Google’s upgraded AI Mode in Google Search now supports conversational queries and image uploads, delivering highly relevant visual results. Launched in the US in English, the feature allows users to refine searches naturally, perfect for finding inspiration or specific items effortlessly.
AI Mode simplifies shopping; users describe items like ‘barrel jeans, not too baggy,’ to get tailored, shoppable results. Google’s Shopping Graph, boasting over 50 billion product listings, provides details like reviews, deals, and availability, with 2 billion listings refreshed hourly.
The update harnesses Gemini 2.5’s advanced multimodal capabilities and a ‘visual search fan-out’ technique, enabling deeper image analysis. The approach identifies subtle details and secondary objects, ensuring results align closely with the user’s intent and the image’s full context.
On mobile, users can dive deeper by searching within specific images, asking follow-up questions to explore creative ideas or pinpoint exact items. The intuitive experience transforms how users seek inspiration or shop online, making searches more natural and precise.
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OpenAI has launched Instant Checkout, a feature that lets users make direct purchases within ChatGPT. The initial rollout applies to US Etsy sellers, with Shopify merchants to follow.
The system is powered by the Agentic Commerce Protocol, which OpenAI co-developed with Stripe, and currently supports single-item purchases. Future updates will add multi-item carts and expand to more regions.
According to OpenAI, product results in ChatGPT are organic and ranked for relevance. The e-commerce framework will be open-sourced to accelerate integrations for merchants and developers. Users can pay using cards already on file, and transactions involve explicit confirmation steps, scoped payment tokens, and limited data sharing to build trust.
Michelle Fradin, OpenAI’s product lead for ChatGPT commerce, said the goal is to move beyond information retrieval and support real-world actions. Stripe’s president for technology and business, Will Gaybrick, described the partnership as laying economic infrastructure for AI.
Merchants will pay a small fee on completed purchases, while users are not charged extra and product prices remain unchanged.
Reuters reported that Etsy and Shopify’s stocks rose significantly following the announcement, with Etsy closing up nearly 16 percent and Shopify more than 6 percent. The company plans to extend the system to more merchants and payment types over time.
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Under the new “Instant Checkout” feature, US ChatGPT users can purchase products directly from US Etsy sellers within the chatbot interface. OpenAI plans to bring more merchants, such as Shopify sellers, into the system soon.
The juxtaposition of AI and e-commerce signalled to markets a leap in monetisation potential for ChatGPT. Investors viewed the move as shifting ChatGPT from a content tool into a transactional platform. Shopify’s shares also saw gains.
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PayOS and Mastercard have completed the first live agentic payment using a Mastercard Agentic Token, marking a pivotal step for AI-driven commerce. The demonstration, powered by Mastercard Agent Pay, extends the tokenisation infrastructure that already underpins mobile payments and card storage.
The system enables AI agents to initiate payments while enforcing consent, authentication, and fraud checks, thereby forming what Mastercard refers to as the trust layer. It shows how card networks are preparing for agentic transactions to become central to digital commerce.
Mastercard’s Chief Digital Officer, Pablo Fourez, stated that the company is developing a secure and interoperable ecosystem for AI-driven payments, underpinned by tokenized credentials. The framework aims to prepare for a future where the internet itself supports native agentic commerce.
For PayOS, the milestone represents a shift from testing to commercialisation. Chief executive Johnathan McGowan said the company is now onboarding customers and offering tools for fraud prevention, payments risk management, and improved user experiences.
The achievement signals a broader transition as agentic AI moves from pilot to real-world deployment. If security models remain effective, agentic payments could soon differentiate platforms, merchants, and issuers, embedding autonomy into digital transactions.
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Facebook has introduced new tools designed to help creators increase engagement and build stronger communities on the platform. The update includes fan challenges, custom badges for top contributors, and new insights to track audience loyalty.
Fan challenges allow creators with over 100,000 followers to issue prompts inviting fans to share content on a theme or event. Contributions are displayed in a dedicated feed, with a leaderboard ranking entries by reactions.
Challenges can run for a week or stretch over several months, giving creators flexibility in engaging their audiences.
Meta has also launched custom fan badges for creators with more than one million followers, enabling them to rename Top Fan badges each month. The feature gives elite-level fans extra recognition and strengthens the sense of community. Fans can choose whether to accept the custom badge.
To complement these features, Facebook adds new metrics showing the number of Top Fans on a page. These insights help creators measure engagement efforts and reward their most dedicated followers.
The tools are now available to eligible creators worldwide.
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A £100m AI data centre has been approved for construction on the outskirts of Stockton, with developers Latos Data Centres pledging up to 150 new jobs.
The Preston Farms Industrial Estate site will feature two commercial units, plants, substations and offices, designed to support the growing demands of AI and advanced computing.
Work on the Neural Data Centre is set to begin at the end of the year, with full operations expected by 2028. The project has been welcomed by Industry Minister and Stockton North MP Chris McDonald, who described it as a significant investment in skills and opportunities for the future.
Latos managing director Andy Collin said the facility was intended to be ‘future proof’, calling it a purpose-built factory for the modern digital economy. Local leaders hope the investment will help regenerate Teesside’s industrial base, positioning the region as a hub for cutting-edge infrastructure.
The announcement follows the UK government’s decision to create an AI growth zone in the North East, covering sites in Northumberland and Tyneside. Teesworks in Redcar was not included in the initial allocation, but ministers said further proposals from Teesside were still under review.
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The UK Government will guarantee a £1.5 billion loan to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in response to the cyber-attack that forced the carmaker to halt production.
An Export Development Guarantee, administered by UK Export Finance, will back a commercial bank loan repaid over five years to stabilise JLR’s finances and protect its supply chain.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle described the attack as a strike on the UK’s automotive sector and said the guarantee would safeguard jobs across the West Midlands, Merseyside and beyond.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves called JLR a ‘jewel in the crown’ of the UK economy, stressing that the package would protect tens of thousands of jobs directly and indirectly linked to the manufacturer.
JLR employs 34,000 people in the UK and supports an automotive supply chain of 120,000 workers, many in SMEs.
The guarantee forms part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy, which includes backing for electric vehicle adoption, reduced energy costs for manufacturers, and multi-billion-pound commitments to research and development.
An announcement follows ministerial visits to JLR headquarters and supplier Webasto, with ministers promising to keep working with industry leaders to get production back online and strengthen Britain’s automotive resilience.
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Apple and Google have urged the European Union to revisit its Digital Markets Act, arguing the law is damaging users and businesses.
Apple said the rules have forced delays to new features for European customers, including live translation on AirPods and improvements to Apple Maps. It warned that competition requirements could weaken security and slow innovation without boosting the EU economy.
Google raised concerns that its search results must now prioritise intermediary travel sites, leading to higher costs for consumers and fewer direct sales for airlines and hotels. It added that AI services may arrive in Europe up to a year later than elsewhere.
Both firms stressed that enforcement should be more consistent and user-focused. The European Commission is reviewing the Act, with formal submissions under consideration.
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The centre will promote digital RMB internationalisation, support digital finance innovation, and enhance financial market services. It forms part of eight measures announced earlier this year by PBOC governor Pan Gongsheng at the Lujiazui Forum.
Three major platforms have been unveiled alongside the launch: a digital payment system for international use, a blockchain service platform, and a digital asset platform.
These platforms aim to broaden the application of digital technologies in finance and improve transaction efficiency.
Experts, including Tian Xuan of Tsinghua University, describe the initiative as a milestone for China’s role in global finance, strengthening its influence in shaping the future of digital payments.
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LinkedIn will use member profile data to train its AI systems by default from 3 November 2025. The policy, already in place in the US and select markets, will now extend to more regions, mainly for 18+ users who prefer not to share their information and must opt out manually via account settings.
According to LinkedIn, the types of data that may be used include account details, email addresses, payment and subscription information, and service-related data such as IP addresses, device IDs, and location information.
Once disabled, profiles will no longer be added to AI training, although information collected earlier may remain in the system. Users can request the removal of past data through a Data Processing Objection Form.
Meta and X have already adopted similar practices in the US, allowing their platforms to use user-generated posts for AI training. LinkedIn insists its approach complies with privacy rules but leaves the choice in members’ hands.
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