Latest news with #advancedtechnology
The National
6 days ago
- Business
- The National
Dr Sultan Al Jaber to be honoured with global leadership award
, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, is to be honoured by the Middle East Institute with its Distinguished Global Leadership Award. The award recognises his role in advancing the vision of the UAE leadership in energy, advanced technology, socio-economic growth and international collaboration. With more than 20 years' experience in public service, he has consistently championed robust governance standards and pragmatism. A previous notable award came from CERAWeek by S&P Global in Texas last year, for his leadership as Cop28 President in Dubai. Dr Sultan will be honoured at the MEI's 78th annual gala in Washington DC in March, 2026.
RNZ News
17-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
New Institute for Advanced Technology announced by government
The government has unveiled a new public research organisation focused on "supercharging" the country's economy through advanced technology. Speaking in Auckland this morning, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the New Zealand Institute for Advanced Technology will be based focus on turning technologies like AI and quantum computing into commercial success. The announcement follows the establishment of three public research institutes focused on Earth Science, Bioeconomy and Health and Forensic Science. The Institute will first be incubated within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) before becoming an independent entity when legislation comes into effect in July 2026. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Shane Reti. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro Luxon said it will be New Zealand's fourth institute and the cornerstone of government's plan to make a high tech, high-value economy. "I expect it to be forward looking, with the support and advice of the Science Advisory Council, to invest in new areas of science that are reshaping the global economy, where we can develop excellent talent, create high-paying jobs, build new sectors and increase our export earnings," he said. Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Shane Reti said the government is committing $231 million over the next four years to the institute, which will be based in Auckland and work with other research centres, universities and industries. "Our first major investment announced in May is already underway at Wellington Robinson Research Institute specialising in future magnetic and materials technologies and cryogenic superconducting further investments will be guided by the Prime Minister's Science Innovation and Technology Advisory Council," he said. Reti speaking at the announcement. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro "New Zealand has a proud history of innovation, from agri-tech to clean energy, and these institutes will build on those strengths while unlocking new frontiers. This is not only research, it's about jobs growth and global impact, it's about delivering long term value for New Zealanders." Asked what consideration had been given to ethical AI use, Luxon said managing the negative impacts of AI had to be done in a "multilateral" way, buy working with other countries to build legislative frameworks for it. "There is a lot more upside with AI than there is downside, and this is a country that needs to embrace a lot more AI, quantum computing, synthetic biology, all of those," he said. "We understand the challenges around AI, but we will manage that through global forums, in terms of building out strong legislative frameworks. But the bigger opportunity is for us to get on and embrace it, because it's not coming, it's actually already here." Luxon said New Zealand had a history of producing "incredible" scientists. Reti and Luxon speak to media. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro "I don't want this to be a country where we proudly say, 'oh, we invented that', and then someone else around the world commercialised it," he said. "Just look at Denmark, right? Think about the work that they did on pharmaceuticals, around weight loss drugs, Ozempic and other things that have been huge around the world. That is powering that economy. That is a huge focused investment in science and technology." Auckland Business Chamber chief executive Simon Bridges said it's a move that follows clear calls from the business community to supercharge the city's tech future. "This is just the start. We now need to double down on digital skills, commercial investment, and putting our startups on the global map," he said Bridges said the suburb of Newmarket was a natural home for the new institute. "Newmarket offers the full package - advanced R&D, space to scale, and commercial potential. "I certainly hope the institute will be based at Newmarket, it is the right place for it. But regardless of the precise final location, Auckland is the right launchpad for a national push into advanced tech." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Bloomberg
17-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Trump's U-Turn on Nvidia Spurs Talk of Grand Bargain With China
Only a few years ago, the Biden administration declared export controls a 'new strategic asset' to help the US maintain 'as large a lead as possible' over China in advanced technology. President Donald Trump is now upending that approach. In a reversal this week, the White House told chipmaker Nvidia Corp. it could soon resume sales of its less advanced China-focused H20 artificial intelligence accelerator. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. received similar assurances from the US Commerce Department.
The National
06-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Mubadala is 'investing in AI and advanced tech to become a leading long-term global investor'
Mubadala 's pioneering investments in fields such as artificial intelligence and advanced technology are aimed at achieving its vision of being a leading, long-term global investor, the company's chief strategy and risk officer has said. Ahmed Al Calily told Wam that, in light of rapid global changes, Abu Dhabi's strategic investment arm is keen to enhance its role and effective contributions to the efforts aimed at building a strong and diversified economic future for the UAE through investments in strategic, future-shaping sectors. Investments in vital sectors such as AI, semiconductors, life sciences, financial markets and energy, as well as the establishment of national companies that compete at the global level, are allowing Mubadala to achieve its goals, he said. Speaking to The National in January last year, Mr Al Calily said that "AI is definitely the next big mover and shaker". "It is the next disruptor for the consumer and for enterprise," he said. "This is the future; you cannot run away from it." Mubadala is continuing to expand its investments in sectors such as clean energy, health care and life sciences. In May, Mubadala launched a new pharmaceuticals company, boosting the UAE's manufacturing sector and further positioning the Emirates' healthcare industry on the global stage. Mubadala Bio will have a manufacturing capacity of more than 2.5 billion tablets and capsules, and 120 million units of intravenous solutions and injectables, the company said in a statement. In its 2024 annual report, Mubadala's assets increased by 9.1 per cent year on year to reach Dh1.2 trillion, and achieved a 33.7 per cent year-on-year increase in investment placement to Dh119 billion, Wam reported.
Fast Company
25-06-2025
- Fast Company
Like electric lights, water reuse is destined to become a necessity
Indoor toilets were once considered a health hazard. Electric lighting sparked fears of deadly fires. Air conditioning was dismissed as an unnatural threat to human health. It seems absurd now, but each of these technologies—now fundamental to modern buildings—was initially met with widespread skepticism and resistance. Today, we're seeing history repeat itself with water reuse. As the United States grapples with an escalating water crisis, a powerful solution is gaining momentum. Buildings can intelligently capture, treat, and reuse their own wastewater by leveraging advanced technology, data analytics, and automation to optimize every step of the water reuse process. These smart systems continuously monitor water quality and usage, automatically adjusting treatment processes to ensure safety and efficiency. While current regulations limit this recycled water to non-potable applications, the reality is that water from these systems is often treated to a level that is scientifically safe enough to drink. This isn't about compromise—it's about building smarter, managing water as a circular resource, and using it where it's needed most, all within the building itself. This innovation comes at a critical moment. Nearly 45% of the lower 48 states are currently experiencing drought conditions, with the Southwest and Plains regions particularly hard-hit. Major water systems like the Colorado River and Lake Mead face unprecedented strain, while aquifers supplying 90% of U.S. water systems are depleting at alarming rates. Climate change only compounds these challenges by intensifying evaporation and disrupting weather patterns, leading to both extreme droughts and devastating floods. At the same time, water and sewer rates are skyrocketing as municipalities invest billions to upgrade aging infrastructure and manage dwindling supplies. For buildings, this translates into rising operational costs and growing pressure to adopt more resilient, cost-effective solutions. Against this backdrop, onsite water reuse represents not just an innovative approach but an increasingly necessary one. And predictably, some people may feel uneasy with onsite water reuse, mostly because of perception, unfamiliarity, and the natural human tendency to be cautious about new technologies, especially those involving health and safety. But history shows us that discomfort is often just the first chapter in a story that ends with 'How did we ever live without this?' The path from rejection to necessity History keeps repeating itself when it comes to building innovation. Take indoor plumbing—people fought against it tooth and nail in the 1800s. Public health officials, guided by the now-debunked miasma theory —the belief that disease was spread by 'bad air' rather than germs—insisted that human waste had to be kept outside the home. Ironically, their reliance on cesspools and open sewers only fueled the spread of deadly diseases like cholera and typhoid, which ravaged entire cities Only as modern sewage systems developed and germ theory took hold did attitudes finally shift. Indoor toilets, once feared as harbingers of disease, gradually became celebrated as symbols of sanitation and progress. Today, their presence is so fundamental that we've collectively forgotten they were ever controversial at all. Electric lighting faced similar resistance. Before it lit up our lives, it sparked public panic. Newspapers churned out stories about people getting electrocuted or going blind. The infamous War of the Currents between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla only heightened public anxiety, with Edison going so far as to publicly electrocute animals to paint Tesla's alternating current (AC) as a deadly force. Yet within a generation, those same lights became the very symbol of human advancement. Resistance gave way to adoption, and eventually to total dependence. Then there's air conditioning. Doctors once warned it would make us soft and sickly. In the early 1950s, the National Association of Home Builders and the University of Texas partnered to create the Austin Air-Conditioned Village —a real neighborhood built to study how everyday families would adapt to living with air conditioning. Six homes were equipped with A/C, while others were left uncooled. Researchers tracked not just energy usage, but human behavior, comfort, and social response. Some participants worried about health effects, while others complained that the cooled air attracted scorpions and other desert pests. But over time, skepticism gave way to comfort, and the experiment helped lay the groundwork for widespread adoption. Now more than 90% of American homes have A/C, and places like Phoenix or Miami would lose millions of residents without it. What was once considered risky has become absolutely essential. Water reuse is gaining popularity Our centralized water infrastructure is showing its age. Pipes laid a century ago are failing. Treatment plants designed for consistent climate patterns are buckling under the pressure of intensifying droughts, floods, and wildfires. Meanwhile, commercial and residential buildings account for the majority of urban water use—yet a significant portion of that demand is for non-potable applications like toilet flushing, irrigation, and cooling, which don't require pristine drinking water quality. Onsite water reuse offers a compelling alternative. With today's technology, buildings and industry can recycle up to 95% of their wastewater. This approach strengthens sustainability, enhances resilience, and increasingly improves the bottom line. San Francisco has already made water reuse mandatory for larger developments. Other cities such as Los Angeles and Austin are creating incentives or updating building codes. Forward-thinking developers aren't waiting for mandates; they're embracing water reuse to meet sustainability commitments and future-proof their investments. Still, old habits and perceptions persist. Some people instinctively recoil at the idea of treated wastewater, even when it's used exclusively for non-potable purposes. But both the data and the historical pattern are clear about where we're headed. The lifecycle of transformative technology Every transformative building technology follows a predictable journey: First comes resistance: 'You want me to put what inside my building?' Then adoption: 'Actually, this solves a real problem quite elegantly.' Followed by mandates and markets: 'New code requires it, and buyers expect it.' Finally, normalization: 'Remember when buildings didn't have this?' Onsite water reuse is already transitioning from the second to the third phase—and picking up speed. Soon enough, we'll look back at the practice of flushing toilets with drinking water with the same bewilderment we now feel about houses without indoor plumbing. The real question isn't whether onsite water reuse will become standard practice. It's how quickly we can make the leap from outrageous to obvious.
