Development

DDoS attacks in 2025 become faster and smarter

DDoS attacks in 2025 became short and automated, often ending in minutes with minimal warning. Traditional response times are now insufficient against these high-speed threats.

Attackers increasingly use multiple hosts and blended vectors, including TCP, UDP, DNS, and SYN floods. IoT botnets and residential proxies amplify scale, with global capacity exceeding 250 Tbps.

Algorithmic orchestration allows attacks to adapt and escalate automatically. Even low-tech campaigns remain disruptive to weaker networks, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring.

Defenders must adopt AI-driven, sub-minute mitigation and self-defending architectures. Real-time detection is now essential to maintain uptime and prevent reputational damage.

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Instacart faces FTC scrutiny over AI pricing tool

US regulators are examining Instacart’s use of AI in grocery pricing, after reports that shoppers were shown different prices for identical items. Sources told Reuters the Federal Trade Commission has opened a probe into the company’s AI-driven pricing practices.

The FTC has issued a civil investigative demand seeking information about Instacart’s Eversight tool, which allows retailers to test different prices using AI. The agency said it does not comment on ongoing investigations, but expressed concern over reports of alleged pricing behaviour.

Scrutiny follows a study of 437 shoppers across four US cities, which found average price differences of 7 percent for the same grocery lists at the same stores. Some shoppers reportedly paid up to 23 percent more than others for identical items, according to the researchers.

Instacart said the pricing experiments were randomised and not based on personal data or individual behaviour. The company maintains that retailers, not Instacart, set prices on the platform, with the exception of Target, where prices are sourced externally and adjusted to cover costs.

The investigation comes amid wider regulatory focus on technology-driven pricing as living costs remain politically sensitive in the United States. Lawmakers have urged greater transparency, while the FTC continues broader inquiries into AI tools used to analyse consumer data and set prices.

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ChatGPT expands with a new app directory from OpenAI

OpenAI has opened submissions for third-party apps inside ChatGPT, allowing developers to publish tools that extend conversations with real-world actions. Approved apps will appear in a new in-product directory, enabling users to move directly from discussion to execution.

The initiative builds on OpenAI’s earlier DevDay announcement, where it outlined how apps could add specialised context to conversations. Developers can now submit apps for review, provided they meet the company’s requirements on safety, privacy, and user experience.

ChatGPT apps are designed to support practical workflows such as ordering groceries, creating slide decks, or searching for apartments. Apps can be activated during conversations via the tools menu, by mentioning them directly, or through automated recommendations based on context and usage signals.

To support adoption, OpenAI has released developer resources including best-practice guides, open-source example apps, and a chat-native UI library. An Apps SDK, currently in beta, allows developers to build experiences that integrate directly into conversational flows.

During the initial rollout, OpenAI’s monetisation is limited to external links directing users to developers’ own platforms. said it plans to explore additional revenue models over time as the app ecosystem matures.

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New 5G-advanced upgrade boosts UAE connectivity

UAE telecom operator ‘du’ has deployed the country’s first tri-band Radio Remote Unit on the 600MHz spectrum in partnership with Huawei. The rollout marks progress in the UAE’s 5G-Advanced network development.

Improved indoor coverage and faster speeds are delivered through dynamic power sharing and multi-band functionality. The upgrade supports services such as 5G Fixed Wireless Access and Voice over New Radio.

Lower energy consumption and a compact design reduce the environmental footprint of network infrastructure. The deployment aligns with national sustainability goals while improving long-term network efficiency.

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Competing visions of AGI emerge at Google DeepMind and Microsoft

Two former DeepMind co-founders now leading rival AI labs have outlined sharply different visions for how artificial general intelligence (AGI) should be developed, highlighting a growing strategic divide at the top of the industry.

Google DeepMind chief executive Demis Hassabis has framed AGI as a scientific tool for tackling foundational challenges. These include fusion energy, advanced materials, and fundamental physics. He says current models still lack consistent reasoning across tasks.

Hassabis has pointed to weaknesses, such as so-called ‘jagged intelligence’. Systems can perform well on complex benchmarks but fail simple tasks. DeepMind is investing in physics-based evaluations and AlphaZero-inspired research to enable genuine knowledge discovery rather than data replication.

Microsoft AI chief executive Mustafa Suleyman has taken a more product-led stance, framing AGI as an economic force rather than a scientific milestone. He has rejected the idea of race, instead prioritising controllable and reliable AI agents that operate under human oversight.

Suleyman has argued that governance, not raw capability, is the central challenge. He has emphasised containment, liability frameworks, and certified agents, reflecting wider tensions between rapid deployment and long-term scientific ambition as AI systems grow more influential.

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New AI model analyses X-rays to predict ageing and disease risk

AI may offer a new way to assess how quickly the body is aging by analysing chest X-rays, according to research published in The Journals of Gerontology. The CXR-Age AI model detected age-related changes in the heart, lungs, and health more accurately than DNA-based epigenetic clocks.

Researchers compared CXR-Age to two biological age measures, Horvath Age and DNAm PhenoAge, using data from 2,097 adults in the Project Baseline Health Study, a US multi-site initiative exploring health and disease over time.

CXR-Age showed strong links with early signs of heart and lung aging, frailty, and proteins associated with neuroinflammation, while DNA clocks displayed weaker or no correlations, particularly in middle-aged adults.

Findings suggest that AI applied to routine medical imaging could help clinicians identify individuals at risk of age-related diseases before symptoms appear. AI metrics like CXR-Age could enhance traditional assessments and support personalised preventive healthcare.

The study concludes that machine learning and medical imaging have the potential to advance understanding of organ-specific aging, offering a promising tool for monitoring cardiopulmonary health and supporting early interventions.

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OpenAI expands AI training for newsrooms worldwide

The US tech company, OpenAI, has launched the OpenAI Academy for News Organisations, a new learning hub designed to support journalists, editors and publishers adopting AI in their work.

An initiative that builds on existing partnerships with the American Journalism Project and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, reflecting a broader effort to strengthen journalism as a pillar of democratic life.

The Academy goes live with practical training, newsroom-focused playbooks and real-world examples aimed at helping news teams save time and focus on high-impact reporting.

Areas of focus include investigative research, multilingual reporting, data analysis, production efficiency and operational workflows that sustain news organisations over time.

Responsible use sits at the centre of the programme. Guidance on governance, internal policies and ethical deployment is intended to address concerns around trust, accuracy and newsroom culture, recognising that AI adoption raises structural questions rather than purely technical ones.

OpenAI plans to expand the Academy in the year ahead with additional courses, case studies and live programming.

Through collaboration with publishers, industry bodies and journalism networks worldwide, the Academy is positioned as a shared learning space that supports editorial independence while adapting journalism to an AI-shaped media environment.

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Meta updates AI glasses with voice and music features

Meta has updated its AI smart glasses with a conversation-focused feature that amplifies voices in noisy environments. Users can adjust the volume by swiping to the right on the temple or through device settings.

The conversation-focused feature is designed for busy environments such as restaurants, trains or bars. It is similar to Apple AirPods’ Conversation Boost, which helps users focus on a single speaker.

The update also adds Spotify integration, allowing the glasses to play songs based on what the wearer sees, such as an album cover or festive decorations. The feature links visual cues with interactive actions in apps.

The software update (v21) will initially roll out to participants in Meta’s Early Access Program. The conversation-focused feature will initially be available in the US and Canada, while the Spotify feature is offered in English across multiple markets.

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Google launches Gemini 3 Flash for scalable frontier AI

The US tech giant, Google, has unveiled Gemini 3 Flash, a new frontier AI model designed for developers who need high reasoning performance combined with speed and low cost.

Built on the multimodal and agentic foundations of Gemini 3 Pro, Gemini 3 Flash delivers faster responses at less than a quarter of the price, while surpassing Gemini 2.5 Pro across several major benchmarks.

The model is rolling out through the Gemini API, Google AI Studio, Vertex AI, Android Studio and other developer platforms, offering higher rate limits, batch processing and context caching that significantly reduce operational costs.

Gemini 3 Flash achieves frontier-level results on advanced reasoning benchmarks while remaining optimised for large-scale production workloads, reinforcing Google’s focus on efficiency alongside intelligence.

Early adopters are already deploying Gemini 3 Flash across coding, gaming, deepfake detection and legal document analysis, benefiting from improved agentic capabilities and near real-time multimodal reasoning.

By lowering cost barriers while expanding performance, Gemini 3 Flash enhances Google’s competitive position in the rapidly evolving AI model market. It broadens access to advanced AI systems for developers and enterprises.

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Euro stablecoins pass $1 billion milestone

Euro-denominated stablecoins have surpassed $1 billion in circulating supply, according to industry data, marking a significant milestone but remaining relatively insignificant within Europe’s broader monetary system. The total represents just 0.006% of the eurozone’s estimated $15.5 trillion M2 money supply.

Issuance activity was limited during 2020 and 2021, before accelerating from late 2023 onwards. Growth has continued through 2024 and into 2025, signalling renewed interest in tokenised euro products despite their small overall footprint.

Ethereum still hosts the largest share of euro stablecoins, although issuance has expanded to other blockchain networks, including Solana, Polygon, Arbitrum, Base, Avalanche, and Stellar. The shift reflects a move toward multi-chain deployment, focusing on payments, settlement, and cross-border transfers.

Euro stablecoins remain far smaller than dollar-based tokens, which continue to dominate on-chain liquidity and settlement. The euro’s limited digital presence highlights growth potential if regulation and institutional adoption advance.

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