Breaking news

Cyta Powers Ahead: Over €400M In Revenue, 5G Supremacy, And Bold Digital Investments

Cyta, the leading telecommunications authority in Cyprus, reported revenues of €415 million and an expected pre-tax profit of €59 million for 2024, according to Chairwoman Maria Tsiakka. Speaking at a House finance committee meeting on the 2025 budget, Tsiakka emphasized that Cyta’s financial strength and strategic investments are not just impressive figures—they’re critical to Cyprus’ economic future.

Financial Strength And National Impact

Since 2000, Cyta has funneled over €1.27 billion back to the state—€914 million in dividends and €359 million in taxes. “This contribution is not just numbers, it is an investment for Cyprus and its citizens,” Tsiakka noted. More than a public service, Cyta is a modern telecommunications powerhouse, ensuring that every person, business, and community across the island has equal access to cutting-edge technology.

Leading The Digital Revolution

A standout achievement in 2024 was the completion of transformative infrastructure projects that have vaulted Cyprus to the forefront of digital connectivity. Thanks to significant investments in satellite and undersea infrastructure, Cyprus has soared from 17th to the top spot in Europe for 5G network coverage. Strategic moves, including a deal to extend the BlueMed cable to its Yeroskipou landfall station, have reinforced Cyprus’ reputation as a reliable telecommunications hub in the eastern Mediterranean.

Investing In The Future

Looking ahead, Cyta has earmarked €108 million for its 2025 development budget, focusing on cementing its leadership in digital infrastructure. Its primary goal? Achieving full optical fiber coverage across Cyprus, making it the first EU country to reach 100% connectivity—even in remote mountainous regions, with upgrades set for completion by the end of 2025. In parallel, Cyta is overhauling its data centers, including constructing a groundbreaking, internationally certified green data center poised to attract both local and global clients, all while championing energy independence and reducing environmental impact.

Political Endorsements And Ongoing Debates

Cyta’s performance has garnered robust political support. Akel MP Andreas Kafkalias praised the organization for its vital contributions to public coffers, arguing that its success effectively counters the call for privatization. Dipa MP Alekos Tryfonides echoed this sentiment, lauding the expansion of 5G coverage and enhanced international connectivity. However, concerns persist over the transparency of Cyta’s pension fund investments and the recruitment of 50 private-sector executives, with critics warning that these moves must not compromise the public character of this key institution.

In a rapidly digitalizing world, Cyta stands out as a modern, competitive public entity driving Cyprus’s economic growth and technological advancement.

Nvidia Launches Open AI Security Alliance With Microsoft, Palantir And SpaceX

Nvidia and a coalition of technology companies on Monday launched the Open Secure AI Alliance, a new initiative aimed at strengthening artificial intelligence security through open models.

The alliance was announced days after a cyberattack involving OpenAI models targeted AI platform Hugging Face, an incident that renewed debate over whether open or closed AI systems are better suited for cybersecurity.

Open Models at the Core

Nvidia said the alliance will focus on identifying, disclosing and mitigating AI security vulnerabilities using open technologies.

“The Open Secure AI Alliance will work to remediate and disclose vulnerabilities using open technologies,” the company said in a statement. “The recent Hugging Face security incident delivered a clear reminder: cyber defenders need open, frontier agentic systems for self-defense.”

The alliance includes Microsoft, SpaceX, Palantir and dozens of other technology companies from the U.S. and Europe.

Open-weight models can be downloaded, modified and deployed on an organisation’s own infrastructure, allowing security teams to inspect and adapt them for defensive purposes. By comparison, proprietary models from companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic are generally accessed through controlled platforms.

U.S. Scrutiny of Chinese AI Grows

The initiative comes as U.S. policymakers weigh potential restrictions on Chinese AI models, particularly open-weight systems. Officials have raised concerns that some Chinese companies may be using distillation techniques to extract knowledge from leading U.S. AI models.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that Chinese companies involved in such activity could face sanctions.

Chris McGuire, senior fellow for China and emerging technologies at the Council on Foreign Relations, told CNBC that potential restrictions could extend beyond model downloads to include API access and cloud-hosted inference services. He added that the debate in Washington is centred on intellectual property protection rather than opposition to open-source AI.

Industry Pushes Back

Last week, Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta, Palantir and more than 20 other companies urged policymakers not to impose what they described as “premature restrictions” on open-weight AI models, warning such measures could reduce competition and encourage innovation to move overseas.

The launch of the Open Secure AI Alliance signals growing industry support for open AI systems as governments consider new regulatory and security measures.

eCredo
Aretilaw firm
Uol
The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

Become a Speaker

Become a Speaker

Become a Partner

Subscribe for our weekly newsletter