Local timeline

Former UK government minister Bim Afolami has launched an AI insurance startup called i23 with Anand Sambasivan. The startup has reportedly raised nearly £5m in seed funding.
Source: https://tech.eu
https://tech.eu/2026/10/29/former-uk-government-minister-afolami-raises-ps5m-for-ai-insurance-broker-startup/
#Startups

MIT researchers tested a new method for controlling robotic prosthetic limbs using tiny magnets implanted in muscles. This technology is called magnetomicrometry.
Source: TechJuice
https://www.techjuice.pk/mit-magnetomicrometry-prosthetic-limb-control-magnets/
#Robotics

New York has passed a law that bars minors from using AI chatbots as companions, friends, or romantic partners. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill on October 29, 2026.
Source: TechJuice
https://www.techjuice.pk/new-york-law-restricting-children-ai-chatbots-chatgpt/
#TechPolicy

Google is introducing ads in its AI-powered Search results across India and other international markets to counter slowing traditional ad growth. Google's Search growth slips to 12%.
Source: Business Today
https://www.businesstoday.in/technology/news/story/googles-search-growth-slips-to-12-its-fix-is-bringing-ai-ads-in-india-and-other-markets-564539-2026-10-29?utm_source=rssfeed
#AI #Google

Datadog released Scout, a specialist AI model trained to investigate production problems.
Source: InfoQ
https://www.infoq.com/news/2026/10/datadog-scout-sre-model/?utm_campaign=infoq_content&utm_source=infoq&utm_medium=feed&utm_term=global
#AIAgents

Coratia Technologies raised Rs 18 crore in a bridge round led by MGF Kavachh. The funds will support a Rs 66 crore contract with the Indian Navy under the iDEX initiative.
Source: Entrackr
https://entrackr.com/snippets/coratia-technologies-raises-rs-18-cr-in-bridge-round-led-by-mgf-kavachh-12764727
#Robotics

The Indonesian government has urged the public to verify social media information and check its accuracy, especially content generated by artificial intelligence.
Source: ANTARA News
https://en.antaranews.com/news/438623/govt-stresses-need-to-verify-social-media-information-check-accuracy
#TechPolicy

Google's Gemini 4 Carbon AI model promises a significant leap in coding and cybersecurity, achieving top benchmark scores in those areas.
Source: Engadget
https://www.engadget.com/2300677/google-gemini-carbon-promises-significant-leap-in-ai-coding-and-cybersecurity/
#AI #Google #Gemini

BY Venture Partners closed its third vehicle at $60 million and opened a Portuguese office to deepen its European push.
Source: https://tech.eu
https://tech.eu/2026/10/29/by-venture-partners-closes-60m-fund-iii-and-opens-lisbon-office-to-deepen-european-push/
#Startups

Qisda President Cally Ko stated that the company's commercial drones have secured orders and entered production. She also announced that quadruped robots are expected to be unveiled publicly in early 2027.
Source: DigiTimes Asia
https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20261028PD242/qisda-commercial-production-infrastructure-electricity.html
#Robotics

DeepSeek and Moonshot AI were accused of distilling OpenAI's Astra. The allegation says they used outputs from OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra to train their latest models.
Source: DigiTimes Asia
https://www.digitimes.com/news/a20261029VL220/deepseek-openai-moonshot.html
#AI #DeepSeek #OpenAI

OpenAI has enabled its Dots AI agents to send texts, photos and voice messages through iMessage on iPhone and RCS on Android.
Source: Gadgets 360
https://www.gadgets360.com/ai/news/openai-dots-agents-text-voice-imessage-chatgpt-rcs-rollout-features-12252879#rss-gadgets-all
#AIAgents #OpenAI

Anthropic told Governor Gavin Newsom that California should be able to ask a court to block AI models that pose a serious risk.
Source: The Next Web
https://thenextweb.com/news/anthropic-newsom-letter-courts-block-ai-models
#TechPolicy #Anthropic

Fujifilm will invest ¥10 billion to increase its magnetic tape production capacity fivefold as AI drives storage demand. The company is betting that one of the oldest technologies in the business still has a place in the future.
Source: The Next Web
https://thenextweb.com/news/fujifilm-magnetic-tape-production-fivefold-ai
#AI

FuriosaAI raised $620 million in a Series D round, valuing the company at $2.9 billion.
Source: Ventureburn
https://ventureburn.com/furiosaai-raises-620-million-challenge-nvidia-on-ai-chip-power/
#Startups #Nvidia

A poll shared first with Semafor shows most voters in Ohio and Iowa want AI safety measures.
Source: Semafor
https://www.semafor.com/article/10/29/2026/voters-in-key-states-want-ai-safety-measures-poll-finds
#TechPolicy

Apple expanded its fall product lineup with an OLED iPad mini, M6 Macs, and a touchscreen MacBook Pro.
Source: Innovation Village
https://innovation-village.com/apple-expands-fall-product-lineup-with-oled-ipad-mini-m6-macs-and-its-first-touchscreen-macbook-pro/
#Tech #Apple

A survey by NITDA reveals only 59% of Nigerian financial institutions are ready for the CBN January 2027 local payment data deadline.
Source: Nairametrics
https://nairametrics.com/2026/10/29/cbn-data-localization-rule-only-59-of-banks-fintechs-ready-for-january-deadline/
#TechPolicy

Jacobi Strategies launched the Jacobi Investment Management Harness to provide institutional investment teams a governed route from AI prototype to production workflow.
Source: Vietnam Investment Review
https://vir.com.vn/jacobi-strategies-launches-ai-investment-management-platform-for-institutional-clients-163982.html
#EnterpriseAI

The South Korean Army developed the generative artificial intelligence system Arvis in August 2025. Arvis entered service in 2026.
Source: The Korea Herald
https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10919629
#EnterpriseAI