Access

Enterprise AI security evolves as Cisco expands AI Defense capabilities

Cisco has announced a major update to its AI Defense platform as enterprise AI evolves from chat tools into autonomous agents. The company says AI security priorities are shifting from controlling outputs to protecting complex agent-driven systems.

The update strengthens end-to-end AI supply chain security by scanning third-party models, datasets, and tools used in development workflows. New inventory features help organisations track provenance and governance across AI resources.

Cisco has also expanded algorithmic red teaming through an upgraded AI Validation interface. The system enables adaptive multi-turn testing and aligns security assessments with NIST, MITRE, and OWASP frameworks.

Runtime protections now reflect the growing autonomy of AI agents. Cisco AI Defense inspects agent-to-tool interactions in real time, adding guardrails to prevent data leakage and malicious task execution.

Cisco says the update responds to the rapid operationalisation of AI across enterprises. The company argues that effective AI security now requires continuous visibility, automated testing, and real-time controls that scale with autonomy.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

EMFA guidance sets expectations for Big Tech media protections

The European Commission has issued implementation guidelines for Article 18 of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), setting out how large platforms must protect recognised media content through self-declaration mechanisms.

Article 18 has been in effect for 6 months, and the guidance is intended to translate legal duties into operational steps. The European Broadcasting Union welcomed the clarification but warned that major platforms continue to delay compliance, limiting media organisations’ ability to exercise their rights.

The Commission says self-declaration mechanisms should be easy to find and use, with prominent interface features linked to media accounts. Platforms are also encouraged to actively promote the process, make it available in all EU languages, and use standardised questionnaires to reduce friction.

The guidance also recommends allowing multiple accounts in one submission, automated acknowledgements with clear contact points, and the ability to update or withdraw declarations. The aim is to improve transparency and limit unilateral moderation decisions.

The guidelines reinforce the EMFA’s goal of rebalancing power between platforms and media organisations by curbing opaque moderation practices. The impact of EMFA will depend on enforcement and ongoing oversight to ensure platforms implement the measures in good faith.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

US lawsuits target social media platforms for deliberate child engagement designs

A landmark trial has begun in Los Angeles, accusing Meta and Google’s YouTube of deliberately addicting children to their platforms.

The case is part of a wider series of lawsuits across the US seeking to hold social media companies accountable for harms to young users. TikTok and Snap settled before trial, leaving Meta and YouTube to face the allegations in court.

The first bellwether case involves a 19-year-old identified as ‘KGM’, whose claims could shape thousands of similar lawsuits. Plaintiffs allege that design features were intentionally created to maximise engagement among children, borrowing techniques from slot machines and the tobacco industry.

A trial that may see testimony from executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and could last six to eight weeks.

Social media companies deny the allegations, emphasising existing safeguards and arguing that teen mental health is influenced by numerous factors, such as academic pressure, socioeconomic challenges and substance use, instead of social media alone.

Meta and YouTube maintain that they prioritise user safety and privacy while providing tools for parental oversight.

Similar trials are unfolding across the country. New Mexico is investigating allegations of sexual exploitation facilitated by Meta platforms, while Oakland will hear cases representing school districts.

More than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, with TikTok facing claims in over a dozen states. Outcomes could profoundly impact platform design, regulation and legal accountability for youth-focused digital services.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!  

EU telecom simplification at risk as Digital Networks Act adds extra admin

The ambitions of the EU to streamline telecom rules are facing fresh uncertainty after a Commission document indicated that the Digital Networks Act may create more administrative demands for national regulators instead of easing their workload.

The plan to simplify long-standing procedures risks becoming more complex as officials examine the impact on oversight bodies.

Concerns are growing among telecom authorities and BEREC, which may need to adjust to new reporting duties and heightened scrutiny. The additional requirements could limit regulators’ ability to respond quickly to national needs.

Policymakers hoped the new framework would reduce bureaucracy and modernise the sector. The emerging assessment now suggests that greater coordination at the EU level may introduce extra layers of compliance at a time when regulators seek clarity and flexibility.

The debate has intensified as governments push for faster network deployment and more predictable governance. The prospect of heavier administrative tasks could slow progress rather than deliver the streamlined system originally promised.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!  

EU faces pressure to boost action on health disinformation

A global health organisation is urging the EU to make fuller use of its digital rules to curb health disinformation as concerns grow over the impact of deepfakes on public confidence.

Warnings point to a rising risk that manipulated content could reduce vaccine uptake instead of supporting informed public debate.

Experts argue that the Digital Services Act already provides the framework needed to limit harmful misinformation, yet enforcement remains uneven. Stronger oversight could improve platforms’ ability to detect manipulated content and remove inaccurate claims that jeopardise public health.

Campaigners emphasise that deepfake technology is now accessible enough to spread false narratives rapidly. The trend threatens vaccination campaigns at a time when several member states are attempting to address declining trust in health authorities.

The EU officials continue to examine how digital regulation can reinforce public health strategies. The call for stricter enforcement highlights the pressure on Brussels to ensure that digital platforms act responsibly rather than allowing misleading material to circulate unchecked.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!  

Discord expands teen-by-default protection worldwide

Discord is preparing a global transition to teen-appropriate settings that will apply to all users unless they confirm they are adults.

The phased rollout begins in early March and forms part of the company’s wider effort to offer protection tailored to younger audiences rather than relying on voluntary safety choices. Controls will cover communication settings, sensitive content and access to age-restricted communities.

The update is based on an expanded age assurance system designed to protect privacy while accurately identifying users’ age groups. People can use facial age estimation on their own device or select identity verification handled by approved partners.

Discord will also rely on an age-inference model that runs quietly in the background. Verification results remain private, and documents are deleted quickly, with users able to appeal group assignments through account settings.

Stricter defaults will apply across the platform. Sensitive media will stay blurred unless a user is confirmed as an adult, and access to age-gated servers or commands will require verification.

Message requests from unfamiliar contacts will be separated, friend-request alerts will be more prominent and only adults will be allowed to speak on community stages instead of sharing the feature with teens.

Discord is complementing the update by creating a Teen Council to offer advice on future safety tools and policies. The council will include up to a dozen young users and aims to embed real teen insight in product development.

The global rollout builds on earlier launches in the UK and Australia, adding to an existing safety ecosystem that includes Teen Safety Assist, Family Centre, and several moderation tools intended to support positive and secure online interactions.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!  

Educators turn to AI despite platform fatigue

Educators in the US are increasingly using AI to address resource shortages, despite growing frustration with fragmented digital platforms. A new survey highlights rising dependence on AI tools across schools and universities in the US.

The study found many educators in the US juggle numerous digital systems that fail to integrate smoothly. Respondents said constant switching between platforms adds to workload pressures and burnout in the US education sector.

AI use in the US is focused on boosting productivity, with educators applying tools to research, writing and administrative tasks. Many also use AI to support student learning as budgets tighten in the US.

Concerns remain in the US around data security, ethics and system overload. Educators said better integration between AI and learning tools could ease strain and improve outcomes in the US classroom.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Shadow AI becomes a new governance challenge for European organisations

Employees are adopting generative tools at work faster than organisations can approve or secure them, giving rise to what is increasingly described as ‘shadow AI‘. Unlike earlier forms of shadow IT, these tools can transform data, infer sensitive insights, and trigger automated actions beyond established controls.

For European organisations, the issue is no longer whether AI should be used, but how to regain visibility and control without undermining productivity, as shadow AI increasingly appears inside approved platforms, browser extensions, and developer tools, expanding risks beyond data leakage.

Security experts warn that blanket bans often push AI use further underground, reducing transparency and trust. Instead, guidance from EU cybersecurity bodies increasingly promotes responsible enablement through clear policies, staff awareness, and targeted technical controls.

Key mitigation measures include mapping AI use across approved and informal tools, defining safe prompt data, and offering sanctioned alternatives, with logging, least-privilege access, and approval steps becoming essential as AI acts across workflows.

With the EU AI Act introducing clearer accountability across the AI value chain, unmanaged shadow AI is also emerging as a compliance risk. As AI becomes embedded across enterprise software, organisations face growing pressure to make safe use the default rather than the exception.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Super Bowl 2026 ads embrace the AI power

AI dominated the 2026 Super Bowl advertising landscape as brands relied on advanced models instead of traditional high-budget productions.

Many spots showcased AI as both the creative engine behind the visuals and the featured product, signalling a shift toward technology-centred storytelling during the most expensive broadcast event of the year.

Svedka pursued a provocative strategy by presenting a largely AI-generated commercial starring its robot pair, a choice that reignited arguments over whether generative tools could displace human creatives.

Anthropic went in a different direction by using humour to mock OpenAI’s plan to introduce advertisements to ChatGPT, a jab that led to a pointed response from Sam Altman and fuelled an online dispute.

Meta, Amazon and Google used their airtime to promote their latest consumer offerings, with Meta focusing on AI-assisted glasses for extreme activities and Amazon unveiling Alexa+, framed through a satirical performance by Chris Hemsworth about fears of malfunctioning assistants.

Google leaned toward practical design applications instead of spectacle, demonstrating its Nano Banana Pro system transforming bare rooms into personalised images.

Other companies emphasised service automation, from Ring’s AI tool for locating missing pets to Ramp, Rippling and Wix, which showcased platforms designed to ease administrative work and simplify creative tasks.

Hims & Hers adopted a more social approach by highlighting the unequal nature of healthcare access and promoting its AI-driven MedMatch feature.

The variety of tones across the adverts underscored how brands increasingly depend on AI to stand out, either through spectacle or through commentary on the technology’s expanding cultural power.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Study shows AI-enabled digital stethoscope boosts cardiac screening accuracy

Researchers have found that an AI-enabled digital stethoscope significantly improves the detection of moderate-to-severe valvular heart disease in primary care compared with traditional auscultation. The prospective study was published in the European Heart Journal Digital Health.

In the trial, the AI-assisted device achieved a sensitivity of 92.3 percent for audible valvular disease, more than double the 46.2 percent recorded using standard stethoscopes. The system identified twice as many previously undiagnosed moderate-to-severe cases.

The study involved 357 patients aged 50 and over with cardiovascular risk factors and no known valvular disease. Participants underwent routine clinician examination, along with AI-supported phonocardiogram analysis, with echocardiography used for confirmation.

While specificity was lower for the AI tool, researchers said the technology is intended to support screening rather than replace clinical judgement. Earlier identification could enable faster referral for echocardiography and treatment.

Authors cautioned that increased false positives may raise referral volumes and healthcare costs, highlighting the need for further evaluation. Despite limitations, the findings suggest AI augmentation could strengthen early cardiac screening in primary care settings.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!