Google has announced an update to its Gemini AI assistant, enhancing personalisation to better anticipate user needs and deliver responses that feel more like those of a personal assistant.
The feature, initially available on desktop before rolling out to mobile, allows Gemini to offer tailored recommendations, such as travel ideas, based on search history and, in the future, data from apps like Photos and YouTube.
Users can opt in to the new personalisation features, sharing details like dietary preferences or past conversations to refine responses further.
Google assures that users must explicitly grant permission for Gemini to access search history and other services, and they can disconnect at any time.
However, this level of contextual awareness could give Google an advantage over competitors like ChatGPT by leveraging its vast ecosystem of user data.
The update signals a shift in how users interact with AI, bringing it closer to traditional search while raising questions for publishers and SEO professionals.
As Gemini increasingly provides direct, personalised answers, it may reduce the need for users to visit external websites. While currently experimental, the potential for Google to push broader adoption of AI-driven personalisation could reshape digital content discovery and search behaviour in the future.
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Several major companies, including Amazon and Google, have pledged to support the goal of tripling the world’s nuclear energy capacity by 2050.
However, this commitment was made during the CERAWeek conference in Houston, with other signatories such as shale company Occidental and Japanese firm IHI Corp. The World Nuclear Association (WNA) facilitated the pledge and expects more industries, including maritime and aviation, to join in the coming months.
Nuclear energy currently accounts for 9% of the world’s electricity, produced by 439 power reactors. As large tech companies like Amazon and Google pursue nuclear projects, including small modular reactors, the demand for uranium, essential for nuclear technology, has surged.
With high demand, uranium prices reached a 16-year peak last year, driven by supply disruptions during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Despite this, global nuclear power generation continues to be concentrated in just a few countries, with 411 reactors in operation as of early 2025, providing a combined 371 gigawatts of capacity.
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Indian authorities have arrested Aleksej Besciokov, an administrator of the Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex, at the request of the US.
Besciokov, a Russian resident and Lithuanian national, was taken into custody in Kerala on charges of money laundering and violating sanctions. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said he was planning to flee India, and Washington is expected to seek his extradition.
The arrest follows a joint operation by the US, Germany, and Finland to dismantle Garantex’s online infrastructure.
The exchange, under US sanctions since 2022, has processed at least $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions since 2019. The US Justice Department recently charged two administrators, including Besciokov, with operating an unlicensed money-transmitting business.
Experts warn that sanctioned exchanges often attempt to bypass restrictions by setting up new entities. Blockchain research firm TRM Labs called the Garantex takedown a significant step in combating illicit finance but emphasised the need for continued vigilance against evasion tactics.
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Singapore prosecutors revealed on Thursday that a fraud case involving local firms accused of illegally supplying US servers to Malaysia involves transactions worth $390 million.
Three men—Singaporeans Aaron Woon and Alan Wei, along with Chinese national Li Ming—have been charged with deceiving tech giants Dell and Super Micro by misrepresenting the servers’ final destination.
The case has been linked to Chinese AI firm DeepSeek, which is under US scrutiny over the potential use of banned Nvidia chips.
While Singapore authorities confirmed the servers may have contained Nvidia components, they did not specify whether these were the restricted high-end semiconductors subject to US export controls.
Singapore’s Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam declined to comment on the alleged connection.
Prosecutors claim Wei paid himself tens of millions in dividends, while Woon received a multimillion-dollar bonus. Singaporean authorities are investigating a wider network of 22 individuals and companies suspected of similar fraudulent practices, with six additional arrests made.
The accused are set to reappear in court on May 2, while Malaysian authorities are also probing potential legal violations.
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The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is finalising key recommendations on the licensing timeframe and pricing, opting for a shorter period to monitor industry growth before making long-term commitments.
Musk’s Starlink recently secured a major distribution deal with Reliance, owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, after previously being on opposing sides regarding spectrum allocation.
While Starlink advocates for a two-decade allotment for stability and affordability, Reliance has supported a three-year licence with a reassessment later. Bharti Airtel, another Indian telecom giant, has also backed a shorter timeframe of three to five years.
A government official confirmed TRAI is inclined towards a five-year limit, allowing regulators to review the market and revise spectrum pricing as needed.
However, this decision could impact Starlink’s long-term plans in India, as its deals with Reliance and Airtel are still pending regulatory approvals. Meanwhile, industry forecasts suggest India’s satellite communication sector could expand over tenfold, reaching $25 billion by 2028.
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Chinese startup Zhipu AI has secured 500 million yuan (£54.8 million) in funding from the state-owned Huafa Group, following a separate 1 billion yuan capital raise earlier this month.
Huafa Group, a government-backed conglomerate based in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, announced its investment as Chinese cities compete to support AI firms, a sector seen as critical in Beijing’s technological rivalry with the US.
The funding comes amid increasing competition in China’s AI industry, particularly with Hangzhou-backed DeepSeek, whose large language models have gained attention for their cost-effectiveness and performance against Western alternatives.
Zhipu AI, established in 2019 and recognised as one of China’s ‘AI tigers,’ has received investments from major tech firms including Tencent, Meituan, and Xiaomi. The startup was valued at 20 billion yuan (£2.2 billion) in a funding round last July, according to business registration platform Qichacha.
With the new funding, Zhipu AI aims to enhance technological innovation and further develop its GLM foundation model.
However, the company faces challenges on the international stage, having been added to the US Commerce Department’s export control list in January, restricting its access to American components.
Despite these hurdles, China continues to bolster its AI sector as it seeks to establish a leading position in global artificial intelligence development.
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The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced on Wednesday that it does not need to delay its September trial against Amazon, contradicting an earlier claim by one of its attorneys about resource shortages.
Jonathan Cohen, an FTC lawyer, retracted his statement that cost-cutting measures had strained the agency’s ability to proceed, assuring the court that the FTC is fully prepared to litigate the case.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson reaffirmed the agency’s commitment, dismissing concerns over budget constraints and stating that the FTC will not back down from taking on Big Tech.
Earlier in the day, Cohen had described a ‘dire resource situation,’ citing employee resignations, a hiring freeze, and restrictions on legal expenses. However, he later clarified that these challenges would not impact the case.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, accuses Amazon of using ‘dark patterns’ to mislead consumers into enrolling in automatically renewing Prime subscriptions, a program with over 200 million users.
With claims exceeding $1 billion, the trial is expected to be a high-profile battle between regulators and one of the world’s largest tech companies. Amazon has denied any wrongdoing, and three of its senior executives are also named in the case.
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The UK government, through the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), has commissioned research to evaluate best practices for managing risks associated with open-source software (OSS). The study assesses existing guidance on OSS security and resilience, examines its effectiveness across sectors, and provides recommendations for strengthening software supply chain security. That research is part of the government’s wider work to improve the UK’s cyber defences and protect and grow the economy.
The report outlines key recommendations for organisations using OSS, including:
Establishing an internal OSS policy to manage the adoption of OSS components.
Creating a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) to track OSS components and their dependencies.
Continuously monitoring the software supply chain with software composition analysis (SCA) tools to identify vulnerabilities and licensing issues.
Actively engaging with the OSS community to attract talent, foster innovation, enhance reputation, and ensure a sustainable ecosystem.
Using automation tools to streamline OSS management processes, particularly for smaller organisations, as a cost-effective alternative to manual practices.
The report also highlights the need for further research and policy development in areas such as scale-appropriate best practice guidance, industry-specific OSS management frameworks, standardised metrics for evaluating OSS component maturity, and the impact of community engagement on OSS quality and security.
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The Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) has introduced the Open Source Project Security Baseline (OSPS Baseline), a structured framework of security requirements designed to align with international cybersecurity regulations and best practices.
The OSPS Baseline provides a tiered approach that evolves with project maturity, integrating guidance from OpenSSF and industry experts to help open-source projects enhance their security posture. Following the Baseline enables developers to align with global cybersecurity regulations, including the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF).
Several projects, including GUAC, OpenVEX, bomctl, and Open Telemetry, participated in the pilot rollout. OpenSSF encourages developers and maintainers to adopt the framework and contribute to its ongoing refinement.
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Mark Cuban, the tech entrepreneur and investor, spoke at the SXSW conference, where he highlighted the importance of AI for small businesses. He stressed that while AI can be a valuable tool, it should never be seen as the ultimate answer to business success. Cuban explained that AI can help entrepreneurs by making it easier to start and grow businesses, answering questions, and aiding in tasks like research, emails, and sales calls. However, he cautioned against over-relying on AI.
Cuban encouraged entrepreneurs to spend time learning about AI, pointing out how much easier it is to start a business today compared to the past, thanks to the availability of AI tools and internet access. He acknowledged that AI can make mistakes and isn’t perfect, but noted that human experts can also be wrong. In creative fields, Cuban argued that while AI can help with certain tasks like video creation, it’s not a substitute for human creativity, especially when it comes to things like writing scripts or generating quality art.
The tech mogul highlighted that AI should amplify human skills, not replace them. He warned that those who neglect to use AI might find themselves at a disadvantage, as competitors who utilise AI will have the edge.
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