Google’s upgraded AI Mode in Google Search now supports conversational queries and image uploads, delivering highly relevant visual results. Launched in the US in English, the feature allows users to refine searches naturally, perfect for finding inspiration or specific items effortlessly.
AI Mode simplifies shopping; users describe items like ‘barrel jeans, not too baggy,’ to get tailored, shoppable results. Google’s Shopping Graph, boasting over 50 billion product listings, provides details like reviews, deals, and availability, with 2 billion listings refreshed hourly.
The update harnesses Gemini 2.5’s advanced multimodal capabilities and a ‘visual search fan-out’ technique, enabling deeper image analysis. The approach identifies subtle details and secondary objects, ensuring results align closely with the user’s intent and the image’s full context.
On mobile, users can dive deeper by searching within specific images, asking follow-up questions to explore creative ideas or pinpoint exact items. The intuitive experience transforms how users seek inspiration or shop online, making searches more natural and precise.
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Imgur has cut off access for UK users after regulators warned its parent company, MediaLab AI, of a potential fine over child data protection.
Visitors to the platform since 30 September have been met with a notice saying that content is unavailable in their region, with embedded Imgur images on other sites also no longer visible.
The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) began investigating the platform in March, questioning whether it complied with data laws and the Children’s Code.
The regulator said it had issued MediaLab with a notice of intent to fine the company following provisional findings. Officials also emphasised that leaving the UK would not shield Imgur from responsibility for any past breaches.
Some users speculated that the withdrawal was tied to new duties under the Online Safety Act, which requires platforms to check whether visitors are over 18 before allowing access to harmful content.
However, both the ICO and Ofcom stated that Imgur decided on a commercial choice. Other MediaLab services, such as Kik Messenger, continue to operate in the UK with age verification measures in place.
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The 2025 Athens Democracy Forum opened in Athens with a dedicated session on AI, ethics and democracy, co-organised by Kathimerini in partnership with The New York Times.
Held at the Athens Conservatoire, the event placed AI at the heart of discussions on the future of democratic governance.
Speakers underlined the urgency of addressing systemic challenges created by AI.
Achilleas Tsaltas, president of the Democracy & Culture Foundation, described AI as the central concern of the era. At the same time, Greece’s minister of digital governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, warned that AI should remain a servant instead of becoming a master.
Axel Dauchez, founder of Make.org, pointed to the conflict between democratic and authoritarian governance models and called for stronger civic education.
The opening panel brought together academics such as Oxford’s Stathis Kalyvas and Yale’s Hélène Landemore, who examined how AI affects liberal democracies, global inequalities and political accountability.
Discussions concluded with a debate on Aristotle’s ethics as a framework for evaluating opportunities and risks in AI development, moderated by Stephen Dunbar-Johnson of The New York Times.
The session continues with panels on the AI transformation blueprint of Greece, regulation of AI, and the emerging concept of AI sovereignty as a business model.
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Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has signalled that Greece may consider banning social media use for children under 16.
He raised the issue during a UN event in New York, hosted by Australia, titled ‘Protecting Children in the Digital Age’, held as part of the 80th UN General Assembly.
Mitsotakis emphasised that any restrictions would be coordinated with international partners, warning that the world is carrying out the largest uncontrolled experiment on children’s minds through unchecked social media exposure.
He cautioned that the long-term effects are uncertain but unlikely to be positive.
The prime minister pointed to new national initiatives, such as the ban on mobile phone use in schools, which he said has transformed the educational experience.
He also highlighted the recent launch of parco.gov.gr, which provides age verification and parental control tools to support families in protecting children online.
Mitsotakis stressed that difficulties enforcing such measures cannot serve as an excuse for inaction, urging global cooperation to address the growing risks children face in the digital age.
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After its announcement in May, Opera has started rolling out Neon, its first AI-powered browser. Unlike traditional browsers, Neon is designed for professionals who want AI to simplify complex online workflows.
The browser introduces Tasks, which act like self-contained workspaces. AI can understand context, compare sources, and operate across multiple tabs simultaneously to manage projects more efficiently.
Neon also features cards and reusable AI prompts that users can customise or download from a community store, streamlining repeated actions and tasks.
Its standout tool, Neon Do, performs real-time on-screen actions such as opening tabs, filling forms, and gathering data, while keeping everything local. Opera says no data is shared, and all information is deleted after 30 days.
Neon is available by subscription at $19.90 per month. Invitations are limited during rollout, but Opera promises broader availability soon.
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In the US, California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed SB 53, a landmark law establishing transparency and safety requirements for large AI companies.
The legislation obliges major AI developers such as OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Google DeepMind to disclose their safety protocols. It also introduces whistle-blower protections and a reporting mechanism for safety incidents, including cyberattacks and autonomous AI behaviour not covered by the EU AI Act.
Reactions across the industry have been mixed. Anthropic supported the law, while Meta and OpenAI lobbied against it, with OpenAI publishing an open letter urging Newsom not to sign. Tech firms have warned that state-level measures could create a patchwork of regulation that stifles innovation.
Despite resistance, the law positions California as a national leader in AI governance. Newsom said the state had demonstrated that it was possible to safeguard communities without stifling growth, calling AI ‘the new frontier in innovation’.
Similar legislation is under consideration in New York, while California lawmakers are also debating SB 243, a separate bill that would regulate AI companion chatbots.
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Facebook has introduced new tools designed to help creators increase engagement and build stronger communities on the platform. The update includes fan challenges, custom badges for top contributors, and new insights to track audience loyalty.
Fan challenges allow creators with over 100,000 followers to issue prompts inviting fans to share content on a theme or event. Contributions are displayed in a dedicated feed, with a leaderboard ranking entries by reactions.
Challenges can run for a week or stretch over several months, giving creators flexibility in engaging their audiences.
Meta has also launched custom fan badges for creators with more than one million followers, enabling them to rename Top Fan badges each month. The feature gives elite-level fans extra recognition and strengthens the sense of community. Fans can choose whether to accept the custom badge.
To complement these features, Facebook adds new metrics showing the number of Top Fans on a page. These insights help creators measure engagement efforts and reward their most dedicated followers.
The tools are now available to eligible creators worldwide.
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OpenAI has introduced new parental controls for ChatGPT, giving families greater oversight of how teens use the AI platform. The tools, which are live for all users, allow parents to link accounts with their children and manage settings through a simple control dashboard.
The system introduces stronger safeguards for teen accounts, including filters on graphic or harmful content and restrictions on roleplay involving sex, violence or extreme beauty ideals.
Parents can also fine-tune features such as voice mode, memory, image generation, or set quiet hours when ChatGPT cannot be accessed.
A notification mechanism has been added to alert parents if a teen shows signs of acute distress, escalating to emergency services in critical cases. OpenAI said the controls were shaped by consultation with experts, advocacy groups, and policymakers and will be expanded as research evolves.
To complement the parental controls, a new online resource hub has been launched to help families learn how ChatGPT works and explore positive uses in study, creativity and daily life.
OpenAI also plans to roll out an age-prediction system that automatically applies teen-appropriate settings.
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Lufthansa Group announced it will cut 4,000 jobs by 2030 as part of a restructuring drive powered by AI and digitalisation. Most of the affected positions will be administrative roles in Germany, with operational staff largely unaffected.
The company said it aims to improve efficiency by reducing duplication across its airlines Lufthansa through the use of AI, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways. It noted that advances in AI would streamline work and allow greater integration within the group.
Despite the job cuts, demand for flights remains high. Capacity is constrained by limited aircraft and engine supply, which has kept planes full and revenue strong. Lufthansa said it expects significantly higher profitability by the end of the decade.
The airline also confirmed plans for the largest fleet modernisation in its history, with over 230 new aircraft to be delivered by 2030, including 100 long-haul jets. Lufthansa employed more than 101,000 people in 2024 and posted revenue of €37.6 billion.
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Google is testing AI-generated hosts for YouTube Music through its new YouTube Labs programme. The AI hosts will appear while users listen to mixes and radio stations, providing commentary, fan trivia, and stories to enrich the listening experience.
The feature is designed to resemble a radio jockey but relies on AI, so there is a risk of occasional inaccuracies.
YouTube Labs, similar to Google Labs, allows the company to trial new AI features and gather user feedback before wider release. The AI hosts are currently available to a limited group of US testers, who can sign up via YouTube Labs and snooze commentary for an hour or all day.
The rollout follows Google’s Audio Overviews in NotebookLM, which turns research papers and documents into podcast-style summaries. Past AI experiments on YouTube, such as automatic dubbing, faced criticism as viewers had limited control over translations.
The AI hosts experiment shows Google’s push to integrate AI across its apps, enhancing engagement while monitoring feedback before wider rollout.
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