The US R&D company, OpenAI, has introduced IndQA, a new benchmark designed to test how well AI systems understand and reason across Indian languages and cultural contexts. The benchmark covers 2,278 questions in 12 languages and 10 cultural domains, from literature and food to law and spirituality.
Developed with input from 261 Indian experts, IndQA evaluates AI models through rubric-based grading that assesses accuracy, cultural understanding, and reasoning depth. Questions were created to challenge leading OpenAI models, including GPT-4o and GPT-5, ensuring space for future improvement.
India was chosen as the first region for the initiative, reflecting its linguistic diversity and its position as ChatGPT’s second-largest market.
OpenAI aims to expand the approach globally, using IndQA as a model for building culturally aware benchmarks that help measure real progress in multilingual AI performance.
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Google has introduced an update to Chrome’s enhanced autofill, allowing users to automatically complete forms with passport numbers, driving licence details and vehicle information. The feature builds on existing options such as addresses, passwords and payment details.
The new capability is available globally on desktop in all supported languages. Google said it plans to expand the types of data Chrome can recognise and fill in over the coming months, improving accuracy across complex and varied online forms.
The company stated that all personal information saved in Chrome is encrypted and stored only with the user’s consent. Before any form is completed automatically, Chrome prompts users for confirmation to ensure they remain in control of their data.
Privacy experts have raised concerns about storing such sensitive information within browsers, noting potential risks if devices are compromised. They advise users to enable two-factor authentication and regularly review their saved data to maintain security.
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Amazon has launched Alexa+ within the Amazon Music app, introducing a new era of AI-powered music discovery. The updated experience allows users to engage in natural conversations about songs, artists and genres, making music searches feel more like chatting with a knowledgeable friend.
Early Access users on iOS and Android can now explore the feature, which has already tripled user engagement compared with the original Alexa. Listeners can uncover artist influences, trace song origins, and generate playlists through dynamic, dialogue-based AI interactions.
Alexa+ creates contextually rich recommendations based on moods, activities, or cultural styles, enabling highly personalised playlists that evolve in real-time. Users can request specific vibes, such as upbeat 2010s hits or relaxed Sunday tunes, all crafted through natural language.
Amazon said Alexa+ is redefining how people connect with music by merging conversational AI with deep cultural knowledge. A full rollout is expected following the Early Access phase, with broader availability to Prime and non-Prime users.
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AI is inserting itself between companies and customers, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince warned in Toronto. More people ask chatbots before visiting sites, dulling brands’ impact. Even research teams lose revenue as investors lean on AI summaries.
Frontier models devour data, pushing firms to chase exclusive sources. Cloudflare lets publishers block unpaid crawlers to reclaim control and compensation. The bigger question, said Prince, is which business model will rule an AI-mediated internet.
Policy scrutiny focuses on platforms that blend search with AI collection. Prince urged governments to separate Google’s search access from AI crawling to level the field. Countries that enforce a split could attract publishers and researchers seeking predictable rules and payment.
Licensing deals with news outlets, Reddit, and others coexist with scraping disputes and copyright suits. Google says it follows robots.txt, yet testimony indicated AI Overviews can use content blocked by robots.txt for training. Vague norms risk eroding incentives to create high-quality online content.
A practical near-term playbook combines technical and regulatory steps. Publishers should meter or block AI crawlers that do not pay. Policymakers should require transparency, consent, and compensation for high-value datasets, guiding the shift to an AI-mediated web that still rewards creators.
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Alibaba unveiled Qwen3-Max-Thinking, which scored 100 percent on AIME 2025 and HMMT, matching OpenAI’s top model on reasoning tests. It targets high-precision problem-solving across algebra, number theory, and probability. Researchers regard elite maths contests as strong proxies for reasoning.
Built on Qwen3-Max, a trillion-parameter flagship, the thinking variant emphasises step-by-step solutions. Alibaba says it matches or beats Claude Opus 4, DeepSeek V3.1, Grok 4, and GPT-5 Pro. Positioning stresses accuracy, traceability, and controllable latency.
Signal from a live trading trial added momentum. In a two-week crypto experiment, Qwen3-Max returned 22.3 percent on 10,000 US dollars. Competing systems underperformed, with DeepSeek at 4.9 percent and several US models booking losses.
Access is available via the Qwen web chatbot and Alibaba Cloud APIs. Early adopters can test tool use and stepwise reasoning on technical tasks. Enterprises are exploring finance, research, and operations cases requiring reliability and auditability.
Alibaba researchers say further tuning will broaden task coverage without diluting peak maths performance. Plans include multilingual reasoning, safety alignment, and robustness under distribution shift. Community benchmarks and contests will track progress.
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People Inc. has joined Microsoft’s publisher content marketplace in a pay-per-use deal that compensates media for AI access. Copilot will be the first buyer, while People Inc. continues to block most AI crawlers via Cloudflare to force paid licensing.
People Inc., formerly Dotdash Meredith, said Microsoft’s marketplace lets AI firms pay ‘à la carte’ for specific content. The agreement differs from its earlier OpenAI pact, which the company described as more ‘all-you-can-eat’, but the priority remains ‘respected and paid for’ use.
Executives disclosed a sharp fall in Google search referrals: from 54% of traffic two years ago to 24% last quarter, citing AI Overviews. Leadership argues that crawler identification and paid access should become the norm as AI sits between publishers and audiences.
Blocking non-paying bots has ‘brought almost everyone to the table’, People Inc. said, signalling more licences to come. Such an approach by Microsoft is framed as a model for compensating rights-holders while enabling AI tools to use high-quality, authorised material.
IAC reported People Inc. digital revenue up 9% to $269m, with performance marketing and licensing up 38% and 24% respectively. The publisher also acquired Feedfeed, expanding its food vertical reach while pursuing additional AI content partnerships.
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The European Commission has unveiled RAISE, a new virtual institute designed to unite Europe’s AI research and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.
The launch, announced in Copenhagen, marks a flagship moment in the EU’s strategy to strengthen its leadership in science and technology through collective action.
Funded with €107 million under Horizon Europe, RAISE will bring together Europe’s best resources in data, computing power, and research talent.
An initiative that will help scientists apply AI to pressing challenges such as cancer treatment, climate change, and natural disaster prediction, while promoting innovation that serves humanity instead of commercial interests alone.
RAISE will work with the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking to secure access to AI Gigafactories and will dedicate €75 million to train and attract global researchers through Networks of Excellence.
The Commission also plans to double Horizon Europe’s annual AI investments to more than €3 billion, ensuring that the EU remains a global leader in scientific AI.
A project that reflects the EU’s ambition to achieve technological sovereignty and create an inclusive AI ecosystem. As RAISE grows in phases towards 2034, it will strengthen cooperation among Member States, academia, and industry, setting a benchmark for responsible and innovative AI in science.
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The European Commission has approved the creation of the Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (DC-EDIC), designed to strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty. The new body unites France, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy as founding members.
DC-EDIC aims to build open, interoperable and sovereign digital systems, reducing reliance on imported technologies. Its work will focus on shared data infrastructure, connected public administration and collaborative digital tools to support both governments and businesses.
The Paris-based consortium will coordinate funding access, offer legal and technical guidance, and support the scaling of open-source digital solutions across Europe. Future projects will include a one-stop shop for resources, an expertise hub and a Digital Commons Forum.
All jointly developed software will be released under free, open-source licences, ensuring transparency and reuse whilst being GDPR compliant. The official launch is expected in December 2025, with the first annual State of the Digital Commons report planned for 2027.
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Organisations across public and private sectors are using Salesforce’s Agentforce to engage people whenever and wherever they need support.
From local governments to hospitals and education platforms, AI systems are transforming how services are delivered and accessed.
In the city of Kyle, Texas, an Agentforce-driven 311 app enables residents to report issues such as potholes or water leaks. The city plans to make the system voice-enabled, reducing traditional call volumes while maintaining a steady flow of service requests and faster responses.
At Pearson, AI enables students to access their online learning platforms instantly, regardless of their time zone. The company stated that the technology fosters loyalty by providing immediate assistance, rather than requiring users to wait for human support.
Meanwhile, UChicago Medicine utilises AI to streamline patient interactions, from prescription refills to scheduling, while ambient listening tools enable doctors to focus entirely on patients rather than typing notes.
Salesforce said Agentforce empowers organisations to save resources while enhancing trust, accessibility, and service quality. By meeting people on their own terms, AI enables more responsive and human-centred interactions across various industries.
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Meta has introduced a new Facebook update allowing group administrators to change their private groups to public while keeping members’ privacy protected. The company said the feature gives admins more flexibility to grow their communities without exposing existing private content.
All posts, comments, and reactions shared before the change will remain visible only to previous members, admins, and moderators. The member list will also stay private. Once converted, any new posts will be visible to everyone, including non-Facebook users, which helps discussions reach a broader audience.
Admins have three days to review and cancel the conversion before it becomes permanent. Members will be notified when a group changes its status, and a globe icon will appear when posting in public groups as a reminder of visibility settings.
Groups can be switched back to private at any time, restoring member-only access.
Meta said the feature supports community growth and deeper engagement while maintaining privacy safeguards. Group admins can also utilise anonymous or nickname-based participation options, providing users with greater control over their engagement in public discussions.
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