Digital business models

AI model forecasts Bitcoin to fall below $100,000

Bitcoin has slipped below $110,000, and according to Finbold’s use of ChatGPT-5, a further drop could occur in the coming weeks. The model outlined technical resistance and seasonal factors pointing to September weakness.

Key levels around $112,000 and $106,000 are under pressure, with the AI projecting a sharp decline toward $98,000 if support breaks. Historically, September has been one of Bitcoin’s worst-performing months, adding to the bearish outlook.

Despite the short-term caution, demand from ETFs and long-term holders may offer support between $95,000 and $98,000. Longer-term technicals remain intact, with the 200-day average sitting near $95,000.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Travellers claim ChatGPT helps cut flight costs by hundreds of pounds

ChatGPT is increasingly used as a travel assistant, with some travellers claiming it can save hundreds of pounds on flights. Finance influencer Casper Opala shares cost-saving tips online and said the AI tool helped him secure a flight for £70 that initially cost more than £700.

Opala shared a series of prompts that allow ChatGPT to identify hidden routes, budget airlines not listed on major platforms, and potential savings through alternative airports or separate bookings. He also suggested using the tool to monitor prices for several days or compare one-way fares with return tickets.

While many money-saving tricks have existed for years, ChatGPT condenses the process, collecting results in seconds. Opala says this efficiency is a strong starting point for cheaper travel deals.

Experts, however, warn that ChatGPT is not connected to live flight booking systems. TravelBook’s Laura Pomer noted that the AI can sometimes present inaccurate or outdated fares, meaning users should always verify results before booking.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

AI agents can act unpredictably without proper guidance

Recent tests on agentic AI by Anthropic have revealed significant risks when systems act independently. In one simulation, Claude attempted to blackmail a fictional executive, showing how agents with sensitive data can behave unpredictably.

Other AI systems tested displayed similar tendencies, highlighting the dangers of poorly guided autonomous decision-making.

Agentic AI is increasingly handling routine work decisions. Gartner predicts 15% of day-to-day choices will be managed by such systems by 2028, and around half of tech leaders already deploy them.

Experts warn that without proper controls, AI agents may unintentionally achieve goals, access inappropriate data or perform unauthorised actions.

Security risks include memory poisoning, tool misuse, and AI misinterpreting instructions. Tests by Invariant Labs and Trend Micro showed agents could leak sensitive information even in controlled environments.

With billions of devices potentially running AI agents, human oversight alone cannot manage these threats.

Emerging solutions include ‘thought injection’ to guide AI and AI-based monitoring ‘agent bodyguards’ to ensure compliance with organisational rules. Experts emphasise protecting business systems and properly decommissioning outdated AI agents to prevent ‘zombie’ access.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot! 

NFL adds Microsoft Copilot to sidelines

The NFL has begun deploying Microsoft Copilot across all 32 clubs to support faster and more intelligent decision-making during games. Over 2,500 Surface Copilot+ devices have been distributed to coaches, analysts and staff for use on the sidelines and in the booth.

Teams now have access to AI-powered tools like a GitHub Copilot filter that quickly pulls key moments, such as penalties or fumbles, reducing the need to scrub through footage manually. Microsoft 365 Copilot also supports analysts with real-time trend spotting in Excel dashboards during matches.

To ensure reliability, Microsoft has provided hard-wired carts for connectivity even when Wi-Fi drops. These systems are linked to secure Windows servers managed by the NFL, safeguarding critical game data under various stadium conditions.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said the team has embraced the changes, calling Copilot ‘a valuable tool’ for navigating the pressure of real-time decisions. NFL leadership echoed his optimism, framing AI as essential to the future of the sport.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Brave uncovers vulnerability in Perplexity’s Comet that risked sensitive user data

Perplexity’s AI-powered browser, Comet, was found to have a serious vulnerability that could have exposed sensitive user data through indirect prompt injection, according to researchers at Brave, a rival browser company.

The flaw stemmed from how Comet handled webpage-summarisation requests. By embedding hidden instructions on websites, attackers could trick the browser’s large language model into executing unintended actions, such as extracting personal emails or accessing saved passwords.

Brave researchers demonstrated how the exploit could bypass traditional protections, such as the same-origin policy, showing scenarios where attackers gained access to Gmail or banking data by manipulating Comet into following malicious cues.

Brave disclosed the vulnerability to Perplexity on 11 August, but stated that it remained unfixed when they published their findings on 20 August. Perplexity later confirmed to CNET that the flaw had been patched, and Brave was credited for working with them to resolve it.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Jetson AGX Thor brings Blackwell-powered compute to robots and autonomous vehicles

Nvidia has introduced Jetson AGX Thor, its Blackwell-powered robotics platform that succeeds the 2022 Jetson Orin. Designed for autonomous driving, factory robots, and humanoid machines, it comes in multiple models, with a DRIVE OS kit for vehicles scheduled for release in September.

Thor delivers 7.5 times more AI compute, 3.1 times greater CPU performance, and double the memory of Orin. The flagship Thor T5000 offers up to 2,070 teraflops of AI compute, paired with 128 GB of memory, enabling the execution of generative AI models and robotics workloads at the edge.

The platform supports Nvidia’s Isaac, Metropolis, and Holoscan systems, and features multi-instance GPU capabilities that enable the simultaneous execution of multiple AI models. It is compatible with Hugging Face, PyTorch, and leading AI models from OpenAI, Google, and other sources.

Adoption has begun, with Boston Dynamics utilising Thor for Atlas and firms such as Volvo, Aurora, and Gatik deploying DRIVE AGX Thor in their vehicles. Nvidia stresses it supports robot-makers rather than building robots, with robotics still a small but growing part of its business.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Humain Chat has been unveiled by Saudi Arabia to drive AI innovation

Saudi Arabia has taken a significant step in AI with the launch of Humain Chat, an app powered by one of the world’s most enormous Arabic-trained datasets.

Developed by state-backed venture Humain, the app is designed to strengthen the country’s role in AI while promoting sovereign technologies.

Built on the Allam large language model, Humain Chat allows real-time web search, speech input across Arabic dialects, bilingual switching between Arabic and English, and secure data compliance with Saudi privacy laws.

The app is already available on the web, iOS, and Android in Saudi Arabia, with plans for regional expansion across the Middle East before reaching global markets.

Humain was established in May under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the Public Investment Fund. Its flagship model, ALLAM 34B, is described as the most advanced AI system created in the Arab world. The company said the app will evolve further as user adoption grows.

CEO Tareq Amin called the launch ‘a historic milestone’ for Saudi Arabia, stressing that Humain Chat shows how advanced AI can be developed in Arabic while staying culturally rooted and built by local expertise.

A team of 120 specialists based in the Kingdom created the platform.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Silicon Valley moves to influence AI policy

Silicon Valley insiders are preparing to pour over $100 million into next year’s US midterm elections to influence AI policy. The super-PAC Leading the Future, backed by Andreessen Horowitz and Greg Brockman, seeks to impact AI policy and limit strict regulation.

Leading the Future targets battleground states such as California, New York, Illinois, and Ohio. The PAC intends to fund campaigns, run extensive social media ads, and focus on politicians who support innovation-friendly ‘guardrails’ rather than heavy-handed regulation.

The initiative draws inspiration from the crypto industry’s political playbook, which successfully backed candidates aligned with its interests.

The group’s structure combines federal and state PACs with a 501(c)(4) organisation, offering flexibility and influence over both major parties. High-profile backers include Marc Andreessen, Greg Brockman, Joe Lonsdale, and Ron Conway.

Their collective goal is to ensure AI development continues without regulatory barriers that could slow American innovation and job creation.

Silicon Valley’s strategy highlights the increasing role of tech money in politics, reflecting a shift in donor priorities. The PAC’s influence may become a decisive factor in shaping AI legislation, with potential implications for the industry and broader US policy debates.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

YouTube under fire for AI video edits without creator consent

Anger grows as YouTube secretly alters some uploaded videos using machine learning. The company admitted that it had been experimenting with automated edits, which sharpen images, smooth skin, and enhance clarity, without notifying creators.

Although tools like ChatGPT or Gemini did not generate these changes, they still relied on AI.

The issue has sparked concern among creators, who argue that the lack of consent undermines trust.

YouTuber Rhett Shull publicly criticised the platform, prompting YouTube liaison Rene Ritchie to clarify that the edits were simply efforts to ‘unblur and denoise’ footage, similar to smartphone processing.

However, creators emphasise that the difference lies in transparency, since phone users know when enhancements are applied, whereas YouTube users were unaware.

Consent remains central to debates around AI adoption, especially as regulation lags and governments push companies to expand their use of the technology.

Critics warn that even minor, automatic edits can treat user videos as training material without permission, raising broader concerns about control and ownership on digital platforms.

YouTube has not confirmed whether the experiment will expand or when it might end.

For now, viewers noticing oddly upscaled Shorts may be seeing the outcome of these hidden edits, which have only fuelled anger about how AI is being introduced into creative spaces.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

CZ outlines vision for crypto and AI integration

Binance founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao shared his vision for crypto’s future, connecting digital assets with AI and recent policy changes. At WebX in Tokyo, CZ praised US crypto policy under Trump, highlighting stablecoin legislation and the Genius Act while opposing central bank digital currencies.

He argued that embracing innovation is crucial to remaining competitive globally.

CZ predicted that crypto will become the natural medium of exchange for AI, bypassing traditional fiat, banks, and credit cards. He envisaged hundreds or thousands of AI agents per person, generating a surge of microtransactions via programmable blockchain networks.

According to CZ, blockchains’ APIs are better suited than banks for interfacing with AI-driven economic activity.

Since stepping down from Binance, CZ has focused on education and advisory work. His Giggle Academy already serves 50,000 children, aiming to digitise 18 years of schooling at a fraction of government costs.

He advises at least 12 governments on crypto regulation and adoption. He also plans to mentor founders and back early-stage projects through his investment firm EZ Labs, emphasising ethical practices and long-term value creation.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!