Digital cooperation Archives | Page 9 of 210

AI biotech firm pushes limits of human lifespan

Longevity research is gaining momentum as AI transforms the way scientists search for new medicines. Insilico Medicine, founded by Alex Zhavoronkov in 2014, combines machine learning and automation to study ageing and accelerate drug discovery.

Company research focuses on identifying biological targets linked to ageing and developing molecules to treat related diseases. Several experimental treatments have already received Investigational New Drug clearance, allowing them to move towards human clinical trials.

Insilico also became the first AI-driven biotech company to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, raising HK$2.28 billion in its public offering. Zhavoronkov said careful financial planning was essential because enthusiasm around AI could still form a market bubble.

Expansion plans now include deeper partnerships across China and the Middle East. A new collaboration in the UAE aims to build regional AI drug discovery programmes and diversify economies beyond oil.

Beyond medicines, Zhavoronkov envisions integrated biotech ecosystems where living spaces, healthcare and research operate together. Such hubs allow scientists and citizens to contribute health data that helps develop future treatments.

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AI tools linked to rise in abuse disclosures

Support organisations in the UK report that some abuse survivors are turning to AI tools such as ChatGPT before contacting helplines. Charities in the UK say individuals increasingly use AI to explore experiences and seek guidance before approaching professional support services.

The National Association of People Abused in Childhood said callers in the UK have recently reported being referred to its helpline after conversations with ChatGPT. Staff say AI is being used as an informal step in processing trauma.

Law enforcement and support groups in the UK have also recorded a rise in disclosures involving ritualistic sexual abuse. Authorities in the UK say only 14 criminal cases since 1982 have formally recognised such practices.

Police and support organisations are responding by improving training and launching specialist working groups. Officials aim to strengthen the identification and investigation of complex cases of abuse.

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Anthropic and Mozilla collaborate to uncover critical Firefox vulnerabilities

AI models are increasingly capable of detecting high-severity software vulnerabilities at unprecedented speeds. Claude Opus 4.6 found 22 new Firefox vulnerabilities in two weeks, 14 of which were rated high-severity, accounting for nearly a fifth of all 2025 high-severity fixes.

Researchers emphasise that AI can accelerate the find-and-fix process, providing valuable support to software maintainers.

Anthropic’s collaboration with Mozilla enabled the team to validate the findings and submit detailed bug reports, including proofs of concept and candidate patches. Claude initially focused on Firefox’s JavaScript engine before expanding to other components.

Although capable of generating primitive exploits in controlled environments, the AI was far more effective at identifying vulnerabilities than exploiting them, giving defenders a critical advantage.

Researchers emphasised the importance of task verifiers, which ensure that AI-generated patches fix vulnerabilities without breaking functionality. Such verification processes increase confidence in AI-assisted fixes and provide a reliable framework for maintainers to adopt AI findings safely.

Looking ahead, AI models like Claude are expected to play an expanding role in cybersecurity, helping developers detect and remediate vulnerabilities across complex software projects. Experts urge maintainers to act swiftly to strengthen security while AI capabilities continue to advance.

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The EU faces growing AI copyright disputes

Courts across Europe are examining how copyright law applies to AI systems trained on large datasets. Judges in Europe are reviewing whether existing rules allow AI developers to use copyrighted books, music and journalism without permission.

One closely watched dispute in Luxembourg involves a publisher challenging Google over summaries produced by its Gemini chatbot. The case before the EU court in Luxembourg could test how press publishers’ rights apply to AI-generated outputs.

Legal experts warn the ruling in Luxembourg may not resolve wider questions about AI training data. Many disputes in Europe focus on the EU copyright directive and its text and data mining exception.

Additional lawsuits across Europe involving music rights group GEMA and OpenAI are expected to continue for years. Policymakers in Europe are also considering updates to copyright rules as AI technology expands.

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Pentagon AI dispute raises concerns for startups

A dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon in the US has raised questions about whether startups will hesitate to pursue defence contracts. Negotiations over the use of Anthropic’s Claude AI technology collapsed, prompting the US administration to label the company a supply chain risk.

The situation in the US escalated as OpenAI secured its own agreement with the Pentagon. The development sparked backlash online, with reports of a surge in ChatGPT uninstalls after the defence partnership announcement.

Technology analysts in the US say the controversy highlights the unusual scrutiny facing high-profile AI firms. Companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic attract intense public attention because widely used AI products place their defence partnerships in the spotlight.

Startup founders in the US are now debating the risks of government contracts, particularly with the Pentagon. Industry observers in the US warn that defence authorities’ contract changes could make government collaboration more uncertain.

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EU and Canada begin negotiations on a digital trade agreement

The European Commission and Canada have launched negotiations on a new Digital Trade Agreement to strengthen the rules governing cross-border digital commerce.

The initiative was announced in Toronto by the EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu.

An agreement that will expand the digital dimension of the existing Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, which has already increased trade in goods and services between the two partners.

Officials say the new negotiations aim to create clearer rules for businesses and consumers engaging in cross-border digital transactions.

Proposals under discussion include promoting paperless trade systems, recognising electronic signatures and digital contracts, and prohibiting customs duties on electronic transmissions.

The agreement between the EU and Canada will also seek to prevent protectionist practices such as unjustified data localisation requirements or forced transfers of software source code.

European officials argue that the negotiations reflect a broader effort to develop international standards for digital trade governance while preserving governments’ ability to regulate emerging challenges in the digital economy.

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Job losses study by Anthropic reveals 0 evidence of AI driven unemployment

A new Anthropic report finds AI has not yet caused significant job losses, introducing ‘observed exposure’ to measure actual workplace AI use.

Researchers combined language model capabilities with workplace data to identify occupations at risk of disruption. Although AI can perform many tasks, its actual adoption remains much lower across most industries, which is a main finding of the study.

Even in highly digital professions, only a fraction of potential automation results from AI use. For instance, computer and mathematics occupations rank among the most AI-exposed groups. Despite AI’s capability to assist with many tasks, it currently covers only about 33% of them in these fields.

Across the broader economy, many roles experience little or no impact from AI, which represents a key finding. About 30% of workers are in jobs such as cooking, bartending, mechanics, and lifeguarding, where physical tasks dominate, and measured AI exposure is almost zero.

The report also finds no clear evidence that AI adoption has increased unemployment or caused a spike in job losses since generative AI tools began spreading widely in 2022. Rather than triggering sudden job losses, researchers suggest labour-market effects emerge gradually, through slower hiring, shifting skill requirements, and changes in job composition.

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Berlin becomes home to Google AI research centre

Google has launched its new AI Centre in Berlin, creating a hub for researchers, developers, and leaders from Google DeepMind, Google Research, and Google Cloud. The centre aims to foster collaboration, debate, and innovation in AI.

The opening event highlighted the company’s work in advancing science and healthcare through AI-enabled agents and platforms. Google announced long-term research partnerships with the Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich, backed by the Google.org AI for Science fund.

Built on Google’s existing research and engineering foundations in Germany and globally, the Berlin centre emphasises AI innovations with societal benefits. It will connect experts from science, business, academia, and politics to drive forward responsible AI development.

The centre will also serve as a platform for public engagement, hosting workshops, lectures, and events to raise awareness about AI applications, ethical considerations, and future opportunities across industries and communities.

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Debate grows over the future of privacy

Experts gathered in London, UK, to examine how the concept of privacy has evolved over centuries. Discussions in London, UK, highlighted that privacy was only widely recognised as a legal and social norm after the Second World War.

Speakers in London noted that earlier societies often viewed privacy with suspicion or did not recognise it at all. Historical examples discussed included practices from Roman society and the French monarchy.

Modern legal protections expanded rapidly in recent decades, with privacy laws now covering about 80 percent of the global population. Scholars said the concept remains relatively new despite its central role in modern democracies.

The debate also explored whether privacy will remain a stable social value as technology evolves. Analysts in London said emerging technologies such as AI are reshaping debates over personal data and surveillance.

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Calls grow to strengthen New Zealand privacy law

Pressure is growing in New Zealand to strengthen the Privacy Act following several high-profile data breaches. Debate in New Zealand intensified after a cyberattack exposed medical records from the Manage My Health patient portal.

The breach in New Zealand affected about 120,000 patients and involved threats to release documents on the dark web. Another incident forced the MediMap medication platform offline after unauthorised changes were detected in patient records.

Privacy specialists argue that current enforcement powers are too weak to deter serious failures. The Privacy Act allows only limited financial penalties, with fines generally capped at NZD10,000.

Officials are now considering reforms, including stronger penalties for privacy violations. Policymakers also warn that failure to strengthen the law could threaten the country’s EU data adequacy status.

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