thenextweb-rss

Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Linnea and Andrii talk about batteries and life on Earth, very expensive AI research proposals, copyright traps, and of course the Olympics. You’ll also hear an on-stage conversation with Parag Parekh, IKEA’s Chief Digital Officer, conducted at the TNW Conference by Linnea. The topic of the conversation read “Digital Ethics in Practice” — and Parag was able to offer a good…This story continues at The Next Web

Welcome to the new episode of the TNW Podcast — the show where we discuss the latest developments in the European technology ecosystem and feature interviews with some of the most interesting people in the industry. In today’s episode, Linnea and Andrii talk about batteries and life on Earth, very expensive AI research proposals, copyright traps, and of course the Olympics. You’ll also hear an on-stage conversation with Parag Parekh, IKEA’s Chief Digital Officer, conducted at the TNW Conference by Linnea. The topic of the conversation read “Digital Ethics in Practice” — and Parag was able to offer a good…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More 

The potential for deep tech to reshape industries from healthcare to climate science is immense. Yet, harnessing this potential requires more than just breakthroughs in isolated silos; it necessitates a nurturing ecosystem where collaboration and knowledge sharing are paramount. Deep tech spans several fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, biotechnology, and advanced materials. Each area demands considerable expertise and significant research and development (R&D) investment. Unlike conventional tech companies that might focus on software or applications with quicker market cycles, deep tech ventures typically endure longer development phases and face higher technological risks. Traditionally, deep tech innovation has often…This story continues at The Next Web

The potential for deep tech to reshape industries from healthcare to climate science is immense. Yet, harnessing this potential requires more than just breakthroughs in isolated silos; it necessitates a nurturing ecosystem where collaboration and knowledge sharing are paramount. Deep tech spans several fields, including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, biotechnology, and advanced materials. Each area demands considerable expertise and significant research and development (R&D) investment. Unlike conventional tech companies that might focus on software or applications with quicker market cycles, deep tech ventures typically endure longer development phases and face higher technological risks. Traditionally, deep tech innovation has often…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More 

Google’s partnership with GenAI startup Anthropic is raising eyebrows in the UK as the trend of big tech giants backing young AI companies continues. The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Tuesday that it’s collecting information on whether the partnership qualifies as a merger and negatively impacts UK competition. In October, Google-parent company Alphabet reportedly committed $2bn to the San-Francisco based startup, which has developed ChatGPT rival Claude. This followed a prior $300 investment in return for a what was said to be a 10% stake. The CMA is now asking “interested parties” to provide comments on the deal…This story continues at The Next WebOr just read more coverage about: Google

Google’s partnership with GenAI startup Anthropic is raising eyebrows in the UK as the trend of big tech giants backing young AI companies continues. The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Tuesday that it’s collecting information on whether the partnership qualifies as a merger and negatively impacts UK competition. In October, Google-parent company Alphabet reportedly committed $2bn to the San-Francisco based startup, which has developed ChatGPT rival Claude. This followed a prior $300 investment in return for a what was said to be a 10% stake. The CMA is now asking “interested parties” to provide comments on the deal…

This story continues at The Next Web

Or just read more coverage about: Google

Read More 

London-based Stairpay has raised £750k in Pre-Seed funding to help first-time home buyers navigate the shared ownership process — and ultimately move to full ownership. For individuals facing challenges entering the (overcrowded) UK housing market, shared ownership offers a potential solution. This government scheme allows buyers to purchase a share of a property (usually between 25% and 75%), while paying rent on the rest to a housing association that co-owns it. “Shared ownership is just one way of facilitating gradual home ownership,” Floris ten Nijenhuis, founder of Stairpay, told TNW. Automating shared ownership Founded in 2022, the startup has developed…This story continues at The Next Web

London-based Stairpay has raised £750k in Pre-Seed funding to help first-time home buyers navigate the shared ownership process — and ultimately move to full ownership. For individuals facing challenges entering the (overcrowded) UK housing market, shared ownership offers a potential solution. This government scheme allows buyers to purchase a share of a property (usually between 25% and 75%), while paying rent on the rest to a housing association that co-owns it. “Shared ownership is just one way of facilitating gradual home ownership,” Floris ten Nijenhuis, founder of Stairpay, told TNW. Automating shared ownership Founded in 2022, the startup has developed…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More 

The UK’s new Labour government has pledged to build 1.5 million homes during its first term in office. To achieve this, it promises planning reform and the reintroduction of local housing targets. Yet little attention has been given to the role of new technologies. Drones have the potential to transform the construction industry in the UK. However, our recent study in ACM Journal on Responsible Computing reveals that laws governing commercial drone deployment in the UK remain conflicting, chaotic, and sometimes, contradictory. In construction, drones can monitor site progress, conduct safety inspections, and even lift heavy materials, with some models…This story continues at The Next Web

The UK’s new Labour government has pledged to build 1.5 million homes during its first term in office. To achieve this, it promises planning reform and the reintroduction of local housing targets. Yet little attention has been given to the role of new technologies. Drones have the potential to transform the construction industry in the UK. However, our recent study in ACM Journal on Responsible Computing reveals that laws governing commercial drone deployment in the UK remain conflicting, chaotic, and sometimes, contradictory. In construction, drones can monitor site progress, conduct safety inspections, and even lift heavy materials, with some models…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More 

Just as the sun rises and sets, some things are inevitable. Consider technology. As soon as something new emerges, people invariably find a way to abuse it. In recent years, this mantle has fallen on artificial intelligence (AI) and one of its most troubling side effects — the rise of nonconsensual deepfake pornography. The idea is as simple as it is horrendous: using digital tech to create fake and explicit images or videos of someone. While this has been bubbling in the internet’s underbelly for several years, recent improvements in AI tools means this sort of content is getting easier…This story continues at The Next Web

Just as the sun rises and sets, some things are inevitable. Consider technology. As soon as something new emerges, people invariably find a way to abuse it. In recent years, this mantle has fallen on artificial intelligence (AI) and one of its most troubling side effects — the rise of nonconsensual deepfake pornography. The idea is as simple as it is horrendous: using digital tech to create fake and explicit images or videos of someone. While this has been bubbling in the internet’s underbelly for several years, recent improvements in AI tools means this sort of content is getting easier…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More 

Several long-distance fibre-optic cables in France were “sabotaged” overnight, according to local police, causing widespread disruptions to internet services across the country.  The perpetrators remain at large, as the cat-and-mouse between police and criminals at the Olympics continues on the sidelines of sprints, swims, and shot puts.  The internet cables were severed early on Monday morning, said network provider Netalis on X. Junior Minister for Digital Affairs Marina Ferrari condemned the attacks, calling them “cowardly and irresponsible.”   Paris, where most of the Olympic events are taking place, has not been affected. Whether the attacks were intended to disrupt the Games…This story continues at The Next Web

Several long-distance fibre-optic cables in France were “sabotaged” overnight, according to local police, causing widespread disruptions to internet services across the country.  The perpetrators remain at large, as the cat-and-mouse between police and criminals at the Olympics continues on the sidelines of sprints, swims, and shot puts.  The internet cables were severed early on Monday morning, said network provider Netalis on X. Junior Minister for Digital Affairs Marina Ferrari condemned the attacks, calling them “cowardly and irresponsible.”   Paris, where most of the Olympic events are taking place, has not been affected. Whether the attacks were intended to disrupt the Games…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More 

The race for semiconductor leadership is on — and European chip startups are rising to the challenge. Europe is already home to high-profile chip companies including ASML, NXP, Arm, and Infineon. However, it lags behind in manufacturing capacity. The EU is currently producing about 10% of the world’s semiconductors. The UK accounted for 0.5% of chip sales globally in 2023. In an ongoing battle against chip giants in Taiwan, China, and the US, both the EU and the UK are doubling down on leveraging their particular strengths in R&D and chip design. The goal is to gain a competitive advantage…This story continues at The Next Web

The race for semiconductor leadership is on — and European chip startups are rising to the challenge. Europe is already home to high-profile chip companies including ASML, NXP, Arm, and Infineon. However, it lags behind in manufacturing capacity. The EU is currently producing about 10% of the world’s semiconductors. The UK accounted for 0.5% of chip sales globally in 2023. In an ongoing battle against chip giants in Taiwan, China, and the US, both the EU and the UK are doubling down on leveraging their particular strengths in R&D and chip design. The goal is to gain a competitive advantage…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More 

Dutch airline KLM has teamed up with British-American startup ZeroAvia to develop a liquid hydrogen-powered turboprop aircraft. The partners aim to conduct a flight demonstration between two yet-to-be-named airports in 2026. ZeroAvia builds hydrogen-electric powertrains that can be retrofitted onto new or existing aircraft. The company has raised over $300mn from the likes of Airbus, Amazon, and British Airways to realise its vision for zero-emission flight.  Hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity. This then powers electric motors that turn the aircraft’s propellers. The only emission is water vapour. Credit: ZeroAviaZeroAvia has conducted several flights of a…This story continues at The Next Web

Dutch airline KLM has teamed up with British-American startup ZeroAvia to develop a liquid hydrogen-powered turboprop aircraft. The partners aim to conduct a flight demonstration between two yet-to-be-named airports in 2026. ZeroAvia builds hydrogen-electric powertrains that can be retrofitted onto new or existing aircraft. The company has raised over $300mn from the likes of Airbus, Amazon, and British Airways to realise its vision for zero-emission flight.  Hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity. This then powers electric motors that turn the aircraft’s propellers. The only emission is water vapour. Credit: ZeroAviaZeroAvia has conducted several flights of a…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More 

Elon Musk could have yet another problem with the European Union. Musk’s X has enabled the Grok chatbot to be trained on data from any user. This feature is now on by default, which may breach EU rules. Deep within the settings of X, users unearthed evidence of the data harvesting. Besides a check box that was already ticked, they spotted the following text: “Allow your posts as well as your interactions, inputs, and results with Grok to be used for training and fine-tuning.” This approach could violate the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The law restricts companies from…This story continues at The Next Web

Elon Musk could have yet another problem with the European Union. Musk’s X has enabled the Grok chatbot to be trained on data from any user. This feature is now on by default, which may breach EU rules. Deep within the settings of X, users unearthed evidence of the data harvesting. Besides a check box that was already ticked, they spotted the following text: “Allow your posts as well as your interactions, inputs, and results with Grok to be used for training and fine-tuning.” This approach could violate the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The law restricts companies from…

This story continues at The Next Web

Read More