Cybersecurity

Industry leaders urge careful AI use in research projects

The 2026 Adwanted Media Research Awards will feature a new category for Best Use of AI in Research Projects, reflecting the growing importance of this technology in the industry.

Head judge Denise Turner of IPA said AI should be viewed as a tool to expedite workflows, not replace human insight, emphasising that researchers remain essential to interpreting results and posing the right questions.

Route CEO Euan Mackay said AI enables digital twins, synthetic data, and clean-room integrations, shifting researchers’ roles from survey design to auditing and ensuring data integrity in an AI-driven environment.

OMD’s Laura Rowe highlighted AI’s ability to rapidly process raw data, transcribe qualitative research, and extend insights across strategy and planning — provided ethical oversight remains in place.

ITV’s Neil Mortensen called this the start of a ‘gold rush’, urging the industry to use AI to automate tedious tasks while preserving rigorous methods and enabling more time for deep analysis.

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Rising data centre demand pushes utilities to invest

US electricity prices are rising as the energy demands of data centres surge, driven by the rapid growth of AI technologies. The average retail price per kilowatt-hour increased by 6.5% between May 2024 and May 2025, with some states experiencing significantly sharper increases.

Maine saw the sharpest rise in electricity prices at 36.3%, with Connecticut and Utah following closely behind. Utilities are passing on infrastructure costs, including new transmission lines, to consumers. In Northern Virginia, residents could face monthly bill increases of up to $37 by 2040.

Analysts warn that the shift to generative AI will lead to a 160% surge in energy use at data centres by 2030. Water use is also rising sharply, as Google reported its facilities consumed around 6 billion gallons in 2024 alone, amid intensifying global AI competition.

Tech giants are turning to alternative energy to keep pace. Google has announced plans to power data centres with small nuclear reactors through a partnership with Kairos Power, while Microsoft and Amazon are ramping up nuclear investments to secure long-term supply.

President Donald Trump has pledged more than $92 billion in AI and energy infrastructure investments, underlining Washington’s push to ensure the US remains competitive in the AI race despite mounting strain on the grid and water resources.

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Anthropic introduces memory feature to Claude AI for workplace productivity

The AI startup Anthropic has added a memory feature to its Claude AI, designed to automatically recall details from earlier conversations, such as project information and team preferences.

Initially, the upgrade is only available to Team and Enterprise subscribers, who can manage, edit, or delete the content that the system retains.

Anthropic presents the tool as a way to improve workplace efficiency instead of forcing users to repeat instructions. Enterprise administrators have additional controls, including entirely turning memory off.

Privacy safeguards are included, such as an ‘incognito mode’ for conversations that are not stored.

Analysts view the step as an effort to catch up with competitors like ChatGPT and Gemini, which already offer similar functions. Memory also links with Claude’s newer tools for creating spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs, allowing past information to be reused in future documents.

Anthropic plans a wider release after testing the feature with businesses. Experts suggest the approach could strengthen the company’s position in the AI market by offering both continuity and security, which appeal to enterprises handling sensitive data.

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Integratel Perú secures spectrum to boost 5G rollout

Integratel Perú has secured a 100 MHz spectrum block to accelerate the deployment of 5G, laying the foundation for faster connections, lower latency, and greater device capacity.

A move that is expected to boost Peru’s digital transformation and strengthen local industries’ competitiveness.

The company has already modernised 1,400 antennas as part of a wider network upgrade that will continue into 2027, preparing the ground for nationwide 5G rollout once fully authorised.

Under its Movistar Empresas brand, Integratel plans to enhance digital services, including personnel identification systems that use cameras to verify protective equipment in restricted areas. With 5G, such tools will deliver more explicit images and real-time alerts, reducing human oversight.

As part of its spectrum award commitments, Integratel will expand 4G coverage to 437 rural locations and extend connectivity along 545 kilometres of roads.

It will also deliver 5G to 92 public institutions, including schools, hospitals, and Pan American Games venues, ensuring wider access to advanced connectivity nationwide.

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Google Quantum AI selected for DARPA quantum benchmarking initiative

Google Quantum AI has been selected by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to participate in the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). QBI is designed to assess quantum computing approaches and judge whether utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computers could be developed by 2033.

The selection means Google will work with DARPA’s technical experts, who will be independent validators for its quantum computing roadmap. The evaluation aims to provide rigorous third-party benchmarking, a critical capability for the broader quantum industry.

DARPA’s QBI is not only about validation. It aims to compare different quantum technologies, superconducting qubits, photonic systems, trapped ions and other modalities under shared metrics.

Google’s involvement underscores its ongoing mission to build quantum infrastructure capable of addressing problems such as new medicine design, energy innovation and machine-learning optimisation.

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UK plans AI systems to monitor offenders and prevent crimes before they occur

The UK government is expanding its use of AI across prisons, probation and courts to monitor offenders, assess risk and prevent crime before it occurs under the AI Action Plan.

One key measure involves an AI violence prediction tool that uses factors like an offender’s age, past violent incidents and institutional behaviour to identify those most likely to pose risk.

These predictions will inform decisions to increase supervision or relocate prisoners in custody wings ahead of potential violence.

Another component scans seized mobile phone content to highlight secret or coded messages that may signal plotting of violent acts, intelligence operations or contraband activities.

Officials are also working to merge offender records across courts, prisons and probation to create a single digital identity for each offender.

UK authorities say the goal is to reduce reoffending and prioritise public and staff safety, while shifting resources from reactive investigations to proactive prevention. Civil liberties groups caution about privacy, bias and the risk of overreach if transparency and oversight are not built in.

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Apple notifies French users after commercial spyware threats surge

France’s national cybersecurity agency, CERT-FR, has confirmed that Apple issued another set of threat notifications on 3 September 2025. The alerts inform certain users that devices linked to their iCloud accounts may have been targeted by spyware.

These latest alerts mark this year’s fourth campaign, following earlier waves in March, April and June. Targeted individuals include journalists, activists, politicians, lawyers and senior officials.

CERT-FR says the attacks are highly sophisticated and involve mercenary spyware tools. Many intrusions appear to exploit zero-day or zero-click vulnerabilities, meaning no victim interaction must be compromised.

Apple advises victims to preserve threat notifications, avoid altering device settings that could obscure forensic evidence, and contact authorities and cybersecurity specialists. Users are encouraged to enable features like Lockdown Mode and update devices.

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France pushes for nighttime social media curfews for teens

French lawmakers are calling for stricter regulations on teen social media use, including mandatory nighttime curfews, following a parliamentary report examining TikTok’s psychological impact on minors.

The 324-page report, published Thursday by a National Assembly Inquiry Commission, proposes that social media accounts for 15- to 18-year-olds be automatically disabled between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. to help combat mental health issues.

The report contains 43 recommendations, including greater funding for youth mental health services, awareness campaigns in schools, and a national ban on social media access for those under 15. Platforms with algorithmic recommendation systems, like TikTok, are specifically targeted.

Arthur Delaporte, the lead rapporteur and a socialist MP, also announced plans to refer TikTok to the Paris Public Prosecutor, accusing the platform of knowingly exposing minors to harmful content.

The report follows a December 2024 lawsuit filed by seven families who claim TikTok’s content contributed to their children’s suicides.

TikTok rejected the accusations, calling the report “misleading” and highlighting its safety features for minors.

The report urges France not to wait for EU-level legislation and instead to lead on national regulation. President Emmanuel Macron previously demanded an EU-wide ban on social media for under-15s.

However, the European Commission has said cultural differences make such a bloc-wide approach unfeasible.

Looking ahead, the report supports stronger obligations in the upcoming Digital Fairness Act, such as giving users greater control over content feeds and limiting algorithmic manipulation.

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EU enforces tougher cybersecurity rules under NIS2

The European Union’s NIS2 directive has officially come into force, imposing stricter cybersecurity duties on thousands of organisations.

Adopted in 2022 and implemented into national law by late 2024, the rules extend beyond critical infrastructure to cover more industries. Energy, healthcare, transport, ICT, and even waste management firms now face mandatory compliance.

Measures include multifactor authentication, encryption, backup systems, and stronger supply chain security. Senior executives are held directly responsible for failures, with penalties ranging from heavy fines to operational restrictions.

Companies must also report major incidents promptly to national authorities. Unlike ISO certifications, NIS2 requires organisations to prove compliance through internal processes or independent audits, depending on national enforcement.

Analysts warn that firms still reliant on legacy systems face a difficult transition. Yet experts agree the directive signals a decisive shift: cybersecurity is now a legal duty, not simply best practice.

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Jaguar Land Rover extends production halt after cyberattack

Jaguar Land Rover has told staff to stay at home until at least Wednesday as the company continues to recover from a cyberattack.

The hack forced JLR to shut down systems on 31 August, disrupting operations at plants in Halewood, Solihull and Wolverhampton, UK. Production was initially paused until 9 September but has now been extended for at least another week.

Business minister Sir Chris Bryant said it was too early to determine whether the attack was state-sponsored. The incident follows a wave of cyberattacks in the UK, including recent breaches at M&S, Harrods and train operator LNER.

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