Digital standards Archives | Page 70 of 362

Google.org backs AI-led science breakthroughs

The organisation Google.org has selected twelve recipients for its $20 million AI for Science fund, which aims to accelerate research in health, agriculture, biodiversity, and climate.

The initiative backs academic, nonprofit, and startup teams using AI to turn scientific insights into real-world solutions. In health and life sciences, projects target genetic decoding, neural mapping, disease prediction, and faster detection of drug resistance.

Research groups are applying advanced AI models to unlock hidden regions of the human genome, simulate disease pathways, and dramatically reduce detection times for life-threatening pathogens, shifting medicine towards earlier intervention and prevention.

Agriculture and food systems are another focus, using AI to breed resistant crops, improve nutrition, and cut livestock methane emissions. Projects seek to strengthen food security, boost sustainability, and support climate resilience.

Biodiversity and clean energy efforts target species mapping, conservation planning, fusion research, and large-scale carbon capture. Open science principles ensure datasets and tools remain accessible, scalable, and capable of driving wider breakthroughs.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Indeed expands AI tools to reshape hiring

Indeed is expanding its use of AI to improve hiring efficiency, enhance candidate matching, and support recruiters, while keeping humans in control of final decisions.

The platform offers over 100 AI-powered features across job search, recruitment, and internal operations, supported by a long-term partnership with OpenAI.

Recent launches include Career Scout for job seekers and Talent Scout for employers, streamlining career guidance, sourcing, screening, and engagement.

Additional AI-powered tools introduced through Indeed Connect aim to improve candidate discovery and screening, helping companies move faster while broadening access to opportunities through skills-based matching.

AI adoption has accelerated internally, with over 80% of engineers using AI tools and two-thirds of staff saving up to 2 hours per week. Marketing, sales, and research teams are building custom AI agents to support creativity, personalised outreach, and strategic decision-making.

Responsible AI principles remain central to Indeed’s strategy, prioritising fairness, transparency, and human control in hiring. Early results show faster hiring, stronger candidate engagement, and improved outcomes in hard-to-fill roles, reinforcing confidence in AI-driven recruitment.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

UK banks block large share of crypto transfers, report finds

UK banks are blocking or delaying close to 40% of payments to cryptocurrency exchanges, sharply increasing customer friction and slowing market growth, according to a new industry report.

Around 80% of surveyed exchanges reported rising payment disruptions, while 70% described the banking environment as increasingly hostile, discouraging investment, hiring, and product launches in the UK.

The survey of major platforms, including Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini, reveals widespread and opaque restrictions across bank transfers and card payments. One exchange reported nearly £1 billion in declined transactions last year, citing unclear rejection reasons despite FCA registration.

Several high-street and digital banks maintain outright blocks, while others impose strict transaction caps. The UK Cryptoasset Business Council warned that blanket debanking practices could breach existing regulations, including those on payment services, consumer protection, and competition.

The council urged the FCA and government to enforce a risk-based approach, expand data sharing, and remove unnecessary barriers as the UK finalises its long-term crypto framework.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

France’s National Assembly backs under-15 social media ban

France’s National Assembly has backed a bill that would bar children under 15 from accessing social media, citing rising concern over cyberbullying and mental-health harms. MPs approved the text late Monday by 116 votes to 23, sending it next to the Senate before it returns to the lower house for a final vote.

As drafted, the proposal would cover both standalone social networks and ‘social networking’ features embedded inside wider platforms, and it would rely on age checks that comply with the EU rules. The same package also extends France’s existing smartphone restrictions in schools to include high schools, and lawmakers have discussed additional guardrails, such as limits on practices deemed harmful to minors (including advertising and recommendation systems).

President Emmanuel Macron has urged lawmakers to move quickly, arguing that platforms are not neutral spaces for adolescents and linking social media to broader concerns about youth violence and well-being. Support for stricter limits is broad across parties, and polling has pointed in the same direction, but the bill still faces the practical question of how reliably platforms can keep underage users out.

Australia set the pace in December 2025, when its world-first ban on under-16s holding accounts on major platforms came into force, an approach now closely watched abroad. Early experience there has highlighted the same tension France faces, between political clarity (‘no accounts under the age line’) and the messy reality of age assurance and workarounds.

France’s debate is also unfolding in a broader European push to tighten child online safety rules. The European Parliament has called for an EU-wide ‘digital minimum age’ of 16 (with parental consent options for 13–16), while the European Commission has issued guidance for platforms and developed a prototype age-verification tool designed to preserve privacy, signalling that Brussels is trying to square protection with data-minimisation.

Why does it matter?

Beyond the child-safety rationale, the move reflects a broader push to curb platform power, with youth protection framed as a test case for stronger state oversight of Big Tech. At the same time, critics warn that strict age-verification regimes can expand online identification and surveillance, raising privacy and rights concerns, and may push teens toward smaller or less regulated spaces rather than offline life.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Google fixes Gmail bug that sent spam into primary inboxes

Gmail experienced widespread email filt e ring issues on Saturday, sending spam into primary inboxes and mislabelling legitimate messages as suspicious, according to Google’s Workspace status dashboard.

Problems began around 5 a.m. Pacific time, with users reporting disrupted inbox categories, unexpected spam warnings and delays in email delivery. Many said promotional and social emails appeared in primary folders, while trusted senders were flagged as potential threats.

Google acknowledged the malfunction throughout the day, noting ongoing efforts to restore normal service as complaints spread across social media platforms.

By Saturday evening, the company confirmed the issue had been fully resolved for all users, although some misclassified messages and spam warnings may remain visible for emails received before the fix.

Google said it is conducting an internal investigation and will publish a detailed incident analysis to explain what caused the disruption.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Georgia moves to curb AI data centre expansion amid energy concerns

The state of Georgia is emerging as the focal point of a growing backlash against the rapid expansion of data centres powering the US’ AI boom.

Lawmakers in several states are now considering statewide bans, as concerns over energy consumption, water use and local disruption move to the centre of economic and environmental debate.

A bill introduced in Georgia would impose a moratorium on new data centre construction until March next year, giving state and municipal authorities time to establish more explicit regulatory rules.

The proposal arrives after Georgia’s utility regulator approved plans for an additional 10 gigawatts of electricity generation, primarily driven by data centre demand and expected to rely heavily on fossil fuels.

Local resistance has intensified as the Atlanta metropolitan area led the country in data centre construction last year, prompting multiple municipalities to impose their own temporary bans.

Critics argue that rapid development has pushed up electricity bills, strained water supplies and delivered fewer tax benefits than promised. At the same time, utility companies retain incentives to expand generation rather than improve grid efficiency.

The issue has taken on broader political significance as Georgia prepares for key elections that will affect utility oversight.

Supporters of the moratorium frame the pause as a chance for public scrutiny and democratic accountability, while backers of the industry warn that blanket restrictions risk undermining investment, jobs and long-term technological competitiveness.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Europe rethinks dependence on US Big Tech

Rising transatlantic tensions have reignited concerns over Europe’s heavy reliance on US Big Tech, exposing vulnerabilities across cloud services, AI, and digital infrastructure.

European lawmakers are increasingly pushing for homegrown alternatives, warning that excessive dependence on a small group of foreign providers threatens economic resilience, public services, and technological sovereignty.

European Parliament data shows over 80 percent of the EU’s digital products and infrastructure come from outside the bloc, with US firms dominating cloud and AI.

Officials warn the concentration increases geopolitical, cyber and supply risks, driving renewed efforts to boost Europe’s digital autonomy and competitiveness.

Initiatives such as Eurostack and rising open-source investment aim to build digital independence, though analysts say real sovereignty could take a decade and vast funding.

While policymakers accept that full decoupling from US technology remains unrealistic, pressure is mounting for governments and public institutions to prioritise European solutions and treat digital infrastructure as a strategic asset.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Artists and writers say no to generative AI

Creative communities are pushing back against generative AI in literature and art. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association now bars works created wholly or partly with large language models after criticism of earlier, more permissive rules.

San Diego Comic-Con faced controversy when it initially allowed AI-generated art in its exhibition, but not for sale. Artists argued that the rules threatened originality, prompting organisers to ban all AI-created material.

Authors warn that generative AI undermines the creative process. Some point out that large language model tools are already embedded in research and writing software, raising concerns about accidental disqualification from awards.

Fans and members welcomed SFWA’s decision, but questions remain about how broadly AI usage will be defined. Many creators insist that machines cannot replicate storytelling and artistic skill.

Industry observers expect other cultural organisations to follow similar policies this year. The debate continues over ethics, fairness, and technology’s role in arts and literature.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

AI surveillance cameras deployed to combat fly-tipping

New measures are being introduced in west Northamptonshire with the deployment of an AI-powered CCTV tower to combat fly-tipping in known hotspots. The mobile system will be rotated between locations until January 2027 to improve detection and deterrence.

Fly-tipping remains a significant issue across the area, with more than 21,000 incidents cleared between April 2024 and March 2025. Local authorities say illegal dumping damages neighbourhoods, harms wildlife and places a heavy financial burden on taxpayers.

The tower uses 360-degree cameras and AI to monitor activity and identify offences as they occur. Automatic number plate recognition allows enforcement officers to link incidents to suspected vehicles more quickly.

Council leaders say a similar scheme in Dartford have reduced fly-tipping and believe the technology sends a strong message to offenders. Residents are encouraged to report incidents through the council website or smartphone app to support enforcement efforts.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech, and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Monnett highlights EU digital sovereignty in social media

Monnett is a European-built social media platform designed to give people control over their online feeds. Users can choose exactly what they see, prioritise friends’ posts, and opt out of surveillance-style recommendation systems that dominate other networks.

Unlike mainstream platforms, Monnett places privacy first, with no profiling or sale of user data, and private chats protected without being mined for advertising. The platform also avoids “AI slop” or generative AI content shaping people’s feeds, emphasising human-centred interaction.

Created and built in Luxembourg at the heart of Europe, Monnett’s design reflects a growing push for digital sovereignty in the European Union, where citizens, regulators and developers want more control over how their digital spaces are governed and how personal data is treated.

Core features include full customisation of your algorithm, no shadowbans, strong privacy safeguards, and a focus on genuine social connection. Monnett aims to win users who prefer meaningful online interaction over addictive feeds and opaque data practices.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!