This week’s stories are about tech, AI and sustainability, coming from Spain, Taiwan and the USA

OpenAI opens Madrid office as it expands presence in Spain

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, plans to open an office in Madrid later this year as part of a broader effort to expand its footprint in Europe and strengthen collaboration with Spanish businesses, developers, research institutions and public organizations.

I saw this story at QZ and the new office will serve as a regional hub for working more closely with companies, government agencies, research centers and technology developers that are adopting OpenAI’s artificial intelligence (AI) tools and models. (By the way I have a story here about OpenAI and Spain)

The expansion comes as demand for ChatGPT continues to grow in Spain. Weekly active users of the chatbot in the country have risen by more than 40% from a year earlier, according to local reports, making Spain one of OpenAI’s five largest European markets by weekly active users.

OpenAI said Spain has emerged as one of Europe’s most dynamic technology and AI ecosystems, supported by a growing number of organizations integrating AI into business operations, products and services, according to the story.

Founded in 2015, OpenAI has accelerated its international expansion in recent years. The company already operates offices in several European cities, including London, Paris, Brussels and Munich, as it seeks to deepen engagement with customers, policymakers and developers across the region, the story noted.

OpenAI opens Madrid office as it expands presence in Spain

AI demand pushes Taiwan’s exports near record high

Taiwan’s exports surged in May, driven by strong global demand for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and advanced technology products, with outbound shipments reaching their second-highest monthly level on record, the Ministry of Finance said.

Exports rose 51.7% from a year earlier to $78.48 billion, while imports climbed 54.9% to a record $60.57 billion, according to ministry data released.

Beatrice Tsai, Director-general of the Ministry’s Department of Statistics, said growing investment in AI infrastructure, high-performance computing systems and cloud services fueled demand for Taiwan’s semiconductors, servers and electronic components.

Supply constraints and higher product prices also contributed to the increase in export values, Tsai noted.

I saw this story at Taipei Times and during the first five months of the year, Taiwan’s exports increased 48.7% year-over-year to $341.83 billion, surpassing the total recorded in the first half of last year and putting the island on pace for a record annual export performance.

Imports during the same period rose 37.8% to $256.63 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $85.2 billion, nearly double the level recorded a year earlier.

Tsai said exports are likely to remain strong through the rest of the year, supported by continued AI investment, steady demand for cloud computing services and expanding semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging capacity. Quarterly exports are expected to remain above $200 billion for the remainder of the year, per the story.

ICT products, along with audiovisual equipment, remained Taiwan’s largest export category in May, with shipments rising 75.2% to $34.84 billion. Electronic components, primarily semiconductors, increased 56% to $26.84 billion.

Together, the two categories accounted for nearly 79% of Taiwan’s exports during the month.

AI demand pushes Taiwan’s exports near record high

Formula 1 reports 35% emissions reduction, remains on course for net-zero goal

Formula 1 reduced its carbon emissions by 35% since 2018, cutting nearly 80,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) as the global racing series continues efforts to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.

According to Formula 1’s latest Impact Report, the emissions reduction spans freight and logistics operations, travel, race events, broadcasting activities, offices and team facilities. The achievement comes despite the sport’s expansion from 21 races in 2018 to 24 races last season.

Freight transportation remains one of the sport’s largest sources of emissions, given the need to move cars, equipment and race infrastructure across multiple continents each season. To address this, Formula 1 plans to increase the use of sea freight and regional logistics hubs while reducing reliance on air transportation, the report noted.

The Formula 1 said more than half of its broadcast-related freight currently transported by air is expected to shift to lower-emission alternatives by 2030.

Formula 1, its teams and the governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, have also increased investments in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The organization said those efforts have reduced emissions from charter flights by roughly 40%, equivalent to more than 20,000 tCO2e.

Travel-related emissions have declined by more than 21,000 tCO2e since 2018, representing a 27% reduction. Formula 1 expects additional gains as teams expand their use of SAF, which can significantly reduce emissions compared with conventional jet fuel.

The largest reduction came from factories, offices and team facilities, where emissions fell by more than 37,000 tCO2e, a 64% decrease from 2018 levels.

Formula 1 reports 35% emissions reduction, remains on course for net-zero goal