GLOBAL AI DEVELOPMENT

The global race for AI implementation & improvement

• AI safety in the Caribbean and the path toward more inclusive AI implementation

• India partners with ITU to advance AI and digital twin technologies

• AI readiness takes center stage at Dubai CIO summit

• South Korea to build world’s largest AI data center

• Latin America intrigued by China’s DeepSeek, shifting the AI landscape in the Global South

REGULATION & SAFETY

Law, lobbying & potential risks

• Utah bill requires officers to disclose AI-generated police reports

• CEO swap at Clearview AI as firm shifts focus to Trump-era prospects

• America’s AI dominance mission will mean big staff reductions for the AI Safety Institute

• FTC bans DoNotPay’s ‘AI lawyer’ claims and orders refunds

• Utah bill requires officers to disclose AI-generated police reports

AI Governance

The latest government programs & implementations

• Too much too fast? Concerns raised amid Musk plan to replace government workers with AI wherever possible

• Musk’s plan to replace government workers with AI could create chaos

• AI is transforming local government services in New Jersey

• ServiceNow, Inc. (NOW) launches AI-powered government transformation suite to boost federal agency efficiency

• Pa. officials reject cyber charter proposal to use AI software in place of teachers

DEFENSE

Weapons, tech, research & contracts

• Undersea cables channel data and power, but they face major risks

• These US tech giants are fueling Israeli military efforts with advanced AI

• Israeli AI cybersecurity startup Dream secures $100M funding to attack cyberattacks

• Anduril to take over Army goggles program as possible recompete looms

• This AI-powered machine gun maker hopes to cut US defense costs

Funding AI education, industry immersion, and career assistance to those who have served our nation.

What’s happening in AI policy right now

Saudi Arabia and South Korea double down on AI

Bold infrastructure moves

South Korea plans to construct what could become the world's largest AI data center, a 3-gigawatt facility that may generate $3.5 billion in annual revenue when completed in 2028. Not content with just physical infrastructure, South Korea is also acquiring 10,000 GPUs for its national AI computing center - a strategic advantage enabled by its exemption from U.S. export controls on AI chips.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is pursuing multiple paths to AI leadership. DataVolt is developing a massive 55,000-square-meter AI-focused data center in Riyadh's First Technology Park. The Saudi state telecom company STC Group has partnered with SambaNova Systems to launch a sovereign AI cloud platform featuring what they claim is the world's largest open-source frontier model. Even Aramco's venture capital arm is getting in on the action, investing in UK-based AI infrastructure company Ori.

The skills challenge

But building data centers and acquiring GPUs is only part of the equation. At the recent IDC Middle East CIO Summit in Dubai, leaders highlighted a critical challenge: organizations are struggling to keep pace with AI advancements, facing a mismatch between technological capabilities and team adaptability. The skills gap threatens to become a major bottleneck in realizing the potential of these massive infrastructure investments.

Strategic implications

These developments reveal several key trends:

1. The rise of sovereign AI capabilities: Countries are investing heavily in controlled AI infrastructure to maintain data sovereignty while advancing their technological capabilities.

2. Infrastructure-first approach: Rather than waiting for talent and use cases to emerge organically, countries are proactively building massive AI computing capacity to attract companies and accelerate adoption.

3. Public-private collaboration: Governments are partnering with private companies to fast-track AI development, as seen in Saudi Arabia's partnerships with SambaNova and DataVolt.

Looking ahead

The success of these ambitious projects will depend on more than just raw computing power. Countries must develop comprehensive strategies that include talent development, regulatory frameworks, and sustainable energy solutions for power-hungry AI infrastructure.

The real test will be whether these investments can attract and retain the necessary ecosystem of companies, researchers, and developers to create lasting value. While building physical infrastructure is straightforward, cultivating the human capital and innovative environment needed for AI leadership is a more nuanced challenge.

These massive investments in AI infrastructure may reshape the global technology landscape, creating new centers of AI innovation outside traditional tech hubs. For business leaders and policymakers worldwide, these developments offer both inspiration and caution - a reminder that successful AI adoption requires careful orchestration of physical infrastructure, human capital, and regulatory frameworks.