E-commerce and trade

FTC says Amazon misused legal privilege to dodge scrutiny

Federal regulators have accused Amazon of deliberately concealing incriminating evidence in an ongoing antitrust case by abusing privilege claims. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said Amazon wrongly withheld nearly 70,000 documents, withdrawing 92% of its claims after a judge forced a re-review.

The FTC claims Amazon marked non-legal documents as privileged to keep them from scrutiny. Internal emails suggest staff were told to mislabel communications by including legal teams unnecessarily.

One email reportedly called former CEO Jeff Bezos the ‘chief dark arts officer,’ referring to questionable Prime subscription tactics.

The documents revealed issues such as widespread involuntary Prime sign-ups and efforts to manipulate search results in favour of Amazon’s products. Regulators said these practices show Amazon intended to hide evidence rather than make honest errors.

The FTC is now seeking a 90-day extension for discovery and wants Amazon to cover the additional legal costs. It claims the delay and concealment gave Amazon an unfair strategic advantage instead of allowing a level playing field.

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Apple prepares low-power chip for smart eyewear

Apple is developing custom chips to power future smart glasses, AI servers, and new Mac models, according to a report by Bloomberg News.

The chip for the glasses is being designed with a focus on energy efficiency and advanced camera handling, and production could begin as early as late 2026 or 2027.

Built on technology similar to that of the Apple Watch instead of the iPhone, the chip is expected to consume significantly less power.

It will be manufactured by Taiwan’s TSMC and tailored to manage multiple cameras efficiently, potentially positioning Apple as a rival to Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses.

At the same time, Apple is working on new Mac processors—possibly branded as the M6 and M7—as well as AI server chips designed to support the Apple Intelligence platform. This system enables features like notification summaries, email rewriting, and access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

These projects come as Apple expands its silicon strategy. Earlier in 2025, the company unveiled its first custom modem for iPhones, and it plans to source over 19 billion chips from the US this year instead of depending on China, while also boosting production in India.

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Microsoft bans DeepSeek app for staff use

Microsoft has confirmed it does not allow employees to use the DeepSeek app, citing data security and propaganda concerns.

Speaking at a Senate hearing, company president Brad Smith explained the decision stems from fears that data shared with DeepSeek could end up on Chinese servers and be exposed to state surveillance laws.

Although DeepSeek is open source and widely available, Microsoft has chosen not to list the app in its own store.

Smith warned that DeepSeek’s answers may be influenced by Chinese government censorship and propaganda, and its privacy policy confirms data is stored in China, making it subject to local intelligence regulations.

Interestingly, Microsoft still offers DeepSeek’s R1 model via its Azure cloud service. The company argued this is a different matter, as customers can host the model on their servers instead of relying on DeepSeek’s infrastructure.

Even so, Smith admitted Microsoft had to alter the model to remove ‘harmful side effects,’ although no technical details were provided.

While Microsoft blocks DeepSeek’s app for internal use, it hasn’t imposed a blanket ban on all chatbot competitors. Apps like Perplexity are available in the Windows store, unlike those from Google.

The stance against DeepSeek marks a rare public move by Microsoft as the tech industry navigates rising tensions over AI tools with foreign links.

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Gemini Nano boosts scam detection on Chrome

Google has released a new report outlining how it is using AI to better protect users from online scams across its platforms.

The company says AI is now actively fighting scams in Chrome, Search and Android, with new tools able to detect and neutralise threats more effectively than before.

At the heart of these efforts is Gemini Nano, Google’s on-device AI model, which has been integrated into Chrome to help identify phishing and fraudulent websites.

The report claims the upgraded systems can now detect 20 times more harmful websites, many of which aim to deceive users by creating a false sense of urgency or offering fake promotions. These scams often involve phishing, cryptocurrency fraud, clone websites and misleading subscriptions.

Search has also seen major improvements. Google’s AI-powered classifiers are now better at spotting scam-related content before users encounter it. For example, the company says it has reduced scams involving fake airline customer service agents by over 80 per cent, thanks to its enhanced detection tools.

Meanwhile, Android users are beginning to see stronger safeguards as well. Chrome on Android now warns users about suspicious website notifications, offering the choice to unsubscribe or review them safely.

Google has confirmed plans to extend these protections even further in the coming months, aiming to cover a broader range of online threats.

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OpenAI launches data residency in India for ChatGPT enterprise

OpenAI has announced that enterprise and educational customers in India using ChatGPT can now store their data locally instead of relying on servers abroad.

The move, aimed at complying with India’s upcoming data localisation rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, allows conversations, uploads, and prompts to remain within the country. Similar options are now available in Japan, Singapore, and South Korea.

Data stored under this new residency option will be encrypted and kept secure, according to the company. OpenAI clarified it will not use this data for training its models unless customers choose to share it.

The change may also influence a copyright infringement case against OpenAI in India, where the jurisdiction was previously questioned due to foreign server locations.

Alongside this update, OpenAI has unveiled a broader international initiative, called OpenAI for Countries, as part of the US-led $500 billion Stargate project.

The plan involves building AI infrastructure in partner countries instead of centralising development, allowing nations to create localised versions of ChatGPT tailored to their languages and services.

OpenAI says the goal is to help democracies develop AI on their own terms instead of adopting centralised, authoritarian systems.

The company and the US government will co-invest in local data centres and AI models to strengthen economic growth and digital sovereignty across the globe.

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CrowdStrike cuts jobs amid AI shift

Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike is laying off 500 employees—5% of its workforce—as it shifts towards an AI-led operating model to boost efficiency and hit a $10 billion annual revenue goal.

In a letter to staff, CEO George Kurtz described AI as a ‘force multiplier’ meant to reduce hiring needs instead of expanding headcount.

The restructure, expected to cost up to $53 million through mid-2026, will still see hiring in customer-facing and engineering roles.

Yet despite its optimism, the company’s regulatory filings flag notable risks in depending on AI, such as faulty outputs, legal uncertainty, and the challenge of managing fast-moving systems. Analysts have also linked the shift to wider market pressures, not merely strategic innovation.

Principal analyst Sofia Ali warned that the AI-first approach may backfire if transparency, governance, and human oversight are not prioritised. Over-reliance on automation—especially in threat detection or customer support—could erode user trust instead of reinforcing it, particularly during critical incidents.

CrowdStrike’s move mirrors a broader tech trend: over 52,000 tech jobs were cut in early 2025 as firms embraced AI to replace automatable roles. For cybersecurity leaders, the challenge now lies in balancing AI’s promise with the human expertise essential to trust and resilience.

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Indian stock exchanges curb foreign access amid cybersecurity concerns

India’s two largest stock exchanges, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and BSE Ltd, have temporarily restricted overseas access to their websites amid rising concerns over cyber threats. The move does not affect foreign investors’ ability to trade on Indian markets.

Sources familiar with the matter confirmed the decision followed a joint meeting between the exchanges, although no recent direct attack has been specified.

Despite the restrictions, market operations remain fully functional, with officials emphasising that the measures are purely preventive.

The precautionary step comes during heightened regional tensions between India and Pakistan, though no link to the geopolitical situation has been confirmed. The NSE has yet to comment publicly on the situation.

A BSE spokesperson noted that the exchanges are monitoring cyber risks both domestically and internationally and that website access is now granted selectively to protect users and infrastructure.

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Palantir and partners promise rapid AI deployment in banking

Palantir Technologies, xAI, and TWG Global have announced a new partnership aimed at accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence across the financial services industry. The initiative promises faster deployment and measurable results within just 90 days.

The collaboration seeks to help financial institutions integrate AI into their core operations. As financial institutions strive to modernise, the companies aim to overcome what they call the ‘agentic tech debt bubble’ and deliver real, scalable value.

The offering combines Palantir’s platform, xAI’s advanced language models, and TWG Global’s operational expertise, including a Governance Foundation for data readiness and a suite of AI-driven tools.

TWG Global will lead implementation efforts, focusing on involving senior executives directly to ensure AI integration becomes a central business strategy rather than a sidelined tech project. The partnership builds on an earlier venture between Palantir and TWG Global.

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Apple may replace Google with AI in Safari

Apple may soon reshape how users search the web on iPhones and other devices by integrating AI-powered search engines directly into Safari instead of relying solely on Google.

According to Bloomberg, the company is ‘actively looking at’ expanding options in its browser to include AI systems such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity, potentially disrupting Google’s long-held dominance in online search.

Currently, Google pays Apple around $20 billion a year to remain the default search engine in Safari — about 36% of the search ad revenue generated through Apple devices. But that relationship may be under pressure, especially as AI tools gain popularity.

Apple has already partnered with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT into Siri, while Google is now pushing to include its Gemini AI system in future Apple products.

Alphabet’s shares dropped 6% following the news, while Apple saw a 2% dip. Apple executive Eddy Cue, testifying in an ongoing antitrust case, noted a recent decline in Safari searches and said he expects AI search tools to eventually replace traditional engines like Google.

Apple, he added, plans to introduce these AI services as built-in alternatives in Safari in the near future.

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Netflix introduces AI chatbot to help you pick what to watch

Netflix is trialling an AI chatbot inside its iOS app, offering a new way for users to find content by simply typing natural phrases instead of relying on standard searches. In this small, opt-in beta, users might say things like ‘I want something funny and upbeat; to receive tailored recommendations.

The company believes the AI chatbot could soon become a core part of its app on both iOS and Android, and perhaps even land on TVs in future.

Alongside this, Netflix is reshaping the user experience by surfacing helpful labels like ‘Emmy Award Winner’ and ‘#1 in TV Shows’ to help viewers choose faster instead of scrolling endlessly.

Search and My List are moving to the top of TV screens for better visibility, and the homepage is getting a cleaner, more modern design.

Netflix says recommendations will also shift dynamically based on a viewer’s mood or interests, although it hasn’t explained exactly how this will work.

On mobile, Netflix plans to roll out a vertical feed of show and movie clips in the coming weeks. You’ll be able to tap to watch, save, or share immediately—turning content discovery into a quick and interactive experience instead of a chore.

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