Capacity development

Altman shares first glimpse of GPT-5 via Pantheon screenshot

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared a screenshot on X showing GPT-5 in action. The post casually endorsed the animated sci-fi series Pantheon, a cult tech favourite exploring general AI.

When asked if GPT-5 also recommends the show, Altman replied with a screenshot: ‘turns out yes’. It marked one of the earliest public glimpses of the new model, hinting at expanded capabilities.

GPT-5 is expected to outperform its predecessors, with a larger context window, multimodal abilities, and more agentic task handling. The screenshot also shows that some quirks remain, such as its fondness for the em dash.

The model identified Pantheon as having a 100% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and described it as ‘cerebral, emotional, and philosophically intense’. Business Insider verified the score and tone of the reviews.

OpenAI faces mounting pressure to keep pace with rivals like Google DeepMind, Meta, xAI, and Anthropic. Public teasers such as this one suggest GPT-5 will soon make a broader debut.

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AI’s transformation of work habits, mindset and lifestyle

At Mindvalley’s AI Summit, former Google Chief Decision Scientist Cassie Kozyrkov described AI as not a substitute for human thought but a magnifier of what the human mind can produce. Rather than replacing us, AI lets us offload mundane tasks and focus on deeper cognitive and creative work.

Work structures are being transformed, not just in factories, but behind computer screens. AI now handles administrative ‘work about work,’ multitasking, scheduling, and research summarisation, lowering friction in knowledge work and enabling people to supervise agents rather than execute tasks manually.

Personal life is being reshaped, too. AI tools for finance or health, such as budgeting apps or personalised diagnostics, move decisions into data-augmented systems with faster insight and fewer human biases.

Meanwhile, creativity is co-authored via AI-generated design, music or writing, requiring humans to filter, refine and ideate beyond the algorithm.

Recognising cognitive change, AI thought leaders envision a new era where ‘blended work’ prevails: humans manage AI agents, call the shots, and wield ethical oversight, while the AI executes pipelines of repetitive or semi-intelligent tasks.

Scholars warn that this model demands new fairness, transparency, and collaboration skills.

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Hackers infiltrate Southeast Asian telecom networks

A cyber group breached telecoms across Southeast Asia, deploying advanced tracking tools instead of stealing data. Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42 assesses the activity as ‘associated with a nation-state nexus’.

A hacking group gained covert access to telecom networks across Southeast Asia, most likely to track users’ locations, according to cybersecurity analysts at Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42.

The campaign lasted from February to November 2024.

Instead of stealing data or directly communicating with mobile devices, the hackers deployed custom tools such as CordScan, designed to intercept mobile network protocols like SGSN. These methods suggest the attackers focused on tracking rather than data theft.

Unite42 assessed the activity ‘with high confidence’ as ‘associated with a nation state nexus’. The Unit notes that ‘this cluster heavily overlaps with activity attributed to Liminal Panda, a nation state adversary tracked by CrowdStrike’; according to CrowdStrike, Liminal Panda is considered to be a ‘likely China-nexus adversary’. It further states that ‘while this cluster significantly overlaps with Liminal Panda, we have also observed overlaps in attacker tooling with other reported groups and activity clusters, including Light Basin, UNC3886, UNC2891 and UNC1945.’

The attackers initially gained access by brute-forcing SSH credentials using login details specific to telecom equipment.

Once inside, they installed new malware, including a backdoor named NoDepDNS, which tunnels malicious data through port 53 — typically used for DNS traffic — in order to avoid detection.

To maintain stealth, the group disguised malware, altered file timestamps, disabled system security features and wiped authentication logs.

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The US considers chip tracking to prevent smuggling to China

The US is exploring how to build better location-tracking into advanced chips, as part of an effort to prevent American semiconductors from ending up in China.

Michael Kratsios, a senior official behind Donald Trump’s AI strategy, confirmed that software or physical updates to chips are being considered to support traceability.

Instead of relying on external enforcement, Washington aims to work directly with the tech industry to improve monitoring of chip movements. The strategy forms part of a broader national plan to counter smuggling and maintain US dominance in cutting-edge technologies.

Beijing recently summoned Nvidia representatives to address concerns over American proposals linked to tracking features and perceived security risks in the company’s H20 chips.

Although US officials have not directly talked with Nvidia or AMD on the matter, Kratsios clarified that chip tracking is now a formal objective.

The move comes even as Trump’s team signals readiness to lift certain export restrictions to China in return for trade benefits, such as rare-earth magnet sales to the US.

Kratsios criticised China’s push to lead global AI regulation, saying countries should define their paths instead of following a centralised model. He argued that the US innovation-first approach offers a more attractive alternative.

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AI tools like Grok 4 may make developers obsolete, Musk suggests

Elon Musk has predicted a major shift in software development, claiming that AI is turning coding from a job into a recreational activity. The xAI CEO believes AI has removed much of the ‘drudgery’ from writing software.

Replying to OpenAI President Greg Brockman, Musk compared the future of coding to painting. He suggested that software creation will be more creative and expressive, no longer requiring professional expertise for functional outcomes.

Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, left the organisation after a public dispute with the current CEO, Sam Altman. He later launched xAI, which now operates the Grok chatbot as a rival to ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude.

Generative AI firms are accelerating efforts in automated coding. OpenAI recently launched Codex to create a cloud-based software engineering agent, while Microsoft released GitHub Spark AI to generate apps from natural language.

xAI’s latest offering, Grok 4, supports over 20 programming languages and integrates with code editors. It enables developers to write, debug, and understand code using commands.

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Google rolls out Deep Think to Gemini AI Ultra users

Google has launched Deep Think for AI Ultra subscribers within the Gemini app, with the Gemini 2.5-based model also available to select mathematicians, offering powerful tools for complex problem-solving and mathematical exploration.

Google’s Deep Think AI, improved from its I/O version, offers quicker reasoning and enhanced usability. It achieved Bronze-level performance on the 2025 IMO standard in internal benchmarks.

Select mathematicians are now using Deep Think to test conjectures. Google notes its excellence in creative problem-solving through parallel reasoning for refined outcomes.

The model has been given extended inference time, enabling deeper analysis and more inventive answers. Reinforcement learning techniques guide it to explore longer reasoning paths, improving its problem-solving ability.

Beyond maths, Google considers Deep Think useful for design, planning, and coding. It can enhance web development, reason through scientific literature, and tackle algorithmic challenges, supporting users with strategic and iterative thinking across disciplines.

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India becomes McDonald’s global AI centre in major expansion

McDonald’s has declared its intention to significantly expand its footprint in AI, setting a global target of doubling AI investment by 2027. The company has designated Hyderabad, India, as its principal hub outside the US, focusing on data governance, engineering, and platform architecture.

AI technology in India already lives in 400 locations, where order-verifying systems automatically detect and correct errors before food is served. Plans are in place to scale that capability to 40,000 restaurants by 2027, enhancing operational efficiency across global markets.

McDonald’s is expanding AI use beyond order accuracy. Leadership has prioritised tools for forecasting customer demand, adjusting real-time pricing, and analysing product performance. A personalised application in development is intended to unify operations across multiple countries.

The Hyderabad centre aims to employ 2,000 tech professionals while prioritising tool and platform development over large-scale hiring. Similar global offices are being explored in Poland and Mexico.

A creative marketing angle is also emerging: McDonald’s India’s ‘Signature Collection’ campaign used generative AI to let customers design bespoke burgers via a chatbot, augmented by AI visuals, to create engaging brand experiences.

Strategic thinking among multinationals is shifting: firms like McDonald’s, Bupa, and Tesco are setting up global capability centres in India to sidestep competition for AI talent in Western markets. These centres now perform core AI functions rather than support tasks.

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AI is the next iPhone moment, says Apple CEO Tim Cook

Any remaining doubts about Apple’s commitment to AI have been addressed directly by its CEO, Tim Cook.

At an all-hands meeting on Apple’s Cupertino campus, Cook told employees that the AI revolution is as big as the internet, smartphones, cloud computing, and apps.

According to Bloomberg’s Power On newsletter, Cook clarified that Apple sees AI as an imperative. ‘Apple must do this,’ he said, describing the opportunity as ‘ours to grab’.

Despite Apple unveiling its AI suite, Apple Intelligence, only in June, well after competitors, Cook remains optimistic about Apple’s ability to take the lead.

‘We’ve rarely been first,’ he told staff. ‘There was a PC before the Mac; a smartphone before the iPhone; many tablets before the iPad; an MP3 player before the iPod.’

Cook stressed that Apple had redefined these categories and suggested a similar future for AI, declaring, ‘This is how I feel about AI.’

Cook also outlined concrete steps the company is taking. Around 40% of the 12,000 hires made last year were allocated to research and development, with much of the focus on AI.

According to Bloomberg, Apple is also reportedly developing a new cloud-computing chip, code-named Baltra, designed to support AI features. In a recent interview with CNBC, Cook stated that Apple is open to acquisitions that could accelerate its progress in the AI sector.

Apple is not alone in its intense focus on AI. Rival firms are also increasing expectations and pressure. Sergey Brin, the former Google CEO who has returned to the company, told employees that 60-hour in-office work weeks may be necessary to win the AI race.

Reports of burnout and extreme workloads are becoming more frequent across leading AI firms. Former OpenAI engineer Calvin French-Owen recently described the company’s high-pressure and secretive culture.

French-Owen noted that the environment had become so intense that leadership offered the entire staff a week off to recover, according to Wired.

AI has become the next major battleground in big tech, with companies ramping up investment and reshaping internal structures to secure dominance.

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Eswatini advances digital vision with new laws, 5G and skills training

Eswatini is moving forward with a national digital transformation plan focused on infrastructure, legislation and skills development.

The country’s Minister of ICT, Savannah Maziya, outlined key milestones during the 2025 Eswatini Economic Update, co-hosted with the World Bank.

In her remarks, Maziya said that digital technology plays a central role in job creation, governance and economic development. She introduced several regulatory frameworks, including a Cybersecurity Bill, a Critical Infrastructure Bill and an E-Commerce Strategy.

Additional legislation is planned for emerging technologies such as AI, robotics and satellite systems.

Infrastructure improvements include the nationwide expansion of fibre optic networks and a rise in international connectivity capacity from 47 Gbps to 72 Gbps.

Mbabane, the capital, is being developed as a Smart City with 5G coverage, AI-enabled surveillance and public Wi-Fi access.

The Ministry of ICT has launched more than 11 digital public services and plans to add 90 more in the next three years.

A nationwide coding initiative will offer digital skills training to over 300,000 citizens, supporting wider efforts to increase access and participation in the digital economy.

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Apple’s quiet race to replace Google Search with its own AI

Apple occasionally seems out of step with public sentiment, particularly when it comes to AI. A revealing example, highlighted by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in his Power On newsletter, involves Apple’s initial reluctance to build a ChatGPT-style chatbot for the iPhone.

Engineers within Apple’s AI division reportedly concluded that creating such a chatbot was unnecessary. Executives in both software and marketing agreed, suggesting there was only limited consumer interest in these tools.

However, chatbots have already demonstrated strong capabilities in answering user queries—something Siri still struggles with. While Siri can manage simple phone tasks, such as setting timers and alarms, it falls short in terms of the depth and accuracy of modern generative AI models.

Currently, Siri can redirect questions to ChatGPT, but only with user consent on a case-by-case basis. The responses, however, are brief and lack the detail found in the standalone ChatGPT app.

For richer answers, users are better off installing ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini directly. Siri’s limited integration does not extend to older models, such as the iPhone 15 or 15 Plus, which lack Apple Intelligence.

Users of these devices are strongly encouraged to install the AI apps manually for a more capable assistant experience. AI is also transforming search. Apple Services chief Eddy Cue has acknowledged that AI-driven search is the future.

Nonetheless, Apple remains financially bound to Google, which pays approximately $20 billion annually to be the default search engine on Apple devices. The US Department of Justice may soon intervene, potentially disrupting a partnership crucial to the growth of Apple’s Services division.

In a bid to modernise its search experience, Apple is developing its answer engine through an internal team known as AKI (Answers, Knowledge and Information).

The goal is to build a web-crawling system capable of delivering accurate responses to general knowledge queries, similar to what ChatGPT offers. Apple is considering deploying this answer engine not only within Siri but also across Spotlight and Safari.

A standalone app may also be developed to complement these efforts. Apple has also shown interest in external AI tools, such as Perplexity. Its iOS app, boasting a near-perfect rating from almost 230,000 reviews, promises clear, up-to-date answers, a long-time demand from users frustrated with Siri’s limitations.

The success of Apple’s in-house AI search project will be closely watched. Many iPhone users are hopeful that the next wave of AI tools will finally deliver the intelligence and responsiveness long expected from Apple’s digital assistant.

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