The AI Pulse

Issue #23 — 3rd March 2025

Editor: Alan Brown

Welcome to the latest edition of The AI Pulse for Digital Leaders. An expertly curated collection of essential articles, commentaries, and news stories from reputable sources. Do you know anyone who might be interested in AI Pulse. Have some news or looking to partner? Just get in touch at: [email protected]

Highlights in this edition include:

What can the UK do to fix its data infrastructure to deliver on its AI potential ?

AI’s productivity paradox and why it might unfold more slowly than we think .

A study shows 80% of Americans don't use AI at work and don’t benefit when they do .

AI’s growing waste problem and what we can do about it .

Is the UK delaying AI regulation to align with the Trump administration ?

AI for Good

The Alan Turing Institute describes ways they are using AI to rejuvenate old buildings to decarbonise them for future use.

In the third in a series of four learning modules, McKinsey explores the foundation for responsibly unlocking the full value of digital and AI transformations .

Google has released its AI co-scientist system, and described how it has replicated a decade of antibiotic-resistant superbug research in two days.

Bias and Ethics

The Guardian report that a survey of 1,000 students shows ‘explosive increase’ in use of GenAI in particular over past 12 months, increasing university’s ethical challenge.

MIT Technology Review looks at how and why AI surveillance is being used more by companies in the workplace.

Berkley AI Research Lab has issued a very comprehensive “Playbook for Responsible AI” with guidance for leaders and product managers on the responsible use of GenAI.

Watch out — Time reports on a study that shows when AI thinks it will lose, it sometimes cheats!

Cyber Security

VentureBeat describes how weak cyber defences are exposing critical infrastructure and cybersecurity practices to attack from AI.

A Forbes article considers AI’s vulnerabilities and offers lessons from the frontlines of security and resilience.

Data & Decision Making

The Tony Blair Institute looks at what the UK can do to fix its fragmented and outdated data infrastructure to deliver on its AI potential.

Management Today discusses how poor data can cost organisations adopting AI millions of pounds and have huge reputational repercussions.

An opinion piece in ComputerWorld looks at the need for secure data sharing and offers lessons learned from public health scenarios.

TechTarget believes that data governance is the backbone of any data initiative to manage the new data risks and regulations of AI technologies.

Innovation & Collaboration

IEEE Spectrum considers the challenges and upsides of using AI in scientific writing and the need to balance AI’s potential with research integrity.

New Scientist reports that researchers think OpenAI's giant and expensive latest model is a sign that tech companies cannot keep making progress by continually scaling up.

Reuters reports that China's DeepSeek frenzy has entered the home as TV, vacuum cleaner makers and many others adopt its AI models.

Productivity & Efficiency

The Register reports that the UK government is being urged to align cloud spending as costs soar.

Azeem Azhar comments on AI’s productivity paradox and why he believes it might unfold more slowly than we think.

TechCrunch reports that Waymo is logging more than 200,000 paid robotaxi rides every week, double the number from a year ago.

Fast Company considers how agentic AI will reshape the future of business.

Regulation and Compliance

Lord Holmes has issued an important AI regulation report that argues for increased AI regulation in the UK.

The Guardian reports that UK is delaying plans to regulate AI as ministers seek to align with Trump administration.

What approach are other countries taking to regulating AI? Here is a detailed review and summary of AI policy activities in South Korea.

Sustainability

HBR looks at AI’s growing waste problem, outlining the excessive resource use and electronic waste from data centers and what we can do about it.

IEEE Technology Center for Climate offers its view on the hidden costs of AI in energy and water use .

User Experience

The Guardian reports that Sora, OpenAI’s video generator, has hit the UK and has those in the creative industry worried.

UK ministers consider changing AI plans to protect creative industries, according to The Guardian.

Workforce & Skills

According to a new Pew Research study, 80% of Americans don't generally use AI at work, while those who do seem unenthusiastic about its benefits.

An article in Civil Service World discusses why the policy profession must embrace AI.

McKinsey reviews the critical role of strategic workforce planning in the age of AI.

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