Friday, October 10, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

Here’s the Chinese AI model that’s shaking up the tech world

Published 31 January 2025
– By Editorial Staff
While OpenAI's GPT-4 was said to have cost over $100 million to train, DeepSeek claims their model only required $6 million.
3 minute read

The Chinese AI model DeepSeek has very quickly become one of the most downloaded apps and attracted a lot of attention in the tech industry. Its unexpected success has not only surprised investors but also affected the market capitalization of several major tech companies.

DeepSeek is an AI-powered chatbot and language model that works in a similar way to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. It is used to generate text, answer questions, and help users with tasks such as coding and mathematical calculations. The model has been compared to OpenAI’s o1 and is considered an advanced reasoning model, allowing it to process complex questions and provide multi-stage answers.

One of the most notable aspects of the chatbot is its low development cost. While OpenAI’s GPT-4 was said to have cost over $100 million to train, DeepSeek claims that their model only required $6 million. This has been made possible by a combination of advanced memory management and the efficient use of less powerful chips, making the model both cheaper and more resource efficient.

DeepSeek is not just a technological innovation, however, but also part of China’s larger strategy to reduce its dependence on Western technology. The company has managed to build a powerful AI model despite an export ban on high-end semiconductor chips from the US.

Major drop for Nvidia

The chatbot’s rapid impact has had immediate effects on the tech market. Among other things, the model has shown that advanced AI solutions can be developed without access to the most powerful chips, which has created uncertainty in the market about the need for expensive semiconductors.

The biggest stock market impact has been seen in Nvidia, the world’s leading chip maker, whose share value fell by $600 billion – the biggest one-day loss in US history. The market has reacted sharply to the realization that cheaper AI models can compete with the most advanced alternatives.

At the same time, DeepSeek, like other AI models, has also raised questions about security and data privacy. Some experts argue that the model, like other AI platforms, may be subject to government censorship and restrictions and that DeepSeek is programmed to provide “helpful and harmless” answers.

Trump: “A wake-up call”

DeepSeek’s success has led to widespread reactions from both businesses and governments. Donald Trump called the launch a “wake-up call” for US companies and said it is now crucial for the US to “compete to win” in AI development. Australia’s science minister, Ed Husic, expressed concerns about DeepSek’s handling of data and security.

In China, the language model is being hailed as proof of the country’s technological progress and independence from Western technology. President Xi Jinping has previously emphasized AI as a national priority, and its success is seen as a step towards establishing China as a global leader in artificial intelligence.

The AI model has also faced technological challenges. On the day of its major breakthrough, the platform was attacked, according to the company, by a “large-scale malicious attacks” that led to temporary outages and restrictions on registrations. Even at the time of writing, DeepSeek is suffering from server issues and disruptions.

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Researcher: We risk losing ourselves to AI gods

The future of AI

Published today 13:24
– By Editorial Staff
"We sell our ability to be courageous and buy security from the machines", argues researcher Carl Öhman.
3 minute read

The upcoming book “Gods of data” examines AI from a religion-critical perspective. Carl Öhman, researcher at the Department of Government at Uppsala University in Sweden, argues that today’s AI systems can be compared to humanity’s relationship with gods – and researches what would happen if power were completely handed over to AI.

As AI has developed, the tool that was initially used as a more personal version of Google has now also taken a place as an advisor in homes. AI is increasingly being used to ask more personal questions, such as healthcare advice, psychology and even as relationship counseling.

Öhman argues that AI has begun to become like gods, that is, a “kind of personified amalgamation of society’s collective knowledge and authority”, and in a research project he studies what humanity would lose if it allowed itself to be completely governed by technology – even a flawless one.

In a thought experiment, he explains how AI can affect, for example, a couple in everyday life who have started arguing due to different values, who get help from an AI relationship counselor.

They ask: ‘Hi, should we continue being together?’ The AI has access to all their data: their DNA, childhood photos, everything they’ve ever written and searched for and so on, and has been trained on millions of similar couples. It says: ‘with 98 percent probability this will end in catastrophe. You should break up with each other today. In fact, I’ve already found replacement partners for you who are much better matches’, he says in the Research Podcast.

Buying security

Öhman argues that even if there are no rational reasons why the couple shouldn’t obey the AI and break up, one gets a feeling here of having lost something. And in this particular case, the couple would lose faith in themselves and their relationship.

Love is always a risk. All interpersonal relationships involve a risk of being betrayed, saddened, that something goes wrong. We can absolutely use technology to minimize that risk, perhaps even completely reduce it. The point is that something is then lost. We sell our ability to be brave and buy security from the machines, he says.

World daddy in AI form

The research project also examines other relationships where AI has taken an increasingly larger role, for example parenthood. Today there are a number of AI apps designed to help adults handle their relationship with their children. Among other things, this can involve AI giving personalized responses or trying to prevent conflicts from arising.

Just like in the example of the young loving couple, something is lost here. In this particular chapter I use Sigmund Freud and his idea that belief in God is a kind of refusal to be an adult. That there is some kind of world daddy who ultimately always has the right answers. And here it becomes somewhat the same. There is a world daddy in the form of AI who then becomes the real parent in your relationship with the children. And you increasingly identify as a kind of child to the AI parent who has the final answers, he says.

Handing over power over ourselves

Öhman argues that it might feel nice to be able to avoid getting your heart broken, or to prevent conflicts with your children, but that one must be aware that there is a price when AI gets the power. He argues that when people talk about AI coming and taking over, it often happens violently and that “the machines come and take our lives from us.”

But the point in my book, and this project, is that it is we who hand over power over our lives, our courage, faith, and ultimately ourselves, he says.

Meet Nextcloud – the collaboration platform that fully replaces Microsoft 365

Advertising partnership with Teuton Systems

Did you know your company can save significant IT costs today without compromising on functionality or user-friendliness? Teuton Systems, as one of the first providers in the Nordic region, offers installation of Nextcloud - the world's leading alternative to Microsoft 365.

Published 8 October 2025
5 minute read

Nextcloud is a collaboration platform that brings together file management, document editing, calendar, contacts and communication tools in one place. Just like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, it gives employees the ability to work with documents wherever they are, share files with colleagues and have video meetings – but with one crucial difference: you decide where your data is stored and who has access to it.

More than 400,000 organizations worldwide, from the French Ministry of the Interior to Swedish universities, have chosen Nextcloud to maintain control over their information.

Features in Nextcloud

File management that works everywhere: Upload documents, images and files from your computer and access them from your phone, tablet or any other device. When someone updates a document, everyone else sees the change immediately. No emails with “latest version” as an attachment – everyone works with the same file.

Work together in real time: Through integrated office tools, multiple people can edit the same document, spreadsheet or presentation simultaneously directly in the web browser. You see what your colleagues are writing as they write it.

Communicate and organize: Nextcloud Talk offers video meetings, chat and screen sharing without any external services like Zoom or Teams. Shared calendar and contacts make it easy to coordinate meetings and ensure everyone on the team has the same information.

Integration: The system can be connected to existing tools like Active Directory, SharePoint and other business systems. Over 200 add-ons are available to customize the platform according to specific needs.

Open and edit documents directly in the web browser through cutting-edge integration of word processors and other document apps.

Why choose Nextcloud over Google or Microsoft?

1. You decide where your data is stored – and it matters

When you use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, all your files, emails and documents end up on servers in the USA. This means that US authorities can demand access to your data through laws like the US Cloud Act – often without you knowing about it. For a Swedish company, this could mean that sensitive information about customers, employees or trade secrets is suddenly accessible to foreign authorities.

With Nextcloud, you decide where your data is stored. You can either have the system on your own server in your office, or choose a local hosting provider. Either way, everything stays within your country’s borders, which automatically means GDPR compliance without complicated data processing agreements. This is why Swedish government agencies like Försäkringskassan (the Swedish Social Insurance Agency) and Transportstyrelsen (the Swedish Transport Agency) have chosen Nextcloud – they must be able to guarantee that citizens’ information is protected.

2. Skip monthly costs – save thousands of euros

Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 cost money every month for every person in the company. For a company with Microsoft 365 Business Premium and 50 employees, it amounts to approximately €13,500 per year – that’s €67,500 over a five-year period. And prices tend to increase over time.

Nextcloud is open source and completely free to use. The only thing you pay for is the server it runs on and any support services. A server for 50 people costs around €2,000 to purchase, plus around €500 per year for electricity and maintenance. Over five years: €4,500 instead of €67,500 – a saving of over €63,000.

Even if you choose to let an external provider handle the actual server operation, the cost becomes a fraction of what Google or Microsoft charges. And you get unlimited storage based on your hardware – no limit on how much you can store.

Access all company files and documents in your own “cloud” regardless of where you are without dependence on Microsoft, Google and other tech giants.

3. Complete security control

When your files are with Google or Microsoft, it’s their security routines that apply. You can’t control what happens behind the scenes. With Nextcloud, you have full insight and control.

You can, among other things:

  • Require two-factor authentication for all users
  • See exactly who opened which files and when
  • Set rules for what types of files can be uploaded or downloaded
  • Activate encryption that makes it so not even the system administrator can read the content
  • Decide that certain files are automatically deleted after a certain time

 

Since Nextcloud is open source, anyone can review the code for security flaws. This means that problems are discovered and fixed quickly by thousands of developers worldwide. Compare that to closed systems where security problems can lie hidden for years.

Nextcloud is also the first cloud platform to receive Blauer Engel certification (Germany’s official environmental label), which confirms both security and sustainability.

4. Customize the system according to your needs

With Google or Microsoft, you get the apps and features they offer – no more, no less. With Nextcloud, you can add exactly the features your company needs through over 200 available add-ons.

Do you need tools for visual project management? Forms to collect information from customers? Integration with your existing accounting software or customer system? Custom appearance that matches the company’s graphic profile? All of this can be implemented.

If the company grows, Nextcloud scales with it – from five to five hundred users without you needing to change systems or sign new expensive contracts.

5. No lock-in – you decide

Once you’ve put all your data with Google or Microsoft, it’s troublesome to move. It’s designed that way – the more locked in you are, the harder it is to switch. But what happens if they raise prices? Or if their service is down for a whole day? Or if a conflict arises with American interests that choose to limit access to services in Europe?

With Nextcloud, you own your data and can move it when you want, where you want. All data is saved in open standard formats that work everywhere. Want to change hosting provider? Move from the cloud to your own server? Or vice versa? No problem. You’re never locked in.

Keep all company internal meetings and calls with business partners privacy-secure on your own server without outside surveillance with access to meeting rooms, meeting recording, transcription and modern AI functions.

Getting started with Nextcloud

You don’t need to be a technical expert to use Nextcloud. The interface is intuitive and works exactly as you expect – click to open files, drag and drop to upload, share with a link.

For installation and configuration, there are companies that specialize in this. Teuton Systems is a Swedish technology company based in Dalarna, Sweden that works with privacy-promoting technology and open source solutions. They help companies install, configure and maintain Nextcloud. With support in Swedish and English, you get help through the entire process – from planning to ongoing operation.

Technical overview:

  • Files and storage: Unlimited storage based on your hardware, automatic file versions, password-protected file sharing
  • Collaboration: Real-time document editing, video conferences, chat, calendar, contacts
  • Security: AES-256 encryption, two-factor authentication, detailed logging, GDPR compliance
  • Compatibility: Works in web browsers, available as app for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android
  • Cost: License-free open source, possibility to sign enterprise support on annual basis

 

Contact: Call Teuton Systems at +46 10 10 11 222 or visit teuton-systems.com to get help getting started and assess whether Nextcloud fits your business.

 

Swedish government proposal: Scraps nuclear power ban along coast and archipelago

Published 7 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Even the Stockholm archipelago could become a potential location for nuclear power facilities if the Swedish government's proposal goes through.
2 minute read

The Environmental Code’s ban on nuclear facilities in large parts of Sweden’s coastal and archipelago areas should be removed, the Swedish government proposes. A consultation proposal has been sent out and must be answered by December 15 at the latest.

During a nuclear power conference at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, Climate and Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari (Liberal Party) presented plans to make the coast accessible for nuclear power expansion.

— We are now making the entire coast, including our islands, available for nuclear installations. New reactors are necessary for us to be able to live fossil-free lives, she says.

The changes affect several areas along the Swedish coast. Among others, Bohuslän (western Sweden), Öland, Gotland (Baltic Sea islands), and the Stockholm archipelago will become available for nuclear facilities. Coastal areas in Småland and Östergötland (from Simpevarp to Arkösund) as well as in Ångermanland (from Storfjärden to Skagsudde) in northern Sweden are also included in the proposal.

— We need the possibility to evaluate all suitable locations for new nuclear power, we cannot exclude them in advance, says the environment minister in a comment to TT.

“Nuclear power has been badly treated”

The climate minister justifies the changes by saying nuclear power is needed to create a “sustainable future”.

— We propose that nuclear facilities should be exempted from these restrictions, they have a crucial role for a sustainable and reliable future, she continues.

Despite the ban being removed, protection for natural and cultural values should be maintained according to the proposal.

“Today’s ban excludes locations that could be suitable without allowing an assessment in individual cases. The legal change creates conditions for more actors who want to build and invest in nuclear facilities along the coast”, it reads among other things.

The Swedish government expects the changes to take effect on July 1, 2026.

— Nuclear power has been badly treated and neglected for decades. But that has now changed. A new licensing process is being introduced, Pourmokhtari states.

Your battery life reveals more than you think

Published 4 October 2025
– By Naomi Brockwell
5 minute read

I’ve been running a little experiment the past 10 days.
I carried two phones everywhere: my Google Fi device and my GrapheneOS device.

Every night, here’s how the batteries compared:
• Google Fi: about 5% left
• GrapheneOS: about 50–75% left

What’s going on here? Am I really using the Google Fi phone 2–4x more?

Actually it’s the opposite.
My GrapheneOS phone is my daily driver. That’s where I use Signal, Brave, podcasts, audiobooks, email, camera, notes, calendar, my language app, and other things.

Meanwhile, on my Google Fi phone, I’ve installed exactly two apps: Signal and Google Maps, and I also use it as an internet hotspot. I deleted as many preinstalled apps as I could without breaking the phone, but there are countless ones I can’t remove.

At first glance you might think the hotspot is what’s draining the battery. That’s certainly a factor, but for context I turn the device to airplane mode (and shutting off the hotspot) whenever I’m not using it.

Even with “aggressive battery saver” enabled and hours in airplane mode, the Google phone churned through its battery like crazy.

The fact that the Google phone’s battery still dies so quickly is revealing. Battery drain can actually be a useful indicator of how private your device is. Some of this comes down to deliberate privacy choices, and some of it comes from the inherent design of each operating system.

Why battery drain is a privacy clue

Battery life is a rough but useful proxy for what’s happening under the hood.
If your phone is dead by dinnertime even when you barely use it, something else is doing the work. And “something else” usually means:
• Background services constantly phoning home
• Analytics trackers collecting usage data
• System-level apps pinging servers even when you think they’re off
• Push notification frameworks that keep connections alive 24/7

That invisible activity not only kills your battery, it shows how much your phone is reporting back without your consent.

Your privacy choices also matter

The way I use my devices also makes a huge impact on how much background activity is happening.

On Graphene, I silo apps across six profiles. My main profile has all the functionality I mentioned before. And I’m constantly using the device, but a lot of what I do doesn’t require connectivity. I can take pictures, listen to music, write notes, and listen to audiobooks all without needing to be online.

When I want to check messages, email, or browse the internet, I simply turn WiFi on, and when I’m done I turn it off again (like turning off a light switch when I leave a room).

I also have other apps I rarely use, some of which are more privacy-invasive, like Uber or others that require sandboxed Google Play Services. These are kept in secondary profiles, and when those profiles are inactive, they’re effectively powered off. This means there’s no chance of these apps running in the background.

Meanwhile, on the Google Fi phone, even though I tried to delete as much bloatware as possible, there are countless apps I can’t uninstall and processes I can’t turn off.

Google Play Services is the biggest offender: It’s a hugely invasive process with elevated system permissions that is always on. You can think of it as a hidden operating system layered on top of Android, handling push notifications, location data, updates, and telemetry. It’s not optional.

In some cases it can actually make your battery more efficient by centralizing notifications instead of having each app run its own system. But that depends entirely on how you use your device.

For example, I don’t have a ton of apps on that device that need all their processes to be centralized in a single, more efficient system. I just have 2 apps.

And I don’t use notifications at all, which means that the centralization of push notification services isn’t helpful to me. And even if I did use notifications, Signal is capable of handling its own push notifications without Google Play Services. So for my setup, having Play Services constantly pinging servers and running countless background processes is overkill. It makes a data-minimalist setup impossible.

Why GrapheneOS performs differently

Unlike most Android phones, and especially Google Fi, GrapheneOS doesn’t come with bloatware. It doesn’t have the same preinstalled junk running in the background — it’s an incredibly stripped down OS. If you want Google play services you can install it, but it’s sandboxed just like any other app, without elevated permissions. That means it doesn’t get special system access to spy on everything you do like it does on Android.

On top of that, GrapheneOS lets you isolate apps into separate profiles, each with its own encryption key and background permissions. Apps in one profile can’t see or interact with apps in another.

This not only improves security, it massively reduces unnecessary background chatter. Most of the Graphene phone spends its day idle, instead of phoning home.

Background activity = surveillance

This comparison proved to me that even on a pared-down Google phone with limited use, there are countless processes running behind the scenes that I don’t control and don’t need.

And those processes make a huge difference in how fast the battery disappears.

Other phones show the same pattern

I compared my results with others in my travel group. Their iPhones drained quickly too, even with moderate use. Apple is better than Android on privacy, but iPhones are still packed with system services constantly talking to Apple and 3rd party servers. Background iCloud sync, location lookups, telemetry reporting, Siri analytics etc all adds up.

In short: if your phone battery is always gasping for air, it’s because it’s working for someone else.

Battery life is a window into privacy. If your phone is constantly trying to talk to servers you didn’t ask it to, it’s both:

  1. Bad for your battery
  2. Bad for your privacy

Why this matters

When I travel, I want peace of mind that my phone won’t die halfway through the day. But even more than that, I want confidence that it isn’t secretly working for someone else.

I don’t pretend to know every technical reason that Google Fi and Apple drain so fast, but I do know that I have far less control over their processes than I do on Graphene. On Graphene, I can granularly control which apps access the internet, I can eliminate Google Play Services entirely, I can block apps from accessing sensors they don’t need. I can essentially be a data minimalist, while still having all the connectivity I want on the go.

And the difference in performance is stark. My Graphene phone lasts all day, even with heavy use. It’s calm, efficient, and private. The others are invasive, have hidden connections, and more background processes.

Battery life and privacy are more connected that we might realize, and GrapheneOS is winning on both. It’s another reason why switching to Graphene was one of my favorite privacy choices I’ve ever made.

Check out our video here if you’d like to learn how to install it:

 

Yours in privacy,
Naomi

Naomi Brockwell is a privacy advocacy and professional speaker, MC, interviewer, producer, podcaster, specialising in blockchain, cryptocurrency and economics. She runs the NBTV channel on Rumble.

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