Worldcoin jumped 40% after reports that OpenAI is developing a biometric social platform to verify users and eliminate bots. The proposed network would reportedly integrate AI tools while relying on biometric identification to ensure proof of personhood.
Sources cited by Forbes claim the project aims to create a humans-only platform, differentiating itself from existing social networks, including X. Development is said to be led by a small internal team, with work reportedly underway since early 2025.
Biometric verification could involve Apple’s Face ID or the World Orb scanner, a device linked to the World project co-founded by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman.
The report sparked a sharp rally in Worldcoin, though part of the gains later reversed amid wider market weakness. Despite the brief surge, Worldcoin has remained sharply lower over the past year amid weak market sentiment and ongoing privacy concerns.
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Amazon is implementing a major round of job cuts while investing more heavily in AI and cloud infrastructure. The latest announcement brings planned reductions to roughly 30,000 roles across corporate teams worldwide.
Senior vice president Beth Galetti said the layoffs aim to reduce management layers, speed up decision-making, and remove organisational bureaucracy. Media reports suggest the cuts represent close to 10 percent of Amazon’s global office workforce, while warehouse and logistics roles remain unaffected.
No specific divisions were named, with the company stating that each team will continue reviewing capacity and operational efficiency. Amazon previously reported spending $1.8 billion on severance linked to restructuring efforts, with full-year financial results due in early February.
The reductions mirror a broader trend across big tech, with Microsoft, Meta, ASML, HP, and Oracle also trimming white-collar management roles. Executives across the sector have framed the changes as cultural and structural rather than budget-driven.
At the same time, Amazon is boosting AI, cloud, and chip investments through AWS, including over $35 billion in data centre expansion in India amid rising competition.
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WhatsApp rejected a class-action lawsuit accusing Meta of accessing encrypted messages, calling such claims false. The company reaffirmed that chats remain protected by device-based Signal protocol encryption.
Filed in a US federal court in California, the complaint alleges Meta misleads more than two billion users by promoting unbreakable encryption while internally storing and analysing message content. Plaintiffs from several countries claim employees can access chats through internal requests.
WhatsApp said no technical evidence accompanies the accusations and stressed that encryption occurs on users’ devices before messages are sent. According to the company, only recipients hold the keys required to decrypt content, which are never accessible to Meta.
The firm described the lawsuit as frivolous and said it will seek sanctions against the legal teams involved. Meta spokespersons reiterated that WhatsApp has relied on independently audited encryption standards for over a decade.
The case highlights ongoing debates about encryption and security, but so far, no evidence has shown that message content has been exposed.
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The certification allows the advertising technology firm to manage personal data without relying on additional transfer mechanisms.
The framework, adopted in 2023, provides a legal basis for EU-to-US data flows while strengthening oversight and accountability. Certification requires organisations to meet strict standards on data minimisation, security, transparency, and individual rights.
By joining the framework, StackAdapt enhances its ability to support advertisers, publishers, and partners through seamless international data processing.
The move also reduces regulatory complexity for European customers while reinforcing the company’s broader commitment to privacy-by-design and responsible data use.
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EU member states are preparing to open formal discussions on the risks posed by AI-powered deepfakes and their use in cyberattacks, following an initiative by the current Council presidency.
The talks are intended to assess how synthetic media may undermine democratic processes and public trust across the bloc.
According to sources, capitals will also begin coordinated exchanges on the proposed Democracy Shield, a framework aimed at strengthening resilience against foreign interference and digitally enabled manipulation.
Deepfakes are increasingly viewed as a cross-cutting threat, combining disinformation, cyber operations and influence campaigns.
The timeline set out by the presidency foresees structured discussions among national experts before escalating the issue to the ministerial level. The approach reflects growing concern that existing cyber and media rules are insufficient to address rapidly advancing AI-generated content.
An initiative that signals a broader shift within the Council towards treating deepfakes not only as a content moderation challenge, but as a security risk with implications for elections, governance and institutional stability.
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The pace of the AI infrastructure boom continues to accelerate, with semiconductor supply chains signalling sustained long-term demand.
NVIDIA remains the most visible beneficiary as data centre investment drives record GPU purchases, yet supplier activity further upstream suggests confidence extends well beyond a single company.
ASML, the Dutch firm that exclusively supplies extreme ultraviolet lithography equipment, has emerged as a critical indicator of future chip production.
Its machines are essential for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, meaning strong performance reflects expectations of high chip volumes across the industry rather than short-term speculation. Quarterly earnings underline that momentum.
ASML reported €32.7 billion in net sales, while new bookings reached a record €13 billion, more than double the previous quarter.
New orders reflect how much capacity manufacturers expect to need, pointing to sustained expansion driven by anticipated AI workloads.
Company leadership attributed the surge directly to AI-related demand, with customers expressing growing confidence in the durability of data centre investment.
While order fulfilment will take years and some plans may change, industry signals suggest a slowdown in AI infrastructure spending is not imminent.
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The UK competition watchdog has proposed new rules that would force Google to give publishers greater control over how their content is used in search and AI tools.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) plans to require opt-outs for AI-generated summaries and model training, marking the first major intervention under Britain’s new digital markets regime.
Publishers argue that generative AI threatens traffic and revenue by answering queries directly instead of sending users to the original sources.
The CMA proposal would also require clearer attribution of publisher content in AI results and stronger transparency around search rankings, including AI Overviews and conversational search features.
Additional measures under consultation include search engine choice screens on Android and Chrome, alongside stricter data portability obligations. The regulator says tailored obligations would give businesses and users more choice while supporting innovation in digital markets.
Google has warned that overly rigid controls could damage the user experience, describing the relationship between AI and search as complex.
The consultation runs until late February, with the outcome expected to shape how AI-powered search operates in the UK.
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Pinterest is cutting under 15% of its workforce as part of a broader restructuring aimed at shifting more investment toward AI-driven products and roles.
In a regulatory filing, the company said the changes are designed to support transformation initiatives, including reallocating resources to AI-focused teams and reshaping its sales and go-to-market strategy.
The restructuring will also include reductions in office space, with completion targeted for the end of September and expected pre-tax charges ranging from $35 million to $45 million.
Pinterest had around 5,200 employees at the end of last year, meaning the layoffs will affect several hundred staff as the platform accelerates its AI integration.
Recent launches such as AI-powered board updates and the Pinterest Assistant shopping tool reflect a wider trend across the tech sector, where companies are trimming headcount while expanding AI investment.
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Companies are reporting net job losses linked to AI adoption, with research showing a sharper impact than in other major economies. A Morgan Stanley survey found that firms using the technology for at least a year cut more roles than they created, particularly across the UK labour market.
The study covered sectors including retail, real estate, transport, healthcare equipment and automotive manufacturing, showing an average productivity increase of 11.5% among UK businesses. Comparable firms in the United States reported similar efficiency gains but continued to expand employment overall.
Researchers pointed to higher operating costs and tax pressures as factors amplifying the employment impact in Britain. Unemployment has reached a four-year high, while increases in the minimum wage and employer national insurance contributions have tightened hiring across industries.
Public concern over AI-driven displacement is also rising, with more than a quarter of UK workers fearing their roles could disappear within five years, according to recruitment firm Randstad. Younger workers expressed the highest anxiety, while older generations showed greater confidence in adapting.
Political leaders warn that unmanaged AI-driven change could disrupt labour markets. London mayor Sadiq Khan said the technology may cut many white-collar jobs, calling for action to create replacement roles.
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WhatsApp has been formally designated a Very Large Online Platform under the EU Digital Services Act, triggering the bloc’s most stringent digital oversight regime.
The classification follows confirmation that the messaging service has exceeded 51 million monthly users in the EU, triggering enhanced regulatory scrutiny.
As a VLOP, WhatsApp must take active steps to limit the spread of disinformation and reduce risks linked to the manipulation of public debate. The platform is also expected to strengthen safeguards for users’ mental health, with particular attention placed on the protection of minors and younger audiences.
The European Commission will oversee compliance directly and may impose financial penalties of up to 6 percent of WhatsApp’s global annual turnover if violations are identified. The company has until mid-May to align its systems, policies and risk assessments with the DSA’s requirements.
WhatsApp joins a growing list of major platforms already subject to similar obligations, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X. The move reflects the Commission’s broader effort to apply the Digital Services Act across social media, messaging services and content platforms linked to systemic online risks.
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