Rising use of AI is transforming cyberattacks in the UAE, enabling deepfakes, automated phishing and rapid data theft. Expanding digital services increase exposure for businesses and residents.
Criminals deploy autonomous AI tools to scan networks, exploit weaknesses and steal information faster than humans. Shorter detection windows raise risks of breaches, disruption and financial loss.
High-value sectors such as government, finance and healthcare face sustained targeting amid skills shortages. Protection relies on cautious users, stronger governance and secure-by-design systems across smart infrastructure.
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UK lawmaker Jess Asato said an AI-altered image depicting her in a bikini circulated online. The incident follows wider reports of sexualised deepfake abuse targeting women on social media.
Platforms hosted thousands of comments, including further manipulated images, heightening distress. Victims describe the content as realistic, dehumanising and violating personal consent.
Government ministers of the UK pledged to ban nudification tools and criminalise non-consensual intimate images. Technology firms face pressure to remove content, suspend accounts, and follow Ofcom guidance to maintain a safe online environment.
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The US Department of Defence plans to integrate Elon Musk’s AI tool Grok into Pentagon networks later in January, according to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The system is expected to operate across both classified and unclassified military environments as part of a broader push to expand AI capabilities.
Hegseth also outlined an AI acceleration strategy designed to increase experimentation, reduce administrative barriers and prioritise investment across defence technology.
An approach that aims to enhance access to data across federated IT systems, aligning with official views that military AI performance relies on data availability and interoperability.
The move follows earlier decisions by the Pentagon to adopt Google’s Gemini for an internal AI platform and to award large contracts to Anthropic, OpenAI, Google and xAI for agentic AI development.
Officials describe these efforts as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen US military competitiveness in AI.
Grok’s integration comes amid ongoing controversy, including criticism over generated imagery and previous incidents involving extremist and offensive content. Several governments and regulators have already taken action against the tool, adding scrutiny to its expanded role within defence systems.
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A UK public sector cyberattack on Kensington and Chelsea Council has exposed the growing vulnerability of government organisations to data breaches. The council stated that personal details linked to hundreds of thousands of residents may have been compromised after attackers targeted the shared IT infrastructure.
Security experts warn that interconnected systems, while cost-efficient, create systemic risks. Dray Agha, senior manager of security operations at Huntress, said a single breach can quickly spread across partner organisations, disrupting essential services and exposing sensitive information.
Public sector bodies remain attractive targets due to ageing infrastructure and the volume of personal data they hold. Records such as names, addresses, national ID numbers, health information, and login credentials can be exploited for fraud, identity theft, and large-scale scams.
Gregg Hardie, public sector regional vice president at SailPoint, noted that attackers often employ simple, high-volume tactics rather than sophisticated techniques. Compromised credentials allow criminals to blend into regular activity and remain undetected for long periods before launching disruptive attacks.
Hardie said stronger identity security and continuous monitoring are essential to prevent minor intrusions from escalating. Investing in resilient, segmented systems could help reduce the impact of future UK public sector cyberattack incidents and protect critical operations.
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Malta’s government is preparing new legal measures to curb the abusive use of deepfake technology, with existing laws now under review. The planned reforms aim to introduce penalties for the misuse of AI in cases of harassment, blackmail, and bullying.
The move mirrors earlier cyberbullying and cyberstalking laws, extending similar protections to AI-generated content. Authorities are promoting AI while stressing the need for strong public safety and legal safeguards.
AI and youth participation were the main themes discussed during the National Youth Parliament meeting, where Abela highlighted the role of young people in shaping Malta’s long-term development strategy, Vision Malta 2050.
The strategy focuses on the next 25 years and directly affects those entering the workforce or starting families.
Young people were described as key drivers of national policy in areas such as fertility, environmental protection, and work-life balance. Senior officials and members of the Youth Advisory Forum attended the meeting.
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Fintech investment platform Betterment has confirmed a data breach after hackers gained unauthorised access to parts of its internal systems and exposed personal customer information.
The incident occurred on 9 January and involved a social engineering attack connected to third-party platforms used for marketing and operational purposes.
The company said the compromised data included customer names, email and postal addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth.
No passwords or account login credentials were accessed, according to Betterment, which stressed that customer investment accounts were not breached.
Using the limited system access, attackers sent fraudulent notifications to some users promoting a crypto-related scam.
Customers were advised to ignore the messages instead of engaging with the request, while Betterment moved quickly to revoke the unauthorised access and begin a formal investigation with external cybersecurity support.
Betterment has not disclosed how many users were affected and has yet to provide further technical details. Representatives did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication, while the company said outreach to impacted customers remains ongoing.
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NVIDIA and Eli Lilly have announced a joint AI co-innovation lab aimed at advancing drug discovery by combining AI with pharmaceutical research.
The partnership combines Lilly’s experience in medical development with NVIDIA’s expertise in accelerated computing and AI infrastructure.
The two companies plan to invest up to $1 billion over five years in research capacity, computing resources and specialist talent.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, the lab will support large-scale data generation and model development using NVIDIA platforms, instead of relying solely on traditional laboratory workflows.
Beyond early research, the collaboration is expected to explore applications of AI across manufacturing, clinical development and supply chain operations.
Both NVIDIA and Eli Lilly claim the initiative is designed to enhance efficiency and scalability in medical production while fostering long-term innovation in the life sciences sector.
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Morocco is preparing to unveil ‘Maroc IA 2030’, a national AI roadmap designed to structure the country’s AI ecosystem and strengthen digital transformation.
The strategy seeks to modernise public services, improve interoperability across digital systems and enhance economic competitiveness, according to officials ahead of the ‘AI Made in Morocco’ event in Rabat.
A central element of the plan involves the creation of Al Jazari Institutes, a national network of AI centres of excellence connecting academic research with innovation and regional economic needs.
A roadmap that prioritises technological autonomy, trusted AI use, skills development, support for local innovation and balanced territorial coverage instead of fragmented deployment.
The initiative builds on the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy launched in 2024, which places AI at the core of national digital policy.
Authorities expect the combined efforts to generate around 240,000 digital jobs and contribute approximately $10 billion to gross domestic product by 2030, while improving the international AI readiness ranking of Morocco.
Additional measures include the establishment of a General Directorate for AI and Emerging Technologies to oversee public policy and the development of an Arab African regional digital hub in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme.
Their main goal is to support sustainable and responsible digital innovation.
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Innovations across China are moving rapidly from laboratories into everyday use, spanning robotics, autonomous vehicles and quantum computing. Airports, hotels and city streets are increasingly becoming testing grounds for advanced technologies.
In Hefei, humanoid cleaning robots developed by local start-up Zerith are already operating in public venues across major cities. The company scaled from prototype to mass production within a year, securing significant commercial orders.
Beyond robotics, frontier research is finding industrial applications in energy, healthcare and manufacturing. Advances from fusion research and quantum mechanics are being adapted for cancer screening, battery safety and precision measurement.
Policy support and investment are accelerating this transition from research to market. National planning and local funding initiatives aim to turn scientific breakthroughs into scalable technologies with global reach.
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Canadian quantum computing company Photonic has raised $130 million in the first close of a new investment round led by Planet First Partners. New backers include RBC and TELUS, alongside returning investors.
The funding brings Photonic’s total capital raised to $271 million and supports the development of fault-tolerant quantum systems. The company combines silicon-based qubits with built-in photonic connectivity.
Photonic’s entanglement-first architecture is designed to scale across existing global telecom networks. The approach aims to enable large, distributed quantum computers rather than isolated machines.
Headquartered in Vancouver, Photonic plans to utilise the investment to accelerate key product milestones and expand its team. Investors see strong potential across finance, sustainability, telecommunications and security sectors.
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