AI could have significant upsides for productivity, but countries will first have to navigate a complicated and expensive landscape as they create digital infrastructure and support disrupted workforces. For countries that already deal with constrained public finances, AI's capital costs could end up sharpening the policy trade-off between assuming higher near-term fiscal risk and delaying participation in AI-driven growth opportunities.
Germany's Dresden State Art Collections (Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, or SKD) experienced a cyberattack on Jan. 21, according to a statement from The Saxon State Minister for Culture and Tourism. SKD is among the oldest museum networks in Europe and contains 15 museums. "Large parts" of the organization's digital infrastructure were impacted, as per the ministry's statement. However, its security system was not affected and remains fully functional, including physical and technical security.
Having spent nearly a decade leading digital infrastructure and technology initiatives at the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), I've had a front-row seat to the opportunities and challenges federal agencies face in their modernization journeys. During my tenure as Associate CIO for Digital Infrastructure Technologies, overseeing the IT backbone for 17,000 users, I learned that successful transformation isn't just about the latest tech: it's about strategic vision, collaborative execution and a willingness to learn from experience.
BOCA RATON, Fla.- Dec. 31, 2025 - DigitalBridge Group, Inc. ("DigitalBridge" or the "Company") (NYSE: DBRG), a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure, and Crestview Partners ("Crestview"), a leading private equity firm, today announced that affiliated investment funds have completed their previously announced take-private acquisition of WideOpenWest, Inc. ("WOW!"), a top provider of fiber-broadband internet services and advanced connectivity solutions in the United States.
SoftBank Group will acquire digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge Group in a deal valued at $4bn, the companies said on Monday, as the Japanese investment firm looks to deepen its AI-related portfolio. The acquisition would expand SoftBank's exposure to digital infrastructure as the Japanese conglomerate is positioning its portfolio to focus on artificial intelligence. SoftBank's billionaire founder Masayoshi Son is seeking to capitalize on surging demand for the computing capacity that underpins artificial intelligence applications.
All programmers, from hobbyists to those working at Microsoft or Google, use open-source software, which is present in between 70% and 90% of the computer applications we use today. No one starts a project from scratch; instead, they turn to libraries like GitHub or GitLab to download packages of code already written, reviewed, and improved by the community. Developers spend an average of two-thirds of their time adapting open-source software to their needs, and they build their application on top of that.
"The latest edition, titled "Encapsulating the Profound Impact of the Internet on American Life," found that 80% of adults find high quality internet very important to their household and rate it as one of the most important amenities. "Over 20 years of research confirms that reliable broadband has become as vital as electricity or water in American homes," Deborah Kish, FBA's Vice President of Research and Workforce Development, said in a press release about the fiber report."
"If you're using ChatGPT or any other AI chatbot, they all do knowledge grounding with web search [...] our index can power deep research and AI summary features. Google and Bing's solutions are also pricey, and our index can offer power search features at a tenth of the cost," Christian Kroll, CEO of Ecosia, told TechCrunch.
"This program is bringing about life-changing improvements for Alabamians, particularly those who live in remote areas," ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said in a press release about the Alabama middle-mile grants.
EXA Infrastructure has announced a significant milestone with the deployment of its new subsea cable on the North Sea corridor, marking 25 years since the last installation.
The Freestate Middle Mile Network, which is publicly funded and publicly owned, showcases our state's financial stewardship and strategic approach to improving the digital landscape.
