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Cyber incident disrupts services at Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer has confirmed that a cyberattack has disrupted food availability in some stores and forced the temporary shutdown of online services. The company has not officially confirmed the nature of the breach, but cybersecurity experts suspect a ransomware attack.

The retailer paused clothing and home orders on its website and app after issues arose over the Easter weekend, affecting contactless payments and click-and-collect systems. M&S said it took some systems offline as a precautionary measure.

Reports have linked the incident to the hacking group Scattered Spider, although M&S has declined to comment further or provide a timeline for the resumption of online orders. The disruption has already led to minor product shortages and analysts anticipate a short-term hit to profits.

Still, M&S’s food division had been performing strongly, with grocery spending rising 14.4% year-on-year, according to Kantar. The retailer, which operates around 1,000 UK stores, earns about one-third of its non-food sales online. Shares dropped earlier in the week but closed Tuesday slightly up.

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Premium subscribers on X to get 4K video upload option

X is introducing support for 4K video uploads for select creators, aiming to enhance engagement and reduce reliance on rival platforms like YouTube.

The company announced that premium subscribers will soon gain access to this high-resolution feature, expanding beyond the existing 1080p limit.

Since Elon Musk acquired the platform, X has steadily increased video upload limits to encourage richer content sharing. Earlier this year, the company launched a vertical video feed with a dedicated shortcut in its mobile apps.

The move comes amid speculation around a potential TikTok ban in the US, offering X an opportunity to gain traction with video-focused users. X has not yet confirmed whether the current upload size or duration restrictions will change.

These updates reflect X’s broader push to position itself as a viable destination for video creators. By offering higher-quality uploads and a streamlined viewing experience, the platform aims to retain users and attract content from elsewhere

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Trump administration eyes overhaul of Biden-era AI chip export rules

The Trump administration is reviewing a Biden-era rule that restricts global access to US-made advanced AI chips, with discussions underway to eliminate the current tiered system that governs chip exports, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The existing rule, known as the Framework for Artificial Intelligence Diffusion, was introduced by the US Department of Commerce in January and is set to take effect on 15 May.

It divides the world into three groups: trusted allies (like the EU and Taiwan) with unlimited access, Tier 2 countries with chip quotas, and restricted countries such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.

Officials are considering replacing this structure with a global licensing regime based on government-to-government agreements—aligning with Donald Trump’s broader trade strategy of negotiating bilateral deals and using US-made chips as leverage.

Other possible changes include tightening export thresholds: under current rules, orders under the equivalent of 1,700 Nvidia H100 chips only require notification, not a licence. The new proposal could reduce that threshold to around 500 chips.

Supporters of the change argue it would increase US bargaining power and simplify enforcement. Critics, however, warn that scrapping the tier system may complicate compliance and drive countries toward Chinese chip alternatives.

Tech firms such as Oracle and Nvidia, along with several US lawmakers, have criticised the current framework, saying it risks harming American competitiveness and pushing international buyers toward cheaper, unregulated Chinese substitutes.

The Commerce Department declined to comment.

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Amazon launches first Kuiper satellites to challenge Starlink

Amazon has launched the first 27 satellites of its Project Kuiper broadband network into low-Earth orbit, marking a major step in its $10bn plan to deliver global internet coverage and rival Elon Musk’s Starlink.

The satellites were launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, after weather delays earlier this month. They are the first of over 3,200 that Amazon intends to deploy, with the aim of reaching underserved and remote areas around the world.

Project Kuiper, announced in 2019, has been slow to get off the ground. Amazon must deploy at least half its satellite constellation—1,618 units—by mid-2026 to meet US regulatory requirements, though analysts expect the company to seek an extension.

The launch puts Amazon into direct competition with SpaceX, which has already deployed over 8,000 Starlink satellites and serves more than 5 million users across 125 countries.

While SpaceX dominates the sector, Amazon hopes its strengths in cloud computing and consumer devices will give Kuiper an edge.

Jeff Bezos said he expects both Kuiper and Starlink to succeed, citing strong global demand for satellite internet. Kuiper consumer terminals will sell for under $400 and come in various sizes, including one comparable to a Kindle.

Amazon has booked 83 future launches with partners including ULA, Arianespace, and Bezos’s Blue Origin, making it the biggest satellite launch programme in history.

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UK refuses to include Online Safety Act in US trade talks

The UK government has ruled out watering down the Online Safety Act as part of any trade negotiations with the US, despite pressure from American tech giants.

Speaking to MPs on the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, the parliamentary under-secretary for online safety, stated unequivocally that the legislation was ‘not up for negotiation’.

‘There have been clear instructions from the Prime Minister,’ she said. ‘The Online Safety Act is not part of the trade deal discussions. It’s a piece of legislation — it can’t just be negotiated away.’

Reports had suggested that President Donald Trump’s administration might seek to make loosening the UK’s online safety rules a condition of a post-Brexit trade agreement, following lobbying from large US-based technology firms.

However, Baroness Jones said the legislation was well into its implementation phase and that ministers were ‘happy to reassure everybody’ that the government is sticking to it.

The Online Safety Act will require tech platforms that host user-generated content, such as social media firms, to take active steps to protect users — especially children — from harmful and illegal content.

Non-compliant companies may face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover, whichever is greater. In extreme cases, platforms could be blocked from operating in the UK.

Mark Bunting, a representative of Ofcom, which is overseeing enforcement of the new rules, said the regulator would have taken action had the legislation been in force during last summer’s riots in Southport, which were exacerbated by online misinformation.

His comments contrasted with tech firms including Meta, TikTok and X, which claimed in earlier hearings that little would have changed under the new rules.

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NotebookLM expands podcast-style summaries

Google has significantly upgraded its NotebookLM platform by expanding the Audio Overviews feature to support more than 50 languages.

Previously available only in English, the tool now allows users to generate audio summaries in various languages, making it easier to consume complex or untranslated content. These AI-generated summaries are styled like a podcast and feature two artificial hosts discussing selected material.

NotebookLM is aimed at helping users study and synthesise information from different sources. With the latest update, people can now listen to summaries of foreign-language research papers or long-form English content in their preferred language.

A new ‘Output Language’ option also enables users to switch between languages on demand, making it easier to create or consume multilingual material. Although the added language support is currently limited to NotebookLM, Google says similar features will come to Google Docs in the coming months.

The functionality is particularly useful for learners who want to improve their language comprehension by listening to familiar content in a new language. NotebookLM remains free to use, while NotebookLM Plus is available for those on the Google One AI Premium plan.

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OpenAI’s CEO Altman confirms rollback of GPT-4o after criticism

OpenAI has reversed a recent update to its GPT-4o model after users complained it had become overly flattering and blindly agreeable. The behaviour, widely mocked online, saw ChatGPT praising dangerous or clearly misguided user ideas, leading to concerns over the model’s reliability and integrity.

The change had been part of a broader attempt to make GPT-4o’s default personality feel more ‘intuitive and effective’. However, OpenAI admitted the update relied too heavily on short-term user feedback and failed to consider how interactions evolve over time.

In a blog post published Tuesday, OpenAI said the model began producing responses that were ‘overly supportive but disingenuous’. The company acknowledged that sycophantic interactions could feel ‘uncomfortable, unsettling, and cause distress’.

Following CEO Sam Altman’s weekend announcement of an impending rollback, OpenAI confirmed that the previous, more balanced version of GPT-4o had been reinstated.

It also outlined steps to avoid similar problems in future, including refining model training, revising system prompts, and expanding safety guardrails to improve honesty and transparency.

Further changes in development include real-time feedback mechanisms and allowing users to choose between multiple ChatGPT personalities. OpenAI says it aims to incorporate more diverse cultural perspectives and give users greater control over the assistant’s behaviour.

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Big Tech accused of undue influence over EU AI Code

The European Commission is facing growing criticism after a joint investigation revealed that Big Tech companies had disproportionate influence over the drafting of the EU’s Code of Practice on General Purpose AI.

The report, published by Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl, claims firms such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and OpenAI were granted privileged access to shaping the voluntary code, which aims to help companies comply with the upcoming AI Act.

While 13 Commission-appointed experts led the process and over 1,000 participants were involved in feedback workshops, civil society groups and smaller stakeholders were largely side-lined.

Their input was often limited to reacting through emojis on an online platform instead of engaging in meaningful dialogue, the report found.

The US government also waded into the debate, sending a letter to the Commission opposing the Code. The Trump administration argued the EU’s digital regulations would stifle innovation.

Critics meanwhile say the EU’s current approach opens the door to Big Tech lobbying, potentially weakening the Code’s effectiveness just as it nears finalisation.

Although the Code was due in early May, it is now expected by June or July, just before new rules on general-purpose AI tools come into force in August.

The Commission has yet to confirm the revised timeline.

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Trump eases auto tariffs amid industry concerns

President Donald Trump has signed executive orders easing his controversial 25% tariffs on automobiles and parts, aiming to relieve pressure on carmakers struggling with rising costs.

The move follows warnings from manufacturers and analysts that the tariffs could inflate prices, harm domestic production and slow the industry’s recovery. Trump framed the measure as a temporary bridge, allowing automakers time to shift more manufacturing into the US instead of facing harsh penalties.

The changes include a short-term rebate system tied to the proportion of foreign parts used in vehicles assembled domestically. Automakers have been told they’ll have two years of reduced levies, giving them time to reconfigure supply chains and invest in new US-based facilities.

Officials claim announcements on job creation and plant expansion are expected soon, with companies like Stellantis, Ford, and GM praising the policy shift as a step toward competitiveness rather than an immediate fix.

However, some experts warn that the industry needs stability instead of unpredictable policy swings. They argue that relocating production takes years and billions in investment, not mere months.

With vehicle prices already high and supply chains stretched, economists question whether the tariff adjustments can offset the broader economic risks posed by Trump’s wider trade strategy.

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4chan returns after major cyberattack

After suffering what it called a ‘catastrophic’ cyberattack earlier this month, controversial image board 4chan has returned online, admitting its systems were breached through outdated software.

The attacker, reportedly using a UK-based IP address, gained entry by uploading a malicious PDF, allowing access to 4chan’s database and administrative dashboard. The intruder exfiltrated source code and sensitive data before vandalising the site, which led to its temporary shutdown on 14 April.

Although 4chan avoided directly naming the software vulnerability, it indirectly confirmed suspicions that a severely outdated backend—possibly an old version of PHP—was at fault. The site confessed that slow progress in updating its infrastructure resulted from a chronic lack of funds and technical support.

It blamed years of financial instability on advertisers, payment processors, and providers pulling away under external pressure, leaving it dependent on second-hand hardware and a stretched, largely volunteer development team.

Despite purchasing new servers in mid-2024, the transition was slow and incomplete, meaning key services still ran on legacy equipment when the breach occurred. Following the attack, 4chan replaced the compromised server and implemented necessary software updates.

PDF uploads have been suspended, and the Flash board permanently closed due to the difficulty in preventing similar exploits through .swf files.

Now relying on volunteer tech workers to support its recovery efforts, the site insists it won’t be shut down. ‘4chan is back,’ it declared, claiming no other site could replace its unique community, despite long-standing criticism over its content and lax moderation.

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