Google has unveiled two major Search upgrades, making Gemini 3 the default model for AI Overviews and enabling smoother conversational AI interactions. The updates improve exploration of complex topics, enabling longer questions and more natural follow-up interactions.
Gemini 3 now powers AI Overviews directly within search results, delivering faster, more precise responses where AI assistance adds value. Users can move seamlessly from summaries into deeper, contextual conversations in AI Mode.
The enhanced experience combines quick snapshots with in-depth exploration, offering prominent links for further discovery. Testing shows that users favour fluid interactions that allow natural back-and-forth exchanges, improving clarity and efficiency across search journeys.
The rollout extends globally on mobile, enabling direct entry into AI Mode from AI Overviews. Google says the updates reflect its broader goal of making Search more intuitive, flexible, and capable of handling increasingly complex information needs.
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A new ‘Strict Account Settings’ mode introduced by WhatsApp aims at users who face heightened digital security risks, including journalists and public-facing figures targeted by sophisticated cyber attacks.
The feature automatically applies the platform’s most restrictive privacy controls, limiting how the app functions by blocking attachments and media from unknown contacts and tightening account permissions.
Strict Account Settings can be enabled through the Privacy and Advanced settings menu and will roll out gradually to users over the coming weeks, according to the company.
WhatsApp said the update builds on its default end-to-end encryption framework, designed to ensure private conversations remain protected both online and in person.
The company has also strengthened its security infrastructure by deploying Rust behind the scenes to reduce vulnerabilities linked to spyware and malicious exploits.
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Google has expanded its AI subscription offering to 35 additional countries and territories, bringing Google AI Plus to all regions where its AI plans are currently available, including the United States.
The paid tier bundles access to advanced tools such as Gemini 3 Pro and Nano Banana Pro in the Gemini app, alongside creative features in Flow and research assistance through NotebookLM.
Users also receive 200GB of cloud storage, with the option to share benefits across up to five family members, positioning the plan as both a productivity and household service.
Existing Google One Premium 2TB subscribers in newly supported markets will automatically gain access to Google AI Plus features in the coming days, according to the company.
In the US, pricing starts at $7.99 per month, with a limited-time offer providing a 50 percent discount for new subscribers during the first two months.
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Moonshot AI has released an upgraded version of its Kimi model, intensifying competition among China’s leading AI developers. The launch comes ahead of an anticipated major release from rival DeepSeek.
The new model, K2.5, can process text, images, and video within a single prompt. Moonshot said the system improves performance across benchmarks and strengthens coding capabilities.
Several AI firms in China have rolled out upgrades in recent weeks. Companies including Alibaba, Zhipu, and MiniMax have introduced new models focused on reasoning, images, and robotics.
Investment has surged alongside the technology push. Moonshot recently raised $500 million, while rivals secured more than $1 billion through listings and funding rounds.
Analysts say the rapid pace highlights mounting pressure across the Chinese AI sector. Smaller developers are struggling to keep up with rising costs and the pace of innovation.
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Cryptocurrency payments are entering mainstream US commerce as rising customer demand drives more merchants to accept digital assets at checkout.
New research from the National Cryptocurrency Association and PayPal shows that 39% of merchants already accept crypto, while 84% expect it to become a standard payment method within five years.
Customer demand is driving adoption, with 88% of merchants receiving crypto payment enquiries and 69% reporting monthly interest from customers.
Many businesses view crypto as a tool for expansion, with 79% believing it can help attract new customers, while those already accepting crypto report rising transaction volumes and stronger engagement.
Large enterprises lead adoption, with half of firms earning over $500 million accepting crypto, compared with about one-third of smaller businesses. Among adopters, crypto accounts for 26% of sales, while 72% report annual growth, underscoring its shift toward a practical payment method.
Younger consumers are driving much of the momentum, particularly Millennials and Gen Z, while sectors such as hospitality, travel, digital goods, gaming, and e-commerce are seeing the fastest uptake.
Despite strong interest, simplicity remains a key barrier, as 90% of merchants say they would adopt crypto if setup and usage matched the ease of traditional card payments.
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Android is rolling out expanded theft protection features aimed at reducing financial fraud and safeguarding personal data when smartphones are stolen, with new security controls now available across recent device versions.
The latest updates introduce stronger protections against unauthorised access, including tighter lockout rules after failed authentication attempts and broader biometric safeguards covering third-party apps such as banking services and password managers.
Recovery tools are also being enhanced, with remote locking now offering optional security challenges to ensure only verified owners can secure lost or stolen devices through web access.
For new Android devices activated in Brazil, AI-powered theft detection and remote locking are enabled by default, using on-device intelligence to identify snatch-and-run incidents and immediately lock the screen.
The expanded protections reflect a broader shift towards multi-layered mobile security, as device makers respond to rising phone theft linked to identity fraud, financial crime, and data exploitation.
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A UK-based AI and coding educator, The School of Coding and AI, has announced plans to open a £3 million campus in Dubai Media City, marking its expansion into the Middle East. The new site is scheduled to open in March, with student enrolment beginning in May, and will welcome learners from the UAE and international markets.
The expansion reflects the school’s ambition to become a global player in AI and computer science education, with the Gulf region identified as a key growth market. The move is supported by the UK Department for Business and Trade and aligns with wider efforts to strengthen UK–UAE cooperation in technology, education, and skills development.
The Dubai campus will offer flexible programmes in AI, computer science, and digital skills, aiming to upskill around 2,000 students and provide pathways to higher education. The initiative is intended to respond to growing regional demand for innovation-driven training and advanced digital capabilities.
The expansion of the School of Coding and AI underscores the growing importance of education exports and skills development in meeting global demand for AI talent.
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Lao PDR has unveiled plans for a national AI strategy guided by UNESCO’s ethics framework to support responsible and inclusive digital development. The framework will inform policy design across governance, education, infrastructure, and economic transformation.
The assessment outlines Laos’ readiness to govern AI, noting progress in digital policy alongside gaps in access, skills, and research capacity. Officials stressed the need for homegrown AI solutions that respect culture, reduce inequality, and deliver broad social benefit.
UNESCO and the UN Country Team said the strategy aligns with Laos’ broader digital transformation goals under its 10th development plan. The initiative aims to improve coordination, increase R&D investment, and modernise education to support ethical AI deployment.
Lao PDR joins 77 countries worldwide using UNESCO’s tools to shape national AI policies, reinforcing its commitment to sustainable innovation, ethical governance, and inclusive growth as artificial intelligence becomes central to future development.
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Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has issued a stark warning that superhuman AI could inflict civilisation-level damage unless governments and industry act far more quickly and seriously.
In a forthcoming essay, Amodei argues humanity is approaching a critical transition that will test whether political, social and technological systems are mature enough to handle unprecedented power.
Amodei believes AI systems will soon outperform humans across nearly every field, describing a future ‘country of geniuses in a data centre’ capable of autonomous and continuous creation.
He warns that such systems could rival nation-states in influence, accelerating economic disruption while placing extraordinary power in the hands of a small number of actors.
Among the gravest dangers, Amodei highlights mass displacement of white-collar jobs, rising biological security risks and the empowerment of authoritarian governments through advanced surveillance and control.
He also cautions that AI companies themselves pose systemic risks due to their control over frontier models, infrastructure and user attention at a global scale.
Despite the severity of his concerns, Amodei maintains cautious optimism, arguing that meaningful governance, transparency and public engagement could still steer AI development towards beneficial outcomes.
Without urgent action, however, he warns that financial incentives and political complacency may override restraint during the most consequential technological shift humanity has faced.
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Recent research indicates that AI applied to sleep pattern analysis can identify signals linked to over 130 health conditions, including heart disease, metabolic dysfunction and respiratory issues, from a single night’s sleep record.
By using machine learning to analyse detailed physiological data collected during sleep, AI models may reveal subtle patterns that correlate with existing or future health risks.
Proponents suggest that this technology could support early detection and preventative healthcare by offering a non-invasive way to screen for multiple conditions simultaneously, potentially guiding timely medical intervention.
However, clinicians stress that such AI tools should complement, not replace, formal medical evaluation and diagnosis.
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