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Nothing gets $200m to drive AI-enabled consumer hardware revolution

Ana Mary Joseph
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Nothing gets $200m to drive AI-enabled consumer hardware revolution
  • For AI to reach its full potential, consumer hardware must reinvent itself alongside it, Founder Carl Pei says.
  • Key backers from previous rounds—GV, Highland Europe, EQT, Latitude, I2BF, and Tapestry—also joined this latest fundraise.

London-based smartphone innovator Nothing has just secured a hefty $200 million investment round, led by Tiger Global, raising the company’s valuation to a striking $1.3 billion.

The infusion of capital comes as Nothing sets its sights on fusing artificial intelligence with consumer hardware in bold new ways.

While behemoths like Apple and Samsung still dominate the global smartphone scene, Nothing is carving out its own niche among a select group of European disruptors, joining companies like Fairphone and HMD Global in aiming to shake up the established order.

Founded by Swedish entrepreneur Carl Pei in 2020 after his stint at OnePlus, Nothing quickly made a name for itself. Its first smartphone debuted in 2022, since followed by innovative earbuds and an unbroken streak of fast growth.

To date, Nothing has shipped millions of devices and surpassed $1 billion in cumulative sales—no small feat in such a fiercely competitive landscape.

Carl Pei envisions a future where hardware and AI evolve together. “For AI to reach its full potential, consumer hardware must reinvent itself alongside it,” he remarked following the news. The company’s ambitions extend from current staples like smartphones, earbuds, and wearables to the next frontier—smart glasses, humanoid robotics, electric vehicles, and other emerging categories woven together by a cohesive operating system.

Key backers from previous rounds—GV, Highland Europe, EQT, Latitude, I2BF, and Tapestry—also joined this latest fundraise. The newest investment nearly doubles the almost $100 million Nothing raised in 2023, spotlighting the market’s confidence in its ambition and future growth.

As the race for AI-powered hardware accelerates, Nothing seems poised not just to compete, but to help redefine what the future of consumer technology can look like.

Reforma brings agentic AI to redefine patient care in UAE

Naushad K. Cherrayil
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Reforma brings agentic AI to redefine patient care in UAE
  • Has secured $1m in funding and seeks an additional $3m to expand their AI R&D efforts for a broadening array of medical domains.
  • Eyes 1,500 clinics and up to $18m in recurring revenue within three years from the Middle East and North Africa.

Healthcare is on the brink of a technological revolution, driven by persistent staff shortages, skyrocketing demand for personalised care, and ballooning administrative burdens.

The sector is grappling with rising inefficiencies and mounting costs—and when teams are stretched thin, patient care inevitably suffers. Studies highlight that administrative overload is reaching a crisis, further complicated by widespread labour shortages that limit valuable patient interaction time.

Reforma Health, a forward-thinking company established in Dubai in 2024, is setting out to reshape human-to-healthcare communication using AI agents. Their mission is to tackle two stubborn issues – closing costly gaps in patient communication and recapturing lost revenue for clinics.

A simple vision

Andrey Perfilyev, CEO and co-founder of Reforma Health, brings both clinical expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to the table.

When speaking to TechChannel News, he described his passion for using agentic AI to streamline workflows and enhance healthcare outcomes globally. Perfilyev’s vision is simple—make healthcare easier and more accessible for everyone, while empowering providers to focus on meaningful and human-centric care.

“Generative AI opened the doors for truly patient-centric solutions,” Perfilyev reflected. “That’s why we built our company from scratch in Dubai, with a global ambition.” By engaging directly with clinics, hospitals, and healthcare professionals, Reforma Health is building the trust required to introduce AI into sensitive clinical workflows.

Reforma Health’s flagship offering, Your Medical Assistance (YMA), is the first of its emerging brands. YMA aims to bridge gaps between patient visits, delivering round-the-clock support with medication reminders, symptom tracking, and practical lifestyle coaching to foster better health outcomes and reduce the risk of complications.

For health providers, YMA isn’t just a chatbot. It’s an AI-powered assistant that automates administrative tasks—patient outreach, appointment scheduling, and follow-ups—across popular platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram. It integrates directly on a healthcare provider’s secure server, respecting all necessary data protection standards.

Perfilyev believes that these tools shouldn’t replace clinicians, but rather serve to empower them. “Efficiency will soar for both patients and providers,” he explained. “AI agents help trim staffing needs during peak periods, scale effortlessly during sudden surges or public health scares, and relieve much of the administrative grind.”

Ambitious expansion plans

Reforma Health isn’t content to stop at local success. With 11 clinics in Dubai already on board, the team plans to triple this number by the year’s end, then launch into the GCC region and ultimately the broader MENA area. Their ambitious targets? 1,500 clinics and up to $18 million in recurring revenue within three years.

To fuel this vision, Reforma Health secured $1 million in funding in July this year and is now seeking an additional $3 million to expand their AI R&D efforts for a broadening array of medical domains.

YMA currently offers three commercial products, each with a distinct mission:

  • First Visit: Already deployed, this agent boosts attendance rates by guiding patients through doctor FAQs, clinic details, pricing, and streamlined appointment booking.
  • Guidance: Supporting patients between visits, this upcoming tool sends medication reminders, prompts for regular testing, and encourages timely follow-up visits.
  • Reactivation: Designed to win back patients who’ve dropped out of care, this agent crafts personalized reminders to nudge them back on track with their treatments.

All agents are tailored to each clinic’s context, with specific training on its staff, services, and medical specialties, making patient communication genuinely personalised.

A human touch for the digital future

Perfilyev’s long-term vision is responsible, human-centric AI that addresses the everyday challenges of both patients and providers. As healthcare’s complexity grows, he argues, the ability to quickly deploy intelligent, compliant AI agents won’t just streamline operations—it’ll become the industry’s defining edge.

The world faces a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, and Perfilyev is convinced that “AI can be the co-pilot.”

As primary care moves toward a digital-first, AI-enabled model, innovative solutions are poised to transform patient experience and drive the future of health in the Middle East and beyond, he added.

Old network devices under siege by hackers

Ana Mary Joseph
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Old network devices under siege by hackers

  • The Shadowserver Foundation revealed over 2,200 newly compromised routers caught in the crossfire, quietly serving as cyberattack launchpads.
  • SonicOS, Cisco IOS XE, Belkin Wemo, Realtek SDK, Zyxel, and many others are probed by hundreds of attackers every day.

Security researchers are waving a red flag: hackers are ramping up their attacks on outdated and unsupported network equipment worldwide, and the targets range from consumer routers sitting in living rooms to gear tucked away in the back closets of businesses.

The key ingredient in this cybercrime recipe? Old, unpatched devices from brands like Cisco, Linksys, and Araknis Networks, whose end-of-life (EOL) status leaves them ripe for exploitation.

A perfect playground for hackers

Let’s face it—attackers aren’t picky. As long as a device is exposed and vulnerable, it’s fair game. According to supply chain security firm Eclypsium, there’s been a dramatic uptick in malicious scanning campaigns.

These scans trace back to already-hacked hardware, creating a self-perpetuating cycle: compromised routers are used to hunt and infect even more outdated systems.

Recent warnings from The Shadowserver Foundation revealed over 2,200 newly compromised routers caught in the crossfire, quietly serving as cyberattack launchpads.

What’s especially concerning is just how old some of these exploited vulnerabilities are. Attackers don’t even need the latest zero-days; bugs from over a decade ago—many long forgotten—are still proving effective.

Favourite targets: Outdated routers everywhere

The attacks have a few clear favorites:

  • Cisco Small Business RV Series: These routers are mostly EOL, meaning no patches, no support, and little hope of protection unless replaced.
  • Linksys LRT Series: While some extended support lingers, most are also past their prime.
  • Araknis AN-300-RT-4L2W: Also EOL, with no more firmware updates on the horizon.

Combine this with years-old vulnerabilities, like CVE-2018-017, and you have a hacker’s paradise. Despite being seven years old, this flaw—often exploited by Russian threat actors—remains in play thanks to poor patching and lingering legacy systems.

Low visibility, high risk

There’s a frustrating reality behind this surge: plenty of organizations and home users don’t apply available fixes, and few have robust monitoring for network gear that “just works.”

Special attention falls on old protocols like Cisco Smart Install (SMI) and SNMP, which are still accepted by outdated gear and offer easy back doors for attackers. Even the FBI has flagged these practices as a notable risk.

“It doesn’t matter to the attackers as long as it works,” the Eclypsium report summarises.

Unfortunately, many of these “dusty corners” of IT—forgotten network appliances and legacy machines humming in the background—are precisely where disaster tends to start. And once a device is compromised, it often gets roped into scanning the internet for more prey.

Most sought-after vulnerabilities

Security honeypots and monitoring projects show exactly which flaws attackers love most. Huawei’s Home Gateway HG532 is currently topping the charts, with nearly 600 IP addresses hammering the internet looking for vulnerable targets. This device harbours a 2017 critical flaw that hackers can exploit remotely via malicious packets.

Older vulnerabilities are hardly off-limits. SonicOS, Cisco IOS XE, Belkin Wemo, Realtek SDK, Zyxel, and many others are probed by hundreds of attackers every day. Some of these bugs date back over a decade, but they persist on unpatched devices.

What needs to happen now?

The fixes are clear, even if implementation isn’t always easy:

  • Audit all connected devices for age, vendor support status, and known vulnerabilities.
  • Disable legacy, unencrypted protocols—especially TELNET, SNMP, and SMI.
  • Patch, upgrade, or (better yet) replace outdated hardware susceptible to long-known issues.
  • Don’t ignore “set-it-and-forget-it” appliances—they need attention, too!

Attackers won’t stop scanning for weak spots. The only way to avoid joining the growing list of victims: shine a light into those dusty corners and finally retire the tech relics that put the entire network at risk.

Middle East joins AI race with Arabic-centric models

Ana Mary Joseph
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Middle East joins AI race with Arabic-centric models
  • UAE is openly staking its claim for AI leadership with Falcon while Saudi Arabia’s response is Humain and Egypt is raising the bar with Intella’s Ziila.
  • The region’s future won’t be written by someone else’s algorithm. It’ll be coded—letter by letter, dialect by dialect, value by value—at home.

Artificial intelligence is shaking up the tech scene across the Arabic-speaking world, and there’s a distinct buzz in the air: who will lead the charge to build AI that truly understands and represents the diversity of Arabic language and culture?

Arabic is the linguistic glue that connects over 450 million people, making it the world’s fourth most spoken language. But teaching machines to understand Arabic isn’t like giving them a crash course in English or French.

There’s the infamous three-letter root system, a linguistic Rubik’s cube that throws off even seasoned algorithms. Add to that the dizzying patchwork of dialects—from the Maghreb’s North African twist to the melodic Levantine and the unique Gulf “Khaleejy”—and you’ve got a formidable AI challenge on your hands.

And let’s not forget “Arabizi”: the texting code-switch that blends Latin letters and numbers with Arabic, like when “habibi” (my dear) becomes “7abibi” in a WhatsApp message. This digital vernacular adds yet another layer for language models to decode.

Digital independence by design

Unlike the one-size-fits-all philosophy championed by Silicon Valley, or China’s turbo-charged, collectivist approach, the Arabic world’s AI ambitions are rooted in a desire for digital independence—and a flavour all its own.

The UAE is openly staking its claim for AI leadership with Falcon, a free, open-source language model tailored to Arabic speakers. With versions optimised for the region’s linguistic and energy realities, Falcon represents not just a technological leap but a statement:

“AI for our people, on our terms.” Its accessibility goes beyond borders, providing Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America with a vital alternative to the usual US-or-China AI monopoly.

Saudi Arabia’s response is Humain—a chatbot designed with Arabic-first protocols and a strong regulatory backbone, built to serve domestic needs in government, education, and business securely. No English-dominated solutions required.

Egypt, meanwhile, is raising the bar with Intella’s Ziila. Unlike stiff, textbook Arabic bots, Ziila “gets” everyday speech. Supermarkets, banks, and telecom companies are signing up, drawn to its knack for real-world dialects. Its $12.5 million in funding is a bet that understanding local nuance can unlock new frontiers in AI interaction.

Here’s what sets the Arabic AI race apart: the question isn’t just about dialect, but about aligning technology with religious values and cultural expectations. While some models chase dialect mastery or sector-specific prowess, others are tuned to respect Islamic legal traditions and social norms.

With Islam’s rich legal schools (Sunni, Shia, and their many branches), the region is ensuring AI does more than translate—it represents.

A diverse ecosystem

Despite regional breakthroughs—an open Falcon here, a regulated Humain there—the Arabic world hasn’t produced a Google-scale juggernaut in the AI field. But, perhaps that’s part of the point: rather than relying on one “super app,” the region’s approach is collaborative, possible for the many—not just the few.

As AI continues to evolve, we’ll see more models tailored to the rhythm of Arabic speech, the codes of its youth, and its deep cultural values. The only certainty? The region’s future won’t be written by someone else’s algorithm. It’ll be coded—letter by letter, dialect by dialect, value by value—at home.

India’s bold semiconductor push shows promise

Mohammed Fahad
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India’s bold semiconductor push shows promise
  • Signs 12 MoUs to propel indigenous technologies across critical areas—including camera modules, advanced packaging, and the creation of a robust talent development ecosystem at SEMICON India 2025.

India’s ambition to emerge as a global powerhouse in semiconductor manufacturing is no longer a distant dream—it’s evolving into a robust reality.

At SEMICON India 2025, leading voices from the industry echoed a shared optimism about India’s systemic transformation, attributing the progress to its rich talent pool, forward-thinking policies, and flourishing global partnerships.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi set an inspiring tone at the event, underlining India’s fervor for exponential growth in the semiconductor sector. His vision has been met with enthusiasm by industry leaders, who recognise India’s rising stature within the global semicon ecosystem.

SEMICON India proved to be a fertile ground for forging new alliances.

Record MoUs and innovation push

A highlight of SEMICON India 2025 was the signing of twelve Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to propel indigenous technologies across critical areas—including camera modules, advanced packaging, and the creation of a robust talent development ecosystem.

These agreements mark a pivotal step in homegrown innovation, reassuring stakeholders about India’s intent and capability.

To ignite deeper innovation, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw introduced the Deep Tech Alliance, backed by nearly $1 billion in early funding.

Initially centered on semiconductors, this Alliance is set to expand into transformative sectors like clean energy, biotechnology, quantum technology, and space. Vaishnaw believes this dedicated pool of venture capital will give emerging deep-tech industries the momentum they need.

India’s methodical approach to approving projects—prioritising professional evaluations over speed—has led to sustainable growth, according to Vaishnaw.

Two semiconductor fabs are currently operational, with more on the horizon, setting the stage for exponential sectoral acceleration.

Country’s deep commitment

A standout initiative presented at the summit featured twenty homegrown chips, designed and manufactured by Indian university students, which were exhibited to Prime Minister Modi. This is testament to the country’s deep commitment to fostering indigenous innovation.

India is leveraging its educational strength: 78 universities are now equipped with state-of-the-art electronic design automation (EDA) tools, building a workforce that already constitutes around 20 per cent of the global semiconductor talent pool.

The nation’s startup ecosystem is blossoming too—over 28 homegrown startups have bridged the gap from prototype to product. Recent MoUs further cover the creation of fully indigenous IoT chipsets and sophisticated camera systems.

In addition, premier research institutes like IIT Madras have rolled out Indian-designed microcontrollers and processors, laying the foundation for self-sufficiency.

Government initiatives like the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) scheme have accelerated intellectual property creation, with a portfolio of key products and patent-worthy innovations now in the pipeline.

With bold projections that the industry could be worth $1 trillion by 2030, the momentum is undeniable. The successful unveiling of India’s first set of domestically produced chips, personally presented to Prime Minister Modi, marks a profound milestone.

As the nation continues to harness its tech-savvy population, trusted regulatory landscape, and an ever-strengthening ecosystem, India’s aspiration to become the world’s semiconductor hub looks increasingly within reach.

How can CIOs proactively defend against AI deepfakes?

Ana Mary Joseph
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How can CIOs proactively defend against AI deepfakes?
  • AI-powered agents will cut in half the time cybercriminals need to compromise accounts by 2027.
  • Gartner finds that 62% of organisations have experienced a deepfake attack in the past year aimed at social engineering or attacking automated systems like voice and facial recognition.
  • Attackers today use generative AI (GenAI) to churn out hyper-realistic deepfakes that can slip through both automated defenses and fool humans in stressful business settings.

AI-generated disinformation campaigns, particularly those using deepfakes, are becoming one of the biggest cybersecurity headaches for organisations today.

Savvy adversaries are leveraging these tools not just to trick individuals, but to manipulate public opinion, disrupt businesses, and even pursue financial or political gain. It’s getting harder every year to keep up with both the technology and the threats!

According to a 2025 Gartner survey of 302 cybersecurity leaders, deepfakes are no longer a distant threat—they’re already hitting home. Almost half (43 per cent) of respondents reported at least one audio deepfake incident targeting their organisation, and 37 per cent ran into deepfakes on video calls.

That means we’re well past science fiction: this is a daily issue for security teams.

It’s not just scattered incidents, either. Gartner found that 62 per cent of organisations have experienced a deepfake attack in the past year aimed at social engineering or attacking automated systems like voice and facial recognition.

Why is this so worrying?

Because AI is only getting faster and better. By 2027, Gartner predicts that AI-powered agents will cut in half the time cybercriminals need to compromise accounts.

“AI agents will automate more steps in the account takeover kill chain, including using deepfake voices to make social engineering more convincing and compromising authentication channels,” notes Apeksha Kaushik, Principal Analyst at Gartner.

Attackers today use generative AI (GenAI) to churn out hyper-realistic deepfakes that can slip through both automated defences and fool humans in stressful business settings. The result? More companies are seeing unauthorised access, costly disruptions, and an urgent need to rethink security.

The trend is already shifting boardroom priorities. A 2024 Gartner survey of executives found that 62 per cent expect deepfakes to begin racking up costs and operational headaches for their organisations in just the next three years.

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Ignoring this reality isn’t an option—Kaushik warns of direct threats to business continuity, steep reputational risks, and increased regulatory scrutiny if leaders don’t address the problem head-on.

Narrative intelligence

Managing risk now means looking at the full digital attack surface. Corporate social media, publicly available data, executive images, and brand assets are all prime material for impersonators and fraudsters.

Once a false narrative or doctored content hits the internet, it’s nearly impossible to control the spread, much less restore lost trust or trace the source.

To meet this new era of risk, Gartner predicts that by 2027, half of all enterprises will invest in disinformation security products or TrustOps strategies—up from less than 5 per cent today.

The evolution goes beyond simple monitoring tools. Narrative intelligence is emerging as a new class of defense, helping organisations track perception-based and latent threats, understand how disinformation spreads, and counteract campaigns before they cause real harm.

These proactive methods give organisations an upper hand, helping them spot risks before they become crises and maintain the credibility and trust that are more vital than ever.

In today’s environment, standing still isn’t just risky—it’s an open invitation to the next wave of deepfake-fueled attacks.

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