Digital identity has long focused on proving that the same person returns each time they log in. The function still matters, yet online representation increasingly happens through faces, voices and mannerisms embedded in media rather than credentials alone.
As synthetic media becomes easier to generate and remix, identity shifts from an access problem to a problem of media authenticity.
The ‘Own Your Face’ proposal by Denmark reflects the shift by treating personal likeness as something that should be controllable in the same way accounts are controlled.
Digital systems already verify who is requesting access, yet lack a trusted middle layer to manage what is being shown when media claims to represent a real person. The proxy model illustrates how an intermediary layer can bring structure, consistency and trust to otherwise unmanageable flows.
Efforts around content provenance point toward a practical path forward. By attaching machine-verifiable history to media at creation and preserving it as content moves, identity extends beyond login to representation.
Broad adoption would not eliminate deception, yet it would raise the baseline of trust by replacing visual guesswork with evidence, helping digital identity evolve for an era shaped by synthetic media.
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Visa survey data points to a significant shift in holiday shopping behaviour, with AI now embedded in everyday purchasing decisions. Nearly half of US consumers report using AI tools, mainly to discover gift ideas and compare prices more efficiently.
Digital currencies are also moving closer to the mainstream. More than one in four respondents would welcome cryptocurrency as a gift, while interest among Gen Z rises sharply. Expectations surrounding stablecoins are growing, with many consumers anticipating their wider adoption over the next decade.
Gen Z continues to lead adoption of digital-first commerce, favouring biometrics, social media shopping, overseas purchases and crypto payments.
Digital wallets are gaining parity with physical cards among younger shoppers, signalling a shift in payment method preferences.
Despite enthusiasm for new technologies, trust remains a central concern. Consumers still value human customer service and want clearer insight into how AI uses personal data, while concerns about online scams remain widespread during the holiday season.
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The US tech company OpenAI has rolled out a significant update to ChatGPT with the launch of GPT Images 1.5, strengthening its generative image capabilities.
A new model that produces photorealistic images using text prompts at speeds up to four times faster than earlier versions, reflecting OpenAI’s push to make visual generation more practical for everyday use.
Users can upload existing photos and modify them through natural language instructions, allowing objects to be added, removed, combined or blended with minimal effort.
OpenAI highlights applications such as clothing and hairstyle try-ons, alongside stylistic filters designed to support creative experimentation while preserving realistic visual quality.
The update also introduces a redesigned ChatGPT interface, including a dedicated Images section available via the sidebar on both mobile apps and the web.
GPT Images 1.5 is now accessible to regular users, while Business and Enterprise subscribers are expected to receive enhanced access and additional features in the coming weeks.
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Retailers face escalating cyber threats as hackers increasingly target customer data, eroding trust and damaging long-term brand value.
Deloitte warns that data breaches and ransomware attacks are becoming more frequent and costly, with some retailers facing losses reaching hundreds of millions, alongside declining consumer confidence.
The expansion of AI-driven personalisation has intensified privacy concerns, as customers weigh convenience against data protection.
While many shoppers accept sharing personal information in exchange for value, confidence depends on clear safeguards, transparent data use and credible security practices across digital channels.
Deloitte argues that leading retailers integrate cybersecurity into their core business strategy, rather than treating it as a compliance obligation.
Priorities include protecting critical digital assets, modernising security operations and building cyber-aware cultures capable of responding to AI-enabled fraud, preserving customer trust and sustaining revenue growth.
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Researchers found that some large language models can analyse language like a human linguistics graduate. The models diagram sentences, resolve ambiguities and process recursive structures, showing advanced metalinguistic abilities.
The study used specially crafted sentences and invented mini-languages to prevent memorisation. OpenAI’s o1 model correctly applied complex syntactic and phonological rules for entirely new languages.
Experts say the results challenge long-held assumptions about human uniqueness in language. The models have yet to produce original insights, but their reasoning skills match graduate-level performance.
Findings suggest AI may eventually surpass humans in linguistic analysis. Researchers believe continued progress will enable models to generalise better, learn from less data, and handle language creatively.
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Vietnam’s 5G network now reaches approximately 59 percent of the population, slightly over one year after commercial services launched in October 2024.
Government data presented at Internet Day 2025 show that Vietnam ranks 10th globally for fixed broadband speed and 15th for mobile broadband, reflecting rapid improvements in national connectivity.
Officials described the Internet as a second living space for citizens, with nearly 80 million users spending an average of seven hours online each day for work, education and social interaction.
Authorities highlighted that expanded 5G coverage supports the development of a digital economy, e-government services and a more connected digital society.
Alongside infrastructure growth, policymakers stressed the need for stronger digital trust.
Vietnam is shifting towards clearer legal frameworks instead of reliance on voluntary self-regulation, while prioritising cybersecurity, data governance and protection against online fraud, deepfakes and AI-driven deception to sustain long-term digital transformation.
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Leading AI researcher Yann LeCun has argued that large language models only simulate understanding rather than genuinely comprehending the world. Their intelligence, he said, lacks grounding in physical reality and everyday common sense.
Despite being trained on vast amounts of online text, LLMs struggle with unfamiliar situations, according to LeCun. Real-world experience, he noted, provides richer learning than language alone ever could.
Drawing on decades in AI research, LeCun warned that enthusiasm around LLMs mirrors earlier hype cycles that promised human-level intelligence. Similar claims have repeatedly failed to deliver since the 1950s.
Instead of further scaling language models, LeCun urged greater investment in ‘world models’ that can reason about actions and consequences. He also cautioned that current funding patterns risk sidelining alternative approaches to AI.
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AI is entering a new phase, with 2026 expected to mark a shift from experimentation to real-world collaboration. Microsoft executives describe AI as an emerging partner that amplifies human expertise rather than replacing it.
Microsoft says the impact is becoming visible across healthcare, software development, and scientific research. AI tools embedded in Microsoft products are supporting diagnosis, coding, and research workflows.
With the expansion of AI agents across all platforms, organisations are strengthening safeguards to manage new risks. Security leaders argue agents will require clear identities, restricted access, and continuous monitoring.
Microsoft also points to changes in the infrastructure powering AI. The company says future systems will prioritise efficiency and intelligence output, supported by distributed and hybrid cloud architectures.
Looking further ahead, the convergence of AI, supercomputing, and quantum technologies stands out as the main highlight. Hybrid approaches, the company says, are bringing practical quantum advantage closer for applications in materials science, medicine, and research.
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The UK government has formed a Women in Tech taskforce to help more women enter, remain and lead across the technology sector. Technology secretary Liz Kendall will guide the group alongside industry figures determined to narrow long-standing representation gaps highlighted by recent BCS data.
Members include Anne-Marie Imafidon, Allison Kirkby and Francesca Carlesi, who will advise ministers on boosting diversity and supporting economic growth. Leaders stress that better representation enables more inclusive decision-making and encourages technology built with wider perspectives in mind.
The taskforce plans to address barriers affecting women’s progression, ranging from career access to investment opportunities. Organisations such as techUK and the Royal Academy of Engineering argue that gender imbalance limits innovation, particularly as the UK pursues ambitious AI goals.
UK officials expect working groups to develop proposals over the coming months, focusing on practical steps that broaden the talent pool. Advocates say the initiative arrives at a crucial moment as emerging technologies reshape employment and demand more inclusive leadership.
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Africa cannot realistically compete with the massive capital and computing resources driving frontier AI research in the United States and China, and it does not need to do so.
Instead, Nicholas Okumu contends, the continent’s AI strategy should pivot toward building efficient, practical systems tailored to local needs, from healthcare triage tools in referral hospitals to agriculture, education and public finance solutions grounded in African contexts.
Large, resource-intensive models require infrastructure and ecosystems that most African nations cannot marshal, but smaller, efficient models can perform high-value, domain-specific tasks on ordinary hardware.
Drawing on events from innovation forums and real-world examples, the columnist argues that Africa’s historical experience of innovation under constraint positions it well to lead in relevant, efficient AI applications rather than replicating the ambitions of frontier labs.
The article outlines a three-phase pathway: first, building foundational datasets governed by national or regional frameworks; second, deploying AI where it can deliver transformative value; and third, scaling successful tools to regions with similar development constraints.
If this strategy is followed, the piece argues, African-designed AI systems, particularly those that work well in low-resource environments, could become globally valuable.
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