Digital business models

New ISO 27701 update strengthens privacy compliance

The International Organization for Standardization has released a major update to ISO 27701, the global standard for managing privacy compliance programmes. The revised version, published in 2025, separates the Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) from ISO 27001.

The updated standard introduces detailed clauses defining how organisations should establish, implement and continually improve their PIMS. It places strong emphasis on leadership accountability, risk assessment, performance evaluation and continual improvement.

Annex A of the standard sets out new control tables for both data controllers and processors. The update also refines terminology and aligns more closely with the principles of the EU GDPR and UK GDPR, making it suitable for multinational organisations seeking a unified privacy management approach.

Experts say the revised ISO 27701 offers a flexible structure but should not be seen as a substitute for legal compliance. Instead, it provides a foundation for building stronger, auditable privacy frameworks that align global business operations with evolving regulatory standards.

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UK government uses AI to boost efficiency and save taxpayer money

The UK government has developed an AI tool, named ‘Consult’, which analysed over 50,000 responses to the Independent Water Commission review in just two hours. The system matched human accuracy and could save 75,000 days of work annually, worth £20 million in staffing costs.

Consult sorted responses into key themes at a cost of just £240, with experts needing only 22 hours to verify the results. The AI agreed with human experts 83% of the time, versus 55% between humans, letting officials focus on policy instead of administrative work.

The technology has also been used to analyse consultations for the Scottish government on non-surgical cosmetics and the Digital Inclusion Action Plan. Part of the Humphrey suite, the tool helps government act faster and deliver better value for taxpayers.

Digital Government Minister Ian Murray highlighted the potential of AI to deliver efficient services and save costs. Engineers are using insights from Consult and Redbox to develop new tools, including GOV.UK Chat, a generative AI chatbot soon to be trialled in the GOV.UK App.

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Quebec man fined for using AI-generated evidence in court

A Quebec court has fined Jean Laprade C$5,000 (US$3,562) for submitting AI-generated content as part of his legal defence. Justice Luc Morin described the move as ‘highly reprehensible,’ warning that it could undermine the integrity of the judicial system.

The case concerned a dispute over a contract for three helicopters and an airplane in Guinea, where a clerical error awarded Laprade a more valuable aircraft than agreed. He resisted attempts by aviation companies to recover it, and a 2021 Paris arbitration ruling ordered him to pay C$2.7 million.

Laprade submitted fabricated AI-generated materials, including non-existent legal citations and inconsistent conclusions, in an attempt to strengthen his defence.

The judge emphasised that AI-generated information must be carefully controlled by humans, and the filing of legal documents remains a solemn responsibility. Morin acknowledged the growing influence of AI in courts but stressed the dangers of misuse.

While noting Laprade’s self-representation, the judge condemned his use of ‘hallucinated’ AI evidence and warned of future challenges from AI in courts.

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Meta expands AI infrastructure with sustainable data centre in El Paso

The US tech giant, Meta, has begun construction on a new AI-optimised data centre in El Paso, Texas, designed to scale up to 1GW and power the company’s expanding AI ambitions.

The 29th in Meta’s global network, the site will support the next generation of AI models, underpinning technologies such as smart glasses, AI assistants, and real-time translation tools.

A data centre project that represents a major investment in both technology and the local community, contributing over $1.5 billion and creating about 1,800 construction jobs and 100 operational roles in its first phase.

Meta’s Community Accelerator programme will also help local businesses build digital and AI skills, while Community Action Grants are set to launch in El Paso next year.

Environmental sustainability remains central to the development. The data centre will operate on 100% renewable energy, with Meta covering the costs of new grid connections through El Paso Electric.

Using a closed-loop cooling system, the facility will consume no water for most of the year, aligning with Meta’s target to be water positive by 2030. The company plans to restore twice the amount of water used to local watersheds through partnerships with DigDeep and the Texas Water Action Collaborative.

The El Paso project, Meta’s third in Texas, underscores its long-term commitment to sustainable AI infrastructure. By combining efficiency, clean energy, and community investment, Meta aims to build the foundations for a responsible and scalable AI-driven future.

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SenseTime and Cambricon strengthen cooperation for China’s AI future

SenseTime and Cambricon Technologies have entered a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop an open and mutually beneficial AI ecosystem in China. The partnership will focus on software-hardware integration, vertical industry innovation, and the globalisation of AI technologies.

By combining SenseTime’s strengths in large model R&D, AI infrastructure, and industrial applications with Cambricon’s expertise in intelligent computing chips and high-performance hardware, the collaboration supports the national ‘AI+’ strategy of China.

Both companies aim to foster a new AI development model defined by synergy between software and hardware, enhancing domestic innovation and global competitiveness in the AI sector.

The agreement also includes co-development of adaptive chip solutions and integrated AI systems for enterprise and industrial use. By focusing on compatibility between the latest AI models and hardware architectures, the two firms plan to offer scalable, high-efficiency computing solutions.

A partnership that seeks to drive intelligent transformation across industries and promote the growth of emerging AI enterprises through joint innovation and ecosystem building.

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UK and US freeze assets of Southeast Asian online scam network

The UK and US governments have jointly sanctioned a transnational network operating illegal scam centres across Southeast Asia. These centres use sophisticated methods, including fake romantic relationships, to defraud victims worldwide.

Many of the individuals forced to conduct these scams are trafficked foreign nationals, coerced under threat of torture. Authorities have frozen a £12 million North London mansion, along with a £100 million City office and several London flats.

Network leader Chen Zhi and his associates used corporate proxies and overseas companies to launder proceeds from their scams through London’s property market.

The sanctioned entities include the Prince Group, Jin Bei Group, Golden Fortune Resorts World Ltd., and Byex Exchange. Scam operations trap foreign nationals with fake job adverts, forcing them to commit online fraud, often through fake cryptocurrency schemes.

Proceeds are then laundered through a complex system of front businesses and gambling platforms.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said the action protects human rights, UK citizens, and blocks criminals from storing illicit funds. Coordination with the US ensures these sanctions disrupt the network’s international operations and financial access.

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Adult erotica tests OpenAI’s safety claims

OpenAI will loosen some ChatGPT rules, letting users make replies friendlier and allowing erotica for verified adults. Altman framed the shift as ‘treat adult users like adults’, tied to stricter age-gating. The move follows months of new guardrails against sycophancy and harmful dynamics.

The change arrives after reports of vulnerable users forming unhealthy attachments to earlier models. OpenAI has since launched GPT-5 with reduced sycophancy and behaviour routing, plus safeguards for minors and a mental-health council. Critics question whether evidence justifies loosening limits so soon.

Erotic role-play can boost engagement, raising concerns that at-risk users may stay online longer. Access will be restricted to verified adults via age prediction and, if contested, ID checks. That trade-off intensifies privacy tensions around document uploads and potential errors.

It is unclear whether permissive policies will extend to voice, image, or video features, or how regional laws will apply to them. OpenAI says it is not ‘usage-maxxing’ but balancing utility with safety. Observers note that ambitions to reach a billion users heighten moderation pressures.

Supporters cite overdue flexibility for consenting adults and more natural conversation. Opponents warn normalising intimate AI may outpace evidence on mental-health impacts. Age checks can fail, and vulnerable users may slip through without robust oversight.

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Mozilla integrates Perplexity AI into Firefox’s search features

Mozilla has announced that it is integrating Perplexity’s AI answer engine into Firefox as a choice available in the browser’s search options.

The feature had already been piloted in markets including the US, UK and Germany. Now Firefox is bringing the option to desktop users globally, with mobile rollout expected in the coming months.

When enabled, Perplexity AI offers conversational search. Instead of just showing a list of web pages, answers appear with citations. Users can activate it via the unified search button in the address bar or by configuring their default search engine settings.

Mozilla says the integration reflects positive feedback from early users and signals a desire to give people more choice in how they get information. The company also notes that Perplexity ‘doesn’t share or sell users’ personal data,’ which aligns with Mozilla’s privacy principles.

Firefox also continues to evolve other browser features. One is profiles, now broadly available, which allows users to maintain separate browser setups (for example, work vs home). The browser is also experimenting with visual search features using Google Lens for users who keep Google as their default provider.

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Wider AI applications take centre stage at Japan’s CEATEC electronics show

At this year’s CEATEC exhibition in Japan, more companies and research institutions are promoting AI applications that stretch well beyond traditional factory or industrial automation.

Innovations on display suggest an increasing emphasis on ‘AI as companion’ systems, tools that help, advise, or augment human abilities in everyday settings.

Fujitsu’s showcase is a strong example. The company is using AI skeleton recognition and agent-based analysis to help people improve movement, whether for sports performance (such as refining a golf swing) or for healthcare settings. These systems give live feedback, coaching form, and offer suggestions, all in real time.

Other exhibits combine sensor tech, vision, and AI in consumer-friendly ways. For example, smart fridge compartments that monitor produce, earbuds or glasses that recognise real-world context (a flyer in a shop, say) and suggest recipes, or wearable systems that adapt to your motion.

These are not lab demos, they’re meant for direct, everyday interaction. Rising numbers of startups and university groups at CEATEC underscore Japan’s push toward embedding AI deeply in daily life.

The ‘AI for All’ theme and ‘Partner Parks’ at the show reflect a movement toward socially oriented technologies, with suggestions, health, ease, and personalisation. Japan seems to be leaning into AI not just for productivity gains but for lifestyle and well-being enhancements.

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OpenAI forms Expert Council to guide well-being in AI

OpenAI has announced the establishment of an Expert Council on Well-Being and AI to help it shape ChatGPT, Sora and other products in ways that promote healthier interactions and better emotional support.

The council comprises eight distinguished figures from psychology, psychiatry, human-computer interaction, developmental science and clinical practice.

Members include David Bickham (Digital Wellness Lab, Harvard), Munmun De Choudhury (Georgia Tech), Tracy Dennis-Tiwary (Hunter College), Sara Johansen (Stanford), Andrew K. Przybylski (University of Oxford), David Mohr (Northwestern), Robert K. Ross (public health) and Mathilde Cerioli (everyone.AI).

OpenAI says this new body will meet regularly with internal teams to examine how AI should function in ‘complex or sensitive situations,’ advise on guardrails, and explore what constitutes well-being in human-AI interaction. For example, the council already influenced how parental controls and user-teen distress notifications were prioritised.

OpenAI emphasises that it remains accountable for its decisions, but commits to ongoing learning through this council, the Global Physician Network, policymakers and experts. The company notes that different age groups, especially teenagers, use AI tools differently, hence the need for tailored insights.

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