Development

WhatsApp introduces privacy feature to block Meta AI

Meta has come under fire for integrating its AI assistant into WhatsApp, with users spotting an unremovable blue circle representing Meta AI’s presence.

While Google has favoured opt-in models for AI tools, Meta’s approach has sparked backlash, with some critics accusing it of disregarding WhatsApp’s privacy-first roots. Though users can’t remove the assistant entirely, WhatsApp now offers a workaround to disable its functions in individual chats.

A new ‘Advanced Chat Privacy’ setting allows users to block AI interactions on a chat-by-chat basis. When enabled, this feature prevents chats from being exported, stops media from auto-downloading, and crucially, disables AI from accessing messages.

WhatsApp says this is part of a broader plan to offer greater privacy controls, reaffirming its focus on secure and private messaging.

Meta maintains that it cannot read message content and that only limited data is shared when AI is used. Still, the company advises against sharing sensitive information with Meta AI.

The new privacy setting is being rolled out to all users on the latest version of WhatsApp and can be activated via the chat settings menu.

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Microsoft expands rewards for reporting AI vulnerabilities

Microsoft has announced an expanded bug bounty initiative, offering up to $30,000 for researchers who uncover critical vulnerabilities in AI features within Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform.

The programme aims to strengthen security in enterprise software by encouraging ethical hackers to identify and report risks before cybercriminals can exploit them.

Rather than relying on general severity scales, Microsoft has introduced an AI-specific vulnerability classification system. It highlights prompt injection attacks, data poisoning during training, and techniques like model stealing and training data reconstruction that could expose sensitive information.

Highest payouts are reserved for flaws that allow attackers to access other users’ data or perform privileged actions without their consent.

The company urges researchers to use free trials of its services, such as PowerApps and AI Builder, to identify weaknesses. Detailed product documentation is provided to help participants understand the systems they are testing.

Even reports that don’t qualify for a financial reward can still lead to recognition if they result in improved defences.

The AI bounty initiative is part of Microsoft’s wider commitment to collaborative cybersecurity. With AI becoming more deeply integrated into enterprise software, the company says it is more important than ever to identify vulnerabilities early instead of waiting for security breaches to occur.

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Meta adds live translation to Ray-Ban smart glasses

Meta is enhancing its Ray-Ban smart glasses with new capabilities, including live language translation and broader AI integration.

Users can now access real-time translations in English, French, Italian, and Spanish, even without internet access if language packs are downloaded beforehand. The feature is available across all markets where the glasses are sold, aiming to break down communication barriers during travel and everyday use.

In the United States and Canada, Meta AI is gaining powerful new functionality, allowing the assistant to interpret visuals from the glasses’ built-in camera. This update lets users receive context-aware responses, such as identifying landmarks or translating menus.

Previously in beta testing, the ‘see what you see’ feature is moving to a full release. Messaging tools are also expanding, enabling communication via Instagram, in addition to WhatsApp, Messenger, and native SMS.

Aesthetic updates include new colour and lens options for the Skyler frame. Music lovers will benefit from broader support for streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Shazam in more countries.

Meta also confirmed upcoming launches of the glasses in Mexico, India, and the UAE, while EU users will soon gain access to Meta AI’s visual search tools.

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Ubisoft under fire for forcing online connection in offline games

French video game publisher Ubisoft is facing a formal privacy complaint from European advocacy group noyb for requiring players to stay online even when enjoying single-player games.

The complaint, lodged with Austria’s data protection authority, accuses Ubisoft of violating EU privacy laws by collecting personal data without consent.

Noyb argues that Ubisoft makes players connect to the internet and log into a Ubisoft account unnecessarily, even when they are not interacting with other users.

Instead of limiting data collection to essential functions, noyb claims the company contacts external servers, including Google and Amazon, over 150 times during gameplay. This, they say, reveals a broader surveillance practice hidden beneath the surface.

Ubisoft, known for blockbuster titles like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry, has not yet explained why such data collection is needed for offline play.

The complainant who examined the traffic found that Ubisoft gathers login and browsing data and uses third-party tools, practices that, under GDPR rules, require explicit user permission. Instead of offering transparency, Ubisoft reportedly failed to justify these invasive practices.

Noyb is calling on regulators to demand deletion of all data collected without a clear legal basis and to fine Ubisoft €92 million. They argue that consumers, who already pay steep prices for video games, should not have to sacrifice their privacy in the process.

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Trump threatens new tariffs within weeks

President Trump has signalled a potential early end to the current 90-day pause on tariffs for countries and companies not actively seeking trade agreements with the US.

While markets initially reacted positively to signs of easing tension with China, that optimism was short-lived as the administration quickly shifted direction.

Instead of waiting out the full pause period, Trump now suggests new tariffs could be imposed within two to three weeks, with rates possibly rising from 10% to as high as 50%.

The lack of clarity over which nations or firms are targeted adds further uncertainty. Although officials initially claimed around 90 countries were engaged in trade talks, that number reportedly dropped to just 15.

A vagueness like this, combined with the unpredictable nature of US tariff policy, has unsettled international markets and raised alarm across global supply chains.

Apple, among others, has managed to avoid immediate price hikes thanks to temporary exemptions and strategic stock management. However, those exemptions are due to expire shortly, leaving the company vulnerable to rising costs.

Instead of facing only Chinese tariffs, Apple may now contend with broader duties on semiconductors and products manufactured outside China.

If tariff relief fails to materialise soon, consumers could see higher prices on future Apple products, including the upcoming iPhone 17.

Without a clearer and more consistent trade strategy from the White House, global firms may struggle to adapt, and the fragile economic recovery could face renewed strain.

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India deepens ties with Finland and Denmark

India is intensifying its strategic ties with Finland and Denmark as part of a broader effort to deepen cooperation with key Nordic countries.

In recent high-level conversations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

These discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations in advanced technologies such as quantum computing, 5G and 6G, AI, and cybersecurity, instead of limiting collaboration to traditional sectors. Sustainability, mobility, and digital transformation also featured prominently.

Modi and Stubb underlined the importance of India-Finland cooperation within the wider context of EU relations. Both leaders expressed hope for a timely conclusion of an India-EU free trade agreement, a sentiment echoed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The collaboration aims to bolster efforts in AI for disaster response and climate resilience, secure telecommunications, and semiconductor development, especially given ongoing geopolitical shifts and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

In parallel, Modi reaffirmed India’s commitment to the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership during talks with Frederiksen.

The alliance prioritises environmentally responsible maritime practices instead of relying on conventional methods, and promotes innovation in green technologies and anti-piracy cooperation.

With the third India-Nordic Summit scheduled for later this year in Norway, the focus will be on expanding trade, climate action, and peace efforts with all five Nordic nations.

Meanwhile, India has overtaken Finland as the ‘World’s Happiest Country’ according to the latest Ipsos survey, with 88% of Indian respondents reporting happiness.

A milestone like this reflects a broader sense of national optimism and self-assurance as India continues to strengthen its global partnerships and expand its strategic influence across key sectors.

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Google launches Gemini 2.5 Flash with faster and smarter AI thinking

Google has unveiled Gemini 2.5 Flash, an enhanced version of its AI model that brings improved performance, faster response times, and cost-efficiency for developers and users alike.

Released in preview through Google AI Studio and Vertex AI, the model is designed to be highly responsive while also offering advanced reasoning capabilities when needed.

The hybrid design allows developers to toggle the model’s ‘thinking’ function, enabling it to pause before answering to better understand prompts and plan complex responses.

Even with this added step, Gemini 2.5 Flash maintains the quick speeds of its predecessor, Gemini 2.0 Flash, while improving on accuracy and depth of output in areas like mathematics, science, coding, and visual reasoning.

Benchmark tests reveal Gemini 2.5 Flash outperforms competing AI models across a range of technical and analytical tasks.

Developers can begin building with it today, and everyday users can explore the model through the Gemini app, which also features earlier models including Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking and Gemini 2.0 Pro Experimental.

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Certified randomness achieved with quantum tech

Quantum researchers from JPMorgan Chase, Quantinuum and others have achieved a major milestone in cybersecurity by generating certified random numbers using a quantum computer.

The team’s work, recently published in Nature, showcases how quantum systems can create randomness that is mathematically proven to be unpredictable—an essential leap forward in securing systems like online banking and digital voting.

Traditional computers rely on pseudo-random algorithms to mimic randomness, which are ultimately deterministic and vulnerable if the algorithm or seed is uncovered.

By contrast, the team used Quantinuum’s 56-qubit trapped-ion quantum processor to produce over 70,000 certified random bits. The process is so complex that replicating it with current supercomputers would be practically impossible.

The results were independently verified, confirming that no algorithm was involved in generating the sequence.

The breakthrough goes beyond theoretical exercises often associated with quantum computing and demonstrates practical, real-world impact in cryptography, where random numbers must be truly unguessable to keep digital systems secure.

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Former OpenAI staff challenge company’s shift to for-profit model

​A group of former OpenAI employees, supported by Nobel laureates and AI experts, has urged the attorneys general of California and Delaware to block the company’s proposed transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit structure.

They argue that such a shift could compromise OpenAI’s founding mission to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) that benefits all of humanity, potentially prioritising profit over public safety and accountability, not just in the US, but globally.

The coalition, including notable figures like economists Oliver Hart and Joseph Stiglitz, and AI pioneers Geoffrey Hinton and Stuart Russell, expressed concerns that the restructuring would reduce nonprofit oversight and increase investor influence.

They fear this change could lead to diminished ethical safeguards, especially as OpenAI advances toward creating AGI. OpenAI responded by stating that any structural changes would aim to ensure broader public benefit from AI advancements.

The company plans to adopt a public benefit corporation model while maintaining a nonprofit arm to uphold its mission. The final decision rests with the state authorities, who are reviewing the proposed restructuring.

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OpenAI partners with major news outlets

OpenAI has signed multiple content-sharing deals with major media outlets, including Politico, Vox, Wired, and Vanity Fair, allowing their content to be featured in ChatGPT.

As part of the deal with The Washington Post, ChatGPT will display summaries, quotes, and links to the publication’s original reporting in response to relevant queries. OpenAI has secured similar partnerships with over 20 news publishers and 160 outlets in 20 languages.

The Washington Post’s head of global partnerships, Peter Elkins-Williams, emphasised the importance of meeting audiences where they are, ensuring ChatGPT users have access to impactful reporting.

OpenAI’s media partnerships head, Varun Shetty, noted that more than 500 million people use ChatGPT weekly, highlighting the significance of these collaborations in providing timely, trustworthy information to users.

OpenAI has worked to avoid criticism related to copyright infringement, having previously faced legal challenges, particularly from the New York Times, over claims that chatbots were trained on millions of articles without permission.

While OpenAI sought to dismiss these claims, a US district court allowed the case to proceed, intensifying scrutiny over AI’s use of news content.

Despite these challenges, OpenAI continues to form agreements with leading publications, such as Hearst, Condé Nast, Time magazine, and Vox Media, helping ensure their journalism reaches a wider audience.

Meanwhile, other publications have pursued legal action against AI companies like Cohere for allegedly using their content without consent to train AI models.

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