Cybersecurity

ONS reports growing concern about AI in Great Britain

Public concern about AI is growing across Great Britain, with more adults believing its risks outweigh its benefits, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The survey found that 38% of adults believed AI’s risks outweighed its benefits, up from 25% in August 2024. Only 13% said the benefits outweighed the risks, while 43% considered them broadly balanced.

Despite growing concerns, 36% of respondents said AI would benefit them personally, although 27% disagreed, the highest share recorded since the ONS began asking the question in November 2023. Younger adults remained considerably more optimistic than older respondents.

Misinformation, privacy and security emerged as the public’s main concerns. Around 81% of respondents believed AI would make fake information harder to identify, 77% worried personal data could be used without consent and 63% expected greater exposure to cybercrime.

Nearly half of adults under 50 also believed AI could threaten their jobs, while trust remained very low for high-impact uses such as government decision-making (4%) and caregiving (5%).

Public concern contrasted with more limited expectations of personal benefit. While respondents identified education, workplace assistance and household support as AI’s main advantages, 41% said the technology would have no positive impact on their own lives.

Why does it matter?

The findings suggest that public acceptance of AI is becoming a key governance challenge alongside technological development. Growing concerns about misinformation, privacy, cybersecurity and employment could make citizens less willing to embrace AI unless governments and companies demonstrate that effective safeguards are in place.

The survey also highlights a widening gap between rapid AI deployment and public confidence. As AI becomes more deeply integrated into public services and everyday life, trust, transparency and accountability may prove just as important as technical capability in determining how quickly the technology is adopted.

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South Korea strengthens investigations into AI and semiconductor technology leaks

South Korea has restructured its specialised intellectual property investigation system to strengthen efforts against leaks of advanced technologies, including semiconductors and AI, amid growing concerns over economic security.

The reforms establish new investigative and analytical divisions while expanding the technology police force from 27 to 61 officers.

A new Technology Divulgence Police Division will investigate trade secret theft and the leakage of advanced technologies. Its 21 investigators will include specialists in electrical, chemical and mechanical engineering alongside patent examiners, attorneys and other technical experts.

The government also plans to expand investigative authority to cover violations involving National Core Technologies and National High-Tech Strategic Technologies.

A separate Intellectual Property Protection Analysis Division will use patent data and other intelligence to identify technologies, companies and institutions at high risk of technology leakage.

It will also cooperate with businesses, research organisations and law enforcement agencies to detect warning signs, support intelligence-led investigations and strengthen security awareness, particularly among smaller companies.

The restructuring creates an Intellectual Property Protection Standards Division responsible for investigative procedures, oversight and human rights safeguards.

Planned reforms in South Korea include clearer rules for compulsory investigations, external review through a Criminal Investigation Review Committee, stronger access to legal counsel, wider use of video recording and regular updates for parties involved in investigations.

Why does it matter?

As geopolitical competition increasingly centres on semiconductors, AI and other strategic technologies, governments are treating intellectual property protection as a matter of economic and national security. South Korea’s reforms aim to strengthen its ability to detect, investigate and prevent technology leakage before commercially valuable innovations are transferred abroad.

The restructuring also reflects a broader trend towards combining specialised technical expertise with intelligence-led enforcement and stronger procedural safeguards. This approach seeks to improve both the effectiveness and accountability of investigations involving advanced technologies.

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EU orders Google to open Android AI features

The European Commission has issued two sets of binding measures under the Digital Markets Act requiring Google to improve competition in AI assistants and online search.

The first decision requires Google to give competing AI services access to 11 key Android features on terms equivalent to those available to its own services, including Gemini.

Users will be able to activate their preferred AI assistant via voice commands and have it to perform tasks across apps, such as sending messages, booking services, or retrieving contextual information.

Alternative providers will also gain access to features covering device context, background execution, on-device models, system integration and automated actions, subject to user consent and security safeguards.

Google must implement most of the measures in Android 18 and no later than 1 August 2027. Concurrent voice activation for multiple AI assistants must be introduced with Android 19 by August 2028.

The second decision requires Google to share anonymised search data with eligible third-party search engines, including AI chatbots that provide online search functions.

The data may include queries, rankings, clicks and views that Google uses to improve its own search service. Recipients may use it to develop search technology, improve retrieval and ground AI-generated answers in current online information.

The measures do not require Google to share its search algorithms, and recipients cannot use the data to train general-purpose AI models or for advertising and consumer profiling.

Google must also establish a transparent application process and a pricing model based primarily on the costs of providing access.

The Commission said the measures are intended to expand consumer choice and prevent Google’s advantages in Android and search from limiting competition in AI services.

Why does it matter?

The decisions apply established DMA interoperability and data-access rules directly to the emerging AI market. Rival assistants could gain deeper access to Android, while search providers and AI chatbots may use Google’s data to improve retrieval and compete more effectively. The measures could lower barriers created by control over operating systems and search data, although implementation will require careful protection of privacy, cybersecurity and commercially sensitive information.

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Canada signs UN convention against Cybercrime

Canada has signed the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, joining an international framework designed to strengthen cooperation against serious crimes committed through information and communications technologies. The government said the treaty provides a legal basis for cross-border investigations, electronic evidence sharing and coordinated responses to cybercrime.

The government said the convention forms part of Canada’s broader efforts to protect citizens and businesses from increasingly sophisticated transnational cyber threats. It is expected to strengthen international law enforcement cooperation, accelerate investigations and improve support for victims of cybercrime.

Canada also highlighted the convention’s safeguards for human rights, privacy and child protection. It said the treaty includes provisions intended to ensure that international criminal justice cooperation remains grounded in the rule of law while allowing meaningful participation from civil society and other stakeholders.

The convention was adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2024 and opened for signature in Hanoi in October 2025. Canada became the 79th signatory, while the treaty will enter into force once 40 states have ratified it. At the time of the announcement, three countries had completed ratification.

Why does it matter?

Cybercrime investigations increasingly involve suspects, victims, digital infrastructure and electronic evidence spread across multiple jurisdictions. The convention seeks to provide a common legal framework for international cooperation, helping authorities investigate offences more efficiently and coordinate cross-border enforcement.

Its long-term impact, however, will depend on how widely it is ratified and how consistently countries implement its procedural safeguards. The effectiveness and legitimacy of the framework will be closely linked to maintaining strong protections for human rights, privacy and due process during international cooperation.

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Rome Declaration calls for human control over AI and nuclear weapons

Nobel laureates, scientists, religious leaders and former heads of state and government have signed the Rome Declaration for an Unarmed and Disarming Peace in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Nuclear and Autonomous Weapons, New Digital Protocols, and Emerging Models of Digital Development.

The declaration was adopted on 16 July on Rome’s Capitoline Hill following the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly on Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear War, hosted by the Vatican.

The declaration calls for renewed international cooperation to address the challenges posed by AI, nuclear weapons and other emerging technologies. It stresses that decisions concerning life and death, peace and war, and the future of humanity should remain under meaningful human control, while highlighting the importance of ensuring that technological progress is guided by ethics, responsibility and respect for human dignity.

The declaration concludes the Global Nobel Laureates Assembly, which brought together more than 200 participants from research institutions, international organisations and civil society. The organisers said the initiative seeks to encourage dialogue on the governance of AI, nuclear weapons and other technologies with significant implications for international peace and security.

Why does it matter?

The declaration reflects growing international efforts to address AI alongside nuclear risks and other emerging technologies through a common governance framework. It also adds to ongoing discussions about maintaining meaningful human control over decisions involving the use of force and other technologies with potentially existential consequences.

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White House launches GOLD EAGLE cybersecurity initiative

The White House has announced the launch of GOLD EAGLE, a cybersecurity vulnerability coordination initiative established under President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14410, Promoting Advanced Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Security.

According to the administration, the initiative brings together federal agencies, open-source software partners and operators of critical infrastructure to accelerate the identification and remediation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities using AI.

The initiative is being implemented through collaboration between the White House, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Homeland Security, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Department of War. The administration said GOLD EAGLE is intended to reduce duplicative vulnerability scanning, improve exploit detection and provide prioritised threat and remediation information to government and private-sector defenders.

According to the announcement, GOLD EAGLE has already begun receiving and prioritising reported cybersecurity vulnerabilities from multiple sectors, coordinating verification efforts and supporting remediation activities. The White House said the initiative represents a new operational model for cyber defence that combines government resources with private-sector capabilities to strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure and software systems.

Why does it matter?

GOLD EAGLE marks a shift towards more centralised public-private coordination of cybersecurity vulnerability management in the USA. By combining AI-assisted vulnerability prioritisation with information sharing across government agencies and critical infrastructure operators, the initiative aims to accelerate the detection and remediation of cyber threats.

It also reflects the Trump administration’s broader strategy of linking AI innovation with national cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection.

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UK publishes government data breach response framework

The UK government has published a Model Action Plan establishing a coordinated approach for responding to significant personal data breaches across government departments and arm’s-length bodies.

The plan prioritises the wellbeing, privacy, safety and legal rights of people affected by personal data breaches. It also introduces mandatory central reporting to help identify systemic weaknesses, analyse incident trends and share lessons across government.

A breach may be considered significant if it creates a risk of serious harm to large numbers of people, affects vulnerable or high-profile individuals, threatens national security or critical infrastructure, involves multiple organisations, or could cause major financial, operational or reputational damage.

The framework is organised into four response phases, beginning with preparation before an incident occurs. Organisations are expected to maintain response plans, clear escalation procedures, information asset registers and defined responsibilities, while ensuring suppliers report suspected breaches within 12 to 24 hours. Departments should also prepare alternative communication channels, notification templates and evidence preservation procedures.

The government recommends regular testing of response plans, including annual tabletop exercises, to ensure organisations can make timely decisions and meet the statutory 72-hour reporting deadline.

During the first 24 hours after identifying a significant breach, organisations should contain the incident, assess its severity and escalate it internally. Where the significance threshold is met, departments must activate crisis response arrangements and appoint a senior incident manager.

Breaches meeting the statutory threshold must be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office within 72 hours, with the government stressing that an incomplete report submitted on time is preferable to a complete report filed late.

Departments must also notify relevant government bodies, including the Government Security Group, the Government Data Protection team and, where appropriate, the Government Cyber Coordination Centre and National Cyber Security Centre.

Significant incidents reported to the ICO must also be reported centrally to support government-wide analysis and annual public reporting.

Where a breach poses a high risk to individuals, affected people should generally be informed directly and told what happened, the likely consequences and available support. The guidance stresses that protecting affected individuals should take priority over limiting reputational damage and notes that organisations may need to provide helplines, identity monitoring or welfare support.

After an incident, organisations must conduct a comprehensive review, update their breach registers and report lessons and mitigation progress quarterly. The aim is to ensure that findings lead to practical reforms rather than being recorded without further action.

Why does it matter?

The action plan reflects a shift from treating data breaches primarily as compliance incidents towards managing them as coordinated public-sector resilience challenges. Standardised reporting, preparedness exercises and shared lessons could help government organisations respond more consistently while reducing the impact on affected individuals.

The framework also reinforces the principle that effective breach management extends beyond regulatory reporting. By prioritising support for affected people and requiring continuous organisational learning, the government is encouraging departments to treat data protection as an ongoing governance responsibility rather than a one-off compliance exercise.

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OpenAI calls for aligned US AI safety framework

OpenAI has called for closer alignment between US state and federal AI safety efforts, arguing that a common framework is needed to govern frontier AI systems.

In a policy blog post, the company said recent frontier AI legislation in California, New York and Illinois shows how states can help create a shared baseline before a single federal framework is in place.

OpenAI describes this process as ‘reverse federalism’, where state laws move in similar directions and gradually shape a de facto national standard.

The company says core elements should include documented safety frameworks, risk assessments for frontier models, public disclosure of results, serious incident reporting and independent audits.

At the federal level, OpenAI argues that the US government should lead testing and evaluation of the most advanced AI systems, particularly when national security and cybersecurity are at stake.

It says a consistent federal testing framework would help advanced AI tools reach trusted users, including government agencies, critical infrastructure defenders, allies and other partners.

OpenAI also supports clearer requirements for companies developing the most capable systems, including strong security standards, incident reporting, independent audits and whistle-blower protections.

The company warns that neither a fragmented patchwork of state laws nor an undefined federal process would create a coherent frontier safety regime.

Why does it matter?

OpenAI’s proposal highlights the growing tension in US AI governance between state-led action, federal oversight and international standard-setting. A shared framework could reduce regulatory fragmentation and create clearer expectations for frontier model developers. Still, the company’s position also reflects the interests of a major AI lab seeking predictable rules for deployment, testing and access. The debate will shape how the US balances safety, innovation, national security and global influence in AI governance.

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India approves €13 billion Semicon 2.0 strategy

The Government of India has approved Semicon 2.0, a long-term strategy worth Rs. 1.275 trillion (approximately €13 billion) to accelerate the development of the country’s semiconductor design and manufacturing ecosystem.

Building on Semicon 1.0, the programme aims to strengthen India’s position across the semiconductor value chain through sustained public investment, industrial incentives and workforce development.

The strategy is organised around six pillars, such as semiconductor design, manufacturing equipment and materials, fabrication facilities, advanced packaging technologies, research and development, and talent development.

India plans to expand chip design capabilities, attract additional fabrication plants, encourage investment in ATMP and OSAT facilities, strengthen domestic production of critical materials and manufacturing equipment, and support the development of advanced semiconductor technologies.

The government also highlighted progress under Semicon 1.0. Twelve semiconductor manufacturing facilities have been approved with cumulative investments exceeding Rs. 1.64 trillion, covering silicon fabrication, silicon carbide, gallium nitride display manufacturing and advanced packaging. Three facilities have already entered commercial production, while additional projects are expected to become operational during 2026.

On the design side, 24 semiconductor startups have received financial support and 105 have gained access to advanced chip design tools to develop technologies for AI, IoT, telecommunications, satellite communications and smart devices.

According to the government, Semicon 2.0 is intended to strengthen India’s technological sovereignty, improve semiconductor supply chain resilience and establish the country as a globally competitive hub for semiconductor innovation, manufacturing and intellectual property.

Why does it matter?

Semicon 2.0 reflects the growing use of industrial policy to strengthen domestic semiconductor ecosystems amid global competition for advanced chip manufacturing. By investing across design, production, research and skills, India is seeking to reduce external dependencies while building long-term technological capacity.

The strategy also demonstrates that semiconductor competitiveness increasingly depends on developing the entire value chain rather than attracting fabrication plants alone. If successfully implemented, the programme could strengthen India’s position in global semiconductor supply chains while supporting wider ambitions in AI, telecommunications and advanced manufacturing.

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European Commission accepts X commitments on DSA transparency requirements

The European Commission has accepted corrective measures proposed by X to address alleged breaches of the Digital Services Act (DSA) relating to advertising transparency and researchers’ access to public data.

The action plan requires X to improve its advertising repository so that researchers, civil society organisations and users can more effectively examine advertisements and assess the platform’s systemic risks.

X will introduce new search filters based on advertising content and targeting criteria, display search results directly within the repository, improve response times and provide more complete information about advertisements, including their full content and destination URLs. The company will also make the repository accessible through an application programming interface (API).

The platform will provide additional information about advertisements, including their full content and the URLs to which users are redirected. It will also make the repository accessible through an application programming interface.

The commitments also strengthen researchers’ access to public data. X must improve its application process, provide eligible researchers with timely access to appropriate volumes of data free of charge and avoid unnecessary procedural delays.

The platform will also update its terms and conditions to clarify that eligible researchers are not contractually prohibited from scraping publicly available data.

X now has six months to implement the commitments under an enhanced supervision regime. The Commission said implementation will be verified through an independent audit and close monitoring, following concerns from the Board for Digital Services that the company’s original proposal did not sufficiently address several requirements.

The Commission said it will closely monitor X’s DSA compliance, particularly in areas the Board identified as insufficiently addressed.

Why does it matter?

The commitments strengthen two key pillars of the DSA: transparency in online advertising and independent scrutiny of very large online platforms. Better access to advertising data and public platform information could improve research into systemic risks, political advertising and platform accountability.

The case also demonstrates that accepting corrective measures does not end regulatory oversight. The Commission’s enhanced supervision and independent audit requirements show that compliance under the DSA will increasingly be judged by implementation rather than commitments alone.

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