This week’s are about tech, AI and security, coming from the Netherlands, the UK and the USA

OpenAI plans London as largest research hub outside US

ChatGPT developer OpenAI announced it plans to make London its largest research hub outside the United States, pointing to Britain’s technology ecosystem as a strong environment for investing in and building new artificial intelligence systems.

The announcement aligns with the U.K.’s efforts to position itself as an “AI superpower” and a destination for advanced research as governments compete to attract investment from major model developers.

I read this story at Reuters and Mark Chen, OpenAI’s chief research officer, said the country’s combination of skilled talent, top universities and globally recognized scientific institutions gives it an advantage in an industry widely viewed by governments as strategically significant, per the story.

Technology Minister Liz Kendall called the planned expansion in London a “huge vote of confidence.”

“It also reaffirms the U.K.’s global leadership as the place to pursue AI innovation that is both safe and transformative,” Kendall said in a statement.

Let me note that OpenAI did not provide details on the scale of the investment or potential employment. The company currently employs more than 30 people in London, the story noted.

The firm, which has its European headquarters in Dublin, opened its first international office in London in 2023. Teams there focus on software and infrastructure used to develop and operate its AI models, according to the story.

OpenAI plans London as largest research hub outside US

iPhone and iPad approved for use with classified NATO information

Apple announced iPhone and iPad are the first consumer devices certified to handle classified information across NATO nations, up to the NATO restricted level, without requiring special software or configurations. No other consumer mobile device has met this level of government certification, according to Apple.

The approval recognizes the built-in security features of Apple devices, including hardware- and software-based protections, Apple silicon, encryption, Face ID biometric authentication, and Memory Integrity Enforcement, as meeting stringent government and international requirements. (By the way I have a story here about Apple and its price increase in Turkiye)

Previously, iPhone and iPad had been cleared to handle classified German government data under native iOS and iPadOS security measures following extensive evaluation by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). With iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, the certification now applies across all NATO nations.

BSI conducted comprehensive technical assessments and testing to confirm that Apple’s platform security meets NATO’s operational and assurance standards. Claudia Plattner, BSI President, said, “Secure digital transformation is only successful if information security is considered from the beginning in the development of mobile products. We are pleased to confirm compliance under NATO nations’ assurance requirements”

The certification places iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 on the NATO Information Assurance Product Catalogue, highlighting their security capabilities. Apple’s vice president of Security Engineering and Architecture, Ivan Krstić, said the approval underscores Apple’s approach to building secure devices for all users, rather than requiring costly bespoke solutions previously limited to governments and large enterprises.

iPhone and iPad approved for use with classified NATO information

ASML eyes new frontiers in AI chipmaking beyond EUV

Dutch semiconductor equipment maker ASML is planning to expand its chipmaking tools into new products aimed at the growing artificial intelligence (AI) chip market.

ASML, the only company producing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography systems, has spent over a decade and billions of dollars developing machines critical to the manufacture of the world’s most advanced AI chips for companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing and Intel. The company is nearing production of a next-generation EUV system and is researching a potential third-generation model.

Looking beyond EUV, ASML intends to move into advanced packaging, which connects multiple specialized chips and high-performance memory—a key component of AI processors.

I read this story at Reuters and ASML’s EUV machines currently print chip patterns roughly the size of a postage stamp, and the company is exploring ways to expand the maximum chip size to boost throughput. With AI-driven controls and enhanced inspection systems, Pieters said the company aims to accelerate production and improve precision.

Recent trends have transformed chip design from flat, single-layer layouts to multi-layer “skyscraper” structures. Stacking chips vertically or horizontally allows designers to handle the complex calculations needed for large AI models and applications such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. This shift has made advanced packaging, once a low-margin business, a lucrative area of growth for ASML.

Last year, ASML introduced its XT:260 scanner to help produce advanced memory and AI processors, and engineers are exploring additional machines to expand capabilities further. “We are evaluating what could become a product portfolio in that direction,” ASML Chief Technology Officer Marco Pieters revealed.

ASML eyes new frontiers in AI chipmaking beyond EUV