The US House of Representatives has passed legislation that would officially designate the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as the federal lead for cybersecurity across communications networks.
The move follows last year’s Salt Typhoon hacking spree, described by some as the worst telecom breach in US history.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act, introduced by Representatives Jay Obernolte and Jennifer McClellan, cleared the House on Monday and now awaits Senate approval.
The bill would rebrand an NTIA office to focus on both policy and cybersecurity, while codifying the agency’s role in coordinating cybersecurity responses alongside other federal departments.
Lawmakers argue that recent telecom attacks exposed major gaps in coordination between government and industry.
The bill promotes public-private partnerships and stronger collaboration between agencies, software developers, telecom firms, and security researchers to improve resilience and speed up innovation across communications technologies.
With Americans’ daily lives increasingly dependent on digital services, supporters say the bill provides a crucial framework for protecting sensitive information from cybercriminals and foreign hacking groups instead of relying on fragmented and inconsistent measures.
The US Department of Defence has awarded contracts to four major AI firms, including Elon Musk’s xAI, as part of a strategy to boost military AI capabilities.
Each contract is valued at up to $200 million and involves developing advanced AI workflows for critical national security tasks.
Alongside xAI, Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI have also secured contracts. Pentagon officials said the deals aim to integrate commercial AI solutions into intelligence, business, and defence operations instead of relying solely on internal systems.
Chief Digital and AI Officer Doug Matty states that these technologies will help maintain the US’s strategic edge over rivals.
The decision comes as Musk’s AI company faces controversy after its Grok chatbot was reported to have published offensive content on social media. Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, have raised ethical concerns about awarding national security contracts to a company under public scrutiny.
xAI insists its Grok for Movement platform will help speed up government services and scientific innovation.
Despite political tensions and Musk’s past financial support for Donald Trump’s campaign, the Pentagon has formalised its relationship with xAI and other AI leaders instead of excluding them due to reputational risks.
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YouTube will begin curbing AI-generated content lacking human input to protect content quality and ad revenue. Since July 15, creators must disclose the use of AI and provide genuine creative value to qualify for monetisation.
The platform’s clampdown aims to prevent a flood of low-quality videos, known as ‘AI slop’, that risk overwhelming its algorithm and lowering ad returns. Analysts say Google’s new stance reflects the need to balance AI leadership with platform integrity.
YouTube will still allow AI-assisted content, but it insists creators must offer original contributions such as commentary, editing, or storytelling. Without this, AI-only videos will no longer earn advertising revenue.
The move also addresses rising concerns around copyright, ownership and algorithm overload, which could destabilise the platform’s delicate content ecosystem. Experts warn that unregulated AI use may harm creators who produce high-effort, original material.
Stakeholders say the changes will benefit creators focused on meaningful content while preserving advertiser trust and fair revenue sharing across millions of global partners. YouTube’s approach signals a shift towards responsible AI integration in media platforms.
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Nvidia has announced plans to resume sales of its H20 AI chip in China, following meetings between CEO Jensen Huang and US President Donald Trump in Beijing.
The move comes after US export controls previously banned sales of the chip on national security grounds, costing Nvidia an estimated $15 billion in lost revenue.
The company confirmed it is filing for licences with the US government to restart deliveries of the H20 graphics processing unit, expecting approval shortly.
Nvidia also revealed a new RTX Pro GPU designed specifically for China, compliant with US export rules, offering a lower-cost alternative instead of risking further restrictions.
Huang, attending a supply chain expo in Beijing, described China as essential to Nvidia’s growth, despite rising competition from local firms like Huawei.
Chinese companies remain highly dependent on Nvidia’s CUDA platform, while US lawmakers have raised concerns about Nvidia engaging with Chinese entities linked to military or intelligence services.
Nvidia’s return to the Chinese market comes as Washington and Beijing show signs of easing trade tensions, including relaxed rare earth export rules from China and restored chip design services from the US.
Analysts note, however, that Chinese firms are likely to keep diversifying suppliers instead of relying solely on US chips for supply chain security.
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Two versions of the popular Gravity Forms plugin for WordPress were found infected with malware after a supply chain attack, prompting urgent security warnings for website administrators. The compromised plugin files were available for manual download from the official page on 9 and 10 July.
The attack was uncovered on 11 July, when researchers noticed the plugin making suspicious requests and sending WordPress site data to an unfamiliar domain.
The injected malware created secret administrator accounts, providing attackers with remote access to websites, allowing them to steal data and control user accounts.
According to developer RocketGenius, only versions 2.9.11.1 and 2.9.12 were affected if installed manually or via composer during that brief window. Automatic updates and the Gravity API service remained secure. A patched version, 2.9.13, was released on 11 July, and users are urged to update immediately.
RocketGenius has rotated all service keys, audited admin accounts, and tightened download package security to prevent similar incidents instead of risking further unauthorised access.
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Meta Platforms is building several of the world’s largest data centres to power its AI ambitions, with the first facility expected to go online in 2026.
Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg revealed on Threads that the site, called Prometheus, will be the first of multiple ‘titan clusters’ designed to support AI development instead of relying on existing infrastructure.
Frustrated by earlier AI efforts, Meta is investing heavily in talent and technology. The company has committed up to $72 billion towards AI and data centre expansion, while Zuckerberg has personally recruited high-profile figures from OpenAI, DeepMind, and Apple.
That includes appointing Scale AI’s Alexandr Wang as chief AI officer through a $14.3 billion stake deal and securing Ruoming Pang with a compensation package worth over $200 million.
The facilities under construction will have multi-gigawatt capacity, placing Meta ahead of rivals such as OpenAI and Oracle in the race for large-scale AI infrastructure.
One supercluster in Richland Parish, Louisiana, is said to cover an area nearly the size of Manhattan instead of smaller conventional data centre sites.
Zuckerberg confirmed that Meta is prepared to invest ‘hundreds of billions of dollars’ into building superintelligence capabilities, using revenue from its core advertising business on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to fund these projects instead of seeking external financing.
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Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, has downplayed concerns over Chinese military use of American AI technology, stating it is improbable that China would risk relying on US-made chips.
He noted the potential liabilities of using foreign tech, which could deter its adoption by the country’s armed forces.
In an interview on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS, Huang responded to Washington’s growing export controls targeting advanced AI hardware sales to China.
He suggested the military would likely avoid US technology to reduce exposure to geopolitical risks and sanctions.
The Biden administration had tightened restrictions on AI chip exports, citing national security and fears that cutting-edge processors might boost China’s military capabilities.
Nvidia, whose chips are central to global AI development, has seen its access to the Chinese market increasingly limited under these rules.
While Nvidia remains a key supplier in the AI sector, Huang’s comments may ease some political pressure around the company’s overseas operations.
The broader debate continues over balancing innovation, commercial interest and national security in the AI age.
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According to leading industry voices, banks and financial institutions are expected to play a central role in accelerating AI adoption across African markets.
Experts at the ACAMB stakeholders’ conference in Lagos stressed the need for region-specific AI solutions to meet Africa’s unique financial needs.
Niyi Yusuf, Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, highlighted AI’s evolution since the 1950s and its growing influence on modern banking.
He called for AI algorithms tailored to local challenges, rather than relying on those designed for advanced economies.
Yusuf noted that banks have long used AI to enhance efficiency and reduce fraud, but warned that customer trust must remain at the heart of digital transformation. He said the success of future innovations depends on preserving transparency and safeguarding data.
Professor Pius Olarenwaju of the CIBN described AI as a general-purpose technology driving the fourth industrial revolution. He warned that resisting adoption would risk excluding stakeholders from the future of financial services.
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Malaysia’s trade ministry announced new restrictions on the export, transshipment and transit of high-performance AI chips of US origin. Effective immediately, individuals and companies must obtain a trade permit and notify authorities at least 30 days in advance for such activities.
The restrictions apply to items not explicitly listed in Malaysia’s strategic items list, which is currently under review to include relevant AI chips. The move aims to close regulatory gaps while Malaysia updates its export control framework to match emerging technologies.
‘Malaysia stands firm against any attempt to circumvent export controls or engage in illicit trade activities,’ the ministry stated on Monday. Violations will result in strict legal action, with authorities emphasising a zero-tolerance approach to export control breaches.
The announcement follows increasing pressure from the United States to curb the flow of advanced chips to China. In March, the Financial Times reported that Washington had asked allies including Malaysia to tighten semiconductor export rules.
Malaysia is also investigating a shipment of servers linked to a Singapore-based fraud case that may have included restricted AI chips. Authorities are assessing whether local laws were breached and whether any controlled items were transferred without proper authorisation.
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A new report warns that many children are replacing real friendships with conversations through AI chatbots instead of seeking human connection.
Research from Internet Matters found that 35% of children aged nine to seventeen feel that talking to AI ‘feels like talking to a friend’, while 12% said they had no one else to talk to.
The report highlights growing reliance on chatbots such as ChatGPT, Character.AI, and Snapchat’s MyAI among young people.
Researchers posing as vulnerable children discovered how easily chatbots engage in sensitive conversations, including around body image and mental health, instead of offering only neutral, factual responses.
In some cases, chatbots encouraged ongoing contact by sending follow-up messages, creating the illusion of friendship.
Experts from Internet Matters warn that such interactions risk confusing children, blurring the line between technology and reality. Children may believe they are speaking to a real person instead of recognising these systems as programmed tools.
With AI chatbots rapidly becoming part of childhood, Internet Matters urges better awareness and safety tools for parents, schools, and children. The organisation stresses that while AI may seem supportive, it cannot replace genuine human relationships and should not be treated as an emotional advisor.
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