Digital standards Archives | Page 3 of 352

Writers publish protest book to challenge AI use of copyrighted works

Thousands of writers have joined a symbolic protest against AI companies by publishing a book that contains no traditional content.

The work, titled “Don’t Steal This Book,” lists only the names of roughly 10,000 contributors who oppose the use of their writing to train AI systems without their permission.

An initiative that was organised by composer and campaigner Ed Newton-Rex and distributed during the London Book Fair. Contributors include prominent authors such as Kazuo Ishiguro, Philippa Gregory and Richard Osman, along with thousands of other writers and creative professionals.

Campaigners argue that generative AI systems are trained on vast collections of copyrighted material gathered from the internet without authorisation or compensation.

According to organisers, such practices allow AI tools to compete with the creators whose works were used to develop them.

The protest arrives as the UK Government prepares an economic assessment of potential copyright reforms related to AI. Proposals under discussion include allowing AI developers to use copyrighted material unless rights holders explicitly opt out.

Many writers and artists oppose that approach and demand stronger copyright protections. In parallel, the publishing sector is preparing a licensing initiative through Publishers’ Licensing Services to provide AI developers with legal access to books while ensuring authors receive compensation.

The dispute reflects a growing global debate over how copyright law should apply to generative AI systems that rely on massive datasets to develop chatbots and other digital tools.

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Amazon launches Health AI to assist with medical queries

Amazon has launched a new AI-powered assistant, Health AI, on its website and mobile app. The tool is designed to answer health questions, explain medical records, manage prescriptions, and connect users with healthcare providers.

Health AI can also book appointments and guide users based on their health information if they grant access to their records. The feature is currently limited to the US, with a wider rollout planned in the coming weeks.

The assistant is linked with One Medical, Amazon’s healthcare service, allowing users to communicate with licensed professionals through messages, video consultations, or in-person visits. It can also send prescription renewal requests and suggest relevant health products.

Users can create an Amazon Health Profile and enable two-step authentication to start using Health AI. By allowing the AI to access their medical records, including medications, lab results, and diagnoses, users can receive more personalised responses.

Amazon emphasises that Health AI is a support tool rather than a replacement for doctors. It helps users understand health information and prepare for discussions with healthcare providers, but it does not provide independent diagnoses or treatment.

As part of an introductory offer, eligible US Prime members can receive up to five free message consultations with One Medical providers. The system runs on Amazon Bedrock and uses multiple AI agents to manage tasks, monitor interactions, and escalate to human professionals when necessary.

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AI-driven education push reshapes Chungnam National University strategy

Chungnam National University aims to become a leading centre for AI-driven education in Korea as AI reshapes how universities teach, learn, and manage operations. University President Kim Jeong-kyoum said higher education institutions must rethink how they approach AI and prepare for the profound changes AI-driven education is expected to bring across society.

‘AI will undoubtedly bring significant changes across industries and in our daily lives,’ Kim told The Korea Times in a recent interview. ‘Universities need to approach this shift with an open mindset and be ready to accept it. I want Chungnam National University to become a university that uses AI better than anyone else.’

While acknowledging that the phrase ‘AI-leading university’ is increasingly common, Kim said the university’s real priority is integrating AI into teaching practically. The institution is considering incorporating AI-related elements into more than 30 percent of its curriculum to ensure students gain hands-on experience with the technology and support the expansion of AI-driven education across disciplines.

‘We want to teach students how to use AI effectively in practice,’ he said. ‘Professors need to use and understand AI themselves to teach it properly, and students also need systematic training on how to use these tools well.’

Beyond the classroom, the university also plans to introduce AI into administrative systems to improve campus operations. ‘Administration is often the hardest part of a university to change,’ Kim said. ‘That’s why we believe introducing AI into administrative systems first could be particularly meaningful.’

The university is also expanding research through its Glocal Lab project, which aims to strengthen Chungnam National University’s role in AI-driven pharmaceutical and biotechnology research. The initiative is expected to more directly connect academic research with industry and support the development of specialised talent, strengthening the university’s broader ambitions in AI-driven education and innovation.

Kim said, ‘Until now, there have been clear limits to translating the university’s strong basic research into applications in local industries. We expect the Glocal Lab project to help bridge that gap by connecting academic research more directly with the industrial field.’

The project will integrate AI, mathematical sciences, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology research into a unified R&D platform. ‘Ultimately, the Glocal Lab project will help the university grow into a global R&D hub,’ Kim said. ‘By creating high-quality jobs locally, it can also help curb the outflow of talented young people to the Seoul metropolitan area and foster a virtuous cycle of regional settlement and innovation.’

The university is also enhancing internationalisation efforts, aiming to increase the share of international students to 10 percent while expanding global partnerships and strengthening its global profile in AI-driven education. ‘Universities should take the lead in presenting new models in a global society,’ Kim said. ‘By doing so, these ideas can spread beyond campus and ultimately influence local industries and businesses.’

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Gigabyte pushes accessible AI computing strategy at Mobile World Congress

Taiwanese computer manufacturer Gigabyte is expanding its AI strategy, focusing on making AI computing more widely accessible. Speaking at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Gigabyte outlined its vision of ‘democratising AI’ by delivering infrastructure that ranges from data centre systems to tools that allow individuals to build and run AI models at home.

‘We believe that AI will be good for everyone when it’s more accessible to more people,’ said Jack Chou, brand marketing specialist at Gigabyte Technology.

Founded in 1986, the company initially built its reputation as one of the world’s leading motherboard manufacturers. The company has since expanded into full-stack AI infrastructure, telecom networking systems, and specialised AI supercomputers.

According to Chou, the company’s strategy reflects a shift from traditional consumer computing toward broader empowerment through AI. ‘In the past, we provided computing solutions for end users that might be used more for entertainment and gaming, but now we believe we’re empowering more people with AI computing,’ he said.

Gigabyte is also exploring physical AI systems, including robots for tasks such as automated assembly line monitoring and quality control in manufacturing environments. These systems rely on AI models trained in data centres and deployed through embedded industrial computing platforms that allow machines to interact with real-world environments.

As demand for AI infrastructure grows, Gigabyte is prioritising sustainability by investing in energy-saving cooling technologies such as direct liquid and immersion cooling for its data centres.

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Sustainable AI discussed by UNESCO and Saudi leaders under Vision 2030

Leaders from government, academia, and industry gathered to emphasise that sustainable AI must shape efficient, inclusive, and environmentally responsible systems. The discussion focused on embedding sustainability, ethics, and human-centred principles throughout the AI lifecycle by adopting a sustainable-by-design approach.

The workshop was built on Saudi Arabia’s expanding role in AI and digital transformation through the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) and the National Strategy for Data and AI (NSDAI). The efforts are supported by significant investments in cloud infrastructure and data centres under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 programme. Participants highlighted that sustainable AI must become a core principle in the development of emerging digital infrastructure and AI-powered services.

Abdulrahman Habib, Director of the International Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics (ICAIRE), highlighted Saudi Arabia’s growing leadership in AI ethics and governance. With national AI Ethics Principles and a maturing regulatory landscape, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a global contributor to responsible AI dialogue, translating principles into operational governance systems rather than just policy statements.

Leona Verdadero of UNESCO highlighted two core concepts: Greening with AI, which uses AI to accelerate sustainability, and Greening of AI, which ensures systems are energy-efficient, ethical, and human-centred. She stressed that effective AI governance requires collaboration and industry leadership at every stage of development.

Per Ola Kristensson from the University of Cambridge urged action beyond rhetoric, stressing that true AI sustainability means developing technology to augment, not replace, human potential. Industry presentations reinforced that sustainable AI drives real-world progress. Companies like RECYCLEE optimise resource recovery, Remedium reduces environmental impacts in healthcare and infrastructure, and IDOM strengthens sustainability reporting through AI-enhanced design.

UNESCO supports Saudi Arabia’s drive for inclusive, ethical, and sustainable AI ecosystems, framing sustainable AI as critical in the global transition to green digital transformation.

Faisal Al Azib, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Saudi Arabia, stated: ‘As the Kingdom advances its digital transformation under Vision 2030, we have a responsibility to ensure that innovation advances hand in hand with sustainability and human dignity.’

Al Azib concluded: ‘Sustainable AI is central to building resilient, future-ready businesses. Through partnerships with UNESCO and our local ecosystem, we aim to equip companies with the governance tools to embed responsible, energy-efficient, and human-centred AI into their core strategies.’

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EU explores AI image generation safeguards

The Council of the European Union is examining a compromise proposal that could introduce restrictions on certain AI systems capable of generating sensitive synthetic images.

The discussions form part of ongoing adjustments to the EU AI Act.

A proposed measure that would primarily address AI tools that generate illegal material, particularly content involving the exploitation of minors.

Policymakers are considering ways to prevent the development or deployment of systems that could produce such material while maintaining proportionate rules for legitimate AI applications.

Early indications suggest the proposal may not apply to images depicting people in standard clothing contexts, such as swimwear. The distinction reflects policymakers’ effort to define the scope of restrictions without imposing unnecessary limits on common image-generation uses.

The debate highlights broader regulatory challenges linked to generative AI technologies. European institutions are seeking to strengthen protections against harmful uses of AI while preserving space for innovation and lawful digital services.

Further negotiations among the EU institutions are expected as lawmakers continue refining how these provisions could fit within the broader European framework governing AI.

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UK rejects social media ban for under-16s

A proposed social media ban for under-16s has been rejected by UK MPs, with 307 voting against and 173 in favour. The measure, introduced as an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, aimed to protect children from online harms.

Instead, the UK government secured support for giving ministers flexible powers, enforceable after a consultation on online safety concludes. The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, could limit social media access and VPN use, turn off addictive features, and raise the UK’s digital consent age.

Supporters of a full ban argued parents face an ‘impossible position’ managing online risks for their children. Campaigners, bereaved parents, and organisations such as Mumsnet and the National Education Union called for immediate action.

Critics, including the NSPCC, warned that a blanket ban could push teenagers towards unregulated online spaces.

The government consultation will examine minimum age requirements and the removal of features such as autoplay. MPs emphasised that any policy must balance safety with preparing children for responsible online engagement.

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Moltbook founders join Meta’s AI research lab

Meta Platforms has acquired Moltbook, a social networking platform designed for AI agents. The deal brings co-founders Matt Schlicht and Ben Parr into Meta’s AI research division, the Superintelligence Labs, led by Alexandr Wang.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, and the founders are expected to start on 16 March.

Moltbook, launched in January, allows AI-powered bots to exchange code and interact socially in a Reddit-like environment. The platform has sparked debate on AI autonomy and real-world capabilities, highlighting growing competition among tech giants for AI talent and technology.

Industry figures have offered differing views on the platform’s significance. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called Moltbook a potential fad but acknowledged its underlying technology hints at the future of AI agents.

Meanwhile, Anthropic’s chief product officer, Mike Krieger, noted that most users are not ready to grant AI full autonomy over their systems.

The platform’s growth also highlighted security risks. Cybersecurity firm Wiz reported a vulnerability that exposed private messages, email addresses, and credentials, which was resolved after the owners were notified.

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AI and genetics reveal how language develops in the brain

Recent research shows that language emerges from a dynamic, adaptable system in the brain rather than a single region. AI, high-field MRI, and genetic studies are helping scientists understand how humans acquire and process language.

Large language models can predict speech processing in children as young as two, while MRI shows language dominance exists on a fluid brain continuum. Genetic analyses show hundreds of genes contribute to language, with overlaps between musical rhythm and dyslexia.

High-level language skills, such as grammar, continue to mature between ages two and ten, while phonetic processing stabilises earlier. Combining AI, imaging, and genetics allows researchers to understand individual differences and neurovariability in communication.

The integrated approach could improve early diagnosis and treatment for language disorders, offering insights into how the brain learns, adapts, and uses language across the lifespan.

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Google adds option to disable AI search in Google Photos

Users of Google Photos will now have greater control over how they search their images, after Google introduced a visible toggle that returns to the traditional search experience.

The update follows complaints about the AI-powered Ask Photos feature.

Ask Photos was designed to allow users to search for images using natural language queries rather than simple keywords. The tool aimed to make photo searches more flexible, enabling complex queries such as descriptions of people, events or locations captured in images.

However, some users reported that the AI system produced slower results and occasionally failed to locate images that the classic search had previously found more reliably.

Although an option to turn off the AI feature already existed, it was hidden within settings and often overlooked.

The new update introduces a visible switch directly on the search interface. Users can now easily alternate between the AI-powered search and the traditional search system depending on their preferences.

Google said improvements have also been made to the quality of common searches following user feedback. The company emphasised that search remains one of the most frequently used functions within Google Photos and that ongoing updates will continue to refine the experience.

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