BBC News
Google DeepMind has introduced an AI model that analyzes DNA to predict how genetic variations influence gene activity, disease risk, and drug discovery. The AlphaGenome tool can study up to one million DNA letters at once, helping scientists interpret the poorly understood “dark genome,” which regulates how genes are used. AlphaGenome predicts how even single-letter mutations affect gene expression and splicing, aiding research into genetic disorders and various maladies.
From "DeepMind Model Reads Recipe for Life in DNA"
BBC News (01/28/26) James Gallagher
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Computing (U.K.)
The U.K. plans to provide free AI training to all adults, with the goal of upskilling 10 million workers by 2030. Building on its AI Skills Boost initiative, the program will offer short, practical courses covering everyday workplace uses of AI, delivered online with support from major tech firms like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. The government also plans to launch an AI and the Future of Work Unit and to invest £27 million (U.S.$37 million) in local tech training.
From "U.K. Announces Free AI Training for 10 Million Workers by 2030"
Computing (U.K.) (01/28/26) Penny Horwood
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Times Higher Education
A survey of 4,700 researchers in 151 countries by Digital Science, Springer Nature, and Figshare revealed declining support for national mandates for open research data over the last decade. Support for national mandates declined to less than 50% among researchers in most leading economies last year; India was the only country surveyed where a majority of researchers support national mandates for open data. Nearly all (81%) survey respondents said they strongly supported open data in principle, and 88% support open access.
From "Open Data Mandates Lose Support Among Researchers"
Times Higher Education (01/26/26) Jack Grove
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Euronews
France said its government departments will replace Microsoft Teams and Zoom with domestically developed video conferencing platform Visio by 2027. Visio is part of France's Suite Numérique digital ecosystem of sovereign tools intended to replace software from foreign vendors to help the nation regain control over critical digital infrastructure. It is hosted on French firm Outscale's sovereign cloud infrastructure and includes AI-powered meeting transcript and speaker diarization features from French startup Pyannote.
From "France Ditches U.S. Platforms for Sovereign Tools"
Euronews (01/27/26) Pascale Davies
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The Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration warned South Korea against targeting U.S. tech firms with discriminatory regulations amid escalating trade tensions. Vice President JD Vance raised concerns with South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, citing investigations and proposed rules affecting companies like Meta, Google, and Coupang, a U.S.-listed company facing Korean probes after a major data breach. President Trump threatened to restore 25% tariffs on Korean goods after Seoul delayed ratifying a trade pact that includes protections for U.S. tech firms.
From "U.S. Warns South Korea Against Targeting American Tech Firms"
The Wall Street Journal (01/27/28) Gavin Bade; Amrith Ramkumar
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ASU News
Researchers at Arizona State University demonstrated how DNA can be used both to store vast amounts of data and to secure it through molecular-scale encryption. In two studies, scientists showed that information can be encoded in the physical shapes of DNA nanostructures and read quickly using electronic sensors and machine learning, avoiding slow DNA sequencing. A second approach uses DNA origami patterns as encrypted molecular codes readable only with advanced microscopy and AI.
From "DNA Can Store Larges Volumes of Data Securely"
ASU News (01/28/26) Richard Harth
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