Cyprus should assess the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) as long-term strategic infrastructure rather than focusing only on its immediate cost, according to energy systems expert and former CERA chairman Andreas Poullikkas.

Poullikkas, a professor at Frederick University, said Cyprus needs to decide whether it will remain electrically isolated or use its location to become an energy hub in the Eastern Mediterranean. Under the current arrangements, the Republic’s financial obligation stands at €50 million.

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From Isolation To Energy Integration

Cyprus remains the only EU member state without an electricity connection to the European network. Poullikkas argues that this isolation carries economic, environmental and energy-security costs.

The GSI could help integrate Cyprus into the European electricity market, increase the use of renewable energy and strengthen the resilience of its power system. As electricity demand grows through electric vehicles and the electrification of heating and cooling, interconnection and energy storage will become increasingly important.

Poullikkas describes the two as complementary forms of flexibility: storage moves electricity across time, while interconnectors move it between locations.

A Wider Regional Opportunity

The project could also give Cyprus a broader role in the region. Poullikkas points to French company Meridiam becoming the majority shareholder in the Great Sea Interconnector, which he says could support its financial and technical development.

He also highlights the GSI’s connection to wider discussions around the Eastern Mediterranean Gateway Act and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). A future energy corridor could potentially link renewable resources in India and the Middle East with European markets through Israel, Cyprus and Greece.

Such a development could shift Cyprus from an energy consumer to an intermediary hub connecting European markets with the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

Long-Term Strategy Required

Poullikkas stressed that this transformation would require more than the GSI itself. Cyprus would need sustained investment in renewable energy, electricity networks, storage, digital infrastructure and further interconnections, backed by long-term political consistency.

He also warned against assessing the project solely through short-term fiscal considerations. Remaining disconnected has its own costs, including dependence on imported fuels, limited renewable-energy integration and the need for additional reserves.

For Poullikkas, the GSI is therefore part of a much larger decision about Cyprus’s energy future.

“Previous generations handed us the infrastructure on which we built today’s Cyprus. It is our responsibility to hand future generations the infrastructure on which they will build their own,” he said.

Tech Race Summit, organised by SOFTSWISS, will take place in Warsaw on 10 September 2026 at Centrum Praskie Koneser, Plac Konesera 8. The event will bring together more than 30 international speakers and 1,000 attendees for what the organiser describes as “the first cross-industry forum to exchange ideas, technologies, and expertise, driving the future of large-scale digital products.”

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The summit gathers engineers, technology executives, infrastructure specialists, and product teams to discuss how companies respond to growing technical complexity, cybersecurity challenges, and the rapid adoption of AI across business operations and consumer products. Speakers and contributors have been confirmed from big-name companies including AWS, Oracle, Cloudflare, Google, Fastly, Tesla, PandaDoc, Shazam, Gcore, ScyllaDB, and others.

The Keynote Line-up

Andrey Doronichev, founder and CEO of Optic and former Google executive, will deliver a keynote on how AI is changing industries and work. Doronichev spent 14 years at Google, where he helped develop products used by billions of people worldwide.

Javier Verdura, Global Director of Product Design at Tesla, will present “Building High-Performance Teams: Lessons from Tesla.” His session will explore how a globally recognised technology company builds teams capable of delivering products at speed while maintaining quality and innovation.

Mikita Mikado, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of PandaDoc, will deliver “Building the Next Silicon Valley Businesses.” PandaDoc is an agreement-management company that reached a valuation of $1 billion in 2021. In his keynote, Mikado will share lessons from scaling PandaDoc into a global software company.

They are joined by Dhiraj Mukherjee, co-founder of Shazam, and Artur Bergman, founder and CTO of Fastly, whose sessions will address technology shifts and the future of internet infrastructure. Ivan Montik, founder of SOFTSWISS, is scheduled to open the summit.

Cross-Industry Forum For High-Load Businesses

As online gaming businesses grow across regulated markets, they face many of the same questions as global technology companies, especially how to build high-performing teams, develop products at scale, and compete for talent whilst maintaining speed of execution. By bringing together leaders who have been there, done that from Tesla, PandaDoc, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Oracle, Cloudflare, and other global technology companies, Tech Race Summit creates a forum where these experiences can be shared across industries.

The programme covers cloud architecture, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering leadership, observability, product development, and company building. All sessions are held in English.

Sergey Kastukevich, Chief Technology Officer at SOFTSWISS, describes the summit’s origin as follows:

“Tech Race Summit was created to bring together people solving difficult technology problems and to explore what the future of technology holds.”

Kastukevich adds to the cross-industry framing:

“The technology challenges facing iGaming today extend well beyond infrastructure. Building successful technology companies also depends on leadership, product thinking, and the ability to scale teams as the business grows […] Our goal is to give attendees practical insights they can apply to their own organisations, regardless of the industry they work in.”

Three-Track Programme

The summit runs across three parallel conference stages. The Vision Track features keynotes and discussions about AI, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and technology strategy. The Solution Track focuses on technical sessions and case studies from engineers and architects working on modern digital systems. The Experiment Track covers technical deep-dives, implementation lessons, and engineering practices.

Attendance And Registration

The offline event is sold out. Online streaming tickets remain available through the event website. Sponsorship information is also available through the summit’s partnership page.

For more information and ticket details, follow the link here.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company that has developed solutions for the iGaming industry since 2009. The company provides software for managing online gaming projects and supports more than 1,500 brands worldwide. SOFTSWISS’ product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator, the Sportsbook, and the Prediction Markets Platform. The company has more than 2,000 employees across its international locations, including Malta, Poland, and Georgia.

AI is advancing rapidly, but public enthusiasm is moving in the opposite direction. Recent surveys show that more Americans are becoming concerned about the technology, while growing opposition to data centers is turning AI’s social acceptance into a business and political challenge.

A Pew Research study found that 52% of Americans are now “more concerned than excited” about the growing use of AI in daily life, up from 37% in 2021. A May Economist/YouGov poll also found that more than 70% believe AI is developing too quickly.

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The political backlash is becoming harder to ignore. Axios reported that the National Republican Senatorial Committee warned major AI companies that data center projects could hurt Republican candidates in a key Ohio election.

AI’s Growing Reputation Problem

Public concern is also showing up among younger Americans. A CNBC poll found that most respondents aged 18 to 34 did not trust nine leading AI executives to act responsibly on AI.

For many consumers, AI is increasingly associated with chatbots, AI-powered search and features appearing inside everyday products, rather than with major improvements to their lives. Google has transformed Search with AI, while companies are adding AI to products ranging from email to televisions.

At the same time, people are hearing about AI being used by students to cheat, while companies face disputes over copyrighted material used to train models and generate art, music, video and writing.

That combination is creating a difficult perception: consumers are being asked to accept the disruption caused by AI without necessarily seeing enough personal benefit in return.

Data Centers Add To The Backlash

The problem extends beyond software. Tech companies are spending enormous sums building AI data centers, but communities are increasingly pushing back over issues including electricity demand, water use and infrastructure.

According to The Wall Street Journal, companies are responding with additional incentives such as employment commitments and investments in local infrastructure. One Louisiana project even included $50,000 bonuses for teachers.

Meanwhile, some consumers are gravitating toward technology that feels deliberately less connected. Young people are showing renewed interest in dumbphones, point-and-shoot cameras, cassette players and CD players. AI-free classic iPods are also attracting attention, while offline hobbies and in-person activities are gaining popularity.

The Industry Is Starting To Take Notice

Some technology executives believe the backlash is partly a communication problem. Others are increasingly acknowledging that consumers may understand AI perfectly well but simply don’t consider its current benefits worth the trade-offs.

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently said on a podcast that the industry needs to build products that ordinary people genuinely value, rather than focusing primarily on AI itself.

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei similarly described negative perceptions of AI as a “big problem” and a “crisis of trust” in a post on X. In his view, the strongest response would be for AI companies to actually deliver on their biggest promises, including breakthroughs that could significantly improve people’s lives.

For an industry that has attracted hundreds of billions of dollars on the expectation that AI will transform everyday life, technological progress alone may no longer be enough. The bigger challenge could be convincing people that they are actually better off because of it.

Google is expanding its AI-powered learning features across Search and Gemini, introducing interactive visuals, 3D simulations, personalized quizzes and a dedicated hub for students.

The update is part of Google’s broader push to position Gemini as a study assistant, as it competes with AI learning platforms such as Knowt and Gauth.

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Interactive Learning Comes To Search

Students can now use Google Search to create interactive tools and simulations for complex subjects. For example, searching for “pH scale” can generate an interactive visual in AI Overviews, while follow-up questions can produce more tailored experiences, such as mapping citrus fruits onto the scale.

Search can also generate customized quizzes across subjects including math, science, humanities and foreign languages.

A new Lens feature coming in the next few weeks will let students photograph problems and receive explanations, help identifying mistakes and guidance when they get stuck.

Students can also upload PDFs, documents, slides or handwritten notes and ask Search to turn them into study materials, such as one-page summaries of key concepts.

Gemini Gets New Study Features

Gemini is adding multi-step research in Gemini Live. Students can ask the AI to investigate a topic in the background, receive a notification when the report is ready and then discuss the findings using voice.

Another new feature allows Gemini to generate interactive 3D simulations, tables and grids tailored to a prompt. For example, students can explore a 3D model of DNA by rotating and zooming in on its structure.

Google is also introducing a dedicated learning hub in the Gemini app, where students can create study notebooks, generate flashcards, take practice quizzes and access other learning tools in one place.

Several cybersecurity researchers say OpenAI unexpectedly removed their access to a limited program that provides vetted users with fewer restrictions on its AI tools. OpenAI has confirmed that the disruption was caused by a technical error.

On Wednesday, researchers reported on OpenAI’s support forum and X that they had lost access to Trusted Access for Cyber (TAC). Some users saw messages saying their identity could not be verified or that their accounts were currently ineligible.

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What Is Trusted Access For Cyber?

TAC is a program through which OpenAI gives vetted cybersecurity researchers access to advanced models with fewer safeguards than those available to regular users. Researchers must submit identification and complete OpenAI’s verification process.

The program is designed to help security professionals identify vulnerabilities, test defenses and report flaws while limiting access for malicious actors. Anthropic operates a similar initiative called the Cyber Verification Program.

OpenAI Says Access Will Be Restored

TechCrunch spoke with five researchers who said they experienced the issue. One researcher received an email saying access to Daybreak Blue, the latest TAC tier, had been revoked because of a technical problem affecting a limited number of users.

OpenAI said affected researchers would need to reapply and complete the verification process. The company also confirmed the issue in a post on X, saying a limited group of users had lost access and would need to re-verify.

All five researchers who spoke with TechCrunch were based outside the U.S. and Europe, although it remains unclear whether geography played a role or how many users were affected.

OpenAI Expands Its Cybersecurity Tiers

Daybreak Blue, introduced on August 10, provides vetted researchers with access to advanced general-purpose models for defensive security work, including vulnerability discovery, code review, malware analysis and incident response.

OpenAI also introduced Daybreak Red, a higher-access tier designed for authorized vulnerability research, exploit validation and security testing.

The access issue comes amid growing debate among cybersecurity researchers over AI safety restrictions. Some defensive and offensive security professionals argue that increasingly strict guardrails can interfere with legitimate security research.

Nuclear startups are increasingly looking to data centers as demand for reliable electricity surges with the growth of AI. TerraPower, founded by Bill Gates, is among the companies pursuing that opportunity and is expected to announce its first data center project this year.

The company has not disclosed the customer. In January, however, TerraPower announced that Meta had agreed to buy eight of its Natrium power plants. Its first reactor is already under construction in Wyoming, while the planned data center project is expected to break ground in 2027.

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Why Energy Storage Matters

TerraPower’s main advantage could be its approach to energy storage.

Nuclear reactors are designed to operate most efficiently at full capacity. U.S. nuclear plants generate at maximum power around 92.5% of the time, but conventional reactors can adjust their output relatively slowly. Even newer small modular reactors can face economic challenges when operating below capacity because nuclear plants are expensive to build.

That creates a problem for AI data centers, where electricity demand can change rapidly as GPUs handle training workloads and user requests. Batteries can help smooth those fluctuations, but add another layer of cost.

Storing Heat Instead Of Cutting Reactor Output

TerraPower’s 345-megawatt Natrium reactor takes a different approach. Rather than quickly increasing or reducing the reactor’s output, it continues producing heat and stores excess energy in molten sodium.

When electricity demand rises, that stored heat can be used to generate additional steam and increase turbine output. This allows the reactor to keep operating efficiently while still responding to changes in demand.

The technology was originally designed to work alongside intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar. For data centers, however, the same flexibility could help manage rapidly changing power demand.

By combining nuclear power’s high capacity factor with thermal energy storage, TerraPower aims to provide a more flexible source of electricity for large-scale AI infrastructure.

Indian fintech company Navi has secured $100 million from Prosus, marking the first institutional investment in the eight-year-old startup founded by Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal.

The investment values Navi at around $1.3 billion, according to people familiar with the deal. That is below the roughly $2 billion valuation the company reportedly sought when it began exploring external funding in 2024.

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Bansal launched Navi in 2018 after leaving Flipkart following its acquisition by Walmart. The company offers digital payments, lending, insurance and mutual fund services, and Bansal has invested hundreds of millions of dollars of his own money into the business.

Funding Comes Ahead Of Potential IPO

The Prosus investment comes as Navi prepares for a potential public listing. The company is reportedly considering an IPO that could raise around ₹30 billion ($314 million). Navi had previously filed plans for a $440 million IPO in 2022, but dropped them the following year as market conditions weakened.

The latest investment is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Navi Expands Its Fintech Business

For the financial year ended March 2026, Navi reported revenue of ₹30.91 billion ($323 million), while its net loss increased to ₹4.66 billion ($48.7 million).

Its payments app is now India’s fourth-largest UPI platform, behind PhonePe, Google Pay and Paytm. In July, Navi processed more than 947 million UPI transactions worth ₹483.18 billion ($5.05 billion), according to data from the National Payments Corporation of India.

Navi’s lending arm, Navi Finserv, has more than ₹130 billion ($1.4 billion) in assets under management. The company says it serves hundreds of millions of users across India and reached consolidated profitability in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026.

Bansal described Prosus’ investment as a strong endorsement of Navi’s long-term ambitions and said the company valued the investor’s experience in scaling technology businesses.

Amazon is bringing its AI-powered assistant, Alexa+, to compatible Fire TV devices across the U.S. at no additional cost, including for customers without an Amazon Prime subscription.

The update adds conversational search, AI-powered recommendations and smart home controls to Fire TV. Previously, Alexa+ cost $19.99 per month for non-Prime members.

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Compatible devices will receive the update automatically, with no separate app or subscription required. Supported products include current-generation Fire TV Sticks, Fire TV Cube, Amazon Ember smart TVs and select smart TVs from Hisense and Panasonic.

AI Moves Deeper Into TV

Amazon’s move follows a broader push by consumer electronics companies to integrate AI into television platforms. Google has introduced Gemini to Google TV, while Roku has upgraded its voice assistant with AI capabilities.

Amazon says Alexa+ users now have nearly twice as many conversations on Fire TV as they did with the original Alexa, suggesting that viewers are increasingly using TVs for interactive AI features rather than simply watching content.

With Alexa+, viewers can ask for recommendations without naming a specific title, using requests such as a top-rated thriller or a historical drama with a strong female lead.

The assistant can also control connected smart home devices and display Ring camera feeds directly on the TV.

Data center developers are expected to invest as much as $4 trillion by the end of the decade, but finding enough power and suitable locations is becoming increasingly difficult. Relativity Networks is betting that faster fiber could help data centers overcome some of those geographic constraints.

The company announced $22 million in SAFE note funding from Rhapsody Venture Partners, Bell Ventures and Faster Than Glass, among others. It also secured a $40 million follow-on order from an unnamed hyperscaler.

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Hollow-Core Fiber Cuts Latency

Relativity Networks develops hollow-core fiber, which can transmit data 50% faster than conventional fiber. Instead of sending light through glass, the technology uses a hollow center containing air or a near-vacuum, allowing signals to travel closer to the speed of light.

For a signal traveling one kilometer, CEO Jason Eichenholz estimates that conventional fiber takes about five microseconds. Hollow-core fiber can reduce that to roughly 3.5 microseconds.

Connecting Data Centers Across Greater Distances

As AI systems grow, computing resources are increasingly spread across large campuses and multiple facilities. That makes network latency more important, particularly when separate data centers need to function as a single synchronized system.

Eichenholz sees an opportunity to connect existing facilities across multiple campuses, allowing companies to locate computing infrastructure closer to available power without sacrificing as much performance.

A 50% reduction in latency could effectively allow compute facilities to be separated by greater distances while maintaining similar networking performance.

From Compute To Geography

Eichenholz describes the evolution of AI infrastructure in three stages: first optimizing computing power, then improving networking within data centers, and now optimizing where computing infrastructure is physically located.

For Relativity Networks, faster fiber could therefore become an important piece of the next phase of AI infrastructure expansion.

Cyprus will invest €25.5 million over the next three years in technology and infrastructure aimed at improving wildfire detection and response. The Cabinet’s decision brings the Forestry Department, Fire Service, National Guard and Civil Defence under a shared operational framework.

Expanding Fire Detection

A second phase of the project will add 31 electro-optical sensor systems across Cyprus: 16 for forest areas and 15 for industrial zones and critical infrastructure.

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Two tethered surveillance balloons equipped with automatic fire-detection sensors will also be introduced, alongside additional vehicles supporting drone and balloon operations.

New Communications And Command Systems

Expansion of the MANET wireless network will provide continuous communications between the four agencies. New IT infrastructure, three mobile C2 command centres for the Forestry Department and a C3 crisis-management vehicle for Civil Defence are also part of the plan.

Fire-spread simulation software and daily wildfire risk maps will be introduced, while the Forestry Department’s operations centre will receive an upgrade.

More Firefighting Equipment

The Fire Service will receive 17 new firefighting vehicles and two hydraulic telescopic platforms for firefighting and rescue operations.

Additional offices, garage and storage facilities are planned for the Forestry Department, along with 33 new civil service positions to support the expanded system.

€25.5 Million Investment

Total spending is set at €25,513,593, including €13.6 million for the Fire Service, €8.54 million for the Forestry Department, €2 million for Civil Defence and €1.36 million for the National Guard.

A first phase, which introduced the ARGOS crisis-management system, drones, sensors and the initial MANET network, has already been completed. Funding for 2026 will come from existing budgets, while costs from 2027 onward will be incorporated into future spending plans.