Digital business models

Cloudflare claims Perplexity circumvented website scraping blocks

Cloudflare has accused AI startup Perplexity of ignoring explicit website instructions not to scrape their content.

According to the internet infrastructure company, Perplexity has allegedly disguised its identity and used technical workarounds to bypass restrictions set out in Robots.txt files, which tell bots which pages they may or may not access.

The behaviour was reportedly detected after multiple Cloudflare customers complained about unauthorised scraping attempts.

Instead of respecting these rules, Cloudflare claims Perplexity altered its bots’ user agent to appear as a Google Chrome browser on macOS and switched its network identifiers to avoid detection.

The company says these tactics were seen across tens of thousands of domains and millions of daily requests, and that it used machine learning and network analysis to identify the activity.

Perplexity has denied the allegations, calling Cloudflare’s report a ‘sales pitch’ and disputing that the bot named in the findings belongs to the company. Cloudflare has since removed Perplexity’s bots from its verified list and introduced new blocking measures.

The dispute arises as Cloudflare intensifies its efforts to grant website owners greater control over AI crawlers. Last month, it launched a marketplace enabling publishers to charge AI firms for scraping, alongside free tools to block unauthorised data collection.

Perplexity has previously faced criticism over content use, with outlets such as Wired accusing it of plagiarism in 2024.

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Qatar pushes for global alignment on tokenisation rules

Qatar Financial Centre calls for greater international coordination on tokenisation regulation, revealing plans to integrate real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation into the investment sector. The announcement came during the Digital Assets Policy Roundtable at the Qatar Economic Forum.

The report, created with Global Stratalogues and the Global Blockchain Business Council, urges global regulatory alignment, collaboration, and infrastructure support. It argues that tokenisation can boost financial inclusion when backed by strong policies.

Although Qatar restricts cryptocurrencies, the report confirms stablecoins will feature in the country’s strategy, focusing on regulated use in private equity, Islamic finance, and venture capital. The regulatory sandbox was also recognised globally.

Qatar is working with firms like R3, SettleMint, and The Hashgraph Association to launch a $50 million Digital Assets Venture Studio. Meanwhile, regional progress includes the first MENA-regulated tokenised money market fund from QNB (Singapore) and DMZ Finance.

RWAs are increasingly viewed as a bridge between traditional and decentralised finance, with their value expected to hit $19 trillion by 2033.

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The risky rise of all-in-one AI companions

A concerning new trend is emerging: AI companions are merging with mental health tools, blurring ethical lines. Human therapists are required to maintain a professional distance. Yet AI doesn’t follow such rules; it can be both confidant and counsellor.

AI chatbots are increasingly marketed as friendly companions. At the same time, they can offer mental health advice. Combined, you get an AI friend who also becomes your emotional guide. The mix might feel comforting, but it’s not without risks.

Unlike a human therapist, AI has no ethical compass. It mimics caring responses based on patterns, not understanding. One prompt might trigger empathetic advice and best-friend energy, a murky interaction without safeguards.

The deeper issue? There’s little incentive for AI makers to stop this. Blending companionship and therapy boosts user engagement and profits. Unless laws intervene, these all-in-one bots will keep evolving.

There’s also a massive privacy cost. People confide personal feelings to these bots, often daily, for months. The data may be reviewed, stored, and reused to train future models. Your digital friend and therapist might also be your data collector.

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Google signs groundbreaking deal to cut data centre energy use

Google has become the first major tech firm to sign formal agreements with US electric utilities to ease grid pressure. The deals come as data centres drive unprecedented energy demand, straining power infrastructure in several regions.

The company will work with Indiana Michigan Power and Tennessee Valley Authority to reduce electricity usage during peak demand. These arrangements will help divert power to general utilities when needed.

Under the agreements, Google will temporarily scale down its data centre operations, particularly those linked to energy-intensive AI and machine learning workloads.

Google described the initiative as a way to speed up data centre integration with local grids while avoiding costly infrastructure expansion. The move reflects growing concern over AI’s rising energy footprint.

Demand-response programmes, once used mainly in heavy manufacturing and crypto mining, are now being adopted by tech firms to stabilise grids in return for lower energy costs.

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OpenAI launches ‘study mode’ to curb AI-fuelled cheating

OpenAI has introduced a new ‘study mode’ to help students use AI for learning rather than cheating. The update arrives amid a spike in academic dishonesty linked to generative AI tools.

According to The Guardian, a UK survey found nearly 7,000 confirmed cases of AI misuse during the 2023–24 academic year. Universities are under pressure to adapt assessments in response.

Under the chatbot’s Tools menu, the new mode walks users through questions with step-by-step guidance, acting more like a tutor than a solution engine.

Jayna Devani, OpenAI’s international education lead, said the aim is to foster productive use of AI. ‘It’s guiding me towards an answer, rather than just giving it to me first-hand,’ she explained.

The tool can assist with homework and exam prep and even interpret uploaded images of past papers. OpenAI cautions it may still produce errors, underscoring the need for broader conversations around AI in education.

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Musk’s robotaxi ambitions threatened as Tesla faces a $243 million autopilot verdict

A recent court verdict has required Tesla to pay approximately $243 million in damages following a 2019 fatal crash involving an Autopilot-equipped Model S.

The Florida jury found Tesla’s driver-assistance software defective, a claim the company intends to appeal, asserting that the driver was solely responsible for the incident.

The ruling may significantly impact Tesla’s ambitions to expand its emerging robotaxi network in the US, fuelling heightened scrutiny over the safety of the company’s autonomous technology from both regulators and the public.

The timing of this legal setback is critical as Tesla is seeking regulatory approval for its robotaxi services, crucial to its market valuation and efforts to manage global competition while facing backlash against CEO Elon Musk’s political views.

Additionally, the company has recently awarded CEO Elon Musk a substantial new compensation package worth approximately $29 billion in stock options, signalling the company’s continued reliance on Musk’s leadership at a critical juncture, since the company plans transitions from a struggling auto business toward futuristic ventures like robotaxis and humanoid robots.

Tesla’s approach to autonomous driving, which relies on cameras and AI instead of more expensive technologies like lidars and radars used by competitors, has prompted it to start a limited robotaxi trial in Texas. However, its aggressive expansion plans for this service starkly contrast with the cautious rollouts by companies such as Waymo, which runs the US’s only commercial driverless robotaxi system.

The jury’s decision also complicates Tesla’s interactions with state regulators, as the company awaits approvals in multiple states, including California and Florida. While Nevada has engaged with Tesla regarding its robotaxi programme, Arizona remains indecisive.

This ruling challenges Tesla’s narrative of safety efficacy, especially since the case involved a distracted driver whose vehicle ran a stop sign and collided with a parked car, yet the Autopilot system was partially blamed.

Source: Reuters

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Elon Musk’s Vine revival sparks surge in VINE coin

The VINE coin experienced a notable surge following Elon Musk’s announcement about restoring access to the old Vine video archive. Musk’s post about restoring Vine sparked renewed interest, boosting the token by over 8% in a day.

Musk’s push to revive Vine ties into a broader vision for X, his rebranded social media platform. The app aims to become an AI-driven ‘super-app’ with features including cryptocurrency-powered payments.

Other tokens linked to Musk, such as Dogecoin and Grok-related coins, have also enjoyed gains following his recent social media activity.

Vine, once a pioneering platform for viral six-second videos, was discontinued in 2017 but remains fondly remembered. Though launched independently, the VINE coin has gained from speculation linked to Musk’s revival plans.

Market watchers expect Musk’s influence could fuel further altcoin momentum linked to the app’s comeback and his crypto endorsements.

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Digital euro will not replace cash, says ECB

Cash will stay central to the eurozone’s financial system, the ECB confirmed, as work on the digital euro moves forward. A board member Piero Cipollone said euro banknotes and coins will be supplemented, not replaced, by a digital version to protect payment autonomy in Europe.

The ECB’s commitment follows a surge in the use of private digital currencies and stablecoins, which are increasingly used for daily transactions and international transfers. They see the digital euro as a secure answer to the rising influence of foreign stablecoins, especially US dollar-backed ones.

Despite the digital push, Cipollone stressed cash is vital, especially in crises when digital systems might fail. The ECB wants Europeans to have access to physical cash and digital euros alike, all with legal tender status and full usability.

Meanwhile, the ECB has acknowledged lukewarm interest from the public. A March study revealed Europeans were reluctant to allocate significant funds to a digital euro.

Separately, ECB adviser Jürgen Schaaf warned that Europe must implement unified regulation to avoid dominance by US dollar-backed stablecoins and preserve monetary sovereignty.

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AI adoption soothes stress even as job fears rise among employees

A recent Fortune survey indicates that 61 percent of white‑collar professionals expect AI to make their roles, or even their entire teams, obsolete within 3–5 years, yet most continue to rely on AI tools daily without visible concern.

Seventy percent of respondents credit AI with boosting their creativity and productivity, and 40  percent say it has eased stress and improved work‑life balance. Despite these benefits, many admit to ‘feigning’ AI use in workplace settings, often driven by peer pressure or a lack of formal training.

Executive commentary underscores the tension: senior business leaders, including Jim Farley and Dario Amodei, predict rapid AI‑driven disruption of white‑collar roles. Some executives forecast up to 50  percent of certain job categories could be eliminated, though others argue AI may open new opportunities.

Academic studies suggest a more nuanced impact: AI is reshaping role definitions by automating routine tasks while increasing demand for complementary skills, such as ethics, teamwork, and digital fluency. Wage benefits are growing in jobs that effectively blend AI with human oversight.

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Weak cyber hygiene in smart devices risks national infrastructure

The UK’s designation of data centres as Critical National Infrastructure highlights their growing strategic importance, yet a pressing concern remains over vulnerabilities in their OT and IoT systems. While IT security often receives significant investment, the same cannot be said for other technologies.

Attackers increasingly target these overlooked systems, gaining access through insecure devices such as IP cameras and biometric scanners. Many of these operate on outdated firmware and lack even basic protections, making them ideal footholds for malicious actors.

There have already been known breaches, with OT systems used in botnet activity and crypto mining, often without detection. These attacks not only compromise security in the UK but can destabilise infrastructure by overloading resources or bypassing safeguards.

Addressing these threats requires full visibility across all connected systems, with real-time monitoring, wireless traffic analysis, and network segmentation. Experts urge data centre operators to act now, not in response to a breach, but to prevent one entirely.

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