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ChatGPT search grows rapidly in Europe

ChatGPT search, the web-accessing feature within OpenAI’s chatbot, has seen rapid growth across Europe, attracting an average of 41.3 million monthly active users in the six months leading up to March 31.

It marks a sharp rise from 11.2 million in the previous six-month period, according to a regulatory filing by OpenAI Ireland Limited.

Instead of operating unnoticed, the service must now report this data under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which defines monthly recipients as users who actively view or interact with the platform.

Should usage cross 45 million, ChatGPT search could be classified as a ‘very large’ online platform and face stricter rules, including transparency obligations, user opt-outs from personalised recommendations, and regular audits.

Failure to follow DSA regulations could lead to serious penalties, up to 6% of OpenAI’s global revenue, or even a temporary ban in the EU for ongoing violations. The law aims to ensure online platforms operate more responsibly and with better oversight in the digital space.

Despite gaining ground, ChatGPT search still lags far behind Google, which handles hundreds of times more queries.

Studies have also raised concerns about the accuracy of AI search tools, with ChatGPT found to misidentify a majority of news articles and occasionally misrepresent licensed content from publishers.

Instead of fully replacing traditional search, these AI tools may still need improvement to become reliable alternatives.

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TSMC struggles to block chip exports to China

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has acknowledged it faces significant challenges in ensuring its advanced chips do not end up with sanctioned entities in China, despite tightening export controls.

The company admitted in its latest annual report that its position as a contract chipmaker limits its visibility into how and where its semiconductors are ultimately used.

Instead of directly selling finished products, TSMC manufactures chips for firms like Nvidia and Qualcomm, which are then integrated into a wide range of devices by third parties.

Α layered supply chain structure like this makes it difficult for the company to guarantee full compliance with export restrictions, especially when intermediaries may divert shipments intentionally.

TSMC halted deliveries to a customer last year after discovering one of its AI chips had been diverted to Huawei, a Chinese tech giant on the US sanctions list. The company promptly notified both Washington and Taipei and has since cooperated with official investigations and information requests.

The US continues to tighten restrictions on advanced chip exports to China, urging companies like TSMC and Samsung to apply stricter scrutiny.

Recently, Washington blacklisted 16 Chinese entities, including firms allegedly linked to the unauthorised transfer of TSMC chips. Despite best efforts, TSMC says there is no assurance it can completely prevent such incidents.

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Meta uses AI to spot teens lying about age

Meta has announced it is ramping up efforts to protect teenagers on Instagram by deploying AI to detect users who may have lied about their age. The technology will automatically place suspected underage users into Teen Accounts, even if their profiles state they are adults.

These special accounts come with stricter safety settings designed for users under 16. Those who believe they’ve been misclassified will have the option to adjust their settings manually.

Instead of relying solely on self-reported birthdates, Meta is using its AI to analyse behaviour and signals that suggest a user might be younger than claimed.

While the company has used this technology to estimate age ranges before, it is now applying it more aggressively to catch teens who attempt to bypass the platform’s safeguards. The tech giant insists it’s working to ensure the accuracy of these classifications to prevent mistakes.

Alongside this new AI tool, Meta will also begin sending notifications to parents about their children’s Instagram settings.

These alerts, which are sent only to parents who have Instagram accounts of their own, aim to encourage open conversations at home about the importance of honest age representation online.

Teen Accounts were first introduced last year and are designed to limit access to harmful content, reduce contact from strangers, and promote healthier screen time habits.

Instead of granting unrestricted access, these accounts are private by default, block unsolicited messages, and remind teens to take breaks after prolonged scrolling.

Meta says the goal is to adapt to the digital age and partner with parents to make Instagram a safer space for young users.

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Temu and Shein to raise US prices due to new tariffs

Fast fashion giants Temu and Shein have warned US shoppers to expect price hikes from next week, as sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports come into effect under Donald Trump’s trade policy.

Both companies will lose access to the ‘de minimis’ exemption, which has allowed packages under $800 to enter the US duty-free. That change, taking effect from 2 May, will significantly raise costs for low-cost retailers who depend on cheap cross-border shipments.

The tariffs, which now reach up to 145%, are part of Trump’s escalating trade war with China. His revised plans impose a tax of $75 per item, rising to $150 by June, for shipments that were previously exempt.

Shein has told customers its operating expenses have risen and prices will be adjusted from 25 April in an effort to maintain product quality while absorbing the new costs.

In response to the tariffs and likely slowdown in US demand, both companies have also scaled back digital advertising.

According to Sensor Tower, Temu’s average US ad spend across major platforms dropped by 31% over two weeks, while Shein’s spending fell 19%.

The tariffs are expected to reshape fast fashion in the US, though some experts believe prices may still remain competitive compared to domestic alternatives.

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Cash-only Tuvalu installs ATMs

Tuvalu has launched its first-ever ATMs, marking a major leap into electronic banking for the remote Pacific island nation.

At a ceremony in the village of Vaiaku on Funafuti, the National Bank of Tuvalu unveiled the machines, which are expected to transform how residents access their finances.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Feleti Teo, senior government officials, and community leaders, all celebrating a shift from Tuvalu’s long-standing reliance on cash.

Until now, Tuvalu’s 12,000 residents have conducted all banking in person, often queuing at the bank to collect wages or withdraw funds before closing time at 2pm.

With the introduction of five ATMs and 30 point-of-sale terminals, daily transactions will become more efficient, easing congestion and improving access to banking services, especially for those living on outer islands.

The bank partnered with Pacific Technologies Limited in Fiji to roll out the A$3m project, which initially supports only prepaid cards.

Plans are already under way to issue Tuvaluan debit cards and eventually offer Visa card capabilities for online and overseas use.

For now, the services are free while users adapt to the new system, as the country embraces a future of greater financial inclusion and digital access.

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Fake banking apps leave sellers thousands out of pocket

Scammers are using fake mobile banking apps to trick people into handing over valuable items without receiving any payment.

These apps, which convincingly mimic legitimate platforms, display false ‘successful payment’ screens in person, allowing fraudsters to walk away with goods while the money never arrives.

Victims like Anthony Rudd and John Reddock have lost thousands after being targeted while selling items through social media marketplaces. Mr Rudd handed over £1,000 worth of tools from his Salisbury workshop, only to realise the payment notification was fake.

Mr Reddock, from the UK, lost a £2,000 gold bracelet he had hoped to sell to fund a holiday for his children.

BBC West Investigations found that some of these fake apps, previously removed from the Google Play store, are now being downloaded directly from the internet onto Android phones.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute described this scam as an emerging threat, warning that in-person fraud is growing more complex instead of fading away.

With police often unable to track down suspects, small business owners like Sebastian Liberek have been left feeling helpless after being targeted repeatedly.

He has lost hundreds of pounds to fake transfers and believes scammers will continue striking, while enforcement remains limited and platforms fail to do enough to stop the spread of fraud.

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Gemini Live screensharing now free for all Android users

Google has announced that Gemini Live’s screen and camera sharing capabilities will now be free for all Android users through the Gemini app.

The AI feature, which enables the app to interpret and respond to real-time visuals from a device’s screen or camera, had initially launched exclusively for Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 users.

The company originally planned to restrict wider access to those subscribed to Gemini Advanced, but has now reversed that decision following strong user feedback. Google confirmed the broader rollout is beginning today and will continue over the coming weeks.

A promotional video released by the company demonstrates the feature in action, with a user pointing their phone camera at an aquarium while Gemini provides information about the marine life.

In a similar move, Microsoft has launched its own AI tool, Copilot Vision, for free via the Edge browser.

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Zoom service restored after major outage

Zoom has resumed normal service after a widespread outage left users unable to join meetings or access its website for nearly two hours.

The disruption began around 2:40PM ET and was visible on monitoring platforms like Cisco’s ThousandEyes, which showed a sharp drop in connectivity.

Many users reported seeing an ‘Unable to Connect’ message when trying to join meetings, while others were locked out entirely.

The company’s main website displayed a 502 Bad Gateway error, and even Zoom’s press email was unreachable.

Although the exact cause remains unconfirmed, a Reddit post suggested the issue may have stemmed from the domain being temporarily placed in a server hold, possibly due to DNS or verification problems.

The issue appeared to be resolved around 4:12PM ET, though some users experienced delays as DNS updates propagated across networks.

Zoom confirmed via X that service had been restored and thanked users for their patience. Further details from Zoom or its domain provider, GoDaddy, have yet to be released.

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OpenAI deploys new safeguards for AI models to curb biothreat risks

OpenAI has introduced a new monitoring system to reduce the risk of its latest AI models, o3 and o4-mini, being misused to create chemical or biological threats.

The ‘safety-focused reasoning monitor’ is built to detect prompts related to dangerous materials and instruct the AI models to withhold potentially harmful advice, instead of providing answers that could aid bad actors.

These newer models represent a major leap in capability compared to previous versions, especially in their ability to respond to prompts about biological weapons. To counteract this, OpenAI’s internal red teams spent 1,000 hours identifying unsafe interactions.

Simulated tests showed the safety monitor successfully blocked 98.7% of risky prompts, although OpenAI admits the system does not account for users trying again with different wording, a gap still covered by human oversight instead of relying solely on automation.

Despite assurances that neither o3 nor o4-mini meets OpenAI’s ‘high risk’ threshold, the company acknowledges these models are more effective at answering dangerous questions than earlier ones like o1 and GPT-4.

Similar monitoring tools are also being used to block harmful image generation in other models, yet critics argue OpenAI should do more.

Concerns have been raised over rushed testing timelines and the lack of a safety report for GPT-4.1, which was launched this week instead of being accompanied by transparency documentation.

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AMD warns of financial hit from US AI chip export ban

AMD has warned that new US government restrictions on exporting AI chips to China and several other countries could materially affect its earnings.

The company said it may face charges of up to $800 million related to unsold inventory, purchase commitments, and reserves if it fails to secure export licences for its MI308 GPUs, now subject to strict control measures.

In a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, AMD confirmed it would seek the necessary licences but admitted there is no guarantee they will be granted.

The move follows broader export restrictions aimed at protecting national security interests, with US officials arguing that unrestricted access to advanced chips would weaken the country’s strategic lead in AI, instead of preserving it.

AMD’s stock dropped around 6% following the announcement. Competitors are also feeling the impact. Nvidia expects charges of $5.5 billion from similar restrictions, and Intel’s Gaudi hardware line has reportedly been affected as well.

The US Commerce Department has defended the move as necessary to safeguard economic and national interests.

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