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Global AI adoption rises quickly but benefits remain unequal

Microsoft’s AI Economy Institute has released its 2025 AI Diffusion Report, detailing global AI adoption, innovation hubs, and the impact of digital infrastructure. AI has reached over 1.2 billion users in under three years, yet its benefits remain unevenly distributed.

Adoption rates in the Global North are roughly double those in the Global South, highlighting the risk of long-term inequalities.

AI adoption depends on strong foundational infrastructure, including electricity, data centres, internet connectivity, digital and AI skills, and language accessibility.

Countries with robust foundations- such as the UAE, Singapore, Norway, and Ireland- have seen rapid adoption, even without frontier-level model development. In contrast, regions with limited infrastructure and low-resource languages lag significantly, with adoption in some areas below 10%.

Ukraine exemplifies the potential for rapid AI growth, despite current disruptions from the war, with an adoption rate of 9.1%. Strategic investments in connectivity, AI skills, and language-inclusive solutions could accelerate recovery, strengthen resilience, and drive innovation.

AI is already supporting cybersecurity and helping businesses and organisations maintain operations amid ongoing challenges.

The concentration of AI infrastructure remains high, with the US and China hosting 86% of the global data centre capacity. A few countries dominate frontier AI development, yet the performance gap between leading models is narrowing.

Coordinated efforts across infrastructure, skills, and policy are crucial to ensure equitable access and maximise AI’s potential worldwide.

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Nvidia stake sale powers SoftBank’s $22.5bn OpenAI bet

SoftBank sold its entire Nvidia stake for $5.83 billion and part of its T-Mobile holding for $9.17 billion, raising cash for OpenAI. Alongside a margin loan on Arm, the proceeds fund a $22.5 billion commitment and other projects. Nvidia slipped 2%; SoftBank referred to it as asset monetisation, not a valuation call.

Executives said the goal is an investor opportunity with balance-sheet strength, including backing for ABB’s robotics deal. Analysts called the quarter’s funding need unusually large but consistent with an AI pivot. SoftBank said the sale recycles capital, not a retreat from Nvidia.

SoftBank has a history with Nvidia: the Vision Fund invested in 2017 and exited in 2019; group ventures still utilise its technology. Projects include the $500 billion Stargate data centre programme, built on accelerated computing. Shares remain volatile amid concerns about the AI bubble and questions regarding the timing of deployment.

Results reflected the shift, with $19 billion in Vision Fund gains helping to double profit in fiscal Q2. SoftBank says its OpenAI stake will rise from 4% to 11% after the recapitalisation, with scope to increase further. The group aims to avoid setting a controlling threshold while scaling exposure to AI.

Management stressed liquidity and shareholder access, flagging a four-for-one stock split and ‘very safe’ funding plans. Further portfolio monetisation is possible as it backs AI infrastructure and applications at scale. Investors will closely monitor execution risks and the timing of returns from OpenAI and its adjacent bets.

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MK1 joins AMD to accelerate enterprise AI and reasoning technologies

AMD has completed the acquisition of MK1, a California-based company specialising in high-speed inference and reasoning-based AI technologies.

The move marks a significant step in AMD’s strategy to strengthen AI performance and efficiency across hardware and software layers. MK1’s Flywheel and comprehension engines are designed to optimise AMD’s Instinct GPUs, offering scalable, accurate, and cost-efficient AI reasoning.

The MK1 team will join the AMD Artificial Intelligence Group, where their expertise will advance AMD’s enterprise AI software stack and inference capabilities.

Handling over one trillion tokens daily, MK1’s systems are already deployed at scale, providing traceable and efficient AI solutions for complex business processes.

By combining MK1’s advanced AI software innovation with AMD’s compute power, the acquisition enhances AMD’s position in the enterprise and generative AI markets, supporting its goal of delivering accessible, high-performance AI solutions globally.

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Deezer study shows most listeners cannot tell AI music from human tracks

A global study by Deezer and Ipsos highlights growing challenges and concerns around AI-generated music. Surveying 9,000 participants in eight countries, the study found that 97% could not distinguish between AI-generated music and human-created tracks.

Over half of the respondents reported discomfort at being unable to distinguish between the two.

The study also reveals strong support for transparency and fair treatment of artists. Eighty percent of respondents believe AI music should be clearly labelled, while most oppose using copyrighted material to train AI models.

Concerns over income losses are significant, with 70% saying AI tracks could threaten artists’ earnings, and nearly two-thirds fearing a reduction in creativity and musical quality.

Deezer now receives around 40,000 fully AI-generated tracks daily, representing over one-third of its daily uploads. To address transparency, the platform is the only streaming service to detect and label AI music clearly.

All AI tracks are excluded from algorithmic recommendations and editorial playlists, and manipulated streams are removed from royalty calculations.

The study marks a key moment for the music industry, stressing clear labelling, ethical AI use, and protecting artists’ livelihoods alongside innovation. Deezer’s proactive approach sets new industry standards for transparency and fairness in AI music streaming.

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Vision AI Companion turns Samsung TVs into conversational AI platforms

Samsung has unveiled the Vision AI Companion, an advanced conversational AI platform designed to transform the television into a connected household hub.

Unlike voice assistants meant for personal devices, the Vision AI Companion operates on the communal screen, enabling families to ask questions, plan activities, and receive visualised, contextual answers through natural dialogue.

Built into Samsung’s 2025 TV lineup, the system integrates an upgraded Bixby and supports multiple large language models, including Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity.

With its multi-AI agent platform, Vision AI Companion allows users to access personalised recommendations, real-time information, and multimedia responses without leaving their current programme.

It supports 10 languages and includes features such as Live Translate, AI Gaming Mode, Generative Wallpaper, and AI Upscaling Pro. The platform runs on One UI Tizen, offering seven years of software upgrades to ensure longevity and security.

By embedding generative AI into televisions, Samsung aims to redefine how households interact with technology, turning the TV into an intelligent companion that informs, entertains, and connects families across languages and experiences.

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Judges in Asia join UNESCO-led training on ethical AI in justice

Judges and justice officials from 11 countries across Asia are gathering in Bangkok for a regional training focused on AI and the rule of law. The event, held from 12 November to 14, 2025, is jointly organised by UNESCO, UNDP, and the Thailand Institute of Justice.

Participants will examine how AI can enhance judicial efficiency while upholding human rights and ethical standards.

The training, based on UNESCO’s Global Toolkit on AI and the Rule of Law for the Justice Sector, will help participants assess both the benefits and challenges of AI in judicial processes. Officials will address algorithmic bias, transparency, and accountability to ensure AI tools uphold justice.

AI technologies are already transforming case management, legal research, and court administration. However, experts warn that unchecked use may amplify bias or weaken judicial independence.

The workshop aims to strengthen regional cooperation and train officials to assess AI systems using legal and ethical principles. The initiative supports UN SDG 16 and advances UNESCO’s mission to promote moral, inclusive, and trustworthy governance of AI.

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Joint quantum partnership unites Canada and Denmark for global research leadership

Canada and Denmark have signed a joint statement to deepen collaboration in quantum research and innovation.

The agreement, announced at the European Quantum Technologies Conference 2025 in Copenhagen, reflects both countries’ commitment to advancing quantum science responsibly while promoting shared values of openness, ethics and excellence.

Under the partnership, the two nations will enhance research and development ties, encourage open data sharing, and cultivate a skilled talent pipeline. They also aim to boost global competitiveness in quantum technologies, fostering new opportunities for market expansion and secure supply chains.

Canadian Minister Mélanie Joly highlighted that the cooperation showcases a shared ambition to accelerate progress in health care, clean energy and defence.

Denmark’s Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund, described Canada as a vital partner in scientific innovation. At the same time, Minister Evan Solomon stressed the agreement’s role in empowering researchers to deliver breakthroughs that shape the future of quantum technologies.

Both Canada and Denmark are recognised as global leaders in quantum science, working together through initiatives such as the NATO Transatlantic Quantum Community.

A partnership that supports Canada’s National Quantum Strategy, launched in 2023, and reinforces its shared goal of driving innovation for sustainable growth and collective security.

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Winning the AI race means winning developers in China, says Huang of Nvidia

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said China is ‘nanoseconds’ behind the US in AI and urged Washington to lead by accelerating innovation and courting developers globally. He argued that excluding China would weaken the reach of US technology and risk splintering the ecosystem into incompatible stacks.

Huang’s remarks came amid ongoing export controls that bar Nvidia’s most advanced processors from the Chinese market. He acknowledged national security concerns but cautioned that strict limits can slow the spread of American tools that underpin AI research, deployment, and scaling.

Hardware remains central, Huang said, citing advanced accelerators and data-centre capacity as the substrate for training frontier models. Yet diffusion matters: widespread adoption of US platforms by global developers amplifies influence, reduces fragmentation, and accelerates innovation.

With sales of top-end chips restricted, Huang warned that Chinese firms will continue to innovate on domestic alternatives, increasing the likelihood of parallel systems. He called for policies that enable US leadership while preserving channels to the developer community in China.

Huang framed the objective as keeping America ahead, maintaining the world’s reliance on an American tech stack, and avoiding strategies that would push away half the world’s AI talent.

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Google flags adaptive malware that rewrites itself with AI

Hackers are experimenting with malware that taps large language models to morph in real time, according to Google’s Threat Intelligence Group. An experimental family dubbed PROMPTFLUX can rewrite and obfuscate its own code as it executes, aiming to sidestep static, signature-based detection.

PROMPTFLUX interacts with Gemini’s API to request on-demand functions and ‘just-in-time’ evasion techniques, rather than hard-coding behaviours. GTIG describes the approach as a step toward more adaptive, partially autonomous malware that dynamically generates scripts and changes its footprint.

Investigators say the current samples appear to be in development or testing, with incomplete features and limited Gemini API access. Google says it has disabled associated assets and has not observed a successful compromise, yet warns that financially motivated actors are exploring such tooling.

Researchers point to a maturing underground market for illicit AI utilities that lowers barriers for less-skilled offenders. State-linked operators in North Korea, I r an, and China are reportedly experimenting with AI to enhance reconnaissance, influence, and intrusion workflows.

Defenders are turning to AI, using security frameworks and agents like ‘Big Sleep’ to find flaws. Teams should expect AI-assisted obfuscation, emphasise behaviour-based detection, watch model-API abuse, and lock down developer and automation credentials.

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Courts signal limits on AI in legal proceedings

A High Court judge warned that a solicitor who pushed an expert to accept an AI-generated draft breache d their duty. Mr Justice Waksman called it a gross breach and cited a case from the latest survey.
He noted 14% of experts would accept such terms, which is unacceptable.

Updated guidance clarifies what limited judicial AI use is permissible. Judges may use a private ChatGPT 365 for summaries with confidential prompts. There is no duty to disclose, but the judgment must be the judge’s own.

Waksman cautioned against legal research or analysis done by AI. Hallucinated authorities and fake citations have already appeared. Experts must not let AI answer the questions they are retained to decide.

Survey findings show wider use of AI for drafting and summaries. Waksman drew a bright line between back-office aids and core duties. Convenience cannot trump independence, accuracy and accountability.

For practitioners, two rules follow. Solicitors must not foist AI-drafted expert opinions, and experts should refuse. Within courts, limited, non-determinative AI may assist, but outcomes must be human.

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