China is exploring the creation of a national mergers and acquisitions (M&A) fund to support the development of key technologies — from robotics to artificial intelligence — as competition with the United States for technological leadership intensifies. The idea was announced by Wang Changlin, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), during a press briefing, although no detailed parameters have yet been disclosed.
Author: Mikolaj Laszkiewicz
Mikolaj Laszkiewicz
An experienced journalist and editor passionate about new technologies, computers, and scientific discoveries. He strives to bring a unique perspective to every topic. A law graduate.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, technology leaders agreed that 2026 will mark the transition of artificial intelligence from pilot projects to large-scale deployment. The speed and safety of this shift will depend on three factors: access to energy, cybersecurity, and companies’ ability to integrate AI with critical decision-making systems.
New scientific studies indicate that nanoparticles based on rare-earth metals may have potential in the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors, particularly glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive cancers, with a median patient survival of around 12–15 months.
An analysis of the memory market indicates that in 2026 data centers — especially those powering artificial intelligence and large-scale computing platforms — could absorb as much as 70% of global production of DRAM and related memory chips. This raises the risk of serious shortages of this critical component across other technology sectors and consumer markets.
The United States has announced a 25% tariff on advanced artificial intelligence processors, including Nvidia’s H200 AI chips and AMD’s competing MI325X accelerators, that are shipped to China and other countries via U.S. territory or otherwise fall under the new trade measures. The decision has already been signed by President Donald Trump.
The Anthropic Economic Index indicates that the pace and nature of artificial intelligence adoption still differ markedly between countries, potentially widening existing economic and social inequalities worldwide. The data show that, despite the rapid development and spread of AI tools, their use in the workplace is strongly correlated with income levels and employment structures in individual countries, reinforcing the advantage of wealthier economies over less affluent ones.
From 12 January 2026, EU member states are required to harmonise the monitoring of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, implementing new provisions of the revised EU Drinking Water Directive. This marks the first time that systematic testing of these compounds has been mandated across the entire EU, with the aim of better protecting public health from contamination by highly persistent chemicals.
The biggest barrier to deploying artificial intelligence tools in the UK’s NHS stems from problems integrating them with electronic patient record (EPR/EHR) systems, according to a new report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). The survey of 541 RCP members shows that a lack of interoperability between EPR systems is the key factor preventing clinicians from using AI effectively in everyday practice.
The FDA, through its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), has informed manufacturers of several widely used influenza vaccines that safety information must be updated after post-marketing surveillance data revealed a small but statistically significant increase in the risk of febrile seizures in young children shortly after vaccination.
Microsoft is testing a new feature in Windows 11 that could bring its AI assistant, Copilot, directly into the File Explorer application, according to leaks from the latest preview builds of the operating system.