YouTube has introduced a new AI Playlist feature for YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium subscribers on Android and iOS, enabling users to generate customised music playlists by describing a mood, genre, activity or vibe in natural language.
From the Library tab, users can tap ‘New,’ select ‘AI playlist’, and enter text or voice prompts, such as ‘sad post-rock’ or ’90s classic hits,’ to instantly build a curated list of tracks.
The rollout builds on YouTube’s earlier AI experiments in music discovery and positions the company alongside other streaming services like Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer, which have launched similar generative playlist tools.
The feature reflects a broader trend of streaming platforms embedding generative AI to personalise discovery and enhance user engagement for paying subscribers.
Details such as the degree of user control over generated playlists and support for iterative refinement remain limited, and YouTube has not clarified how often playlists can be refreshed or edited after creation.
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The European Commission has unconditionally approved Google’s proposed acquisition of Wiz under the EU Merger Regulation, concluding that the deal raises no competition concerns in the European Economic Area.
The assessment focused on the fast-growing cloud security market, where both companies are active. Google provides cloud infrastructure and security services via Google Cloud Platform, while Wiz offers a cloud-native application protection platform for multi-cloud environments.
Regulators examined whether Google could restrict competition by bundling Wiz’s tools or limiting interoperability with rival cloud providers. The market investigation found customers would retain access to credible alternatives and could switch suppliers if needed.
The Commission also considered whether the acquisition would give Google access to commercially sensitive data relating to competing cloud infrastructure providers. Feedback from customers and rivals indicated that the data involved is not sensitive and is generally accessible to other cloud security firms.
Based on these findings, the Commission concluded that the transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in any relevant market. The deal was therefore cleared unconditionally following a Phase I review.
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Scientists at Nagoya University have developed an advanced AI system capable of identifying specific animal behaviours with over 90% accuracy and controlling the brain circuits that drive them in real-time across multiple species.
The system, named YORU (Your Optimal Recognition Utility), recognises entire behaviours from single video frames rather than tracking individual body parts, making it 30% faster than previous tools.
Researchers demonstrated the technology’s precision by combining it with optogenetics to silence a male fruit fly’s courtship song mid-performance, causing the unimpressed female to walk away.
The breakthrough lies in the system’s ability to target individual animals within social groups, so previous optogenetic methods illuminated entire laboratory chambers, affecting all subjects simultaneously.
YORU’s AI-driven light source can now track and manipulate a single subject’s neurons whilst its neighbours move freely nearby. The tool has proven its versatility across diverse species, successfully analysing food-sharing in ants, social orientation in zebrafish, and grooming patterns in mice.
Requiring minimal training data and no programming skills, YORU is available online for researchers worldwide studying the neural mechanisms underlying social interactions.
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The South Korean government has confirmed that 33.67 million user accounts were exposed in a major data breach at Coupang in South Korea. The findings were released by the Ministry of Science and ICT in Seoul.
Investigators in South Korea said names and email addresses were leaked, while delivery lists containing addresses and phone numbers were accessed 148 million times. Officials warned that the impact in South Korea could extend beyond the headline account figure.
Authorities in South Korea identified a former employee as the attacker, alleging misuse of authentication signing keys. The probe concluded that weaknesses in internal controls at Coupang enabled the breach in South Korea.
The ministry in South Korea criticised delayed reporting and plans to impose a fine on Coupang. The company disputed aspects of the findings but said 33.7 million accounts were involved in South Korea.
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Microsoft is studying high-temperature superconductors to transmit electricity to its AI data centres in the US. The company says zero-resistance cables could reduce power losses and eliminate heat generated during transmission.
High-temperature superconductors can carry large currents through compact cables, potentially cutting space requirements for substations and overhead lines. Microsoft argues that denser infrastructure could support expanding AI workloads across the US.
The main obstacle is cooling, as superconducting materials must operate at extremely low temperatures using cryogenic systems. Even high-temperature variants require conditions near minus 200 degrees Celsius.
Rising electricity demand from AI systems has strained grids in the US, prompting political scrutiny and industry pledges to fund infrastructure upgrades. Microsoft says efficiency gains could ease pressure while it develops additional power solutions.
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The European Union is revisiting the idea of an EU-wide social media age restriction as several member states move ahead with national measures to protect children online. Spain, France, and Denmark are among the countries considering the enforcement of age limits for access to social platforms.
The issue was raised in the European Commission’s new action plan against cyberbullying, published on Tuesday. The plan confirms that a panel of child protection experts will advise the Commission by the summer on possible EU-wide age restrictions for social media use.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the creation of an expert panel last September, although its launch was delayed until early 2026. The panel will assess options for a coordinated European approach, including potential legislation and awareness-raising measures for parents.
The document notes that diverging national rules could lead to uneven protection for children across the bloc. A harmonised EU framework, the Commission argues, would help ensure consistent safeguards and reduce fragmentation in how platforms apply age restrictions.
So far, the Commission has relied on non-binding guidance under the Digital Services Act to encourage platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snap to protect minors. Increasing pressure from member states pursuing national bans may now prompt a shift towards more formal EU-level regulation.
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The $3 million, three-year project, led by Professor James J. Collins at MIT’s Department of Biological Engineering, centres on developing programmable antibacterials designed to target specific pathogens.
The approach uses AI to design small proteins that turn off specific bacterial functions. These designer molecules would be produced and delivered by engineered microbes, offering a more precise alternative to traditional antibiotics.
Antimicrobial resistance impacts low and middle-income countries most severely, where limited diagnostic infrastructure causes treatment delays. Drug-resistant infections continue to rise globally, whilst the development of new antibacterial tools has stagnated.
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Australia’s online safety regulator has notified Roblox of plans to directly test how the platform has implemented a set of child safety commitments agreed last year, amid growing concerns over online grooming and sexual exploitation.
In September last year, Roblox made nine commitments following months of engagement with eSafety, aimed at supporting compliance with obligations under the Online Safety Act and strengthening protections for children in Australia.
Measures included making under-16s’ accounts private by default, restricting contact between adults and minors without parental consent, disabling chat features until age estimation is complete, and extending parental controls and voice chat restrictions for younger users.
Roblox told eSafety at the end of 2025 that it had delivered all agreed commitments, after which the regulator continued monitoring implementation. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said serious concerns remain over reports of child exploitation and harmful material on the platform.
Direct testing will now examine how the measures work in practice, with support from the Australian Government. Enforcement action may follow, including penalties of up to $49.5 million, alongside checks against new age-restricted content rules from 9 March.
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Wales has launched a national programme of practical AI workshops to help tourism and hospitality businesses adopt digital tools. Funded by Visit Wales and the Welsh Government, the initiative aims to strengthen the sector’s competitiveness by assisting companies to save time and enhance their online presence.
Strong demand reflects growing readiness within the sector to embrace AI. Delivered through Business Wales, the free sessions have quickly reached near capacity, with most places booked shortly after launch. The programme is tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises and prioritises hands-on learning over technical theory.
Workshops focus on simple, immediately usable tools that improve website content, search visibility, and customer engagement. Organisers highlight that AI-driven search features are reshaping how visitors discover tourism services, making accuracy, consistency, and authoritative digital content increasingly important.
At the centre of the initiative is Harri, a bespoke AI tool explicitly developed for Welsh tourism businesses. Designed to reflect the local context, it supports listings management, customer enquiries, and search optimisation. Early feedback indicates that the approach delivers practical and measurable benefits.
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The US-based conglomerate Cisco is promoting a future in which AI agents work alongside employees rather than operate as mere tools. Jeetu Patel, the company’s president, revealed that Cisco has already produced a product written entirely with AI-generated code and expects several more by the end of 2026.
A shift to spec-driven development that allows smaller human teams to work with digital agents instead of relying on larger groups of developers.
Human oversight will still play a central role. Coders will be asked to review AI-generated outputs as they adjust to a workplace where AI influences every stage of development. Patel argues that AI should be viewed as part of every loop rather than kept at the edge of decision-making.
Security concerns dominate the company’s planning. Patel warns that AI agents acting as digital co-workers must undergo background checks in the same way that employees do.
Cisco is investing billions in security systems to protect agents from external attacks and to prevent agents that malfunction or act independently from harming society.
Looking ahead, Cisco expects AI to deliver insights that extend beyond human knowledge. Patel believes that the most significant gains will emerge from breakthroughs in science, health, energy and poverty reduction rather than simple productivity improvements.
He also positions Cisco as a core provider of infrastructure designed to support the next stage of the AI era.
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