E-commerce and trade

Amazon plans to bring ads to Alexa+ chats

Amazon is exploring ways to insert ads into conversations with its AI assistant Alexa+, according to CEO Andy Jassy. Speaking during the company’s latest earnings call, he described the feature as a potential tool for product discovery and future revenue.

Alexa+ is Amazon’s upgraded digital assistant designed to support more natural, multi-step conversations using generative AI. It is already available to millions of users through Prime subscriptions or as a standalone service.

Jassy said longer interactions open the door for embedded advertising, although the approach has not yet been fully developed. Industry observers see this as part of a wider trend, with companies like Google and OpenAI also weighing ad-based business models.

Alexa+ has received mixed reviews so far, with delays in feature delivery and technical challenges like hallucinations raising concerns. Privacy advocates have warned that ad targeting within personal conversations may worry users, given the data involved.

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Apple boosts AI investment with new hires and acquisitions

Apple is ramping up its AI efforts, with CEO Tim Cook confirming that the company is significantly increasing its investments in the technology. During the Q3 2025 earnings call, Cook said AI would be embedded across Apple’s devices, platforms and internal operations.

The firm has reallocated staff to focus on AI and continues to acquire smaller companies to accelerate progress, completing seven acquisitions this year alone. Capital expenditure has also risen, partly due to the growing focus on AI.

Despite criticism that Apple has lagged behind in the AI race, the company insists it will not rush features to market. More than 20 Apple Intelligence tools have already been released, with additional features like live translation and an AI fitness assistant expected by year-end.

The updated version of Siri, which promises greater personalisation, has been pushed to 2026. Cook dismissed suggestions that AI-powered hardware, like glasses, would replace the iPhone, instead positioning future devices as complementary.

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Deutsche Bank backs new euro stablecoin launch

A new euro-denominated stablecoin, EURAU, has launched on the Ethereum blockchain, backed by Deutsche Bank’s DWS, Flow Traders, and Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy. The regulated token is issued by AllUnity and complies with Germany’s BaFin and the EU’s MiCA rules.

Bullish Europe, a BaFin-regulated crypto exchange based in Frankfurt, will be the first to list EURAU. The exchange has secured four BaFin licences and is preparing for expansion across the EU under MiCA’s framework.

Key partners supporting EURAU’s launch include crypto custodian BitGo, Metzler Bank, and Fireblocks.

Euro stablecoins currently make up just 0.2% of the $273 billion global stablecoin market but have seen strong growth, increasing by nearly 60% since December 2024. Despite growth, European regulators stay cautious because US dollar stablecoins like Tether’s USDt dominate.

European Central Bank adviser Jürgen Schaaf has emphasised the need for international regulatory coordination to balance stablecoin markets and reduce reliance on the dollar.

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Amazon reports $18.2B profit boost as AI strategy takes off

Amazon has reported a 35% increase in quarterly profit, driven by rapid growth in its AI-powered services and cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The tech and e-commerce giant posted net income of $18.2 billion for Q2 2025, up from $13.5 billion a year earlier, while net sales rose 13% to $167.7 billion and exceeded analyst expectations.

CEO Andy Jassy attributed the strong performance to the company’s growing reliance on AI. ‘Our conviction that AI will change every customer experience is starting to play out,’ Jassy said, referencing Amazon’s AI-powered Alexa+ upgrades and new generative AI shopping tools.

AWS remained the company’s growth engine, with revenue climbing 17.5% to $30.9 billion and operating profit rising to $10.2 billion. The surge reflects the increasing demand for cloud infrastructure to support AI deployment across industries.

Despite the solid earnings, Amazon’s share price dipped more than 3% in after-hours trading. Analysts pointed to concerns over the company’s heavy capital spending, particularly its aggressive $100 billion AI investment strategy.

Free cash flow over the past year fell to $18.2 billion, down from $53 billion a year earlier. In Q2 alone, Amazon spent $32.2 billion on infrastructure, nearly double the previous year’s figure, much of it aimed at expanding its data centre and logistics capabilities to support AI workloads.

For the current quarter, Amazon projected revenue of $174.0 to $179.5 billion and operating income between $15.5 and $20.5 billion, slightly below investor hopes but still reflecting double-digit year-on-year growth.

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From concept to cornerstone, Ethereum turns ten

Ethereum has officially turned ten, marking a decade since the launch of its mainnet, Frontier, on 30 July 2015. Conceived by Vitalik Buterin in 2013, the platform was designed to surpass Bitcoin’s limitations by enabling smart contracts and decentralised applications.

The project’s early years were defined by significant milestones. A 2014 ICO raised over $18 million, but controversy soon followed. In 2016, a high-profile hack of The DAO led to a hard fork, splitting Ethereum into two chains.

During the 2017 ICO boom, Ethereum became the backbone for thousands of token launches, though the market later crashed under regulatory pressure. ETH’s price plummeted from near $1,450 to under $100.

Ethereum’s evolution has continued at pace. In 2022, the network transitioned to proof-of-stake through The Merge, cutting energy use by over 99%. Recent years brought soaring adoption, with DeFi, NFTs, and institutions cementing Ethereum’s place in crypto infrastructure.

Today, ETH trades near $3,800, with analysts forecasting potential highs of $15,000 within the next five years.

To commemorate its anniversary, the Ethereum Foundation has hosted global events and launched an NFT torch passed between community wallets, highlighting the network’s commitment to decentralisation and innovation.

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China says the US used a Microsoft server vulnerability to launch cyberattacks

China has accused the US of exploiting long-known vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange servers to launch cyberattacks on its defence sector, escalating tensions in the ongoing digital arms race between the two superpowers.

In a statement released on Friday, the Cyber Security Association of China claimed that US hackers compromised servers belonging to a significant Chinese military contractor, allegedly maintaining access for nearly a year.

The group did not disclose the name of the affected company.

The accusation is a sharp counterpunch to long-standing US claims that Beijing has orchestrated repeated cyber intrusions using the same Microsoft software. In 2021, Microsoft attributed a wide-scale hack affecting tens of thousands of Exchange servers to Chinese threat actors.

Two years later, another incident compromised the email accounts of senior US officials, prompting a federal review that criticised Microsoft for what it called a ‘cascade of security failures.’

Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, has recently disclosed additional intrusions by China-backed groups, including attacks exploiting flaws in its SharePoint platform.

Jon Clay of Trend Micro commented on the tit-for-tat cyber blame game: ‘Every nation carries out offensive cybersecurity operations. Given the latest SharePoint disclosure, this may be China’s way of retaliating publicly.’

Cybersecurity researchers note that Beijing has recently increased its use of public attribution as a geopolitical tactic. Ben Read of Wiz.io pointed out that China now uses cyber accusations to pressure Taiwan and shape global narratives around cybersecurity.

In April, China accused US National Security Agency (NSA) employees of hacking into the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, targeting personal data of athletes and organisers.

While the US frequently names alleged Chinese hackers and pursues legal action against them, China has historically avoided levelling public allegations against American intelligence agencies, until now.

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China’s Silk Typhoon hackers filed patents for advanced spyware tools

A Chinese state-backed hacking group known as Silk Typhoon has filed more than ten patents for intrusive cyberespionage tools, shedding light on its operations’ vast scope and sophistication.

These patents, registered by firms linked to China’s Ministry of State Security, detail covert data collection software far exceeding the group’s previously known attack methods.

The revelations surfaced following a July 2025 US Department of Justice indictment against two alleged members of Silk Typhoon, Xu Zewei and Zhang Yu.

Both are associated with companies tied to the Shanghai State Security Bureau and connected to the Hafnium group, which Microsoft rebranded as Silk Typhoon in 2022.

Instead of targeting only Windows environments, the patent filings reveal a sweeping set of surveillance tools designed for Apple devices, routers, mobile phones, and even smart home appliances.

Submissions include software for bypassing FileVault encryption, extracting remote cellphone data, decrypting hard drives, and analysing smart devices. Analysts from SentinelLabs suggest these filings offer an unprecedented glimpse into the architecture of China’s cyberwarfare ecosystem.

Silk Typhoon gained global attention in 2021 with its Microsoft Exchange ProxyLogon campaign, which prompted a rare coordinated condemnation by the US, UK, and EU. The newly revealed capabilities show the group’s operations are far more advanced and diversified than previously believed.

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OpenAI and Nscale to build an AI super hub in Norway

OpenAI has revealed its first European data centre project in partnership with British startup Nscale, selecting Norway as the location for what is being called ‘Stargate Norway’.

The initiative mirrors the company’s ambitious $500 billion US ‘Stargate’ infrastructure plan and reflects Europe’s growing demand for large-scale AI computing capacity.

Nscale will lead the development of a $1 billion AI gigafactory in Norway, with engineering firm Aker matching the investment. These advanced data centres are designed to meet the heavy processing requirements of cutting-edge AI models.

OpenAI expects the facility to deliver 230MW of computing power by the end of 2026, making it a significant strategic foothold for the company on the continent.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, stated that Europe needs significantly more computing to unlock AI’s full potential for researchers, startups, and developers. He said Stargate Norway will serve as a cornerstone for driving innovation and economic growth in the region.

Nscale confirmed that Norway’s AI ecosystem will receive priority access to the facility, while remaining capacity will be offered to users across the UK, Nordics and Northern Europe.

The data centre will support 100,000 of NVIDIA’s most advanced GPUs, with long-term plans to scale as demand grows.

The move follows broader European efforts to strengthen AI infrastructure, with the UK and France pushing for major regulatory and funding reforms.

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NHS trial shows AI app halves treatment delays

An AI-powered physiotherapy app has significantly reduced NHS back pain treatment waiting lists in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough by 55%.

The trial, run by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, diverted 2,500 clinician hours to more complex cases while offering digital care to routine patients.

The app assesses musculoskeletal (MSK) pain through questions and provides personalised video-guided exercises. It became the first AI physiotherapy tool regulated by the Care Quality Commission and is credited with cutting average MSK wait times from 18 to under 10 weeks.

Patients like Annys Bossom, who initially doubted its effectiveness, found the tool more engaging and valuable than traditional paper instructions.

Data showed that 98% of participants were treated and discharged digitally, while only 2% needed a face-to-face referral.

With growing demand and staff shortages in NHS MSK services, physiotherapists and developers say the technology offers scalable support.

Experts emphasise the need for human oversight and public trust as AI continues to play a larger role in UK healthcare.

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OpenAI annual revenue doubles to 12 billion

OpenAI has doubled its revenue in the first seven months of 2025, reaching an annualised run rate of about $12 billion.

Surging demand for both consumer ChatGPT products and enterprise-level AI services is the main driver for this rapid growth.

Weekly active users of ChatGPT have soared to approximately 700 million, reflecting the platform’s expanding global reach and wide penetration. 

At the same time, costs have risen sharply, with cash burn projected around $8 billion in 2025, up from previous estimates.

OpenAI is preparing to release its next-generation AI model GPT‑5 in early August, underscoring its focus on innovation to maintain leadership in the AI market.

Despite growing competition from rival firms like DeepSeek, OpenAI remains confident that its technological edge and expanding product portfolio will sustain momentum.

Financial projections suggest potential revenue of $11 billion this year, with continued expansion into enterprise services.

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