Computing, quantum and AI hand-in-hand
The UK is positioning itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence and wants to become a leading country in quantum technologies. National AI policy is increasingly intertwined with other policies, especially quantum technology and computing, forming the basis for the next era of scientific discovery. AI and quantum are both dependent on advanced computing infrastructure. These three areas, computing, quantum and AI, are complementary infrastructure layers the UK government is developing in parallel. The Government has allocated significant funding for AI and quantum, £2 billion investment between 2026 and 2030, to support AI-driven scientific breakthroughs and £2 billion investment in quantum technologies. The UK actively collaborates with global tech leaders but at the same time wants to develop national capabilities in these fields.
AI is rapidly transforming medical sector in California
California has always been at the leading front of medical research & health innovations. Top universities together with hospitals and innovation hubs form dynamic ecosystems that produce every year hundreds of startups with novel healthcare solutions throughout the state. For the past few years, AI-driven medical research has transformed the whole field massively and incorporation of machine learning/AI into diagnostics, treatment of patients and drug development, has provided unforeseen opportunities. Progress has been especially fast in California - Generative AI has significantly accelerated biomedical research by automating data analysis and this is reflected to the number of practical solutions that come to the markets, many of them originating from public universities.
Is STEM India’s Oscars and Olympics?
Why does India not perform strongly in the Olympics, despite its vast population from which one might expect many top athletes to emerge? Or why do Bollywood films rarely win major awards at the Oscars, even though the country produces new films almost every week?
Brazil launched a national framework for Artificial Intelligence in Education
Brazilian Framework for the Responsible Use and Development of Artificial Intelligence in Education highlights national sovereignty in AI and the use of AI to strengthen inclusion and equity in education. Recommendations and policy guidelines are presented to higher education institutions related to teacher training, AI governance, use of AI in studies and research, and development of students’ AI skills. The document promotes the establishment of a comprehensive national RDI ecosystem for AI in Education.
Genesis Mission – Manhattan Project of the 2020s?
In November last year, the U.S. administration launched the Genesis Mission – a large-scale effort to develop AI infrastructure for scientific research. In an executive order, the White House ordered the Department of Energy (DOE), under an ambitious timeline, to define key scientific challenges to be solved by AI tools, and to determine resources among the National Laboratories that can be harnessed for their creation.
A small country's big strategy – AI as a driver of Singapore's economic growth and competitiveness
Singapore has long been determined to build its position as a global pioneer in artificial intelligence. The strategic starting point for the island state is clear: technological competitiveness is not just an economic policy choice, but a national lifeline. With limited natural resources and geopolitical vulnerability, Singapore relies on technology, research and innovation to ensure its economic resilience and strategic autonomy. For this reason, the country's artificial intelligence policy is exceptionally consistent and long-term. Finland is a noted player in the plans.
A Quick Guide to South Africa’s AI Research Landscape: Who Does What in a Rapidly Evolving System
For readers seeking a concise orientation to South Africa’s research landscape in artificial intelligence (AI), this article outlines three key parts of the system: the long‑established Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research, a set of newer AI hubs, and AI‑related research chairs. Together with a wide range of other research groups and projects across the country’s 26 public universities, they form an ecosystem where scientific research, applied innovation and national development priorities intersect.
Is cutting-edge research enabled by collaboration between a supercomputing network and an AI agent already a reality in China?
At the end of 2025, two systems were introduced in China with the aim of accelerating the use of artificial intelligence in scientific research. The first is a large-scale distributed computing network that connects supercomputing centers in dozens of cities into a unified system. The second is an AI agent capable of planning and carrying out various research tasks semi-autonomously. On paper, the combined use of these systems has the potential to significantly speed up and strengthen research work, but so far claims about their performance and benefits are based solely on state-controlled Chinese media sources. The truth may remain uncertain.