Baltic states ‘successfully’ link with European power grid


By AFP
February 9, 2025


Power infrastructure across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have been disconnected from the Russian electricity system in a move that became a priority after Russia's invasion of Ukraine - Copyright AFP Eyad BABA

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Sunday announced that the three Baltic states had “successfully” joined the European power grid after severing ties with the Russian network.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — former Soviet states that are now European Union and NATO members — have been working on making the change since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

The small Baltic countries fear that they too could be targeted. The staunch Ukraine supporters are also worried that Russia would blackmail them using electricity supplies.

“Moments ago, I received great news. The synchronisation of the Baltic states’ electricity system with the continental European system has been successfully completed,” Nauseda told reporters in Vilnius.

“This is a historic moment marking the end of a long journey … We have achieved full energy independence. The period of political pressure and blackmail is finally over,” he said.

He spoke alongside his Estonian and Latvian counterparts as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Poland’s president.

The Baltic countries integrated into the European grid via Poland.

A total of 1.6 billion euros ($1.7 billion) — mostly EU funds — have been invested in the ending of power ties with Russia across the Baltic states and Poland.

Nauseda called for “substantial action at the European Union level” to improve the resilience of the Baltic states’ critical infrastructure.

“Now is the time to secure our achievements. Russia’s war against Ukraine has radically transformed the perception of the threats to the critical infrastructure in Europe,” he said.

“Recent incidents involving undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea provide a matter of great concern. And a call for resolute action, as well,” he added.

Several undersea telecom and power cables have been severed in the Baltic Sea in recent months.

Some experts and politicians have accused Russia of waging a “hybrid war”, including the unconventional targeting of energy supplies, an allegation Moscow denies.

Baltics disconnect from Russian power grid without incident


By AFP
February 8, 2025


New dawn: A high-voltage power line near the border between Poland and Lithuania - Copyright AFP Eyad BABA

Benas Gerdziunas with Anna Maria Jakubek in Warsaw

The three Baltic states on Saturday seamlessly cut ties with Russia’s power grid to integrate with the European Union’s network, a switch that gained urgency with Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — small EU and NATO members once part of the Soviet Union — had planned the change for years but sped up the process after Russia’s full-scale Ukraine invasion.

The war launched in February 2022 triggered fear in the Baltics that they could be targeted next. The staunch Ukraine supporters also worried that Russia would blackmail them using the electricity system.

“We are safe because we have disconnected from the Russian grid,” Nerijus Cesiulis, mayor of the southern Lithuanian city of Alytus, told AFP.

He added it was important to avoid a repeat of incidents “like those in the Baltic Sea”, where several undersea telecom and power cables have been severed in recent months.

Some experts and politicians have accused Russia of waging a “hybrid war”, including unconventional targeting of energy supplies, an allegation Moscow denies.

Authorities had warned of the potential for sabotage or other disruptions linked to the grid switch, but the disconnection went off without a hitch.

Baltic grid operators said Russia had cooperated during the disconnection process.

The European Commissioner for Energy, Dan Jorgensen, said it was “a historic day”.

“I like the light better when there’s no Russian electrons involved,” he told reporters in Estonian capital Tallinn.

“This is about security… No European country should be dependent on Russia for anything,” he added.

Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko also hailed the disconnection as a “significant event for the whole of Europe”.

“Such steps deprive the aggressor of the opportunity to use the electricity sector for blackmail and political games,” he said Saturday.

– Mostly EU-funded –

After the Baltic states completed the disconnection process on Saturday morning, Latvia physically cut a power line to Russia.

“Now we have complete control over our power grid,” Latvian Energy Minister Kaspars Melnis told reporters while holding a piece of dismantled wire.

His Lithuanian counterpart Zygimantas Vaiciunas told AFP they had eliminated any potential for Russia to use grid control “as a weapon”.

Vaiciunas said the Baltics were now operating in so-called “isolated mode” before they integrate with the European grid via Poland on Sunday.

The window of time was so they could run tests to assure Europe their energy system was stable, Lithuanian state-run grid operator Litgrid said.

It added on Saturday evening it had completed all “frequency control tests” and everything was progressing as planned.

A total of 1.6 billion euros ($1.7 billion) — mostly EU funds — have been invested in the synchronisation project across the Baltic states and Poland.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen was to attend a ceremony with Baltic leaders in Vilnius on Sunday.

– ‘Symbolic’ –

Lithuanian engineer Aras Valiukas, 45, was happy about the grid switch, calling it “symbolic”.

“We have disconnected from the Soviet Union,” he told AFP in downtown Vilnius.

The Baltics have long prepared to integrate with the European grid but faced technological and financial issues.

They stopped purchasing Russian gas and electricity after the invasion but their power grids remained connected to Russia and Belarus, controlled from Moscow.

This left them dependent on Moscow for a stable electricity flow, which is crucial for factories and facilities requiring a reliable power supply.

Litgrid and Latvian grid operator AST said Russia had cooperated with Saturday’s switch.

“They disconnected power to the same line also from their side, with the biggest surprise today being that there are no surprises,” AST CEO Rolands Irklis told AFP.

Litgrid head Rokas Masiulis said that “when you are part of the same (electricity) system, you cannot harm the other without harming yourself”.

Masiulis said Russia had to ensure the energy security of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, “which was in part dependent on us”.

The exclave is located between Lithuania and Poland and has no border with the rest of Russia.

Because of the Baltic decoupling, the energy system in Kaliningrad will no longer have grid connection to mainland Russia.

Kaliningrad has been building up its power generation capacity for years and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed all concerns.

Asked about the cut-off last week, he said: “We have taken all measures to ensure the uninterrupted reliable operation of our unified energy system.”

UK falls behind in European renewable energy rankings


By Dr. Tim Sandle
February 9, 2025

DIGITAL JOURNAL


Windmills make up about 10 percent of US energy production, with the largest output in the Republican-led states of Texas, Iowa and Oklahoma - Copyright GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP JUSTIN SULLIVAN

The UK is off track to meet its 2050 net zero target, with the Climate Change Committee calling for intensified efforts tackling the UK’s carbon emissions.

This comes despite positive developments in the latest Energy Trends Report. This shows a record 51.6% of the nation’s electricity was sourced from renewables in 2024. This overall figure hides regional disparities.

Which UK regions are at the forefront of renewable energy generation?

To find out, the firm Confused.com Energy analysed solar and wind capacity factors in each region. The company also looked at capacity forecasts from 2030 to 2060 to uncover the regions with the greatest potential for renewable energy generation. The results have been provided to Digital Journal.

UK regions for renewable energy generation ranked 

Rank	Region	Avg. monthly surface solar radiation (W/m²)	Avg. solar PV capacity factor*	Solar score /10	Avg. monthly wind speed at 100 meters (m s⁻¹)	Avg. onshore wind capacity factor*	Wind score /10	Final renewable potential score /10
1	Scotland	208.56	16.0%	6.54	6.64	37.3%	8.66	7.60
2	Yorkshire and the Humber	220.67	16.7%	6.83	5.83	32.3%	8.32	7.58
3	East of England	240.85	18.1%	8.21	5.63	29.7%	6.43	7.32
4	North East	228.25	17.4%	6.68	5.98	34.6%	7.68	7.18
5	Wales	222.10	16.8%	7.43	5.58	27.6%	6.86	7.15
6	South East	244.87	18.3%	8.53	5.59	28.1%	5.69	7.11
7	South West	229.38	17.2%	8.14	5.62	27.5%	5.86	7.00
8	North West	220.97	16.9%	6.28	5.84	31.1%	7.58	6.93
9	Northern Ireland	193.49	14.7%	5.18	6.52	38.0%	8.62	6.90
10	East Midlands	219.62	16.5%	7.09	5.77	30.6%	6.66	6.88
11	London	239.10	17.8%	7.15	5.32	26.0%	5.46	6.31
12	West Midlands	214.19	16.1%	6.16	5.55	26.8%	5.62	5.89

*The capacity factors above are based on data from 2024, and reflect the real-world efficiency of solar/wind systems. They measure the actual energy production of these systems compared to their maximum potential output.

Scotland stands as the renewable energy powerhouse in the UK, achieving a final renewable potential score of 7.60/10. The region boasts the second highest onshore wind capacity factor at 37.3% – only behind Northern Ireland. In fact, wind power alone produces over 11GW in Scotland, accounting for 39% of the UK’s total capacity.

Solar power plays a smaller role in Scotland with solar systems running at 16% of their maximum potential. Notably, in 2022, Scotland hit a major milestone by generating 113% of its electricity needs from renewables – producing more green energy than it consumed.

Earning a final score of 7.58/10, Yorkshire and the Humber ranks second in the UK’s renewable energy landscape. The region records an average wind speed of 5.83 m s⁻¹ (metres per second), and has the fourth highest wind energy output at 32.3%, projected to peak at 56.1% in 2040.

In March, Hull City Council also approved a £200 million Yorkshire Energy Park aimed at attracting investment in clean energy. Otherwise, the region benefits from an average monthly surface solar radiation of 220.67 W/m² (Watts per square metre) and has seen a staggering 221% year-on-year increase in solar installations.

The East of England comes in third place (7.32/10) thanks to an average monthly surface solar radiation of 240.85 W/m². Its solar systems run at a commendable capacity factor of 18.1% – the second most efficient in the UK. Areas such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire which enjoy around 1,638 hours of sunshine annually, are well-suited for solar energy production.

Three major solar farms approved in July are also set to collectively contribute about two-thirds of last year’s total installed solar energy. While slightly lower than the neighbouring region of the East Midlands (30.6%), the East of England’s onshore wind systems operate at a notable capacity factor of 29.7%.

Britain’s capital ranked the lowest for renewable energy generation

The West Midlands is the lowest ranking UK region for renewable energy potential, achieving a score of just 5.89/10. With an average monthly surface solar radiation of 214.19 W/m², solar systems in the region are less productive running at a capacity factor of 16.1%. Additionally, with the second lowest wind speed at just 5.55 m s⁻¹, its onshore wind systems operate at a capacity factor of just 26.8%.

The region is, however, taking proactive steps to boost renewable energy output, with the West Midlands Combined Authority approved to invest £707 million earlier this year to support the transition to net zero.

London is the second-lowest ranking region for renewable energy potential, scoring a mere 6.31/10. The capital’s dense urban environment poses challenges for solar and wind energy production. But its focus on utilising large rooftop spaces for commercial solar installations (8,208 units) has yielded positive results. Despite having the lowest installed solar capacities in the UK, London’s solar systems are notably efficient with a capacity factor of 17.8% – ranking third nationally.

Wind energy, however, remains limited with onshore wind systems operating at a capacity factor of just 26% – nearly 12% lower than Northern Ireland (38%).

Written ByDr. Tim Sandle
Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs

COUNTERINTUITIVE

Did cuts to shipping emissions spur more global warming?


By AFP
February 10, 2025


Scientists have been researching whether a shift to cleaner shipping fuels could have helped increase global warming - Copyright AFP Amir MAKAR

Antoine GUY

Could a sudden drop in pollution from cargo vessels criss-crossing global shipping lanes be inadvertently making the world hotter?

The main reason for global warming is the heat-trapping emissions from burning fossil fuels.

But scientists have been looking at the extent to which a shift to cleaner, lower-sulphur shipping fuels in 2020 may have fuelled warming by reducing the amount of particles in the atmosphere that reflect heat back into space.

This theory surfaced again when January was declared the hottest on record, extending a streak of exceptional global temperatures that has persisted since mid-2023.

– Why did shipping emissions drop? –

On January 1, 2020, the sulphur content in engine fuel used to power container vessels, oil tankers and other ships in global trade was slashed by decree from 3.5 percent to 0.5 percent.

This was mandated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a UN agency that regulates the global shipping sector, including its environmental impact.

Sulphur oxides in fuels are tiny airborne particles harmful to human health and linked to strokes and the development of lung and cardiovascular diseases.

Some jurisdictions have even tighter restrictions in so-called “emissions control areas” in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, the North American zone and the US marine Caribbean area.

– Is it working? –

The IMO estimated its fuel mandate would cut emissions of sulphur oxide by 8.5 million tonnes a year.

Last June, research published in the academic journal Earth System Science Data reported that sulphur oxide emissions from the shipping industry declined 7.4 million tonnes between 2019 and 2020.

The IMO said that in 2023 just two vessels flagged for inspection were found to be using fuel with a sulphur level above the 0.5 percent requirement.

Since the new regulation came into force, only 67 violations have been recorded.

– Is there a link to global warming? –

Sulphur oxides are not greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide or methane which are effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere, raising global temperatures.

On the contrary, they boost the reflectivity of clouds by making them more mirror-like and capable of bouncing incoming heat from the Sun back into space.

The sudden decline in these particles may have spurred recent warming “but we can’t quantify it in an ultra-precise manner”, said Olivier Boucher from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS)

He said studies had detected changes in clouds above major shipping lanes since 2020, including a greater presence of larger particles less reflective of sunlight.

Scientists could say shipping emissions had aided warming to some degree “but we are not able to say that it contributes a lot”, Boucher added.

One study published in August in the journal Earth’s Future concluded that the IMO regulation could increase global surface temperatures by nearly 0.05 degrees Celsius a year up until 2029.

The drastic reduction in airborne sulphur pollution helps to explain the exceptional heat of 2023 but the authors said the magnitude of the temperature extremes meant other factors were likely also at play.

Could a climate megaproject cloud Chile’s unparalleled views of universe?

By AFP
February 10, 2025


The Paranal Observatory in Chile's Atacama desert is home to the world's most powerful telescope - Copyright AFP RODRIGO ARANGUA

Paulina ABRAMOVICH

As night falls on the Atacama desert in northern Chile four giant telescopes turn their gaze towards the star-strewn heavens.

The driest place on Earth is the best place to observe the universe, with darkness offering dazzling spectacles of cosmic wonder.

The area is home to the Paranal Observatory, which houses the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, used by astronomers to search the Milky Way with “unparalleled clarity,” according to Spanish astrophysicist Itziar de Gregorio.

Perched at 2,635 meters (8,645 feet) above sea level, and located dozens of kilometers (miles) from the nearest town of Antofagasta, Paranal’s unique atmospheric conditions make it one of the most productive observatories in the world.

The Very Large Telescope — made up of four individual telescopes — produced the first ever image of an exoplanet (a planet outside our solar system) in 2004.

But a huge green energy project, part of Chile’s plans to become carbon neutral, risks clouding the view, scientists say.

Latin America’s fifth-largest economy aims to phase out fossil fuels by 2050, replacing them with renewable energy sources, which can also be used to produce green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen, a clean method of generating electricity, has been touted as a means to help decarbonize Chile’s crucial copper mining sector, among other industries.

AES Andes, the Chilean subsidiary of US energy company AES Corporation, has submitted proposals for a 3,000-hectare (7,400-acre) site in the Atacama desert near Paranal to harness solar and wind energy, which in turn can be used to produce green hydrogen and ammonia, a gas used in making fertilizers.

But scientists say the artificial light from such a facility could obscure some of the celestial phenomena observed at Paranal, such as eclipses and meteorite showers.

They worry it could also endanger the functioning of the ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope, billed as the world’s “biggest eye on the sky,” currently under construction near the Paranal Observatory.

The stadium-sized telescope is slated to be completed by 2028.

De Gregorio, the ESO’s representative in Chile, warns that the country’s unique “window onto the universe” could close, hampering scientists’ quest to answer the great question of our time: Are we the only intelligent life form in the universe?



– Like ‘a tap running’ –



Chile, home to around 70 percent of the world’s telescopes, has long been seen as a hub for stargazers.

By day, astronomers at Paranal crunch numbers. By night, they explore the galaxy.

The observatory’s research covers almost all celestial phenomena, from planets and exo-planets to black holes and near-Earth comets, Steffen Mieske, the head of the site’s scientific operations, said.

That work could be jeopardized if the night sky brightens, even a fraction.

“Light pollution is the main threat to astronomy because it affects the quality of the observable sky,” the Skies of Chile Foundation, which works to preserve the quality of the country’s night skies, argues.

“When you see a tap running, you realize you’re wasting water. But if you see a place lit up brightly at night, you don’t think of it as pollution,” the foundation’s director Daniela Gonzalez said.

AES Andes, in a statement, assured that its hydrogen and ammonia project, codenamed Inna, conformed to the “highest norms in terms of lighting,” including a new Chilean rule aimed at protecting astronomy sites from skyglow.

It has rejected Paranal’s claim that it would be within 11 kilometers of the observatory, saying the distance would be around twice that.

A group of 40 astronomers, scientists and poets have called for the establishment of a “light exclusion zone” around Paranal, to keep it pitch-black at night.

The Inna project, which is currently awaiting an environmental permit, is not expected to be licensed for another two or three years.

Almost all nations miss UN deadline for new climate targets

AFP     February 10, 2025


Countries party to the Paris Agreement have been consistently late in submitting climate targets to the United Nations - Copyright AFP/File Valery HACHE
Nick Perry

Nearly all nations missed a UN deadline Monday to submit new targets for slashing carbon emissions, including major economies under pressure to show leadership following the US retreat on climate change.

Just 10 of nearly 200 countries required under the Paris Agreement to deliver fresh climate plans by February 10 did so on time, according to a UN database tracking the submissions.

Under the climate accord, each country is supposed to provide a steeper headline figure for cutting heat-trapping emissions by 2035, and a detailed blueprint for how to achieve this.

Global emissions have been rising but need to almost halve by the end of the decade to limit global warming to levels agreed under the Paris deal.

UN climate chief Simon Stiell has called this latest round of national pledges “the most important policy documents of this century”.

Yet just a handful of major polluters handed in upgraded targets on time, with China, India and the European Union the biggest names on a lengthy absentee list.

Most G20 economies were missing in action with the United States, Britain and Brazil — which is hosting this year’s UN climate summit — the only exceptions.

The US pledge is largely symbolic, made before President Donald Trump ordered Washington out of the Paris deal.



– Accountability measure –



There is no penalty for submitting late targets, formally titled nationally determined contributions (NDCs).

They are not legally binding but act as an accountability measure to ensure governments are taking the threat of climate change seriously.

Last week, Stiell said submissions would be needed by September so they could be properly assessed before the UN COP30 climate conference in November.

A spokeswoman for the EU said the 27-nation bloc intended to submit its revised targets “well ahead” of the summit in Belem.

Analysts say China, the world’s biggest polluter and also its largest investor in renewable energy, is also expected to unveil its much-anticipated climate plan in the second half of the year.

The United Arab Emirates, Ecuador, Saint Lucia, New Zealand, Andorra, Switzerland and Uruguay rounded out the list of countries that made Monday’s cut-off.

The sluggish response will not ease fears of a possible backslide on climate action as leaders juggle Trump’s return and other competing priorities from budget and security crises to electoral pressure.

Ebony Holland from the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development said the US retreat was “clearly a setback” but there were many reasons for the tepid turnout.

“It’s clear there are some broad geopolitical shifts underway that are proving to be a challenge when it comes to international cooperation, especially on big issues like climate change,” she said.

World leaders seek elusive AI common ground at Paris summit


By AFP
February 10, 2025


Macron and Modi must mount a charm offensive to find consensus with other governments - Copyright AFP Thomas SAMSON

Tom BARFIELD and Daxia ROJAS

World leaders were set to hold formal talks in Paris on Tuesday on artificial intelligence (AI), seeking elusive common ground on a technology subject to a global race for promised economic benefits.

Hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the gathering comes hours after Elon Musk reportedly put in a bid for star developer OpenAI, underscoring AI’s potential to gather power into a single pair of hands.

Attempts to reach global agreement may also frustrate major powers such as the United States and China, which have their own geopolitical tech priorities.

Media reports suggest that neither Britain nor the US — two leading countries for AI development — will sign a planned joint declaration as it stands.

“Good AI governance” requires “clear rules that foster the acceptance of AI technologies”, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was to tell counterparts, according to a draft of his speech seen by AFP.

Tech and political leaders are expected to arrive at the opulent Grand Palais from 8:45 am (0745 GMT) before the plenary session begins at 10:00 am.

Among them will be US Vice President JD Vance, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.

Outside observers criticised an alleged leaked draft of the joint statement for failing to mention AI’s suspected threat to humanity’s future as a species.

The supposed draft “fails to even mention these risks” said Max Tegmark, head of the US-based Future of Life Institute, which has warned of AI’s “existential risk”.

– ‘Plug, baby, plug!’ –

In recent weeks, the United States’ $500 billion “Stargate” programme led by ChatGPT maker OpenAI, and the emergence of the high-performing, low-cost Chinese start-up DeepSeek, have brought into focus the technical challenges and price of entry for nations hoping to keep abreast on AI.

Meanwhile, the Musk-led $97.4-billion bid for OpenAI reported by the Wall Street Journal would compound the tech influence of the world’s richest man, already boss of X, Tesla, SpaceX and his own AI developer xAI as well as a confidant of US President Donald Trump.

Sam Altman, the OpenAI chief set to speak in Paris later Tuesday, responded to the reported offer with a dry “no thank you” on X.

For France, Macron vowed Monday to blast through red tape to build AI infrastructure in his bid to keep Europe competitive.

“We will adopt the Notre Dame de Paris strategy” of streamlined procedures that saw France rebuild the landmark cathedral within five years of its devastation in a 2019 fire, he said.

Macron’s push to highlight French competitiveness saw him repeatedly trumpet 109 billion euros ($113 billion) to be invested in French AI in the coming years.

He has also hailed France’s extensive fleet of nuclear plants as a key advantage providing clean, scalable energy supply for AI’s vast processing needs.

“I have a good friend in the other part of the ocean saying ‘drill, baby, drill’,” Macron said in a reference to Trump’s pro-fossil fuels policy.

“Here there is no need to drill, it’s plug, baby, plug!” he said.

EU Commission chief von der Leyen is expected to make further announcements on the bloc’s competitiveness on Tuesday.

– Gender pay gap –

Away from the political pageantry, OpenAI’s Altman was to address business leaders later Tuesday at the Station F tech campus in southeast Paris, founded by French telecoms billionaire Xavier Niel.

Altman mused in a blog post Monday that with ever more powerful AI systems on the horizon, “it does seem like the balance of power between capital and labour could easily get messed up” in the near future.

On Monday, high-profile summit attendees had warned against squandering the technology’s economic promise in the shorter term.

World Trade Organization chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said “near universal adoption of AI… could increase trade by up to 14 percentage points” from its current trend.

But global “fragmentation” of regulations on the technology and data flows could see both trade and output contract, she said.

In the workplace, AI is mostly replacing humans in clerical jobs disproportionately held by women, International Labour Organization head Gilbert Houngbo said.

That risks widening the gender pay gap even though more jobs are being created than destroyed by AI on current evidence, he added.

Government chiefs and tech leaders gather in Paris for AI summit


By AFP

February 10, 2025


Paris' Grand Palais will be the scene for the two-day gathering 

- Copyright POOL/AFP Gonzalo Fuentes

Tom BARFIELD and Daxia ROJAS

Political and tech industry leaders were set to descend on Paris Monday for a two-day summit on artificial intelligence, hoping to find common ground on a technology with the potential to upset global business and society.

Co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the gathering’s stated aims include “mapping” AI governance around the world, promoting the idea of more ethical, accessible and frugal AI and pushing for European sovereignty over the technology.

Monday’s meeting of around 1,500 guests in the French capital’s opulent Grand Palais will feature lectures and panel discussions outlining the promises of and challenges posed by AI, from around 9:30 am (0830 GMT).

Political leaders, including US Vice President JD Vance and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, are set to rub shoulders with the likes of OpenAI boss Sam Altman and Google chief Sundar Pichai.

OpenAI says its new artificial intelligence agent capable of tending to online tasks is trained to check with users when it encounters CAPTCHA puzzles intended to distinguish people from software 

– Copyright AFP Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV

Two years on from the emergence of OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot, able to respond to all kinds of natural-language prompts, Macron on Sunday trumpeted the benefits of artificial intelligence and French efforts in the field.

– ‘Stargate’ sets the pace –

In a TV interview, he trailed “109 billion euros ($113 billion) of investment in artificial intelligence in the coming years” in France.

The cash would come from the United Arab Emirates, “major American and Canadian investment funds” and French companies, Macron said.

Sunday’s 109-billion-euro figure was “the equivalent for France of what the US has announced with ‘Stargate’,” the $500-billion US programme led by ChatGPT maker OpenAI, he added.

The technical challenges and price of entry for nations hoping to keep abreast in the AI race have become clearer in recent weeks.

Chinese startup DeepSeek stunned Silicon Valley heavyweights with its low-cost, high-performance AI models.

In the United States, President Donald Trump lent the aura of his office to the “Stargate” project to build computing infrastructure such as data centres.

These vast buildings concentrate in one place the data storage and processing power needed to develop and run the most advanced AI models.

“Europe has to find a way to take a position, take some initiative and take back control,” said Sylvain Duranton of the Boston Consulting Group.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce around 10 public supercomputers designed for use by researchers and startups while attending the summit.

– Global governance puzzle –

Away from the investment grandstanding, a group of countries, companies and philanthropic organisations said Sunday they would pump $400 million into a partnership called “Current AI” that would foster “public interest” approaches to the technology.

Current AI aims to raise as much as $2.5 billion for its mission to grant AI developers access to more data, offer open-source tools and infrastructure for programmers to build on, and “develop systems to measure AI’s social and environmental impact”.

“We’ve seen the harms of unchecked tech development and the transformative potential it holds when aligned with the public interest,” Current AI founder Martin Tisne said.

On Tuesday, political leaders from around 100 countries will hold a plenary session, with notable attendees including Modi, Vance, Zhang and Von der Leyen.

France hopes governments will agree on voluntary commitments to make AI sustainable and environmentally friendly.

But any agreement may prove elusive between blocs as diverse as the European Union, United States, China and India, each with different priorities in tech development and regulation.

Ready or not? Countries set to be left behind in terms of AI development

By Dr. Tim Sandle
February 10, 2025


Image: © AFP Josep LAGO

Croatia tops a list of countries that will be left behind if they do not invest in AI, with the lowest overall score, signalling a major gap in AI development.

AI readiness is the product of four key dimensions: digital infrastructure, human capital, technological innovation, and legal frameworks. Often culture and data readiness are the most challenging areas underpinning the success or failure of these dimensions.

This comes from a recent study conducted by Zero Bounce, which analysed data across 40 countries to identify the ones that will be “left behind” if they fail to invest in AI. Key metrics such as population rates, venture capital investment in AI per capita, AI readiness scores, patent applications related to AI, and companies operating in the AI industry per capita were used.

The research provides a comprehensive ranking based on a compound score reflecting each country’s overall AI adoption and innovation capacity.

The most impacted countries were identified as:Croatia
Argentina
Greece
Turkey
Hungary
Slovakia
Latvia
Chile
New Zealand
Poland

As indicated above, Croatia leads the ranking of countries that will be “left behind” if they do not invest in AI, driven by its low venture capital investment of $25.70 per capita. The country has the lowest overall score of 84.9, highlighting the urgent need for investments to reach its full potential in the AI landscape.

Argentina ranks second due to its low AI readiness index of 68.57. The country has a deficient number of patent applications related to AI per capita, pointing at a lack of innovation and interest in the sector.

In third place, Greece struggles with the second lowest venture capital investment at $5.40 per capita and an AI readiness index of 67.28. As one of the countries that could be “left behind” without increased investment in AI, Greece struggles with patent applications related to AI, resulting in an overall score of 85.5.

Turkey comes fourth, with a low venture capital investment of $6.60 per capita and an AI readiness index of 60.73. The contrast between these low indicators and Turkey’s large population of over 84 million shows a gap in developing essential AI infrastructure, exposing Turkey to stagnation risks with an overall score of 85.6.

Hungary ranks fifth. Its low per capita number of patent applications related to AI reflects a lack of activity in the sector. With a $45.20 per capita capital investment and an AI readiness index of 78.57, its overall score of potential decline risk is 86.

Slovakia, sixth on the list, has the second-lowest AI readiness index (60.30) and the lowest venture capital investment ($1.20 per capita). Latvia ranks seventh. It has a venture capital investment of $164.70 per capita and an AI readiness index of 84.80.

Chile, ranked eighth, has an AI readiness index of 72.55, indicating a considerable gap in the sector. Chile has a venture capital investment of around $190.20 per capita and inadequate efforts to leverage resources for effective AI development based on the patent application rate. New Zealand is ninth among, with the third-lowest AI readiness index of 65.46.

Poland rounds out the top ten countries that will fall behind without investments in the AI sector. The country faces challenges due to its low venture capital investment of $31.00 per capita and the low number of patent applications related to AI activities, with an overall readiness score of 88.1.

DeepSeek’s impact on AI Sector

By Dr. Tim Sandle
February 8, 2025



Washington has expanded its efforts in recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China - Copyright AFP/File I-Hwa CHENG


China’s DeepSeek is shaking up Wall Street and the technology world. The DeepSeek R1 app has topped the app download charts and caused U.S. tech stocks to sink, providing a competitor of equal power to ChatGPT (and yet one that costs less to produce0.

Looking into this next wave of AI for Digital Journal is Anders Indset, an internationally acclaimed thought leader and deep tech investor.

Indest is the Founder and Chairman of Njordis Group, a force behind initiatives like the Quantum Economy and he is the author of the upcoming book The Singularity Paradox: Bridging the Gap Between Humanity and AI (Wiley).

“On Wall Street and among large foundation-model providers and HPC companies, the common belief has been that the future of AI—particularly LLMs—is primarily about compute,” Anders explains to Digital Journal.

He adds: “However, DeepSeek demonstrates that new approaches will continue to emerge and that 2025 will bring additional major breakthroughs and publications showcasing progress in the field. Rumours suggest that DeepSeek’s model is far more efficient than others, implying that engineering and innovation are still achievable without massive budgets.

Speculation about the DeepSeek model began in Q3 2024, and since its official publication and release, two central points have emerged:

1. Innovation and Progress: New approaches to architecture and engineering are still possible.

2. Open Source vs. Risks: While there may be significant advantages to choosing an open-source model, it also poses substantial risks—especially as companies push toward AGI. Malicious actors could easily exploit open-source AI models, and if future autonomous agents can be trained on budgets of only a few million dollars, new dangers arise.

This leads Indest to gave into the future and to make the following predictions:

Prediction: AI striving Toward Human-Like architecture to take on reasoning and fundamental understanding


With a stronger emphasis on reasoning and understanding, new models are moving closer to mimicking the functioning of the human brain. At the same time, the limitations of current large language models are becoming a starting point for further innovation.

Prediction 2: Quantum Technologies as Game-Changers


Quantum chips and groundbreaking developments herald the next revolution. The “Year of Quantum Science and Technology” is delivering exciting momentum as companies like NVIDIA invest in a versatile quantum ecosystem that supports both large language models and more lightweight approaches. These advancements underscore the importance of technological expertise and scientific focus in the global race and open up the potentiality for new innovation clusters

Lessons Learned: Lightweight Models as the Key to Efficiency (and will be the driver of many new use-cases)


DeepSeek’s lightweight model vividly illustrates that we are far from a definitive evaluation of new technologies. It becomes evident that the competition among large language models extends beyond pure technology and is increasingly shifting to concrete business use cases—a critical phase for the future relevance of these approaches.

What to Expect next: Industrial AI for Practical Applications


The competition among large language models is increasingly focusing on practical business use cases. Particularly in the field of industrial applications, quantitative AI models—or industrial AI—present significant opportunities. Europe and Japan have large datasets and access to IP and special knowledge and expertise here, capable of developing economically relevant agents and models that can set new standards. (A chance for Europe / Germany to recover?)

Global Competition Creating Opportunities for Smaller Players


Asia and other regions are pursuing alternative agendas that challenge Silicon Valley. Despite intense global competition, this breakthrough shows that it is not too late for smaller players to also find opportunities to thrive in this dynamic environment through targeted innovation.

Capitalism and Competition as Engines of the Energy Transition


Rising energy demand is driving technological innovation. Long-term advances in efficiency and cost reduction in green technologies ensure that fossil fuels will become increasingly uncompetitive. Competition within the energy sector remains a crucial factor in accelerating this transition.

“Drill, Baby, Drill”: The Energy Crisis as a Catalyst for Innovation


Investments in fossil energy like oil and gas are driving long-term efficiency and technological progress in green energy. The capital flowing into the energy sector accelerates the development of batteries, solar systems, and other technologies, ultimately making the energy transition more efficient. Prediction: “Drill-Baby-Drill” will actually lead to more innovation in the Energy sector and speed up the transition to more efficient energy sources (Capitalism for Climate)

Reframed: Capitalism as an Accelerator of the Energy Transition


Capitalism, particularly through investments in the energy sector, creates the conditions for oil to lose its competitiveness in the long term. The growing demand for more efficient technologies drives innovations and ensures a faster transition to sustainable energy forms.

Geopolitical Dynamics: Risks and Opportunities


The technological race, especially through China’s advances, brings geopolitical tensions. At the same time, it creates opportunities for smaller players to remain competitive on a global scale.

Jevons Paradox and Accelerated Progress


The more people engage with technologies, the faster we experience progress and breakthroughs. This effect is amplified by the growing number of players and the competition driving further innovation.

Open Source and Censorship as Political Issues


The question of control and censorship, particularly in the context of China’s influence, is becoming increasingly political. At the same time, technological advances continue despite restrictions—an indicator of the resilience of innovation.

Limitations and the Unstoppable Nature of Technology

Attempts to limit technology through exclusion or political barriers are rarely successful. Progress continues, driven by global players and economic interests.

Competition as a Driver for Green Innovations


The increasing demand for energy and the associated competition are ensuring that technologies such as renewable energy and storage methods become cost-efficient and competitive more quickly.

Written ByDr. Tim Sandle
Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs

Elon Musk heads group trying to buy control of OpenAI: report

BUT NOT TIK TOK


By AFP
February 10, 2025


OpenAI CEO Sam Altman seemed to dismiss an Elon Musk led effort to buy control of the startup in a social media post countering with a facetious offer to buy X, formerly Twitter, for a fraction of what Musk paid for it - Copyright AFP John MACDOUGALL

Elon Musk is leading an investment group offering $97.4 billion for the nonprofit that controls OpenAI, marking a new front in his war with the ChatGPT-maker, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

Musk attorney Marc Toberoff said he submitted the bid to OpenAI’s board of directors, according to the Journal.

“No thank you, but we will buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want,” OpenAI chief Sam Altman wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, apparently responding to the offer.

Musk, who bought X under its former moniker for $44 billion in 2022, replied to the post by simply writing: “Swindler.”

Musk’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Tesla boss and close ally of US President Donald Trump has been mired in an ongoing feud with Altman, with Musk filing repeated lawsuits against the San Francisco-based OpenAI.

Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015, with the company becoming the world’s leading AI startup since he left in 2018. He launched his own generative AI startup, xAI, in 2023.

“We created a bespoke structure: a for-profit, controlled by the non-profit, with a capped profit share for investors and employees,” OpenAI said in a December blog post that outlined a plan to become a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation.

The shift would require the company to balance the interests of shareholders, stakeholders, and the public in a tilt away from non-profit, according to the post.

Musk established xAI in early 2023 to have a foothold in the technology expected to disrupt how people live and work.

OpenAI is one of the world’s highest valued startups, but loses money on the high costs of turning out its expensive technology.

Trump in January announced a major investment to build infrastructure for AI led by Japanese giant Softbank, cloud giant Oracle and OpenAI.

The venture, called Stargate, “will invest $500 billion, at least, in AI infrastructure in the United States,” Trump said in remarks at the White House.

OpenAI co-founder and boss Altman, SoftBank’s chief Masayoshi Son and Oracle founder Larry Ellison attended the announcement.

But Musk was quick to cast doubt on the project, saying the money promised for the investment actually was not there.

The comments marked a rare instance of a split between the world’s richest man and Trump, with Musk playing a key role in the new US administration after spending $270 million on the Republican’s election campaign.

Trump team orders work pause at US consumer protection agency


By AFP
February 10, 2025


Image: — © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP Brandon Bell

US President Donald Trump’s administration has informed staff at the country’s consumer protection agency that it is temporarily shuttering its headquarters and pausing all work, according to an email shared Monday with AFP.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was set up in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis and is tasked with protecting American consumers from corporate misconduct.

It serves as a watchdog over a variety of consumer issues ranging from mortgages to credit cards to debt collection, and has long been a target of Republican lawmakers and industry.

In the message to staff, acting CFPB director Russell Vought said the agency’s Washington office would be closed this week, and told employees not to show up.

“Please do not perform any work tasks,” said Vought, Trump’s new director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, and a key architect of the conservative plan known as Project 2025 to reform the federal government.

Donald Trump named Russell Vought the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – Copyright AFP/File SAUL LOEB

Vought added that staff would need to seek written permission from him before doing any urgent work going forward, and should otherwise “stand down from performing any work task.”

Republicans have long accused the independent agency of overreach, with some of Trump’s most ardent supporters — including the tech billionaire Elon Musk — calling for its closure.

The union representing CFPB employees filed two lawsuits against Vought on Sunday, accusing him of trying to shut down the agency — which was created by Congress — and of giving the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to employees’ personal information.

Vought’s actions reflected “an unlawful attempt to thwart Congress’s decision to create the CFPB to protect American consumers,” the National Treasury Employees Union argued in one of the lawsuits.

-‘Weaponization ends right now’ –

The CFPB “has long functioned as another woke, weaponized arm of the bureaucracy that leverages its power against certain industries and individuals disfavored by so-called ‘elites,'” the White House said in a statement published Monday.

“Under the administration of President Donald J. Trump, the weaponization ends right now,” it added.

The decision to pause all work at CFPB and close down its offices appears to be an attempt to curtail its oversight powers without shuttering it entirely — something that would require congressional approval.

“Congress built the CFPB, and no one other than Congress — not the president, not Musk, not Vought — can shut it down,” Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who helped create the agency, said in a video message.

In a separate statement, Democrats including Warren announced plans for a protest outside the CFPB’s Washington offices for Monday, to “sound the alarm” against Musk and Vought’s “attempt to kill” the agency.

US federal workers weigh Trump buyout as court to step in


By AFP
February 10, 2025


People protest in Washington against President Donald Trump's administration's efforts to shutter the US Agency for International Development and lay off thousands of federal employees - Copyright AFP/File Drew ANGERER

Alex PIGMAN

US federal workers face another deadline Monday to accept a mass buyout from their government jobs as a judge holds a key hearing on whether the offer is legal.

The proposal to two million federal workers is part of an effort by President Donald Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk to drastically cut back on spending that they say will transform the government.

In his first three weeks in office, the president has unleashed a flurry of executive orders aimed at slashing federal spending, appointing SpaceX and Tesla CEO Musk to lead the efforts under the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

Trump’s sweeping plans have now opened legal battles on several fronts, with lawsuits filed across the country aimed at stopping the Trump initiatives that critics say amount to an illegal power grab.

The Democrats are trying to build momentum against the Trump onslaught on government, and on Monday announced a new portal for whistleblowers to report potential law-breaking by Musk and his associates.

The legal battles intensified Saturday when a US judge blocked Musk’s team from accessing Treasury Department data on millions of Americans.

The Trump administration has appealed, calling the order “impermissible” and “unconstitutional.”

Musk’s team has moved aggressively through federal agencies, freezing aid programs and pushing workforce reductions through legally unclear buyouts or threats of termination.

The Trump administration has effectively shuttered the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency long criticized by Republicans as overreaching.

Questions are rife over the buyout, including whether Trump has the legal right to make the offer and whether his administration will honor it.

The plan was first announced on January 28 in an email to much of the vast federal government and titled “Fork in the road” — the same phrasing as the note Musk sent to employees at Twitter when he bought the social media platform in 2022 and renamed it X.

The original deadline was Thursday, but unions representing more than 800,000 civil servants filed a lawsuit against the offer.

Federal Judge George O’Toole last week said he accepted the case and will hold a first hearing in a Boston courtroom at 2:00 pm (1900 GMT) Monday.

In response, the US Office of Personnel Management, which is run by Musk associates, extended the decision deadline until 11:59 pm.

– ‘Not canceled’ –

In a post on X, OPM maintain that the program was “NOT blocked or canceled” and the White House urged workers to keep considering “this very generous, once-in-a-lifetime offer.”

Last week, US media reported that at least 65,000 federal workers had opted into the so-called deferred resignation program.

This represents some three percent of the roughly two million federal employees who received the offer. The White House has said its target is for between five and 10 percent of employees.

Unions warn that without Congress signing off on the use of federally budgeted money, the agreements may be worthless, especially since current government spending is only agreed until mid-March.

“OPM’s Fork Directive is a sweeping and stunningly arbitrary action to solicit blanket resignations of federal workers,” wrote lawyers for the unions.

“Defendants have not even argued — nor could they — that the Fork Directive was the product of rational or considered decision-making.”