Artificial intelligence

OpenAI prepares ad rollout inside free ChatGPT service

Advertising is set to be introduced within the free ChatGPT service, signalling a shift in how the platform will be monetised as its user base continues to expand rapidly. The move reflects OpenAI’s plans to turn widespread adoption into a sustainable revenue stream.

The company confirmed that ad testing will begin in the coming weeks, with sponsored content shown at the bottom of relevant ChatGPT responses. OpenAI said advertisements will be clearly labelled and separated from organic answers.

ChatGPT now serves more than 800 million users globally, most of whom currently access the service at no cost. Despite the high valuation, the company has continued to operate at a loss while expanding its infrastructure and AI capabilities.

Advertising represents OpenAI’s latest effort to diversify income beyond paid subscriptions and enterprise services. Sponsored recommendations will be shown only when products or services are deemed relevant to the user’s ongoing conversation.

The shift places OpenAI closer to traditional digital platform business models, raising broader questions about how commercial incentives may shape conversational AI systems as they become central gateways to online information.

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Gemini 3 powers new conversational AI features across Google Search

Google has unveiled two major Search upgrades, making Gemini 3 the default model for AI Overviews and enabling smoother conversational AI interactions. The updates improve exploration of complex topics, enabling longer questions and more natural follow-up interactions.

Gemini 3 now powers AI Overviews directly within search results, delivering faster, more precise responses where AI assistance adds value. Users can move seamlessly from summaries into deeper, contextual conversations in AI Mode.

The enhanced experience combines quick snapshots with in-depth exploration, offering prominent links for further discovery. Testing shows that users favour fluid interactions that allow natural back-and-forth exchanges, improving clarity and efficiency across search journeys.

The rollout extends globally on mobile, enabling direct entry into AI Mode from AI Overviews. Google says the updates reflect its broader goal of making Search more intuitive, flexible, and capable of handling increasingly complex information needs.

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AI Plus subscription by Google expands to 35 new countries and territories

Google has expanded its AI subscription offering to 35 additional countries and territories, bringing Google AI Plus to all regions where its AI plans are currently available, including the United States.

The paid tier bundles access to advanced tools such as Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro in the Gemini app, alongside creative features in Flow and research assistance through NotebookLM.

Users also receive 200GB of cloud storage, with the option to share benefits across up to five family members, positioning the plan as both a productivity and household service.

Existing Google One Premium 2TB subscribers in newly supported markets will automatically gain access to Google AI Plus features in the coming days, according to the company.

In the US, pricing starts at $7.99 per month, with a limited-time offer providing a 50 percent discount for new subscribers during the first two months.

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China’s AI battle heats up with Moonshot AI’s Kimi 2.5 upgrade

Moonshot AI has released an upgraded version of its Kimi model, intensifying competition among China’s leading AI developers. The launch comes ahead of an anticipated major release from rival DeepSeek.

The new model, K2.5, can process text, images, and video within a single prompt. Moonshot said the system improves performance across benchmarks and strengthens coding capabilities.

Several AI firms in China have rolled out upgrades in recent weeks. Companies including Alibaba, Zhipu, and MiniMax have introduced new models focused on reasoning, images, and robotics.

Investment has surged alongside the technology push. Moonshot recently raised $500 million, while rivals secured more than $1 billion through listings and funding rounds.

Analysts say the rapid pace highlights mounting pressure across the Chinese AI sector. Smaller developers are struggling to keep up with rising costs and the pace of innovation.

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Facial recognition and AI power Android’s new theft protection upgrades

Android is rolling out expanded theft protection features aimed at reducing financial fraud and safeguarding personal data when smartphones are stolen, with new security controls now available across recent device versions.

The latest updates introduce stronger protections against unauthorised access, including tighter lockout rules after failed authentication attempts and broader biometric safeguards covering third-party apps such as banking services and password managers.

Recovery tools are also being enhanced, with remote locking now offering optional security challenges to ensure only verified owners can secure lost or stolen devices through web access.

For new Android devices activated in Brazil, AI-powered theft detection and remote locking are enabled by default, using on-device intelligence to identify snatch-and-run incidents and immediately lock the screen.

The expanded protections reflect a broader shift towards multi-layered mobile security, as device makers respond to rising phone theft linked to identity fraud, financial crime, and data exploitation.

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UK AI and coding school expands to Dubai

A UK-based AI and coding educator, The School of Coding and AI, has announced plans to open a £3 million campus in Dubai Media City, marking its expansion into the Middle East. The new site is scheduled to open in March, with student enrolment beginning in May, and will welcome learners from the UAE and international markets.

The expansion reflects the school’s ambition to become a global player in AI and computer science education, with the Gulf region identified as a key growth market. The move is supported by the UK Department for Business and Trade and aligns with wider efforts to strengthen UK–UAE cooperation in technology, education, and skills development.

The Dubai campus will offer flexible programmes in AI, computer science, and digital skills, aiming to upskill around 2,000 students and provide pathways to higher education. The initiative is intended to respond to growing regional demand for innovation-driven training and advanced digital capabilities.

The expansion of the School of Coding and AI underscores the growing importance of education exports and skills development in meeting global demand for AI talent.

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UNESCO ethics framework guides national AI roadmap in Lao PDR

Lao PDR has unveiled plans for a national AI strategy guided by UNESCO’s ethics framework to support responsible and inclusive digital development. The framework will inform policy design across governance, education, infrastructure, and economic transformation.

The assessment outlines Laos’ readiness to govern AI, noting progress in digital policy alongside gaps in access, skills, and research capacity. Officials stressed the need for homegrown AI solutions that respect culture, reduce inequality, and deliver broad social benefit.

UNESCO and the UN Country Team said the strategy aligns with Laos’ broader digital transformation goals under its 10th development plan. The initiative aims to improve coordination, increase R&D investment, and modernise education to support ethical AI deployment.

Lao PDR joins 77 countries worldwide using UNESCO’s tools to shape national AI policies, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable innovation, ethical governance, and inclusive growth as artificial intelligence becomes central to future development.

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Anthropic CEO warns of civilisation-level AI risk

Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has issued a stark warning that superhuman AI could inflict civilisation-level damage unless governments and industry act far more quickly and seriously.

In a forthcoming essay, Amodei argues humanity is approaching a critical transition that will test whether political, social and technological systems are mature enough to handle unprecedented power.

Amodei believes AI systems will soon outperform humans across nearly every field, describing a future ‘country of geniuses in a data centre’ capable of autonomous and continuous creation.

He warns that such systems could rival nation-states in influence, accelerating economic disruption while placing extraordinary power in the hands of a small number of actors.

Among the gravest dangers, Amodei highlights mass displacement of white-collar jobs, rising biological security risks and the empowerment of authoritarian governments through advanced surveillance and control.

He also cautions that AI companies themselves pose systemic risks due to their control over frontier models, infrastructure and user attention at a global scale.

Despite the severity of his concerns, Amodei maintains cautious optimism, arguing that meaningful governance, transparency and public engagement could still steer AI development towards beneficial outcomes.

Without urgent action, however, he warns that financial incentives and political complacency may override restraint during the most consequential technological shift humanity has faced.

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New AI model detects wide range of health risks via sleep analysis

Recent research indicates that AI applied to sleep pattern analysis can identify signals linked to over 130 health conditions, including heart disease, metabolic dysfunction and respiratory issues, from a single night’s sleep record.

By using machine learning to analyse detailed physiological data collected during sleep, AI models may reveal subtle patterns that correlate with existing or future health risks.

Proponents suggest that this technology could support early detection and preventative healthcare by offering a non-invasive way to screen for multiple conditions simultaneously, potentially guiding timely medical intervention.

However, clinicians stress that such AI tools should complement, not replace, formal medical evaluation and diagnosis.

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AI and robots join forces in NHS trial to improve cancer diagnosis

The NHS England has launched an innovative pilot project that uses AI software to rapidly analyse lung scans and flag suspect nodules, followed by a robotic bronchoscopy system that can reach deep lung spots previously hard to biopsy.

This approach could replace weeks of repeat scans and invasive procedures with a single targeted session, helping doctors diagnose or rule out cancer sooner.

The project, led at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, aims to support expanded national lung screening programmes and reduce health outcome inequalities by detecting cancers at an earlier, more treatable stage.

Officials describe the technology as a ‘glimpse of the future’ of cancer detection, while pilots will gather evidence on effectiveness and safety before wider rollout.

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