OpenAI has updated GPT-5.5 Instant to make ChatGPT conversations more natural, useful and responsive to user intent.
According to the company’s release notes, the update is designed to improve conversational quality, especially when users are making decisions, asking for advice, planning, researching options or shopping.
We have a new version of GPT-5.5 Instant for you, and it's much more fun to talk to.
Our most-used model is now better at understanding the intent behind a question and adapting its response accordingly.
It also handles complex constraints more reliably and makes shopping and…
OpenAI said GPT-5.5 Instant is now better at identifying the underlying goal behind a question and carrying context across multiple turns. The company also said the model follows complex instructions more reliably, including requests with several constraints or requirements.
The update is intended to make the model more adaptive during ongoing conversations. When users add constraints or push back on an answer, GPT-5.5 Instant should adjust its approach more effectively, rather than simply repeating its original response.
The change reflects a wider shift in consumer AI systems from one-off answer generation towards more context-aware and interactive assistance.
Why does it matter?
The update shows how competition in AI assistants is moving beyond raw accuracy and benchmark performance towards conversational quality. For everyday users, the ability to understand intent, track context, follow multiple constraints and respond well to feedback can determine whether AI tools feel genuinely useful in education, work, shopping, planning and customer support.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!
Australia’s Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency has published a paper on how higher education institutions can assure quality learning in a future shaped by generative AI.
The paper, ‘Assuring quality learning in a GenAI-integrated future: The role of adaptive capabilities’, argues that universities need to rethink how they define, assess and evidence student learning as generative AI becomes embedded in education.
The authors say generative AI and automated decision-making systems challenge traditional approaches to academic integrity and assessment. Rather than focusing only on securing final submissions, institutions should clarify what students need to learn in AI-integrated environments and how that learning can be demonstrated.
The paper identifies adaptive capabilities as central to graduate learning. These include digital literacy, distributed cognition, hybrid metacognition and life-long learning, grounded in disciplinary knowledge and supported by student agency and regulation.
The authors warn that narrow AI literacy may not be enough, as operational skills linked to current tools can quickly become outdated. Adaptive capabilities can help students evaluate new technologies, use AI ethically and continue learning as systems evolve.
The paper also highlights risks linked to generative AI, including overreliance on AI-generated explanations, reduced effortful learning and excessive cognitive offloading. It says higher education should preserve practices that support deeper learning, such as retrieval practice, spaced revision and generating answers before receiving explanations.
Assessment reform is a major theme. The paper calls for greater attention to evidence of learning processes rather than only to final products. Possible approaches include portfolios, learning journey documentation, reflective tasks, trace data and structured self-assessments.
TEQSA says the paper is not prescriptive and does not form part of its formal guidance notes. Instead, it is intended to support institutional thinking about how quality assurance may need to change as generative AI becomes a normal part of higher education.
Why does it matter?
Generative AI is weakening the reliability of product-based assessment, especially when final essays, reports, or problem solutions are produced or heavily shaped by AI tools. TEQSA’s focus on adaptive capabilities points towards a different quality assurance model: one that values student judgement, process evidence, ethical AI use and deep disciplinary understanding. That matters for universities because they will increasingly need to prove not only that students produced work, but that they learned, reasoned and exercised agency while using AI.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Li made the remarks during the opening plenary of the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as Summer Davos, in Dalian.
According to the Chinese government’s account of the speech, Li said China would work with other parties to strengthen institutional frameworks and rules, improve regulatory effectiveness and address potential AI risks.
He said AI has significantly improved innovation efficiency, but warned that risks linked to technological loss of control and ethical failures are becoming more pronounced.
Li said governance needs to keep pace with AI development, warning that the consequences could be severe if regulatory systems fail to keep to with the pace of technological change.
The remarks underline China’s continued effort to position itself as a participant in international AI governance debates, while also linking AI regulation to broader questions of innovation, economic development and global cooperation.
Why does it matter?
Li’s remarks show that AI governance remains part of China’s wider diplomatic and economic positioning. As frontier AI advances, governments are treating safety, ethics and regulatory coordination as strategic issues alongside competition over models, compute and industrial capacity. The speech does not introduce a new Chinese AI policy, but it reinforces Beijing’s message that global AI governance should involve international coordination rather than being shaped only by a few countries or companies.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) will honour 12 public sector initiatives at the 2026 UN Public Service Awards for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals through more inclusive, transparent and participatory public services.
The awards attracted more than 700 applications from 62 countries and recognise projects ranging from digital document verification and public procurement monitoring to improving education access and supporting coastal women.
According to UN DESA, several winning initiatives leverage digital government tools, information and communication technologies (ICTs) and AI to improve service delivery and strengthen public administration capacity.
The awards ceremony will be held during the UN Public Service Forum in Tbilisi, Georgia, following the commemoration of UN Public Service Day.
Why does it matter?
The awards highlight how governments are increasingly using digital technologies and AI to improve public service delivery, strengthen administrative capacity and advance sustainable development objectives. From digital verification systems to more transparent procurement processes, technology is becoming an important tool for making public institutions more efficient, accountable and accessible.
The initiative also demonstrates the growing role of digital transformation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. By recognising successful public-sector innovations from around the world, the awards provide examples of how governments can use technology to address social, economic and governance challenges while promoting inclusion, transparency and citizen participation.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The government argues that access to large-scale computing infrastructure is becoming essential for researchers, universities, startups and businesses seeking to develop advanced AI systems and remain competitive in an increasingly AI-driven economy.
The investment builds on Spain’s existing role within Europe’s supercomputing ecosystem. The country already hosts AI factories at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the Galician Supercomputing Center, while the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer has supported projects ranging from genomic research to climate and digital twin initiatives.
The funding also aims to strengthen Spain’s position in quantum technologies, an area increasingly viewed as strategically important for Europe’s long-term technological autonomy.
The announcement reflects a wider European push to expand sovereign computing capabilities as demand for AI training infrastructure grows worldwide.
By seeking to host an AI gigafactory, Spain hopes to attract investment, support innovation, strengthen domestic technological capabilities and position itself as a central player in Europe’s next-generation AI ecosystem.
Why does it matter?
Access to large-scale computing infrastructure is becoming a strategic prerequisite for advanced AI development. Training frontier AI models, running large-scale simulations and supporting scientific research require computing resources that are increasingly concentrated among a small number of global technology providers. Spain’s investment seeks to strengthen both national and European capacity in this critical area.
The announcement also reflects the EU’s broader push for technological sovereignty. By expanding domestic AI and supercomputing infrastructure, Europe aims to reduce dependence on foreign computing resources, support innovation ecosystems and ensure that advanced technologies are developed within frameworks aligned with European values, regulations and industrial priorities. The competition to host AI gigafactories is therefore as much about economic competitiveness and strategic autonomy as it is about computing power.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Premier Cho Jung-tai chaired the inaugural meeting of the Cabinet-level National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee on Tuesday, marking a formal step in Taiwan’s effort to shape its long-term AI strategy.
Cho said Taiwan should move beyond its traditional role as a manufacturing hub and become a model for AI development grounded in freedom, democracy and public trust. Central to this vision is the use of domestic datasets to build what the premier described as a secure, trustworthy, and responsible AI ecosystem.
The committee adopted seven guiding principles for responsible AI, covering sustainability and well-being, human autonomy, privacy and data governance, cybersecurity and safety, transparency and explainability, fairness and non-discrimination, and accountability. Education, healthcare, finance, and justice were designated as the initial sectors for demonstration, with ministries expected to gradually expand AI use into a broader ‘smart living’ ecosystem.
Under the AI Basic Act, government agencies are required to complete the necessary regulatory adjustments within two years. The Ministry of Digital Affairs has been tasked with developing a risk classification framework and coordinating audits across sectors, with particular attention to areas affecting fundamental rights such as education and employment.
Drawing on the model of chief sustainability officers, Cho called for the appointment of chief data officers across government ministries to strengthen data governance, open data initiatives and AI training datasets. Data governance, he stressed, must balance innovation with protections under existing personal data and copyright legislation.
The National Science and Technology Council was instructed to revise the draft national AI framework based on committee feedback before submitting it for Cabinet approval. Sector-specific governance rules will also be developed, with the Ministry of Digital Affairs responsible for guiding industries on AI risk assessments, governance measures and internal controls.
Why does it matter?
Taiwan’s strategy illustrates how AI policy is increasingly intertwined with questions of digital sovereignty, governance and democratic values. By emphasising trusted AI, domestic datasets and protections for privacy and fundamental rights, Taiwan is seeking to distinguish its approach from other models of AI governance while strengthening its technological competitiveness.
The initiative also moves beyond broad policy ambitions by establishing governance structures and implementation deadlines. The two-year timeline under the AI Basic Act, together with plans for sector-specific rules, risk classification and data governance reforms, will provide an early test of how effectively governments can translate high-level AI principles into practical regulation and public-sector adoption.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Chinese Premier Li Qiang said China’s AI sector has experienced ‘explosive growth’, citing significant performance improvements across multiple Chinese large language models.
Speaking at the opening plenary of the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, Li said daily token consumption across Chinese large language models had exceeded 100 trillion by the end of May, placing China among the world’s leading AI markets by usage.
Li also pointed to advances in embodied AI, saying the technology is beginning to move towards large-scale commercial deployment. The remarks came at the forum commonly known as Summer Davos, an annual gathering held in China focused on global economic and technological trends.
Li did not announce new policy measures or provide additional supporting data. His remarks nevertheless reinforce China’s broader narrative of rapid progress in AI model development and commercial deployment.
Why does it matter?
China’s remarks underscore the growing importance of AI as a strategic driver of economic competitiveness and technological leadership. Claims of daily token consumption exceeding 100 trillion suggest that large language models are being deployed at a significant scale, although the figures were presented by the Chinese government and were not independently verified.
The announcement also reflects intensifying global competition in AI. By highlighting advances in foundation models and embodied AI at a high-profile international forum, China is signalling its ambition to compete with other leading AI economies while showcasing progress in both AI research and commercial applications.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
As AI reshapes economies, societies, and governance systems worldwide, Geneva is increasingly emerging as one of the most important global centres for discussions on the future of digital technologies.
In a recent interview, Diplo Executive Director Jovan Kurbalija described Geneva as a place where multiple dimensions of AI governance intersect. From technical standards and international trade to human rights, humanitarian action, and diplomacy, the city hosts institutions and processes that shape how digital technologies are developed, governed, and used worldwide.
According to Kurbalija, a significant share of global discussions on AI and digital governance takes place within a relatively small area surrounding Geneva’s international district. The concentration of international organisations, diplomatic missions, standards-setting bodies, and expert communities has positioned the city as a unique meeting point for addressing the opportunities and challenges associated with AI.
A hub for global digital governance
Geneva’s importance in digital governance stems largely from the presence of international organisations whose work directly affects the digital ecosystem.
Among them is the World Trade Organization (WTO), which plays a role in shaping the global rules governing trade, supply chains, e-commerce, and the international movement of goods and services that underpin the digital economy. Decisions and discussions within the WTO influence the broader environment in which digital technologies are produced, exchanged, and deployed.
Another key institution is the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the UN specialised agency for information and communication technologies. ITU has long served as a forum for international cooperation on telecommunications and digital technologies, and today plays an increasingly prominent role in discussions related to AI and digital governance.
Although often invisible to users, technical standards play a fundamental role in ensuring interoperability, connectivity, and trust in digital systems. As AI technologies become more integrated into everyday life, standards are expected to play an increasingly important role in areas such as safety, transparency, and accountability.
From Frankenstein to AI: Geneva’s intellectual legacy
Kurbalija also highlighted a less visible but equally important dimension of Geneva’s role in AI governance, its intellectual and historical heritage.
He referred to what Diplo describes as the EspriTech de Genève, the intersection between technological developments and ideas that have emerged from thinkers associated with Geneva throughout history.
One of the most notable examples is Mary Shelley, who wrote Frankenstein near Lake Geneva in 1816. Often regarded as one of the earliest works of science fiction, the novel explores the relationship between creators and their creations, raising questions about responsibility, unintended consequences, and the limits of human control.
More than two centuries later, similar questions continue to shape contemporary debates on AI governance. Discussions surrounding increasingly capable AI systems frequently return to concerns about human oversight, accountability, and the potential consequences of technologies that may act in ways not fully anticipated by their creators.
Kurbalija also pointed to the work of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges, whose reflections on knowledge, information, and human cognition continue to resonate in an era characterised by large-scale data processing and machine-generated content.
The intellectual traditions associated with Geneva provide a broader context for understanding contemporary AI debates, linking present-day governance questions to longer-standing discussions about technology, knowledge, and humanity.
Geneva as a centre for AI diplomacy
Beyond its historical and institutional significance, Geneva has become an increasingly active venue for international discussions on AI governance.
The city hosts a growing number of meetings, conferences, and policy dialogues dedicated to the governance of AI and other emerging technologies. Among the most prominent is the annual AI for Good Summit, organised by ITU in partnership with other UN agencies and stakeholders. The event brings together governments, international organisations, researchers, private sector representatives, and civil society to explore the societal implications of AI and identify opportunities for international cooperation.
Geneva also hosts a range of other initiatives focused on AI governance, including policy dialogues, expert consultations, and multistakeholder discussions addressing issues such as human rights, health, humanitarian action, sustainable development, trade, and technical standards.
Image via freepik
According to Kurbalija, AI is now on the agenda of many international organisations based in Geneva. Whether addressing healthcare, humanitarian assistance, trade, education, telecommunications, or development, institutions increasingly examine how AI affects their respective mandates and policy objectives.
This growing presence reflects the recognition that AI is not solely a technological issue. Instead, it spans multiple policy domains, requiring coordination among technical experts, policymakers, diplomats, regulators, and affected communities.
Reducing ‘lost in translation’ in AI governance
As AI discussions become more widespread, one challenge frequently identified by policymakers and international organisations is the gap between technological developments and policy understanding.
Kurbalija argues that many stakeholders remain ‘lost in translation’ when trying to understand the implications of AI. Technical terminology, rapidly evolving technologies, and complex governance debates often create barriers for diplomats, policymakers, and officials who are expected to make decisions about AI despite not having technical backgrounds.
To address this challenge, Diplo combines research, capacity development, and practical experimentation.
The organisation conducts research on both the historical roots of AI-related thinking and contemporary governance challenges. At the same time, it develops tools and educational programmes designed to help policymakers better understand the technology and its implications.
A central component of this effort is Diplo’s AI Apprenticeship programme.
Rather than teaching AI solely through theory, the programme encourages participants to learn by building AI applications themselves. Diplomats and officials from different countries work directly with AI tools, gaining practical experience with concepts such as neural networks, large language models (LLMs), and AI systems development.
According to Kurbalija, direct engagement with AI technologies allows participants to move beyond abstract discussions and develop a more practical understanding of how these systems function and where their limitations lie.
Where technology meets humanity
Kurbalija described Geneva as a place where several distinct but interconnected forces converge.
The first is the technological dimension, represented by organisations working on telecommunications, standards, digital infrastructure, and emerging technologies.
The second is the historical and intellectual dimension, reflected in the ideas of thinkers associated with Geneva and the broader region, whose work continues to inform contemporary discussions about technology and society.
Image via Freepik
The third is the diplomatic dimension. Geneva remains one of the world’s most active centres of multilateral diplomacy, hosting permanent missions and representatives from nearly every country. Discussions in Geneva frequently shape global approaches to issues ranging from trade and humanitarian affairs to digital governance and AI.
The fourth is what Kurbalija describes as the human dimension. Many Geneva-based institutions focus on protecting and advancing human welfare through work on human rights, humanitarian action, health, labour, migration, and development.
Together, these dimensions create an environment in which technological innovation can be discussed alongside its social, ethical, economic, and political implications.
Looking ahead
As governments, international organisations, and societies continue to grapple with the opportunities and risks associated with AI, Geneva’s role as a centre for digital governance is likely to become increasingly significant.
The city’s unique combination of technical expertise, standards-setting institutions, diplomatic networks, and human-centred governance traditions provides a platform for addressing complex questions that no single actor or sector can solve alone.
For Kurbalija, this convergence of technology, diplomacy, and humanity represents one of Geneva’s defining characteristics. In a period marked by rapid technological change and growing uncertainty, the city continues to serve as a place where different perspectives can meet to shape the future of AI governance.
As debates around AI evolve, Geneva is likely to remain one of the key venues where those discussions are translated into international cooperation, governance frameworks, and practical solutions with global impact.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
The Children’s Rights Alliance has urged Irish authorities to strengthen protections for children against the risks posed by rapidly advancing AI technologies. The organisation argues that current regulatory efforts do not sufficiently protect young users from emerging digital risks.
The warning comes ahead of a parliamentary debate on the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill, which is intended to support the implementation of the EU AI Act in Ireland.
Government officials have presented the legislation as a step towards ensuring that AI is developed and deployed in an ethical, transparent and accountable manner while reinforcing Ireland’s position as a European digital regulatory hub.
However, the Children’s Rights Alliance has criticised the proposed framework, arguing that it does not explicitly recognise children as a vulnerable group requiring additional safeguards. The organisation also warned that inadequately regulated AI systems could contribute to harms, including deepfakes, online exploitation and the generation of child sexual abuse material.
Advocates are calling for policymakers to prioritise child safety over industry interests as Ireland prepares for its EU Council Presidency. The group is also hosting a discussion on AI accountability, emphasising the need for stronger protections in future regulation.
Why does it matter?
The debate highlights growing concerns that AI governance frameworks may not adequately address the specific risks faced by children. As generative AI tools become more accessible and capable, they can amplify existing online harms while creating new challenges related to deepfakes, manipulation, exploitation and exposure to harmful content.
The discussion also reflects a broader policy question about how vulnerable groups should be protected within emerging AI regulation. Whether children are explicitly recognised within legal frameworks could influence future requirements for risk assessments, safety measures, accountability mechanisms and platform responsibilities. As governments around the world implement AI governance regimes, child protection is increasingly becoming a key test of whether regulation can keep pace with technological change.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our chatbot!
Google has introduced Gemini for Science, a collection of AI experiments and tools designed to support scientific discovery across research fields.
The initiative includes three experimental tools on Google Labs. Hypothesis Generation, built with Co-Scientist, helps researchers define research challenges, generate hypotheses and evaluate them through a multi-agent process. Google said the tool uses an ‘idea tournament’ in which agents generate, debate and assess possible research directions, with claims supported by clickable citations.
Computational Discovery, built with AlphaEvolve and Empirical Research Assistance, is designed to generate and score large numbers of code variations in parallel. Google said the prototype could help scientists test modelling approaches in areas such as solar forecasting and epidemiology.
Literature Insights, built with NotebookLM, searches scientific literature and organises results into structured tables for side-by-side analysis. Researchers can use it to identify research gaps, synthesise findings across papers and create outputs such as reports, slide decks and audio or video overviews.
Google said access to the experiments will open gradually through Google Labs. The company is also bringing related capabilities to enterprise organisations through Google Cloud, with partners testing tools for pharmaceutical research, crop science, supply chain optimisation and work linked to the US Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission.
As part of Gemini for Science, Google is also launching Science Skills, a bundle that integrates more than 30 life science databases and tools, including UniProt, the AlphaFold Database, AlphaGenome API and InterPro. Google said the tools can support workflows such as structural bioinformatics and genomic analysis on agentic platforms such as Google Antigravity.
The company said it is working with more than 100 institutions to validate its scientific AI systems and has created a trusted tester community that includes PhD students, industry researchers and Nobel laureates.
The launch shows how major AI developers are moving from specialised scientific models towards broader agentic tools that support hypothesis generation, literature analysis and computational testing.
Why does it matter?
Gemini for Science points to a wider shift in AI-assisted research: AI systems are moving beyond literature search or single-task modelling towards multi-step scientific workflows. Such tools help researchers navigate large bodies of literature, test computational ideas faster and identify new hypotheses. But their value will depend on evidence quality, reproducibility, peer review and clear limits around what AI-generated scientific suggestions can and cannot prove.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
