Israeli agri-tech startup Fermata secures funding for AI-powered farming solutions
Israeli startup Fermata, founded in 2020 by bioinformatics expert Valeria Kogan, is using AI and computer vision to monitor greenhouse crops for diseases and pests. The company’s software works with standard cameras, capturing images of plants twice a day and alerting farmers to potential infestations via an app. Initially considering robotic solutions, Kogan shifted focus after consulting with farmers, realising that simpler camera-based monitoring was more effective.
Based in Israel, Fermata has gained traction by prioritising farmer needs and keeping its AI training in-house, improving model accuracy. Partnering with major agricultural firms like Bayer and Syngenta, the company has deployed over 100 cameras and continues to expand. The startup recently secured a $10 million Series A investment from Raw Ventures, its existing investor, to scale operations and work towards profitability by 2026.
Plans for growth include strengthening the sales team and expanding beyond greenhouse tomatoes into new crops. Despite AI’s previous struggles in agriculture, Fermata’s practical approach and farmer-centric model have helped it carve a niche in the industry.
Ryzen AI and Fire Range: AMD’s big CES 2025 reveals
AMD has announced a range of new processors and graphics cards at CES 2025, including high-performance desktop CPUs, energy-efficient laptop chips, and AI-powered processors for next-generation Copilot+ PCs. The company’s latest flagship, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, targets gamers and creators with 16 cores and speeds of up to 5.7GHz, offering an 8% performance boost in select games compared to its predecessor. AMD also introduced the Fire Range series for laptops and the Ryzen AI 300 and Ryzen AI Max chips, which integrate neural processing units for AI workloads.
The growing market for handheld gaming PCs has led to the release of AMD’s Ryzen Z2 series, optimised for portable devices. Meanwhile, the company’s new Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 GPUs, built on RDNA 4 architecture, promise improved ray tracing, AI acceleration, and better media encoding. AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 4.0, designed to enhance gaming visuals with minimal latency, was also unveiled.
Expanding beyond hardware, AMD’s Adrenalin software now includes AI-powered features, such as image generation and local AI models for summarising documents. With a strong market presence and increasing demand for AI and gaming solutions, AMD’s 2025 lineup reflects its strategy to remain competitive across multiple segments. Ryzen AI and Fire Range: AMD’s big CES 2025 reveals
Can AI really transform drug development?
The growing use of AI in drug development is dividing opinions among researchers and industry experts. Some believe AI can significantly reduce the time and cost of bringing new medicines to market, while others argue that it has yet to solve the high failure rates seen in clinical trials.
AI-driven tools have already helped identify potential drug candidates more quickly, with some companies reducing the preclinical testing period from several years to just 30 months. However, experts point out that these early successes don’t always translate to breakthroughs in human trials, where most drug failures occur.
Unlike fields such as image recognition, AI in pharmaceuticals faces unique challenges due to limited high-quality data. Experts say AI’s impact could improve if it focuses on understanding why drugs fail in trials, such as problems with dosage, safety, and efficacy. They also recommend new trial designs that incorporate AI to better predict which drugs will succeed in later stages.
While AI won’t revolutionise drug development overnight, researchers agree it can help tackle persistent problems and streamline the process. But achieving lasting results will require better collaboration between AI specialists and drug developers to avoid repeating past mistakes.
Nvidia introduces high-performance AI supercomputer for developers
Nvidia has introduced Project Digits, a compact AI supercomputer designed for researchers, data scientists, and students. The system, unveiled at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, runs on Nvidia’s powerful Grace Blackwell Superchip and provides up to a petaflop of computing performance. CEO Jensen Huang described it as a “cloud computing platform that sits on your desk” and highlighted its ability to prototype and fine-tune AI models.
A single Project Digits unit can run AI models with up to 200 billion parameters, while two linked devices can handle models with up to 405 billion parameters. The machine is powered by a Blackwell GPU and a 20-core Grace CPU, supported by 128GB of memory and up to 4TB of storage. It can function as a standalone system or connect to a primary Windows or Mac PC, offering flexibility for AI development.
Pricing starts at $3,000, making it an investment primarily for professionals and institutions rather than casual users. Nvidia plans to launch Project Digits in May through select partners. Huang believes the device will bring AI supercomputing capabilities to millions of developers, accelerating advancements in AI.
stc Bahrain and Huawei to drive digital innovation and talent development
Stc Bahrain has partnered with Huawei to launch the fourth edition of its successful Technical Capacity Program, aligning with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 to foster digital innovation and talent development. The program aims to advance Bahrain’s digital economy by providing extensive training in critical ICT sectors, including networking, cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI, and emerging technologies.
Participants will gain hands-on experience through technology showcases, engaging with the latest industry advancements and best practices. This year, the program will expand across stc Bahrain’s entire technology divisions, including Digital, Business, Wholesale, Consumer, and Customer Experience, reflecting the company’s commitment to empowering its workforce and driving the country’s digital transformation.
The initiative plays a key role in stc Bahrain’s broader digital transformation strategy by equipping employees with the skills necessary to innovate and lead in the telecommunications sector. The program is vital for nurturing a culture of continuous learning and talent development.
Through this collaboration, stc Bahrain is contributing to developing a highly skilled ICT workforce in Bahrain and supporting the kingdom’s goal of achieving sustainable economic growth and leadership in the digital space.
AI advances ovarian cancer detection and speeds up blood tests
AI is revolutionising medical testing, including early detection of ovarian cancer and faster identification of life-threatening infections like pneumonia. Researchers are leveraging AI to interpret complex patterns in blood tests, improving accuracy and speed in diagnosing diseases.
Dr Daniel Heller’s team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center developed a nanotube-based blood test that uses AI to detect ovarian cancer earlier than traditional methods. Despite limited data, the technology shows promise, with further studies underway to enhance its effectiveness and expand its application.
AI is also transforming infectious disease diagnosis. California-based Karius uses AI to identify pneumonia-causing pathogens within 24 hours, cutting costs and improving treatment outcomes. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca‘s Dr Slavé Petrovski developed a platform that identifies over 120 diseases from United Kingdom biobank data. However, challenges persist, including a lack of data sharing among researchers, prompting calls for more collaborative efforts.
Pony AI secures $260 million in US IPO
Chinese robotaxi firm Pony AI secured $260 million in a US IPO, valuing the startup at $4.55 billion. This marks a resurgence in US investor confidence for Chinese tech companies, with the IPO reflecting renewed interest in autonomous driving technologies despite ongoing geopolitical tensions.
The company’s move follows a period of uncertainty for Chinese firms in US markets, notably after Didi Global’s delisting. Regulatory disputes between China and the US have eased, bolstering opportunities for companies like Pony AI. However, the robotaxi sector faces challenges, including public concerns about autonomous vehicles’ safety, data privacy, and stiff competition from rivals such as Tesla, which plans to launch similar services in the US next year.
Pony AI sold 20 million American depositary shares at $13 each and raised an additional $153.4 million through private placements. Backed by Toyota, the company’s valuation has declined from $8.5 billion two years ago, highlighting the competitive and uncertain nature of the market. Analysts note widespread robotaxi adoption may take years due to safety and reliability hurdles.
The IPO follows a trend of other Chinese firms, including Zeekr and WeRide, also going public in the US. While Pony AI’s operations in the US remain limited, its public listing underscores growing investor interest in technology startups despite profitability challenges and intense market competition.
Squirrel Agent could revolutionise wildlife conservation
An innovative AI system called Squirrel Agent is being tested across the UK to help conserve endangered red squirrels. Developed by Genysys Engine, the tool uses thousands of images to distinguish between red and grey squirrels with 97% accuracy. It controls access to feeders, ensuring reds receive food while greys are directed to feeders containing contraceptive paste to reduce their population.
Conservationists believe this technology could be transformative. Grey squirrels, introduced to the United Kingdom 200 years ago, have significantly contributed to the decline of red squirrels by outcompeting them and spreading a lethal virus. The AI can rapidly analyse markers like size and weight, making it far more efficient than human observers in distinguishing between the two species.
Future upgrades aim to identify individual squirrels using their unique whisker patterns, enabling researchers to track family lines and monitor populations more closely. Similar AI applications have already proven useful in wildlife conservation, such as mapping animal survival in fire-affected regions.