Welcome to our latest round-up of news from the technology and hosting world. Here’s what we’ve discovered this month.
Quantum Robotics
According to an international research team, quantum computing and AI could be combined to create robots with human-like abilities. Their recent study, “Quantum Robotics: A Review of Emerging Trends,” introduces the revolutionary idea of quantum robotics, a field that could use quantum computing to give robots far greater abilities.
As quantum computers are far more powerful than today’s computers, the researchers believe that the technology could lead to the creation of ‘qubots’—a sophisticated type of robot that could handle highly complex tasks way beyond the capabilities of what we see today. The research team pointed out that quantum algorithms and quantum machine learning, together with quantum sensors and quantum controls will play vital roles in the future of robotics development.
However, don’t expect to see any of these machines around soon. While businesses are investing heavily in both quantum computing and AI, efforts to bring the technologies together are still in the early stages.
Robot Hospital Cleaners
While not as advanced as qubots, two robotic cleaners have been deployed at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, Yorkshire, to improve infection control within its wards and operating theatres. The robots, which are part of the Akara UV decontamination system, are programmed by hospital staff to autonomously navigate and sanitise the rooms.
Funded by the Friends of the Friarage, the robots will enhance the work of the hospital’s domestic team by introducing a more scientific approach to decontamination. According to the hospital, by ensuring thorough cleaning, the robots will play a critical role in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A previous pilot study showed the cutting-edge robots to be highly effective at decontamination and hospital staff are currently being trained to program and work alongside the robots as part of the hospital’s environmental services initiative.
Private AI
A recent report by data centre infrastructure provider, Vespertec, has shown that nearly 70% of companies intend to move their AI models to on-premises hardware. Currently, only a quarter of businesses have internal AI systems; however, the growing interest in private AI solutions has led to a rise in infrastructure investments, with more than half of companies raising their hardware budgets for AI.
While the majority of organisations continue to use public cloud AI tools, such as OpenAI and Google, larger companies are increasingly attracted by the enhanced control and efficiency offered by private AI systems. This shift, however, could be unaffordable for many smaller companies given the substantial investments needed for monitoring, governance and maintenance.
Experts have highlighted the importance for businesses to establish clear objectives and ensure data quality before committing to a private AI system, stating that, for many, cloud-based AI solutions are still the most suitable option, especially for managing unpredictable workloads.
UK AI Ready
The UK leads the way among G7 countries with regard to AI readiness in both the public and private sectors, according to Salesforce’s UK AI Readiness Index. The country’s robust culture of innovation, significant technology investments and effective regulatory frameworks give it a score of 65.5, surpassing the G7 average of 61.2.
In the government sector, the score reached 78.9, significantly higher than the business sector’s score of 52, however, both scores are above the respective G7 averages of 75.6 and 46.8. The UK government’s outstanding performance is due to its high levels of e-participation and ethically based regulations, such as the Online Safety Bill.
Although the UK business sector is performing better than its G7 counterparts, there is a pressing need to increase AI adoption in the private sector, with the UK government keen to see a greater level of investment in emerging technologies.
Nuclear Meta
Meta, the parent company behind Facebook and Instagram, is looking to use nuclear energy to power its data centres. It is currently seeking developers who can supply up to 4GW of power to cater for the rapidly growing energy demands of AI technologies. 4GW is about the same amount of energy needed to power four million homes.
The speed at which demand for AI is growing has led Meta to issue a request for proposals to find partners that can supply 1-4GW of nuclear power by the early 2030s. That timescale is required due to nuclear projects being more challenging than solar or wind, with higher costs, longer development times and strict regulations.
Meta is not alone; this move is part of a trend among the major tech companies that are all exploring nuclear energy for their AI initiatives. Google has plans to deploy seven modular reactors, Microsoft has a 20-year nuclear energy agreement and Amazon is seeking approval for a data centre near a 2.5GW nuclear facility.
Visit our website for more news, blog posts, knowledge base articles and information on our wide range of hosting services.
