SK Telecom has announced a major cybersecurity initiative worth KRW 700 billion, designed to restore trust and enhance information security after a recent incident.
The company’s new programme, called the Accountability and Commitment Program, includes four elements to protect customers and reinforce transparency.
A central part of the initiative is the Information Protection Innovation Plan, which involves a five-year investment to build a world-class cybersecurity system.
The project will follow the US National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Cybersecurity Framework and aims to position SK Telecom as Korea’s leader in information security by 2028.
To further support affected customers, the company is upgrading its Customer Assurance Package and introducing a Customer Appreciation Package to thank users for their patience and loyalty.
A subscription cancellation fee waiver has also been included to reduce friction for those reconsidering their service.
SK Telecom says it will maintain its commitment to customer safety and service reliability, pledging to fully address all concerns and enhance security and service quality across the board.
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The Council of Europe has chosen Jylo, a European enterprise AI provider, to support over 3,000 users across its organisation.
The decision followed a competitive selection process involving multiple AI vendors, with Jylo standing out for its regulatory compliance and platform adaptability.
As Europe’s leading human rights body, the Council aims to use AI responsibly to support its legal and policy work. Jylo’s platform will streamline document-based workflows and reduce administrative burdens, helping staff focus on critical democratic and legal missions.
Leaders from both Jylo and the Council praised the collaboration. Jylo CEO Shawn Curran said the partnership reflects shared values around regulatory compliance and innovation.
The Council’s CIO, John Hunter, described Jylo’s commitment to secure AI as a perfect fit for the institution’s evolving digital strategy.
Jylo’s AI Assistant and automation features are designed specifically for knowledge-driven organisations. The rollout is expected to strengthen the Council’s internal efficiency and reinforce Jylo’s standing as a trusted AI partner across the European public and legal sectors.
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OpenAI has publicly disavowed Robinhood’s decision to sell so-called ‘OpenAI tokens’, warning that these blockchain-based contracts do not offer real equity in the company.
In a statement posted on X, OpenAI made clear that it had not approved, endorsed, or participated in the initiative and emphasised that any equity transfer requires its direct consent.
Robinhood recently announced plans to offer tokenised access to private firms like OpenAI and SpaceX for investors in the EU. The tokens do not represent actual shares but mimic price movements using blockchain contracts.
Despite OpenAI’s sharp rejection, Robinhood’s stock surged to record highs following the announcement.
A Robinhood spokesperson later claimed the tokens were linked to a special purpose vehicle (SPV) that owns OpenAI shares, though SPVs do not equate to direct ownership either.
The company said the move aims to give everyday investors indirect exposure to high-profile startups through digital contracts.
Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev defended the strategy on X, saying the token sale was just the beginning of a broader effort to democratise access to private markets.
A university lecturer in the United States says many students are increasingly relying on ChatGPT to write essays—even about the ethics of AI—raising concerns about critical thinking in higher education.
Dr Jocelyn Leitzinger from the University of Illinois noticed that nearly half of her 180 students used the tool inappropriately last semester. Some submissions even repeated generic names like ‘Sally’ in personal anecdotes, hinting at AI-generated content.
A recent preprint study by researchers at MIT appears to back those concerns. In a small experiment involving 54 adult learners, those who used ChatGPT produced essays with weaker content and less brain activity, as recorded by EEG headsets.
Researchers found that 80% of the AI-assisted group could not recall anything from their essay afterwards. In contrast, the ‘brain-only’ group—those who wrote without assistance—performed better in both comprehension and neural engagement.
Despite some media headlines suggesting that ChatGPT makes users lazy or less intelligent, the researchers stress the need for caution. They argue more rigorous studies are required to understand how AI affects learning and thinking.
Educators say the tool’s polished writing often lacks originality and depth. One student admitted using ChatGPT for ideas and lecture summaries but drew the line at letting it write his assignments.
Dr Leitzinger worries that relying too heavily on AI skips essential steps in learning. ‘Writing is thinking, thinking is writing,’ she said. ‘When we eliminate that process, what does that mean for thinking?’
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A band called The Velvet Sundown has gone viral on Spotify, gaining over 850,000 monthly listeners, yet almost nothing is known about the people behind it.
With no live performances, interviews, or social media presence for its supposed members, the group has fuelled growing speculation that both it and its music may be AI-generated.
The mystery deepened after Rolling Stone first reported that a spokesperson had admitted the tracks were made using an AI tool called Suno, only to later reveal the spokesperson himself was fake.
The band denies any connection to the individual, stating on Spotify that the account impersonating them on X is also false.
AI detection tools have added to the confusion. Rival platform Deezer flagged the music as ‘100% AI-generated’, although Spotify has remained silent.
While CEO Daniel Ek has said AI music isn’t banned from the platform, he expressed concerns about mimicking real artists.
The case has reignited industry fears over AI’s impact on musicians. Experts warn that public trust in online content is weakening.
Musicians and advocacy groups argue that AI is undercutting creativity by training on human-made songs without permission. As copyright battles continue, pressure is mounting for stronger government regulation.
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xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, has secured permits to operate 15 natural gas turbines at its Memphis data centre, despite facing legal threats over alleged Clean Air Act violations.
The Shelby County Health Department approved the generators, which can produce up to 247 megawatts, provided specific emissions controls are in place.
Environmental lawyers say xAI had already been running as many as 35 generators without permits. The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), acting on behalf of the NAACP, has accused the company of serious pollution and is preparing to sue.
Even under the new permit, xAI is allowed to emit substantial pollutants annually, including nearly 10 tons of formaldehyde — a known carcinogen.
Community concerns about the health impact remain strong. A local group pledged $250,000 for an independent air quality study, and although the City of Memphis carried out its own tests, the SELC questioned their validity.
The tests missed ozone levels and were reportedly conducted in favourable wind conditions, with equipment placed too close to buildings.
Officials previously argued that the turbines were exempt from regulation due to their ‘mobile’ status, a claim the SELC refuted as legally flawed. Meanwhile, xAI has recently raised $10 billion, split between debt and equity, highlighting its rapid expansion, even as regulatory scrutiny grows.
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Google has begun rolling out its Veo 3 video-generation model to Gemini users across more than 159 countries. The advanced AI tool allows subscribers to create short video clips simply by entering text prompts.
Access to Veo 3 is limited to those on Google’s AI Pro plan, and usage is currently restricted to three videos per day. The tool can generate clips lasting up to eight seconds, enabling rapid video creation for a variety of purposes.
Google is already developing additional features for Gemini, including the ability to turn images into videos, according to product director Josh Woodward.
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The UK government’s evolving defence and security policies aim to close legal gaps exposed by modern threats such as cyberattacks and sabotage of undersea cables. As set out in the recent Strategic Defence Review, ministers plan to introduce a new defence readiness bill to protect critical subsea infrastructure better and prepare for hostile acts that fall outside traditional definitions of war.
The government is also considering revising the outdated Submarine Telegraph Act of 1885, whose penalties, last raised in 1982 to £1,000, are now recognised as inadequate. Instead of merely increasing fines, officials from the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology intend to draft comprehensive legislation that balances civil and military needs, clarifies how to prosecute sabotage, and updates the UK’s approach to national defence in the digital age.
These policy initiatives reflect growing concern about ‘grey zone’ threats—deliberate acts of sabotage or cyber aggression that stop short of open conflict yet pose serious national security risks. Recent suspected sabotage incidents, including damage to subsea cables connecting Sweden, Latvia, Finland, and Estonia, have highlighted how vulnerable undersea infrastructure remains.
Investigations have linked several of these operations to Russian and Chinese interests, emphasising the urgency of modernising UK law. By updating its legislative framework, the UK government aims to ensure it can respond effectively to attacks that blur the line between peace and conflict, safeguarding both national interests and critical international data flows.
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Coordinated by Europe’s top research and technology organisations—CEA-Leti, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, imec, and VTT—the initiative offers a shared, multi-hub infrastructure designed to speed up the development and commercialisation of next-generation Edge AI technologies.
Through its platform, European designers will gain access to advanced chip prototyping capabilities and full design support using standard commercial tools.
PREVAIL combines commercial foundry processes with advanced technology modules developed in partner clean rooms. These include embedded non-volatile memories (eNVM), silicon photonics, and 3D integration technologies such as silicon interposers and packaging innovations.
Initial demonstrators, already in development with industry partners, will serve as test cases to ensure compatibility with a broad range of applications and future scalability.
From July 2025, a €20 million EU-funded call under the ‘Low Power Edge AI’ initiative will help selected customers co-finance their access to the platform. Whether supported by EU funds or independently financed, users will be able to design chips using one of four shared platforms.
The consortium has also set up a user interface team to manage technical support and provide access to Process Design Kits and Design Rule Manuals.
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Canada is preparing to finalise a critical policy decision regarding internet affordability and competition. The core policy, reaffirmed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), mandates that the country’s three major telecom providers, Bell, Telus, and Rogers, must grant wholesale access to their fibre optic networks to smaller internet service providers (ISPs).
The ruling aims to increase consumer choice and stimulate competition by allowing smaller players to use existing infrastructure rather than building their own. The policy also notably expands Telus’s ability to enter new markets, such as Ontario and Quebec, without additional infrastructure investment.
Following concerns raised by major telecom companies, the federal government has been asked to review and potentially overturn the decision. The CRTC warns that reversing the policy could undo competition gains and limit future ISP options.
Meanwhile, Telus and other supporters argue that maintaining the ruling protects regulatory independence and encourages further investment by creating market certainty. Major telecom companies in Canada argue that this policy discourages investment and creates unfair competition, with Bell reporting significant cuts to planned infrastructure spending.
Smaller providers worry about losing market share as big players expand using shared networks. The decision will strongly influence Canada’s future internet competition and investment landscape.
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