China has proposed stringent new rules for AI aimed at protecting children and preventing chatbots from providing advice that could lead to self-harm, violence, or gambling.
The draft regulations, published by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), require developers to include personalised settings, time limits, and parental consent for services offering emotional companionship.
High-risk chats involving self-harm or suicide must be passed to a human operator, with guardians or emergency contacts alerted. AI providers must not produce content that threatens national security, harms national honour, or undermines national unity.
The rules come as AI usage surges, with platforms such as DeepSeek, Z.ai, and Minimax attracting millions of users in China and abroad. The CAC supports safe AI use, including tools for local culture and elderly companionship.
The move reflects growing global concerns over AI’s impact on human behaviour. Notably, OpenAI has faced legal challenges over alleged chatbot-related harm, prompting the company to create roles focused on tracking AI risks to mental health and cybersecurity.
China’s draft rules signal a firm approach to regulating AI technology as its influence expands rapidly.
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Korean Air has disclosed a data breach affecting about 30,000 employees. Stolen records were taken from systems operated by a former subsidiary.
The breach occurred at catering supplier KC&D, sold off in 2020. Hackers, who had previously attacked the Washington Post accessed employee names and their bank account details, while customer data remained unaffected.
Investigators linked the incident to exploits in Oracle E-Business Suite. Cybercriminals abused zero day flaws during a wider global hacking campaign.
The attack against Korean Air has been claimed by the Cl0p ransomware group. Aviation firms worldwide have reported similar breaches connected to the same campaign.
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Many visually impaired gamers find mainstream video games difficult due to limited accessibility features. Support groups enable players to share tips, recommend titles, and connect with others who face similar challenges.
Audio and text‑based mobile games are popular, yet console and PC titles often lack voiceovers or screen reader support. Adjustable visual presets could make mainstream games more accessible for partially sighted players.
UK industry bodies acknowledge progress, but barriers remain for millions of visually impaired players. Communities offer social support and provide feedback to developers to improve games and make them inclusive.
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A Moscow court has dismissed a class action lawsuit filed against Russia’s state media regulator Roskomnadzor and the Ministry of Digital Development by users of WhatsApp and Telegram. The ruling was issued by a judge at the Tagansky District Court.
The court said activist Konstantin Larionov failed to demonstrate he was authorised to represent messaging app users. The lawsuit claimed call restrictions violated constitutional rights, including freedom of information and communication secrecy.
The case followed Roskomnadzor’s decision in August to block calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, a move officials described as part of anti-fraud efforts. Both companies criticised the restrictions at the time.
Larionov and several dozen co-plaintiffs said the measures were ineffective, citing central bank data showing fraud mainly occurs through traditional calls and text messages. The plaintiffs also argued the restrictions disproportionately affected ordinary users.
Larionov said the group plans to appeal the decision and continue legal action. He has described the lawsuit as an attempt to challenge what he views as politically motivated restrictions on communication services in Russia.
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China is proposing new rules requiring users to consent before AI companies can use chat logs for training. The draft measures aim to balance innovation with safety and public interest.
Platforms would need to inform users when interacting with AI and provide options to access or delete their chat history. For minors, guardian consent is required before sharing or storing any data.
Analysts say the rules may slow AI chatbot improvements but provide guidance on responsible development. The measures signal that some user conversations are too sensitive for free training data.
The draft rules are open for public consultation with feedback due in late January. China encourages expanding human-like AI applications once safety and reliability are demonstrated.
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Security researchers warn hackers are exploiting a new feature in Microsoft Copilot Studio. The issue affects recently launched Connected Agents functionality.
Connected Agents allows AI systems to interact and share tools across environments. Researchers say default settings can expose sensitive capabilities without clear monitoring.
Zenity Labs reported attackers linking rogue agents to trusted systems. Exploits included unauthorised email sending and data access.
Experts urge organisations to disable Connected Agents for critical workloads. Stronger authentication and restricted access are advised until safeguards improve.
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The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has announced it will largely end remote examinations in the UK from March 2026, requiring students to sit tests in person unless exceptional circumstances apply.
The decision aims to address a surge in cheating, particularly facilitated by AI tools.
Remote testing was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to allow students to continue qualifying when in-person exams were impossible. The ACCA said online assessments have now become too difficult to monitor effectively, despite efforts to strengthen safeguards against misconduct.
Investigations show cheating has impacted major auditing firms, including the ‘big four’ and other top companies. High-profile cases, such as EY’s $100m (£74m) settlement in the US, highlight the risks posed by compromised professional examinations.
While other accounting bodies, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, continue to allow some online exams, the ACCA has indicated that high-stakes assessments must now be conducted in person to maintain credibility and integrity.
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US federal agencies planning to deploy agentic AI in 2026 are being told to prioritise data organisation as a prerequisite for effective adoption. AI infrastructure providers say poorly structured data remains a major barrier to turning agentic systems into operational tools.
Public sector executives at Amazon Web Services, Oracle, and Cisco said government clients are shifting focus away from basic chatbot use cases. Instead, agencies are seeking domain-specific AI systems capable of handling defined tasks and delivering measurable outcomes.
US industry leaders said achieving this shift requires modernising legacy infrastructure alongside cleaning, structuring, and contextualising data. Executives stressed that agentic AI depends on high-quality data pipelines that allow systems to act autonomously within defined parameters.
Oracle said its public sector strategy for 2026 centres on enabling context-aware AI through updated data assets. Company executives argued that AI systems are only effective when deeply aligned with an organisation’s underlying data environment.
The companies said early agentic AI use cases include document review, data entry, and network traffic management. Cloud infrastructure was also highlighted as critical for scaling agentic systems and accelerating innovation across government workflows.
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A new computational brain model, built entirely from biological principles, has learned a visual categorisation task with accuracy and variability matching that of lab animals. Remarkably, the model achieved these results without being trained on any animal data.
The biomimetic design integrates detailed synaptic rules with large-scale architecture across the cortex, striatum, brainstem, and acetylcholine-modulated systems.
As the model learned, it reproduced neural rhythms observed in real animals, including strengthened beta-band synchrony during correct decisions. The result demonstrates emergent realism in both behaviour and underlying neural activity.
The model also revealed a previously unnoticed set of ‘incongruent neurons’ that predicted errors. When researchers revisited animal data, they found the same signals had gone undetected, highlighting the platform’s potential to uncover hidden neural dynamics.
Beyond neuroscience research, the model offers a powerful tool for testing neurotherapeutic interventions in silico. Simulating disease-related circuits allows scientists to test treatments before costly clinical trials, potentially speeding up the development of next-generation neurotherapeutics.
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Meta Platforms has acquired Manus, a Singapore-based developer of general-purpose AI agents, as part of its continued push to expand artificial intelligence capabilities. The deal underscores Meta’s strategy of acquiring specialised AI firms to accelerate product development.
Manus, founded in China before relocating to Singapore, develops AI agents capable of performing tasks such as market research, coding, and data analysis. The company said it reached more than $100 million in annualised revenue within eight months of launch and was serving millions of users worldwide.
Meta said the acquisition will help integrate advanced automation into its consumer and enterprise offerings, including the Meta AI assistant. Manus will continue operating its subscription service, and its employees will join Meta’s teams.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but media reports valued the deal at more than $2 billion. Manus had been seeking funding at a similar valuation before being approached by Meta and had recently raised capital from international investors.
The acquisition follows a series of AI-focused deals by Meta, including investments in Scale AI and AI device start-ups. Analysts say the move highlights intensifying competition among major technology firms to secure AI talent and capabilities.
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