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Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc., announced plans to invest $15 billion to build a major artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud data hub in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, marking the company's largest single investment outside the United States. The new facility will be established in the port city of Visakhapatnam and will form part of Google's global network of AI data centers across 12 countries. "It's the largest AI hub that we are going to be investing in anywhere in the world outside the United States," said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, during an event in New Delhi on Tuesday, adding that the investment would be made over the next five years. Andhra Pradesh's Minister of Information Technology, Nara Lokesh, described the project as "a massive leap for our state's digital future, innovation, and global standing." According to the state government, the new hub will include a 1-gigawatt data center campus integrating advanced AI infrastructure, renewable energy systems, and an expanded fiber-optic network to support growing digital connectivity. The project comes amid intensifying global competition among major technology firms to expand data center capacity to meet surging demand for AI-driven services. Google has pledged to spend approximately $85 billion this year on data infrastructure worldwide, while competitors such as Microsoft and Amazon have also invested billions of dollars in India — a market with nearly one billion internet users.

The 17th season of Qatar Foundation's Stars of Science initiative is showcasing forward-looking inventions that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to address some of the world's most pressing health and technology challenges. Among this year's standout innovations are wearable diagnostic tools, adaptive rehabilitation devices, and AI-powered systems that embrace a predictive approach to healthcare. Jordanian innovator Khaldoun Megdady has developed a 3D coronary artery simulation platform that allows cardiac surgeons to map and rehearse procedures in advance, reducing uncertainty and surgical risks. Algerian contestant Ryad Haji Habib is tackling immune response complications in treatment by using scorpion venom peptides to simulate potential reactions, ensuring better therapeutic outcomes. Fellow Algerian contestant Laid Dardabou addresses the global issue of vitamin D deficiency with a wearable device that monitors vitamin D levels in real time — a potential game changer for early intervention, particularly as over a billion people worldwide are affected. Other innovations include a smart AI-based system for electric vehicle battery monitoring, developed by Mohamed Alshaikh Saleh, which predicts faults before they occur. Contestant Razan Salem Bahabri is working on a gamified neurorehabilitation tool, while Mohamed Kahna is developing an augmented reality surgical system to support real-time decision-making during operations. This season's emphasis on predictive and preventive innovation highlights a growing shift in the region toward proactive, AI-integrated healthcare and technology solutions. Since launching in 2009, Stars of Science has aired over 313 episodes, supported 175 alumni from 18 Arab countries, and contributed to the launch of more than 55 startups across key sectors. Qatar Foundation and Qatar Science & Technology Park continue to back the program, empowering young innovators to shape a healthier, smarter, and more sustainable future.

The dizzying investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure do not constitute a bubble but are rather today's "new normal" to meet rising user demand, Fidji Simo, OpenAI's de facto number two, said Monday."What I am seeing here is a massive investment in computing power, (with) us meeting (this need) for computing power so incredibly badly for a lot of use cases that people want," Simo told AFP in her first interview since she took office August 18 as Chief Operating Officer of OpenAI's applications, including its flagship model ChatGPT."From that perspective, I really do not see that as a bubble. I see that as a new normal, and I think the world is going to really switch to realizing that computing power is the most strategic resource."

The Ministry of Municipality has announced the launch of the pilot version of the Institutional Excellence and Knowledge Transfer System, based on artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. This is the first step of its kind in the region, coinciding with the launch of the evaluation process for the second edition of the Qatar Government Excellence Award.The new system was launched in collaboration between the Information Systems Department and the Planning, Quality, and Innovation Department. It represents a qualitative shift in the concept of institutional excellence, leveraging artificial intelligence tools to achieve superior performance and ensure the sustainability of institutional excellence through continuous improvement, accuracy, and speed of completion.The ministry explained in a statement that the system aims to enhance awareness of the concepts of excellence and innovation among leaders and decision-makers, and to spread a culture of institutional excellence within the ministry, keeping pace with the pace of digital transformation and modern institutional development trends. Excellence has become a strategic necessity dictated by global competition. The new system’s most prominent features include its role as a virtual assistant for standards leaders, rapid access to results and outputs, enhanced awareness and dissemination of a culture of institutional excellence, integrated connectivity between relevant standards and practices, the ability to extract evidence and information quickly and accurately, and the provision of an innovative, interactive environment to enhance employee engagement.The ministry emphasised that the system represents more than just a technical tool; it is a strategic partner in the institutional excellence journey and a driver of knowledge innovation. It noted that it was developed through extensive collaborative efforts and working sessions with partners from AI technology providers, establishing it as a pioneering model for digital transformation in the field of institutional excellence and innovative work.

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) always encourages the use of technological advancements to serve the public, a senior official has said.“In road projects, we have intelligent transportation systems. We have autonomous vehicles. We even use artificial intelligence (AI). We use laser scanning technology for road networks to map any potential impacts on the roads,” said Engineer Abdulrahman Ahmed al-Ansari, Senior Projects Engineer at the Office of President of Ashghal, while talking to Qatar TV.He added that new technologies change the level of services in the sewage network.“We always encourage the use of the latest technologies in cooperation with our partners. There are the latest technologies for roads. There are various and modern technologies in sewage networks. Some of these include robots and drones,” he said.Regarding the projects that were recently awarded by Ashghal, al-Ansari said, these contracts are part of Ashghal’s strategic plan to enhance infrastructure. “These contracts include roads, public buildings, and drainage networks. Their goal is to improve the daily quality of life for the public, both citizens and residents. Through this role, we contribute to Qatar National Vision 2030 in terms of sustainability and improving services,” he said.Ashghal recently announced 13 new contracts worth QR 12bn to enhance the infrastructure of road and drainage networks and public buildings and improve the quality of life in Qatar. The new projects that were awarded include road network operation and maintenance works, drainage networks operation and maintenance works, construction of three new schools, improving safety and fire systems in 40 existing schools, refurbishment of the Psychiatric Hospital of Hamad Medical Corporation, and renovation of Al Zubara Horse Breeding Farm.

Japan's Nikkei share average closed at a record high on Wednesday, fighting back from early losses on optimism buoyed by investments in artificial intelligence. The Nikkei 225 Index rose 0.3% to close at an unprecedented 45,630.31, recovering from earlier session losses as wide as 0.6%. The broader Topix gauge gained 0.2%. The Nikkei's largest gainers were industrial manufacturer IHI, which rose 9.7%, followed by SoftBank Group, which jumped 6%. The sharpest falls were in shares of utility Tokyo Electric Power, which was down 4.89%, followed by video game maker Nexon, which sank 3.8%.

NEXX, a logistics AI (artificial intelligence) company, in association with Zipto Supply Chain, a leading Chinese cross-border E-commerce logistics provider, is expanding into Qatar market as it establishes advanced smart fulfillment center at Milaha Logistics City, Qatar, to enhance cross-border E-commerce logistics capabilities in the region.In this regard, NEXX officially announced strategic partnerships with Zipto Supply Chain and Middle East delivery leader iMile, during the Belt and Road Summit held in Hong Kong."Together with Zipto's expertise in Chinese market access and iMile's last-mile excellence, powered by our AI-driven fulfillment center, we are positioned to transform the region's logistics landscape and revolutionise service standards in this sector," said Hui Ka, Oscar, chief executive officer of NEXX.Operated jointly by NEXX, Milaha and Hong Kong E-commerce logistics company KEC, the 5,000sqm smart fulfillment center is equipped with an agentic AI management system, automated sorting robots, and pharmaceutical logistics certification.It offers end-to-end warehousing and fulfillment services tailored for cross-border B2C E-commerce customers. The center also supports B2B operations and features a bonded warehouse. It is scheduled to commence full operations in the fourth quarter of this year.On NEXX's strategic partnership with Zipto to expand into the Qatar market, this partnership will see Zipto utilise the former's advanced smart fulfillment center as its primary Qatar operational base, harnessing the facility's sophisticated automation capabilities to serve Chinese E-commerce businesses expanding into the Qatari market, with planned subsequent expansion into the UAE.In a complementary agreement, NEXX has partnered with iMile, which will establish its Qatar headquarters within NEXX's smart fulfillment center, utilising the facility's intelligent logistics infrastructure to enhance and expand its delivery services across the country through integrated technological solutions."We are pleased to support NEXX and its partners Zipto and iMile as they bring innovative logistics solutions to Qatar. Our commitment to fostering international collaboration and sustainable business growth is strengthened by these important partnerships, which will position Qatar as a central player in the region's E-commerce landscape," said Sheikh Ali Alwaleed al-Thani, chief executive officer of Invest Qatar.NEXX had recently announced a strategic investment from Rasmal Ventures — the first independent venture capital fund supported by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). It disclosed that Ibrahim al-Derbasti, executive vice president of Offshore and Marine at Milaha, as co-founder of NEXX Middle East.

Vodafone Qatar and Khwarizmi Artificial Intelligence Centre Doha (KAIC) have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU), marking the beginning of a collaboration aimed at accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) innovation across Qatar.The partnership will see both organisations co-develop and implement an AI-powered FlowTeam solution, based on KAIC’s TENN.ai platform, and customised to meet Vodafone Qatar’s evolving client needs. The collaboration will particularly focus on offering disruptive AI-driven user experiences, enhancing customer satisfaction, optimising operational agility, and driving transformative digital innovation across Qatar’s telecommunications and enterprise sectors.Leveraging KAIC’s robust AI solutions and capabilities, Vodafone Qatar will develop solutions to overcome industry challenges, empowering customers and businesses alike with smarter, more personalised services. The partnership reflects Vodafone Qatar’s ongoing commitment to delivering advanced, customer-centric technologies by leveraging the latest AI innovations to drive digital transformation within Qatar's enterprise sectors.Mohamed Mohsin Alyafei, Enterprise Business Unit director at Vodafone Qatar, said: “In recognition of the ongoing need for innovation to advance Qatar’s aspirations for a diversified, competitive digital economy, Vodafone Qatar is committed to developing infrastructure and technological capabilities to support this vision. By harnessing AI’s potential, we aim to reshape how businesses engage with their customers and strengthen Qatar’s position as a technology leader, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.”Firas Sleiman, founder of KAIC, said: “We’re honoured and thrilled to work with Vodafone Qatar on these key initiatives, and support government and private clients with their AI use cases and workflow transformations. This strategic collaboration will harness the power of our TENN.ai Enterprise AI Platform, allowing clients to use our super-agentic FlowTeams to deploy AI Employees that will automate and accelerate work. These smart virtual AI employees will redefine operational agility and deliver unprecedented customer experiences, truly powering Qatar's digital transformation journey.”

When a quiet resurgence in Chinese equities developed into a world-beating rally, it took many seasoned market watchers by surprise.There’s little sign of a revival in spending by consumers and businesses that would dramatically inflate the earnings of Chinese companies. Instead, the boom appears to be driven by hedge funds and retail investors seeking higher returns in an environment of low interest rates. There’s also optimism that breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and a government drive to address industrial overcapacity are about to kick-start China’s economy.For now, official data isn’t pointing to an economic rebound, and there are already signs that share prices may be overheating, reviving memories of a stock market crash in 2015 that burned small investors. Financial authorities are under growing pressure to step in and calm the speculative fever.What’s happening in China’s stock market?The CSI 300 Index jumped 10% in August, its best performance since a rally last September. Red flags have emerged. Market turnover has hit a record. The outstanding amount of margin trades — where investors borrow money to buy local stocks in the onshore market — has also surged to an all-time high, signalling a growing appetite for risk-taking.In an effort to curb speculative fever, mutual funds have capped daily purchases of some of the year’s best performing equity portfolios, and commercial banks have tightened oversight of clients using credit cards to fund stock investments.What’s behind the sudden rally?The money is pouring in mostly from households, whose savings are collectively at a record high. With interest rates on savings drifting lower, some have been turning to equities for better returns. Wealthy investors have led the charge, often via hedge fund investments. But the volume of money heading into stocks is still relatively small compared with the trillions of yuan saved by Chinese consumers overall, and this is fuelling speculation that the market rally has further to run.Easing trade tensions with the US have helped to calm investor nerves. There are hopes that a government “anti-involution” campaign to combat price wars and fix overcapacity across various industries will break a deflationary cycle that’s undermined the confidence of consumers and businesses. And China’s breakthroughs in artificial intelligence have led to hopes that national industries are poised for a wave of technological progress that will accelerate economic growth and boost corporate earnings.Why are Chinese financial regulators concerned?The country’s financial authorities face a difficult balancing act in trying to engineer sustainable growth in the stock market without causing investors to panic. The Beijing government has made clear it would prefer a “slow bull market” that would allow for sustainable wealth creation and a durable boost in household consumption. The last thing the authorities want is a sharp reversal following a rapid rally, which would inflict heavy losses on retail investors. But as the rally continues, analysts are warning of a stock market bubble that could pop unless corporate earnings prospects improve or the government boosts its support for the economy.What might they do about it?China’s financial regulators are considering a number of measures to cool the market. These include a removal of some curbs on short selling and various measures to rein in speculative trading, according to people familiar with the matter.For now, regulators may have some breathing room before they need to intervene, as the involvement of retail investors in the stock market is still relatively limited by historic standards, suggesting the rally may not be as fragile as some market watchers suggest.What’s at stake if the market doesn’t stabilise?Much of China’s economy is still in the doldrums and suffering from a protracted real estate crisis. With the government trying to kick-start household spending to offset the negative impacts of a trade battle with the US the biggest destination for Chinese exports the last thing it needs is a stock market slump that would further dent consumer confidence. If the losses became too hard to bear, it could damage the social stability that’s the number-one priority for China’s leadership.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) is conducting practical trials to employ modern technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and drones for carrying out surveys and monitoring of various environmental sites across the country. The ministry is scheduled to begin the implementation of this technology in 2026. The MoECC posted a video on its X account explaining that the drones will be controlled from the operations room. The drones are capable of carrying out fully automated missions without human intervention, in addition to identifying a target and tracking its movement with high precision. The AI analysis relies on heat sensors for detection, alongside the ability to fly over the sea to monitor sensitive environmental changes. The drones can also automatically return to their takeoff point once the mission is completed or in case of lost communication.

A delegation from Qatar Chamber participated in the First Arab Forum on Artificial Intelligence, held in New Alamein City in Egypt, headed by its Chairman Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani.In his speech at the forum’s second panel discussion, entitled "The Role of the Arab Private Sector and Arab Businessmen in Activating and Implementing the Arab Artificial Intelligence Initiative,” Sheikh Khalifa emphasised that the Arab AI Initiative, endorsed at the Arab Development Summit in Baghdad in May 2025, represents a cornerstone for unifying Arab efforts to ensure the optimal utilisation of modern technologies in serving Arab societies, supporting their economies, and enhancing their global competitiveness.He also noted that Arab countries have made significant strides in the AI sector, underscoring the need for active participation from the Arab private sector in implementing this ambitious initiative.He emphasised that Arab businessmen play a pivotal role in the initiative’s success by supporting innovative startups and strengthening partnerships with academic institutions and research centres.He underlined that the private sector plays a key role in accelerating digital transformation and creating a business environment capable of embracing these technologies.Sheikh Khalifa also highlighted Qatar’s strong commitment to innovation and technology through the launch of multiple strategies and initiatives that support digital transformation, develop technological infrastructure, and build qualified human capacities.He stressed the importance of enacting flexible legislation and providing investment incentives to boost the flow of joint Arab investment in technology and AI. He affirmed the readiness of Qatar Chamber and the Qatari private sector to actively contribute to supporting and implementing the Arab AI Initiative in a way that achieves sustainable development for Arab nations and enhances their presence in the global knowledge and innovation-based economy.The forum, organised by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport in co-operation with the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States, served as a leading Arab platform for exchanging experiences and formulating future visions to support cybersecurity, the digital economy, and technological innovation, thereby strengthening the Arab region’s position on the global AI map.The forum featured eight panel sessions addressing several themes, including: the role of Arab organisations and institutions, the role of the private sector and Arab businessmen, the role of Arab financial institutions, AI governance, ethical frameworks and international co-operation, cybersecurity infrastructure and digital sovereignty, economic development, and innovation, as well as human capacity building and preserving cultural identity.

Microsoft announced the launch of its first internally developed artificial intelligence models. The first model is named MAI-Voice-1, dedicated to generating natural voices, while the second model, MAI-1-preview, is classified as a foundational text model that was fully developed and trained within the company.According to the company's statement, the MAI-Voice-1 model is distinguished by its ability to generate a full minute of audio in less than one second using only a single graphics processing unit (GPU).The model is already being used in some Copilot services, such as Copilot Daily, which provides a daily audio summary of news, in addition to producing podcast-like discussions to explain topics.Users can also try it via the Copilot Labs platform, with the ability to adjust the tone and delivery style. As for the text model MAI-1-preview, it was trained using approximately 15,000 Nvidia H100 chips and is designed to handle textual instructions and provide useful responses to daily inquiries.Microsoft confirmed that this model offers a glimpse of what it will present in the future within the Copilot ecosystem. The company has already begun testing it through the LMArena platform, which measures the performance of AI models, and it will be gradually integrated into some Copilot services over the coming weeks.This step comes at a time when Copilot services still rely primarily on Open AI technologies. Microsoft believes that combining a set of specialized models that serve diverse needs and uses will provide tremendous value to users and pave the way for a new phase of competition in the global AI race.