AI is expanding rapidly, driving rising electricity and water consumption, which has fuelled concerns about environmental damage. Growth in data centres and intensive computing workloads is increasing pressure on global energy systems.
At the same time, AI is being deployed to reduce resource use and emissions across multiple industries. In agriculture, data-driven irrigation systems help farmers apply water more precisely, cutting waste while lowering the energy needed for pumping and distribution.
Efficiency gains are also visible in data centres, where intelligent systems manage workloads and cooling more effectively. Despite a sharp rise in global internet traffic, improvements in energy management have helped slow the growth of electricity consumption.
Energy companies, building operators and airlines are adopting AI to cut emissions and improve efficiency. From detecting methane leaks to optimising heating systems and flight routes, wider use of these technologies could help balance AI’s environmental costs with measurable climate benefits.
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SoftBank is in discussions to invest an additional $30 billion in OpenAI, as the Japanese conglomerate deepens its commitment to the AI pioneer. The potential funding round could reach $100 billion, valuing OpenAI at approximately $830 billion.
Chief Executive Masayoshi Son has taken an aggressive approach in the AI race, following a $41 billion investment last year that secured an 11 percent stake. OpenAI is facing increasing operational costs to train and maintain its AI models while competing with Alphabet’s Google.
Both SoftBank and OpenAI are also investors in Stargate, a $500 billion project to build AI data centres critical to US efforts to maintain a technological edge over China. The ambitious plan highlights the strategic importance of AI infrastructure in the global market.
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Yahoo has introduced Scout, a new AI-powered search engine designed to compete with Google AI Mode and Perplexity. The tool transforms traditional search results into direct answers, interpreting natural language queries with the help of Yahoo’s extensive user data and content.
Scout combines the Claude AI model from Anthropic with Bing’s grounding API to ensure information is accurate and drawn from authoritative sources. Users can access personalised insights, whether checking the weather, tracking stock prices, or verifying news stories.
The platform also includes shopping and finance features, offering quick comparisons between products and synthesised financial information refreshed every ten minutes. Currently in beta, Yahoo Scout is available to US users via the Yahoo Search app and website, with plans to expand its personalisation features.
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Subscriptions for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are set to be tested as Meta explores new revenue streams while keeping core access free. Paid tiers would place selected features and advanced sharing controls behind a subscription.
Early signals indicate the subscriptions could launch within months, with each platform offering its own set of premium tools. Meta has confirmed it will trial multiple formats rather than rely on a single bundled model.
AI plays a central role in the plan, with subscribers gaining access to AI-powered features, including video generation. The recently acquired Manus AI agent will be integrated across Meta services and offered separately to business users.
User reaction is expected to influence how far the company pushes the model, including potential bundles or platform-specific pricing. Wider acceptance could encourage other social networks to adopt similar subscription strategies.
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The renewable energy sector in Australia encounters new challenges as major tech companies establish AI data centres across the country. Projects once planned to export solar power internationally are now influenced by domestic energy demands.
Sun Cable, supported by billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest, aimed to deliver Australian solar energy to Singapore via a 4,300-kilometre sea cable. The project symbolised a vision for Australia to become a leading exporter of renewable electricity.
The rapid expansion of AI facilities is shifting energy priorities towards domestic infrastructure. Tech companies’ demand for electricity is creating new competition with planned renewable export projects.
Energy policy decisions now carry broader implications for emissions, the national grid, and Australia’s role in the global clean energy market. Careful planning will be essential to balance domestic growth with long-term renewable ambitions.
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Firefighting is entering a new era with HEN Technologies. Founder Sunny Sethi has developed nozzles that extinguish fires up to three times faster while conserving two-thirds of water.
HEN’s products include nozzles, valves, monitors, and sprinklers equipped with sensors and smart circuits. A cloud platform tracks water flow, pressure, GPS, and weather conditions, allowing fire departments to respond efficiently and manage resources effectively.
Predictive analytics built on this data provide real-time insights for incident commanders. Firefighters can anticipate wind shifts, monitor water usage, and optimise operations, attracting interest from the Department of Homeland Security and military agencies worldwide.
Commercial adoption has been rapid, with revenue rising from $200,000 in 2023 to a projected $20 million this year. Serving 1,500 clients globally and filing 20 patents, HEN is also collecting real-world fire data that could support AI models simulating extreme environments.
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Creative communities are pushing back against generative AI in literature and art. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association now bars works created wholly or partly with large language models after criticism of earlier, more permissive rules.
San Diego Comic-Con faced controversy when it initially allowed AI-generated art in its exhibition, but not for sale. Artists argued that the rules threatened originality, prompting organisers to ban all AI-created material.
Authors warn that generative AI undermines the creative process. Some point out that large language model tools are already embedded in research and writing software, raising concerns about accidental disqualification from awards.
Fans and members welcomed SFWA’s decision, but questions remain about how broadly AI usage will be defined. Many creators insist that machines cannot replicate storytelling and artistic skill.
Industry observers expect other cultural organisations to follow similar policies this year. The debate continues over ethics, fairness, and technology’s role in arts and literature.
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New measures are being introduced in west Northamptonshire with the deployment of an AI-powered CCTV tower to combat fly-tipping in known hotspots. The mobile system will be rotated between locations until January 2027 to improve detection and deterrence.
Fly-tipping remains a significant issue across the area, with more than 21,000 incidents cleared between April 2024 and March 2025. Local authorities say illegal dumping damages neighbourhoods, harms wildlife and places a heavy financial burden on taxpayers.
The tower uses 360-degree cameras and AI to monitor activity and identify offences as they occur. Automatic number plate recognition allows enforcement officers to link incidents to suspected vehicles more quickly.
Council leaders say a similar scheme in Dartford have reduced fly-tipping and believe the technology sends a strong message to offenders. Residents are encouraged to report incidents through the council website or smartphone app to support enforcement efforts.
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Australia’s social media ban for under-16s is worrying social media companies. According to the country’s eSafety Commissioner, these companies fear a global trend of banning such apps. In Australia, regulators say major platforms reluctantly resisted the policy, fearing that similar rules could spread internationally.
In Australia, the ban has already led to the closure of 4.7 million child-linked accounts across platforms, including Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Authorities argue the measures are necessary to protect children from harmful algorithms and addictive design.
Social media companies operating in Australia, including Meta, say stronger safeguards are needed but oppose a blanket ban. Critics have warned about privacy risks, while regulators insist early data shows limited migration to alternative platforms.
Australia is now working with partners such as the UK to push tougher global standards on online child safety. In Australia, fines of up to A$49.5m may be imposed on companies failing to enforce the rules effectively.
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US companies are increasingly adopting Chinese AI models as part of their core technology stacks, raising questions about global leadership in AI. In the US, Pinterest has confirmed it is using Chinese-developed models to improve recommendations and shopping features.
In the US, executives point to open-source Chinese models such as DeepSeek and tools from Alibaba as faster, cheaper and easier to customise. US firms say these models can outperform proprietary alternatives at a fraction of the cost.
Adoption extends beyond Pinterest in the US, with Airbnb also relying on Chinese AI to power customer service tools. Data from Hugging Face shows Chinese models frequently rank among the most downloaded worldwide, including across US developers.
Researchers at Stanford University have found Chinese AI capabilities now match or exceed global peers. In the US, firms such as OpenAI and Meta remain focused on proprietary systems, leaving China to dominate open-source AI development.
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