UN experts are intensifying efforts to shape a people-first approach to AI, warning that unchecked adoption could deepen inequality and disrupt labour markets. AI offers productivity gains, but benefits must outweigh social and economic risks, the organisation says.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly stressed that human oversight must remain central to AI decision-making. UN efforts now focus on ethical governance, drawing on the Global Digital Compact to align AI with human rights.
Education sits at the heart of the strategy. UNESCO has warned against prioritising technology investment over teachers, arguing that AI literacy should support, not replace, human development.
Labour impacts also feature prominently, with the International Labour Organization predicting widespread job transformation rather than inevitable net losses.
Access and rights remain key concerns. The UN has cautioned that AI dominance by a small group of technology firms could widen global divides, while calling for international cooperation to regulate harmful uses, protect dignity, and ensure the technology serves society as a whole.
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Regulators in the Netherlands have opened a formal investigation into Roblox over concerns about inadequate protections for children using the popular gaming platform.
The national authority responsible for enforcing digital rules is examining whether the company has implemented the safeguards required under the Digital Services Act rather than relying solely on voluntary measures.
Officials say children may have been exposed to harmful environments, including violent or sexualised material, as well as manipulative interfaces encouraging more extended play.
The concerns intensify pressure on the EU authorities to monitor social platforms that attract younger users, even when they do not meet the threshold for huge online platforms.
Roblox says it has worked with Dutch regulators for months and recently introduced age checks for users who want to use chat. The company argues that it has invested in systems designed to reinforce privacy, security and safety features for minors.
The Dutch authority plans to conclude the investigation within a year. The outcome could include fines or broader compliance requirements and is likely to influence upcoming European rules on gaming and consumer protection, due later in the decade.
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France has blocked the planned divestment of Eutelsat’s ground-station infrastructure, arguing that control over satellite facilities remains essential for national sovereignty.
The aborted sale to EQT Infrastructure VI had been announced as a significant transaction, yet the company revealed that the required conditions had not been met.
Officials in France say that the infrastructure forms part of a strategic system used for both civilian and military purposes.
The finance minister described Eutelsat as Europe’s only genuine competitor to Starlink, further strengthening the view that France must retain authority over ground-station operations rather than allow external ownership.
Eutelsat stressed that the proposed transfer concerned only passive facilities such as buildings and site management rather than active control systems. Even so, French authorities believe that end-to-end stewardship of satellite ground networks is essential to safeguard operational independence.
The company says the failed sale will not hinder its capital plans, including the deployment of hundreds of replacement satellites for the OneWeb constellation.
Investors had not commented by publication time, yet the decision highlights France’s growing assertiveness in satellite governance and broader European debates on technological autonomy.
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The East Asian country is preparing to enforce a nationwide ban on mobile phone use in classrooms, yet schools remain divided over how strictly the new rules should be applied.
A ban that takes effect in March under the revised education law, and officials have already released guidance enabling principals to warn students and restrict smart devices during lessons.
These reforms will allow devices only for limited educational purposes, emergencies or support for pupils with disabilities.
Schools may also collect and store phones under their own rules, giving administrators the authority to prohibit possession rather than merely restricting use. The ministry has ordered every principal to establish formal regulations by late August, leaving interim decisions to each school leader.
Educators in South Korea warn that inconsistent approaches are creating uncertainty. Some schools intend to collect phones in bulk, others will require students to keep devices switched off, while several remain unsure how far to go in tightening their policies.
The Korean Federation of Teachers’ Associations argues that such differences will trigger complaints from parents and pupils unless the ministry provides a unified national standard.
Surveys show wide variation in current practice, with some schools banning possession during lessons while others allow use during breaks.
Many teachers say their institutions are ready for stricter rules, yet a substantial minority report inadequate preparation. The debate highlights the difficulty of imposing uniform digital discipline across a diverse education system.
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CryptoQuant data shows Bitcoin mining profitability has fallen to its weakest level in 14 months, as declining prices and rising operational pressure weigh on the sector. The miner profit and loss sustainability index dropped to 21, its lowest reading since November 2024.
Lower Bitcoin prices and elevated mining difficulty have left operators ‘extremely underpaid’, according to the report. Network hash rate has also declined across five consecutive epochs, reaching its lowest level since September 2025 and signalling reduced computing power securing the network.
Severe winter weather across parts of the eastern United States added further strain, disrupting mining activity and pushing daily revenues down to around $28 million, a yearly low. Weaker risk appetite across equities and digital assets has compounded the impact.
Shares in listed miners such as MARA Holdings, CleanSpark, and Riot Holdings have fallen by double-digit percentages over the past week. Data from the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index shows mining BTC now costs more than buying it on the open market, increasing pressure on weaker operators.
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Google has unveiled AlphaGenome, a new AI research tool designed to analyse the human genome and uncover the genetic roots of disease. The announcement was made in Paris, where researchers described the model as a major step forward.
AlphaGenome focuses on non-coding DNA, which makes up most of the human genome and plays a key role in regulating genes. Google scientists in Paris said the system can analyse extremely long DNA sequences at high resolution.
The model was developed by Google DeepMind using public genomic datasets from humans and mice. Researchers in Paris said the tool predicts how genetic changes influence biological processes inside cells.
Independent experts in the UK welcomed the advance but urged caution. Scientists at University of Cambridge and the Francis Crick Institute noted that environmental factors still limit what AI models can explain.
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Financial Conduct Authority research shows UK crypto ownership has declined even as Bitcoin prices surged. Adult participation fell from 12% in 2024 to 8% in the latest survey, equal to about 4.6 million people, although levels remain double those recorded in 2021.
A closer look suggests consolidation rather than collapse. Investors who stayed in the market are committing more capital, with higher-value portfolios becoming more common as retail activity gives way to institutional demand and Bitcoin ETF inflows.
Participants’ knowledge levels are improving. The regulator notes that active investors are more risk-aware and better informed, with ownership skewed towards men aged 18–34 from higher-income demographics and ethnic minority backgrounds.
Bitcoin retains the strongest recognition at 79%, while 57% of current investors hold BTC, a gradual year-on-year increase. Ether ownership stands at 43%, Dogecoin appears in 20% of portfolios, and awareness of newer altcoins remains limited, according to CoinMarketCap.
Stablecoin recognition has risen to 53%, reflecting broader discussion around payments and regulation.
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Anthropic engineers are increasingly relying on AI to write the code behind the company’s products, with senior staff now delegating nearly all programming tasks to AI systems.
Claude Code lead Boris Cherny said he has not written any software by hand for more than two months, with all recent updates generated by Anthropic’s own models. Similar practices are reportedly spreading across internal teams.
Company leadership has previously suggested AI could soon handle most software engineering work from start to finish, marking a shift in how digital products are built and maintained.
The adoption of AI coding tools has accelerated across the technology sector, with firms citing major productivity gains and faster development cycles as automation expands.
Industry observers note the transition may reshape hiring practices and entry-level engineering roles, as AI increasingly performs core implementation tasks previously handled by human developers.
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French streaming platform Deezer has opened access to its AI music detection tool for rival services, including Spotify. The move follows mounting concern in France and across the industry over the rapid rise of synthetic music uploads.
Deezer said around 60,000 AI-generated tracks are uploaded daily, with 13.4 million detected in 2025. In France, the company has already demonetised 85% of AI-generated streams to redirect royalties to human artists.
The tool automatically tags fully AI-generated tracks, removes them from recommendations and flags fraudulent streaming activity. Spotify, which also operates widely in France, has introduced its own measures but relies more heavily on creator disclosure.
Challenges remain for Deezer in France and beyond, as the system struggles to identify hybrid tracks mixing human and AI elements. Industry pressure continues to grow for shared standards that balance innovation, transparency and fair payment.
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Pentagon officials are at odds with AI developer Anthropic over restrictions designed to prevent autonomous weapons targeting and domestic surveillance. The disagreement has stalled discussions under a $200 million contract.
Anthropic has expressed concern about its tools being used in ways that could harm civilians or breach privacy. The company emphasises that human oversight is essential for national security applications.
The dispute reflects broader tensions between Silicon Valley firms and government use of AI. Pentagon officials argue that commercial AI can be deployed as long as it follows US law, regardless of corporate guidelines.
Anthropic’s stance may affect its Pentagon contracts as the firm prepares for a public offering. The company continues to engage with officials while advocating for ethical AI deployment in defence operations.
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