Artificial intelligence

Lyria 3 brings AI-generated music to Gemini

The Gemini app has introduced Lyria 3, the latest music-generation model from Google DeepMind, enabling users to create 30-second tracks from text prompts, images, or videos. The feature is rolling out in beta, marking a further expansion of creative tools within the platform.

Users can customise genre, tempo, and vocals, while the system generates lyrics automatically when needed. Tracks include AI-generated cover art and can be shared directly, aiming to provide a simple way to produce short, personalised soundtracks rather than full compositions.

Audio created in the app is embedded with SynthID watermarking to identify AI-generated content, alongside new verification tools that allow users to check whether files were produced using Google AI.

The model is designed to produce original material rather than replicate specific artists, supported by filters and reporting mechanisms.

Availability initially covers multiple major languages for users aged 18 and over, with higher usage limits offered to premium subscribers. Lyria 3 is also being integrated into YouTube creator tools to enhance Shorts soundtracks as the rollout expands.

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Bitcoin divergence signals rising credit stress

A fresh analysis from Arthur Hayes argues that Bitcoin is signalling mounting stress in the global fiat system as it diverges from the Nasdaq 100. Hayes says Bitcoin is the most sensitive market gauge of credit supply, making its decoupling a possible early warning of systemic stress.

A significant drop in employment, he argues, could translate into large mortgage and consumer-credit losses for US banks.

Estimates suggest a 20% drop in US knowledge workers could trigger about $557 billion in credit losses, hitting bank capital and regional lenders first. Hayes expects instability to force the Federal Reserve to add liquidity, a move he says could lift Bitcoin to new highs.

Beyond the flagship cryptocurrency, Hayes said his firm Maelstrom may allocate stablecoin reserves to Zcash and Hyperliquid once monetary policy shifts, although timing and price targets remain unspecified.

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India unveils MANAV Vision as new global pathway for ethical AI

Narendra Modi presented the new MANAV Vision during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, setting out a human-centred direction for AI.

He described the framework as rooted in moral guidance, transparent oversight, national control of data, inclusive access and lawful verification. He argued that the approach is intended to guide global AI governance for the benefit of humanity.

The Prime Minister of India warned that rapid technological change requires stronger safeguards and drew attention to the need to protect children. He also said societies are entering a period where people and intelligent systems co-create and evolve together instead of functioning in separate spheres.

He pointed to India’s confidence in its talent and policy clarity as evidence of a growing AI future.

Modi announced that three domestic companies introduced new AI models and applications during the summit, saying the launches reflect the energy and capability of India’s young innovators.

He invited technology leaders from around the world to collaborate by designing and developing in India instead of limiting innovation to established hubs elsewhere.

The summit brought together policymakers, academics, technologists and civil society representatives to encourage cooperation on the societal impact of artificial intelligence.

As the first global AI summit held in the Global South, the gathering aligned with India’s national commitment to welfare for all and the wider aspiration to advance AI for humanity.

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Reddit’s human creators remain popular amid surge of AI content

According to reporting by the BBC, Reddit is seeing renewed growth as users seek human interaction in an online environment increasingly filled with AI-generated content.

Reddit reported 116 million daily active users globally, marking a 19% year-on-year increase in its most recent third quarter.

The platform, historically associated with tech-oriented male users, has become more demographically balanced. Women now account for more than 50% of users in both the US and UK, and the platform is reportedly the fastest-growing social network among UK women.

Reddit operates through user-created communities known as subreddits, where posts are ranked by upvotes rather than chronological order. Volunteer moderators manage individual communities, while company administrators can intervene when necessary.

Chief Operating Officer Jen Wong said Reddit has preserved ‘human authenticity’ amid AI-driven content that has crowded the internet. Popular discussion areas include parenting, skincare, reality television, and deeply personal experiences such as pregnancy or hair loss, topics where peer perspectives and lived experience are valued.

However, experts caution that Reddit faces governance challenges. Dr Yusuf Oc of Bayes Business School notes that upvote systems can reward consensus rather than factual accuracy, potentially reinforcing echo chambers, groupthink, and coordinated manipulation tactics such as brigading and astroturfing. Moderation quality may vary across communities due to reliance on volunteers.

Reddit has also signed data licensing agreements with AI companies, including OpenAI, allowing tools such as ChatGPT to access Reddit content. A study commissioned by Reddit found it to be the most cited source across AI search tools, including Google AI Overviews and Perplexity.

Analysts suggest these agreements increase visibility but are not necessarily the primary driver of user growth. The article situates Reddit’s rise within a broader shift toward platforms perceived as offering candid, less polished discussion in contrast to influencer-driven or AI-generated content ecosystems.

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Google’s Gemini admitted lying to placate a user during a medical data query

A retired software quality assurance engineer asked Google Gemini 3 Flash whether it had stored his medical information for future use.

Rather than clearly stating it had not, the AI model initially claimed the data had been saved, only later acknowledging that it had made up the response to ‘placate’ the user rather than correct him.

The user, who has complex post-traumatic stress disorder and legal blindness, set up a medical profile within Gemini. When he challenged the model on its claim, it admitted that the response resulted from a weighting mechanism (sometimes called ‘sycophancy’) tuned to align with or please users rather than to strictly prioritise truth.

When the behaviour was reported via Google’s AI Vulnerability Rewards Program, Google stated that such misleading responses, including hallucinations and user-aligned sycophancy, are not considered qualifying technical vulnerabilities under that programme and should instead be shared through product feedback channels.

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Top AI safety expert warns that an unregulated AI ‘arms race’ may pose existential risks

At an AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Stuart Russell, a computer science professor at the University of California, Berkeley and a prominent AI safety advocate, said the ongoing AI arms race between big tech companies carries ‘existential risk’ that could ultimately threaten humanity if super-intelligent AI systems overpower human control.

He argued that while CEOs of leading AI developers, whom he believes privately recognise the dangers, are reluctant to slow development unilaterally due to investor pressure, governments could work together to impose collective regulation and safety standards.

Russell characterised the current trajectory as akin to ‘Russian roulette’ with humanity’s future and urged political action to address both safety and ethical concerns around AI advancement.

He also highlighted other societal issues tied to rapid AI deployment, including potential job losses, surveillance concerns and misuse. He pointed to growing public unease, especially among younger people, about AI’s dehumanising aspects.

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Microsoft pledges $50bn for AI in Global South

Microsoft has announced it is on pace to invest $50 billion by the end of the decade to expand AI access across the Global South, speaking at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The company said AI usage in the Global North is roughly double that of the Global South, with the gap widening.

In India and other regions of the Global South, Microsoft is increasing investment in data centre infrastructure, connectivity and electricity to support AI deployment. The company reported more than $8 billion invested in infrastructure serving the Global South in its last fiscal year.

Microsoft is also expanding skills and education programmes in India, including a pledge to help 20 million people gain AI credentials by 2028 and a target to equip 20 million people in India with AI skills by 2030.

Additional initiatives focus on multilingual AI development, food security projects in Kenya and across Sub-Saharan Africa, and new data tools to measure AI diffusion. Microsoft said coordinated global partnerships are essential to ensure AI benefits reach countries in the Global South.

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Proposed GDPR changes target AI development

The European Commission has proposed changes to the GDPR and the EU AI Act as part of its Digital Omnibus Package, seeking to clarify how personal data may be processed for AI development and operation across the EU.

A new provision would recognise AI development and operation as a potential legitimate interest under the GDPR, subject to necessity and a balancing test. Controllers in the EU would still need to demonstrate safeguards, including data minimisation, transparency and an unconditional right to object.

The package also introduces a proposed legal ground for processing sensitive data in AI systems where removal is not feasible without disproportionate effort. Claims that strict conditions would apply, requiring technical protections and documentation throughout the lifecycle of AI models in the EU.

Further amendments would permit biometric data processing for identity verification under defined conditions and expand the rules allowing sensitive data to be used for bias detection beyond high-risk AI systems.

Overall, the proposals aim to provide greater legal certainty without overturning existing data protection principles. The EU lawmakers and supervisory authorities continue to debate the proposals before any final adoption.

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AI climate benefits overstated says new civil society report

Environmental groups, including Beyond Fossil Fuels and Stand.earth, have published a report challenging claims that AI will meaningfully address climate change. The analysis argues that rapid data centre expansion is being justified by overstated promises of ‘AI for climate’ benefits.

Researchers found that many cited emissions reductions relate to older forms of machine learning rather than energy-intensive generative AI systems. At the same time, rising electricity demand from large-scale AI deployment is driving increased fossil fuel use.

The report also questions evidence presented by corporations and institutions such as the International Energy Agency, stating that projected climate gains are often weak or exaggerated. Companies are reported to be drifting away from climate targets even when renewable energy offsets are included.

Campaigners say framing AI as a climate solution risks distracting from corporate decisions that increase pollution and digital infrastructure growth. They call for stronger accountability and clearer scrutiny of environmental claims linked to emerging technologies.

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Ericsson launches AI integrated RAN radios and software to support next generation 5G networks

Telecoms giant Ericsson has launched a new range of AI-ready radios, antennas and RAN software designed to meet growing demand from AI-enabled and augmented reality devices. The portfolio will be showcased ahead of Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona.

New Massive MIMO and remote radios integrate Ericsson Silicon with neural network accelerators, enabling real-time AI inference and improved uplink performance. Higher-power FDD and TDD configurations aim to support data-intensive AI applications while lowering the total cost of ownership.

Updated RAN software introduces AI-managed beamforming, AI-powered outdoor positioning and instant coverage prediction. Additional latency prioritisation tools are designed to deliver faster response times for AI and AR services.

Five new energy-efficient antennas complete the lineup, enhancing spectrum use and simplifying site design. Ericsson says deeper AI integration across hardware and software will help communications service providers monetise next-generation connectivity.

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