IBM and NASA Create Open-Source Climate Foundation Model

Japan's NTT, the fourth largest telecommunications company in the world, recently announced the formation of a cooperative organization of Japanese firms designed to promote Japan's technical position in quantum technologies and to help Japan complete globally with US and Chinese rivals in both quantum computing and quantum communications. The inaugural meeting of the group, held in late May 2021, was attended by 11 Japanese companies, including leading IT suppliers Fujitsu, Hitachi, NEC, and Toshiba as well as industrial partners including Toyota Motor, Mitsubishi Chemical, and the Mizuho Financial Group. More than 50 companies are ultimately expected to join the group.

On February 8, 2022, the European Commission formally proposed what's commonly referred to as the European Chips Act. The legislation plans to build on Europe's strengths and address weaknesses to develop a thriving domestic semiconductor ecosystem and resilient supply chain, while setting measures to anticipate and respond to future supply chain disruptions. In the short term, the Act seeks to bolster EU capabilities to anticipate future chips crises, strengthen manufacturing activities in the EU, and support scale-up and innovation across the whole value chain. In the mid- to long-term, it seeks to reinforce Europe's technological leadership while developing mechanisms to support transfer of knowledge from the lab to the fab and position Europe as a technology leader in innovative downstream markets.