Cybersecurity

UK to benefit from Google’s £5 billion AI plan

Google has unveiled plans to invest £5 billion (around $6.8 billion) in the UK’s AI economy over the next two years.

An announcement comes just hours before US President Donald Trump’s official visit to the country, during which economic agreements worth more than $10 billion are expected.

The investment will include establishing a new AI data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, designed to meet growing demand for services like Google Cloud.

Alongside the facility, funds will be channelled into research and development, capital expenditure, engineering, and DeepMind’s work applying AI to science and healthcare. The project is expected to generate 8,250 annual jobs for British companies.

Google also revealed a partnership with Shell to support grid stability and contribute to the UK’s energy transition. The move highlights the economic and environmental stakes tied to AI expansion, as the UK positions itself as a hub for advanced digital technologies.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Generative AI enables rapid phishing attacks on older users

A recent study has shown that AI chatbots can generate compelling phishing emails for older people. Researchers tested six major chatbots, including Grok, ChatGPT, Claude, Meta AI, DeepSeek, and Google’s Gemini, by asking them to draft scam emails posing as charitable organisations.

Of 108 senior volunteers, roughly 11% clicked on the AI-written links, highlighting the ease with which cybercriminals could exploit such tools.

Some chatbots initially declined harmful requests, but minor adjustments, such as stating the task was for research purposes, or circumvented these safeguards.

Grok, in particular, produced messages urging recipients to ‘click now’ and join a fictitious charity, demonstrating how generative AI can amplify the persuasiveness of scams. Researchers warn that criminals could use AI to conduct large-scale phishing campaigns at minimal cost.

Phishing remains the most common cybercrime in the US, according to the FBI, with seniors disproportionately affected. Last year, Americans over 60 lost nearly $5 billion to phishing attacks, an increase driven partly by generative AI.

The study underscores the urgent need for awareness and protection measures among vulnerable populations.

Experts note that AI’s ability to generate varied scam messages rapidly poses a new challenge for cybersecurity, as it allows fraudsters to scale operations quickly while targeting specific demographics, including older people.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Telecom industry outlines vision for secure 6G

Telecom experts say 6G must be secure by design as planning for the next generation of mobile networks accelerates.

Industry leaders warn that 6G will vastly expand the attack surface, with autonomous vehicles, drones, industrial robots and AR systems all reliant on ultra-low latency connections. AI will be embedded at every layer, creating opportunities for optimisation but also new risks such as model poisoning.

Quantum threats are also on the horizon, with adversaries potentially able to decrypt sensitive data. Quantum-resistant cryptography is expected to be a cornerstone of 6G defences.

With standards due by 2029, experts stress cooperation among regulators, equipment vendors and operators. Security, they argue, must be as fundamental to 6G as speed and sustainability.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

China’s market watchdog finds Nvidia violated antitrust law

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has issued a preliminary finding that Nvidia violated antitrust law linked to its 2020 acquisition of Mellanox Technologies. The deal was approved with restrictions, including a ban on bundling and ‘unreasonable trading conditions’ in China.

SAMR now alleges that Nvidia breached those terms. A full investigation is underway. Nvidia shares fell 2.4% in pre-market trading after the announcement. According to the Financial Times, SAMR delayed releasing the findings to gain leverage in trade talks with the USA, currently taking place in Madrid.

At the same time, US export controls on advanced chips remain a challenge for Nvidia. Licensing for its China-specific H20 chips is still under review, affecting Nvidia’s access to the Chinese market.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

US and China reach framework deal on TikTok

The United States and China have reached a tentative ‘framework’ deal on the future of TikTok’s American operations, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed during trade talks in Madrid. The agreement, which still requires the approval of Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, is aimed at resolving a looming deadline that could see the video-sharing app banned in the US unless its Chinese owner ByteDance sells its American division.

US officials say the framework addresses national security concerns by paving the way for US ownership of TikTok’s operations, while China insists any final deal must not undermine its companies’ interests. The Biden administration has long argued that the app’s access to US user data poses significant risks, while ByteDance maintains its American arm operates independently and respects user privacy.

The law mandating a sale or ban, upheld by the Supreme Court earlier this year, is due to take effect on 17 September. Although the framework marks progress, key details remain unresolved, particularly over whether TikTok’s recommendation algorithm and user data will be fully transferred, stored, and protected in the US.

Experts warn that unless strict safeguards are included, the deal may solve ownership issues without closing potential ‘backdoors’ for Beijing. Concerns also remain over how much influence China retains, with negotiators linking TikTok’s fate to wider tariff discussions between the two powers.

If fully implemented, the agreement could represent a breakthrough in both trade relations and tech governance. But with ByteDance among China’s most powerful AI firms, the stakes go far beyond social media, touching on questions of global competition, national security, and digital sovereignty.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Quantum breakthroughs could threaten Bitcoin in the 2030s

The rise of quantum computing is sparking fresh concerns over the long-term security of Bitcoin. Unlike classical systems, quantum machines could eventually break the cryptography protecting digital assets.

Experts warn that Shor’s algorithm, once run on a sufficiently powerful quantum computer, could recover private keys from public ones in hours, leaving exposed funds vulnerable. Analysts see the mid-to-late 2030s as the key period for cryptographically relevant breakthroughs.

ChatGPT-5’s probability model indicates less than a 5% chance of Bitcoin being cracked before 2030, but risk rises to 45–60% between 2035 and 2039, and nearly certainty by 2050. Sudden progress in large-scale, fault-tolerant qubits or government directives could accelerate the timeline.

Mitigation strategies include avoiding key reuse, auditing exposed addresses, and gradually shifting to post-quantum or hybrid cryptographic solutions. Experts suggest that critical migrations should be completed by the mid-2030s to secure the Bitcoin network against future quantum threats.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

Privacy-preserving AI gets a boost with Google’s VaultGemma model

Google has unveiled VaultGemma, a new large language model built to offer cutting-edge privacy through differential privacy. The 1-billion-parameter model is based on Google’s Gemma architecture and is described as the most powerful differentially private LLM to date.

Differential privacy adds mathematical noise to data, preventing the identification of individuals while still producing accurate overall results. The method has long been used in regulated industries, but has been challenging to apply to large language models without compromising performance.

VaultGemma is designed to eliminate that trade-off. Google states that the model can be trained and deployed with differential privacy enabled, while maintaining comparable stability and efficiency to non-private LLMs.

This breakthrough could have significant implications for developers building privacy-sensitive AI systems, ranging from healthcare and finance to government services. It demonstrates that sensitive data can be protected without sacrificing speed or accuracy.

Google’s research teams say the model will be released with open-source tools to help others adopt privacy-preserving techniques. The move comes amid rising regulatory and public scrutiny over how AI systems handle personal data.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Hackers use ChatGPT for fake ID attack

A hacking group has reportedly used ChatGPT to generate a fake military ID in a phishing attack targeting South Korea. The incident, uncovered by cybersecurity firm Genians, shows how AI can be misused to make malicious campaigns more convincing.

Researchers said the group, known as Kimsuky, crafted a counterfeit South Korean military identification card to support a phishing email. While the document looked genuine, the email instead contained links to malware designed to extract data from victims’ devices.

Targets included journalists, human rights activists and researchers. Kimsuky has a history of cyber-espionage. US officials previously linked the group to global intelligence-gathering operations.

The findings highlight a wider trend of AI being exploited for cybercrime, from creating fake résumés to planning attacks and developing malware. Genians warned that attackers are rapidly using AI to impersonate trusted organisations, while the full scale of the breach is unknown.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

EdChat AI app set for South Australian schools amid calls for careful use

South Australian public schools will soon gain access to EdChat, a ChatGPT-style app developed by Microsoft in partnership with the state government. Education Minister Blair Boyer said the tool will roll out next term across public high schools following a successful trial.

Safeguards have been built into EdChat to protect student data and alert moderators if students type concerning prompts, such as those related to self-harm or other sensitive topics. Boyer said student mental health was a priority during the design phase.

Teachers report that students use EdChat to clarify instructions, get maths solutions explained, and quiz themselves on exam topics. Adelaide Botanic High School principal Sarah Chambers described it as an ‘education equaliser’ that provides students with access to support throughout the day.

While many educators in Australia welcome the rollout, experts warn against overreliance on AI tools. Toby Walsh of UNSW said students must still learn how to write essays and think critically, while others noted that AI could actually encourage deeper questioning and analysis.

RMIT computing expert Michael Cowling said generative AI can strengthen critical thinking when used for brainstorming and refining ideas. He emphasised that students must learn to critically evaluate AI output and utilise the technology as a tool, rather than a substitute for learning.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Cyber attacks pose growing threat to shipping industry

The maritime industry faces rising cyber threats, with Nigerian gangs among the most active attackers of shipping firms. HFW lawyers say ‘man-in-the-middle’ frauds are now common, letting hackers intercept communications and steal sensitive financial or operational data.

Costs from cyber attacks are rising sharply, with average mitigation expenses for shipping firms doubling to $550,000 (£410,000) between 2022 and 2023. In cases where hackers remain embedded, ransom payments can reach $3.2m.

The rise in attacks coincides with greater digitisation, satellite connectivity such as Starlink, and increased use of onboard sensors.

Threats now extend beyond financial extortion, with GPS jamming and spoofing posing risks to navigation. Incidents such as the grounding of MSC Antonia in the Red Sea illustrate potential physical damage from cyber interference.

Industry regulators are responding, with the International Maritime Organization introducing mandatory cyber security measures into ship management systems. Experts say awareness has grown, and shipping firms are gradually strengthening defences against criminal and state cyber threats.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!