分类： technology

In a landmark collaboration, OpenAI, the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence pioneer, has joined forces with Taiwan’s electronics titan Foxconn to design and manufacture critical components for AI data centers in the United States. This partnership aims to bolster the nation’s AI infrastructure, ensuring its leadership in the rapidly evolving technological landscape. Foxconn, renowned for its production of AI servers for Nvidia and assembly of Apple products, including the iPhone, will co-develop AI data center racks with OpenAI. The agreement, announced in separate statements on Thursday and Friday, underscores Foxconn’s role in producing essential systems such as cabling, networking, and power solutions for AI data centers at its U.S. facilities in Ohio and Texas. OpenAI will gain early access to evaluate and potentially procure these products. The initial agreement does not entail financial obligations or purchase commitments. This collaboration aligns with Foxconn’s broader strategy to diversify its business, which includes ventures into electric vehicles and acquisitions of electronics companies. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, emphasized the partnership’s significance, stating, ‘This is a step toward ensuring the core technologies of the AI era are built here, strengthening U.S. leadership and ensuring the benefits of AI are widely shared.’ OpenAI has committed $1.4 trillion to AI infrastructure development, including multi-billion-dollar partnerships with Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom to enhance computing power and design custom AI chips. Despite concerns over OpenAI’s massive spending, Altman projects the company will achieve over $20 billion in annualized revenue this year, with growth expected to reach ‘hundreds of billions by 2030.’ Foxconn’s Taiwan-listed shares have surged 25% this year, reflecting the broader tech industry’s AI-driven momentum. The company reported a 17% year-on-year increase in net profit for the July-September quarter, driven by its cloud and networking business, including AI servers. Foxconn’s leadership remains optimistic about AI’s future, anticipating closer collaborations with key clients and partners in the coming year.

The Dubai Airshow 2025 has unveiled a glimpse into the future of urban mobility, showcasing three cutting-edge air taxi models that could revolutionize transportation in the UAE by the end of the decade. These models, ranging from fully electric city hoppers to hybrid long-range concepts, highlight the region’s ambitious plans to integrate air taxis into everyday travel. Dubai is set to launch its first air taxi routes in 2026, while Abu Dhabi is concurrently developing its own point-to-point air mobility strategies. For many attendees, this marks their first encounter with the aircraft that may soon replace short car journeys in the region. Among the standout models is Archer Aviation’s Midnight, an electric commuter aircraft designed for urban trips. Capable of carrying four passengers and a pilot, the Midnight boasts speeds of up to 240 km/h, operates emission-free, and features multiple redundant safety systems. Archer has already confirmed its UAE operations will commence next year, with expansion plans into Saudi Arabia. The E20 Plus, developed by UAE-based Autocraft, is another highlight. Built to withstand the region’s harsh weather conditions, this four-passenger aircraft offers a 200 km range and rapid recharging times. Autocraft has partnered with Abu Dhabi Aviation to integrate the E20 Plus into the emirate’s flight ecosystem by late 2026. Honda R&D also presented a one-third scale model of its hybrid air taxi, which combines electric flight with a Formula One-inspired range extender, targeting a range of over 400 km. Although still in the research phase, Honda envisions future autonomous capabilities, with full certification expected in the early 2030s. These innovations underscore the UAE’s commitment to pioneering advanced transportation solutions.

The Dubai Airshow 2025 became a stage for Chinese aviation innovations, as a wide array of cutting-edge products, from domestically developed jetliners to advanced drones, made their debut. This event significantly bolstered China’s presence in the global aviation sector. The Aero Engine Corporation of China showcased its latest technologies, marking the company’s most extensive overseas exhibition of homegrown aero engines to date. Among the highlights were the C919 and C909 passenger jets, which made their first appearances in the Middle East. The C919, operated by China Southern Airlines, features a modern cabin design with eco-friendly materials and a theme of ‘oriental grace.’ Visitors and industry professionals alike praised the aircraft for its comfort and stability. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) is actively seeking potential overseas clients, with over 170 C909 jets already delivered to domestic and foreign customers. The event also featured the Lanying R6000, the world’s first 6-ton-class tiltrotor aircraft, which holds significant potential for heavy-lift scenarios in the Middle East. Additionally, Chinese-manufactured unmanned aerial vehicles and electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft garnered substantial attention, further solidifying China’s role as a key player in the global aviation industry.

A 35-year-old Russian national, suspected of orchestrating cyberattacks on U.S. and European government agencies, has been arrested in Phuket, Thailand, following a tip from the FBI. The suspect, identified as Denis Obrezko from Stavropol, entered Thailand on October 30 and was apprehended earlier this month at his hotel. Thai authorities seized laptops, mobile phones, and digital wallets during the arrest, with FBI officials present. Obrezko is now detained pending a potential extradition to the United States. Russian state media confirmed the arrest, and his relatives are reportedly planning to contest the extradition. The U.S. Department of Justice and State Department have declined to comment on the case. Russian diplomats have visited Obrezko in custody, and the Russian consulate in Phuket acknowledged the arrest but provided no further details. The extradition process is underway, though its duration remains uncertain.

In a landmark move, Meta has begun notifying thousands of young Australians to download their digital histories and delete their accounts from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. This action precedes the enforcement of Australia’s pioneering social media ban on accounts of children under 16, set to take effect on December 10. The Australian government recently mandated that major platforms, including Meta’s trio, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube, implement measures to exclude users below the age of 16. Meta, headquartered in California, has emerged as the first tech giant to outline its compliance strategy. Starting December 4, suspected underage users will be denied access, with Meta issuing warnings via SMS and email. The company has advised young users to utilize the notice period to save their data and update contact details for future account recovery. Meta estimates that 350,000 Australians aged 13-15 are on Instagram, with an additional 150,000 on Facebook. For those mistakenly flagged, Meta offers age verification through Yoti, requiring government-issued IDs or a ‘video selfie.’ However, experts like Terry Flew of Sydney University caution that facial-recognition technology has a failure rate of at least 5%. The government has warned platforms against imposing blanket age verification, emphasizing that they already possess sufficient data to identify underage users. Non-compliance could result in fines up to AUD 50 million (USD 32 million). Meta’s Antigone Davis advocates for a standardized, privacy-preserving age verification system at the OS/app store level, arguing it would offer more comprehensive protection. Meanwhile, Dany Elachi of the Heaps Up Alliance, a parents’ group that lobbied for the ban, urges parents to help their children reallocate time previously spent on social media. Despite some reservations about the legislation’s implementation, Elachi supports the principle that children under 16 are better off engaging with the real world.

The Gulf region is poised to witness a significant surge in cybersecurity investments, with spending projected to surpass Dh120 billion by 2030. This growth is driven by the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), sovereign cloud strategies, and hyperscale data infrastructure, according to a recent report by Grand View Research titled ‘Cyber Resilience in the Gulf: Where Technology Meets Sovereign Risk (2025 Edition).’ The UAE and Saudi Arabia are at the forefront of this transformation, with both nations accelerating their digital agendas under the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision and Vision 2030 programs, respectively. The report highlights that the region’s ambitious infrastructure projects, including national data centers, AI clusters, and cloud corridors, are fueling unprecedented investments in cyber resilience and data sovereignty. The UAE’s AI-driven security market alone is expected to grow more than fourfold, exceeding Dh19.6 billion by 2030. Swayam Dash, Managing Director of Grand View Research, emphasized that cyber resilience has evolved from a technical discipline to a sovereign capability, crucial for sustaining growth, attracting capital, and maintaining public trust. The UAE and Saudi Arabia, which together account for over 60% of the region’s cybersecurity expenditure, are embedding digital protection into national policies. The UAE is focusing on AI-driven threat intelligence, zero-trust frameworks, and sovereign cloud ecosystems, while Saudi Arabia’s National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) and SDAIA are prioritizing data protection across industrial and infrastructure projects. The report also notes a shift in the region’s cybersecurity approach, from network defense to institutionalized resilience through policy, collaboration, and redundancy. Key initiatives include the ADGM Cyber Risk Management Framework (2025), Saudi Central Bank’s cyber stress-testing regime, and cross-border CERT intelligence sharing. As the line between cyber disruption and economic disruption narrows, digital resilience is increasingly viewed as a form of sovereign credit, with Gulf banks incorporating cyber metrics into ESG disclosures and regulators considering system uptime a proxy for fiscal stability. Dash concluded that the Gulf’s next global advantage will stem not from faster networks but from networks that never fail.