How Google uses AI to support teachers and inspire students

Google is redefining education with AI designed to enhance learning, rather than replace teachers. The company has unveiled new tools grounded in learning science to support both educators and students, aiming to make learning more effective, efficient and engaging.

Through its Gemini platform, users can follow guided learning paths that encourage discovery rather than passive answers.

YouTube and Search now include conversational features that allow students to ask questions as they learn, while NotebookLM can transform personal materials into quizzes or immersive study aids.

Instructors can also utilise Google Classroom’s free AI tools for lesson planning and administrative support, thereby freeing up time for direct student engagement.

Google emphasises that its goal is to preserve the human essence of education while using AI to expand understanding. The company also addresses challenges linked to AI in learning, such as cheating, fairness, accuracy and critical thinking.

It is exploring assessment models that cannot be easily replicated by AI, including debates, projects, and oral examinations.

The firm pledges to develop its tools responsibly by collaborating with educators, parents and policymakers. By combining the art of teaching with the science of AI-driven learning, Google seeks to make education more personal, equitable and inspiring for all.

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OpenAI outlines roadmap for AI safety, accountability and global cooperation

New recommendations have been published by OpenAI for managing rapid advances in AI, stressing the need for shared safety standards, public accountability, and resilience frameworks.

The company warned that while AI systems are increasingly capable of solving complex problems and accelerating discovery, they also pose significant risks that must be addressed collaboratively.

According to OpenAI, the next few years could bring systems capable of discoveries once thought centuries away.

The firm expects AI to transform health, materials science, drug development and education, while acknowledging that economic transitions may be disruptive and could require a rethinking of social contracts.

To ensure safe development, OpenAI proposed shared safety principles among frontier labs, new public oversight mechanisms proportional to AI capabilities, and the creation of a resilience ecosystem similar to cybersecurity.

It also called for regular reporting on AI’s societal impact to guide evidence-based policymaking.

OpenAI reiterated that the goal should be to empower individuals by making advanced AI broadly accessible, within limits defined by society, and to treat access to AI as a foundational public utility in the years ahead.

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India’s AI roadmap could add $500 billion to economy by 2035

According to the Business Software Alliance, India could add over $500 billion to its economy by 2035 through the widespread adoption of AI.

At the BSA AI Pre-Summit Forum in Delhi, the group unveiled its ‘Enterprise AI Adoption Agenda for India’, which aligns with the goals of the India–AI Impact Summit 2026 and the government’s vision for a digitally advanced economy by 2047.

The agenda outlines a comprehensive policy framework across three main areas: talent and workforce, infrastructure and data, and governance.

It recommends expanding AI training through national academies, fostering industry–government partnerships, and establishing innovation hubs with global companies to strengthen talent pipelines.

BSA also urged greater government use of AI tools, reforms to data laws, and the adoption of open industry standards for content authentication. It called for coordinated governance measures to ensure responsible AI use, particularly under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act.

BSA has introduced similar policy roadmaps in other major markets, apart from India, including the US, Japan, and ASEAN countries, as part of its global effort to promote trusted and inclusive AI adoption.

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Spain receives EU approval for €700 million cleantech manufacturing scheme

The European Commission has approved a €700 million Spanish plan to expand clean technology manufacturing capacity in line with the Clean Industrial Deal. The measure supports strategic investments that will boost Spain’s role in the EU’s transition towards a net-zero economy.

A scheme that provides direct grants for projects that add production capacity in net-zero technologies and their key components.

Open to companies across Spain until 2028, the initiative aims to strengthen competitiveness and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels while advancing renewable energy, hydrogen, and decarbonisation technologies.

Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera stated that the plan will enhance sustainability and industrial growth while maintaining fair market conditions.

An approval that follows the Clean Industrial Deal State Aid Framework, which enables member states to accelerate the rollout of clean technologies and manufacturing across the EU.

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Snap brings Perplexity’s answer engine into Chat for nearly a billion users

Starting in early 2026, Perplexity’s AI will be integrated into Snapchat’s Chat, accessible to nearly 1 billion users. Snapchatters can ask questions and receive concise, cited answers in-app. Snap says the move reinforces its position as a trusted, mobile-first AI platform.

Under the deal, Perplexity will pay Snap $400 million in cash and equity over a one-year period, tied to the global rollout. Revenue contribution is expected to begin in 2026. Snap points to its 943 million MAUs and reaches over 75% of 13–34-year-olds in 25+ countries.

Perplexity frames the move as meeting curiosity where it occurs, within everyday conversations. Evan Spiegel says Snap aims to make AI more personal, social, and fun, woven into friendships and conversations. Both firms pitch the partnership as enhancing discovery and learning on Snapchat.

Perplexity joins, rather than replaces, Snapchat’s existing My AI. Messages sent to Perplexity will inform personalisation on Snapchat, similar to My AI’s current behaviour. Snap claims the approach is privacy-safe and designed to provide credible, real-time answers from verifiable sources.

Snap casts this as a first step toward a broader AI partner platform inside Snapchat. The companies plan creative, trusted ways for leading AI providers to reach Snap’s global community. The integration aims to enable seamless, in-chat exploration while keeping users within Snapchat’s product experience.

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New AI tool helps identify suicide-risk individuals

Researchers at Touro University have found that an AI tool can identify suicide risk that standard diagnostic methods often miss. The study, published in the Journal of Personality Assessment, shows that LLMs can analyse speech to detect patterns linked to perceived suicide risk.

Current assessment methods, such as multiple-choice questionnaires, often fail to capture the nuances of an individual’s experience.

The study used Claude 3.5 Sonnet to analyse 164 participants’ audio responses, examining future self-continuity, a key factor linked to suicide risk. The AI detected subtle cues in speech, including coherence, emotional tone, and detail, which traditional tools overlooked.

While the research focused on perceived risk rather than actual suicide attempts, identifying individuals who feel at risk is crucial for timely intervention. LLM predictions could be used in hospitals, hotlines, or therapy sessions as a new tool for mental health professionals.

Beyond suicide risk, large language models may also help detect other mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, providing faster, more nuanced insights into patients’ mental well-being and supporting early intervention strategies.

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Naver expands physical AI ambitions with $690 million GPU investment

South Korean technology leader Naver is deepening its AI ambitions through a $690 million investment in graphics processing units from 2025.

A move that aims to strengthen its AI infrastructure and drive the development of physical AI, a field merging digital intelligence with robotics, logistics, and autonomous systems.

Beyond its internal use, Naver plans to monetise its expanded computing power by offering GPU-as-a-Service to clients across sectors, creating new revenue opportunities aligned with its AI ecosystem.

Chief Executive Choi Soo-yeon described physical AI as the firm’s next growth pillar, combining robotics, data, and generative AI to reshape both digital and industrial environments. The company already holds a significant share of the global robotics operating system market, underlining its technological maturity.

An investment that marks a strategic shift from software-based AI to infrastructure-driven intelligence, positioning Naver as a leader in integrating AI with real-world applications.

As global competition intensifies, Naver’s model of coupling high-performance computing with robotics innovation signals the emergence of South Korea as a centre for applied AI technology.

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Tinder tests AI feature that analyses photos for better matches

Tinder is introducing an AI feature called Chemistry, designed to better understand users through interactive questions and optional access to their Camera Roll. The system analyses personal photos and responses to infer hobbies and preferences, offering more compatible match suggestions.

The feature is being tested in New Zealand and Australia ahead of a broader rollout as part of Tinder’s 2026 product revamp. Match Group CEO Spencer Rascoff said Chemistry will become a central pillar in the app’s evolving AI-driven experience.

Privacy concerns have surfaced as the feature requests permission to scan private photos, similar to Meta’s recent approach to AI-based photo analysis. Critics argue that such expanded access offers limited benefits to users compared to potential privacy risks.

Match Group expects a short-term financial impact, projecting a $14 million revenue decline due to Tinder’s testing phase. The company continues to face user losses despite integrating AI tools for safer messaging, better profile curation and more interactive dating experiences.

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Microsoft Elevate expands AI skills training across the UAE

Microsoft has expanded its Microsoft Elevate initiative in the UAE, aiming to equip one million people with AI skills by the end of the decade. The programme is training over 250,000 students and staff, plus 55,000 government employees, to prepare the UAE workforce for an AI-driven future.

Partnerships with educational institutions and nonprofits are central to the initiative. Collaborations with organisations such as GEMS and INJAZ UAE are embedding AI skills into schools, training 10,000 teachers and over 150,000 students.

Higher education institutions, including MBZUAI, UAE University, and the Higher Colleges of Technology, are also participating to advance AI literacy, research, and digital skills across the academic community.

Government employees are a key focus, with 55,000 federal staff set to receive AI training through specialised courses developed with G42 and delivered via the JAHIZ platform. Leadership programmes with INSEAD train senior officials and executives, enhancing strategic skills and promoting responsible AI use.

Microsoft Elevate is closing the UAE’s AI skills gap and expanding opportunities for students, educators, and public servants. The programme combines technical and leadership training to strengthen the UAE’s talent pipeline and global AI leadership.

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ByteDance cuts use of Claude after Anthropic blocks China access

An escalating tech clash has emerged between ByteDance and Anthropic over AI access and service restrictions. ByteDance has halted use of Anthropic’s Claude model on its infrastructure after the US firm imposed access limitations for Chinese users.

The suspension follows Anthropic’s move to restrict China-linked deployments and aligns with broader geopolitical tensions in the AI sector. ByteDance reportedly said it would now rely on domestic alternatives, signalling a strategic pivot away from western-based AI models.

Industry watchers view the dispute as a marker of how major tech firms are navigating export controls, national security concerns and sovereignty in AI. Observers warn the rift may prompt accelerated investment in home-grown AI ecosystems by Chinese companies.

While neither company has detailed all operational impacts, the episode highlights AI’s fraught position at the intersection of technology and geopolitics. US market reaction may hinge on whether other firms follow suit or partnerships are redefined around regional access.

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