Digital cooperation

Manus acquisition signals Meta’s continued AI expansion

Meta Platforms has acquired Manus, a Singapore-based developer of general-purpose AI agents, as part of its continued push to expand artificial intelligence capabilities. The deal underscores Meta’s strategy of acquiring specialised AI firms to accelerate product development.

Manus, founded in China before relocating to Singapore, develops AI agents capable of performing tasks such as market research, coding, and data analysis. The company said it reached more than $100 million in annualised revenue within eight months of launch and was serving millions of users worldwide.

Meta said the acquisition will help integrate advanced automation into its consumer and enterprise offerings, including the Meta AI assistant. Manus will continue operating its subscription service, and its employees will join Meta’s teams.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but media reports valued the deal at more than $2 billion. Manus had been seeking funding at a similar valuation before being approached by Meta and had recently raised capital from international investors.

The acquisition follows a series of AI-focused deals by Meta, including investments in Scale AI and AI device start-ups. Analysts say the move highlights intensifying competition among major technology firms to secure AI talent and capabilities.

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SoftBank invests $4 billion in global AI networks

SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge for $4 billion, strengthening its global digital infrastructure capabilities. The move aims to scale data centres, connectivity, and edge networks to support next-generation AI services.

The acquisition aligns with SoftBank’s mission to develop Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI), providing the compute power and connectivity needed to deploy AI at scale.

DigitalBridge’s global portfolio of data centres, cell towers, fibre networks, and edge infrastructure will enhance SoftBank’s ability to finance and operate these assets worldwide.

DigitalBridge will continue to operate independently under CEO Marc Ganzi. The transaction, valued at a 15% premium to its closing share price, is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approval.

SoftBank and DigitalBridge anticipate that the combined resources will accelerate investments in AI infrastructure, supporting the rapid growth of technology companies and fostering the development of advanced AI applications.

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New SIM cards in South Korea now require real-time facial recognition

South Korea has introduced mandatory facial recognition for anyone registering a new SIM card or eSIM, whether in-store or online.

The live scan must match the photo on an official ID so that each phone number can be tied to a verified person instead of relying on paperwork alone.

Existing users are not affected, and the requirement applies only at the moment a number is issued.

The government argues that stricter checks are needed because telecom fraud has become industrialised and relies heavily on illegally registered SIM cards.

Criminal groups have used stolen identity data to obtain large volumes of numbers that can be swapped quickly to avoid detection. Regulators now see SIM issuance as the weakest link and the point where intervention is most effective.

Telecom companies must integrate biometric checks into onboarding, while authorities insist that facial data is used only for real-time verification and not stored. Privacy advocates warn that biometric verification creates new risks because faces cannot be changed if compromised.

They also question whether such a broad rule is proportionate when mobile access is essential for daily life.

The policy places South Korea in a unique position internationally, combining mandatory biometrics with defined legal limits. Its success will be judged on whether fraud meaningfully declines instead of being displaced.

A rule that has become a test case for how far governments should extend biometric identity checks into routine services.

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Historic Ghosts house gains digital protection

In the UK, a historic Surrey manor made famous by the BBC sitcom Ghosts has been digitally mapped. Engineers completed a detailed 3D survey of West Horsley Place.

The year long project used laser scanners to capture millions of measurements. Researchers from University of Surrey documented every room and structural feature.

The digital model reveals hidden deterioration and supports long term conservation planning. Future phases may add sensors to track temperature, humidity, and structural movement.

British researchers say the work could enhance preservation and visitor engagement. Virtual tours and augmented storytelling may deepen understanding of the estate’s history.

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Stronger safeguards arrive with OpenAI’s GPT-5.2 release

OpenAI has launched GPT-5.2, highlighting improved safety performance in conversations involving mental health. The company said the update strengthens how its models respond to signs of suicide, self-harm, emotional distress, and reliance on the chatbot.

The release follows criticism and legal challenges accusing ChatGPT of contributing to psychosis, paranoia, and delusional thinking in some users. Several cases have highlighted the risks of prolonged emotional engagement with AI systems.

In response to a wrongful death lawsuit involving a US teenager, OpenAI denied responsibility while stating that ChatGPT encouraged the user to seek help. The company also committed to improving responses when users display warning signs of mental health crises.

OpenAI said GPT-5.2 produces fewer undesirable responses in sensitive situations than earlier versions. According to the company, the model scores higher on internal safety tests related to self-harm, emotional reliance, and mental health.

The update builds on OpenAI’s use of a training approach known as safe completion, which aims to balance helpfulness and safety. Detailed performance information has been published in the GPT-5.2 system card.

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ZhiCube showcases new approach to embodied AI deployment

Chinese robotics firm AI² Robotics has launched ZhiCube, described as a modular embodied AI service space integrating humanoid robots into public venues. The concept debuted in Beijing and Shenzhen, with initial installations in a city park and a shopping mall.

ZhiCube places the company’s AlphaBot 2 humanoid robot inside a modular unit designed for service delivery. The system supports multiple functions, including coffee, ice cream, entertainment, and retail, which can be combined based on location and demand.

At the core of the platform is a human–robot collaboration model powered by the company’s embodied AI system, GOVLA. The robot can perceive its surroundings, understand tasks, and adapt its role dynamically during daily operations.

AI² Robotics says the system adjusts work patterns based on foot traffic, allocating tasks between robots and human staff as demand fluctuates. Robots handle standardised services, while humans focus on creative or complex activities.

The company plans to deploy 1,000 ZhiCube units across China over the next three years. It aims to position the platform as a scalable urban infrastructure, supported by in-house manufacturing and long-term operational data from multiple industries.

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SK Telecom introduces South Korea’s first hyperscale AI model

The telecommunications firm, SK Telecom, is preparing to unveil A.X K1, Korea’s first hyperscale language model built with 519 billion parameters.

Around 33 billion parameters are activated during inference, so the AI model can keep strong performance instead of demanding excessive computing power. The project is part of a national initiative involving universities and industry partners.

The company expects A.X K1 to outperform smaller systems in complex reasoning, mathematics and multilingual understanding, while also supporting code generation and autonomous AI agents.

At such a scale, the model can operate as a teacher system that transfers knowledge to smaller, domain-specific tools that might directly improve daily services and industrial processes.

Unlike many global models trained mainly in English, A.X K1 has been trained in Korean from the outset so it naturally understands local language, culture and context.

SK Telecom plans to deploy the model through its AI service Adot, which already has more than 10 million subscribers, allowing access via calls, messages, the web and mobile apps.

The company foresees applications in workplace productivity, manufacturing optimisation, gaming dialogue, robotics and semiconductor performance testing.

Research will continue so the model can support the wider AI ecosystem of South Korea, and SK Telecom plans to open-source A.X K1 along with an API to help local developers create new AI agents.

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Tsinghua University is emerging as a cornerstone of China’s AI strategy

China’s Tsinghua University has emerged as a central hub in the country’s push to become a global leader in AI. The campus hosts a high level of research activity, with students and faculty working across disciplines related to AI development.

Momentum has been boosted by the success of DeepSeek, an AI startup founded by alums of Tsinghua University. The company reinforced confidence that Chinese teams can compete with leading international laboratories.

The university’s rise is closely aligned with Beijing’s national technology strategy. Government backing has included subsidies, tax incentives, and policy support, as well as public endorsements of AI entrepreneurs affiliated with Tsinghua.

Patent and publication data highlight the scale of output. Tsinghua has filed thousands of AI-related patents and ranks among the world’s most cited institutions in AI research, reflecting China’s rapidly expanding share of global AI innovation.

Despite this growth, the United States continues to lead in influential patents and top-performing models. Analysts note, however, that a narrowing gap is expected, as China produces a growing share of elite AI researchers and expands AI education from schools to advanced research.

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New AI directorates signal Türkiye’s push for AI

Türkiye has announced new measures to expand its AI ecosystem and strengthen public-sector adoption of the technology. The changes were published in the Official Gazette, according to Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir.

The Ministry’s Directorate General of National Technology has been renamed the Directorate General of National Technology and AI. The unit will oversee policies on data centres, cloud infrastructure, certification standards, and regulatory processes.

The directorate will also coordinate national AI governance, support startups and research, and promote the ethical and reliable use of AI. Its remit includes expanding data capacity, infrastructure, workforce development, and international cooperation.

Separately, a Public AI Directorate General has been established under the Presidency’s Cybersecurity Directorate. The new body will guide the use of AI across government institutions and lead regulatory work on public-sector AI applications.

Officials say the unit will align national legislation with international frameworks and set standards for data governance and shared data infrastructure. The government aims to position Türkiye as a leading country in the development of AI.

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