ASEAN, the GCC, and China unite to advance digital innovation

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and China convened their inaugural trilateral summit in Kuala Lumpur with a shared vision to strengthen regional cooperation and integration.

The three parties committed to deepening economic ties through sustainable development, free trade, and enhanced collaboration across key sectors such as the digital and green economy, technology, and finance.

A major focus of the summit was boosting connectivity, notably through infrastructure development and expanded cooperation under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Key policy areas include the promotion of AI, the advancement of financial technology (fintech), and the development of digital skills to prepare their populations for the evolving digital economy.

They also expressed a shared interest in supporting clean energy innovation, highlighting the role of technology in driving sustainable and inclusive energy transitions.

These technology-focused policies aim to build resilient, future-ready economies by enhancing cross-border collaboration in emerging digital industries and strengthening regional capabilities in science, technology, and innovation.

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

UK bolsters digital defences with new Cyber Command after Ukraine lessons

The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) will establish a Cyber and Electromagnetic Command to unify defensive cyber operations and coordinate offensive capabilities alongside the National Cyber Force.

However, this move follows recommendations in the upcoming strategic defence review, due on 2 June 2025, which will define the UK’s force structure and investment priorities.

The rapid sharing of intelligence across ships, aircraft, tanks and personnel is a core aim of the new formation. Defence Secretary John Healey has stressed that future conflicts ‘will be won through forces that are better connected, better equipped and innovating faster than their adversaries.’

However, a major concern is the lack of digital expertise, as Strategic Command chief Gen. Sir Jim Hockenhull warned: ‘the first battle of the next war is the battle for talent.’ To tackle this shortfall, the MoD has launched an accelerated recruitment pipeline, reducing basic training from ten weeks to just four, followed by three months of specialised cyber instruction.

Insights from Russia’s campaign in Ukraine have underlined the importance of electromagnetic capabilities such as jamming drones, intercepting communications and degrading enemy command and control.

Strategic Command chief Sir Jim Hockenhull warned that siloed cyber efforts must be fully integrated into operational planning to seize the advantage in modern warfare.

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

Google Photos new update adds AI editing

Google is marking the 10th anniversary of Google Photos by introducing a revamped, AI-powered photo editor aimed at making image enhancement simpler and faster.

The updated tool combines multiple effects with a single suggestion and offers editing tips when users tap on specific parts of a photo.

Instead of relying solely on manual controls, the interface now blends smart features like Reimagine and Auto frame with familiar options such as brightness and contrast. The new editor is being rolled out to Android users first, with iOS users set to receive it later in the year.

In addition, Google Photos now supports album sharing via QR codes. Instead of sharing links, users can generate a code that others nearby can scan or receive digitally, allowing them to view or add photos to shared albums.

With over 1.5 billion monthly users and more than nine trillion photos stored, Google Photos remains one of the world’s most widely used photo services.

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

IHS Nigeria and NSCDC partner to secure telecom infrastructure

IHS Nigeria and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have partnered to enhance the protection of critical telecommunications infrastructure across Nigeria.

The partnership is grounded in national policies that classify telecommunications assets, such as towers and fibre optic networks, as critical national information infrastructure, requiring legal protection and proactive security enforcement.

By addressing issues such as theft, vandalism, and sabotage, the partnership aims to strengthen the reliability and security of telecom services that millions of Nigerians rely on daily.

The NSCDC will provide critical support to IHS Nigeria in essential operational areas including site surveillance, emergency response, incident reporting, and tower decommissioning.

Additionally, the Corps will take an active role in investigating, apprehending, and prosecuting those who violate laws protecting telecommunications infrastructure.

Commenting on the partnership, IHS Nigeria CEO highlighted the importance of working closely with law enforcement to create a safer environment for operations and improve service quality.

He described the initiative as a major step toward enhancing the resilience and availability of connectivity in Nigeria. Similarly, NSCDC Commandant underscored the Corps’ responsibility to protect national infrastructure and described IHS Nigeria as a strategic partner in achieving that mission.

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

AT&T hit by alleged 31 million record breach

A hacker has allegedly leaked data from 31 million AT&T customers, raising fresh concerns over the security of one of America’s largest telecom providers. The data, posted on a major dark web forum in late May 2025, is said to contain 3.1GB of customer information in both JSON and CSV formats.

Instead of isolated details, the breach reportedly includes highly sensitive data: full names, dates of birth, tax IDs, physical and email addresses, device and cookie identifiers, phone numbers, and IP addresses.

Cybersecurity firm DarkEye flagged the leak, warning that the structured formats make the data easy for criminals to exploit.

If verified, the breach would mark yet another major incident for AT&T. In March 2024, the company confirmed that personal information from 73 million users had been leaked.

Just months later, a July breach exposed call records and location metadata for nearly 110 million customers, with blame directed at compromised Snowflake cloud accounts.

AT&T has yet to comment on the latest claims. Experts warn that the combination of tax numbers and device data could enable identity theft, financial scams, and advanced phishing attacks.

For a company already under scrutiny for past security lapses, the latest breach could further damage public trust.

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

Victoria’s Secret website hit by cyber attack

Victoria’s Secret’s website has remained offline for three days due to a security incident the company has yet to fully explain. A spokesperson confirmed steps are being taken to address the issue, saying external experts have been called in and some in-store systems were also taken down as a precaution.

Instead of revealing specific details, the retailer has left users with only a holding message on a pink background. It has declined to comment on whether ransomware is involved, when the disruption began, or if law enforcement has been contacted.

The firm’s physical stores continue operating as normal, and payment systems are unaffected, suggesting the breach has hit other digital infrastructure. Still, the shutdown has rattled investors—shares fell nearly seven percent on Wednesday.

With online sales accounting for a third of Victoria’s Secret’s $6 billion annual revenue, the pressure to resolve the situation is high.

The timing has raised eyebrows, as cybercriminals often strike during public holidays like Memorial Day, when IT teams are short-staffed. The attack follows a worrying trend among retailers.

UK giants such as Harrods, Marks & Spencer, and the Co-op have all suffered recent breaches. Experts warn that US chains are becoming the next major targets, with threat groups like Scattered Spider shifting their focus across the Atlantic.

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

Google Drive adds AI video summaries

Google Drive is gaining a new AI-powered tool that allows Workspace users to summarise and interact with video content using Gemini, Google’s generative AI assistant.

Instead of manually skipping through videos, users can now click the ‘Ask Gemini’ button to get instant summaries, key highlights, or action items from uploaded recordings.

The tool builds on Gemini 2.5 Pro’s strong video analysis capabilities, which recently scored 84.8% on the VideoMME benchmark. Gemini’s side panel, already used for summarising documents and folders, can now handle natural language prompts like ‘Summarise this video’ or ‘List key points from this meeting’.

However, the feature only works in English and requires captions to be enabled by the Workspace admin.

Google is rolling out the feature across various Workspace plans, including Business Standard and Enterprise tiers, with access available through Drive’s overlay preview or a new browser tab.

Instead of switching between windows or scrubbing through videos, users can now save time by letting Gemini handle the heavy lifting.

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

Telegram partners with Musk’s xAI

Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, is partnering with Telegram to bring its AI assistant, Grok, to the messaging platform’s more than one billion users.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov announced that Grok will be integrated into Telegram’s apps and distributed directly through the service.

Instead of a simple tech integration, the arrangement includes a significant financial deal. Telegram is set to receive $300 million in cash and equity from xAI, along with half of the revenue from any xAI subscriptions sold through the platform. The agreement is expected to last one year.

The move mirrors Meta’s recent rollout of AI features on WhatsApp, which drew criticism from users concerned about the changing nature of private messaging.

Analysts like Hanna Kahlert of Midia Research argue that users still prefer using social platforms to connect with friends, and that adding AI tools could erode trust and shift focus away from what made these apps popular in the first place.

The partnership also links two controversial tech figures. Durov was arrested in France in 2024 over allegations that Telegram failed to curb criminal activity, though he denies obstructing law enforcement.

Meanwhile, Musk has been pushing into AI development after falling out with OpenAI, and is using xAI to rival industry giants. In March, he valued xAI at $80 billion after acquiring X, formerly known as Twitter.

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

UK and EU strengthen maritime and cyber security

The UK and the EU have agreed to step up cooperation on cybersecurity as part of a wider defence and security pact.

The new framework, signed on 19 May, marks a major shift towards joint efforts in countering digital threats and hybrid warfare.

Instead of managing these challenges separately, the UK and EU will hold structured dialogues to address cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and other forms of foreign interference.

The deal outlines regular exchanges between national security officials, supported by thematic discussions focused on crisis response, infrastructure protection, and online misinformation.

A key aim is to boost resilience against hostile cyber activity by working together on detection, defence, and prevention strategies. The agreement encourages joint efforts to safeguard communication networks, protect energy grids, and strengthen public awareness against information manipulation.

The cooperation is expected to extend into coordinated drills and real-time threat sharing.

While the UK remains outside the EU’s political structure, the agreement positions it as a close cyber security partner.

Future plans include exploring deeper collaboration through EU defence projects and potentially forming a formal link with the European Defence Agency, ensuring that both sides can respond more effectively to emerging digital threats.

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

Salesforce turns to Google Cloud in AI race

Salesforce has entered a multibillion-dollar agreement with Google Cloud, committing to spend at least US$2.5 billion over the next seven years.

The deal enables Salesforce products—including customer-management tools, Agentforce AI assistants, and Data Cloud services—to run directly on Google’s infrastructure.

The partnership reflects a broader effort by both companies to strengthen their position in the growing generative AI market.

While Microsoft currently dominates this space by offering AI services to a significant portion of Fortune 500 firms, Salesforce and Google are seeking to expand their reach in AI-powered productivity and customer experience solutions.

By deepening integration with Google Cloud, Salesforce aims to give its enterprise customers access to more scalable and efficient AI services. The collaboration positions both firms to compete more aggressively with Microsoft, particularly in AI-driven business software and cloud solutions.

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