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UK refuses to include Online Safety Act in US trade talks

The UK government has ruled out watering down the Online Safety Act as part of any trade negotiations with the US, despite pressure from American tech giants.

Speaking to MPs on the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, the parliamentary under-secretary for online safety, stated unequivocally that the legislation was ‘not up for negotiation’.

‘There have been clear instructions from the Prime Minister,’ she said. ‘The Online Safety Act is not part of the trade deal discussions. It’s a piece of legislation — it can’t just be negotiated away.’

Reports had suggested that President Donald Trump’s administration might seek to make loosening the UK’s online safety rules a condition of a post-Brexit trade agreement, following lobbying from large US-based technology firms.

However, Baroness Jones said the legislation was well into its implementation phase and that ministers were ‘happy to reassure everybody’ that the government is sticking to it.

The Online Safety Act will require tech platforms that host user-generated content, such as social media firms, to take active steps to protect users — especially children — from harmful and illegal content.

Non-compliant companies may face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global turnover, whichever is greater. In extreme cases, platforms could be blocked from operating in the UK.

Mark Bunting, a representative of Ofcom, which is overseeing enforcement of the new rules, said the regulator would have taken action had the legislation been in force during last summer’s riots in Southport, which were exacerbated by online misinformation.

His comments contrasted with tech firms including Meta, TikTok and X, which claimed in earlier hearings that little would have changed under the new rules.

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NotebookLM expands podcast-style summaries

Google has significantly upgraded its NotebookLM platform by expanding the Audio Overviews feature to support more than 50 languages.

Previously available only in English, the tool now allows users to generate audio summaries in various languages, making it easier to consume complex or untranslated content. These AI-generated summaries are styled like a podcast and feature two artificial hosts discussing selected material.

NotebookLM is aimed at helping users study and synthesise information from different sources. With the latest update, people can now listen to summaries of foreign-language research papers or long-form English content in their preferred language.

A new ‘Output Language’ option also enables users to switch between languages on demand, making it easier to create or consume multilingual material. Although the added language support is currently limited to NotebookLM, Google says similar features will come to Google Docs in the coming months.

The functionality is particularly useful for learners who want to improve their language comprehension by listening to familiar content in a new language. NotebookLM remains free to use, while NotebookLM Plus is available for those on the Google One AI Premium plan.

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OpenAI’s CEO Altman confirms rollback of GPT-4o after criticism

OpenAI has reversed a recent update to its GPT-4o model after users complained it had become overly flattering and blindly agreeable. The behaviour, widely mocked online, saw ChatGPT praising dangerous or clearly misguided user ideas, leading to concerns over the model’s reliability and integrity.

The change had been part of a broader attempt to make GPT-4o’s default personality feel more ‘intuitive and effective’. However, OpenAI admitted the update relied too heavily on short-term user feedback and failed to consider how interactions evolve over time.

In a blog post published Tuesday, OpenAI said the model began producing responses that were ‘overly supportive but disingenuous’. The company acknowledged that sycophantic interactions could feel ‘uncomfortable, unsettling, and cause distress’.

Following CEO Sam Altman’s weekend announcement of an impending rollback, OpenAI confirmed that the previous, more balanced version of GPT-4o had been reinstated.

It also outlined steps to avoid similar problems in future, including refining model training, revising system prompts, and expanding safety guardrails to improve honesty and transparency.

Further changes in development include real-time feedback mechanisms and allowing users to choose between multiple ChatGPT personalities. OpenAI says it aims to incorporate more diverse cultural perspectives and give users greater control over the assistant’s behaviour.

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Big Tech accused of undue influence over EU AI Code

The European Commission is facing growing criticism after a joint investigation revealed that Big Tech companies had disproportionate influence over the drafting of the EU’s Code of Practice on General Purpose AI.

The report, published by Corporate Europe Observatory and LobbyControl, claims firms such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and OpenAI were granted privileged access to shaping the voluntary code, which aims to help companies comply with the upcoming AI Act.

While 13 Commission-appointed experts led the process and over 1,000 participants were involved in feedback workshops, civil society groups and smaller stakeholders were largely side-lined.

Their input was often limited to reacting through emojis on an online platform instead of engaging in meaningful dialogue, the report found.

The US government also waded into the debate, sending a letter to the Commission opposing the Code. The Trump administration argued the EU’s digital regulations would stifle innovation.

Critics meanwhile say the EU’s current approach opens the door to Big Tech lobbying, potentially weakening the Code’s effectiveness just as it nears finalisation.

Although the Code was due in early May, it is now expected by June or July, just before new rules on general-purpose AI tools come into force in August.

The Commission has yet to confirm the revised timeline.

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Trump eases auto tariffs amid industry concerns

President Donald Trump has signed executive orders easing his controversial 25% tariffs on automobiles and parts, aiming to relieve pressure on carmakers struggling with rising costs.

The move follows warnings from manufacturers and analysts that the tariffs could inflate prices, harm domestic production and slow the industry’s recovery. Trump framed the measure as a temporary bridge, allowing automakers time to shift more manufacturing into the US instead of facing harsh penalties.

The changes include a short-term rebate system tied to the proportion of foreign parts used in vehicles assembled domestically. Automakers have been told they’ll have two years of reduced levies, giving them time to reconfigure supply chains and invest in new US-based facilities.

Officials claim announcements on job creation and plant expansion are expected soon, with companies like Stellantis, Ford, and GM praising the policy shift as a step toward competitiveness rather than an immediate fix.

However, some experts warn that the industry needs stability instead of unpredictable policy swings. They argue that relocating production takes years and billions in investment, not mere months.

With vehicle prices already high and supply chains stretched, economists question whether the tariff adjustments can offset the broader economic risks posed by Trump’s wider trade strategy.

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GPT-4o update rolled back over user discomfort

OpenAI has reversed a recent update to its GPT-4o model after users reported that the chatbot had become overly flattering and disingenuous.

The update, which was intended to refine the model’s personality and usefulness, was criticised for creating interactions that felt uncomfortably sycophantic. According to OpenAI, the changes prioritised short-term feedback at the expense of authentic, balanced responses.

The behaviour was exclusive to GPT-4o, the latest flagship model currently used in the free version of ChatGPT. Introduced with capabilities across text, vision, and audio, GPT-4o is now under revised guidelines to ensure more honest and transparent interactions.

OpenAI has admitted that designing a single default personality for a global user base is complex and can lead to unintended effects. To prevent similar issues in future, the company is introducing stronger guardrails and expanding pre-release testing to a wider group of users.

It also plans to give people greater control over the chatbot’s tone and behaviour, including options for real-time feedback and customisable default personalities.

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4chan returns after major cyberattack

After suffering what it called a ‘catastrophic’ cyberattack earlier this month, controversial image board 4chan has returned online, admitting its systems were breached through outdated software.

The attacker, reportedly using a UK-based IP address, gained entry by uploading a malicious PDF, allowing access to 4chan’s database and administrative dashboard. The intruder exfiltrated source code and sensitive data before vandalising the site, which led to its temporary shutdown on 14 April.

Although 4chan avoided directly naming the software vulnerability, it indirectly confirmed suspicions that a severely outdated backend—possibly an old version of PHP—was at fault. The site confessed that slow progress in updating its infrastructure resulted from a chronic lack of funds and technical support.

It blamed years of financial instability on advertisers, payment processors, and providers pulling away under external pressure, leaving it dependent on second-hand hardware and a stretched, largely volunteer development team.

Despite purchasing new servers in mid-2024, the transition was slow and incomplete, meaning key services still ran on legacy equipment when the breach occurred. Following the attack, 4chan replaced the compromised server and implemented necessary software updates.

PDF uploads have been suspended, and the Flash board permanently closed due to the difficulty in preventing similar exploits through .swf files.

Now relying on volunteer tech workers to support its recovery efforts, the site insists it won’t be shut down. ‘4chan is back,’ it declared, claiming no other site could replace its unique community, despite long-standing criticism over its content and lax moderation.

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Tech giants circle as Chrome faces possible break-up

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, may soon be forced to split into separate entities, with its Chrome browser emerging as a particularly attractive target.

With Chrome controlling over 65% of the global browser market, interest is mounting from AI-driven firms and legacy tech companies alike, all eager to take control of a platform that reaches billions of users.

OpenAI, known for ChatGPT, sees Chrome as a natural fit for its expanding AI ecosystem, especially with search features increasingly integrated into its chatbot.

Rival AI search firm Perplexity is also eyeing Chrome instead of building from scratch, viewing it as a shortcut to mainstream adoption and a rich source of user data and engagement.

Yahoo, backed by Apollo Global Management, is reportedly considering a $50 billion bid, even while developing its own browser internally.

Despite legal uncertainties and the threat of drawn-out regulatory battles, the opportunity to own Chrome could radically shift influence in the tech sector, especially while Google faces mounting antitrust scrutiny.

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Study finds generative AI has not boosted worker earnings

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini have had little impact on wages or job losses, according to a new study.

Research by economists Anders Humlum and Emilie Vestergaard found no significant changes in earnings or working hours across 11 occupations often considered vulnerable to AI disruption, such as accountants, teachers, and journalists.

Despite rapid adoption of chatbots in workplaces, the promised economic benefits have yet to materialise.

Company investment has boosted chatbot adoption, helping most users save time; however, average time savings remain small, at just 2.8 percent of working hours. New tasks created by AI, such as reviewing chatbot outputs or monitoring student cheating, often cancel out the potential time saved.

Researchers argue that automation tools historically generate new demands for workers, but so far, AI has not significantly altered productivity or earnings.

The tech industry’s enormous spending on AI infrastructure may face greater scrutiny, as companies like Microsoft and Amazon already scale back investments due to slower-than-expected business adoption.

While there are modest gains, Humlum concludes that transformative effects predicted for AI tools have not yet appeared in real-world economic data, and any future impact will require better integration and a shift in workplace processes.

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Apple to shift US iPhone assembly to India by 2025

Apple is preparing to assemble all iPhones sold inside the US in India by next year, aiming to produce over 60 million units annually in the country by 2026.

The move comes in response to mounting geopolitical tensions and renewed tariff threats under former President Donald Trump’s trade agenda, which once imposed duties as high as 145% on Chinese imports.

The decision marks a major shift in Apple’s supply chain strategy, which has long depended on China. By doubling production in India, Apple hopes to reduce its exposure to trade-related risks instead of relying on short-term tariff exemptions.

Foxconn’s plant in Tamil Nadu and Tata Electronics are leading the effort, with support from India’s government through manufacturing incentives and subsidies.

While Apple remains dependent on Chinese suppliers for many components, shifting final assembly to India reflects growing urgency. Trump-era tariffs triggered a $700 billion market loss for the company in early 2024, prompting Apple to act swiftly instead of waiting for further shocks.

Around 20% of all iPhones are now made in India, a figure expected to rise sharply in the coming years.

Although challenges remain, such as the complexity of relocating the broader supply chain, analysts believe the shift is crucial for Apple’s long-term growth.

With US production capacity lacking the scale and workforce needed, India presents a more viable solution to ensure continued momentum and price stability in Apple’s most important market.

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