COAI DigiCom Summit Calls for AI‑Led Networks and Tougher Anti‑Fraud Measures in India
At the COAI DigiCom Summit 2026, regulators and industry leaders pressed for AI‑led telecom networks, a hybrid fiber‑and‑FWA broadband model and tighter anti‑fraud systems. The push comes as fixed‑line subscriptions reach 63 million (about 20% of households) and India eyes a 6G‑ready ecosystem.
YouTube Launches Free Deep‑Fake Detection Tool for Hollywood Celebrities
YouTube is extending its free likeness‑protection service to Hollywood actors and musicians, letting them scan for AI‑generated deepfakes and request takedowns. The move follows the platform’s earlier rollout to journalists and political candidates and comes amid rising concerns over synthetic...
VA’s $10 Billion Cerner EHR Rollout Stalls, Exposing Enterprise Migration Risks
Eight years after a $10 billion no‑bid contract was awarded, the Veterans Affairs department has installed Oracle‑Cerner’s electronic health‑record system at just 10 of its 1,400 hospitals. The stalled rollout has triggered patient‑safety alerts, a wave of clinician resignations, and bipartisan...
USCIS Names Andrew Vanjani as CIO to Accelerate Tech Modernization
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services swore in Andrew Vanjani as its new chief information officer, ending a year‑long vacancy. Vanjani will steer a technology overhaul focused on cybersecurity, fraud detection and modernizing the agency’s core processing systems. The move signals...
Norway Approves First Fully Driverless Buses for Public Roads
Norwegian regulators have granted permission for fully driverless, level‑4 buses operated by state‑owned Vy and regional authority Kolumbus to run on public streets. The e‑ATAK electric buses, built by Turkey’s Karsan and equipped with Adastec’s autonomous system, will begin a...
Iranian-Backed Hacks Spur Call for Data‑Driven Threat Intelligence Platforms
A New Yorker investigation highlights a wave of Iranian‑backed cyber intrusions—from a New York dam to a Pennsylvania water system—pressuring U.S. utilities and security firms to adopt sophisticated, data‑driven threat‑intelligence platforms. Experts warn that without such tools, small municipalities remain...
Maine Governor Vetoes Data Center Ban to Protect Jobs
The governor of Maine has vetoed a bill that would have banned datacenter construction in the state until November 2027. She said while she shares the concerns about the impact of data centers on electricity prices and the environment, the bill...
Federal Approval Clears $319M for North Carolina Broadband Projects
North Carolina received federal clearance for its Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) plan, unlocking $319 million in funding. The first phase will connect more than 93,000 homes, businesses and community anchor institutions by 2030, forming part of the state’s $1.53 billion...
Researchers Reveal SIM Signaling Flaw Enabling Covert Location Tracking
Citizen Lab disclosed two surveillance campaigns that abuse SS7 and Diameter signaling to locate phones without user consent. The attacks leveraged infrastructure of three telecom operators, showing that even VPNs cannot shield users from SIM‑level tracking. Industry leaders are scrambling...
Brivo Opens London Office and Launches AI‑first Unified Security Suite for UK GovTech
Brivo announced a new London regional office and the rollout of its AI‑first Brivo Security Suite at The Security Event in Birmingham, aiming at UK public‑sector facilities and critical infrastructure. The move follows the company's 2025 merger with Eagle Eye...
Palantir’s $130 Million IRS Contract Powers Massive Financial‑Crime Data Mining
Palantir’s Lead and Case Analytics platform, paid over $130 million by the IRS since 2018, is being used to aggregate and analyze millions of records for financial‑crime investigations. The contract, spanning both Gotham and Foundry applications, gives the agency a single...
Maine Governor Delays Decision on Nation’s First AI Data‑Center Moratorium
Maine’s legislature passed LD 307, a bill that would pause construction of AI data centers over 20 MW until November 2027. Governor Janet Mills has not yet signed the measure, signaling a possible veto. The move underscores a growing clash between economic...
Who Controls AI Systems Once Governments Adopt Them?
African governments are rapidly integrating AI into public services, yet they lack clear control over systems built and maintained abroad. Existing data‑protection laws and AI strategies in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa provide a policy backdrop, but procurement decisions...
Russian Telecoms Seek Delay on $2‑Per‑GB VPN Traffic Tax
Major Russian telecom operators have asked the Ministry of Digital Development to postpone a new fee that would charge users 150 rubles (about $2) per gigabyte of VPN traffic beyond a 15 GB monthly cap. The request follows technical‑readiness concerns and...
Casepoint Rolls Out AI‑driven Upgrades to Its FOIA and E‑Discovery Platform
Casepoint announced a suite of AI‑powered enhancements to its unified platform, adding more than 100 new legal‑hold capabilities, generative‑AI search and summarization, and expanded FOIA tools. The upgrades also reinforce its security posture with FedRAMP High, DoD IL5/IL6 and CMMC...
Nigeria Is Tightening Tax Enforcement. TaxStreem Wants to Automate Compliance.
TaxStreem, an AI‑powered tax compliance platform, launched in March 2026 to automate Nigerian businesses’ tax calculation, filing and invoicing. The solution reads real‑time transaction data from bank and fintech accounts, assigns the correct VAT, withholding or exemption, and files returns...
Caltrans Deploys Spot Robot to Inspect Hidden Bridge Structures
Inspecting the Unseen: Caltrans Uses Spot to Navigate Hidden Bridge Structures by @BostonDynamics #AI #Robots #Engineering #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology https://t.co/IjoIe3bSfs
Anwar: RTD's Digital Shift Not Just an Upgrade, but a 'Necessity' For Integrity
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called on Malaysia's Road Transport Department (RTD) to accelerate digital transformation, describing it as essential for integrity and public trust. He argued that digital tools reduce opportunities for abuse, protect officers, and enhance transparency...
This Is Who's Developing Golden Dome's Orbital Interceptors—If They're Ever Built
The U.S. Space Force announced a roster of 12 companies—including SpaceX, Lockheed Martin, Anduril, and Booz Allen—receiving up to $3.2 billion in OTA contracts to develop Space‑Based Interceptors (SBIs) for the Golden Dome missile‑defense program. The awards target early‑stage prototypes and aim...
India Calls for Global 6G Leadership at COAI Summit, Union Minister Says
Union Minister Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani told the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) Digicom Summit that India must take a leading role in drafting global 6G standards. The appeal underscores New Delhi’s ambition to influence the next generation of wireless...
Italy's 'Sportellino' AI Chatbot Hits 10,000 Migrant Users, Reshaping Public Service Access
Sportellino, a government‑backed multilingual AI chatbot, has served roughly 10,000 migrants since its July 2025 launch, delivering step‑by‑step guidance on residence permits, health cards and other public services. The free service, available on WhatsApp and Telegram, is praised for easing...
Rob Thompson Named Chief Digital, Data & Technology Officer for DHSC and NHS England
The UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England have appointed Rob Thompson as their new Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer. Thompson, who spent eight years leading digital transformation at the Home Office, will replace interim...
Shield AI’s V‑Bat Joins US Navy $800 Million ISR Competition
Shield AI was chosen to compete in the U.S. Navy’s contractor‑owned, contractor‑operated (COCO) ISR program, giving the company a shot at up to $800 million in task orders for its V‑Bat drone. The selection marks a major step toward autonomous, round‑the‑clock...
Maersk, Altana Deploy AI‑Powered Product Passports in Gemini Trade Network
Maersk and Altana announced a partnership to embed an AI‑powered digital trade layer into the Gemini Cooperation, introducing Product Passports that pre‑clear cargo at 12 major ports handling roughly 70% of global trade. The rollout extends Gemini’s physical shipping services...
TRAI Calls for New Spectrum Auction to Ease Congestion and Accelerate 6G in India
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended an additional spectrum auction, inter‑band sharing and active infrastructure sharing to alleviate mounting network congestion and support the country’s 6G ambitions. Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti highlighted the need to debottleneck networks...
Michigan Rep. Jaime Greene Introduces Bill to Create AI Governing Board for State Agencies
Republican Rep. Jaime Greene (R‑Richmond) unveiled House Bill 5899, which would establish an Artificial Intelligence Governing Board within Michigan’s Department of Technology, Management and Budget and launch a pilot to test generative AI in state agencies. The proposal seeks to...
ECB Secures Open‑Standard Agreements to Power Digital Euro Payments
The European Central Bank has signed agreements with three European standard‑setting bodies—ECPC, nexo standards and the Berlin Group—to reuse open payment standards for digital euro online transactions. The move aims to lower adoption costs, estimated at up to €6 billion ($6.5 bn)...
DOJ Teams with Elon Musk’s xAI to Contest Colorado AI Bias Law
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an amicus brief backing Elon Musk’s xAI in a federal lawsuit challenging Colorado’s AI discrimination law. The DOJ argues the statute violates the Equal Protection Clause and could undermine America’s AI competitiveness. The case,...
Australia: Satellite-Enabled Communications Strengthens Disaster Resilience
Australian researchers at Swinburne University, funded by SmartSat CRC, have created a low‑power satellite‑enabled communication terminal designed for disaster zones. The system combines a minimalist beacon, software‑defined radio, and LoRa‑satellite hybrid links to deliver text and voice messages when terrestrial...
OPM’s 2027 Budget Proposal Hinges on Modernizing Federal HR
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) submitted its FY 2027 budget request, proposing $375 million in discretionary spending—$43 million less than the House’s $418 million recommendation and below current levels. Despite a shrinking workforce of roughly 2,074 FTEs, OPM earmarks funds for a sweeping...
Malaysia: Integrated Data System Enhances Disaster Preparedness
The National Disaster Management Agency has launched the Malaysian Disaster Information Management System (MDIMS), a mobile app that aggregates real‑time data from multiple technical agencies. The platform delivers location‑based push alerts within a 25‑kilometre radius, live maps of evacuation‑centre capacity,...
India Launches NMBA 2.0 App to Improve Monitoring of Drug Demand Reduction Efforts
India launched the upgraded NMBA 2.0 app on 24 April 2026 to strengthen real‑time monitoring of its nationwide drug demand reduction campaign. The platform links central, state and district agencies, volunteers and treatment centres, allowing activity reporting, dashboards and public features such as...
India Prepares For First Digital Census In 2027 With Mobile Data Collection
India will conduct its first fully digital population census in 2027, deploying mobile‑based data collection, an online self‑enumeration portal in 16 languages, and real‑time monitoring via a new Census Management and Monitoring System. The government has earmarked roughly ₹11,718.24 crore (about...
NBTC Rejects Internet TV Alert System
Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has rejected a proposal to install an emergency alert system on internet‑protocol TV (IPTV) set‑top boxes. The plan, backed by the Universal Service Obligation fund, would have allocated 60 million baht (about $1.6 million) to...
VA Names OIG CIO, Taps Nominee for Department-Wide IT Chief
The Department of Veterans Affairs announced two senior technology appointments: Lance Jenkinson was named Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Management and Administration and CIO of the VA Office of the Inspector General, while the White House nominated Gary Shatswell as...
AEMC Proposes “Google Maps” For Grid Visibility
Like Google Maps for the grid: AEMC seeks to boost network visibility of solar, batteries and EVs #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/xRUYdZhQNl https://t.co/1dmdkBQ0uq
Under Scrutiny, Flock Safety Debuts Automatic Auditing Tool
Flock Safety, a supplier of license‑plate‑reading and drone surveillance tools, unveiled Audit Assistance, an automated compliance feature within its Trust and Compliance suite. The tool continuously monitors system activity and flags search patterns that deviate from an agency’s typical usage,...
Inside the Navy’s Push for Resilient, AI-Enabled Command Centers
The Navy is overhauling its maritime operations centers (MOCs) with resilient cloud, on‑prem compute, modular technology and AI‑driven orchestration. Officials highlighted decentralized digital architectures that keep data and applications available even when satellite links fail. AI will automate data aggregation,...
How France’s Tech Dependency Plan Could Influence ERP Decisions
France has launched a government‑wide program requiring ministries to map all technology dependencies on non‑European vendors, covering infrastructure, AI, databases and core systems. The Interministerial Directorate for Digital Affairs is spearheading the effort, with the Direction interministérielle du numérique (DINUM)...
First Phase of VA EHR Rollout Successful, Deputy Secretary Says
The Department of Veterans Affairs completed the first wave of its electronic health records (EHR) modernization in Michigan, activating systems at Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Saginaw and Detroit in April. Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence said the rollout revives a program...
Some Brands Are Safe From The US' Foreign Router Ban, But No One Seems To Know Why
On March 23 2026 the FCC added foreign‑made consumer routers to its Covered List, effectively banning any new router not manufactured in the United States. Approximately 60 % of U.S. routers are sourced from China, so the rule sent shockwaves through the market....
Rev. 3 Is Coming – Start Preparing for the Next CMMC Requirement
The Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) will soon require compliance with NIST SP 800‑171 Revision 3, which supersedes the current Rev 2 baseline. Rev 3, released in May 2024, adds three new control families—supply‑chain security, incident response, and advanced threats—while reducing the...
CMMC Won’t Fail on Controls. It Will Fail on Proof.
The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is evolving from a checklist of controls to a verification regime that demands provable evidence. Contractors often have the right technical safeguards but lack the ability to produce continuous, defensible proof on demand. This...
States Use Data to ‘Push Back’ on Federal Immigration Enforcement
States are launching online portals to document alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents after high‑profile shootings in Minneapolis sparked public outcry. New Jersey, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and others now let residents submit anonymous reports on excessive force, racial profiling,...
Planet Labs Halts Middle East Imagery, Disrupting Data‑Driven Industries
Planet Labs announced on April 5 that, at the request of the U.S. government, it will withhold satellite imagery for Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon and the Persian Gulf states retroactive to March 9. The move forces CTOs and analytics firms to replace...
Abu Dhabi’s AI Census Wins Award, Fuels Smart‑City Housing Strategy
The Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) earned the Strategic Impact Initiative Award for its AI‑driven register‑based census, which now updates population figures almost yearly. The system, showing a 7.5% annual rise to 4.14 million residents, is being used to pinpoint...
California Coastal Community Must Reject CBP's AI-Powered Surveillance Tower
Customs and Border Protection has applied to the city of San Clemente to place an Anduril Industries Autonomous Surveillance Tower, known as the Sentry, on a cliff 1.5 miles inland. The AI‑powered system combines video, radar and computer‑vision to monitor...
Covered California and Deloitte Tap Google AI to Put the Human Touch Back Into Public Health
Covered California, the nation’s largest state health exchange, has partnered with Deloitte and Google to embed Google Document AI into its eligibility and enrollment platform. The AI-driven solution slashed document verification times from up to 72 hours to under five...
Maine Governor Mills Vetoes Statewide Data Center Moratorium
Governor Janet Mills of Maine vetoed a bill that would have imposed a statewide moratorium on permitting large data centers exceeding 20 megawatts until November 2027. The measure, which had near‑unanimous backing from Democratic legislators, fell short of the two‑thirds...
Social Security Plans ‘Limited’ Rollout of Systems to Manage Its Workload
The Social Security Administration is debuting its new Appointment Scheduling Calendar (ASC) and Workload Management (WLM) systems in Nevada and Tennessee on April 25, after pausing a planned nationwide rollout. The limited deployment will let the agency gauge impacts on customer...