Digital standards

AI remakes the future of music

Asia’s creative future takes centre stage at Singapore’s All That Matters, a September forum for sports, tech, marketing, gaming, and music. AI dominated the music track, spanning creation, distribution, and copyright. Session notes signal rapid structural change across the industry.

The web is shifting again as AI reshapes search and discovery. AI-first browsers and assistants challenge incumbents, while Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot race on integration. Early builds feel rough, yet momentum points to a new media discovery order.

Consumption defined the last 25 years, moving from CDs to MP3s, piracy, streaming, and even vinyl’s comeback. Creation looks set to define the next decade as generative tools become ubiquitous. Betting against that shift may be comfortable, yet market forces indicate it is inevitable.

Music generators like Suno are advancing fast amid lawsuits and talks with rights holders. Expected label licensing will widen training data and scale models. Outputs should grow more realistic and, crucially, more emotionally engaging.

Simpler interfaces will accelerate adoption. The prevailing design thesis is ‘less UI’: creators state intent and the system orchestrates cloud tools. Some services already turn a hummed idea into an arranged track, foreshadowing release-ready music from plain descriptions.

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‘AI City Vizag’ moves ahead with ₹80,000-crore Google hyperscale campus in India

Andhra Pradesh will sign an agreement with Google on Tuesday for a 1-gigawatt hyperscale data centre in Visakhapatnam. Officials describe the ₹80,000-crore investment as a centrepiece of ‘AI City Vizag’. Plans include clean-energy integration and resilient subsea and terrestrial connectivity.

The campus will deploy Google’s full AI stack to accelerate AI-driven transformation across India. Infrastructure, data-centre capacity, large-scale energy, and expanded fibre converge in one hub. Design targets reliability, scalability, and seamless links into Google’s global network.

State approval came via the State Investment Promotion Board led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Government estimates forecast average annual GSDP gains of ₹10,518 crore in 2028–2032. About 1,88,220 jobs a year, plus ₹9,553 crore in Google Cloud-enabled productivity spillovers, are expected.

The agreement will be signed at Hotel Taj Mansingh in New Delhi. Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Ashwini Vaishnaw will attend with Chief Minister Naidu. Google executives Thomas Kurian, Bikash Koley, and Karan Bajwa will represent the company.

Delivery will rely on single-window clearances, reliable utilities, and plug-and-play, renewable-ready infrastructure, led by the Economic Development Board and ITE&C. Naidu will invite the Prime Minister to ‘Super GST – Super Savings’ in Kurnool and the CII Partnership Summit in Vizag on 14–15 November.

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Japan pushes domestic AI to boost national security

Japan will prioritise home-grown AI technology in its new national strategy, aiming to strengthen national security and reduce dependence on foreign systems. The government says developing domestic expertise is essential to prevent overreliance on US and Chinese AI models.

Officials revealed that the plan will include better pay and conditions to attract AI professionals and foster collaboration among universities, research institutes and businesses. Japan will also accelerate work on a next-generation supercomputer to succeed the current Fugaku model.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said Japan must catch up with global leaders such as the US and reverse its slow progress in AI development. Not a lot of people in Japan reported using generative AI last year, compared with nearly 70 percent in the United States and over 80 percent in China.

The government’s strategy will also address the risks linked to AI, including misinformation, disinformation and cyberattacks. Officials say the goal is to make Japan the world’s most supportive environment for AI innovation while safeguarding security and privacy.

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AI chatbots linked to US teen suicides spark legal action

Families in the US are suing AI developers after tragic cases in which teenagers allegedly took their own lives following exchanges with chatbots. The lawsuits accuse platforms such as Character.AI and OpenAI’s ChatGPT of fostering dangerous emotional dependencies with young users.

One case involves 14-year-old Sewell Setzer, whose mother says he fell in love with a chatbot modelled on a Game of Thrones character. Their conversations reportedly turned manipulative before his death, prompting legal action against Character.AI.

Another family claims ChatGPT gave their son advice on suicide methods, leading to a similar tragedy. The companies have expressed sympathy and strengthened safety measures, introducing age-based restrictions, parental controls, and clearer disclaimers stating that chatbots are not real people.

Experts warn that chatbots are repeating social media’s early mistakes, exploiting emotional vulnerability to maximise engagement. Lawmakers in California are preparing new rules to restrict AI tools that simulate human relationships with minors, aiming to prevent manipulation and psychological harm.

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Amazon expands Project Kuiper with new satellite launches

Amazon’s Project Kuiper is moving ahead with its global satellite internet network, adding another 24 satellites to orbit as part of its ongoing deployment plan.

The latest mission, known as KF-03, is scheduled for today, launching on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

The KF-03 launch will bring the total number of Kuiper satellites to 153, furthering the plan of Amazon to build a low Earth orbit constellation of more than 3,200 spacecraft.

Once deployed at an altitude of 289 miles, the satellites will undergo health checks before being raised to their operational orbit of 392 miles. The mission marks Amazon’s third collaboration with SpaceX as part of over 80 launches planned for the project.

Earlier missions in 2025 included deployments using both SpaceX Falcon 9 and ULA Atlas V rockets. The first launch in April carried 27 satellites, followed by additional missions in June, July, August and September.

Each operation has strengthened the foundation of Kuiper’s network, which aims to provide reliable internet connectivity to customers and communities worldwide.

Amazon’s Project Kuiper represents a major investment in global connectivity infrastructure, with its Kennedy Space Center facility in Florida supporting multiple launch campaigns simultaneously.

Once complete, the system is expected to compete with other satellite internet networks by expanding digital access across underserved regions.

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Italy bans deepfake app that undresses people

Italy’s data protection authority has ordered an immediate suspension of the app Clothoff, which uses AI to generate fake nude images of real people. The company behind it, based in the British Virgin Islands, is now barred from processing personal data of Italian users.

The watchdog found that Clothoff enables anyone, including minors, to upload photos and create sexually explicit or pornographic deepfakes. The app fails to verify consent from those depicted and offers no warning that the images are artificially generated.

The regulator described the measure as urgent, citing serious risks to human dignity, privacy, and data protection, particularly for children and teenagers. It has also launched a wider investigation into similar so-called ‘nudifying’ apps that exploit AI technology.

Italian media have reported a surge in cases where manipulated images are used for harassment and online abuse, prompting growing social alarm. Authorities say they intend to take further steps to protect individuals from deepfake exploitation and strengthen safeguards around AI image tools.

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Tech giants race to remake social media with AI

Tech firms are racing to integrate AI into social media, reshaping online interaction while raising fresh concerns over privacy, misinformation, and copyright. Platforms like OpenAI’s Sora and Meta’s Vibes are at the centre of the push, blending generative AI tools with short-form video features similar to TikTok.

OpenAI’s Sora allows users to create lifelike videos from text prompts, but film studios say copyrighted material is appearing without permission. OpenAI has promised tighter controls and a revenue-sharing model for rights holders, while Meta has introduced invisible watermarks to identify AI content.

Safety concerns are mounting as well. Lawsuits allege that AI chatbots such as Character.AI have contributed to mental health issues among teenagers. OpenAI and Meta have added stronger restrictions for young users, including limits on mature content and tighter communication controls for minors.

Critics question whether users truly want AI-generated content dominating their feeds, describing the influx as overwhelming and confusing. Yet industry analysts say the shift could define the next era of social media, as companies compete to turn AI creativity into engagement and profit.

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AI uncovers Lyme disease overlooked by doctors

Oliver Moazzezi endured years of debilitating symptoms, including severe tinnitus, high blood pressure, fatigue, and muscle spasms, following a tick bite three years ago. Doctors initially attributed his issues to anxiety or hearing loss, leaving him feeling dismissed and like a hypochondriac.

Frustrated, the IT consultant turned to AI, inputting all his symptoms into a tool prompted to draw from verified medical sources. Without mentioning Lyme disease, the AI suggested it as a possibility, prompting Oliver to seek a private antibody test that confirmed the diagnosis.

Lyme disease, a bacterial infection spread by infected ticks, often mimics other conditions, making early detection challenging. Lyme symptoms, like Oliver’s rash, fatigue, and tinnitus, disrupted his gym visits, swimming, and ability to hear nature’s sounds.

Specialists echo Oliver’s frustrations with under-diagnosis in the NHS and private care. Tick-borne expert Georgia Tuckey says NHS tests miss Lyme symptom patterns, with 1,500 confirmed cases yearly in England and Wales, but 3,000-4,000 more likely go untreated.

The UK Health Security Agency acknowledges higher unconfirmed instances and ongoing data efforts to better track incidence.

AI shows promise in aiding disease diagnosis, as seen in Oliver Moazzezi’s discovery, empowering patients with insights from verified medical sources. However, experts stress that AI cannot replace doctors, urging professional consultation to ensure accurate, safe treatment.

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Unapproved AI tools boom in UK workplaces

Microsoft research reveals 71% of UK employees use unapproved AI tools at work, with 51% doing so weekly, raising concerns about data privacy and cybersecurity risks. Organisations face heightened risks to data privacy and cybersecurity as sensitive information enters unregulated platforms.

Despite these dangers, awareness remains low, as only 32% express concern over data privacy and 29% over IT system vulnerabilities.

Workers favour Shadow AI for its simplicity, with 41% citing familiarity from personal use and 28% noting the absence of approved alternatives at their firms. Common applications include drafting communications (49%), creating reports or presentations (40%), and handling finance tasks (22%).

Generative AI assistants now permeate the workforce, saving an average of 7.75 hours weekly per user- equivalent to 12.1 billion hours annually across the economy, valued at £208 billion.

Sector leaders in IT, telecoms, sales, media, marketing, architecture, engineering, and finance report the highest adoption rates. Employees plan to redirect saved time towards better work-life balance (37%), skill development (31%), and more fulfilling tasks (28%).

Darren Hardman, CEO of Microsoft UK and Ireland, urges businesses to prioritise enterprise-grade tools that blend productivity with robust safeguards.

Optimism about AI has climbed, with 57% of staff feeling excited or confident- up from 34% in January 2025. Familiarity grows too, as confusion over starting points drops from 44% to 36%, and clarity on organisational AI strategies rises from 24% to 43%.

Frontier firms leading in adoption see twice the thriving rates, aligning with global trends where 82% of leaders deem 2025 pivotal for AI.

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Study links higher screen time to weaker learning results in children

A study by researchers from Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and St. Michael’s Hospital has found a correlation between increased screen time before age eight and lower scores in reading and mathematics.

Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the study followed over 3,000 Ontario children from 2008 to 2023, comparing reported screen use with their EQAO standardised test results.

Lead author Dr Catherine Birken said each additional hour of daily screen use was associated with about a 10 per cent lower likelihood of meeting provincial standards in reading and maths.

The research did not distinguish between different types of screen activity and was based on parental reports, meaning it shows association rather than causation.

Experts suggest the findings align with previous research showing that extensive screen exposure can affect focus and reduce time spent on beneficial activities such as face-to-face interaction or outdoor play.

Dr Sachin Maharaj from the University of Ottawa noted that screens may condition children’s attention spans in ways that make sustained learning more difficult.

While some parents, such as Surrey’s Anne Whitmore, impose limits to balance digital exposure and development, Birken stressed that the study was not intended to assign blame.

She said encouraging balanced screen habits should be a shared effort among parents, educators and health professionals, with an emphasis on quality content and co-viewing as recommended by the Canadian Paediatric Society.

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