Digital standards

MIT develops AI tool for faster material testing

MIT engineers have created an AI system that can assess material quality faster and more cheaply by generating synthetic spectral data. The tool uses generative AI to produce spectral readings across different scanning modalities, allowing industries to verify materials without using multiple instruments.

By analysing one type of scan, such as infrared, SpectroGen can accurately recreate what the same material’s X-ray or Raman spectrum would look like. The process is completed in less than a minute with AI, compared with hours or days using traditional laboratory equipment.

Researchers said the system achieved a 99% match with real-world data in trials involving more than 6,000 mineral samples. The breakthrough could streamline quality control in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and battery production, cutting both time and cost.

Professor Loza Tadesse described SpectroGen as a ‘co-pilot’ for researchers and technicians. Her team is now exploring medical and agricultural applications in the US, supported by Google funding, and plans to commercialise the technology through a startup.

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Students design app to support teen mental health

Six students from Blythe Bridge High School in Staffordshire are developing an app to help reduce mental health stigma among young people. Their project, called Mindful Mondays, was chosen as the winner of a national competition organised by the suicide prevention charity the Oli Leigh Trust.

The app aims to create a safe and supportive space where teenagers can talk anonymously about their mental health while completing small challenges designed to improve wellbeing. The team hopes it will encourage open conversations and promote positive habits in schools.

Student Sophie Hodgkinson said many young people struggle in silence due to stigma, while teammate Tilly Hyatt added that young creators understand their peers’ challenges better than adults. Their teacher praised the project as a positive step in addressing one of the biggest issues facing schools.

The Oli Leigh Trust said it hopes the app will inspire further innovation led by young people, empowering students to take an active role in supporting each other’s mental health. Development of Mindful Mondays in the UK is now under way.

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Google and World Bank join forces to build AI-driven public infrastructure

Google and the World Bank Group have announced a partnership to develop AI-powered digital infrastructure for emerging markets. The collaboration aims to accelerate digital transformation by deploying Open Network Stacks that make essential public services more accessible.

The initiative combines Google Cloud’s Gemini AI models with the World Bank Group’s development expertise to help governments build interoperable networks in key areas such as healthcare, agriculture and education. Citizens will be able to access these services in over 40 languages, even on basic devices.

A successful pilot project in India’s Uttar Pradesh demonstrated how AI can improve livelihoods, with smallholder farmers increasing profitability through digital tools.

To support long-term growth, Google.org is funding a new nonprofit, Networks for Humanity, which will build universal digital infrastructure, create regional innovation labs and test social impact applications globally.

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An awards win for McAfee’s consumer-first AI defence

McAfee won ‘Best Use of AI in Cybersecurity’ at the 2025 A.I. Awards for its Scam Detector. The tool, which McAfee says is the first to automate deepfake, email, and text-scam detection, underscores a consumer-focused defence. The award recognises its bid to counter fast-evolving online fraud.

Scams are at record levels, with one in three US residents reporting victimisation and average losses of $1,500. Threats now range from fake job offers and text messages to AI-generated deepfakes, increasing the pressure on tools that can act in real time across channels.

McAfee’s Scam Detector uses advanced AI to analyse text, email, and video, blocking dangerous links and flagging deepfakes before they cause harm. It is included with core McAfee plans and available on PC, mobile, and web, positioning it as a default layer for everyday protection.

Adoption has been rapid, with the product crossing one million users in its first months, according to the company. Judges praised its proactive protection and emphasis on accuracy and trust, citing its potential to restore user confidence as AI-enabled deception becomes more sophisticated.

McAfee frames the award as validation of its responsible, consumer-first AI strategy. The company says it will expand Scam Detector’s capabilities while partnering with the wider ecosystem to keep users a step ahead of emerging threats, both online and offline.

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Teenagers turn to AI for learning but struggle to spot false information

A new Oxford University Press (OUP) report has found that most teenagers are using AI for schoolwork but many cannot tell when information is false. Over 2,000 students aged 13 to 18 took part, with many finding it hard to verify AI content.

Around eight in ten pupils admitted using AI for homework or revision, often treating it as a digital tutor. However, many are simply copying material without being able to check its accuracy.

Assistant headteacher Dan Williams noted that even teachers sometimes struggle to identify AI-generated content, particularly in videos.

Despite concerns about misinformation, most pupils view AI positively. Nine in ten said they had benefited from using it, particularly in improving creative writing, problem-solving and critical thinking.

To support schools, OUP has launched an AI and Education Hub to help teachers develop confidence with the technology, while the Department for Education has released guidance on using AI safely in classrooms.

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Microsoft finds 71% of UK workers use unapproved AI tools on the job

A new Microsoft survey has revealed that nearly three in four employees in the UK use AI tools at work without company approval.

A practice, referred to as ‘shadow AI’, that involves workers relying on unapproved systems such as ChatGPT to complete routine tasks. Microsoft warned that unauthorised AI use could expose businesses to data leaks, non-compliance risks, and cyber attacks.

The survey, carried out by Censuswide, questioned over 2,000 employees across different sectors. Seventy-one per cent admitted to using AI tools outside official policies, often because they were already familiar with them in their personal lives.

Many reported using such tools to respond to emails, prepare presentations, and perform financial or administrative tasks, saving almost eight hours of work each week.

Microsoft said only enterprise-grade AI systems can provide the privacy and security organisations require. Darren Hardman, Microsoft’s UK and Ireland chief executive, urged companies to ensure workplace AI tools are designed for professional use rather than consumer convenience.

He emphasised that secure integration can allow firms to benefit from AI’s productivity gains while protecting sensitive data.

The study estimated that AI technology saves 12.1 billion working hours annually across the UK, equivalent to about £208 billion in employee time. Workers reported using the time gained through AI to improve work-life balance, learn new skills, and focus on higher-value projects.

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Teen content on Instagram now guided by PG-13 standards

Instagram is aligning its Teen Accounts with PG-13 movie standards, aiming to ensure that users under 18 only see age-appropriate material. Teens will automatically be placed in a 13+ setting and will need parental permission to change it.

Parents who want tighter supervision can activate a new ‘Limited Content’ mode that filters out even more material and restricts comments and AI interactions.

The company reviewed its policies to match familiar parental guidelines, further limiting exposure to content with strong language, risky stunts, or references to substances. Teens will also be blocked from following accounts that share inappropriate content or contain suggestive names and bios.

Searches for sensitive terms such as ‘gore’ or ‘alcohol’ will no longer return results, and the same restrictions will extend to Explore, Reels, and AI chat experiences.

Instagram worked with thousands of parents worldwide to shape these policies, collecting more than three million content ratings to refine its protections. Surveys show strong parental support, with most saying the PG-13 system makes it easier to understand what their teens are likely to see online.

The updates begin rolling out in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada and will expand globally by the end of the year.

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Argentina poised to host Latin America’s first Stargate AI project

Argentina is set to become the host of Latin America’s first Stargate project, a major AI infrastructure initiative powered by clean energy. Led by Sur Energy with OpenAI, the plan aims to make Argentina a regional and global AI leader while boosting economic growth.

OpenAI and Sur Energy have signed a Letter of Intent to explore building a large-scale data centre in Argentina. Sur Energy will lead the consortium responsible for developing the project, ensuring that the ecosystem is powered by secure, efficient, and sustainable energy sources.

OpenAI is expected to be a key offtaker for the facility.

The project follows high-level talks in Buenos Aires between President Javier Milei, government ministers, and an OpenAI delegation led by Chris Lehane. With AI use tripling and millions using ChatGPT, Argentina ranks among Latin America’s top AI developers, making it an ideal choice for the project.

As part of OpenAI’s OpenAI for Countries initiative, discussions are underway to integrate AI tools into government operations. CEO Sam Altman said the project represents ‘more than just infrastructure’ and will help make Argentina an AI hub for Latin America.

Sur Energy’s Emiliano Kargieman called it a historic opportunity that combines renewable energy with digital innovation to create jobs and attract global investment.

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Tokens-at-scale with Intel’s Crescent Island and Xe architecture

Intel unveils ‘Crescent Island’ data-centre GPU at OCP, targeting real-time, everywhere inference with high memory capacity and energy-efficient performance for agentic AI.

Sachin Katti said scaling complex inference needs heterogeneous systems and an open, developer-first stack; Intel positions Xe architecture GPUs to deliver efficient headroom as token volumes surge.

Intel’s approach spans AI PC to data centre and edge, pairing Xeon 6 and GPUs with workload-centric orchestration to simplify deployment, scaling, and developer continuity.

Crescent Island is designed for air-cooled enterprise servers, optimised for power and cost, and tuned for inference with large memory capacity and bandwidth.

Key features include the Xe3P microarchitecture for performance-per-watt gains, 160GB LPDDR5X, broad data-type support for ‘tokens-as-a-service’, and a unified software stack proven on Arc Pro B-Series; customer sampling is slated for H2 2026.

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New AI predicts future knee X-rays for osteoarthritis patients

In the UK, an AI system developed at the University of Surrey can predict what a patient’s knee X-ray will look like a year in the future, offering a visual forecast alongside a risk score for osteoarthritis progression.

The technology is designed to help both patients and doctors better understand how the condition may develop, allowing earlier and more informed treatment decisions.

Trained on nearly 50,000 knee X-rays from almost 5,000 patients, the system delivers faster and more accurate predictions than existing AI tools.

It uses a generative diffusion model to produce a future X-ray and highlights 16 key points in the joint, giving clinicians transparency and confidence in the areas monitored. Patients can compare their current and predicted X-rays, which can encourage adherence to treatment plans and lifestyle changes.

Researchers hope the technology could be adapted for other chronic conditions, including lung disease in smokers or heart disease progression, providing similar visual insights.

The team is seeking partnerships to integrate the system into real-world clinical settings, potentially transforming how millions of people manage long-term health conditions.

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