AI at Europe’s borders sparks human rights concerns
As the European Union implements the world’s first comprehensive regulations on artificial intelligence (AI), human rights groups are raising alarms over exemptions for AI use at Europe’s borders. The EU’s AI Act, which categorises AI systems by risk level and imposes stricter rules for those with higher potential for harm, is set to take full effect by February 2025. While it promises to regulate AI across industries, controversial technologies like facial and emotion recognition are still permitted for border and police authorities, sparking concern over surveillance and discrimination.
With Europe investing heavily in border security, deploying AI-driven watchtowers and algorithms to monitor migration flows, critics argue these technologies could criminalise migrants and violate their rights. Human Rights activists warn that AI may reinforce biases and lead to unlawful pushbacks of asylum seekers. Countries like Greece are testing ground for these technologies and have been accused of using AI for surveillance and discrimination, despite denials from the government.
Campaigners also point out that the EU’s regulations allow European companies to develop and export harmful AI systems abroad, potentially fueling human rights abuses in other countries. While the AI Act represents a step forward in global regulation, activists believe it falls short of protecting vulnerable groups at Europe’s borders and beyond. They anticipate that legal challenges and public opposition will eventually close these regulatory gaps.
AstraZeneca invests $18 million in Immunai’s AI technology
AstraZeneca has struck an $18 million deal with biotechnology firm Immunai Inc. to use its AI model of the immune system, which is intended to improve the efficiency of specific cancer drug trials. This collaboration aligns with AstraZeneca’s broader strategy to harness artificial AI for drug discovery and development, building on a previous $247 million agreement with US-based Absci to create cancer-fighting antibodies.
Founded in 2018, Immunai utilises single-cell genomics and machine learning to decode the immune system and enhance the development of new therapeutics. This collaboration will concentrate on optimising clinical decision-making processes, including dose selection and biomarker identification, by leveraging Immunai’s advanced platform.
AstraZeneca will initially gain access to Immunai’s AI tools to support its cancer research efforts, with the option to extend the collaboration down the line. This flexibility allows AstraZeneca to evaluate the effectiveness of Immunai’s technology in enhancing drug trial efficiency and potentially integrate additional capabilities as the partnership progresses. According to Iker Huerga, AstraZeneca’s chief data scientist for oncology R&D, this collaboration is expected to provide valuable insights into the immune system and improve clinical decision-making processes, such as dose selection and biomarker identification. The partnership underscores AstraZeneca’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to advance cancer treatment and drug development.
AI biotech Generate secures $65M in Novartis deal
Generate: Biomedicines has entered a new partnership with Novartis to develop advanced protein therapies. Novartis is committing $65 million upfront, including $50 million in cash and $15 million in equity, with future milestone payments potentially exceeding $1 billion.
The partnership mirrors similar deals, including Generate’s ongoing work with Amgen, focusing on protein-based therapeutics such as antibodies, enzymes, and cytokines. AI-driven biotech firms are increasingly sought after by large pharmaceutical companies, with Novartis also striking deals with other AI-focused players like Alphabet’s Isomorphic Labs.
Led by CEO Mike Nally since 2021, Generate has rapidly expanded, raising over $600 million and pushing nearly 20 drug programs forward. The Novartis collaboration will enable Generate to further leverage its AI-based molecular design technologies, potentially filing up to six new drug applications within 18 months.
Generate’s financial position is strong, with over $350 million in cash reserves. CEO Nally stated that while an IPO could be an option, the company is well-positioned to continue without needing to go public, backed by its solid group of investors.
NAND flash technology sees major advancements
In 2024, the storage market is seeing notable advancements, especially in NAND flash technology, as key players like Samsung, Micron, and SK Hynix innovate to meet rising demands. Samsung has recently begun mass production of its 9th generation QLC V-NAND, boasting impressive enhancements in bit density and performance. This new model improves data retention and significantly lowers power consumption, addressing the growing need for efficient storage solutions in AI applications. Micron and SK Hynix are also pushing forward with their high-performance SSDs, reflecting a broader trend toward optimising storage for increased data demands.
Micron and SK Hynix are advancing their storage solutions as well, with Micron’s latest SSDs featuring 9th-generation TLC NAND technology that delivers impressive data transfer speeds. Meanwhile, SK Hynix is developing high-performance SSDs tailored for data centres. As the demand for storage continues to surge due to AI applications, there is a growing preference for higher-capacity SSDs, leading manufacturers to prioritise both TLC and QLC technologies in their offerings. This shift reflects the industry’s response to the increasing need for efficient and powerful storage solutions.
Market research forecasts that the demand for AI-related SSDs will surpass 45 exabytes in 2024, with the share of AI SSDs in the NAND flash market expected to grow significantly. Despite facing challenges in the PC and smartphone sectors, NAND flash revenue has risen, driven by strong demand from the AI industry. As companies ramp up production capacity, they are well-positioned to meet the increasing needs of data centres and AI applications. This trend underscores a transformative period for the NAND flash market, reflecting its critical role in supporting advancements in technology.
Intel moves photonics business to Data Centre division
As restructuring unfolds, Intel is making significant changes to its photonics business by moving its Integrated Photonics Solutions (IPS) into the Data Centre and Artificial Intelligence division (DCAI). The main goal is to better align its R&D efforts with core business priorities. This shift follows recent advancements in integrated photonics technology, including the first fully integrated optical compute interconnect (OCI) chipset, representing a major leap in high-bandwidth interconnect for AI and high-performance computing.
Intel’s Integrated Photonics Solutions (IPS) division specialises in light generation and optical signal modulation, which are key to addressing signal loss in high-density transistors. By utilising optical signals rather than electrical ones, silicon photonics technology facilitates faster data transmission and increased bandwidth. Since its 2016 launch, Intel’s silicon photonics platform has delivered millions of photonic integrated circuits and on-chip lasers, with widespread adoption among major cloud service providers.
Integrating IPS with DCAI underscores Intel’s dedication to advancing silicon photonics, a field also being quickly developed by rivals such as AMD and TSMC.
AI tools being developed to enhance prediction and management of future pandemics
Researchers are currently developing AI tools to help predict and manage future pandemics, which some experts believe will likely within the next decade. Teams from UC Irvine and UCLΑ, part of the US National Science Foundation’s Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention grant programme, are working on an AI-based early warning system that analyses social media posts to detect early signs of outbreaks. They aim to track billions of posts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to identify public health trends and assess the potential outcomes of public health policies. However, the reliance on specific platforms and US-focused data limits its global application. Researchers are working to expand its reach.
Harvard Medical School and the University of Oxford have created a tool called EVEScape, which predicts virus mutations. This tool helps in developing vaccines and treatment strategies. Pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca are also utilising AI to accelerate the discovery of antibodies, which could potentially reduce the response time to new viral threats. These initiatives demonstrate how AI can enhance pandemic response by providing faster and more accurate data for decision-making.
“Despite its potential, experts warn that the effectiveness of AI depends on the quality of the data it receives. Biases or misrepresentations in the data could lead to skewed results, and there are ethical and fairness concerns. Although AI can improve preparedness and response times, human judgement, trust, and collaboration are essential for effectively managing future pandemics.”