OpenAI has reported new instances of its models being exploited in online scams and coordinated information campaigns. The company detailed actions to remove offending accounts and strengthen safeguards, highlighting misuse in fraud and deceptive content creation.
Several cases involved romance and ‘task’ scams, in which AI-generated messages built emotional engagement before requesting payment. One network, dubbed ‘Operation Date Bait,’ used chatbots to promote a fictitious dating service targeting young men in Indonesia.
Another, ‘Operation False Witness,’ saw actors posing as legal professionals to solicit advance fees for non-existent recovery services.
The report also outlined coordinated campaigns leveraging AI to produce articles, social media posts, and comments on geopolitical topics. In ‘Operation Trolling Stone,’ AI-generated content on a Russian arrest in Argentina was shared widely in multiple languages to mimic grassroots engagement.
OpenAI stressed that AI was sometimes used, but reach and account size largely drove engagement.
The company continues monitoring misuse and collaborates with partners and authorities to curb fraudulent or deceptive activity. Systems have been updated to decline policy-violating requests, and not all suspicious content online was generated using its tools.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Efforts to secure a foothold in Europe have led Binance to select Greece as its entry point for operating under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. A licence would let the exchange offer services across the European Union when the rules take effect in July 2026.
Strategic considerations outweigh speed in the decision. Co-chief executive Richard Teng cited workforce quality, safety, and long-term growth potential as decisive factors, even though several larger EU economies have already issued more licences.
Regulatory attention continues to shape the company’s trajectory. Founder Changpeng Zhao remains a shareholder, as leadership says reforms aim to make the platform one of the most regulated exchanges globally.
Expansion plans unfold amid turbulent market conditions. Bitcoin’s prices remain well below last year’s highs, dampening retail sentiment, yet institutional participation has remained resilient, supporting liquidity amid volatility.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Researchers at Kyoto University have presented an AI robot monk designed to assist with religious ceremonies and spiritual guidance. The prototype, revealed at Shoren-in temple, demonstrates how robotics and faith traditions may coexist.
Equipped with an AI system based on Buddhist scriptures, the robot answers questions about personal struggles and wider social concerns. During a demonstration, it offered reflective advice while performing gestures such as bowing and placing its palms together.
Developers combined a chatbot powered by modern language technology with movements from an existing humanoid robot built by a Chinese manufacturer. Careful programming aimed to reproduce calm behaviour associated with traditional monks.
Japan faces a gradual decline in the number of active temples and clergy, encouraging the exploration of technological support within religious life. Project leaders believe the AI monk could represent a significant shift in preserving spiritual services for future communities.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Brewer Heineken has appointed Romain Apert as chief digital and technology officer, placing AI at the forefront of efforts to simplify operations and drive transformation. He will join the company’s executive team on 15 May.
Apert joins from Mars, where he served as chief information officer for the petcare division, bringing extensive experience in global technology leadership. He succeeds Ronald den Elzen, who leaves the company after a 31-year career.
The appointment forms part of Heineken’s strategy to use technology and data to streamline processes and strengthen efficiency across the business. AI is expected to play a central role in supporting these ambitions.
Company leadership views digital innovation as essential to future growth as the brewer continues modernising its operations worldwide. The transition marks a new phase in embedding technology deeper into Heineken’s organisational strategy.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
At the Nikkei Digital Forum in Asia 2026, held in Vietnam, local technology company Namitech showcased its AI-powered translation platform to deliver real-time language support for delegates, speakers and international attendees.
The system aimed to automatically translate speeches and discussions across languages such as Vietnamese, English and Japanese, enhancing accessibility and communication in a multilingual business context.
Namitech’s AI solution combines speech-to-text, natural language processing and translation models to provide near-instant interpretation, reducing reliance on traditional human interpreters and lowering language barriers at high-profile forums.
Organisers and participants highlighted the convenience and effectiveness of the tool, noting smoother engagement for non-native speakers and more inclusive participation.
The deployment reflects broader regional interest in AI-driven language technologies to support business, diplomacy and cross-border collaboration in Asia.
It also highlights Vietnam’s growing role in domestic AI development and its integration into international platforms, aligning with efforts to adopt digital tools that facilitate global dialogue and economic integration.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Peter Steinberger, creator of the viral AI agent OpenClaw and now at OpenAI, urged developers to approach AI experimentation with curiosity rather than rigid plans. On the Builders Unscripted podcast, he said progress often comes from exploration rather than expertise.
He said OpenClaw began without a roadmap. Early tests included a WhatsApp integration he paused, expecting major labs to build similar tools. When that did not happen, he developed his own prototype and refined it through real-world use.
Using the tool in low-connectivity environments helped clarify its value. Through trial and iteration, he observed how modern AI models can generate workable solutions without explicit programming, reshaping how developers think about problem-solving and workflows.
He cautioned that coding with AI is a skill that requires practice. Comparing it to learning guitar, Steinberger said early frustration is common, but persistence leads to improved intuition and efficiency over time.
Steinberger argued that developers who focus on solving problems and creating useful tools will remain in demand. Treating AI as a collaborative instrument rather than a shortcut, he said, is essential in a rapidly shifting technology landscape.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A federal judge in Texas has preliminarily approved a $177 million settlement resolving claims that AT&T failed to safeguard consumer data in two separate breaches. The company denies wrongdoing but agreed to establish compensation funds covering affected customers nationwide.
The agreement creates two non-reversionary funds: $149 million for individuals whose personal data appeared on the dark web, and $28 million for customers whose call and text logs were accessed. It covers a March 2024 breach and a separate incident between May 2022 and early 2023.
Eligible class members may submit claims for cash payments, with amounts depending on the number of valid submissions, and may also receive up to 24 months of credit monitoring. The deadline to opt out or object is 17 October 2025, with a final approval hearing set for 3 December 2025.
Legal and administrative costs, attorneys’ fees, and service awards will be paid from the settlement funds. The case resolves claims brought on behalf of all living US residents whose data was exposed in the two AT&T breaches.
The settlement follows other recent legal challenges facing AT&T, including class actions filed by New York pensioners alleging the company misled investors about the environmental impact of its lead-sheathed cables.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
According to industrial technology reporting, AI is being integrated across factory floor operations to improve efficiency, safety and productivity. Key applications include predictive maintenance, quality inspection, workflow optimisation and human-AI collaboration tools.
Machine learning models analyse sensor data from equipment (motors, conveyors, robots) to forecast failures before they occur, reducing unplanned downtime and lowering maintenance costs. Computer vision AI inspects products at high speed, detecting defects with greater accuracy than human inspection and enabling real-time corrective action.
AI systems analyse production workflows to identify bottlenecks, recommend adjustments to schedules and resource allocation, and help balance workload across stations. Augmented reality and AI assistants support factory workers with contextual guidance, safety alerts and hands-free documentation during complex tasks.
Manufacturers adopting these systems report gains in production reliability, reduced scrap rates and more flexible responsiveness to demand variability. However, the report notes challenges around data quality, legacy equipment integration and workforce upskilling.
Ensuring that AI tools are transparent and explainable for operators, rather than opaque ‘black box’ systems, is also highlighted as necessary for trust and operational safety.
These trends reflect a broader shift toward ‘smart factories’ within the framework of Industry 4.0, where digital tools across hardware, networks, data analytics and AI collaborate to support lean, adaptive and resilient manufacturing systems.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
In 2027, Geneva will host the AI Summit at a pivotal moment in the global race to shape AI. Previous summits reflected the character of their hosts. Bletchley Park focused on existential risk, Seoul on innovation and security, Paris on economic and societal impact, and New Delhi on development and inclusion.
Switzerland now has the opportunity to define the next chapter by promoting a practical, balanced, and human-centred approach to AI.
At the heart of Switzerland’s potential contribution is a model built on innovation, governance, and subsidiarity. The country’s strong innovation culture favours grounded, low-hype solutions that address real needs, as illustrated by open-source initiatives such as the multilingual Apertus language model.
But Swiss thinking goes beyond technology alone, recognising that meaningful AI progress also requires advances in education, management, and disciplines such as law, philosophy, linguistics, and the arts.
On governance, Switzerland is well placed to encourage a pragmatic approach. Rather than creating entirely new rules, much of AI’s impact can be addressed through existing frameworks on trade, human rights, intellectual property, and security, provided they are effectively implemented.
As home to numerous international organisations, Geneva offers a natural venue for aligning AI with established global institutions. At the same time, Switzerland’s tradition of bottom-up policymaking ensures that citizens remain part of the conversation.
The principle of subsidiarity, which holds that decisions be made as close as possible to the people affected, adds another dimension. In an era when AI power is concentrated in a handful of global platforms, Switzerland can champion more distributed models that anchor AI development in local communities.
By linking technology to local knowledge, culture, and economic life, AI can become a tool that empowers citizens rather than centralising control.
Trust, institutions, and multilateral cooperation will also be central themes on the road to 2027. Public confidence in AI has been shaken by alarmist narratives and fears of job loss, disinformation, and monopolisation.
Switzerland’s high-trust political culture and lean but effective institutions provide a model for rebuilding confidence through transparency and accountability. Strengthening, rather than sidelining, international organisations and equipping them with AI tools to enhance participation and legitimacy could help ensure that global governance keeps pace with technological change.
Ultimately, the Geneva AI Summit has the potential to mark a shift from polarised debates about doom or blind acceleration towards a mature conversation about how AI can serve humanity in concrete ways. By combining innovation with ethical reflection, sovereignty with interdependence, and global cooperation with local empowerment, Switzerland could help set a steady and credible course for the next phase of AI transformation.
Diplo’s role
Diplo is positioning itself as an active contributor to the road to the 2027 Geneva AI Summit by combining research, training, and practical policy engagement. Drawing on decades of experience in internet governance and digital diplomacy, Diplo approaches AI not as an abstract technological race, but as a policy and societal challenge that requires informed, inclusive, and realistic responses.
Through its humAInism methodology, Diplo situates AI within a broader human context, linking technology with philosophy, sociology, law, and diplomacy to ensure that innovation remains anchored in human values.
Beyond analysis, Diplo focuses on capacity development. Its AI Apprenticeship model promotes learning-by-doing, enabling diplomats, civil society representatives, and professionals to build AI skills through hands-on engagement.
At the same time, Diplo monitors global AI policy developments through the Digital Watch Observatory and develops practical tools, such as AI-supported reporting and knowledge preservation systems, to strengthen institutional memory and multilateral processes.
In this way, Diplo aims not only to observe the AI transformation but to help shape it in a way that is informed, inclusive, and fit for the realities of global governance.
First AI Tuesday of the Month
As preparations for the 2027 Geneva AI Summit gather pace, engagement will be key. One practical way to join the conversation is through the ‘First AI Tuesday of the Month’ luncheon series. These informal networking and briefing sessions bring together diplomats, experts, and practitioners to explore three core AI vectors shaping Geneva today. Those vectors are the road to the AI Summit, evolving governance dynamics, and the latest technological developments.
The next session takes place on Tuesday at 13:00, offering participants an opportunity to exchange ideas, build connections, and contribute to a more informed and inclusive AI debate. By marking the first Tuesday of each month in their calendars, stakeholders can take an active step on the Road to Geneva 2027 and help shape a balanced and forward-looking AI agenda.
Researchers at MIT have introduced a system designed to close the gap between imaginative AI designs and everyday-use objects.
The tool, known as MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory’s PhysiOpt, combines generative AI with physics simulations to produce 3D models that are both visually appealing and structurally reliable.
Generative models often produce complex shapes that fail in real-world use due to instability or material limitations. PhysiOpt uses finite element analysis to stress-test designs and identify weak points, while preserving their intended look and function.
Users can input an item, its load, and material, letting the system optimise designs like cups or hooks in seconds. Researchers say the system works faster than other methods while creating more realistic, 3D-print-ready designs.
Development continues with plans to automate constraint prediction and improve manufacturing compatibility. The project, supported by the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, was presented at SIGGRAPH Asia, highlighting its potential to streamline the path from concept to physical product.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
