Good Morning and Happy Tuesday. Welcome to issue 49 of The Tech Stop.

Exploring EU's AI Act, ASML's chip production ramp-up, UAE's OPEC exit, and GitHub Actions risks.

1. The EU AI Act prohibits AI systems that infer employee emotions from biometric data. Many safety systems, voice analytics, and worker monitoring platforms may violate the rules. More.
   
   POV: Audit employee monitoring technology, and disable emotion detection features for EU operations.
   

2. ASML, the sole supplier of advanced chip manufacturing equipment, is building new facilities and cutting management layers to meet demand, delaying automation projects requiring advanced semiconductors and driving up costs across all industries. More.
   
   POV: Accelerate procurement of semiconductor-dependent systems.
   

3. After 60 years, the UAE left OPEC. The Iran war continues to strain energy markets, and companies are reporting Iran war-related cost increases, signaling broader supply chain impact. More.
   
   POV: Lock in energy contracts and review energy-intensive operations. Consider backup power solutions for critical manufacturing processes.
   

4. GitHub Actions create risks in software supply chains. CI/CD pipelines could be exposed to supply chain attacks targeting industrial operations. More.
   
   POV: Audit all GitHub Actions workflows for security best practices, and establish software supply chain security reviews.
   
   Something to keep an eye on: Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed a new brain-inspired device that could dramatically reduce the energy demands of artificial intelligence. More.
   
   That’s all for this week, see you in 7 days! 👍