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Google faces DOJ’s request to sell key ad platforms

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has moved to break up Google’s advertising technology business after a federal judge ruled that the company holds illegal monopolies across two markets.

The DOJ is seeking the sale of Google’s AdX digital advertising marketplace and its DFP platform, which helps publishers manage their ad inventory.

It follows a ruling in April by Federal Judge Leonie Brinkema, who found that Google’s dominance in the online advertising market violated antitrust laws.

AdX and DFP were key acquisitions for Google, particularly the purchase of DoubleClick in 2008 for $3.1 billion. The DOJ argues that Google used monopolistic tactics, such as acquisitions and customer lock-ins, to control the ad tech market and stifle competition.

In response, Google has disputed the DOJ’s move, claiming the proposed sale of its advertising tools exceeds the court’s findings and could harm publishers and advertisers.

The DOJ’s latest filing also comes amid a separate legal action over Google’s Chrome browser, and the company is facing additional scrutiny in the UK for its dominance in the online search market.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that Google engaged in anti-competitive practices in open-display advertising technology.

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MoJ explores AI for criminal court transcripts

The UK government is actively examining the use of AI to produce official transcripts of criminal court proceedings, but ministers have stressed that any technology must meet the high standards currently achieved by human professionals.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is considering introducing AI-driven transcription services in the Crown Court to help reduce costs, according to Sarah Sackman, the minister responsible for court reform, AI, and digitisation.

Sackman, responding to a parliamentary question from MP David Davis, emphasised that accuracy remains the top priority. She explained that transcripts must be of an extremely high standard to protect the interests of parties, witnesses, and victims.

At present, transcription is delivered manually by third-party suppliers who are contractually required to achieve 99.5% accuracy.

AI-based solutions would need to meet a similar threshold before being adopted. Sackman added that while the MoJ is actively exploring the technology, reducing costs cannot come at the expense of reliability.

In 2023, the Ministry established a four-year, £20 million framework agreement for court reporting and transcription services.

Eight suppliers, including Appen, Epiq, and Opus 2, are providing services across three categories: remote transcription from recordings, on-site transcription refined into final documents, and real-time transcription for instant use.

Although AI could eventually transform how transcripts are created, any new systems will need to prove they can match the performance and accuracy of human transcribers before replacing existing methods.

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AI adoption soars in the UK but skills gap looms

AI adoption in the UK has grown rapidly, rising by 33% over the past year. According to a new report from AWS, 52% of UK businesses are now using AI technologies, up from 39% in the previous year.

Adoption has become so widespread that a business implements new AI tools or strategies every 60 seconds. The benefits are becoming more obvious too, with 92% of AI adopters reporting revenue increases, compared with 64% in 2024.

However, the report highlights a growing divide in AI readiness. While large enterprises and startups share similar adoption rates of 55% and 59% respectively, startups appear better prepared for technological shifts.

Twice as many startups (31%) have developed comprehensive AI strategies compared with larger companies (15%), suggesting agility and forward planning remain crucial.

Despite the progress, serious challenges remain. Skills shortages are slowing businesses down, with nearly 38% citing a lack of expertise as a major barrier, up from 29% last year.

Almost half report delays in hiring qualified talent, with recruitment taking an average of five and a half months. As AI becomes more integrated, it is expected that 47% of new jobs will require AI literacy in the next three years.

In response, AWS has launched a UK initiative to train 100,000 people in AI skills by 2030. The programme includes partnerships with universities such as Exeter and Manchester.

According to the UK Government’s own projections, improved AI adoption could unlock £45 billion per year in public sector savings and productivity. Still, AWS warns that unless skill gaps are addressed, the country risks developing a two-tier AI economy.

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Microsoft drops passwords in Authenticator app to support passkeys

Microsoft has announced that its Authenticator app will stop supporting the saving of new passwords from 1 June, with autofill features to be removed in July. By August, users will no longer have access to any passwords stored in the app.

The decision marks a shift in Microsoft’s focus from app-based password management to browser-based solutions, particularly via Microsoft Edge.

The company recommends that users move their saved passwords to a dedicated password manager or the Edge browser immediately.

Instead of continuing to develop Authenticator as a full password manager, Microsoft is encouraging users to adopt passkeys—digital credentials that offer stronger security.

Passkeys use cryptographic keys stored locally on devices, making them much harder to steal or guess compared to traditional passwords.

Microsoft insists this change is part of a broader push to phase out outdated password systems in favour of safer, faster authentication methods.

Security experts support this move but caution users to take immediate action to prevent losing access to important logins.

Microsoft itself admits that Authenticator was never a proper password manager in the traditional sense, and that dedicated apps such as 1Password or Apple’s built-in password tools provide better options for storing credentials securely.

Users should ensure they export or migrate their stored information well before the August cutoff.

A change like this also reflects Microsoft’s alignment with industry trends, alongside Apple and Google, to accelerate the adoption of passkeys.

The company argues that with attackers increasingly exploiting weak or reused passwords, replacing them altogether with newer technology is not just advisable—it’s essential.

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M&S halts meal deals amid ongoing cyber attack disruption

Marks & Spencer has temporarily suspended some of its popular meal deal offers as the retailer continues to grapple with the fallout from a serious cyber attack.

Signs in stores, including at major transport hubs such as Victoria Station, explain that availability issues have made it impossible to fulfil certain promotions, and ask customers for patience while the company works through the disruption.

Instead of offering its usual lunchtime combinations and dine-in meal deals priced between £6 and £15, M&S is facing stock shortfalls due to the hack, which is now in its third week.

The attack is reportedly linked to a group of teenage hackers using ransomware tactics, locking computer systems and demanding payment for their release.

The breach has already caused significant operational challenges, with fears internally that the disruption could drag on for weeks. Sources suggest the financial impact could run into tens of millions in lost orders, as systems remain frozen and supply chains struggle to recover.

Meal deal suspensions are the latest sign of the broader strain the retailer is under as it scrambles to restore normal service.

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Gemini now allows up to 10 images per prompt on all platforms

Users of the Gemini app will now find it much easier to upload multiple images thanks to a new quality-of-life update.

Until now, only a single image could be added per prompt, with any new upload forcing the previous one to be removed. That restriction has been lifted, with support for up to 10 images now available across Android, iOS, and the web.

On mobile devices, users can select multiple photos directly through the system gallery or Gemini’s built-in Camera.

After capturing an image, the viewfinder remains accessible, allowing for additional photos to be taken and uploaded without leaving the prompt. Those who do not yet see the feature may need to force stop and restart the app for it to become available.

Web users visiting gemini.google.com will also benefit from this improvement, though uploads are limited to 10 images per session. Attempts to exceed this limit will result in a clear notification explaining that only 10 attachments can be uploaded at once.

The change applies to all current Gemini models, including 2.0 Flash, 2.5 Flash, and 2.5 Pro. In announcing the update, Gemini lead Josh Woodward encouraged users to share feedback, especially about common frustrations and other user experience issues.

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China boosts tourism with AI innovations

China’s tourism industry is undergoing rapid transformation as AI technologies become increasingly integrated into both national platforms and regional services. Instead of relying solely on traditional travel planning, tourists can now receive personalised itinerary suggestions in seconds.

Major platforms such as Trip.com use large AI models to assist users before, during and after their journeys—cutting decision-making time from 9 to 6.6 hours, according to Chairman Liang Jianzhang.

Several provinces and cities, including Guizhou and Shanghai, have launched their own AI tourism agents with distinct local features. Guizhou’s Huang Xiao Xi, a digital assistant in ethnic attire, offers tailored travel plans and food ordering options instantly.

Meanwhile, Shanghai’s Hu Xiao You connects tourists with real-time data about venues, traffic, and public amenities, learning from user feedback to improve recommendations over time.

Instead of overwhelming tourists with raw data, these AI agents streamline access to relevant information for a more efficient travel experience.

The rise of wearable AI guides and immersive tech, such as VR, AR, and 3D projections, has also transformed visits to museums and exhibitions. Visitors can now interact with holographic historical figures or animated ancient artworks, blending culture with innovation.

Rather than replacing traditional tourism, China is revitalising it through technology, aiming for improved digitisation, automation and smarter services that meet local development goals.

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OpenAI expands developer tools with Windsurf purchase

OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is reportedly set to acquire Windsurf, an AI-powered coding assistant formerly known as Codeium, for $3 billion, according to Bloomberg. If confirmed, it would be OpenAI’s largest acquisition to date.

The deal is still pending closure, but it follows recent investment talks Windsurf held with major backers such as General Catalyst and Kleiner Perkins, valuing the startup at the same amount.

Windsurf was last valued at $1.25 billion in 2024 after a $150 million funding round. Instead of raising more capital independently, the company now appears poised to join OpenAI, which is looking to bolster its suite of developer tools within ChatGPT.

The acquisition reflects OpenAI’s efforts to remain competitive in the fast-evolving AI coding landscape, following earlier purchases like Rockset and Multi last year.

OpenAI also revealed it would scale back a planned restructuring, abandoning its proposal to become a for-profit entity.

The decision comes amid growing scrutiny and legal challenges, including a high-profile lawsuit from Elon Musk, who accused the firm of drifting from its founding mission to develop AI that serves humanity.

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Nvidia opens new quantum research centre in Boston

Nvidia has unveiled plans to open the Nvidia Accelerated Quantum Research Center (NVAQC) in Boston, a facility set to bridge quantum computing and AI supercomputing.

Expected to begin operations later this year, the centre aims to accelerate the shift from experimental to practical quantum computing.

Rather than treating quantum hardware as a standalone endeavour, Nvidia intends to integrate it with existing AI-driven systems, believing this combination could unlock solutions to problems unsolvable by today’s machines.

Quantum computing—much like AI in its early stages—fits naturally with Nvidia’s core strength: parallel processing. Instead of continuing to rely on traditional serial computing, the company has long embraced parallelism through its GPU technology and CUDA software platform.

Nvidia’s success in transforming GPUs from graphics engines into tools for scientific and commercial applications began with its bold decision to make CUDA available across all its products, even at the cost of short-term profit margins.

Nvidia now sees quantum error correction as the next major challenge. Current quantum computers, operating with between fifty and one hundred qubits, face a high error rate due to environmental ‘noise.’

Achieving truly useful systems will require a million qubits or more, most of which will be used for error correction. Instead of depending solely on traditional methods, Nvidia plans to use AI to develop scalable solutions capable of correcting errors in real time.

The Boston-based NVAQC will serve as a testing ground for these innovations. Harvard, MIT, and quantum startups like Quantinuum and QuEra will collaborate with Nvidia’s quantum team to train AI models for error correction and test them using Nvidia’s top-tier supercomputers.

By doing so, Nvidia hopes to make quantum computing not just viable, but powerful and practical at scale.

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Gemini AI now accessible to kids via Family Link

Google has announced that children under the age of 13 will soon be able to access its Gemini AI chatbot through Family Link accounts. The service will allow parents to monitor their child’s use, set screen time limits, and disable access if desired.

Gemini, designed to assist with tasks like homework and storytelling, includes safeguards to prevent inappropriate content and protect child users. Google acknowledged the possibility of errors in the AI’s responses and urged parental oversight.

Google emphasised that data collected from child users will not be used to train AI models. Parents will be notified when their child first uses Gemini and are advised to encourage critical thinking and remind children not to share personal information with the chatbot.

Despite these precautions, child safety advocates have voiced concerns. Organisations such as Fairplay argue that allowing young children to interact with AI chatbots could expose them to risks, citing previous incidents involving other AI platforms.

International bodies, including UNICEF, have also highlighted the need for stringent regulations to safeguard children’s rights in an increasingly digital world.

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