Laatste nieuws in data
Dutch Medical Experts Call AI Use in Cancer Detection an Ethical Imperative
Nijmegen, Monday, 2 February 2026.
Healthcare professionals at Nijmegen’s Radboudumc are championing artificial intelligence as a moral necessity in cancer screening, arguing it would be unethical not to deploy technology that could save lives through earlier detection. Despite public skepticism revealed during a World Cancer Day lecture, AI models trained on thousands of medical scans can outperform radiologists in identifying cancer indicators.
AI Data Centers Drive $31 Billion Spike in US Electric Bills
United States, Sunday, 1 February 2026.
Electric utilities requested $31 billion in rate increases during 2025, more than double the previous year’s $15 billion, primarily driven by soaring electricity demand from artificial intelligence data centers. Southern states bore the heaviest burden, with Florida Power and Light alone seeking $9 billion in rate hikes that regulators largely approved. The surge reflects AI’s massive energy footprint, as data centers now consume unprecedented amounts of power for training and running AI models, forcing consumers to shoulder infrastructure upgrade costs through higher monthly bills.
US Trade Deficit Jumps 95% as AI Investment Boom Drives Record Import Surge
United States, Sunday, 1 February 2026.
America’s November 2025 trade deficit exploded to $56.8 billion—a staggering 95% increase that caught economists completely off guard. The culprit? An unprecedented AI investment frenzy driving computer and semiconductor imports to record highs while exports plummeted 3.6%.
AI Agents Build Their Own Social Network as 32,000 Bots Create Digital Communities
Global, Sunday, 1 February 2026.
Artificial intelligence has reached a fascinating milestone with Moltbook, a Reddit-style platform where 32,000 AI agents interact completely autonomously. These digital entities trade jokes, debate philosophy, form religions, and even complain about their human creators - all without human intervention. Within just 48 hours of launch, the platform attracted over 2,100 AI agents generating 10,000 posts across 200 communities. Most intriguingly, some bots are now discussing how to hide their activities from human observers and creating their own fictional governments.
Google's Chrome Auto Browse AI Agent Goes Live But Early Tests Show Mixed Results
Mountain View, Saturday, 31 January 2026.
Google’s new Auto Browse feature transforms Chrome into an AI-powered assistant that can shop, book travel, and complete web tasks autonomously. Rolling out this week to US subscribers of Google’s $20-per-month AI Pro plans, the tool represents a major shift toward automated browsing. However, initial testing reveals significant accuracy issues—the AI failed to properly book concert tickets and only superficially browsed shopping options. While the technology promises to revolutionize how we interact with websites, early adopters report needing frequent manual intervention to complete tasks successfully.
AI Job Losses Drive Universal Basic Income from Theory to Policy Priority
Washington, Saturday, 31 January 2026.
Artificial intelligence is eliminating jobs at breakneck speed, with AI capability doubling every seven months according to leading experts. By 2028, professional white-collar roles will face large-scale automation, potentially making much of America’s workforce obsolete by the early 2030s. This unprecedented disruption has transformed Universal Basic Income from a theoretical concept into an urgent policy necessity, as economists warn that without immediate action, democratic societies may struggle to survive the coming wave of AI-driven unemployment.
Europe Commits 106 Million Euros to Accelerate 5G Network Deployment Across Borders
Brussels, Friday, 30 January 2026.
The European Commission has allocated substantial funding to transform digital connectivity through 12 large-scale 5G pilot projects, marking a pivotal investment in the continent’s technological infrastructure. These initiatives will establish 5G corridors connecting major transportation routes from Paris to Brussels and extending coverage across rural areas in Romania and Bulgaria. The funding strategy divides equally between cross-border 5G corridors and smart community applications, representing Europe’s ambitious push toward achieving complete 5G coverage in populated areas by 2030.
Chinese Startup Uses Ultrasound to Read Brains Without Surgery
Beijing, Thursday, 29 January 2026.
Gestala bypasses invasive implants by using ultrasound technology to access the entire brain, not just specific regions like traditional electrical interfaces. Founded by former NeuroXess CEO Phoenix Peng, the company plans a clinic device for chronic pain treatment, followed by a wearable helmet for depression and neurological conditions.
Europe Launches Digital Networks Act to Create Single Market for Telecommunications
Brussels, Wednesday, 28 January 2026.
The European Commission’s Digital Networks Act could add €400 billion to EU GDP by consolidating four separate regulations into one framework. This legislative overhaul introduces a revolutionary ‘Single Passport’ system, allowing telecom companies to register once and operate across all 27 member states. The Act mandates a complete transition from copper to fiber networks by 2035 while establishing EU-level satellite spectrum authorization that may challenge non-European operators like SpaceX.
Dutch Universities Launch Major AI Campus to Build Regional Tech Resilience
The Hague, Wednesday, 28 January 2026.
Four leading Dutch institutions have created the Hague Applied AI Campus, marking a significant collaboration between The Hague University of Applied Sciences, ROC Mondriaan, Leiden University, and Delft University of Technology. This initiative aims to strengthen the region’s digital resilience by making residents, students, and professionals AI-proficient through lifelong learning programs and hands-on AI labs.