Spain’s government has approved a bill imposing heavy fines on companies that fail to label AI-generated content, aiming to combat the spread of deepfakes.
The legislation, which aligns with the European Union’s AI Act, classifies non-compliance as a serious offence, with penalties reaching up to €35 million or 7% of a company’s global revenue.
Digital Transformation Minister Oscar Lopez stressed that AI can be a force for good but also a tool for misinformation and threats to democracy.
The bill also bans manipulative AI techniques, such as subliminal messaging targeting vulnerable groups, and restricts the use of AI-driven biometric profiling, except in cases of national security.
Spain is one of the first EU nations to implement these strict AI regulations, going beyond the looser US approach, which relies on voluntary compliance.
A newly established AI supervisory agency, AESIA, will oversee enforcement, alongside sector-specific regulators handling privacy, financial markets, and law enforcement concerns.
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The latest offering, called the Responses API, allows developers to create AI systems that execute complex tasks independently. This new tool replaces the Assistants API, which will be phased out by mid-2026.
The launch comes as Chinese startups make rapid advances in AI, with some claiming their models rival or surpass those of leading US firms at a lower cost.
One such company, Monica, recently introduced its autonomous AI agent, Manus, which it says outperforms OpenAI’s DeepResearch agent.
Monica’s rise follows growing recognition of Chinese AI innovations, including DeepSeek, which has impressed Silicon Valley executives.
On Tuesday, Monica announced a partnership with the team behind Alibaba’s Qwen AI models, further intensifying the global AI race.
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Apple is preparing a significant redesign of its software, which will bring a fresh look to the operating systems of the iPhone, iPad and Mac.
The update, expected later this year, will introduce changes to icons, menus, apps, windows and system buttons, drawing inspiration from the Vision Pro mixed-reality headset. Sources familiar with the project say the goal is to make Apple’s various operating systems more visually consistent.
The company is also focusing on simplifying how users navigate and control their devices. The changes are part of Apple’s broader effort to enhance its product appeal, following the recent launch of new iPad Air and MacBook Air models with AI features.
The update is expected to make interacting with Apple devices more intuitive and streamlined.
Apple plans to showcase the redesigned software at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The overhaul marks one of the most significant visual updates in years, reflecting Apple’s push to refine its ecosystem and create a seamless user experience across its devices.
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The Trump administration has cut funding for two key cybersecurity initiatives, including one supporting election security, sparking concerns over potential vulnerabilities in future US elections.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) announced it would end around $10 million in annual funding to the non-profit Center for Internet Security, which manages election-related cybersecurity programmes.
However, this move comes as part of a broader review of CISA’s election-related work, during which over a dozen staff members were placed on administrative leave.
The decision follows another controversial step by the administration to dismantle an FBI task force that investigated foreign influence in US elections.
Critics warn that reducing government involvement in election security weakens safeguards against interference, with Larry Norden from the Brennan Center for Justice calling the cuts a serious risk for state and local election officials.
The National Association of Secretaries of State is now seeking clarification on CISA’s decision and its wider implications.
CISA has faced Republican criticism in recent years for its role in countering misinformation related to the 2020 election and the coronavirus pandemic. However, previous leadership maintained that the agency’s work was limited to assisting states in identifying and addressing misinformation.
While CISA argues the funding cuts will streamline its focus on critical security areas, concerns remain over the potential impact on election integrity and cybersecurity protections across local and state governments.
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IBM secured a legal victory in the UK on March 10, 2025, after the High Court ruled in its favour against LzLabs. The lawsuit, which IBM filed against the Swiss-based company and its owner, John Moores, centred on accusations of stealing trade secrets. IBM claimed LzLabs’ UK subsidiary, Winsopia, misused its mainframe computer licence to reverse-engineer IBM’s proprietary software.
The court sided with IBM, agreeing that Winsopia had violated the terms of its licence agreement. Judge Finola O’Farrell concluded that LzLabs and Moores had unlawfully facilitated these breaches. Although LzLabs defended its actions, arguing that its software was developed independently over many years, the court ruled that the company had acted inappropriately.
This ruling is seen as a major win for IBM, reinforcing the value of its technological investments. The case, which will proceed to a hearing to determine potential damages, reflects the company’s commitment to protecting its intellectual property. LzLabs and Moores did not immediately comment on the decision.
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Coinbase has officially registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), allowing it to offer crypto trading services in the country, the company announced on Tuesday. The US-based exchange plans to launch its initial retail services later this year, followed by further investments and product rollouts. While a specific timeline has not been disclosed, Coinbase sees India as a key market with strong growth potential.
Interest in cryptocurrency has surged in India, particularly among young investors looking to supplement their incomes. Despite a 30% tax on crypto trading gains—one of the highest globally—the sector remains largely unregulated. Other major exchanges operating in the country include CoinDCX, Binance, and KuCoin.
India requires virtual asset service providers to register with the FIU and comply with anti-money laundering regulations. The government is currently reviewing its stance on crypto, influenced by global regulatory trends and recent policy shifts in the US. As the regulatory landscape evolves, Coinbase aims to establish a strong foothold in the Indian market while adhering to local compliance standards.
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Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced its focus will be on interventions that directly affect UK consumers and businesses. The regulator will release a ‘roadmap’ to guide Big Tech companies, clarifying which issues it plans to prioritise and which it may deprioritise. The roadmap will also outline potential future interventions if companies are designated as having strategic market status, including tech giants like Google and Apple.
CEO Sarah Cardell emphasised that the CMA would act with a ‘more nuanced approach’ to promote competition while fostering business growth. With new powers to investigate firms with significant turnover in the UK, the CMA will continue its work to ensure fairness and transparency in the digital markets. The first roadmaps for investigations into search engines and mobile platforms are set to be released in June and July 2025.
The CMA’s strategy aligns with a pro-business direction, as the UK government aims to boost investor confidence while maintaining competitive markets. This initiative follows the appointment of Doug Gurr, former head of Amazon UK, as interim chair, signaling the government’s commitment to balancing regulation with economic growth.
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Poland’s deputy prime minister reaffirmed plans to introduce a new tax on big tech firms despite warnings from the incoming US ambassador, intensifying tensions between Warsaw and Washington. Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski dismissed Ambassador Thomas Rose’s remarks as interference, calling it ‘sick’ for another country to dictate Poland’s legislation.
The dispute adds to growing friction between the two allies, fueled by a recent online clash involving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Elon Musk, and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski over Poland’s funding of Ukraine’s Starlink services. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also weighed in, cautioning against ‘arrogance’ from Poland’s allies.
While Gawkowski has not provided specifics on the proposed tax, he suggested it would target the profits of major tech companies operating in Poland and support local tech development. However, some within Poland’s coalition government question the timing, warning of potential trade consequences. Meanwhile, the nationalist opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) argues that the move risks straining relations with Washington.
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New York State has taken legal action against Allstate, accusing its National General unit of mishandling customer data security and failing to report a breach that exposed sensitive information.
The state’s Attorney General, Letitia James, filed the lawsuit in Manhattan, claiming that the breaches, which occurred in 2020 and 2021, resulted in hackers accessing the driver’s license numbers of over 360,000 people.
According to the lawsuit, National General did not notify affected drivers or state agencies about the first breach, which occurred between August and November 2020.
The second, larger breach, was discovered three months later in January 2021. James alleges that National General violated the state’s Stop Hacks and Improve Electronic Data Security Act by failing to protect customer information adequately.
In response, Allstate defended its actions, stating that it had resolved the issue years ago, secured its systems, and offered free credit monitoring to affected consumers.
The lawsuit seeks civil fines of $5,000 per violation, in addition to other remedies. This legal action follows similar penalties imposed on other US companies for data security lapses, including fines for Geico and Travelers.
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WhatsApp is set to introduce a new Meta AI widget that will allow users to access its AI capabilities directly from their home screens.
The widget, now in beta testing, eliminates the need to open the app to interact with Meta’s AI, making it quicker and more convenient to use.
Users can ask questions, upload images, and even activate the AI’s voice mode directly from their device’s home screen.
This new feature is expected to make Meta AI even more accessible, helping to increase its popularity among WhatsApp users.
Powered by the company’s Llama language model, the AI is already capable of answering questions, generating images, and participating in both individual and group conversations.
The widget is adjustable, letting users resize it according to their preferences. While it’s currently only available to a limited group of users, WhatsApp plans to make it available to everyone in the coming months.
However, this addition comes as part of a wider rollout of new features within WhatsApp, including preset chat themes and shareable sticker packs.
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