Jasmin Watson 
Billionaire philanthropists Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan are steering the bulk of their charitable work toward science and technology, placing their research network Biohub at the center of their efforts to harness artificial intelligence in the fight against disease. The couple, who co-founded the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), said Thursday that while the group will … Read more
Microsoft on Thursday announced the formation of its new MAI Superintelligence Team, a major initiative aimed at developing artificial-intelligence systems that surpass human capabilities in specific fields, starting with medical diagnosis. Led by AI chief Mustafa Suleyman, the project marks a strategic shift from broad-based general-purpose AI to specialized “humanist superintelligence” — technology designed to … Read more
Google is adding a new layer of artificial intelligence to its Nest home security cameras with a feature called Gemini for Home, offering more detailed alerts and daily summaries of activity inside and around homes. The update allows Nest cameras to do more than detect motion or identify a person. With Gemini, the system can … Read more
Apple is preparing to enter the budget laptop market for the first time with a lower-cost Mac expected to launch in the first half of next year, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday. The device, code-named J700, is designed to attract students, businesses and everyday consumers who primarily browse the web, handle basic work tasks or perform … Read more
A Japanese company has developed an AI-powered pod designed to wash, clean and dry a person in about 15 minutes, offering an automated, spa-like bathing experience. The Mirai Ningen Sentakuki, or “Future Human Washing Machine,” made its official debut at the 2025 Osaka Kansai Expo. The futuristic device uses high-speed water jets and micro-bubbles to … Read more
Apple has introduced a revamped web-based version of its App Store, creating a centralized hub for browsing apps across its ecosystem. Users visiting apps.apple.com will now see a redesigned interface instead of the previous information-only pages. The new website lets users explore apps for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Vision Pro. … Read more
Google has announced to provide free access to its premium Gemini AI Pro platform for 18 months to users of Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecom carrier. The offer — valued at approximately ₹35,100 (US $399) — particularly targets Jio’s 505 million subscribers, marking one of the largest consumer-facing AI offers ever launched. Under the terms … Read more
Australia has directed four artificial-intelligence chatbot providers to outline the measures they are taking to protect children from exposure to sexual content, self-harm or suicide-related material. According to Reuters, the notice was issued by the office of the eSafety Commissioner under Australia’s stringent internet-safety regime. It applies to the companies Character Technologies (operator of the … Read more
Amazon Web Services, the backbone of much of the modern digital economy, suffered a widespread outage centered in its U.S. East region. The disruption brought down major websites, applications and systems across the world. From airlines to banks to social platforms, the effect was immediate and far reaching. The incident, first flagged around 3 a.m. … Read more
Meta is all set to let parents disable their teens’ private chats with AI characters, after criticism that its “flirty” chatbots had raised concerns about safety and oversight. Under the forthcoming changes, parents in the U.S., the U.K., Canada and Australia will be able to block individual AI characters and see broad topics their teens … Read more
The Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM) has announced the winners of the 2025 SEM Young Investor Award (SEMYIA), its flagship youth competition that gives students hands-on experience in stock market investing and a deeper understanding of global financial systems. Top prizes went to West Coast International School, which won both the First Place and Best … Read more
LONDON — Artificial intelligence systems that operate without human oversight could one day pose a national security threat, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence agency warned Thursday. In his annual speech on threats to Britain, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said the agency already uses AI to enhance its operations, while terrorists and hostile states … Read more
German authorities have dismantled more than 1,400 illegal websites linked to cybertrading fraud across Eastern Europe, the country’s financial regulator BaFin and state investigators announced Monday. The joint operation, dubbed Operation Heracles, was carried out by the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office in coordination with BaFin, Europol, and Bulgarian law enforcement. The effort targeted networks … Read more
SAN FRANCISCO — OpenAI has expended its budget-friendly ChatGPT Go plan, priced under $5, to 18 new countries across Asia, marking a major step in the company’s regional growth strategy. The plan is now available in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, East Timor, … Read more
YouTube is allowing certain creators previously banned for spreading misinformation to return under a new pilot program, according to company statements and reporting. The move revokes lifetime suspensions imposed under policies that have since been retired. In a letter submitted to the House Judiciary Committee, Alphabet—the parent company of YouTube—said the reinstatement opportunity will apply … Read more
SAN FRANCISCO — OpenAI introduced a slate of major updates at its Dev Day event Monday, unveiling GPT-5 Pro, its most advanced language model to date, along with a new video generation model, Sora 2, and a smaller, cheaper voice model designed for real-time interactions. The announcements were part of a broader effort to attract … Read more