Japanese brewing giant Asahi has suffered a cyberattack that triggered a systems failure, disrupting shipping and customer services in Japan. The company stressed that European operations, including the UK, remain unaffected.
Order and shipment processes in its domestic market have been suspended, alongside customer service functions. Asahi apologised to customers and business partners, saying the cause is under investigation and there is no clear timeline for recovery.
The brewer is the largest in Japan, owning global beer brands such as Peroni, Pilsner Urquell, and Grolsch. It operates Fuller’s in the UK, which produces London Pride and Cornish Orchards cider.
Asahi has identified cyberattacks as a key business risk, with concerns over cash flow and brand damage. The incident comes as several major UK companies, including Harrods and Jaguar Land Rover, have also faced recent cyber breaches.
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The tool, developed within the department’s Sydney-based cloud environment, prioritises privacy, security, and equity while tailoring content to the state’s educational context. It is aligned with the NSW AI Assessment Framework.
The trial began in 16 schools in Term 1, 2024, and then expanded to 50 schools in Term 2. Teachers reported efficiency gains, and students showed strong engagement. Access was extended to all staff in Term 4, 2024, with Years 5–12 students due to follow in Term 4, 2025.
Key features include a privacy-first design, built-in safeguards, and a student mode that encourages critical thinking by offering guided prompts rather than direct answers. Staff can switch between staff and student modes for lesson planning and preparation.
All data is stored in Australia under departmental control. NSWEduChat is free and billed as the most cost-effective AI tool for schools. Other systems are accessible but not endorsed; staff must follow safety rules, while students are limited to approved tools.
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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has signalled that Greece may consider banning social media use for children under 16.
He raised the issue during a UN event in New York, hosted by Australia, titled ‘Protecting Children in the Digital Age’, held as part of the 80th UN General Assembly.
Mitsotakis emphasised that any restrictions would be coordinated with international partners, warning that the world is carrying out the largest uncontrolled experiment on children’s minds through unchecked social media exposure.
He cautioned that the long-term effects are uncertain but unlikely to be positive.
The prime minister pointed to new national initiatives, such as the ban on mobile phone use in schools, which he said has transformed the educational experience.
He also highlighted the recent launch of parco.gov.gr, which provides age verification and parental control tools to support families in protecting children online.
Mitsotakis stressed that difficulties enforcing such measures cannot serve as an excuse for inaction, urging global cooperation to address the growing risks children face in the digital age.
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PayOS and Mastercard have completed the first live agentic payment using a Mastercard Agentic Token, marking a pivotal step for AI-driven commerce. The demonstration, powered by Mastercard Agent Pay, extends the tokenisation infrastructure that already underpins mobile payments and card storage.
The system enables AI agents to initiate payments while enforcing consent, authentication, and fraud checks, thereby forming what Mastercard refers to as the trust layer. It shows how card networks are preparing for agentic transactions to become central to digital commerce.
Mastercard’s Chief Digital Officer, Pablo Fourez, stated that the company is developing a secure and interoperable ecosystem for AI-driven payments, underpinned by tokenized credentials. The framework aims to prepare for a future where the internet itself supports native agentic commerce.
For PayOS, the milestone represents a shift from testing to commercialisation. Chief executive Johnathan McGowan said the company is now onboarding customers and offering tools for fraud prevention, payments risk management, and improved user experiences.
The achievement signals a broader transition as agentic AI moves from pilot to real-world deployment. If security models remain effective, agentic payments could soon differentiate platforms, merchants, and issuers, embedding autonomy into digital transactions.
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After its announcement in May, Opera has started rolling out Neon, its first AI-powered browser. Unlike traditional browsers, Neon is designed for professionals who want AI to simplify complex online workflows.
The browser introduces Tasks, which act like self-contained workspaces. AI can understand context, compare sources, and operate across multiple tabs simultaneously to manage projects more efficiently.
Neon also features cards and reusable AI prompts that users can customise or download from a community store, streamlining repeated actions and tasks.
Its standout tool, Neon Do, performs real-time on-screen actions such as opening tabs, filling forms, and gathering data, while keeping everything local. Opera says no data is shared, and all information is deleted after 30 days.
Neon is available by subscription at $19.90 per month. Invitations are limited during rollout, but Opera promises broader availability soon.
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In the US, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 53, a landmark law establishing transparency and safety requirements for large AI companies.
The legislation obliges major AI developers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google DeepMind to disclose their safety protocols. It also introduces whistle-blower protections and a reporting mechanism for safety incidents, including cyberattacks and autonomous AI behaviour not covered by the EU AI Act.
Reactions across the industry have been mixed. Anthropic supported the law, while Meta and OpenAI lobbied against it, with OpenAI publishing an open letter urging Newsom not to sign. Tech firms have warned that state-level measures could create a patchwork of regulation that stifles innovation.
Despite resistance, the law positions California as a national leader in AI governance. Newsom said the state had demonstrated that it was possible to safeguard communities without stifling growth, calling AI ‘the new frontier in innovation’.
Similar legislation is under consideration in New York, while California lawmakers are also debating SB 243, a separate bill that would regulate AI companion chatbots.
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OpenAI has introduced new parental controls for ChatGPT, giving families greater oversight of how teens use the AI platform. The tools, which are live for all users, allow parents to link accounts with their children and manage settings through a simple control dashboard.
The system introduces stronger safeguards for teen accounts, including filters on graphic or harmful content and restrictions on roleplay involving sex, violence or extreme beauty ideals.
Parents can also fine-tune features such as voice mode, memory, image generation, or set quiet hours when ChatGPT cannot be accessed.
A notification mechanism has been added to alert parents if a teen shows signs of acute distress, escalating to emergency services in critical cases. OpenAI said the controls were shaped by consultation with experts, advocacy groups, and policymakers and will be expanded as research evolves.
To complement the parental controls, a new online resource hub has been launched to help families learn how ChatGPT works and explore positive uses in study, creativity and daily life.
OpenAI also plans to roll out an age-prediction system that automatically applies teen-appropriate settings.
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A £100m AI data centre has been approved for construction on the outskirts of Stockton, with developers Latos Data Centres pledging up to 150 new jobs.
The Preston Farms Industrial Estate site will feature two commercial units, plants, substations and offices, designed to support the growing demands of AI and advanced computing.
Work on the Neural Data Centre is set to begin at the end of the year, with full operations expected by 2028. The project has been welcomed by Industry Minister and Stockton North MP Chris McDonald, who described it as a significant investment in skills and opportunities for the future.
Latos managing director Andy Collin said the facility was intended to be ‘future proof’, calling it a purpose-built factory for the modern digital economy. Local leaders hope the investment will help regenerate Teesside’s industrial base, positioning the region as a hub for cutting-edge infrastructure.
The announcement follows the UK government’s decision to create an AI growth zone in the North East, covering sites in Northumberland and Tyneside. Teesworks in Redcar was not included in the initial allocation, but ministers said further proposals from Teesside were still under review.
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New Jersey legislators have introduced a bill requiring data centre operators in the state to disclose their annual energy and water usage publicly. The measure seeks to inject transparency into operations that are notorious for high resource consumption.
The proposed law emerges amidst broader scrutiny of data centres’ environmental footprint. Researchers in the Great Lakes region estimate hyper-scale facilities could use up to 365 million gallons of water yearly for cooling and related systems.
Supporters say the disclosures can help policymakers and communities understand strain on the electric grid and water supplies, especially as data centre growth accelerates. Critics warn that requiring such detailed reporting might discourage investment or create competitive disadvantages.
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Hackers have targeted up to two million Cisco devices using a newly disclosed vulnerability in the company’s networking software. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2025-20352, affects all supported versions of Cisco IOS and IOS XE, which power many routers and switches.
Cisco confirmed that attackers have exploited the weakness in the wild, crashing systems, implanting malware, and potentially extracting sensitive data. The campaign builds on previous activity by the same threat group, which has also exploited Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance devices.
Attackers gained access after local administrator credentials were compromised, allowing them to implant malware and execute commands. The company’s Product Security Incident Response Team urged customers to upgrade immediately to fixed software releases to secure their systems.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security has warned organisations about sophisticated malware exploiting flaws in outdated Cisco ASA devices, urging immediate patching and stronger defences to protect critical systems.
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