Digital business models

Uber’s product chief turns to AI for reports and research

Uber’s chief product officer, Sachin Kansal, is embracing AI to streamline his daily workflow—particularly through tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and, soon, NotebookLM.

Speaking on ‘Lenny’s Podcast,’ Kansal revealed how AI summarisation helps him digest lengthy 50- to 100-page reports he otherwise wouldn’t have time to read. He uses AI to understand market trends and rider feedback across regions such as Brazil, South Korea, and South Africa.

Kansal also relies on AI as a research assistant. For instance, when exploring new driver features, he used ChatGPT’s deep research capabilities to simulate possible driver reactions and generate brainstorming ideas.

‘It’s an amazing research assistant,’ he said. ‘It’s absolutely a starting point for a brainstorm with my team.’

He’s now eyeing Google’s NotebookLM, a note-taking and research tool, as the next addition to his AI toolkit—especially its ‘Audio Overview’ feature, which turns documents into AI-generated podcast-style discussions.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi previously noted that too few of Uber’s 30,000+ employees are using AI and stressed that mastering AI tools, especially for coding, would soon be essential.

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Lazarus group fails in phishing attempt on BitMEX

BitMEX has revealed it successfully stopped a phishing attempt by the Lazarus Group, a hacking network linked to North Korea. Attackers posed as a Web3 partner on LinkedIn, trying to trick a BitMEX employee into running malicious GitHub code.

BitMEX’s security team detected the threat early and linked it to infrastructure previously associated with Lazarus.

The exchange noted Lazarus uses simple phishing before more advanced hacks. A failed operational safeguard even exposed an IP address tied to North Korean operations, located in Jiaxing, China.

Experts believe the group’s hacking efforts are split among subgroups, each with different technical skill levels.

Lazarus has been blamed for a sharp rise in crypto thefts. Chainalysis reported North Korean-linked actors stole $1.34 billion in 2024, accounting for 61% of the total stolen in crypto-related crimes that year.

Social engineering remains their primary entry tactic, as seen in major incidents like the Bybit and Radiant Capital hacks.

The group continues to launch daily fraud attempts using a mix of phishing, fake job offers, and malicious files to compromise individuals and organisations across the crypto space.

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Students build world’s fastest Rubik’s Cube solver

A group of engineering students from Purdue University have built the world’s fastest Rubik’s Cube-solving robot, achieving a Guinness World Record time of just 0.103 seconds.

The team focused on improving nearly every aspect of the process, not only faster motors, from image capture to cube construction.

Rather than processing full images, the robot uses low-resolution cameras aimed at opposite corners of the cube, capturing only the essential parts of the image to save time.

Instead of converting camera data into full digital pictures, the system directly reads colour data to identify the cube’s layout. Although slightly less accurate, the method allows quicker recognition and faster solving.

The robot, known as Purdubik’s Cube, benefits from software designed specifically for machines, allowing it to perform overlapping turns using a technique called corner cutting. Instead of waiting for one rotation to finish, the next begins, shaving off valuable milliseconds.

To withstand the stress, the team designed a cube with extremely tight tension using reinforced nylon, making it nearly impossible to turn by hand.

High-speed motors controlled the robot’s movements, with a trapezoidal acceleration profile ensuring rapid but precise turns. The students believe the record could fall again—provided someone develops a stronger, lighter cube using materials like carbon fibre.

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Serbian startup revolutionises cancer diagnostics with AI-powered radiotherapy tool

A group of Serbian physicists, programmers, and radiologists, led by Stevan Vrbaški, has developed a groundbreaking software solution through their startup, Vinaver Medical. After gaining experience through studies and research abroad, the team returned to Serbia, where they launched a project to improve cancer diagnostics using advanced radiotherapy technology.

Their work is centred on particle radiotherapy, a precise cancer treatment method that surpasses conventional X-ray-based radiotherapy. The innovation lies in software that combines AI and CT imaging to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve the planning of radiotherapy in oncology.

Unlike traditional methods, this solution enables far more precise targeting of tumours, which can potentially reduce damage to surrounding healthy tissue. According to Vrbaški, their software helps determine the optimal delivery of radiotherapy based on patient scans.

Vinaver Medical received initial funding through the ‘Smart Start’ program and later support from the ‘Digital Serbia Initiative.’ Their product is currently being tested in the United States, the European Union, and the Balkans.

Vrbaški highlights the challenges of developing and certifying medical technologies, emphasising the need for rigorous testing, user adaptation, and risk reduction before market release. Looking ahead, the team plans to visit hospitals and innovation centres in Italy and the US to fine-tune their solution to meet user needs better.

With a certified, market-ready product in hand, they aim to launch commercially within a year to eighteen months, as testing with Dutch partners continues to validate the software’s ability to assist doctors in diagnosing various illnesses with greater accuracy.

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South Korea’s crypto industry set to benefit regardless of election

South Korea’s cryptocurrency sector is poised to grow no matter the outcome of the upcoming snap presidential election on 3 June. Both candidates have pledged to ease regulations, legalise spot crypto ETFs, and launch a won-backed stablecoin to modernise finance.

Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party and Kim Moon-soo from the conservative People Power Party share strong pro-crypto stances.

Lee proposes allowing the national pension fund to invest in crypto and loosening strict banking rules requiring exchanges to work with licensed banks. Both candidates also support legalising spot crypto ETFs, reflecting rare bipartisan agreement.

The push for clearer regulations is urgent, given South Korea’s highly active retail crypto market. Recent government measures impose tough rules on exchanges, including strict listing standards and potential life sentences for violations.

With more than 16 million users and trading volumes rivaling major stock indexes, South Korea’s crypto industry stands to benefit significantly from the election promises.

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AI copyright clash stalls UK data bill

A bitter standoff over AI and copyright has returned to the House of Lords, as ministers and peers clash over how to protect creative workers while fostering technological innovation.

At the centre of the debate is the proposed Data (Use and Access) Bill, which was expected to pass smoothly but is now stuck in parliamentary limbo due to growing resistance.

The bill would allow AI firms to access copyrighted material unless rights holders opt out, a proposal that many artists and peers believe threatens the UK’s £124bn creative industry.

Nearly 300 Lords have called for AI developers to disclose what content they use and seek licences instead of relying on blanket access. Former film director Baroness Kidron described the policy as ‘state-sanctioned theft’ and warned it would sacrifice British talent to benefit large tech companies.

Supporters of the bill, like former Meta executive Sir Nick Clegg, argue that forcing AI firms to seek individual permissions would severely damage the UK’s AI sector. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology insists it will only consider changes if they are proven to benefit creators.

If no resolution is found, the bill risks being shelved entirely. That would also scrap unrelated proposals bundled into it, such as new NHS data-sharing rules and plans for a nationwide underground map.

Despite the bill’s wide scope, the fight over copyright remains its most divisive and emotionally charged feature.

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Bank of Italy criticises limited MiCA impact

Fabio Panetta, the Governor of the Bank of Italy, has emphasised that a digital euro is more effective than regulation alone. It can better address the growing risks associated with cryptocurrencies.

In his annual economic remarks, Panetta said the EU must advance the CBDC project to protect financial stability and meet growing demand for secure digital payments.

Panetta noted that the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which came into full force in late 2024, has had minimal influence on stablecoin adoption in Europe.

Only a small number of electronic money tokens (EMTs) have been issued, with limited circulation and little interest from supervised intermediaries in Italy. Although MiCA encourages transparency, it has not stimulated significant crypto development in the region.

The governor also warned that European citizens remain exposed to risks due to inconsistent regulatory standards worldwide.

He urged stronger international cooperation, saying only a central bank-backed digital euro can ensure trust, efficiency, and security in digital payments.

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Gmail adds automatic AI summaries

Gmail on mobile now displays AI-generated summaries by default, marking a shift in how Google’s Gemini assistant operates within inboxes.

Instead of relying on users to request a summary, Gemini will now decide when it’s useful—typically for long email threads with multiple replies—and present a brief summary card at the top of the message.

These summaries update automatically as conversations evolve, aiming to save users from scrolling through lengthy discussions.

The feature is currently limited to mobile devices and available only to users with Google Workspace accounts, Gemini Education add-ons, or a Google One AI Premium subscription. For the moment, summaries are confined to emails written in English.

Google expects the rollout to take around two weeks, though it remains unclear when, or if, the tool will extend to standard Gmail accounts or desktop users.

Anyone wanting to opt out must disable Gmail’s smart features entirely—giving up tools like Smart Compose, Smart Reply, and package tracking in the process.

While some may welcome the convenience, others may feel uneasy about their emails being analysed by large language models, especially since this process could contribute to further training of Google’s AI systems.

The move reflects a wider trend across Google’s products, where AI is becoming central to everyday user experiences.

Additional user controls and privacy commitments

According to Google Workspace, users have some control over the summary cards. They can collapse a Gemini summary card, and it will remain collapsed for that specific email thread.

In the near future, Gmail will introduce enhancements, such as automatically collapsing future summary cards for users who consistently collapse them, until the user chooses to expand them again. For emails that don’t display automatic summaries, Gmail still offers manual options.

Users can tap the ‘summarise this email’ chip at the top of the message or use the Gemini side panel to trigger a summary manually. Google also reaffirms its commitment to data protection and user privacy. All AI features in Gmail adhere to its privacy principles, with more details available on the Privacy Hub.

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Europe’s digital euro ambitions: A bid for global currency influence

At a recent speech in Berlin, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde highlighted the potential of the euro to take on a greater international role amid growing uncertainty in the global monetary system. With the dominance of the US dollar increasingly under scrutiny and central banks turning to gold at levels unseen in decades, Lagarde outlined how a digital euro could be pivotal in shifting the balance of global finance.

Lagarde emphasised that the euro already accounts for around 20% of global foreign exchange reserves but still lags far behind the US dollar’s 58%. She argued that a more internationally accepted euro would shield Europe from exchange rate volatility, reduce borrowing costs, and help protect the EU from coercive economic measures.

One of the key steps in this direction is the ongoing development of a digital euro—an initiative the ECB is pursuing to modernise cross-border payments and reinforce the euro’s international utility. The ECB President noted that trade alone won’t be enough to elevate the euro to global reserve status.

Investors also need confidence in Europe’s geopolitical strength and legal institutions. She linked the US dollar’s global standing to its economy, military alliances, and legal predictability—areas where Europe must step up.

A digital euro, supported by robust capital markets and legal credibility, could become a cornerstone in this strategy. Lagarde concluded with a call for bold action.

The global economic landscape is shifting, and Europe must seize this ‘global euro moment.’ But success is not guaranteed, she warned.

For the euro to rise as a true rival to the dollar, the EU must act decisively, invest in unity, and deliver on reforms that inspire trust and stability, both politically and economically.

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Reform UK embraces Bitcoin donations, Farage promises crypto-friendly policies

Reform UK has become the first British political party to accept donations in Bitcoin, party leader Nigel Farage announced during a cryptocurrency conference in Las Vegas. Farage presented a draft ‘Crypto Assets and Digital Finance Bill’ that he pledged to enact if elected prime minister, promising to spearhead a ‘crypto revolution’ in the UK and declaring that digital assets are ‘here to stay.’

The proposed bill includes significant reforms such as slashing the capital gains tax on cryptocurrencies from 24% to 10% and establishing a Bitcoin digital reserve at the Bank of England. Reform UK’s website was updated Thursday evening to begin accepting crypto contributions.

Farage’s stance contrasts with Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who recently outlined plans to regulate crypto firms similarly to traditional finance institutions, aiming to make the UK a ‘world leader’ in the field. However, not all British lawmakers are aligned on the issue.

A Treasury Select Committee earlier recommended regulating crypto like gambling due to its volatility and risks for investors. The Treasury rejected this idea, signalling ongoing debate over how best to manage the rapidly evolving digital asset landscape.

Farage’s embrace of crypto echoes moves seen in the US, where former President Donald Trump’s campaign raised millions in digital currency. Reform UK’s leader praised America’s crypto adoption, voicing his ambition to make London a global hub for digital finance, despite ongoing political controversy surrounding crypto-linked campaign contributions in the US.

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