Welcome to the June 25, 2025 edition of ACM TechNews, providing timely information for computer professionals three times a week.

HEADLINES AT A GLANCE

• The Global AI Divide
• U.K. to Invest More Than £500 Million in Quantum Computing
• New ACM Journal to Focus on AI Security, Privacy
• The Holy Grail of Automation: A Robot That Can Unload Trucks
• AI Code Exposing Companies to Mounting Security Risks
• Experts Count Staggering Costs Incurred by U.K. Retail Amid Cyberattack Hell
• Trust in AI Strongest in China, Low-Income Nations
• WhatsApp Banned on House Staffers' Devices
• Real Risk to Youth Mental Health Is 'Addictive Use,' Not Screen Time Alone
• In Race to Attract Datacenters, States Can Forfeit Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Tax Revenue to Tech Companies
• Tesla Wall Connector Charger Hacked Through Charging Port
• U.K. Uber Drivers' Earnings Cut After Changes to Secretive Algorithm
• Canada Says Network Devices Compromised in China-Linked Hack

The Global AI Divide

Researchers at the U.K.'s University of Oxford identified a digital divide among nations with and without the computing power to build advanced AI systems. The analysis revealed only 32 (16%) of nations have "compute power," with the U.S., China, and EU leading the pack. Countries with little or no compute power must rely on foreign governments and corporations to grow their domestic tech sectors.
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U.K. to Invest More Than £500 Million in Quantum Computing

The U.K. government's industrial strategy, published June 23, earmarks more than £500 million ($680 million) in funding for quantum computing over the next four years, with a total investment of £670 million ($912 million) over the next decade. The money includes a decade of funding for the National Quantum Computing Centre, launched last year to host machines “designed to push the boundaries of what is possible with the technology."
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New ACM Journal to Focus on AI Security, Privacy

The new journal ACM Transactions on AI Security and Privacy (TAISAP) will focus on the development of methods for assessing the security and privacy of AI models, AI-enabled systems, and broader AI environments. Its launch is part of a broader initiative by ACM to add a new suite of journals covering various facets of AI.
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The Holy Grail of Automation: A Robot That Can Unload Trucks

Automating the loading and unloading of trucks has long been the holy grail of warehouse logistics. Now, AI advancements, faster image-processing technology, and better sensors and algorithms have enabled robotics companies to automate the process. Ambi Robotics' AmbiStack robotic stacking system was trained using a video game simulation. DHL said Boston Dynamics' Stretch robot, which can lift boxes weighing up to 50 pounds, can unload about 580 cases per hour, nearly double that of a human worker.
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AI Code Exposing Companies to Mounting Security Risks

In a survey by software supply chain platform Cloudsmith, 42% of 307 developers polled said AI-generated code populates much of their codebases, but just 67% said they review the code before deployment. Another 29% of respondents said they are "very confident" they can identify vulnerabilities in AI-generated or AI-assisted code. Only 20% said they trust AI-generated code completely, and more than half (59%) said they subject such code to additional scrutiny.
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Experts Count Staggering Costs Incurred by U.K. Retail Amid Cyberattack Hell

The U.K. Cyber Monitoring Centre (CMC) said cyberattacks affecting major U.K. retailers, including Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, and Harrods, cost an estimated £270 million to £440 million ($362 million to $591 million). The CMC's model revealed the cyberattacks cost retailers around £1.3 million ($1.74 million) per day by preventing them from fulfilling normal sales.
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Trust in AI Strongest in China, Low-Income Nations

A United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) poll of 21 nations found more than 60% of people surveyed in developing countries are confident AI systems serve society's best interests. The survey found respondents in most developing countries with "high" levels of development based on the UNDP's Human Development Index (HDI) have confidence in AI, while a greater share of the population in higher-income nations and those with "very high" HDI are skeptical of AI.
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WhatsApp Banned on House Staffers' Devices

The U.S. House Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) has banned the use of Meta's WhatsApp on government devices used by congressional staffers. In a June 23 email to staffers, the CAO said WhatsApp has been deemed high-risk by the Office of Cybersecurity "due to the lack of transparency in how it protects user data, absence of stored data encryption, and potential security risks involved with its use."
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Real Risk to Youth Mental Health Is 'Addictive Use,' Not Screen Time Alone

Researchers led by Weill Cornell Medical College's Yunyu Xiao found that addictive use of technology, rather than longer screen times, is associated with thoughts of suicide among adolescents. The study of 4,285 children began around age 10, when they were screened regularly for compulsive screen use, difficulty disengaging, and distress when not given screen time. By age 14, researchers found children with high or increasing addictive screen use behavior were two to three times as likely to have suicidal thoughts.
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In Race to Attract Datacenters, States Can Forfeit Hundreds of Millions of Dollars in Tax Revenue to Tech Companies

A CNBC analysis found 42 states give full or partial sales tax exemptions to datacenters or lack state sales taxes, which means hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue are being forfeited to Amazon, Meta, Google, and other tech companies. Thirty-seven of these states have laws that single out datacenters for sales tax exemptions, with almost $6 billion in exemptions granted during the past five years by 16 states.
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Tesla Wall Connector Charger Hacked Through Charging Port

Researchers at French computer security company Synacktiv demonstrated an attack on Tesla's Wall Connector Gen 3 home charging system in just 18 minutes at the Pwn2Own Automotive competition earlier this year. The attack used the charging cable as the primary entry point and exploited communication over the Control Pilot line using the Single-Wire CAN protocol. The attack leveraged custom hardware, a custom Tesla car simulator, and a Raspberry Pi.
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U.K. Uber Drivers' Earnings Cut After Changes to Secretive Algorithm

A University of Oxford study of data from 258 Uber drivers in the U.K. covering 1.5 million trips found Uber's "dynamic pricing" algorithm implemented in 2023 boosted the share of fees taken by the company. Before the algorithm was introduced, Uber initially took 20% of fares charged in the U.K., later boosting that share to 25%. The study shows the amount taken by Uber rose to 29%, and more than 50% in some cases, after the algorithm was implemented.
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Canada Says Network Devices Compromised in China-Linked Hack

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security said recent malicious activity targeting the nation's telecommunications infrastructure is likely tied to threat actors backed by China, specifically Salt Typhoon. The Centre said investigations indicate the cyber campaign "is broader than just the telecommunications sector," and hackers likely will continue infiltration attempts at Canadian companies, particularly in the telecoms sector, during the next two years.
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