Cybersecurity

OpenAI launches Agentic AI Foundation with industry partners

The US AI company, OpenAI, has co-founded the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF) under the Linux Foundation alongside Anthropic, Block, Google, Microsoft, AWS, Bloomberg, and Cloudflare.

A foundation that aims to provide neutral stewardship for open, interoperable agentic AI infrastructure as systems move from experimental prototypes into real-world applications.

The initiative includes the donation of OpenAI’s AGENTS.md, a lightweight Markdown file designed to provide agents with project-specific instructions and context.

Since its release in August 2025, AGENTS.md has been adopted by more than 60,000 open-source projects, ensuring consistent behaviour across diverse repositories and frameworks. Contributions from Anthropic and Block will include the Model Context Protocol and the goose project, respectively.

By establishing AAIF, the co-founders intend to prevent ecosystem fragmentation and foster safe, portable, and interoperable agentic AI systems.

The foundation provides a shared platform for development, governance, and extension of open standards, with oversight by the Linux Foundation to guarantee neutral, long-term stewardship.

OpenAI emphasises that the foundation will support developers, enterprises, and the wider open-source community, inviting contributors to help shape agentic AI standards.

The AAIF reflects a collaborative effort to advance agentic AI transparently and in the public interest while promoting innovation across tools and platforms.

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EIB survey shows EU firms lead in investment, innovation and green transition

European firms continue to invest actively despite a volatile global environment, demonstrating resilience, innovation, and commitment to sustainability, according to the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group’s 2025 Investment Survey.

Across the EU, companies are expanding capacity, adopting advanced digital technologies, and pursuing green investment to strengthen competitiveness.

Spanish firms, for example, are optimistic about their sector, prioritising capacity growth, using generative AI, and investing in energy efficiency and climate risk insurance.

Digital transformation is accelerating across the continent. Austrian and Finnish firms stand out for their extensive adoption of generative AI and multiple advanced digital tools, while Belgian companies excel in integrating digital technologies alongside green initiatives.

Czech firms devote a larger share of investment to capacity expansion and innovation, with high engagement in international trade and strategic use of digital solutions. These trends are highlighted in country-level EIB reports and reflect broader European patterns.

The green transition remains central to corporate strategies. Many firms actively reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, and view sustainability as a business opportunity rather than a regulatory burden.

In Belgium, investments in energy efficiency and waste reduction are among the highest in the EU, while nearly all Finnish companies report taking measures to reduce greenhouse gases.

Across Europe, firms increasingly combine environmental action with innovation to maintain competitiveness and resilience.

Challenges persist, including skills shortages, uncertainty, high energy costs, and regulatory complexity. Despite these obstacles, European businesses continue to innovate, expand, and embrace international trade.

EIB surveys show that firms are leveraging technology and green investments not only to navigate economic uncertainty but also to position themselves for long-term growth and strategic advantage in a changing global landscape.

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Microsoft commits $17.5 billion to AI in India

The US tech giant, Microsoft, has announced its largest investment in Asia, committing US$17.5 billion to India over four years to expand cloud and AI infrastructure, workforce skilling, and operations nationwide.

An announcement that follows the US$3 billion investment earlier in 2025 and aims to support India’s ambition to become a global AI leader.

The investment focuses on three pillars: hyperscale infrastructure, sovereign-ready solutions, and workforce development. A new hyperscale data centre in Hyderabad, set to go live by mid-2026, will become Microsoft’s largest in India.

Expansion of existing data centres in Chennai, Hyderabad and Pune will improve resilience and low-latency performance for enterprises, startups, and public sector organisations.

Microsoft will integrate AI into national platforms, including e-Shram and the National Career Service, benefiting over 310 million informal workers. AI-enabled features include multilingual access, predictive analytics, automated résumé creation, and personalised pathways toward formal employment.

Skilling initiatives will be doubled to reach 20 million Indians by 2030, building an AI-ready workforce that can shape the country’s digital future.

Sovereign Public and Private Cloud solutions will provide secure, compliant environments for Indian organisations, supporting both connected and disconnected operations.

Microsoft 365 Copilot will process data entirely within India by the end of 2025, enhancing governance, compliance, and performance across regulated sectors. These initiatives aim to position India as a global AI hub powered by scale, skilling, and digital sovereignty.

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Australia enforces under-16 social media ban as new rules took effect

Australia has finally introduced the world’s first nationwide prohibition on social media use for under-16s, forcing platforms to delete millions of accounts and prevent new registrations.

Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, Kick and Threads are removing accounts held by younger users. At the same time, Bluesky has agreed to apply the same standard despite not being compelled to do so. The only central platform yet to confirm compliance is X.

The measure follows weeks of age-assurance checks, which have not been flawless, with cases of younger teenagers passing facial-verification tests designed to keep them offline.

Families are facing sharply different realities. Some teenagers feel cut off from friends who managed to bypass age checks, while others suddenly gain a structure that helps reduce unhealthy screen habits.

A small but vocal group of parents admit they are teaching their children how to use VPNs and alternative methods instead of accepting the ban, arguing that teenagers risk social isolation when friends remain active.

Supporters of the legislation counter that Australia imposes clear age limits in other areas of public life for reasons of well-being and community standards, and the same logic should shape online environments.

Regulators are preparing to monitor the transition closely.

The eSafety Commissioner will demand detailed reports from every platform covered by the law, including the volume of accounts removed, evidence of efforts to stop circumvention and assessments of whether reporting and appeals systems are functioning as intended.

Companies that fail to take reasonable steps may face significant fines. A government-backed academic advisory group will study impacts on behaviour, well-being, learning and unintended shifts towards more dangerous corners of the internet.

Global attention is growing as several countries weigh similar approaches. Denmark, Norway and Malaysia have already indicated they may replicate Australia’s framework, and the EU has endorsed the principle in a recent resolution.

Interest from abroad signals a broader debate about how societies should balance safety and autonomy for young people in digital spaces, instead of relying solely on platforms to set their own rules.

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G7 ministers meet in Montreal to boost industrial cooperation

Canada has opened the G7 Industry, Digital and Technology Ministers’ Meeting in Montreal, bringing together ministers, industry leaders, and international delegates to address shared industrial and technological challenges.

The meeting is being led by Industry Minister Melanie Joly and AI and Digital Innovation Minister Evan Solomon, with discussions centred on strengthening supply chains, accelerating innovation, and boosting industrial competitiveness across advanced economies.

Talks will focus on building resilient economies, expanding trusted digital infrastructure, and supporting growth while aligning industrial policy with economic security and national security priorities shared among G7 members.

The agenda builds on outcomes from the recent G7 leaders’ summit in Kananaskis, Canada, including commitments on quantum technologies, critical minerals cooperation, and a shared statement on AI and prosperity.

Canadian officials said closer coordination among trusted partners is essential amid global uncertainty and rapid technological change, positioning innovation-driven industry as a long-term foundation for economic growth, productivity, and shared prosperity.

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Google faces renewed EU scrutiny over AI competition

The European Commission has opened a formal antitrust investigation into whether AI features embedded in online search are being used to unfairly squeeze competitors in newly emerging digital markets shaped by generative AI.

The probe targets Alphabet-owned Google, focusing on allegations that the company imposes restrictive conditions on publishers and content creators while giving its own AI-driven services preferential placement over rival technologies and alternative search offerings.

Regulators are examining products such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, assessing how publisher content is reused within AI-generated summaries and whether media organisations are compensated in a clear, fair, and transparent manner.

EU competition chief Teresa Ribera said the European Commission’s action reflects a broader effort to protect online media and preserve competitive balance as artificial intelligence increasingly shapes how information is produced, discovered, and monetised.

The case adds to years of scrutiny by the European Commission over Google’s search and advertising businesses, even as the company proposes changes to its ad tech operations and continues to challenge earlier antitrust rulings.

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Russia moves forward with a nationwide plan for generative AI

A broad plan to integrate generative AI across public administration and key sectors of the economy is being prepared by Russia.

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin explained that the new framework seeks to extend modern AI tools across regions and major industries in order to strengthen national technological capacity.

The president has already underlined the need for fully domestic AI products as an essential element of national sovereignty. Moscow intends to rely on locally developed systems instead of foreign platforms, an approach aimed at securing long-term independence and resilience.

A proposal created by the government and the Presidential Administration has been submitted for approval to establish a central headquarters that will guide the entire deployment effort.

The new body will set objectives, track progress and coordinate work across ministries and agencies while supporting broader access to advanced capabilities.

Officials in Russia view the plan as a strategic investment intended to reinforce national competitiveness in a rapidly changing technological environment.

Greater use of generative systems is expected to improve administrative efficiency, support regional development and encourage innovation across multiple sectors.

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Canada-EU digital partnership expands cooperation on AI and security

The European Union and Canada have strengthened their digital partnership during the first Digital Partnership Council in Montreal. Both sides outlined a joint plan to enhance competitiveness and innovation, while supporting smaller firms through targeted regulation.

Senior representatives reconfirmed that cooperation with like-minded partners will be essential for economic resilience.

A new Memorandum of Understanding on AI placed a strong emphasis on trustworthy systems, shared standards and wider adoption across strategic sectors.

The two partners will exchange best practices to support sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, energy, culture and public services.

They also agreed to collaborate on large-scale AI infrastructures and access to computing capacity, while encouraging scientific collaboration on advanced AI models and climate-related research.

A meeting that also led to an agreement on a structured dialogue on data spaces.

A second Memorandum of Understanding covered digital credentials and trust services. The plan includes joint testing of digital identity wallets, pilot projects and new use cases aimed at interoperability.

The EU and Canada also intend to work more closely on the protection of independent media, the promotion of reliable information online and the management of risks created by generative AI.

Both sides underlined their commitment to secure connectivity, with cooperation on 5G, subsea cables and potential new Arctic routes to strengthen global network resilience. Further plans aim to deepen collaboration on quantum technologies, semiconductors and high-performance computing.

A renewed partnership that reflects a shared commitment to resilient supply chains and secure cloud infrastructure as both regions prepare for future technological demands.

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Survey reveals split views on AI in academic peer review

Growing use of generative AI within peer review is creating a sharp divide among physicists, according to a new survey by the Institute of Physics Publishing.

Researchers appear more informed and more willing to express firm views, with a notable rise in those who see a positive effect and a large group voicing strong reservations. Many believe AI tools accelerate early reading and help reviewers concentrate on novelty instead of routine work.

Others fear that reviewers might replace careful evaluation with automated text generation, undermining the value of expert judgement.

A sizeable proportion of researchers would be unhappy if AI-shaped assessments of their own papers, even though many quietly rely on such tools when reviewing for journals. Publishers are now revisiting their policies, yet they aim to respect authors who expect human-led scrutiny.

Editors also report that AI-generated reports often lack depth and fail to reflect domain expertise. Concerns extend to confidentiality, with organisations such as the American Physical Society warning that uploading manuscripts to chatbots can breach author trust.

Legal disputes about training data add further uncertainty, pushing publishers to approach policy changes with caution.

Despite disagreements, many researchers accept that AI will remain part of peer review as workloads increase and scientific output grows. The debate now centres on how to integrate new tools in a way that supports researchers instead of weakening the foundations of scholarly communication.

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Instacart deepens partnership with OpenAI for real-time AI shopping

OpenAI and Instacart are expanding their longstanding collaboration by introducing a fully integrated grocery shopping experience inside ChatGPT.

Users can receive meal inspiration, browse products and place orders in one continuous conversation instead of switching across separate platforms.

A service that brings together Instacart’s real-time retail network with OpenAI’s most advanced models to produce an experience that feels like a direct link between a simple request and completed delivery.

The Instacart app becomes the first service to offer a full checkout flow inside ChatGPT by using the Agentic Commerce Protocol. When users mention food, ingredients or recipe ideas, ChatGPT can surface the app immediately.

Once the user connects an Instacart account, the system selects suitable items from nearby retailers and builds a complete cart that can be reviewed before payment. Users then pay securely inside the chat while Instacart manages collection and delivery through its established network.

The update also reflects broader cooperation between the two companies. Instacart continues to rely on OpenAI APIs to support personalised suggestions and real time guidance across its customer experience.

ChatGPT Enterprise assists internal teams, while Codex powers an internal coding agent that shortens development cycles instead of slowing them down with manual tasks. The partnership builds on Instacart’s early involvement in the Operator research preview, where it helped refine emerging agentic technologies.

A renewed partnership that strengthens OpenAI’s growing enterprise ecosystem. The company already works with major global brands across sectors such as retail, financial services and telecommunications.

The Instacart integration offers a view of how conversational agents may act as a bridge between everyday intent and immediate real-world action.

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