The Tech Giant's DeepMind Announces Construction of Automated Science Laboratory in the UK; The Mexican Government Introduces 50% Tariffs on Some Countries
International business developments today featured two significant stories: a boost for the UK's artificial intelligence ambitions and a significant escalation in global trade disputes.
The AI Firm's Robotic Research Lab
The prominent AI research organization revealed plans to establish its inaugural “robotic research facility” in the United Kingdom. This decision is considered a significant lift to the nation's AI ambitions.
The facility will be primarily focused on materials science research. It will employ “world-class robotics” to synthesize and analyze hundreds of materials each day. The main aim is to significantly shorten the timeline for discovering transformative new materials.
The company commented that the lab, set to be built in 2026, will “help turbocharge scientific discovery”. In a statement:
Identifying new materials is a crucial pursuits in science, providing the opportunity to reduce costs and unlock entirely new technologies.
As an illustration, superconductors that function at room temperature and pressure could allow for affordable diagnostic scans and reduce energy loss in power networks. Other novel materials could help us tackle critical energy issues by unlocking advanced batteries, more efficient photovoltaic cells and higher-performance computer chips.
The lab is part of a wider collaboration with the British government. Under the agreement, British researchers will get special access to several cutting-edge artificial intelligence tools for scientific research.
Mexico's Trade Decision
In another development, international trade tensions intensified further after Mexico's legislature approved tariff hikes of up to 50% starting in 2026 on imports from the People's Republic of China and several other Asian-Pacific countries.
These tariffs are intended to bolster local manufacturing. They will raise or impose new tariffs of as much as 50% from 2026 on certain goods such as automobiles, auto parts, fabrics, clothing, plastics and steel.
These tariffs will affect imports from nations that lack trade deals with Mexico, such as China, India, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. The majority of affected goods will see duties of up to 35%.
China's Commerce Ministry has condemned the decision, urging its counterpart to rectify “unilateral, protectionist practices” promptly.
Additional Market News
Moscow's oil and fuel export revenues have hit their lowest level following the start of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022. A global energy watchdog reported that sales fell again in November due to lower export volumes and weaker market prices.
Meanwhile, in Switzerland, the central bank kept interest rates unchanged at 0%. The bank pointed to inflation that was somewhat softer than anticipated, but noted that medium-term inflationary pressure remained largely the same.
Technology stocks experienced selling pressure following weaker-than-expected financial results from Oracle. The company's shares fell sharply in extended trading after it fell short of sales and earnings forecasts and raised its expenditure outlook for artificial intelligence infrastructure. The news fueled worries about the profitability of heavy spending on AI.