Deutsche Bank is deepening its involvement in digital assets, with plans under review to issue its own stablecoin or join an industry-wide initiative. The bank is evaluating tokenised deposits to help modernise payments, said Sabih Behzad.
Stablecoins and tokenised deposits are becoming more attractive as banks search for faster and more cost-efficient payment methods. Regulatory progress in the EU and US is boosting banks’ confidence to enter the space.
Banco Santander and JPMorgan are also expanding their digital payment efforts, signalling growing momentum in the sector.
Deutsche Bank has already taken several steps in the crypto space. The bank invested in Partior, partnered with Taurus for custody services, and joined Project Agorá to explore cross-border tokenisation.
Market forecasts point to rapid growth. Citigroup expects the stablecoin market to rise from nearly $240 billion today to more than $2 trillion by 2030, fuelled by regulatory clarity and rising adoption by both private and public sectors.
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Odyssey, a startup founded by self-driving veterans Oliver Cameron and Jeff Hawke, has unveiled an AI model that allows users to interact with streaming video in real time.
The technology generates video frames every 40 milliseconds, enabling users to move through scenes like a 3D video game instead of passively watching. A demo is currently available online, though it is still in its early stages.
The system relies on a new kind of ‘world model’ that predicts future visual states based on previous actions and environments. Odyssey claims its model can maintain spatial consistency, learn motion from video, and sustain coherent video output for five minutes or more.
Unlike models trained solely on internet data, Odyssey captures real-world environments using a custom 360-degree, backpack-mounted camera to build higher-fidelity simulations.
Tech giants and AI startups are exploring world models to power next-generation simulations and interactive media. Yet creative professionals remain wary. A 2024 study commissioned by the Animation Guild predicted significant job disruptions across film and animation.
Game studios like Activision Blizzard have been scrutinised for using AI while cutting staff.
Odyssey, however, insists its goal is collaboration instead of replacement. The company is also developing software to let creators edit scenes using tools like Unreal Engine and Blender.
Backed by $27 million in funding and supported by Pixar co-founder Ed Catmull, Odyssey aims to transform video content across entertainment, education, and advertising through on-demand interactivity.
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Google has taken a significant step forward in the race to build the ultimate AI assistant by upgrading its Gemini model with a powerful scheduling feature.
The change, quietly rolled out to Gemini Pro and Ultra users, allows the AI to execute tasks at specific times or set up recurring actions—capabilities typically associated with personal assistants rather than chatbots.
Thanks to this upgrade, Gemini users can now automate a range of everyday digital routines. Whether it’s receiving a morning digest of unread emails and calendar events or prompting the AI to suggest blog topics every Monday, Gemini is positioning itself as a seamless aide across Google’s ecosystem.
According to a company blog post, the model can even deliver timely summaries of live events, like award shows, the day after they air.
The new feature is now available for those subscribed to Gemini Pro and Ultra, and eligible Google Workspace business and education accounts.
It comes as Google accelerates its plans to integrate Gemini into nearly every major product it offers, from Gmail to smart glasses, firmly embedding AI into its future user experience.
While competitors like OpenAI remain dominant in mindshare and Apple’s Siri lags behind, Google’s steady rollout of assistant-style functions may redefine the AI playing field.
Apple’s own AI revamp has faced internal setbacks, and its much-anticipated Siri update is now unlikely to appear this year.
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Social media platform X has updated its developer agreement to prohibit the use of its content for training large language models.
The new clause, added under the restrictions section, forbids any attempt to use X’s API or content to fine-tune or train foundational or frontier AI models.
The move follows Elon Musk’s acquisition of X through his AI company xAI, which is developing its own models.
By restricting external access, the company aims to prevent competitors from freely using X’s data while maintaining control over a valuable resource for training AI systems.
X joins a growing list of platforms, including Reddit and The Browser Company, that have introduced terms blocking unauthorised AI training.
The shift reflects a broader industry trend towards limiting open data access amid the rising value of proprietary content in the AI arms race.
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SoftBank and Intel are collaborating on a new memory technology designed to halve power consumption compared to current high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is critical for AI systems.
The project includes the University of Tokyo, research institute Riken, and Shinco Electric Industries, among others, and aims to address cost, efficiency, and supply issues in today’s HBM market.
The initiative will be led by a newly established SoftBank subsidiary, Cy Memory, which is tasked with IP management and developing prototype memory chips that reconfigure wiring structures in stacked DRAMs.
The goal is to mass-produce more energy-efficient and cost-effective memory than existing HBM, with applications in data centres running AI workloads.
SoftBank plans to invest 3 billion yen in Cy Memory, becoming its largest shareholder, and may seek government funding.
As AI data centre demand skyrockets, the new memory could offer Japan a strategic edge in semiconductor development—particularly as domestic DRAM production has largely disappeared. Japan has pledged over 10 trillion yen in semiconductor investments by 2030 to revive its chip industry.
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The FBI has issued a warning about the resurgence of BADBOX 2.0, a dangerous form of malware infecting millions of consumer electronics globally.
Often preloaded onto low-cost smart TVs, streaming boxes, and IoT devices, primarily from China, the malware grants cyber criminals backdoor access, enabling theft, surveillance, and fraud while remaining essentially undetectable.
BADBOX 2.0 forms part of a massive botnet and can also infect devices through malicious apps and drive-by downloads, especially from unofficial Android stores.
Once activated, the malware enables a range of attacks, including click fraud, fake account creation, DDoS attacks, and the theft of one-time passwords and personal data.
Removing the malware is extremely difficult, as it typically requires flashing new firmware, an option unavailable for most of the affected devices.
Users are urged to check their hardware against a published list of compromised models and to avoid sideloading apps or purchasing unverified connected tech.
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Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) has revealed plans to develop a 50,000 qubit fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2034, using its proprietary ‘Dimon’ superconducting transmon technology.
Achieving such scale would require millions of physical qubits but promises to outperform global rivals, including Google and IBM, with real-world applications ranging from cyber threat detection to drug discovery.
The roadmap includes a significant push to reduce error rates and optimise chip materials, with recent breakthroughs enabling error detection at the hardware level. OQC claims it achieves a 99.8% gate fidelity in just 25 nanoseconds and a tenfold improvement in qubit efficiency compared to competitors.
Interim CEO Gerald Mullally said the roadmap marks a turning point, calling on finance and national security organisations to prepare for a quantum-driven future.
Now seeking $100 million in Series B funding, the firm plans to install its first quantum system in New York, later this year.
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The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has taken action against unauthorised financial influencers in a coordinated international crackdown, resulting in three arrests. Regulators across six countries, participated in the effort, targeting those offering unlicensed tips or falsely promoting products.
Hundreds of social media posts of websites are being taken down after being linked to misleading financial advice presented under the guise of luxury lifestyles. The FCA issued cease and desist letters and called several influencers in for questioning.
The FCA highlighted that many of these posts fail to explain risks and often encourage followers to pay for unverified trading algorithms. The campaign aims to protect people, especially young users, who increasingly use online sources for financial education.
Meta was questioned by the Treasury Committee over delays, prompting the firm to acknowledge a processing lapse in 2024. Separately, the UK FCA is reviewing a ban on crypto exchange-traded notes, signalling a shift toward regulated crypto investment for retail users.
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Anthropic has launched a new line of AI models, Claude Gov, explicitly tailored for US national security operations. Built with direct input from government clients, top-tier agencies already use the models.
These classified-use models were developed with enhanced safety testing and are optimised for handling sensitive material, including improved handling of classified data, rare language proficiency, and defence-specific document comprehension.
The Claude Gov models reflect Anthropic’s broader move into government partnerships, building on its collaboration with Palantir and AWS.
As competition in defence-focused AI intensifies, rivals including OpenAI, Meta, and Google are also adapting their models for secure environments.
The sector’s growing interest in custom, security-conscious AI tools marks a shift in how leading labs seek stable revenue streams and deeper ties with government agencies.
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ABBA legend Bjorn Ulvaeus is working on a new musical with the help of AI, describing the technology as ‘an extension of your mind.’ Despite previously criticising AI companies’ unlicensed use of artists’ work, the 80-year-old Swedish songwriter believes AI can be a valuable creative partner.
At London’s inaugural SXSW, Ulvaeus explained how he uses AI tools to explore lyrical ideas and overcome writer’s block. ‘It is like having another songwriter in the room with a huge reference frame,’ he said.
‘You can prompt a lyric and ask where to go from there. It usually comes out with garbage, but sometimes something in it gives you another idea.’
Ulvaeus was among over 10,000 creatives who signed an open letter warning of the risks AI poses to artists’ rights. Still, he maintains that when used with consent and care, AI can support — not replace — human creativity. ‘It must not exclude the human,’ he warned.
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