Google’s AI chatbot Gemini has surpassed 750 million monthly users, signalling rapid consumer adoption, according to fourth-quarter 2025 earnings. The figure jumped from 650 million in the previous quarter, reinforcing Gemini’s rapid expansion in the generative AI market.
Competitive positioning remains solid. Meta AI has nearly 500 million users, while ChatGPT leads globally with about 810 million. Ongoing product upgrades and ecosystem integration across Google services have sustained Gemini’s growth momentum.
Gemini 3 has driven adoption, with Google calling it its most advanced model, offering deeper reasoning and more nuanced responses. Leadership called the release a key growth driver, with further investment and updates expected to sustain expansion.
Broader AI demand is also lifting Alphabet’s financial performance. Annual revenue has topped $400 billion for the first time, driven by enterprise API demand and infrastructure growth, including the Ironwood TPU rollout.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Medical AI promises faster analysis, more accurate pattern detection, and continuous availability, yet most systems still struggle to perform reliably in real clinical environments beyond laboratory testing.
Researchers led by Marinka Zitnik at Harvard Medical School identify contextual errors as a key reason why medical AI often fails when deployed in hospitals and clinics.
Models frequently generate technically sound responses that overlook crucial factors, such as medical speciality, geographic conditions, and patients’ socioeconomic circumstances, thereby limiting their real-world usefulness.
The study argues that training datasets, model architecture, and performance benchmarks must integrate contextual information to prevent misleading or impractical recommendations.
Improving transparency, trust, and human-AI collaboration could allow context-aware systems to support clinicians more effectively while reducing harm and inequality in care delivery.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Indian Railways has deployed an AI powered Rail Robocop at Visakhapatnam Railway Station in India to strengthen passenger security. The system is designed to patrol platforms and monitor crowds in Visakhapatnam.
The robot, named ASC Arjun, uses facial recognition to compare live images with a database of known criminals in India. Officials said the system recently identified a suspect during routine surveillance in Visakhapatnam.
Once a match was detected, the AI system sent an instant alert to the Railway Protection Force CCTV control room in Visakhapatnam. Officers were able to respond quickly using the automated notification.
Authorities in India say the Rail Robocop will support human staff rather than replace them. Similar AI deployments are expected at other major railway stations in India following trials in Visakhapatnam.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Cape Town is preparing to introduce AI-assisted cameras to monitor motorists for cellphone use and seatbelt violations. Approval is awaited from the National Director of Public Prosecutions before the technology can be fully deployed.
Similar systems have been in operation in Australia for several years, where drivers face fines and demerit points for offences. Authorities report a noticeable decline in illegal phone use, showing that AI can effectively influence driver behaviour.
The cameras allow law enforcement to focus on other priorities instead of constantly monitoring mobile phone offences. Each AI-detected violation is reviewed by a human before fines are issued, adding a layer of accuracy and transparency.
Motorists retain the right to request camera images if they believe fines were unfairly applied. The Australian model demonstrates that combining technology with human oversight can improve road safety while maintaining accountability for drivers.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
AI investment is not showing signs of a speculative bubble, according to the Alibaba Group chairman. Instead, he argued at the World Governments Summit in Dubai that current spending is driven by expectations of sustained growth in future computing demand rather than short-term market hype.
At the same time, capital expenditure on AI infrastructure is accelerating rapidly as hyperscalers and model developers expand their capacity. As a result, major companies have almost doubled their annual spending, while projections indicate that global AI-related investment will surpass $500 billion this year and continue to rise.
Moreover, continued confidence in AI scaling laws is reinforcing this investment momentum. Consequently, funding is increasingly channelled towards inference-time scaling to enhance reasoning and accuracy, as well as towards multimodal AI systems that generate video and images and require significant GPU resources.
However, despite strong belief in long-term demand, financial returns remain uncertain. In this context, the Alibaba group chairman noted that many companies are still struggling to clearly demonstrate return on investment, underscoring the tension between long-term AI strategies and short-term financial accountability.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Carbon Robotics has introduced a new artificial intelligence system designed to identify plant species in real time, changing how weeds are managed in agriculture. The model allows farmers to decide what should be removed directly in the field without retraining machines.
Called the Large Plant Model, the system is trained on more than 150 million plant images gathered from farms across 15 countries. The technology now powers Carbon AI, which controls the company’s autonomous LaserWeeder robots.
Earlier systems required new data labelling whenever unfamiliar weeds appeared or conditions changed. With the new model, farmers can instantly flag unwanted plants through the robot interface, even if the species has never been seen before.
Carbon Robotics says continuous data from its machines will further improve accuracy over time. Backed by more than $185 million in funding, the company aims to scale AI-driven weed control while reducing reliance on herbicides.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Fresh investment is fuelling Polaron’s ambition to become the intelligence layer for materials science. The London startup raised $8 million to scale its AI platform and expand deployments across automotive, energy and advanced manufacturing.
Founded after seven years of research at Imperial College London, Polaron applies AI to one of manufacturing’s toughest challenges. Its models analyse microscopy images and material performance data to show how processing affects structure and behaviour.
Engineers are already using the platform to speed up analysis that once took thousands of hours. Early commercial projects, including battery electrode design, have delivered energy density gains of more than 10 per cent.
The company is now focusing on generative materials design to explore optimal configurations. The approach aims to shorten the path from laboratory research to large-scale, reliable manufacturing.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Zoom is repositioning hybrid offices as intelligent work environments through Zoom Spaces, its AI-first workplace platform for collaboration and space management that gives IT teams centralised oversight while providing employees with consistent tools for meetings, scheduling, and in-office coordination.
New agentic AI features extend Zoom Spaces beyond room booking into proactive workplace assistance. Workspace Reservation now recommends optimal meeting spaces during overlaps, while upcoming voice commands for Zoom Rooms will enable hands-free meeting control and task capture.
Zoom says intelligent offices reduce friction caused by inconsistent technology, double bookings, and disconnected tools. By unifying scheduling and collaboration experiences, the platform aims to streamline movement between remote and in-person work.
The company is also expanding its ecosystem, allowing organisations to run Zoom Meetings on Cisco Rooms and integrate professional production tools through partners such as Vizrt. The strategy focuses on flexibility while maintaining consistent user experiences.
Additional upgrades include premium media capabilities for high-frame-rate video and improved mobile Workspace Reservation features. Zoom says these enhancements position Zoom Spaces as a next-generation hybrid workplace platform built around adaptive AI collaboration.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Artificial intelligence is transforming car design by generating rapid concept images and exploring new ideas in seconds. Designers can test colours, materials, and forms faster than with traditional sketches.
AI excels at designing components, creating mood boards, and supporting research, yet it struggles with originality. Industry leaders emphasise that developing entirely new models still requires human imagination and creativity.
Many manufacturers have developed internal AI systems trained on their own designs to protect intellectual property. These tools help designers experiment with combinations they might not have considered, offering fresh perspectives while keeping confidential data secure.
While AI is unlikely to replace human designers, it has become an essential tool for staying competitive. By combining computational speed with creative vision, design teams can enhance efficiency, inspire innovation, and explore ideas beyond traditional limits.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Electronic Arts has entered a multi year partnership with Stability AI to develop generative AI tools for game creation. The collaboration will support franchises such as The Sims, Battlefield and Madden NFL.
The company said the partnership centres on customised AI models that give developers more control over creative processes. Electronic Arts invested in Stability AI during its latest funding round in October.
Executives at Electronic Arts said concerns about job losses are understandable across the gaming industry. The company views AI as a way to enhance specific tasks and create new roles rather than replace staff.
Stability AI said similar technologies have historically increased demand for skilled workers. Electronic Arts added that active involvement in AI development helps the industry adapt rather than react to disruption.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
