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Dear Reader,

 

The C4DT weekly newsletter brings you a selection of articles or books that interested us.

 

Enjoy reading!

C4DT Team

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Weekly Picks
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Huawei could seize China’s AI chip crown in 2026 as Nvidia's H200 shipments stall in regulatory limbo — Beijing pushes homegrown AI hardware dominance in a market projected to hit $67 billion by 2030

Tom's Hardware — 01/05/2026

Olivier's take

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This text is compelling because it confirms a core geopolitical truth that I often emphasise: digital sovereignty cannot exist without physical infrastructure. Remarkably, China has swiftly progressed from AI policy intent to fabrication plants, chips and deployment, initially for inference purposes, but already on a strategic scale. The export-clearance imbroglio also shows how regulation can be used as a form of industrial warfare. Above all, it shows China’s ability to coordinate at a state level. Let's hope Europe is able to catch up quickly, too.

No action taken against PimEyes: noyb lawsuit against Hamburg DPA

noyb — 30/04/2026

Linus' take

"

Who watches the watchmen, indeed. The GDPR is, in principle, a useful tool for protecting the privacy of EU citizens, but only if it is enforced. Here, a user's complaint to a Data Protection Authority (DPA) was rejected - after five years of inaction! NOYB, Max Schrems' privacy rights organization, has now filed a lawsuit against the DPA. Better enforcement of tools like the GDPR is essential if we are serious about protecting people's privacy.

Unverified Evaluations in Dusk's PLONK

OtterSec — 30/04/2026

Linus' take

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This is a very thorough description of a bug detected in a Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) library used by a blockchain. If you are interested in how modern ZKPs work, this article gives a condensed overview of what is happening in a ZKP, and what the security guarantees are. As always, the devil is in the details, and in this case, a missing verification allowed an attacker to prove anything they wanted. Which shows how fragile these systems are, and how important it is to have a thorough understanding before using them for security related tasks.

Woman’s Talkspace therapy app sessions exposed in court

Proof — 28/04/2026

Katherine's take

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Talkspace has been using patients' therapy session data to train an AI chatbot, and undoubtedly, many of them have no idea. It is well documented that most users do not read terms of service closely enough to understand what they're actually consenting to. Even if they did, Talkspace's assurances that the data is "anonymized" are not the guarantee they sound like. Methods exist to re-identify anonymized data. This troubling story is a reminder that raising digital literacy across the board - in people, institutions, and decision-makers alike - is critical.

The missing step between hype and profit

MIT Technology Review — 27/04/2026

Carine's take

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I think this take on the state of AI adoption is spot on. Since ChatGPT made its public debut, we've been promised large-scale transformation of the workplace and society at large. But a little over three years in, apart from very specific tasks, we're still unclear what this supposed revolution will actually look like, and should an AI bubble burst, the economic damage could be large. To mitigate these risks, we need a more clear-eyed view of the actual capabilities of these models and how to apply them in the workplace, not more advertising promises.

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Upcoming Events
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2 June 2026: Research Software Engineers (RSE) Suisse Romand Meetup

 

Where? CM 1 105 and CM 1 104, EPFL, Lausanne

 

Time? 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

 

Why participate?

 

Are you writing software while also conducting research? Reading papers, attending scientific conferences, or publishing research? Then you’re a Research Software Engineer! This gathering brings together RSEs from French-speaking Switzerland for a day of knowledge sharing and networking. Topics will range from coding quality to RSE networks in France, offering valuable insights for software engineers working at the intersection of technology and research. Whether you’re an experienced RSE or just discovering the field, this event provides an excellent opportunity to connect with peers, share experiences, and learn best practices. Participants are also invited to propose talks on relevant topics, making this a community-driven event that welcomes contributions from all attendees.

 

For more information, please click here

 

For registration and talk proposals, please sign up here

 

Note: Talk proposals must be submitted by 17 May 2026. The event agenda will be published during the week of 18 May.

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