Digital business models

New ChatGPT Voice design aims to smooth AI conversations

OpenAI has rolled out an update to ChatGPT Voice that unifies voice and text in a single interface. Users can now speak, type or mix both without switching screens mid-conversation.

The redesigned chat window displays live transcriptions and responses in real-time. Users can scroll through earlier messages and view images, maps and other visuals while the exchange continues in one place.

Previously, voice required a separate mode that hid the main chat history and shared content. OpenAI says the unified layout should make longer, mixed-mode conversations feel more natural and less fragmented.

Voice and text can still be used interchangeably, but ending a voice session requires tapping ‘End’ before returning to text-only use. Those who prefer the old layout can re-enable a separate voice view in settings.

The revamped Voice experience is becoming the default on web and mobile apps as the update rolls out. OpenAI aims to make ChatGPT feel more like a flexible conversational assistant across various devices.

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Scarcity gives Europe an edge in the AI race

Europe’s constrained energy supply and strict regulations are emerging as unlikely strengths in the global race to expand AI infrastructure. Limited power access and careful planning are encouraging more resilient, future-ready data-centre designs that appeal to long-term investors.

Countries such as the Nordics, Spain and Italy are drawing interest due to stronger renewable capacity and shorter grid-connection times, while the UK, Germany and the Netherlands face greater congestion.

Shifting to a ‘first ready, first connected’ model aims to curb speculation and speed up delivery of viable projects.

Europe’s biggest opportunity lies in cloud-focused facilities and AI inference, which analysts expect to account for most AI demand and must often remain within regional borders.

Tighter rules may slow construction, yet they reduce the risk of stranded assets and support sustainable sites that strengthen Europe’s investment case.

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South Korea accelerates AI adoption as NVIDIA strengthens national ecosystem

NVIDIA AI Day Seoul drew more than 1,000 visitors who gathered to explore sovereign AI and the rapid progress shaping South Korea’s digital landscape.

Attendees joined workshops, technical sessions and startup showcases designed to highlight the country’s expanding ecosystem instead of focusing only on theoretical advances.

Five finalists from the Inception Grand Challenge also presented their work, reflecting the growing strength of South Korea’s startup community.

Speakers outlined how AI now supports robotics, industrial production, entertainment and public administration.

Conglomerates from South Korea, such as Samsung, SK Group, Hyundai Motor Group and NAVER Cloud, have intensified their investment in AI, while government agencies rely on accelerated computing to process documents and policy information at scale.

South Korea’s ecosystem continues to expand with hundreds of Inception startups, sovereign LLM initiatives and major supercomputing deployments.

Developers engaged directly with NVIDIA engineers through workshops and a Q&A area covering AI infrastructure, LLMs, robotics and automotive technologies. Plenary sessions examined agentic AI, reasoning models and the evolution of AI factories.

Partners presented advances in training efficiency, agentic systems and large-scale AI infrastructure built with NVIDIA’s platforms instead of legacy hardware.

South Korea’s next phase of development will be supported by access to 260,000 GPUs announced during the APEC Summit. Officials expect the infrastructure to accelerate startup growth, stimulate national AI priorities and attract new collaboration across research and industry.

The Seoul event marks another step in the country’s effort to reinforce its digital foundation while expanding its role in global AI innovation.

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Quantum computing interest rises across global business

Growing momentum around quantum computing is drawing heightened interest from major companies and policymakers. Corporate documents and earnings calls now reference quantum technologies more frequently than in previous years, signalling broader strategic shifts across multiple sectors.

Significant figures in advanced computing, including IBM and Nvidia, are extending their quantum programmes to strengthen their position in the next wave of digital innovation. Analysts note that such initiatives are helping to shape stronger market expectations and a rise in long-term investment.

Forecasts suggest a marked expansion in the global quantum computing market over the coming years, reflecting growing confidence among investors and technology leaders. Increased commercial activity is also encouraging more organisations to explore how quantum capabilities might be integrated into future planning.

Public familiarity with quantum technology remains uneven despite widening media attention and educational efforts. Researchers emphasise that although business engagement is accelerating, a broader understanding still lags behind scientific progress and the technical challenges that remain.

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Australia moves to curb nudify tools after eSafety action

A major provider of three widely used nudify services has cut off Australian access after enforcement action from eSafety.

The company received an official warning in September for allowing its tools to be used to produce AI-generated material that harmed children.

A withdrawal that follows concerns about incidents involving school students and repeated reminders that online services must meet Australia’s mandatory safety standards.

eSafety stated that Australia’s codes and standards are encouraging companies to adopt stronger safeguards.

The Commissioner noted that preventing the misuse of consumer tools remains central to reducing the risk of harm and that more precise boundaries can lower the likelihood of abuse affecting young people.

Attention has also turned to underlying models and the hosting platforms that distribute them.

Hugging Face has updated its terms to require users to take steps to mitigate the risks associated with uploaded models, including preventing misuse for generating harmful content. The company is required to act when reports or internal checks reveal breaches of its policies.

eSafety indicated that failure to comply with industry codes or standards can lead to enforcement measures, including significant financial penalties.

The agency is working with the government on further reforms intended to restrict access to nudify tools and strengthen protections across the technology stack.

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Coinbase Ventures reveals top areas to watch in 2026

Coinbase Ventures has shared the ideas its team is most excited about for 2026, highlighting areas with high potential for innovation in crypto and blockchain. Key sectors include asset tokenisation, specialised exchanges, next-generation DeFi, and AI-driven robotics.

The firm is actively seeking teams to invest in these emerging opportunities.

Perpetual contracts on real-world assets are set to expand, enabling synthetic exposure to private companies, commodities, and macroeconomic data. Specialised exchanges and trading terminals aim to consolidate liquidity, protect market makers, and improve the prediction market user experience.

Next-gen DeFi will expand with composable perpetual markets, unsecured lending, and privacy-focused applications. These developments could redefine capital efficiency, financial infrastructure, and user confidentiality across the ecosystem.

AI and robotics are also a focus, with projects targeting advanced robotic data collection, proof-of-humanity solutions, and AI-driven innovative contract development. Coinbase Ventures emphasises the potential for these technologies to accelerate on-chain adoption and innovation.

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Asahi faces major disruption after cyberattack

Growing concern surrounds Asahi Group after the company acknowledged a possible leak of nearly two million personal records linked to a cyberattack that began in late September.

Company president Atsushi Katsuki apologised publicly and confirmed that operations remain heavily disrupted as logistics teams work towards full recovery by February.

Investigators found that attackers infiltrated network equipment at one of Asahi’s facilities, obtained administrator credentials and accessed servers repeatedly.

Atsushi Katsuki noted that the breach demonstrated significant vulnerabilities, although he stressed that improvements had already been implemented and no ransom had been paid.

Production and shipments across most domestic factories were halted, forcing employees to handle orders manually and slowing the resumption of supply lines.

Competitors Kirin, Suntory and Sapporo have struggled to meet unexpected demand, triggering shipping limits and suspensions on some products across the wider beer industry.

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Malicious Chrome extension siphons SOL from Solana swaps

Security researchers have uncovered a malicious Chrome extension that secretly diverts SOL from users conducting swaps on the Solana blockchain. The extension, called Crypto Copilot, injects an undisclosed transfer into every Raydium transaction, quietly routing funds to a hardcoded attacker wallet.

The tool presents itself as a convenience app that enables Solana swaps directly from X posts, connecting to wallets such as Phantom and Solflare. Behind the interface, the code appends a hidden SystemProgram.transfer instruction to each transaction.

The fee is set at either 0.0013 SOL or 0.05% of the trade amount, whichever is higher, and remains invisible unless the user inspects the complete instruction list.

External services lend the app legitimacy, utilising DexScreener data, Helius RPC calls, and a backend dashboard that provides no actual functionality. Researchers warn that the disposable infrastructure, misspelt domains, and obfuscated code point to clear malicious intent, not an unfinished product.

On-chain analysis indicates limited gains for attackers so far, likely due to the low distribution. The mechanism, however, scales directly with swap volume, placing high-frequency and large-volume traders at the most significant risk.

Security teams are urging users to avoid closed-source trading extensions and to scrutinise Solana transactions before signing.

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EU prepares tougher oversight for crypto operators

EU regulators are preparing for a significant shift in crypto oversight as new rules take effect on 1 January 2026. Crypto providers must report all customer transactions and holdings in a uniform digital format, giving tax authorities broader visibility across the bloc.

The DAC8 framework brings mandatory cross-border data sharing, a centralised operator register and unique ID numbers for each reporting entity. These measures aim to streamline supervision and enhance transparency, even though data on delisted firms must be preserved for up to twelve months.

Privacy concerns are rising as the new rules expand the travel rule for transfers above €1,000 and introduce possible ownership checks on private wallets. Combined with MiCA and upcoming AML rules, regulators gain deeper insight into user behaviour, wallet flows and platform operations.

Plans for ESMA to oversee major exchanges are facing pushback from smaller financial hubs, which are concerned about higher compliance costs and reduced competitiveness. Supporters argue that unified supervision is necessary to prevent regulatory gaps and reinforce market integrity across the EU.

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New phishing kit targets Microsoft 365 users

Researchers have uncovered a large phishing operation, known as Quantum Route Redirect (QRR), that creates fake Microsoft 365 login pages across nearly 1,000 domains. The campaign uses convincing email lures, including DocuSign notices and payment alerts, to steal user credentials.

QRR operations have reached 90 countries, with US users hit hardest. Analysts say the platform evades scanners by sending bots to safe pages while directing real individuals to credential-harvesting sites on compromised domains.

The kit emerged shortly after Microsoft disrupted the RaccoonO365 network, which had stolen thousands of accounts. Similar tools, such as VoidProxy and Darcula, have appeared; yet, QRR stands out for its automation and ease of use, which enable rapid, large-scale attacks.

Cybersecurity experts warn that URL scanning alone can no longer stop such operations. Organisations are urged to adopt layered protection, stronger sign-in controls and behavioural monitoring to detect scams that increasingly mimic genuine Microsoft systems.

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