligence policy was unveiled in Paris through Vice President JD Vance's first major international speech since taking office. The address positioned the US as a global AI leader, emphasizing deregulation and economic growth while warning against foreign interference and censorship. Key policy priorities: The Trump administration outlined four main pillars for its approach to artificial intelligence development and regulation. Innovation and growth will be prioritized over restrictive regulation, with Vance arguing that excessive oversight could stifle a transformative industry AI development must remain free from ideological bias and resist becoming a tool for authoritarian...
read Feb 11, 2025Confident continent: EU chief claims Europe remains competitive in AI development
The European Union is making ambitious moves in artificial intelligence development, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announcing plans for massive AI investment during the AI Action Summit in Paris. The EU's strategy centers on creating AI gigafactories and mobilizing €200 billion in investment, positioning itself as a serious contender against the United States and China. Key announcement and context: The European Commission has unveiled InvestAI, an initiative aimed at mobilizing €200 billion for AI investment across the European Union. The initiative includes a €20 billion AI gigafactories fund to develop four specialized facilities for training complex AI models...
read