Digital identities Archives | Page 30 of 170

WordPress.com integrates AI assistant into its editing workflow

Major updates to AI tooling are reshaping website creation as WordPress.com brings an integrated assistant directly into its editor.

The new system works within each site rather than relying on external chat windows, allowing users to adjust layouts, create content, and modify designs in real time. The tool is available to customers on Business and Commerce plans, although activation requires a manual opt-in.

The assistant appears across several core areas of the platform. Inside the editor, it can refine writing, modify styles, translate text and generate new sections with simple instructions.

In the Media Library, you can create new images or apply targeted edits through the platform’s in-house Nano Banana models, eliminating the need for separate subscriptions. Block notes provide an additional way to request suggestions, checks, or link-based context directly within each page.

The updates aim to make site building faster and more efficient by keeping all AI interactions within the existing workflow. Users who prefer a manual experience can ignore the feature entirely, since the assistant remains inactive unless deliberately enabled.

WordPress.com also notes that the system works best with block themes, although image tools are still available for classic themes.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

China boosts AI leadership with major model launches ahead of Lunar New Year

Leading Chinese AI developers have unveiled a series of advanced models ahead of the Lunar New Year, strengthening the country’s position in the global AI sector.

Major firms such as Alibaba, ByteDance, and Zhipu AI introduced new systems designed to support more sophisticated agents, faster workflows and broader multimedia understanding.

Industry observers also expect an imminent release from DeepSeek, whose previous model disrupted global markets last year.

Alibaba’s Qwen 3.5 model provides improved multilingual support across text, images and video while enabling rapid AI agent deployment instead of slower generation pipelines.

ByteDance followed up with updates to its Doubao chatbot and the second version of its image-to-video tool, SeeDance, which has drawn copyright concerns from the Motion Picture Association due to the ease with which users can recreate protected material.

Zhipu AI expanded the landscape further with GLM-5, an open-source model built for long-context reasoning, coding tasks, and multi-step planning. The company highlighted the model’s reliance on Huawei hardware as part of China’s efforts to strengthen domestic semiconductor resilience.

Meanwhile, excitement continues to build for DeepSeek’s fourth-generation system, expected to follow the widespread adoption and market turbulence associated with its V3 model.

Authorities across parts of Europe have restricted the use of DeepSeek models in public institutions because of data security and cybersecurity concerns.

Even so, the rapid pace of development in China suggests intensifying competition in the design of agent-focused systems capable of managing complex digital tasks without constant human oversight.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Meta explores AI system for digital afterlife

Meta has been granted a patent describing an AI system that could simulate a person’s social media activity, even after their death. The patent, originally filed in 2023 and approved in late December, outlines how AI could replicate a user’s online presence by drawing on their past posts, messages and interactions.

According to the filing, a large language model could analyse a person’s digital history, including comments, chats, voice messages and reactions, to generate new content that mirrors their tone and behaviour. The system could respond to other users, publish updates and continue conversations in a way that resembles the original account holder.

The patent suggests the technology could be used when someone is temporarily absent from a platform, but it also explicitly addresses the possibility of continuing activity after a user’s death. It notes that such a scenario would carry more permanent implications, as the person would not be able to return and reclaim control of the account.

More advanced versions of the concept could potentially simulate voice or even video interactions, effectively creating a digital persona capable of engaging with others in real time. The idea aligns with previous comments by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has said AI could one day help people interact with digital representations of loved ones, provided consent mechanisms are in place.

Meta has stressed that the patent does not signal an imminent product launch, describing it as a protective filing for a concept that may never be developed. Still, similar services offered by startups have already sparked ethical debate, raising questions about digital identity, consent and the emotional impact of recreating the online presence of someone who has died.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Adoption and incentives may determine fate of EU digital wallet

The EU Digital Identity Wallet is widely seen as a transformative step for cross-border digital services in Europe, yet experts warn that its success is far from guaranteed. While the initiative promises stronger privacy, improved security, and greater user control over personal data, adoption and governance challenges could undermine its potential.

Industry observers caution that large-scale digital identity projects rarely fail because of technical shortcomings. Instead, weak ecosystem buy-in, unclear commercial incentives and fragmented national implementation often derail progress.

If some member states deliver robust solutions while others lag, cross-border usability could suffer, weakening the wallet’s core objective of seamless European digital identity.

Concerns also extend to economic sustainability. Without clear business models for private-sector participants, innovation and long-term investment may slow. A wallet that exists only to meet regulatory requirements, rather than offering clear advantages over existing identity methods, risks low citizen adoption and limited integration by service providers.

Privacy design presents another complex trade-off. The wallet’s principle of unlinkability strengthens user protection, but it may complicate fraud detection and behavioural monitoring. Experts argue that trust in the system will depend on balancing privacy with practical security measures.

Ultimately, the EU Digital Identity Wallet’s future will hinge on coordinated governance, strong incentives and sustained commitment across the entire ecosystem.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Parliament halts built-in AI tools on tablets and other devices over data risks

The European Parliament has disabled built-in AI features on tablets issued to lawmakers, citing cybersecurity and data protection risks. An internal email states that writing assistants, summarisation tools, and enhanced virtual assistants were turned off after security assessments.

Officials said some AI functions on tablets rely on cloud processing for tasks that could be handled locally, potentially transmitting data off the device. A review is underway to clarify how much information may be shared with service providers.

Only pre-installed AI tools were affected, while third-party apps remain available. Lawmakers were advised to review AI settings on personal devices, limit app permissions, and avoid exposing work emails or documents to AI systems.

The step reflects wider European concerns about digital sovereignty and reliance on overseas technology providers. US legislation, such as the Cloud Act, allows authorities to access data held by American companies, raising cross-border data protection questions.

Debate over AI security is intensifying as institutions weigh innovation against the risks of remote processing and granular data access. Parliament’s move signals growing caution around handling sensitive information in cloud-based AI environments.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Study says China AI governance not purely state-driven

New research challenges the view that China’s AI controls are solely the product of authoritarian rule, arguing instead that governance emerges from interaction between the state, private sector and society.

A study by Xuechen Chen of Northeastern University London and Lu Xu of Lancaster University argues that China’s AI governance is not purely top-down. Published in the Computer Law & Security Review, it says safeguards are shaped by regulators, companies and social actors, not only the central government.

Chen calls claims that Beijing’s AI oversight is entirely state-driven a ‘stereotypical narrative’. Although the Cyberspace Administration of China leads regulation, firms such as ByteDance and DeepSeek help shape guardrails through self-regulation and commercial strategy.

China was the first country to introduce rules specific to generative AI. Systems must avoid unlawful or vulgar content, and updated legislation strengthens minor protection, limiting children’s online activity and requiring child-friendly device modes.

Market incentives also reinforce compliance. As Chinese AI firms expand globally, consumer expectations and cultural norms encourage content moderation. The study concludes that governance reflects interaction between state authority, market forces and society.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Hollywood groups challenge ByteDance over Seedance 2.0 copyright concerns

ByteDance is facing scrutiny from Hollywood organisations over its AI video generator Seedance 2.0. Industry groups allege the system uses actors’ likenesses and copyrighted material without permission.

The Motion Picture Association said the tool reflects large-scale unauthorised use of protected works. Chairman Charles Rivkin called on ByteDance to halt what he described as infringing activities that undermine creators’ rights and jobs.

SAG-AFTRA also criticised the platform, citing concerns over the use of members’ voices and images. Screenwriter Rhett Reese warned that rapid AI development could reshape opportunities for creative professionals.

ByteDance acknowledged the concerns and said it would strengthen safeguards to prevent misuse of intellectual property. The company reiterated its commitment to respecting copyright while addressing complaints.

The dispute underscores wider tensions between technological innovation and rights protection as generative AI tools expand. Legal experts say the outcome could influence how AI video systems operate within existing copyright frameworks.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Prominent United Nations leaders to attend AI Impact Summit 2026

Senior United Nations leaders, including Antonio Guterres, will take part in the AI Impact Summit 2026, set to be held in New Delhi from 16 to 20 February. The event will be the first global AI summit of this scale to be convened in the Global South.

The Summit is organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and will bring together governments, international organisations, industry, academia, and civil society. Talks will focus on responsible AI development aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

More than 30 United Nations-led side events will accompany the Summit, spanning food security, health, gender equality, digital infrastructure, disaster risk reduction, and children’s safety. Guterres said shared understandings are needed to build guardrails and unlock the potential of AI for the common good.

Other participants include Volker Turk, Amandeep Singh Gill, Kristalina Georgieva, and leaders from the International Labour Organization, International Telecommunication Union, and other UN bodies. Senior representatives from UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UN Women, FAO, and WIPO are also expected to attend.

The Summit follows the United Nations General Assembly’s appointment of 40 members to a new international scientific panel on AI. The body will publish annual evidence-based assessments to support global AI governance, including input from IIT Madras expert Balaraman Ravindran.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UAE launches first AI clinical platform

A Pakistani American surgeon has launched what is described as the UAE’s first AI clinical intelligence platform across the country’s public healthcare system. The rollout was announced in Dubai in partnership with Emirates Health Services.

Boston Health AI, founded by Dr Adil Haider, introduced the platform known as Amal at a major health expo in Dubai. The system conducts structured medical interviews in Arabic, English and Urdu before consultations, generating summaries for physicians.

The company said the technology aims to reduce documentation burdens and cognitive load on clinicians in the UAE. By organising patient histories and symptoms in advance, Amal is designed to support clinical decision making and improve workflow efficiency in Dubai and other emirates.

Before entering the UAE market, Boston Health AI deployed its platform in Pakistan across more than 50 healthcare facilities. The firm states that over 30,000 patient interactions were recorded in Pakistan, where a local team continues to develop and refine the AI system.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Quebec examines AI debt collection practices

Quebec’s financial regulator has opened a review into how AI tools are being used to collect consumer debt across the province. The Autorité des marchés financiers is examining whether automated systems comply with governance, privacy and fairness standards in Quebec.

Draft guidelines released in 2025 require institutions in Quebec to maintain registries of AI systems, conduct bias testing and ensure human oversight. Public consultations closed in November, with regulators stressing that automation must remain explainable and accountable.

Many debt collection platforms now rely on predictive analytics to tailor the timing, tone and frequency of messages sent to borrowers in Quebec. Regulators are assessing whether such personalisation risks undue pressure or opaque decision making.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!