The morning briefing.
While you slept: UK regulators empower publishers against Google's AI search, European quantum computing sees major investment, and China advances robotics and world models.
AI Regulatory Action. UK regulators have introduced a new conduct rule requiring Google to allow publishers to opt out of having their content used for AI Search features, including AI Overviews and model fine-tuning. This move, hailed as a "world first" by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), aims to strengthen publishers' negotiation power for content deals. The ruling addresses concerns from news organizations about declining click-through traffic and revenue due to AI summaries.
Quantum Computing Investment. Europe's quantum computing sector is attracting significant capital, with two major funding rounds announced. Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) secured an oversubscribed €301 million Series C, the largest private funding round for a quantum computing company in Europe, to scale its Quantum-AI data-center platform. Separately, French spin-off Quobly raised €115 million in Series A funding to industrialize silicon-based quantum computers and launch its first commercial product by late 2026.
AI Infrastructure & Compute. The demand for AI compute continues to drive infrastructure development and environmental considerations. CoreWeave is rapidly expanding its data center footprint in the UK by leasing existing space to accelerate compute availability. Meanwhile, Google has committed to replenishing more water than it uses at its data centers by 2030, addressing environmental concerns amidst the widespread buildout of AI facilities.
Global AI Development. Major advancements are unfolding across the global AI landscape, from new model releases to robotics. Microsoft unveiled seven new in-house AI models at Build 2026, demonstrating a lead in image generation while working to catch up in reasoning capabilities. In China, the embodied AI startup Astribot achieved unicorn status with a billion-dollar valuation, while an open-source Chinese world model, Boundless World Model, topped global rankings.
UK media websites can now block Google from using their articles in AI search
The British competition watchdog announced a new rule requiring Google to let website owners prevent their content from appearing in AI summaries and being used for model fine-tuning. This measure aims to empower publishers, including news organizations, in negotiating content deals with Google.
Oxford Quantum Circuits raises €301 million Series C to scale Quantum-AI data-centre platform
Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) closed an oversubscribed €301 million Series C funding round, marking Europe's largest private funding for a quantum computing company. The capital will be used to scale its Quantum-AI data-center platform for enterprise and government clients.
CoreWeave leases UK data centre space for speed, says European boss
CoreWeave is leasing data center space in the UK rather than building new facilities to rapidly bring compute capacity online. This strategy aims to quickly support the UK's AI development plans.
Nous Research releases Hermes Desktop, an open-source AI agent for every platform
Nous Research has launched Hermes Desktop, an open-source AI agent application available under the MIT license. This agent is designed to run across various computing platforms.
Microsoft tops Google in image generation at Build 2026, plays catch-up on reasoning
At Build 2026, Microsoft announced seven new in-house AI models, including its first reasoning model. The company showcased a lead in image generation but acknowledged it is still catching up in reasoning capabilities.
Researchers show how AI-powered worms could wreak havoc on the internet
Researchers have developed an AI-powered worm capable of spreading through networks autonomously without human intervention. This demonstration highlights potential security risks posed by advanced AI agents.
Google commits to replenishing more water than it uses at data centers by 2030
Google announced five commitments regarding water use, including a goal to replenish more water than its data centers consume by 2030. The company also plans to invest in local water infrastructure and identify alternative water sources.
China is training a robot future, one folded shirt at a time
China is advancing its robotics capabilities by leveraging localized, low-cost data harvested from homes and factories. This approach provides a scaling advantage over the more research-heavy and outsourced methods seen in the U.S.
Molfar raises €1.5M for tactical anti-drone radar systems
Polish-Ukrainian defense tech company Molfar Defence Technologies secured €1.5 million in pre-seed funding. The capital will be used to develop and deploy tactical radar systems designed to detect small unmanned aerial systems (UAVs) closer to the frontline.
India gets access to Anthropic’s Mythos AI model under Project Glasswing
Anthropic has expanded access to its cybersecurity AI model, Mythos, in India under 'Project Glasswing.' Approximately 150 organizations will now have access to the model.
Astribot hits billion-dollar valuation after rapid Series B close
Shenzhen-based embodied AI startup Astribot has achieved unicorn status, with its valuation surpassing $1.4 billion after closing a Series B financing round. The company completed this funding round quickly.
Boundless World Model: Open-source Chinese world model tops global rankings
An open-source world model from China, the Boundless World Model, has risen to the top of global leaderboards. It has reportedly outperformed offerings from major companies like Google and NVIDIA in understanding and simulating physical reality.
Co-Packaged Optics: The interconnect backbone for AI data centers
Co-packaged optics are emerging as a critical solution for the communication bottleneck between GPUs in AI data centers. These interconnects are essential as AI agents and large language models drive explosive growth in data traffic.
WeRide and Uber to launch Spain’s first Robotaxi service in Madrid
WeRide and Uber announced plans to launch Spain’s first commercial robotaxi pilot service in Madrid, marking their first European collaboration. The service is scheduled to launch in 2026 with support from the regional government.