Mark Zuckerberg’s ambitious plan to assemble a dream team of AI researchers at Meta has instead created internal instability.
High-profile recruits poached from rival firms have begun leaving within weeks of joining, citing cultural clashes and frustration with the company’s working style. Their departures have disrupted projects and unsettled long-time executives.
Meta had hoped its aggressive hiring spree would help the company rival OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic in developing advanced AI systems.
Instead of strengthening the company’s position, the strategy has led to delays in projects and uncertainty about whether Meta can deliver on its promises of achieving superintelligence.
The new arrivals were given extensive autonomy, fuelling tensions with existing teams and creating leadership friction. Some staff viewed the hires as destabilising, while others expressed concern about the direction of the AI division.
The resulting turnover has left Meta struggling to maintain momentum in its most critical area of research.
As Meta faces mounting pressure to demonstrate progress in AI, the setbacks highlight the difficulty of retaining elite talent in a fiercely competitive field.
Zuckerberg’s recruitment drive, rather than propelling Meta ahead, risks slowing down the company’s ability to compete at the highest level of AI development.
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The FBI has warned that Chinese hackers are exploiting structural weaknesses in global telecom infrastructure, following the Salt Typhoon incident that penetrated US networks on an unprecedented scale. Officials say the Beijing-linked group has compromised data from millions of Americans since 2019.
Unlike previous cyber campaigns focused narrowly on government targets, Salt Typhoon’s intrusions exposed how ordinary mobile users can be swept up in espionage. Call records, internet traffic, and even geolocation data were siphoned from carriers, with the operation spreading to more than 80 countries.
Investigators linked the campaign to three Chinese tech firms supplying products to intelligence agencies and China’s People’s Liberation Army. Experts warn that the attacks demonstrate the fragility of cross-border telecom systems, where a single compromised provider can expose entire networks.
US and allied agencies have urged providers to harden defences with encryption and stricter monitoring. Analysts caution that global telecoms will continue to be fertile ground for state-backed groups without structural reforms.
The revelations have intensified geopolitical tensions, with the FBI describing Salt Typhoon as one of the most reckless and far-reaching espionage operations ever detected.
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Analyst Jordi Visser warns AI could make traditional stocks obsolete by speeding up innovation, making public companies inefficient investments. He said Bitcoin is a longer-lasting investment, based on belief rather than fleeting corporate ideas.
Visser suggested that AI could compress a century of innovation into just five years, reshaping finance and capital markets. He believes investors will prefer belief assets like Bitcoin, noting its long-term resilience mirrors gold’s role as a store of value.
Momentum behind Bitcoin adoption is also gathering elsewhere. Eric Trump told the Bitcoin Asia 2025 conference that the cryptocurrency could reach $1 million as nation states, companies, and wealthy families add it to their reserves.
Public firms are shifting business models to hold Bitcoin directly, diverting capital from traditional equity markets.
Bitcoin’s market capitalisation currently exceeds $2.1 trillion, and some analysts predict it could surpass gold in the decades ahead. Its global, yield-generating design in DeFi could help Bitcoin surpass gold as a store of value.
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OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to dominate the consumer AI space, but rivals are beginning to catch up. Andreessen Horowitz’s latest Top 100 AI Apps report shows Google’s Gemini and Elon Musk’s Grok rapidly climbing the ranks across web and mobile platforms.
The report highlights a stabilising AI market, with fewer new entrants on the web but more originality emerging on mobile. Gemini has secured the number two position on web and mobile, while Grok has surged to fourth place on web following the release of Grok 4.
Meanwhile, Meta AI’s growth remains modest, and platforms like Claude and DeepSeek show slowing momentum.
China’s AI sector is also strengthening its presence. Apps such as Quark, Doubao, and Kimi are breaking into the global top 20, aided by China’s large domestic market and growing export of AI tools.
Additionally, many of the leading mobile apps in photo and video editing now come from Chinese developers, underscoring their increasing global influence.
The report also tracks consistent leaders, naming ‘All-Stars’ like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Perplexity, and Eleven Labs, while spotlighting emerging contenders on the ‘Brink List’.
The findings suggest that although ChatGPT retains its lead, the competitive landscape is shifting, with challengers closing the gap and new platforms poised to break through.
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China’s Salt Typhoon cyberspies have stolen data from millions of Americans through a years-long intrusion into telecommunications networks, according to senior FBI officials. The campaign represents one of the most significant espionage breaches uncovered in the United States.
The Beijing-backed operation began in 2019 and remained hidden until last year. Authorities say at least 80 countries were affected, far beyond the nine American telcos initially identified, with around 200 US organisations compromised.
Targets included Verizon, AT&T, and over 100 current and former administration officials. Officials say the intrusions enabled Chinese operatives to geolocate mobile users, monitor internet traffic, and sometimes record phone calls.
Three Chinese firms, Sichuan Juxinhe, Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong, and Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie, have been tied to Salt Typhoon. US officials say they support China’s security services and military.
The FBI warns that the scale of indiscriminate targeting falls outside traditional espionage norms. Officials stress the need for stronger cybersecurity measures as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea continue to advance their cyber operations against critical infrastructure and private networks.
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Russia has been pushing for its state-backed messenger Max to be pre-installed on all smartphones sold in the country since September 2025. Chinese and South Korean manufacturers, including Samsung and Xiaomi, are reportedly preparing to comply, though official confirmation is still pending.
The Max platform, developed by VK (formerly Vkontakte), offers messaging, audio and video calls, file transfers, and payments. It is set to replace VK Messenger on the mandatory app list, signalling a shift away from foreign apps like Telegram and WhatsApp.
Integration may occur via software updates or prompts when inserting a Russian SIM card.
Concerns have arisen over potential surveillance, as Max collects sensitive personal data backed by the Russian government. Critics fear the platform may monitor users, reflecting Moscow’s push to control encrypted communications.
The rollout reflects Russia’s broader push for digital sovereignty. While companies navigate compliance, the move highlights the increasing tension between state-backed applications and widely used foreign messaging services in Russia.
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Head Digital Works, the parent company of the Indian online gaming platform A23, has filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court challenging India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Law, 2025. That makes A23 the first real money gaming (RMG) operator in India to legally contest the new legislation.
The company argues the law criminalises legitimate skill-based games like rummy and poker, potentially forcing gaming businesses to close. Backed by investors such as Tiger Global and Peak XV Partners, India’s RMG industry was projected to reach $3.6 billion by 2029. The case could have nationwide implications for the sector.
Head Digital Works, owner of online gaming platform A23, described India’s Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025 as a ‘product of state paternalism’, in a court filing. They argue the law is unconstitutional when applied to skill-based games like rummy and poker.
Passed by Parliament on 21 August, the legislation has caused significant concern in India’s real-money gaming sector, threatening the future of many operators. The company urges the Karnataka High Court to overturn the law’s application to skill games, highlighting the potential negative impact on the industry’s growth and viability.
According to the Economic Times, the Indian gaming industry has experienced rapid growth, valued at USD 3.7 billion in 2024 and expected to reach USD 9.1 billion by 2029, according to the India Gaming Report 2025. With nearly USD 3 billion in foreign direct investment over five years and a user base representing 20% of the world’s gamers, India is now one of the largest gaming markets globally.
However, the new Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Law, 2025, has created uncertainty around this growth. Industry reactions are mixed, with some welcoming the ban while others express concern over its impact on the sector.
The GENIUS Act in the United States has given stablecoin issuers a clear legal framework, boosting the role of dollar-pegged tokens in the global economy. Their widespread use has strengthened demand for US dollars and Treasury bills, solidifying American financial dominance.
Other nations are now working on stablecoin projects to protect local currencies. China is developing a yuan-pegged stablecoin aimed at international trade, following the recent adoption of Hong Kong’s Stablecoins Bill.
Japan is also preparing to launch a yen-pegged token backed by government bills later this year, with Monex Group leading the initiative.
The European Union has accelerated its plans for a digital € in response to the rise of USD-backed stablecoins. Reports suggest the project could be launched on Ethereum or Solana, a move that has sparked criticism from the crypto community over privacy and data control.
Despite several euro-pegged tokens already in circulation, their market share remains negligible compared to dollar-backed stablecoins.
Stablecoins are increasingly seen as tools for remittances and savings and for strategic influence in the global financial system. Other countries may struggle to rival USD-pegged coins, but the race to launch national stablecoins is underway.
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President Donald Trump has threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs on countries implementing digital taxes or regulations affecting American technology companies. His comments, made in a post on Truth Social, were interpreted as a warning to the European Union.
These measures aim to tackle illegal content, increase oversight of large online platforms, and ensure that major tech firms, such as Google, Amazon, Apple, and Meta, pay taxes in the countries where they generate revenue.
According to AP News, Trump’s administration previously argued that these taxes unfairly target US-based companies and considered tariffs on European goods in response.
The Guardian reports that Trump’s latest threat adds pressure on the UK and the EU, which have recently signed trade agreements with the US.
While the EU continues to enforce strict digital regulations and taxes, the UK has maintained its digital services tax, introduced in 2020, despite earlier criticism from US officials and a trade deal reached with the Trump administration.
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Greek authorities are enforcing stricter regulations on the crypto sector to strengthen oversight and align with European standards. The move targets money laundering and tax evasion, reflecting Athens’ intent to bring order to the industry.
Digital asset exchanges and wallet providers will face a rigorous licensing process. Applicants must submit a complete business dossier, disclose management and shareholder details, and pass extensive checks before being allowed to operate.
Non-compliant platforms risk being barred from the market.
Financial regulators will monitor crypto transactions closely, with powers to freeze suspicious digital assets and trace funds. Authorities aim to prevent illegal capital flows while boosting investor confidence through enhanced transparency.
Taxation rules for crypto are expected this fall, with capital gains taxes set at 15% for private investors and potentially higher for companies. Some crypto services may also be subject to 24% VAT, with final rates announced in the coming months.
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