Top of the Day
AI Pioneer Geoffrey Hinton Warns of Superintelligence Within Decades
(AI Insider – 14 March 2025) Nobel Prize-winning scientist Geoffrey Hinton believes artificial intelligence could surpass human intelligence alarmingly soon. In an interview during Nobel Week in Stockholm, the renowned AI researcher shared his concerns about the future of the technology he helped create. “In between 5 and 20 years from now there’s a good chance a 50% chance we’ll get AI smarter than us,” Hinton stated, reflecting on the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence capabilities. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/03/14/ai-pioneer-geoffrey-hinton-warns-of-superintelligence-within-decades/
Singapore Invests $24.5 Million in Quantum and Supercomputing Integration Initiative
(Quantum Insider – 14 March 2025) Singapore launched HQCC 1.0, a $24.5 million initiative to integrate quantum computing, high-performance computing, and AI, focusing on middleware development, hybrid algorithms, and workforce training. NSCC Singapore signed MoUs with AMD and CSC Finland to establish a Centre of Excellence, advance HPC-quantum integration, and collaborate on AI, digital twin technologies, and green data centers. New talent development programs, including the Young Investigator Seed Project and Compute Pilot Initiative, will support early-career researchers and provide HPC resources for SMEs and startups. NSCC Singapore plans to expand its supercomputing infrastructure, with a new national supercomputer expected to be operational by late 2025, complementing its existing HPC resources. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/03/14/singapore-invests-24-5-million-in-quantum-and-supercomputing-integration-initiative/
IBM and Basque Government to Deploy Europe’s First IBM Quantum System Two
(Quantum Insider – 14 March 2025) The Basque Government and IBM will install Europe’s first IBM Quantum System Two at the IBM-Euskadi Quantum Computational Center in San Sebastian, Spain, with deployment expected by the end of 2025. The system, powered by IBM’s Heron processor, will enable utility-scale quantum computing and support algorithm development aligned with the Basque Country’s IKUR 2030 vision. The center will provide Spain’s quantum researchers, industries, and academic institutions with access to advanced quantum technologies, fostering workforce development and international research collaboration. IBM and the Basque Government are developing educational programs to train quantum talent in Spain and promote the region as a global quantum computing hub. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/03/14/ibm-and-basque-government-to-deploy-europes-first-ibm-quantum-system-two/
China Establishes Quantum-Secure Communication Links With South Africa
(Quantum Insider – 14 March 2025) China has established a quantum key distribution link between Beijing and South Africa, marking its first ultra-secure communication connection in the southern hemisphere. The experiment used China’s quantum communication satellites, advancing efforts to build an intercontinental network resistant to hacking. China aims to launch a global quantum communication service by 2027, leveraging quantum satellites to secure transmissions among BRICS nations. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/03/14/china-established-quantum-secure-communication-links-with-south-africa/
Limits of Economic Deterrence in the US-China Tech Competition
(Rogier Creemers, Louise Marie Hurel – RUSI) A week before reaching a deal, US President Donald Trump said he wanted $500 billion worth of Ukraine’s critical minerals as compensation for having supported the country following the full-scale invasion by Russia in February 2022. The offer, then rejected by Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, was followed by threats to cut the country’s access to Starlink’s satellite communications system if it did not reach a deal. At the core of the US government’s pressure lays, among other things, its desire to diminish US dependency on the country that holds almost half of the world’s critical minerals reserves essential for tech development: China. Only 12 days following the inauguration of Trump’s second presidency, the administration announced a fresh set of 10% tariffs on imports from China—shortly thereafter increased by an extra 10%. China followed with a retaliatory set of measures including antitrust probes into US tech companies, 10-15% tariffs on farm products, coal, crude oil and farm equipment, and expansion of export controls on critical minerals that are essential in producing everything from smartphones to F-35s and solar panels. Trump’s latest rush to secure critical minerals in Ukraine, a country that currently does not produce them (despite having them) and cannot ensure easy access to them during an ongoing war, raises the question of how ready they are to deal with pressures from their trade war with China – particularly in realms of high technology. How quickly and effectively can they respond to, and anticipate changes to critical supply chains feeding key sectors such as defence and technology? How effective have US economic deterrence measures been to stop Chinese tech? – https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/limits-economic-deterrence-us-china-tech-competition
Amid Federal Push for AI Innovation, Who Will Look Out for Consumers?
(Kevin Frazier – Lawfare – 14 March 2025) Every wave of technological innovation presents regulators with a difficult question: How can we accelerate further advances and widespread adoption while also safeguarding core consumer interests, such as privacy and autonomy? Artificial intelligence (AI) is no exception. The answer to that question has so far gone largely unanswered, and consumer well-being demands one sooner rather than later. Enforcement of existing consumer protection laws by state attorneys general (AGs) offers the best chance of safeguarding consumers while not duly impeding AI innovation. Broader recognition of the ongoing role of AGs as consumer advocates can allow Congress and the state legislatures to focus on different aspects of the public policy challenges posed by AI. The Trump administration is primed to speed up AI innovation. Its efforts to achieve “global AI dominance” will likely only grow in the coming weeks and months. Additionally, DeepSeek, a Chinese company, recently released a highly capable, partially open-sourced model that rivals OpenAI’s frontier models and, in doing so, sent shockwaves across the AI community and Capitol Hill. A focus on winning the AI race will likely render consumer protection issues an afterthought in federal conversations. – https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/amid-federal-push-for-ai-innovation–who-will-look-out-for-consumers
Understanding U.S. Allies’ Current Legal Authority to Implement AI and Semiconductor Export Controls
(Gregory C. Allen, Isaac Goldston – Center for Strategic & International Studies – 14 March 2025) Since October 2022, the United States has devoted significant resources to restricting China’s access to artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced semiconductor technologies. In the final months of the Biden administration, the Department of Commerce issued four additional far-reaching export control updates. On December 2, 2024, it released two rules that added 140 companies to the Entity List, expanded the scope of the Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR), and restricted new technology areas such as high-bandwidth memory, among other measures. In the second week of January 2025, the Department of Commerce issued the AI Diffusion Framework and the Foundry Due Diligence Rule, further shaping the spread of AI and semiconductor technologies throughout the world. Export controls remain front and center for the second Trump administration, which directed an effort to “identify and eliminate loopholes in existing export controls—especially those that enable the transfer of strategic goods, software, services, and technology . . . to strategic rivals and their proxies” on its first day in office. However, countries like the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan continue to control key chokepoints in the AI and semiconductor value chain, making unilateral action only so effective. Furthermore, the existing multilateral export control architecture is neither sufficiently flexible nor fast to allow for the kind of sophisticated, targeted controls that the United States has levied on China. The success or failure of the U.S. export control strategy is thus dependent on its allies’ ability to implement controls outside of this traditional architecture or U.S. extraterritorial regulations covering allies. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of U.S. allies’ export control authorities related to AI and semiconductor technologies and does the same analysis for China. It demonstrates that U.S. allies often do not have equivalents to U.S. export control authorities and tools like the FDPR and Entity List, but that they generally do have the capability to introduce some controls on advanced semiconductor chips and related equipment not covered by multilateral export control regimes. As a result, lack of alignment with the U.S. export control regime cannot necessarily be attributed to a lack of authorities alone. Allies’ enforcement capacity and willingness to act are also key ingredients in the implementation of effective export controls and are crucial to the success of U.S. and allied technology competition with China. Accordingly, the recommendations section of this paper addresses each of these three elements. The paper proceeds as follows. First, it identifies key export control authorities used by the United States to slow the progress of China’s AI and semiconductor industries and analyzes which other countries possess these authorities and are thus capable of implementing similar controls. It then surveys the export control policies of key actors, including the European Union, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China. It concludes by offering recommendations to U.S. and allied policymakers to make AI and semiconductor export controls more effective. – https://www.csis.org/analysis/understanding-us-allies-current-legal-authority-implement-ai-and-semiconductor-export
Defense, Intelligence, and Warfare
The Navy needs a 180-degree pivot: Embracing autonomy and AI for maritime dominance
(John Ferrari – Breaking Defense – 14 March 2025) The United States Navy stands at a critical juncture, and as the global maritime landscape evolves, so too must our approach to maintaining naval supremacy. As it stands now, the navy is incapable of being active in three simultaneous theaters, lacks the depth in munitions, ships, and personnel for sustained combat operations, and struggles to produce the necessary warships, using outdated concepts from World War II and the Cold War. Which is to say, almost every part of the system is flawed. To address these challenges, the Navy must pivot away from large, costly platforms and embrace mass production and customizability. The service’s guiding philosophy should focus on autonomous systems, AI, cyber, electronic warfare, and distributed lethality, and include a cultural shift toward viewing software programmers as key partners for sailors. Unmanned surface and subsurface ships are at a similar development stage as unmanned aircraft were a decade ago. However, the maturity curve and adoption of drone ships will proceed much more rapidly than it has for comparable aircraft. This is due to two simple reasons: AI’s rapid development is providing a springboard that aerial drones a decade ago did not have, and sea drone production will benefit from the lessons learned from aerial drones. – https://breakingdefense.com/2025/03/the-navy-needs-a-180-degree-pivot-embracing-autonomy-and-ai-for-maritime-dominance/
UK Royal Navy receives first autonomous mine countermeasures system
(Tim Martin – Breaking Defense – 14 March 2025) The UK has announced the first delivery of an autonomous mine countermeasures system as part of a €430 million ($468 million) Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation-led (OCCAR) Anglo-French naval cooperation program. In a statement today, the British MoD said that the Thales-made Maritime Mine Counter Measure (MMCM) systems are a “new capability” for the Royal Navy and comprise a 12-meter long Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) dubbed ARIADNE, alongside off-board payloads and a Remote Command Centre (RCC). “With this advanced technology, mines can be rapidly detected in a more cost-effective and safer manner than previously, greatly increasing operational tempo and eliminating the need for sailors to enter mine danger areas,” noted London. – https://breakingdefense.com/2025/03/uk-royal-navy-receives-first-autonomous-mine-countermeasures-system/
US military to test Ukraine’s long-range drones in hunt for low-cost warfare tech
(Kapil Kajal – Interesting Engineering – 14 March 2025) The U.S. military is planning to test Ukraine’s long-range drones for the first time. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has awarded contracts to four companies as part of the Artemis project, which aims to assess the operational capabilities of long-range, one-way unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This initiative, executed in collaboration with the Department of Defense’s Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition & Sustainment, is set against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts and the evolving demands on military technology. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/us-to-test-ukraine-drones
War-ready navigation: Lockheed Martin’s quantum INS to guide troops without GPS
(Kapil Kajal – Interesting Engineering – 14 March 2025) Lockheed Martin has secured a contract from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Innovation Unit (DIU) to develop a quantum-enabled Inertial Navigation System (INS) prototype. This new technology, named QuINS, aims to redefine navigation capabilities for military operations by providing accurate location data even in areas where GPS signals are unreliable or unavailable. QuINS employs quantum sensing technology to enhance navigation and positioning. – https://interestingengineering.com/military/lockheed-navigation-quantum-ins-gps
Frontiers
Next-Gen Video Processing Gets a Boost with Allegro DVT’s AI-Powered NVP300
(AI Insider – 14 March 2025) Allegro DVT has introduced the NVP300, its first AI-based Neural Video Processing semiconductor IP, marking a significant step forward in AI-driven video enhancement. Designed to deliver real-time AI processing for 4K video with industry-leading efficiency, the NVP300 optimizes silicon area and power consumption, making it ideal for embedded applications. – https://theaiinsider.tech/2025/03/14/next-gen-video-processing-gets-a-boost-with-allegro-dvts-ai-powered-nvp300/
Oxford Instruments, OQC, and Quantum Machines to Reveal Open Quantum Computing Platform at APS Global Physics Summit 2025
(Quantum Insider – 14 March 2025) Oxford Instruments NanoScience, Oxford Quantum Circuits, and Quantum Machines are launching the Architect platform: an open-architecture quantum computing system that integrates OQC’s Lucy Gen2 processor, Quantum Machines’ OPX1000 controller, and Oxford Instruments’ ProteoxMX dilution refrigerator. The platform addresses key barriers in quantum computing by providing hands-on access to real hardware, allowing users to modify, upgrade, and interact with every layer of the quantum stack for skills development and research. Each component has been independently validated, with OQC’s Lucy Gen2 processor demonstrating 98% uptime in cloud operations, Quantum Machines’ OPX1000 proving rapid deployment at the University of Glasgow, and ProteoxMX ensuring optimal cryogenic performance. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/03/14/oxford-instruments-oqc-and-quantum-machines-to-reveal-open-quantum-computing-platform-at-aps-global-physics-summit-2025/
SEEQC Installs Cross-Qubit Scaling Platform at UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre
(Quantum Insider – 14 March 2025) SEEQC is installing a cross-qubit scaling platform at the National Quantum Computing Centre in Oxfordshire, making it the first deployment of its kind in the UK. The platform uses Single Flux Quantum digital logic to enhance quantum computing control systems, addressing scalability and efficiency challenges. SEEQC, which recently secured $30 million in funding, partners with major industry players and is focused on transitioning quantum computing from research to scalable, enterprise-ready systems. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/03/14/seeqc-installs-cross-qubit-scaling-platform-at-uks-national-quantum-computing-centre/
Bluefors and Qblox Announce Collaboration to Advance Quantum Computing Infrastructure
(Quantum Insider – 14 March 2025) Bluefors and Qblox signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on integrated solutions for quantum technologies, focusing on spin qubit systems. At APS Global Physics Summit 2025, they will demonstrate Qblox’s quantum computing control stack working with Bluefors’ cryogenic measurement systems. The partnership aims to improve quantum infrastructure, enabling faster development of scalable quantum processors for industrial applications. – https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/03/14/bluefors-and-qblox-announce-collaboration-to-advance-quantum-computing-infrastructure/
Robots to soon require exercises like humans for more strength, lifelike agility
(Prabhat Ranjan Mishra – Interesting Engineering – 14 March 2025) According to a study, robots built with lab-grown skeletal muscle tissue could require physical exercises similar to those of humans. Called biohybrid robots, these innovations can achieve lifelike agility with exercises like human workouts. A new study from China concluded that physical training of artificial muscles during their growth phase can double contraction strength. It can also enable biohybrid caterpillar-bot to move much faster than conventional processes. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed an electromechanical co-stimulation system to boost the effectiveness and performance of artificial skeletal muscle tissues. – https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/robots-to-require-exercises-like-humans