Apple is developing its AI-powered answer engine to rival ChatGPT, marking a strategic turn in its company’s AI approach. The move comes as Apple aims to close the gap with competitors in the fast-moving AI race.
A newly formed internal team, Answers, Knowledge and Information, is working on a tool to browse the web and deliver direct responses to users.
Led by former Siri head Robby Walker, the project is expected to expand across key Apple services, including Siri, Safari and Spotlight.
Job postings suggest Apple is recruiting talent with search engine and algorithm expertise. CEO Tim Cook has signalled Apple’s willingness to acquire companies that could speed up its AI progress.
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According to EY Ireland, global investment in generative AI surged to $49.2bn in the first half of 2025, eclipsing the full-year total for 2024. Despite a drop in deals, total value doubled year-on-year, reflecting a pivot towards more mature and revenue-focused ventures.
Average late-stage deal size has more than tripled to $1.55bn, while early and seed-stage activity has stagnated or declined. Landmark rounds from OpenAI, xAI, Anthropic, and Databricks drove much of the volume, alongside a notable $3.3bn agentic AI acquisition by Capgemini.
Ireland remains a strong adopter of AI, with 63% of startups using the technology. Yet funding gaps persist, particularly between €1m and €10m, posing challenges for growth-stage firms despite a strong local talent base.
Sprout Social’s acquisition of Irish analytics firm NewsWhip, though not part of the H1 figures, points to growing international interest in Irish AI capabilities. Meanwhile, US firms still dominate global deal value, capturing 97%, with the Middle East rising fast and Europe trailing at just 2%.
EY forecasts that sector-specific GenAI platforms, especially in cybersecurity and compliance, will become the next magnet for venture capital through late 2025 and beyond.
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The US is exploring how to build better location-tracking into advanced chips, as part of an effort to prevent American semiconductors from ending up in China.
Michael Kratsios, a senior official behind Donald Trump’s AI strategy, confirmed that software or physical updates to chips are being considered to support traceability.
Instead of relying on external enforcement, Washington aims to work directly with the tech industry to improve monitoring of chip movements. The strategy forms part of a broader national plan to counter smuggling and maintain US dominance in cutting-edge technologies.
Beijing recently summoned Nvidia representatives to address concerns over American proposals linked to tracking features and perceived security risks in the company’s H20 chips.
Although US officials have not directly talked with Nvidia or AMD on the matter, Kratsios clarified that chip tracking is now a formal objective.
The move comes even as Trump’s team signals readiness to lift certain export restrictions to China in return for trade benefits, such as rare-earth magnet sales to the US.
Kratsios criticised China’s push to lead global AI regulation, saying countries should define their paths instead of following a centralised model. He argued that the US innovation-first approach offers a more attractive alternative.
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Andrew Tulloch, an Australian AI engineer raised in Perth, has reportedly rejected a US$1 billion (A$1.55 billion) compensation package from Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta.
Tulloch, a University of Sydney mathematics graduate with a near-perfect ATAR, co-founded the AI start-up Thinking Machines Lab earlier this year with former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.
Thinking Machines Lab, focused on building safer, customisable multimodal AI systems, has already secured US$2 billion in seed funding and is now valued at $12 billion. Investors include major tech firms Nvidia, AMD and Cisco, and the Albanian government.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Meta attempted to acquire the company and later made direct offers to key employees. Tulloch declined the offer, which Meta dismissed as “inaccurate and ridiculous.”
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Organisations representing creative sectors have issued a joint statement expressing concerns over the current implementation of the EU AI Act, particularly its provisions for general-purpose AI systems.
The response focuses on recent documents, including the General Purpose AI Code of Practice, accompanying guidelines, and the template for training data disclosure under Article 53.
The signatories, drawn from music and broader creative industries, said they had engaged extensively throughout the consultation process. They now argue that the outcomes do not fully reflect the issues raised during those discussions.
According to the statement, the result does not provide the level of intellectual property protection that some had expected from the regulation.
The group has called on the European Commission to reconsider the implementation package and is encouraging the European Parliament and member states to review the process.
The original EU AI Act was widely acknowledged as a landmark regulation, with technology firms and creative industries closely watching its rollout across member countries.
Google confirmed that it will sign the General Purpose Code of Practice elsewhere. The company said the latest version supports Europe’s broader innovation goals more effectively than earlier drafts, but it also noted ongoing concerns.
These include the potential impact of specific requirements on competitiveness and handling trade secrets.
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IBM’s 2025 Cost of a Data Breach Report revealed a sharp gap between rapid AI adoption and the oversight needed to secure it.
Although the global average data breach cost fell slightly to $4.44 million, security incidents involving AI systems remain more severe and disruptive.
Around 13% of organisations reported breaches involving AI models or applications, while 8% were unsure whether they had been compromised.
Alarmingly, nearly all AI-related breaches occurred without access controls, leading to data leaks in 60% of cases and operational disruption in almost one-third. Shadow AI (unsanctioned or unmanaged systems) played a central role, with one in five breaches traced back to it.
Organisations without AI governance policies or detection systems faced significantly higher costs, especially when personally identifiable information or intellectual property was exposed.
Attackers increasingly used AI tools such as deepfakes and phishing, with 16% of studied breaches involving AI-assisted threats.
Healthcare remained the costliest sector, with an average breach price of $7.42 million and the most extended recovery timeline of 279 days.
Despite the risks, fewer organisations plan to invest in post-breach security. Only 49% intend to strengthen defences, down from 63% last year.
Even fewer will prioritise AI-driven security tools. With many organisations also passing costs on to consumers, recovery now often includes long-term financial and reputational fallout, not just restoring systems.
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Nvidia has firmly denied claims that its AI chips contain backdoors allowing remote control or tracking, following questioning by China’s top cybersecurity agency.
The investigation, which focuses on the H20 chip explicitly designed for the Chinese market, comes as Beijing intensifies scrutiny over foreign tech used in sensitive systems.
The H20 was initially blocked from export in April under US restrictions, but is now expected to return to Chinese shelves.
China’s Cyberspace Administration (CAC) summoned Nvidia officials to explain whether the chip enables unauthorised access or surveillance. The agency cited demands from US lawmakers for mandatory tracking features in advanced AI hardware as grounds for its concern.
In a statement, Nvidia insisted it does not include remote access capabilities in its products, reaffirming its commitment to cybersecurity.
Meanwhile, China’s state-backed People’s Daily questioned the company’s trustworthiness, stating that ‘network security is as vital as national territory’ and warning against reliance on what it described as ‘sick chips’.
The situation highlights Nvidia’s delicate position as it attempts to maintain dominance in China’s AI chip market while complying with mounting US export rules.
Tensions have escalated since similar actions were taken against other US firms, including a 2022 ban on Micron’s chips and recent antitrust scrutiny over Nvidia’s Mellanox acquisition.
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The FBI has issued a public warning about a rising scam involving QR codes placed on packages delivered to people who never ordered them.
According to the agency, these codes can lead recipients to malicious websites or prompt them to install harmful software, potentially exposing sensitive personal and financial data.
The scheme is a variation of the so-called brushing scam, in which online sellers send unordered items and use recipients’ names to post fake product reviews. In the new version, QR codes are added to the packaging, increasing the risk of fraud by directing users to deceptive websites.
While not as widespread as other fraud attempts, the FBI urges caution. The agency recommends avoiding QR codes from unknown sources, especially those attached to unrequested deliveries.
It also advised consumers to pay close attention to the web address that appears before tapping on any QR code link.
Authorities have noted broader misuse of QR codes, including cases where criminals place fake codes over legitimate ones in public spaces.
In one recent incident, scammers used QR stickers on parking meters in New York to redirect people to third-party payment pages requesting card details.
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Long-standing dominance over Android app distribution has been declared illegal by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, reinforcing a prior jury verdict in favour of Epic Games. Google now faces an injunction that compels it to allow rival app stores and alternative billing systems inside the Google Play Store ecosystem for a three-year period ending November 2027.
A technical committee jointly selected by Epic and Google will oversee sensitive implementation tasks, including granting competitors approved access to Google’s expansive app catalogue while ensuring minimal security risk. The order also requires that developers not be tied to Google’s billing system for in-app purchases.
Market analysts warn that reduced dependency on Play Store exclusivity and the option to use alternative payment processors could cut Google’s app revenue by as much as $1 to $1.5 billion annually. Despite brand recognition, developers and consumers may shift toward lower-cost alternatives competing on platform flexibility.
While the ruling aims to restore competition, Google maintains it is appealing and has requested additional delays to avoid rapid structural changes. Proponents, including Microsoft, regulators, and Epic Games, hail the decision as a landmark step toward fairer mobile market access.
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TON, the blockchain natively embedded in Telegram’s app, is emerging as the most practical path to mainstream crypto adoption. With over 900 million users on Telegram and more than 150 million TON accounts created, the platform is delivering Web3 features through a familiar, app-like experience.
Unlike Ethereum or Solana, which require external wallets and technical knowledge, TON integrates features like tipping, staking, and gaming directly into Telegram. Mini apps like Notcoin and Catizen let users access blockchain without dealing with wallets or gas fees.
TON currently processes around 2 million daily transactions and may reach over 10 million daily users by 2027. Growing user fatigue with complex blockchain makes TON’s simple, mobile-first design ready to lead the next adoption wave.
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