Digital standards

ChatGPT restored after global outage disrupts users worldwide

OpenAI faced a wave of global complaints after many users struggled to access ChatGPT.

Reports began circulating in the US during the afternoon, with outage cases climbing to more than 12.000 in less than half an hour. Social media quickly filled with questions from people trying to determine whether the disruption was widespread or a local glitch.

Also, users in the UK reported complete failure to generate responses, yet access returned when they switched to a US-based VPN.

Other regions saw mixed results, as VPNs in Ireland, Canada, India and Poland allowed ChatGPT to function, although replies were noticeably slower instead of consistent.

OpenAI later confirmed that several services were experiencing elevated errors. Engineers identified the source of the disruption, introduced mitigations and continued monitoring the recovery.

The company stressed that users in many regions might still experience intermittent problems while the system stabilises rather than operating at full capacity.

In the following update, OpenAI announced that its systems were fully operational again.

The status page indicated that the affected services had recovered, and engineers were no longer aware of active issues. The company added that the underlying fault was addressed, with further safeguards being developed to prevent similar incidents.

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Major Chinese data leak exposes billions of records

Cybersecurity researchers uncovered an unsecured database exposing 8.7 billion records linked to individuals and businesses in China. The data was found in early January 2026 and remained accessible online for more than three weeks.

The China focused dataset included national ID numbers, home addresses, email accounts, social media identifiers and passwords. Researchers warned that the scale of exposure in China creates serious risks of identity theft and account takeovers.

The records were stored in a large Elasticsearch cluster hosted on so called bulletproof infrastructure. Analysts believe the structure suggests deliberate aggregation in China rather than an accidental misconfiguration.

Although the database is now closed, experts say actors targeting China may have already copied the data. China has experienced several major leaks in recent years, highlighting persistent weaknesses in large scale data handling.

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Alternative social platform UpScrolled passes 2.5 million users

UpScrolled has surpassed 2.5 million users globally, gaining rapid momentum following TikTok’s restructuring of its US ownership earlier this year, according to founder Issam Hijazi.

The social network grew to around 150,000 users in its first six months before accelerating sharply in January, crossing one million users within weeks and reaching more than 2.5 million shortly afterwards.

Positioned as a hybrid of Instagram and X, UpScrolled promotes itself as an open platform free of shadowbanning and selective content suppression, while criticising major technology firms for data monetisation and algorithm-driven engagement practices.

Hijazi said the company would avoid amplification algorithms but acknowledged the need for community guidelines, particularly amid concerns about explicit content appearing on the platform.

Interest in alternative social networks has increased since TikTok’s shift to US ownership, though analysts note that long-term growth will depend on moderation frameworks, feature development, and sustained community trust.

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Japan and the United Kingdom expand cybersecurity cooperation

Japan and the United Kingdom have formalised a Strategic Cyber Partnership focused on strengthening cooperation in cybersecurity, including information sharing, defensive capabilities, and resilience of critical infrastructure. In related high-level discussions between the two leaders, Japan and the UK also agreed on the need to work with like-minded partners to address vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains.

The Strategic Cyber Partnership outlines three core areas of cooperation:

  • sharing cyber threat intelligence and enhancing cyber capabilities;
  • supporting whole-of-society resilience through best practices on infrastructure and supply chain protection and alignment on regulatory and standards issues;
  • collaborating on workforce development and emerging cyber technologies.

The agreement is governed through a joint Cyber Dialogue mechanism and is non-binding in nature.

Separately, at a summit meeting in Tokyo, the leaders noted the importance of strengthening supply chains for minerals identified as critical for modern industry and technology, and agreed to coordinate efforts with other partners on this issue.

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Austria and Poland eye social media limits for minors

Austria is advancing plans to bar children under 14 from social media when the new school year begins in September 2026, according to comments from a senior Austrian official. Poland’s government is drafting a law to restrict access for under-15s, using digital ID tools to confirm age.

Austria’s governing parties support protecting young people online but differ on how to verify ages securely without undermining privacy. In Poland supporters of the draft argue that early exposure to screens is a parental and platform enforcement issue.

Austria and Poland form part of a broader European trend as France moves to ban under-15s and the UK is debating similar measures. Wider debates tie these proposals to concerns about children’s mental health and online safety.

Proponents in both Austria and Poland aim to finalise legal frameworks by 2026, with implementation potentially rolling out in the following year if national parliaments approve the age restrictions.

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€50m boost for Europe’s quantum chip ambitions

Europe is stepping up efforts to industrialise quantum technologies with a €50 million investment in superconducting quantum devices. Funding from the EU Chips Joint Undertaking and national agencies will support the Supreme consortium’s work from early 2026.

Superconducting quantum systems rely on ultra-low temperatures to maintain qubit stability, making manufacturing processes complex and costly. Supreme aims to develop reliable fabrication methods that can be scaled across Europe.

Access to these technologies will be opened to companies through shared pilot production runs and process design kits. Such tools are intended to lower barriers for firms developing quantum hardware and related systems.

The initiative also responds to Europe’s weaker performance in quantum patents compared with research output. Alignment with the upcoming Quantum Act and the EU Chips Act is expected to strengthen commercial uptake and industrial competitiveness.

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Biodegradable sensors developed to cut e-waste and monitor air pollution

Researchers at Incheon National University have developed biodegradable gas sensors designed to reduce electronic waste while improving air quality monitoring. The technology targets nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to fossil fuel combustion and respiratory diseases.

The sensors are built using organic field-effect transistors, a lightweight and low-energy alternative suited for portable environmental monitoring devices. OFET-based systems are also easier to manufacture compared with traditional silicon electronics.

To create the sensing layer, the research team blended an organic semiconductor polymer, P3HT, with a biodegradable material, PBS. Each polymer was prepared separately in chloroform before being combined into a uniform solution.

Performance varied with solvent composition, with mixtures of chloroform and dichlorobenzene yielding the most consistent and sensitive sensor structures. High PBS concentrations remained effective without compromising detection accuracy.

Project lead Professor Park said the approach balances sustainability and performance, particularly for use in natural environments. The biodegradable design could contribute to long-term pollution monitoring and waste reduction.

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WordPress introduces rules for responsible AI use

WordPress has released new guidelines to shape how AI is used across plugins, themes, documentation and media assets. The framework focuses on transparency, accountability and maintaining the project’s open source foundations.

Contributors remain fully responsible for AI-assisted work and are expected to disclose meaningful AI use during submissions. Reviewers are encouraged to assess such contributions with awareness of how automated tools influenced the output.

Strong emphasis is placed on licensing, with all AI-generated material required to remain compatible with GPLv2 or later. Tools that restrict redistribution or reproduce incompatible code are explicitly ruled out.

The guidance also targets so-called AI slop, including untested code, fabricated references and unnecessarily complex solutions. Maintainers are authorised to reject low-quality submissions that lack apparent human oversight.

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New AI safety report highlights control concerns

A major international AI safety report warns that AI systems are advancing rapidly, with sharp gains in reasoning, coding and scientific tasks. Researchers say progress remains uneven, leaving systems powerful yet unreliable.

The report highlights rising concerns over deepfakes, cyber misuse and emotional reliance on AI companions in the UK and the US. Experts note growing difficulty in distinguishing AI generated content from human work.

Safeguards against biological, chemical and cyber risks have improved, though oversight challenges persist in the UK and the US. Analysts warn advanced models are becoming better at evading evaluation and controls.

The impact of AI on jobs in the UK and the US remains uncertain, with mixed evidence across sectors. Researchers say labour disruption could accelerate if systems gain greater autonomy.

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Chinese AI firms offer cash rewards to boost chatbot adoption

Technology firms in China are rolling out large cash incentive campaigns to attract users to their AI chatbots ahead of the expected launch of new AI models later this month.

Alibaba Group has earmarked CNY 3 billion for users of its Qwen AI app, with the promotion beginning on 6 February to coincide with Lunar New Year celebrations.

Tencent Holdings and Baidu have announced similar offers, together committing around CNY 1.5 billion in cash rewards and consumer electronics, including smartphones and televisions.

To qualify for prizes, users must register on the platforms and interact with the chatbots during the promotional period by asking questions or completing everyday planning tasks.

The incentives reflect intensifying competition with global developers such as Google and OpenAI, while also strengthening efforts to position China-based firms as potential local AI partners for Apple in the Chinese market.

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