News/Europe
Mistral’s Le Chat adds voice features to compete with OpenAI
French AI startup Mistral has launched new features for its chatbot Le Chat, including voice interaction and research capabilities, as it attempts to compete with dominant US rivals like OpenAI and Google. The updates bring Europe's AI champion closer to feature parity with American competitors, though Mistral continues to lag significantly in market share and revenue despite its $6.2 billion valuation. What you should know: The new features make Le Chat more competitive with established US chatbots by adding voice interaction and research tools. Users can now speak to Mistral's AI through its "Voxtral" model instead of only typing messages....
read Jul 16, 2025Oracle invests $3B to expand AI cloud infrastructure across Europe
Oracle will invest $3 billion over five years to expand its cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure across Germany and the Netherlands, marking a significant expansion of the company's European operations. The investment responds to growing demand for sovereign AI services and data governance compliance in the region, with $2 billion allocated to Germany's Frankfurt region and $1 billion to the Netherlands' Amsterdam region. The big picture: Oracle's European expansion reflects the increasing demand for localized AI infrastructure that meets strict EU data governance requirements while supporting both public and private sector digital transformation initiatives. Key details: The investment will enhance...
read Jul 16, 2025Rivian opens London AI hub to accelerate autonomous driving tech
Rivian is opening a new artificial intelligence hub in London focused on developing autonomous driving technology and tapping into the UK's growing AI talent pool. The American electric vehicle manufacturer sees the UK as rapidly becoming a world leader in AI engineering and plans to use the office to accelerate development of its autonomous capabilities beyond the current hands-free highway driving features. What you should know: Rivian's expansion into the UK represents a strategic move to access specialized AI talent for its autonomous driving ambitions. The London office will serve as an AI-centric development hub, marking Rivian's latest international expansion...
read Jul 16, 202545 top European CEOs call for delay on EU AI regulations
The European Union's new Code of Conduct for AI use has faced widespread criticism from industry leaders, NGOs, and trade associations just two weeks before its enforcement deadline of August 2, 2025. The guidelines, designed to supplement the EU AI Act with practical compliance frameworks for general-purpose AI models, have been condemned as overly complex, bureaucratic, and potentially harmful to European competitiveness in the global AI race. What you should know: The General Purpose AI Code of Practice covers three key areas that AI providers must address to comply with EU regulations. The Transparency chapter provides templates for documenting AI...
read Jul 14, 2025Groq (the other one) opens first European data center in Helsinki for faster AI processing
Groq, a U.S.-based AI infrastructure company, has opened its first European data center in Helsinki, Finland, marking a significant expansion for the firm that specializes in ultra-fast AI processing. The facility, developed in partnership with Equinix, a global data center provider, brings Groq's proprietary AI acceleration technology closer to European customers while addressing growing demand for real-time artificial intelligence applications. The Helsinki deployment represents more than geographic expansion—it's a strategic move to capitalize on the Nordic region's unique advantages for AI infrastructure. Finland offers a compelling combination of sustainable energy sources, naturally cool climate for efficient cooling, and robust power...
read Jul 14, 2025UK’s NHS AI-powered heart patches double diagnosis rates at home
The NHS has started rolling out a new at-home heart monitor designed to detect heart rhythm problems, with the device being able to be posted directly to patients for self-attachment. The innovation aims to double productivity levels for diagnosing heart conditions while reducing hospital waiting lists and eliminating the need for trained physiologists to set up traditional monitoring equipment. How it works: The ePatch system represents a significant departure from traditional Holter monitors that require extensive hospital-based setup. The device is a small patch that adheres to the skin, replacing traditional monitors that hook patients up to numerous wires during...
read Jul 14, 2025Swedish party shuts down AI campaign tool after Hitler greeting exploit
Sweden's Moderate Party shut down an AI service that generated personalized video greetings from Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson after users exploited it to create messages for Adolf Hitler and other notorious figures. The campaign tool, launched ahead of the 2026 election, lacked proper content filters and allowed inappropriate names to bypass security measures, forcing the party to take immediate action when the misuse was discovered. What happened: The AI service was designed to create personalized recruitment videos where Kristersson would hold signs with names and encourage people to join the party. TV4 News, a Swedish television network, tested the system...
read Jul 11, 2025Swiss universities to release 70B parameter open-source LLM in 2025
ETH Zurich and EPFL will release a fully open-source large language model in late summer 2025, trained on the "Alps" supercomputer at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre. The model represents a significant milestone in open AI development, offering multilingual fluency in over 1,000 languages and positioning European institutions as credible alternatives to closed commercial systems from the US and China. What you should know: The LLM will be completely transparent, with source code, weights, and training data publicly available under the Apache 2.0 License. Unlike commercial models developed behind closed doors, this approach enables high-trust applications and supports regulatory compliance...
read Jul 10, 2025Google Cloud partners with Additive Catchments for AI-powered river monitoring across UK
Additive Catchments and Google Cloud have announced a strategic partnership to scale AI-powered infrastructure for monitoring and improving river health across the U.K. The collaboration, revealed at the Google Cloud Summit London, centers on Additive's Catchment Monitoring as a Service platform, which provides real-time environmental data and early warnings for regulators, utilities and investors. What you should know: The partnership combines Additive Catchments' environmental expertise with Google Cloud's technical infrastructure to create a comprehensive river monitoring system. The platform leverages Google Cloud technologies, including BigQuery (a data analysis tool), Vertex AI (machine learning software), Earth Engine (satellite data processing), and...
read Jul 10, 2025London and Singapore test AI systems to assist air traffic controllers
Aviation authorities in London and Singapore are testing AI systems that could assist or potentially replace human air traffic controllers, following a series of high-profile accidents including the recent collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people. The trials aim to determine whether artificial intelligence can reduce human error and improve safety in increasingly congested airspace, though experts remain divided on the risks and benefits of automation in air traffic control. What you should know: AI-powered systems are being tested at major international airports to enhance air traffic control operations through continuous monitoring and early conflict detection. The U.K.'s...
read Jul 10, 2025EU publishes AI code of practice weeks before new rules take effect
The European Commission has published the General-Purpose AI Code of Practice to help enterprises comply with transparency, copyright, safety, and security obligations under the EU AI Act. The voluntary code arrives just ahead of the second wave of EU AI Act rules taking effect on August 2, providing critical guidance for companies developing and distributing AI models. What you should know: The code of practice offers enterprises a structured pathway to demonstrate compliance with EU AI Act requirements, though following it remains voluntary. The Commission positioned the code as a way for businesses to ensure they meet their legal obligations...
read Jul 7, 2025British NHS hospitals use AI to cut MRI scan times by 15 minutes
NHS hospitals in Hull are using AI technology to dramatically reduce MRI scan times, allowing them to see significantly more patients each day. The Air Recon Deep Learning (ARDL) software uses algorithms to reduce background noise and achieve sharper images in shorter timeframes, cutting scan times by 10-15 minutes while maintaining the same imaging quality. What you should know: The AI software has been installed on existing MRI machines at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, with plans to expand to Scunthorpe General Hospital and Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby. Key improvements: The technology has delivered substantial...
read Jul 7, 2025German firm makes DeepSeek AI 200% faster with 90% of original performance
German AI consulting firm TNG Technology Consulting GmbH has released DeepSeek-TNG R1T2 Chimera, a significantly faster variant of DeepSeek's popular open-source reasoning model R1-0528. The new model delivers 90% of the original's intelligence while generating responses with 60% fewer tokens, translating to 200% faster inference and dramatically lower compute costs for enterprises. What you should know: R1T2 represents a breakthrough in AI model efficiency through TNG's Assembly-of-Experts (AoE) methodology, which merges multiple pre-trained models without additional training. The model combines three parent models: DeepSeek-R1-0528, DeepSeek-R1, and DeepSeek-V3-0324, creating what TNG calls a "Tri-Mind" configuration. Unlike traditional training approaches, AoE selectively...
read Jul 1, 2025Russian disinformation campaign triples AI-generated content in 8 months
A pro-Russia disinformation campaign known as Operation Overload has dramatically scaled up its output using free consumer AI tools, producing nearly triple the content in the past eight months compared to the previous year. The campaign leverages readily available AI image generators, voice cloning technology, and text-to-image tools to create fake videos, manipulated images, and fabricated content targeting global elections, Ukraine, and immigration issues across multiple platforms. The content explosion: Between September 2024 and May 2025, Operation Overload produced 587 unique pieces of content—more than double the 230 pieces created in the entire previous year from July 2023 to June...
read Jun 30, 2025Germany orders Apple and Google to remove DeepSeek AI app over China data concerns
Germany's top data protection regulator has formally requested Apple and Google remove the DeepSeek AI app from their stores, citing concerns over illegal data transfers to China. This marks the latest escalation in a growing international crackdown on the Chinese AI startup, as Western governments grapple with data sovereignty concerns amid rising AI adoption. What you should know: Germany joins a growing list of countries taking action against DeepSeek over data privacy violations.• Meike Kamp, Berlin's federal commissioner for data protection and freedom of information, said DeepSeek failed to provide sufficient guarantees that user data is protected under EU-equivalent standards.•...
read Jun 27, 2025Franck Saudo interview: Safran deploys AI-powered weapons in weeks, not years
Safran Electronics & Defense CEO Franck Saudo outlined how modern warfare is driving demand for agile defense technologies, emphasizing the company's rapid deployment capabilities and AI-powered solutions during an interview at the Paris Air Show. The insights reveal how Europe's largest military optronics supplier is adapting to battlefield transformations seen from Syria to Ukraine, where traditional defense approaches are being challenged by drone swarms, electronic warfare, and cost-efficiency demands. The big picture: Modern conflicts have fundamentally altered defense requirements, creating what Saudo calls a "transformation of the defense demand" that requires both reinforced protection of existing assets and entirely new...
read Jun 27, 2025Netherlands invests $82M in AI factory as Europe builds domestic tech capacity
The Dutch government has committed 70 million euros ($82.03 million) to build an AI factory in Groningen, a northern city in the Netherlands. This investment represents part of a broader European push to develop domestic AI infrastructure capabilities, with the project potentially receiving up to 200 million euros in total funding when combined with EU co-financing and regional contributions. What you should know: The Netherlands is making a significant public investment in AI manufacturing infrastructure through multiple funding sources. • The Dutch government pledged 70 million euros for the AI factory construction in Groningen. • Officials have applied for an...
read Jun 26, 2025AI cameras catch drivers littering in Yorkshire, England’s £4M cleanup fight
East Riding of Yorkshire Council, a local government authority in northern England, has launched a 12-week pilot program using AI-powered CCTV cameras to catch drivers who litter on roadways. The trial, conducted with technology company Litter Cam, represents a new approach to combating littering that costs the council approximately £4 million annually to clean up. How it works: The AI system combines computer vision with automated license plate recognition to identify and record littering incidents in real-time. A camera positioned on the A164 near Willerby Roundabout uses AI software to detect when drivers dump trash from their vehicles. The system...
read Jun 25, 202567% of EU businesses struggle to understand AI Act compliance
Tech lobbying group CCIA Europe, representing major companies including Alphabet, Meta, and Apple, has called on the European Union to pause implementation of the AI Act just weeks before critical provisions take effect. The request comes as more than two-thirds of European businesses report struggling to understand their responsibilities under the landmark legislation, raising concerns that rushed enforcement could stifle innovation across the continent. What you should know: Key provisions of the EU AI Act, including rules for general purpose AI models, are scheduled to apply on August 2, but critical implementation details remain unpublished. Some parts of the general...
read Jun 25, 2025Europe worries of being left behind in tech as US, Russia and China AI clout hovers like drones
European NATO allies are growing increasingly concerned about falling behind in the artificial intelligence arms race as the United States shifts its focus from Russia to China. This strategic pivot has left European nations questioning their ability to compete in AI-powered warfare, particularly as they face immediate security threats from Russia while lacking the advanced AI capabilities that could define future conflicts. The big picture: Europe finds itself caught between immediate security needs and long-term technological competition, with limited access to frontier AI systems that could reshape modern warfare. While European countries excel at incorporating existing AI technologies into surveillance...
read Jun 23, 2025AI platforms quietly court advertisers at Cannes Lions 2025
AI platforms made their first quiet moves into advertising at Cannes Lions 2025, with companies like Perplexity and Anthropic sending ad executives to the festival for early-stage conversations with agencies and brands. The stealth approach signals AI platforms' inevitable shift toward advertising revenue as their high infrastructure costs demand sustainable monetization strategies. What you should know: Major AI platforms are laying the groundwork for advertising businesses despite maintaining low public profiles at the industry's biggest marketing event. Perplexity sent Taz Patel, its head of advertising and shopping, to meet with agency and brand leads about the company's current ad capabilities...
read Jun 20, 2025Swiss AI cuts cement emissions by 50% while maintaining strength
Researchers at Switzerland's Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) have developed an AI framework that can generate low-carbon cement formulations in seconds, potentially cutting CO₂ emissions by up to 50% while maintaining structural performance. This breakthrough addresses one of the world's biggest climate challenges, as cement production accounts for about 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions and humanity consumes more cement than food—around 1.5 kilograms per person daily. How it works: The PSI team built a specialized AI system from the ground up rather than adapting generic models for cement development. Their custom simulation software models how various cement ingredients react during...
read Jun 20, 2025BBC threatens legal action against Perplexity for unauthorized content use
The BBC has threatened legal action against US-based AI company Perplexity, accusing the firm of reproducing BBC content "verbatim" without permission through its chatbot. This marks the first time the world's largest public broadcaster has taken such action against an AI company, highlighting escalating tensions between media organizations and AI firms over unauthorized content use. What you should know: The BBC sent a formal legal letter to Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas demanding immediate cessation of BBC content use, deletion of stored material, and financial compensation. The letter states this "constitutes copyright infringement in the UK and breach of the BBC's...
read Jun 19, 2025Google Maps uses AI to reduce European car dependency with 4 major updates
Google Maps is rolling out four significant updates across Europe, marking the tech giant's most comprehensive push yet to reduce urban car dependency. These changes, powered by artificial intelligence and expanded infrastructure data, aim to make sustainable transportation options more appealing and accessible to millions of European commuters. The timing reflects growing pressure on major tech companies to support environmental initiatives, particularly in Europe where cities increasingly restrict vehicle access through low-emission zones and congestion pricing. For business travelers and daily commuters alike, these updates could fundamentally change how people navigate European cities this summer and beyond. 1. AI-powered transport...
read