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Cloud and AI: A Symbiotic Relationship

Experiential Learning: The Key to Higher Education’s Future

In the constantly evolving landscape of higher education, institutions face a pressing challenge: How do we equip students not just with knowledge, but with skills that stick, evolve, and empower them to thrive in the workplace? Traditional methods, based heavily on theory and lecture, are no longer sufficient. The missing piece in many cases? Experiential learning.

Experiential learning isn’t just a trendy phrase; it’s a crucial, science-backed approach to human development. It bridges the gap between knowing and doing, ensuring that students don’t just walk away with theoretical knowledge but with the ability to apply what they’ve learned in the real world. The future of higher education depends on embracing this model.

Learning by Doing: The Heart of Transformation

To put it simply, experiential learning works because it combines two key elements: learning and doing. It’s not enough to hear about leadership principles in a classroom, for instance, if you’ve never had a chance to lead. Experience solidifies concepts in a way theory alone cannot.

Imagine a student learning about project management. They might absorb the methodologies, memorize the phases, and even ace the exam. But until they’ve run a project—set deadlines, navigated team dynamics, and adjusted to unforeseen challenges—none of that knowledge will be fully internalized. Experiential learning drives students out of the theoretical and into practical application, allowing them to solidify their skills in the context of real-world challenges.

The Power of Micro-Learning Moments

But let’s go a step further. If we want experiential learning to be truly impactful, it needs to happen in small, digestible, and continuous bursts. Studies show that people forget about 70% of what they learn within a week and 90% within a month. Yet, when learning is broken down into smaller parts—where learners practice a concept, reflect, and get immediate feedback—it sticks.

Take language acquisition, for instance. A student might attend a semester’s worth of Spanish classes but struggle to string together a conversation afterward. However, by immersing themselves in brief, regular conversations with native speakers, they not only retain what they’ve learned but also improve incrementally. This principle can be applied across disciplines. Students absorb and retain far more when they engage with the material regularly and in real-world contexts.

Not a Replacement, but a Supplement to Traditional Learning

Does this mean long-form, traditional learning should be discarded? Not at all. Lectures, seminars, and workshops still have value, particularly in creating awareness and sparking a desire for change. There’s a reason a captivating keynote or a well-structured workshop can leave you motivated and brimming with ideas. But awareness alone doesn’t lead to mastery.

Think of it this way: a student might attend an inspiring lecture on leadership, but without opportunities to lead, reflect, and iterate on their approach, that spark of motivation fades. Longer-form learning creates the foundation, but it’s in the doing—and the repetition of doing—where knowledge becomes capability.

Higher Education Needs to Adapt

The world isn’t slowing down, and neither should the way we approach education. As the workforce becomes more dynamic, adaptable, and skills-based, so must higher education. Employers are no longer looking solely at degrees—they want to see that students can think critically, solve problems, and adapt to real-world challenges. Experiential learning offers a direct path to cultivating those attributes.

By embedding practice-based learning throughout the academic journey, higher education institutions can prepare students not just for their first job but for a lifetime of adaptability and growth. It’s time to make learning personal, practical, and, most importantly, actionable.

Experiential learning isn’t just a complement to traditional education—it’s the future. If higher education is to remain relevant and valuable in the 21st century, it must fully embrace the power of learning by doing.

Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is in advanced discussions to acquire cybersecurity startup Wiz in a landmark deal valued at approximately $30 billion. If completed, this would mark Alphabet’s largest acquisition to date, signaling a major push into the cybersecurity space and strengthening its cloud security capabilities.

Strategic Move to Enhance Cybersecurity Offerings

With increasing cyber threats targeting businesses worldwide, Alphabet’s potential acquisition of Wiz aligns with its strategy to fortify Google Cloud’s security infrastructure. Wiz, known for its cutting-edge cloud security solutions, has rapidly emerged as a leader in the industry by providing proactive threat detection and risk management tools for enterprises.

By integrating Wiz’s expertise and technology, Alphabet aims to enhance its security offerings across its cloud ecosystem, making Google Cloud more competitive against rivals like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure. The acquisition would also complement Alphabet’s existing cybersecurity initiatives, further reinforcing trust among enterprise customers.

A Record-Breaking Acquisition

At an estimated $30 billion, this would be Alphabet’s largest-ever acquisition, surpassing its 2012 purchase of Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. The deal highlights the growing importance of cybersecurity in cloud computing and signals Alphabet’s commitment to expanding its influence in this critical sector.

Industry and Market Implications

The acquisition could reshape the cybersecurity landscape, positioning Google Cloud as a more formidable player in enterprise security. As businesses continue migrating to cloud-based infrastructure, demand for advanced security solutions is rising. By acquiring Wiz, Alphabet would gain a competitive edge in safeguarding cloud environments from evolving cyber threats.

Furthermore, this move reflects broader trends in the tech industry, where major cloud providers are investing heavily in cybersecurity to differentiate their services. If the deal moves forward, it could trigger increased consolidation within the cybersecurity sector, prompting other tech giants to pursue similar acquisitions.

Looking Ahead

While negotiations are ongoing, Alphabet’s potential acquisition of Wiz underscores its long-term vision for a more secure cloud ecosystem. As cybersecurity remains a top priority for enterprises, this strategic investment could solidify Alphabet’s role as a key player in the future of cloud security.

The FCC has released a notice of proposed rulemaking designed to enhance cybersecurity within the US telecom sector, following a constant threat from foreign hackers, including the Chinese-linked group Salt Typhoon, which has breached major telecom providers in recent years.

The proposal will implement rigorous security measures by the service providers to prevent unauthorized access, securing the communications. Each year, providers will provide a certification to the FCC for following these enhanced security guidelines for cybersecurity.

Greater Dangers to Telecom NetworksThis makes the proposal all the more urgent, as recent reports detail how US telecom networks continue to suffer from cyberattacks. A state-sponsored hacking group known as Salt Typhoon reportedly breached at least eight telecom providers, some of the attacks dating one to two years. The breaches have raised alarm about the potential compromise of sensitive information, though officials maintain that classified communications remain unaffected.

As recently pointed out by Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger, it is tough to address these breaches. "We cannot say with certainty that the adversary has been evicted because we still don't know the scope of what they're doing," she said during a press briefing.

Legislative and Security ConcernsThe breaches have also galvanized lawmakers into action. Senators Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) have called for an investigation into the Department of Defense's failure to secure its unclassified telephone communications against foreign espionage. Their concerns mark the wider vulnerabilities in US communication infrastructure and a need for immediate reforms.

FCC's Call for AccountabilityFCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel underscored the need to enforce the proposed rule: "While the Commission's counterparts in the intelligence community are determining the scope and impact of the Salt Typhoon attack, we need to put in place a modern framework to help companies secure their networks and better prevent and respond to cyberattacks in the future," she said.

If adopted, the rule would make the telecom companies responsible for protecting their networks against increasingly sophisticated threats. The FCC is seeking to ensure that providers remain vigilant in maintaining strong cybersecurity defenses through annual certifications.

Recommendations for ConsumersWith these events unfolding, policymakers are now encouraging Americans to switch to encrypted apps when making calls or sending messages to better safeguard their personal communications. This shows the increasing ways in which individuals must implement precautions during these times when cyber threats have increased.

A Step Towards a Secure FutureThe proposal from the FCC is a step towards fixing some of the very fundamental vulnerabilities within the nation's telecommunication infrastructure. This decision puts accountability and proactive security policies at the heart of its strategy to limit threats from foreign hackers and ensure better cybersecurity practices for years to come.

If adopted, the rule would be a turning point in the battle against cyber threats, with the intention of keeping US telecom networks resilient against changing challenges.

Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is making waves in the artificial intelligence industry, positioning itself as a cost-effective alternative to established players like OpenAI. With its AI model surpassing ChatGPT in U.S. App Store downloads, DeepSeek’s rapid ascent is attracting both investor interest and regulatory scrutiny.

A Cost-Effective AI Disruptor

DeepSeek’s flagship model, DeepSeek-R1, has redefined AI efficiency by delivering high performance at a fraction of traditional development costs. While competitors like OpenAI have spent over $100 million on large-scale AI models, DeepSeek has reportedly built its system with just $6 million, making it a compelling option for businesses looking to integrate AI without heavy infrastructure investments.

Its ability to function with minimal computational power gives it a competitive edge in emerging markets, where access to high-performance hardware is often restricted due to economic and geopolitical factors. This cost advantage positions DeepSeek as a potential disruptor in sectors ranging from customer service to data analytics.

Legal and Competitive Challenges

Despite its rapid growth, DeepSeek is facing increasing pressure over intellectual property concerns. OpenAI has accused the company of developing its model using unauthorized proprietary data, with Microsoft reportedly investigating potential evidence of data extraction.

The legal battle could have significant business implications, potentially affecting DeepSeek’s partnerships, funding, and global expansion plans. If OpenAI’s claims hold, DeepSeek could face lawsuits that impact investor confidence and lead to tighter regulatory scrutiny on AI startups operating across borders.

Regulatory Roadblocks and Market Uncertainty

Governments are also taking a closer look at DeepSeek’s operations. Australia is among the first to assess national security risks tied to its AI deployment, with officials concerned about data privacy and cybersecurity threats. If restrictions are imposed, it could create barriers to international market entry, forcing DeepSeek to rethink its global strategy.

For businesses considering AI adoption, DeepSeek’s rise underscores a growing dilemma: invest in lower-cost, high-efficiency models with regulatory risks or stick with established Western alternatives at a premium price.

The Future of DeepSeek and the AI Industry

DeepSeek’s trajectory will depend on its ability to navigate legal challenges, build trust with regulators, and scale responsibly. If it can overcome these obstacles, it could emerge as a dominant force in AI, particularly in cost-sensitive markets. However, if legal and regulatory pressures mount, its disruptive potential could be curtailed before it fully realizes its ambitions.

As the AI sector becomes increasingly competitive, DeepSeek’s story highlights the broader shifts in AI economics, intellectual property battles, and the strategic decisions businesses must make when integrating next-gen AI solutions.

French aerospace giant Safran has increased its 2025 financial target even further, registering a robust boost in air traffic that has significantly boosted profits. The company registered a record-high 30% annual recurring operating income to €4.119 billion with an 18% sales growth of €27.317 billion for 2024. These are the indicators of the ongoing rebound of the aviation sector with Safran's cautious moves to harness future market trends.

Forward to 2025, Safran anticipates its turnover to increase 10%, the expected values being between €4.8 billion and €4.9 billion. The positive outlook is driven largely by the potential of witnessing a growth of 15% to 20% in the LEAP engine deliveries and thus of the spare parts turnover. The LEAP engines, jointly developed with GE Aerospace, are extremely popular as they are efficient and reliable and thus in demand with major carriers.

Safran's propulsion activities recorded a 15% rise in revenues boosted by the pick-up in air traffic as airlines expand their fleets to meet rising passenger demand. The Defense and Equipment segment also registered a 18% increase in revenues riding on increased defense spending and greater demand for higher-end aerospace solutions. The aircraft interiors segment experienced a staggering 25% growth in revenues, reversing after having battled pandemic-led woes. It was driven by greater demand for more innovative and comfortable cabin solutions as passenger comfort is airlines' top priority.

In the area of shareholder return, Safran has come up with a strong plan to return roughly 70% of its generation in cash during 2025-2028. The strategy includes paying 40% of it in dividend, providing stable income to the shareholders, and a share repurchase program of €5 billion with the objective of creating shareholder value. Such programs reflect the initiative of Safran towards maintaining investor confidence as well as taking advantage of its strong financial position.

The optimistic outlook is supported by strong single-digit annual top-line growth forecast to the 2028 horizon. Top drivers for such growth include stable growth of air traffic, defense spend growth, production ramp to meet market demand, and price-setting strategy. Recurring operating income of €6 billion to €6.5 billion in 2028 targets is supported by strong contributions of the transition to LEAP engines.

Though these favorable estimates dominate, Safran is cautious of tariff risk and cost of adjustment of having to track higher levels of production at Boeing aircraft by way of industry volatility. Yet, the company believes it will overcome such difficulties because of robust aftermarket performance and strong demand for its services and products.

In short, Safran's updated 2025 outlook is a testament to its strategic positioning to take advantage of the air travel recovery and rising defense expenditures. With its cutting-edge product portfolio and operational excellence, Safran is well-positioned for sustainable growth. Its end-to-end strategy is centered on revenue growth, profit improvement, and strong returns to shareholders, a testament to its long-term value creation emphasis.

Shortly, charging an electric vehicle will be as easy as plugging it in, thanks to a universal "Plug and Charge" protocol that will roll out in 2025. The effort, led by SAE International-a, a standards organization supported by automakers, charging operators, and the Biden administration to simplify the fragmented EV charging ecosystem, which is considered one of the biggest barriers to broad EV adoption.

Simplifying the Charging Experience

Today, owners of electric vehicles often have to navigate cumbersome processes to reach charging stations, such as juggling multiple apps, accounts, and payment systems. That will change with the new protocol: plug in your car, and the system sorts it out.

"You just go anywhere you want, plug in, and it accounts for everything in the cloud," said Gabe Klein, Executive Director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation.

How Plug and Charge Works

The protocol is based on the ISO 15118 global standard for EV charging. It enables secure communication between a vehicle and a compatible charging station, facilitating automatic billing without apps or manual authorizations.

Tesla has already pioneered a similar system within its Supercharger network, seamlessly integrating charging into its ecosystem. However, this universal protocol aims to expand the concept across all automakers and third-party charging networks.

Key developments of the protocol include:

Certified Trust List: A security feature that will enable seamless authentication during charging.

Roaming Capabilities: Support for interoperability between several Public Key Infrastructures (PKIs), enhancing competition and user convenience.

A Unified Industry Effort

The initiative includes the involvement of major automobile companies like Ford, General Motors, Tesla, Rivian, Toyota, and BMW, along with charging networks like BP Pulse, ChargePoint, and Electrify America. It is also fully funded by the industry, in which $1.5 million has already been contributed.

"Everybody's working hard to make this work," said Tim Weisenberger, SAE International's project manager for emerging technologies.

More Than Just Charging

Beyond simplifying the charging process, the protocol opens the door to other advanced features such as bidirectional charging. This enables the EVs to return power to the grid and helps to stabilize energy supplies during peak demand, further improving energy resilience.

A Future-Ready Vision

Industry leaders express optimism in the protocol's longevity, whatever the political changes might be. As Klein said, "The ship has sailed, and market dynamics have taken over.

The universal Plug and Charge protocol addresses not only technical but also security challenges, thus representing one more important step toward general EV adoption and a greener, more sustainable future.

Relational databases unlocked data democratization. They enabled businesses to make decisions with real-time access to information, integrating this capability into ERP, CRM, and e-commerce systems. This data-driven approach catalyzed the digital transformation of industries, allowing them to scale efficiently. It wasn’t just the access that excited me—it was how these databases fundamentally altered the way we thought about information management, building the foundations for modern enterprise systems.

Evolution in Data Persistence: Exploring the Limits

As my career progressed, I delved deeper into various types of data persistence beyond relational databases. Graph databases offered new ways to explore relationships between entities. HBase, with its distributed storage model, provided a scalable option for managing vast amounts of data. Timeseries databases like Apache Druid ignited new possibilities for tracking and querying data based on time, and document databases like MongoDB paved the way for handling unstructured data at unprecedented scales. Each system had its strengths, designed to handle specific workloads that relational databases struggled with.

However, while each offered different forms of data persistence and specialized capabilities, none came close to achieving the power of inference I began to see emerging in newer architectures. These databases could store, query, and retrieve data efficiently, but they needed the ability to derive meaningful insights autonomously. Their focus was on managing vast amounts of data, but they couldn’t make the leap into understanding and creating knowledge from that data on their own.

The New Era: RAG, Vector, and LLMs Leading the Charge

Then came the age of RAG (retrieval-augmented generation), vector databases, and large language models (LLMs). These architectures represented a seismic shift. They are not just about storing and querying data—they are about inference. Unlike graph, document, or relational databases, these systems have an inherent ability to understand context, make connections, and generate knowledge. RAG systems, for instance, combine the capabilities of retrieving relevant information from a dataset and augmenting that with real-time generation from LLMs.

Where traditional databases relied on static relationships between data points, vector databases introduced a new way of thinking about information. They stored data as embeddings, capturing meaning and relationships in ways that were multidimensional and context-aware. This architecture allowed for richer and more nuanced querying, making it possible to retrieve information based on conceptual similarity rather than rigid, predefined relationships.

LLMs, on the other hand, bring generative capabilities that go beyond mere retrieval. They can synthesize and create new information from existing data, performing tasks that were previously only possible for human experts. These systems learn, infer, and generate knowledge in real-time, making them far more powerful than anything I have previously worked with.

The Power of Integrated Knowledge and Intelligence

The integration of knowledge across enterprise systems, tools, and even cross-organizational data has become the ultimate goal. AI tools don’t just democratize access to data—they democratize intelligence itself. RAG, vector, and LLMs enable organizations to draw connections across vast amounts of unstructured data, integrating disparate systems into a cohesive, intelligent whole.

This shift in architecture is what sets modern AI apart. It can tap into enterprise systems like CRM, ERP, and other operational platforms while also reaching beyond organizational boundaries to synthesize knowledge from external sources. For instance, a healthcare organization can integrate patient data across hospital systems and augment it with predictive models based on public health trends, enabling more personalized and proactive patient care. Similarly, a financial institution can merge internal compliance data with external market insights, creating holistic risk models.

From Data Obsession to AI-Driven Innovation

My journey started with an obsession with relational databases, but as technology evolved, so did my understanding of the limits of different data persistence methods. From graph to time series and from document to distributed databases, each offered new capabilities but lacked the inferential power I was searching for. Today’s architectures—RAG, vector databases, and LLMs—go beyond what any of these earlier systems could achieve. They are designed not just to store or manage data but to generate actionable knowledge from it.

This new paradigm enables enterprises to go beyond data access to knowledge integration and intelligence-driven decision-making. It is the realization of what I have always hoped data systems could be—a foundation not just for understanding the past, but for anticipating and creating the future.

Bitcoin, the world's leading cryptocurrency, reached a new milestone Friday by exceeding the US$100,000 mark for the first time and was trading at about US$103,359, according to Kraken. The extraordinary jump confirms Bitcoin's ever-growing presence in the world financial realm as a major digital currency and a potent investment engine.

Election Victory Fuels Bitcoin's MomentumThe victory of Donald Trump in the U.S. Presidential Election in 2024 triggered the meteoric rise of Bitcoin. Pre-election, Bitcoin was trading at around US$69,000. With the announcement of Trump's win, it jumped in a very short period to US$75,000 and continued further, driven by investor optimism surrounding Trump's pro-crypto policies.

Trump has announced a set of initiatives to create a crypto-friendly environment, from the creation of a new government-backed cryptocurrency platform to vows to hold federal Bitcoin reserves. He has also promised significant changes in regulation, starting with the sacking of SEC Chair Gary Gensler, a known critic of cryptocurrency companies. Gensler subsequently confirmed he would leave in early 2025.

In a surprise move, Trump appointed Paul Atkins, a former commissioner with the SEC and digital asset advocate, to head the SEC. Atkins' appointment is seen as a signal for a more innovation-driven approach to crypto regulation.

Institutional Support Strengthens Bitcoin's PositionBeyond political developments, institutional advances have supported the rally in Bitcoin. The options trading of BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF saw a remarkable first-day turnover of US$1.9 billion. Further legitimacy will be given to Bitcoin within traditional finance; that means it will make it much easier for a different group of investors to go into this market.

This trend of institutional support by giants like BlackRock has reshaped the cryptocurrency landscape with much-needed credibility, furthering demand. The trend suggests an improving consensus about Bitcoin's long-term value and utility.

A Pivotal Moment for CryptocurrencyMore than US$100,000 was an important chapter in Bitcoin's journey, marking its firm positioning as a transformative force within the financial world. At this point, Bitcoin has not really replaced fiat money, but it does hold increasing appeal as both an alternative means of payment and an investment asset.

Reaching this milestone shows how cryptocurrency is continuously evolving from a niche market to a mainstream financial instrument. With political will and institutional momentum, Bitcoin may also continue to play a key role in shaping the future of global finance.

With Bitcoin's value going up, it acts as proof of how digital assets have massive potential to disrupt the functioning of economic systems and challenge traditional market boundaries.