News/Europe
STMicro unveils edge AI microcontroller for smart devices
The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is driving innovation in microcontroller technology, with major semiconductor manufacturers developing specialized hardware for running AI applications directly on devices rather than in the cloud. Major industry development: STMicroelectronics, a leading European semiconductor company, has introduced its STM32N6 series of microcontrollers specifically designed for edge AI and machine learning applications. The new microcontroller series represents STMicroelectronics' first entry into the edge AI computing market These chips are intended for both consumer and industrial electronics applications, particularly focusing on image and audio processing tasks The microcontrollers are designed to perform computations that traditionally required more...
read Dec 15, 2024Russia aims to boost AI prowess despite Western sanctions
The ongoing development of artificial intelligence in Russia continues to advance despite Western sanctions, with key players expressing confidence in the nation's ability to climb global AI rankings by 2030. Current position and challenges: Russia currently ranks 31st out of 83 countries in the Global AI Index for AI implementation, innovation, and investment, trailing behind the United States, China, and fellow BRICS members India and Brazil. Russia faces a 6-9 month technological gap behind the United States and China across various AI parameters Western sanctions have specifically targeted Russia's computing power capabilities The country experienced an exodus of AI developers,...
read Dec 15, 2024AI self-driving car startup Wayve is challenging Waymo and Tesla with more human-like driving
A London-based startup called Wayve is pioneering a distinctive artificial intelligence approach to autonomous vehicles that relies on neural networks and computer vision rather than traditional autonomous driving methods. Novel technological approach: Wayve's self-driving system employs a single neural network to manage the entire driving process, departing from conventional autonomous vehicle development strategies. The system learns from extensive real-world and simulated driving footage without requiring high-definition maps or pre-programmed rules Instead of using expensive lidar sensors, the technology relies solely on cameras and radar for environmental perception This streamlined hardware approach could potentially reduce costs and complexity in autonomous vehicle...
read Dec 14, 2024Deutsche Telekom unveils AI model for 24 European languages
The European telecommunications landscape is shifting as Deutsche Telekom commercializes a new open-source AI language model designed specifically for European languages, marking a significant step toward digital sovereignty in the EU. The breakthrough development: Deutsche Telekom has become the first provider to commercialize the OpenGPT-X Teuken-7B language model, a sophisticated AI system developed by a consortium of German research institutions. The model was created through collaboration between Fraunhofer Institutes IAIS and IIS, TU Dresden, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, and the Juelich Research Center Training was conducted on the JUWELS supercomputer, with the model released under an open-source...
read Dec 11, 2024Takashi Murakami is using AI to breathe new life into ancient Japanese art
The fusion of historical Japanese art with artificial intelligence marks a significant milestone in the ongoing dialogue between traditional artistic practices and emerging technologies. Exhibition Overview: Renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami has unveiled his first UK solo exhibition in over 15 years at London's Gagosian gallery, featuring AI-assisted recreations of classical Japanese artworks. The centerpiece is a reimagining of Iwasa Matabei's 1615 gold leaf painting "Rakuchu Rakugai Zu Byobu," a National Treasure of Japan Murakami's version incorporates his signature flower characters and anime animals while maintaining the original's intricate depiction of Edo-period Kyoto The exhibition also features reinterpretations of works...
read Dec 11, 2024EU invests €1.5B to create 7 new AI factories across Europe
The European Union is dramatically expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities with a EUR 1.5 billion investment in seven AI Factories across the continent, marking a significant step in its strategy to compete globally in AI development and applications. Strategic Investment Overview; The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC) has selected seven locations across Europe to establish AI Factories, with funding split between EU programs and national sources. The initiative aims to double Europe's AI computing capacity through a combination of new facilities and upgraded existing infrastructure Five locations will receive entirely new AI-optimized supercomputers, while two sites will upgrade...
read Dec 10, 2024Nvidia partners with iGenius to build AI supercomputer
The collaboration between Italian AI startup iGenius and tech giant Nvidia marks a significant advancement in European AI infrastructure with the unveiling of the Colosseum supercomputer. Project overview: The Colosseum supercomputer represents a major investment in European AI capabilities, specifically designed to support advanced AI models in highly regulated industries. The system delivers 115 exaflops of computational power through Nvidia Grace Blackwell Superchips The infrastructure will support training of open-source generative AI and large language models exceeding one trillion parameters The system achieves 25 times greater energy efficiency compared to previous Nvidia computing platforms Technical infrastructure: iGenius is establishing a...
read Dec 8, 2024The Birmingham Blade is the world’s 1st AI-designed wind turbine
The development of AI-designed urban wind turbines represents a significant advancement in renewable energy technology, particularly for cities with unique wind conditions and space constraints. Breakthrough Innovation: EvoPhase and KwikFab have created the Birmingham Blade, the world's first geographically-tailored urban wind turbine designed using artificial intelligence. The turbine is specifically optimized for Birmingham's low wind speeds of 3.6 meters per second, compared to the typical 10 meters per second rating of most turbines The design features curved blades rotating around a central point, engineered to handle urban turbulence while remaining compact enough for rooftop installation Performance testing indicates the Birmingham...
read Dec 6, 2024More shoppers are turning to AI for holiday gift ideas
Current landscape: AI-powered gift shopping is gaining momentum during the 2024 holiday season, with British consumers expected to spend £28.6bn on Christmas gifts. Consumer sentiment shows strong interest, with 95% believing AI could help find better gifts The average spending per person in Britain is projected to reach £596 Traditional AI platforms like ChatGPT and Google's Gemini are being joined by specialized AI gift recommendation services AI shopping tools and platforms: A new generation of dedicated AI gift generators are emerging to help holiday shoppers streamline their gift-buying process. GiftList, a US-based platform, offers an AI chatbot that provides interactive...
read Dec 6, 2024Microsoft launches initiative to make 1M Poles AI fluent by 2025
Microsoft has launched a major artificial intelligence training initiative in Poland, aiming to equip one million people with AI skills by 2025, building upon its existing investments in the Polish Digital Valley. Program overview and scope: Microsoft's AI Skills Initiative represents a significant expansion of the company's educational presence in Poland, where it has already trained over 430,000 professionals and students. The program will offer more than 200 free courses through the Microsoft AI Skills Navigator learning hub Course content will be available in Polish and range from beginner to advanced levels Training materials will be sourced from LinkedIn Learning,...
read Dec 2, 2024Veon partners with AWS to launch generative AI lab in Ukraine
The launch of a new generative AI laboratory in Ukraine marks a significant step in the country's technological advancement and economic recovery efforts, combining local expertise with cloud computing capabilities. Strategic Partnership Overview: Veon's subsidiary Kyivstar has partnered with Amazon Web Services to establish a generative AI laboratory focused on empowering Ukrainian enterprises. The lab will provide AI services including text and visual content generation, chatbots, and virtual assistants powered by AWS cloud solutions Kyivstar and Kyivstar Tech plan to extend their offerings internationally, including cloud migration and analytics services This initiative builds upon a 2023 partnership between Kyivstar and...
read Dec 2, 2024The EU AI Act from an open-source developer’s perspective
The European Union's AI Act represents the world's first comprehensive artificial intelligence legislation, establishing a risk-based framework that affects developers, deployers, and users of AI systems, including the open source community. Key regulatory framework: The EU AI Act creates a tiered system of regulation based on the potential risks posed by different AI applications, from unacceptable to minimal risk. The legislation applies to any AI systems or models that impact EU residents, regardless of where the developers are located The Act distinguishes between AI models (like large language models) and AI systems (like chatbots or applications that use these models)...
read Dec 2, 2024New study reveals AI adoption patterns in the UK
The adoption of social media platforms and artificial intelligence tools in the UK shows shifting trends, with notable declines in certain platforms while others gain momentum, according to Ofcom's latest Online Nation report examining British internet habits. Key usage patterns: British adults spent an average of 4 hours and 20 minutes daily online across various devices in May 2024. X (formerly Twitter) experienced a significant decline in UK adult reach, dropping from 26.8 million users in May 2022 to 22.1 million in May 2024 Reddit showed remarkable growth with a 47% increase year-over-year, reaching 22.9 million users The decline in...
read Nov 30, 2024Bertelsmann, ElevenLabs partner to bring AI voice to vast media portfolio
The media and technology sectors are witnessing a significant partnership as German media conglomerate Bertelsmann teams up with AI company ElevenLabs to enhance content creation and production capabilities across its vast portfolio of businesses. The partnership scope: Bertelsmann and ElevenLabs are joining forces to implement AI-powered audio tools across the German media giant's extensive business network. The collaboration aims to streamline production processes and spark innovation across Bertelsmann's various media properties, including RTL Group, Penguin Random House, and BMG Currently, 36 units within Bertelsmann already utilize ElevenLabs' AI tools in their operations The partnership focuses on implementing lifelike voice and...
read Nov 29, 2024Swiss installation featuring AI Jesus draws praise and condemnation
The experimental fusion of artificial intelligence and religious practice reached a new milestone with a unique two-month installation of an AI-powered "Jesus" avatar in a Swiss Catholic chapel, sparking both interest and controversy among religious communities. Project overview: A groundbreaking experiment called "Deus in Machina" at a Catholic chapel in Lucerne, Switzerland, featured an AI-powered Jesus avatar that engaged in spiritual conversations with visitors. The installation utilized OpenAI's GPT4 technology, combined with Whisper speech comprehension and Heygen's Interactive Avatar capabilities The AI system demonstrated multilingual capabilities, offering conversations in approximately 100 languages Over 900 conversations were documented during the two-month...
read Nov 29, 2024Google opens AI campus in London to boost digital skills
The launch of Google's AI Campus in London marks a significant step in preparing UK students for an increasingly AI-driven future, with substantial investments in educational programs and research into public sector applications. Strategic vision and implementation: Google's new AI Campus in Somers Town, Camden represents a collaborative effort with local authorities to advance digital education and AI skills development. The campus will provide sixth-form students access to AI and machine learning resources, along with mentorship from Google and Google DeepMind The initial pilot program includes 32 students, with a focus on underrepresented groups and those eligible for Free School...
read Nov 28, 2024Swisscom’s new platform is case study in leveraging AI while protecting data
The launch of Swisscom's Swiss AI Platform marks a significant development in Switzerland's AI infrastructure landscape, offering businesses a secure environment for AI applications while maintaining strict data sovereignty requirements. Platform fundamentals: Swisscom's new AI platform provides comprehensive infrastructure and services specifically designed for businesses operating under Switzerland's stringent data protection regulations. All data processing and storage occurs exclusively within Swiss borders, ensuring complete data sovereignty The platform is particularly targeted at highly regulated sectors such as financial services and public administration Infrastructure includes Switzerland's first Nvidia SuperPOD system, enabling advanced AI model training capabilities Technical capabilities and features: The...
read Nov 28, 2024McKinsey report investigates impact of AI on Dutch labor market
The potential impact of generative AI on the Dutch labor market represents a significant opportunity to address productivity challenges and labor shortages, though the transition will require careful management and strategic investment. Current market dynamics: The Netherlands faces mounting pressure from demographic shifts and stagnating productivity growth, creating an urgent need for technological solutions. An aging population and declining productivity growth rates have emerged as critical challenges for the Dutch economy Generative AI technologies offer promising solutions through increased automation and efficiency gains McKinsey projects that AI-powered automation could impact 15% of total work hours in the Netherlands by 2030,...
read Nov 27, 2024European AI startup Mistral sets sights on Silicon Valley expansion
The competitive landscape of artificial intelligence is prompting European AI companies to establish footholds in Silicon Valley, despite efforts by European leaders to maintain domestic tech sovereignty. Strategic expansion plans: Mistral, a prominent European AI startup specializing in open-weight large language models, is establishing operations in Palo Alto, California. The company is actively recruiting AI scientists, engineers, and sales professionals in the Bay Area One of Mistral's founders is considering relocating from Paris to the new Palo Alto office The move follows similar Silicon Valley expansions by other European tech firms, including London-based 11x AI Investment and backing: Mistral has...
read Nov 27, 2024Call for evaluators: EU seeks experts for AI risk assessment workshop
The European AI Office is organizing a specialized workshop to advance the evaluation of general-purpose AI models, particularly focusing on systemic risks under the EU AI Act framework. Event Overview: The European AI Office will host an online workshop on December 13, 2024, bringing together experts to discuss evaluation methodologies for general-purpose AI models and their associated systemic risks. The workshop aims to gather insights from leading evaluators and contribute to developing robust evaluation frameworks Selected participants will have the opportunity to present their approaches and share best practices The event is exclusively designed for specialists in AI evaluation Key...
read Nov 27, 2024Inside Sweden’s big plans to secure a global AI leadership position
The Swedish AI Commission has proposed an ambitious five-year investment plan totaling SEK 12.5 billion to strengthen Sweden's position in artificial intelligence development and adoption. Strategic vision and investment scope: The comprehensive roadmap, presented to Minister of Civil Affairs Erik Slottner, outlines 75 specific measures aimed at transforming Sweden's AI capabilities across multiple sectors. The proposed investment of SEK 12.5 billion (approximately USD 1.14 billion) would be distributed as SEK 2.5 billion annually over five years Former Ericsson CEO Carl-Henric Svanberg chairs the commission, with current Ericsson President and CEO Borje Ekholm serving as an expert advisor The initiative responds...
read Nov 27, 2024Orange Business unveils AI adoption tool for enterprise
The rise of generative AI in enterprise settings has created both opportunities and challenges for businesses seeking to harness AI capabilities while maintaining security and control. Major announcement: Orange Business has unveiled Live Intelligence, a comprehensive generative AI solution that aims to simplify AI adoption for organizations across France, with European expansion planned. The platform was extensively tested internally, with over 50,000 Orange employees participating in year-long trials Live Intelligence provides a secure, user-friendly interface with pre-configured prompts for common business tasks like document analysis, email summarization, and meeting note creation The solution is delivered through a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model,...
read Nov 26, 2024Ecosia’s strategy to build a sustainable AI search engine
The search engine landscape is evolving as companies like Ecosia navigate the intersection of artificial intelligence and environmental sustainability, with the eco-friendly European search provider working to maintain its green mission while advancing technologically. Strategic positioning and impact: Ecosia stands out as Europe's leading search alternative and the world's largest not-for-profit search engine, making a significant environmental impact despite its modest market share. Since 2009, Ecosia has funded the planting of over 218 million trees using advertising revenues The company holds approximately 0.30% market share in Europe and 0.09% globally Projects span from desert restoration in Burkina Faso to forest...
read Nov 26, 2024UK targets AI-related national security threats with new LASR initiative
The United Kingdom has launched a new research laboratory focused on addressing AI-related national security threats, marking an intensified approach to defending against emerging technological risks. Key initiative details: The Laboratory for AI Security Research (LASR) was announced by Pat McFadden, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, during a NATO Cyber Defence Conference in London. The UK government has committed £8.2 million in initial funding for the laboratory Multiple government departments are involved, including FCDO, DSIT, GCHQ, NCSC, and the MOD's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory Private sector partners include the Alan Turing Institute, University of Oxford, Queen's University Belfast,...
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