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Microsoft has a billion-dollar plan to end inequality in Latin America. And it is to expand AI, of course

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50 billion dollars. This figure that seems so impossible to contextualize is the amount of money that Microsoft is going to invest in what they have dubbed the ‘plan’Global South by 2030‘. And like almost everything that has to do with Microsoft for a few months now, it is focused on one thing: improving access to AI in the countries of the ‘Global South‘. In short. This week, during the AI ​​Impact Summit in New Delhi, Microsoft president presented a plan to invest $50 billion by the end of the decade to improve access to artificial intelligence in developing countries and emerging markets. Brad Smith said they want to sustain the long-term growth of those countries as part of his company’s effort to address a problem they have detected: the growing digital divide between developed and developing nations. There may be many other gaps beyond access to AI, but Smith is convinced that what is urgent is to accelerate the adoption of AI in regions of India, Africa and Latin America. This ‘Global North’ and ‘Global South’ thing is not a geographical issue. It is an economic division The plan. The intention of Microsoft is “to make the dissemination of AI real and at scale, so that communities have what they need to access that tool, that they trust it and can apply it to local priorities.” The legs of that plan are: Empower schools and nonprofit organizations through technology and digital skills. Strengthen multilingual and multicultural artificial intelligence capabilities. Enable local AI innovations to meet community needs. Measure the spread of AI to guide future policies and investment. Let it be used more. With this, Microsoft hopes that AI will penetrate more into these territories because, according to an internal report on the spread of artificial intelligence, while 24.7% of the working-age population in the Global North uses generative AI tools, in the Global South only 14.1% use it. According to Smith, developing economies cannot miss out on those productivity advantages that come with AI. AI and hunger in Africa. But it is not the only thing that Microsoft has recently presented that seeks to position AI as a catalyst for change. With the ambitious title of ‘Stop malnutrition with AI’, the American company has presented a project to improve food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Starting in Kenya, the idea is that institutions have access to tools that offer information to predict and prevent food shortages and predict, with AI, the risks that this implies for health. If you are raising an eyebrow like “thank goodness we now have AI to give us the solution to a problem that we already know”, here at least there is no talk of Generative AIbut rather a model that collects all the data and reflects it on a map so that organizations have more detailed information. Data centers. These 50,000 million are added to other previous billion-dollar investments that Microsoft had already done in countries like BrazilIndia or South Africa, but there is something more than “digital empowerment”. The initiative includes building AI infrastructure, and that means one thing: building data centers. This infrastructure requires an immense amount of energy to satisfy the needs of the digital infrastructure, but they also need water and Mexico and South American countries are directly mentioned as home to some of the new data centers. Microsoft has been testing for some time more sustainable data center designsbut precisely in developing places, energy and water are resources that, perhaps, are not abundant. Images | Specialgst, Microsoft In Xataka | What is happening in the US is a warning for Spain: data centers driving up electricity bills in homes

Spanish ants are using other species as “sexual livestock” to expand across Europe. And it’s working for them

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Nature has given us many ways to reproduce. From the simplest mechanism (clonality) to really very elaborate systems of sexual reproduction: where some species generate males and females, others produce a huge number of ‘morphs’ depending on the season, population density or social caste. But in all these cases, even the most complex ones, “the phenotypes produced by a female invariably belong to the same species.” Or so we believed. Because the Spanish ants have done so by jumping that “apparently universal restriction” into the air and are taking advantage of it to domesticate other species at will. They are doing what? As it sounds: after examining more than 120 populations and sequences of almost 400 different individuals, researchers from the University of Montpellier they came to the conclusion that the queens of Messor ibericus they are cloning males Messor structor to create hybrid workers that allow them to progressively expand throughout Europe. Evidently, although these hybrid workers are used as the workforce of the anthill, we are not talking about a system of slavery of other species analogous to the human systems of ancient times. However, it is fun and very interesting. Juvé et al. (2025) Why is this happening? When we talk about cocial insects, colonies function almost as if they were factories: if there are no workers, there is no nest, no food, and no viable reproduction. What happens in this case is that (according to the researchers) the queens of the Messor ibericus They cannot produce viable workers without the genetic contribution of other species. And, without thinking twice, they do it. Why is it important? For many reasons, but above all because it opens up an incredible melon: it brings back to the debate table the real meaning of “being a species.” It also forces us to rethink what we know about sexual reproduction and allows us to understand colonies as ‘superorganisms’ that are much more complex than we believed until now. So… can we really talk about sexual domestication? In this context, ‘sexual domestication’ appears as a visual metaphor of a complex process. However, there is no doubt that the appearance of colonies with internal reproductive ‘livestock’ changes the rules of the game. And not only on a scientific level: the fact that they are gaining ground throughout the continent shows that the strategy is successful. Very successful. Towards a European hegemony of the Spanish ant… No no. We can hardly say that. Today, all the ants on the continent are experiencing a real invasion: that of the Argentine or red fire ants. This is a biological invasion linked to globalization. In this case, what is happening is that by freeing yourself from dependence on M. builder (because it can produce reserves of its genetic material without needing colonies of this species), the M. ibericus They can move with complete freedom and that means they are moving into new and unexplored territories. But the complete battle, facing the fire ant, is yet to come. And they are already losing it. Image | Phil Honle In Xataka | New species of insects are not discovered in exotic places: we have just found two new ants in Andalusia

The army wants to expand the military area of ​​a privileged corner of Mallorca. His neighbors have told him not so quickly

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Cap del Pinar is a postcard place from the north of the island of Mallorca. Cliffs, coves, trees and unique views of the Mediterranean. None of that has prevented that small strip of land from motivating an institutional ‘riffrafe’ between the Alcúdia City Council (21,000 residents), where the small peninsula is located, and the Ministry of Defense. The reason: Cap del Pinar is a privileged place for locals, but also an Area of ​​Interest for National Defense. The question is how compatible both uses are. What has happened? That the future of Cap del Pinara cape located north of the island of Mallorca, has caused an institutional clash between the Government and the Alcúdia Town Hallthe locality in which the spit of land is located. The reason? For the department headed by Margarita Robles, it is a space of “national interest” for defense. For the Consistory, however, it is something more: a space for “high heritage and natural value” which plays an important role in local traditions and cannot be stolen from neighbors. Where does the problem come from? To understand it you have to go back a few decades, in the early 40’swhen the Army initiated a file of forced expropriation of the lands of The Victory. Your goal, remember The Confidentialwas to install military batteries and auxiliary services in several strategic points on the Majorcan island: Cap del Pinar and Cap Gros. In 1947, the Alcúdia City Council (the town where the first one is located) accepted the transfer, although including a small print that clarified that it was granting the land temporarily and reserving certain rights. That was 79 years ago, but the area and especially its use has continued to make people talk. Why’s that? Because the presence of the Army marked the use of the environment, which began to focus on national defense. So much so that already entering the 21st century, the Alcúdia City Council and the Government came to an agreement to guarantee that residents could enjoy Cap del Pinar, although with certain conditions. As published in April 2009 Mallorca newspaper, The pact contemplated that people could visit the military base during the summer months and respecting a maximum daily quota of 50 people. Before, yes, they needed to request a special permit, which in practice deters to quite a few neighbors. The result is that locals have been able to continue enjoying the area, although with limitations. And what happens now? That the army wants to reinforce its presence in that small (and privileged) salient in the north of Mallorca. Recently the ministry communicated to the City Council that wants to declare a barracks located right on the Cape road “Area of ​​Interest for National Defense”. In other words, it wants to expand the area it already uses as a military maneuver and shooting range to 145 hectares. Although Margarita Robles’ department is still processing the Royal Decree that will allow it to expand the “area of ​​interest”, the notice has been enough to put the Balearic Council on guard, which was quick to make a move. What has he done? A few weeks ago the municipal plenary agreed to transfer to Defense a list of allegations. Basically, the City Council warns that the expansion “could condition local powers” in matters of urban planning and heritage, in addition to the use of the environment. Because if there is something that is worrying in Alcúdia, it is that its neighbors will lose access to a space of “high natural and heritage value”. “This is our main demand. We don’t want to have to ask for permits to climb,” explains the mayorFina Batlessa, a The Confidential. Why this concern? Because it is not just any area. Beyond your environmental protectionthe Cap del Pinar peninsula is a space of tradition and enjoyment for the neighbors. Very popular excursions are organized, not counting the coves (or paths to coves) that are distributed throughout the area. The big question is… If Defense decides to expand the military zone, how would that affect the use that locals make of the environment? After all, the neighbors already have experience of what happened with the land transferred in the 1940s. Hence, the City Council’s allegations clarify that one of its objectives be “maintain the hiking and hiking activity”, “guarantee access without prior authorization” and protect the popular festivals that are celebrated in Victòria. “It should not entail unjustified limitations on the rights of citizens and municipal autonomy. Alcúdia must preserve its environment and traditions,” summarizes Linares in Mallorca Diary. In its allegations the Consistory ask For example, the expansion of the military zone does not interfere with “hiking and hiking activities” nor does it represent a “reduction in the free movement of people” during the holidays. Hunters also have a license valid until 2028. What does Defense say? The issue has generated so much controversy that the Ministry of Defense has already come out to clarify that the expansion will not affect the enjoyment of the area. He has also clarified that he does not aspire to another 145 extra hectares, but that this will be the total area that he will manage after the change, including those that he has already controlled since the 1940s. To be more precise, the focus is on a 400-meter stretch of land that will leave a stretch of road and part of the surroundings under his management. Will that affect its public use? A few days ago the department of Robles guaranteed to Mallorca Diary that both hikers and hunters will be able to continue enjoying the area “without problem.” That has not prevented the debate has escalated even beyond local and regional politics, reaching Congress, where Sumar Més has registered several questions on the topic. Images | Wikipedia (Frank Vincentz) and Selvatgi (Flickr) In Xataka | Ibiza promised them happiness with its coves. Until luxury villas and beach clubs began to privatize them with hammocks

Spanish Clevergy has just lifted 3.2 million to expand its energy management model

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The relationship between marketers and households is changing: it is no longer going on invoices, it goes from apps that explain what your home consumes and what you can optimize. In that day -to -day landing stands out Clevergya Spanish startup founded in 2022 that has just closed 3.2 million euros To make your European leap. Its proposal allows companies to offer not only a personalized application with real -time monitoring, alerts and savings recommendations, but also a set of solutions to digitize their business. The promised result: customers who better understand their energy consumption and companies that modernize their offer without starting from scratch. Founded in Madrid in 2022 by Beltrán Aznar, Álvaro Pérez and Juan LópezClevergy has moved quickly in a sector where digitalization is already a demand. In just three years he has managed to arrive, according to the company, “hundreds of thousands” of Spanish homes through their agreements with marketers. Its role is clear: it acts under a B2B2C model, that is, it offers technology to companies so that it is the ones that put it in their end customers. This combination of speed and adoption has given visibility in a market in full transformation. Clevergy seeks to convert energy management into a daily experience Clevergy’s proposal for marketers goes beyond an app for its customers. The company has developed a portal that allows to centralize operations and support, in addition to identifying business opportunities and cutting costs. It also offers one API to integrate consumption data and generation from counters, solar panels or connected devices. To this are added white brand applications, adaptable to the identity of each company, and modules that can be inserted into existing platforms. For homes, all this deployment is concretized in functions designed to give more visibility about the energy they consume. Customers can monitor their real -time spending, receive notifications when inefficiencies are detected and adjust their consumption habits. The system also includes comparisons with other users, calculation of potential savings and remote control of connected equipment. In this way, marketers seek to add a tangible value to their offer and generate confidence in a market where the price is no longer the only decisive factor. Clevergy’s growth has been fast. In just three years he claims to have tripled its growth and, in just 18 months, has closed two rounds of financing: the first of 1.5 million euros in 2024 And the second, of 3.2 million, is the one that has just been announced in 2025. The latter is the one that marks a turning point, when arriving at a time when marketers intensify the search for digital services to improve their relationship with customers and reduce costs. For the company, it is a validation of its role in this transformation process. Clevergy has closed two rounds of financing: the first of 1.5 million euros in 2024 and the second, of 3.2 million The round of 3.2 million euros has been led by Racine2 (managed by Serena and Makesense) together with Axon Partners Group, with the participation of Satgana, Wayra (the CVC of Telefónica) and Angels, Juan Roig’s investment society. With these funds, Clevergy seeks to accelerate its international expansion and improve the capabilities of its platform. The declared objective of the company is to continue refining its technology and progressively take it to other countries of the continent. The challenge is now to check how far Clevergy can go outside of Spain. The company has shown traction in the national market, but the jump to Europe implies integrating with different regulations and compete in a stage with other technological and energy actors. It will be key to see how it manages to deploy its platform in new countries and if the marketers really transfer that proposal to the final customer. Its evolution will mark to what extent this digitalization model can be consolidated beyond the domestic market. Images | Clevergy In Xataka | Juan Roig believes that in the future no one will have cooking at home. Mercadona is conquering the market thanks to it In Xataka | A Basque startup of AI has just lifted 189 million euros with a great idea: compress the AI

Ryanair will expand the size of the hand suitcase “in the coming weeks.” Its real objective is another

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“It will begin to apply in the coming weeks.” That has been Ryanair’s response, consulted about the company’s new hand luggage policy. The company, signed to the Airlines For Europe Association, accepts the agreement that its members have reached to establish minimal measures in the hand luggage that, in this case, will be more beneficial for passengers. 40 x 30 x 20 cm. Those are the new measures that Ryanair will begin to apply for his hand luggage “in the coming weeks”, as confirmed to Xataka. This new measure slightly expands the Current measures 40 x 25 x 20 cm which are included with the company’s basic ticket. This means that passengers can carry a slightly size bag this summer. In BBC They point out that the change will mean a 20 -liter backpack to a 24 -liter capacity. The maximum allowed limit will continue to be, yes, 10 kg. “In the coming weeks”. As for the implementation of the new measure, the Irish company has not given us a specific date. They point to questions from Xataka That “this change will be implemented in the coming weeks, as the sizes in our airports are adjusted.” That is, it will not be until the airports have updated their containers to measure the size of the hand suitcases they use next to the shipping doors when the new measure will begin to be applied. At the moment, we will have to continue conforming to the “Ryanair backpack”. Why this change? The change comes after the Airlines For Europe (A4E) association, which Ryanair is a member, will sign an agreement so that the minimum of the suitcases admitted as hand luggage is 40 × 30 × 15 cm. This forced the Irish company to increase its width by five centimeters and, at most, reduce the height by five centimeters. Ryanair has decided to apply only the first change. This decision can be read as a message of good will against the European Union that in its institutions is discussed if this should be the minimum size allowed on continental flights. For the moment, The European Union Council has approved The change to these new measures 40 × 30 × 15 cm. But for its application, the European Parliament must also support it and, subsequently, ratify the agreement. However, this last institution He has rejected it And the application of this measure is in the air. So what is the situation? Right now, on the legal level everything remains the same. That is, the European Union forces airlines to admit a handbag to transport the “essential” but there is no specific size on it. This has led to a legal battle in Spain, With confronted resolutions giving the reason to consumers or the airline depending on the court. On the practical level, who travels with Ryanair will now be able to carry a slightly wider backpack once they apply the changes in the luggage. However, the change is minimal and is far from the majority of small “cabin suitcases”. Is it the only one? No, Ryanair is not the only company. Wizz Air, another of the companies sanctioned in Spain, will also apply these new measures of 40 x 30 x 20 cm, As confirmed on their website. Like Ryanair, the company is subscribed to Airlines for Europe (A4E), so it will also apply what is agreed. Photo | Niels Baars and Erik McLean In Xataka | In the war between Spain and Ryanair for hand luggage, the airline has found an unexpected ally: the European Union

He has just paid 1.5 million to expand the electricity grid until its fifth datacenter

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If you pass through the A-23 at the height of Huesca and see operators opening a new underground channel for the electricity grid, you are seeing the new fat cable of Amazon. The company founded by Jeff Bezos continues to expand through Aragon With your data centers. Check me a cable here, literally. The last movement of the technological giant is an investment of almost 1.5 million euros to connect the electricity network to its future data center in the Walqa technology park, on the outskirts of Huesca. According to him Official Gazette of AragonAmazon Web Services (AWS) has projected the construction of an underground line of 1.4 kilometers that will pass under the A-23 highway and the N-330 road to take 15 kV of tension to its future center. This double circuit will connect the PHUS electric substation with the Amazon plot in Walqa. A project of 714 million. The new AWS Data Center in Walqa will occupy about 70 hectares. Construction work began at the end of April on old poultry farms. Amazon has planned a total investment of 714.6 million euros in this complex., One of the five new data centers that will be built in Aragon, adding to the existing three This center of Huesca is one of the five new data centers That AWS is going to build in the community, adding to the three already existing. The other four will be located in the Burgo de Ebro (two) and Villanueva de Gállego (two). All of them will be interconnected by a dense fiber optic network, functioning as a single and powerful “AWS region.” The Amazon Empire in Aragon. The abundance of cheap renewable energy, the available soil and regulatory facilities have consolidated Aragon as a digital hub of southern Europe. And Amazon is one of the companies that is most expanding in the area. The three locations that form the triangle of the EU-SOUTH-2 region of Amazon Web Services a data center in the Walqa Technology Park (Huesca), two data centers in the Burgo de Ebro (Zaragoza) and two other data centers in Villanueva de Gálgo (also Zaragoza). The three are expanding with five new buildings, in addition to electricity and fiber optic lines. In total, Amazon plans to occupy 354 hectares in Aragon. Not only Amazon expands in Spain. With one planned investment of 15.7 billion euros For the next decade, AWS is the data company that grows the most in Spain, but not the only one. Microsoft has announced investments of 6,690 million euros in Zaragoza and of 1,950 million in Madridwhere Oracle and IBM are also expanding. One of the most recent landings is Malo, which at the end of 2024 announced an investment of more than 750 million euros in a 190 hectares campus in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo). Also looking for soil and renewable availability. Image | AWS In Xataka | Amazon, Google and now also goal: the data centers industry is still shot in Spain

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