Digital business models

Banana AI saree trend pushes Google Gemini to the top

A few months after Ghibli-style AI images went viral, a new Instagram trend is sweeping users: 1990s Bollywood-style saree portraits generated through Google’s Gemini Nano Banana tool.

Known as the ‘Banana AI saree’ edit, the feature allows users to turn ordinary selfies into nostalgic retro-style images. The edits evoke classic cinema with chiffon sarees, grainy textures, bold make-up, and jasmine-adorned hair, often styled under golden sunlight for a vintage glow.

The tool has quickly become a social media hit. Users can experiment with sarees, retro sherwanis, or even traditional dhotis by adjusting prompts to personalise their look. The trend follows earlier viral edits such as hyper-realistic 3D figurine portraits.

With its popularity soaring, Google Gemini has now topped the Apple App Store’s free apps chart in both India and the US, outpacing competitors like ChatGPT and Grok. Google DeepMind’s chief, Demis Hassabis, praised the Gemini team, calling it ‘just the start’.

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Rising data centre demand pushes utilities to invest

US electricity prices are rising as the energy demands of data centres surge, driven by the rapid growth of AI technologies. The average retail price per kilowatt-hour increased by 6.5% between May 2024 and May 2025, with some states experiencing significantly sharper increases.

Maine saw the sharpest rise in electricity prices at 36.3%, with Connecticut and Utah following closely behind. Utilities are passing on infrastructure costs, including new transmission lines, to consumers. In Northern Virginia, residents could face monthly bill increases of up to $37 by 2040.

Analysts warn that the shift to generative AI will lead to a 160% surge in energy use at data centres by 2030. Water use is also rising sharply, as Google reported its facilities consumed around 6 billion gallons in 2024 alone, amid intensifying global AI competition.

Tech giants are turning to alternative energy to keep pace. Google has announced plans to power data centres with small nuclear reactors through a partnership with Kairos Power, while Microsoft and Amazon are ramping up nuclear investments to secure long-term supply.

President Donald Trump has pledged more than $92 billion in AI and energy infrastructure investments, underlining Washington’s push to ensure the US remains competitive in the AI race despite mounting strain on the grid and water resources.

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German state pushes digital sovereignty

The northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein is pushing ahead with an ambitious plan to replace Microsoft software in its public administration with open-source alternatives.

With around 30,000 civil servants, a workforce comparable to the European Commission, the region has already migrated most staff to new systems. It expects to cut its Office licences by more than two-thirds before the end of the month.

Instead of relying on Word, Outlook or SharePoint, staff are switching to LibreOffice, Thunderbird, Open Xchange and Nextcloud. A Linux pilot is also underway, testing the replacement of Windows itself.

The digital minister, Dirk Schrödter, admitted the schedule is tight but said that 24,000 employees are already using the new setup. By 2029, only a handful of Microsoft licences should remain, kept for compatibility with federal services.

A transition that has not been free of challenges. Some judges have called for a return to Outlook, citing outages, while larger providers such as SAP have proven difficult to adapt.

Still, Schrödter argued the investment is about sovereignty rather than cost-cutting, comparing Europe’s reliance on Big Tech to its dependence on Russian gas before 2022. He urged Brussels to prioritise open-source solutions in procurement rules to reduce dependence on foreign tech giants.

Although Schleswig-Holstein is a relatively small region, its programme has already influenced wider German and European initiatives.

Similar efforts, including Germany’s OpenDesk project, have gained traction in France, Italy and the Netherlands, with several governments now watching the experiment closely.

Schrödter said the state’s progress surprises many observers, but he believes it shows how public administrations can regain control of their digital infrastructure.

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Scientist and DeepMind’s CEO Demis Hassabis says learning how to learn is key to the AI future

The Nobel laureate, Demis Hassabis, has argued that the most crucial ability for the next generation will be learning how to learn.

Speaking at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece, he said adaptability was vital as AI reshapes work and education.

The neuroscientist and former chess prodigy predicted that AGI machines with human-level versatility could emerge within a decade. He described it as a development that may create a future of radical abundance, although he warned of risks.

Hassabis urged a stronger focus on ‘meta-skills’ such as optimising approaches to new subjects, instead of relying solely on traditional disciplines.

Given the speed of technological change, he emphasised that people will need to update their knowledge continuously throughout their careers.

His remarks came during a discussion with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who warned that the unchecked growth of technology giants could fuel economic inequality and social unrest if citizens do not see clear benefits from AI adoption.

Hassabis’s work on protein folding won him the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry.

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xAI cuts 500 jobs as focus turns to specialist AI tutors

Elon Musk’s company xAI has laid off around 500 staff from its data annotation team after deciding to reduce its focus on general AI tutors. The employees were told their system access would be revoked immediately, although salaries will be paid until contracts end or until 30 November.

According to reports, the company will instead invest more heavily in specialist AI tutors for areas such as video games, web design, data science, medicine, and STEM.

xAI announced plans to expand the specialist team tenfold, describing the roles as highly valuable to developing its technology.

The shift comes as xAI continues to promote its chatbot Grok. Musk recently highlighted its predictive abilities, sharing benchmarks that measure performance in forecasting politics, economics, sports, and cultural events.

Observers see the move toward specialist tutors as a way to refine Grok’s training and strengthen its commercial applications.

The layoffs follow earlier signs of restructuring, with some senior staff reportedly losing access to internal systems before the formal announcement.

Analysts suggest the changes reflect a strategic recalibration, aiming to boost productivity instead of spreading resources too thinly across generalist roles.

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Anthropic introduces memory feature to Claude AI for workplace productivity

The AI startup Anthropic has added a memory feature to its Claude AI, designed to automatically recall details from earlier conversations, such as project information and team preferences.

Initially, the upgrade is only available to Team and Enterprise subscribers, who can manage, edit, or delete the content that the system retains.

Anthropic presents the tool as a way to improve workplace efficiency instead of forcing users to repeat instructions. Enterprise administrators have additional controls, including entirely turning memory off.

Privacy safeguards are included, such as an ‘incognito mode’ for conversations that are not stored.

Analysts view the step as an effort to catch up with competitors like ChatGPT and Gemini, which already offer similar functions. Memory also links with Claude’s newer tools for creating spreadsheets, presentations, and PDFs, allowing past information to be reused in future documents.

Anthropic plans a wider release after testing the feature with businesses. Experts suggest the approach could strengthen the company’s position in the AI market by offering both continuity and security, which appeal to enterprises handling sensitive data.

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Integratel Perú secures spectrum to boost 5G rollout

Integratel Perú has secured a 100 MHz spectrum block to accelerate the deployment of 5G, laying the foundation for faster connections, lower latency, and greater device capacity.

A move that is expected to boost Peru’s digital transformation and strengthen local industries’ competitiveness.

The company has already modernised 1,400 antennas as part of a wider network upgrade that will continue into 2027, preparing the ground for nationwide 5G rollout once fully authorised.

Under its Movistar Empresas brand, Integratel plans to enhance digital services, including personnel identification systems that use cameras to verify protective equipment in restricted areas. With 5G, such tools will deliver more explicit images and real-time alerts, reducing human oversight.

As part of its spectrum award commitments, Integratel will expand 4G coverage to 437 rural locations and extend connectivity along 545 kilometres of roads.

It will also deliver 5G to 92 public institutions, including schools, hospitals, and Pan American Games venues, ensuring wider access to advanced connectivity nationwide.

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EDPB adopts guidelines on the interplay between DSA and GDPR

The European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has adopted its first guidelines on how the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) work together. The aim is to understand how GDPR should be applied in the context of DSA.

Presented during the EDPB’s September plenary, the guidelines ensure consistent interpretation where the DSA involves personal data processing by online intermediaries like search engines and platforms. While enforcement of DSA falls under authorities’ discretion, the EDPB’s input supports harmonised application across the EU’s evolving digital regulatory framework, including:

  • Notice-and-action systems that help individuals or entities report illegal content,
  • Recommender systems used by online platforms to automatically present specific content to the users of the platform with a particular relative order or prominence,
  • The provisions to ensure minors’ privacy, safety, and security and prohibit profile-based advertising using their data are presented to them.
  • transparency of advertising by online platforms, and
  • Prohibition of profiling-based advertising using special categories of data.

Following initial guidelines on the GDPR and DSA, the EDPB is now working with the European Commission on joint guidelines covering the interplay between the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and GDPR, as well as between the upcoming AI Act and the EU data protection laws. The aim is to ensure consistency and coherent safeguards across the evolving regulatory landscape.

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EU enforces tougher cybersecurity rules under NIS2

The European Union’s NIS2 directive has officially come into force, imposing stricter cybersecurity duties on thousands of organisations.

Adopted in 2022 and implemented into national law by late 2024, the rules extend beyond critical infrastructure to cover more industries. Energy, healthcare, transport, ICT, and even waste management firms now face mandatory compliance.

Measures include multifactor authentication, encryption, backup systems, and stronger supply chain security. Senior executives are held directly responsible for failures, with penalties ranging from heavy fines to operational restrictions.

Companies must also report major incidents promptly to national authorities. Unlike ISO certifications, NIS2 requires organisations to prove compliance through internal processes or independent audits, depending on national enforcement.

Analysts warn that firms still reliant on legacy systems face a difficult transition. Yet experts agree the directive signals a decisive shift: cybersecurity is now a legal duty, not simply best practice.

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DOJ accuses Uber of violating disability law

The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Uber, accusing the ride-hailing giant of discriminating against passengers with disabilities.

The DOJ alleges that Uber drivers frequently deny service to people using wheelchairs or travelling with service animals, and sometimes impose unfair cancellation fees. Prosecutors say such practices cause economic and emotional harm and breach the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Uber denies the allegations, insisting it enforces a zero-tolerance policy for confirmed denials. The company says it deactivates drivers who breach accessibility rules and highlights reminders it issues to drivers about their legal obligations.

Uber has faced similar claims in the past. It reached a settlement with the DOJ in 2022, paying millions to more than 65,000 disabled riders. The new lawsuit, filed in the US California’s Northern District, follows a DOJ investigation launched last year.

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