E-commerce and trade

Meta uses AI to spot teens lying about age

Meta has announced it is ramping up efforts to protect teenagers on Instagram by deploying AI to detect users who may have lied about their age. The technology will automatically place suspected underage users into Teen Accounts, even if their profiles state they are adults.

These special accounts come with stricter safety settings designed for users under 16. Those who believe they’ve been misclassified will have the option to adjust their settings manually.

Instead of relying solely on self-reported birthdates, Meta is using its AI to analyse behaviour and signals that suggest a user might be younger than claimed.

While the company has used this technology to estimate age ranges before, it is now applying it more aggressively to catch teens who attempt to bypass the platform’s safeguards. The tech giant insists it’s working to ensure the accuracy of these classifications to prevent mistakes.

Alongside this new AI tool, Meta will also begin sending notifications to parents about their children’s Instagram settings.

These alerts, which are sent only to parents who have Instagram accounts of their own, aim to encourage open conversations at home about the importance of honest age representation online.

Teen Accounts were first introduced last year and are designed to limit access to harmful content, reduce contact from strangers, and promote healthier screen time habits.

Instead of granting unrestricted access, these accounts are private by default, block unsolicited messages, and remind teens to take breaks after prolonged scrolling.

Meta says the goal is to adapt to the digital age and partner with parents to make Instagram a safer space for young users.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Apple tries makes climate progress with greener supply chain

Apple has made progress in reducing its environmental impact, according to the company’s own latest environmental progress report.

Its total greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 800,000 metric tons in 2024, marking a 5 percent reduction from the previous year.

Over the last decade, Apple has cut its global emissions by more than 60 percent, an achievement as emissions from other tech firms continue to rise due to the growing demands of AI.

The reduction stems from efforts to use renewable energy, increase recycling, and work with suppliers to cut emissions. Apple reported that its suppliers collectively avoided nearly 24 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions last year through cleaner energy and improved efficiency.

The company is also tackling highly potent fluorinated gases used in making semiconductors and displays, with all direct display suppliers and 26 semiconductor partners committing to reducing such emissions by at least 90 percent.

Recycled materials played a larger role in Apple’s products in 2024, making up nearly a quarter of all materials used. Notably, 80 percent of the rare earth elements and most of the tungsten, cobalt, and aluminium used came from recycled sources.

Despite these efforts, Apple still generated 15.3 million metric tons of CO₂ last year, though it aims to reduce emissions by 75 percent from 2015 levels by 2030 and eliminate 90 percent by 2050 to meet international climate goals.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

AI startup caught in Dev Mode trademark row

Figma has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Swedish AI startup Loveable over the use of the term ‘Dev Mode,’ a name Figma trademarked in 2023.

Loveable recently introduced its own Dev Mode feature, prompting the design platform to demand the startup stop using the name, citing its established use and intellectual property rights.

Figma’s version of Dev Mode helps bridge the gap between designers and developers, while Loveable’s tool allows users to preview and edit code without linking to GitHub.

Despite their differing functions, Figma insists on protecting the trademark, even though ‘developer mode’ is a widely used phrase across many software platforms. Companies such as Atlassian and Wix have used similar terminology long before Figma obtained the trademark.

The legal move arrives as Figma prepares for an initial public offering, following Adobe’s failed acquisition attempt in 2023. The sudden emphasis on brand protection suggests the company is taking extra care with its intellectual assets ahead of its potential stock market debut.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Temu and Shein to raise US prices due to new tariffs

Fast fashion giants Temu and Shein have warned US shoppers to expect price hikes from next week, as sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports come into effect under Donald Trump’s trade policy.

Both companies will lose access to the ‘de minimis’ exemption, which has allowed packages under $800 to enter the US duty-free. That change, taking effect from 2 May, will significantly raise costs for low-cost retailers who depend on cheap cross-border shipments.

The tariffs, which now reach up to 145%, are part of Trump’s escalating trade war with China. His revised plans impose a tax of $75 per item, rising to $150 by June, for shipments that were previously exempt.

Shein has told customers its operating expenses have risen and prices will be adjusted from 25 April in an effort to maintain product quality while absorbing the new costs.

In response to the tariffs and likely slowdown in US demand, both companies have also scaled back digital advertising.

According to Sensor Tower, Temu’s average US ad spend across major platforms dropped by 31% over two weeks, while Shein’s spending fell 19%.

The tariffs are expected to reshape fast fashion in the US, though some experts believe prices may still remain competitive compared to domestic alternatives.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

TSMC profits surge despite trade concerns

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) posted a significant jump in quarterly profits, driven by robust demand for AI chips. Net income rose by just over 60% year-on-year to NT$360.7bn (£9.77bn), outpacing analysts’ expectations.

Revenue also grew by 41.6% compared to the same period in 2024, although it dipped slightly from the previous quarter due to weaker smartphone sales.

The world’s largest contract chipmaker has not yet seen any major changes in customer behaviour, including from Apple and Nvidia, despite increasing uncertainty over potential US tariffs on Taiwanese semiconductors.

While concerns about trade tensions grow, particularly with former President Donald Trump suggesting the US should reclaim chip production, TSMC says it is continuing with business as usual for now.

Instead of scaling back, TSMC is expanding its investment in the US, with plans to spend up to $160bn. Analysts believe this move could help the firm argue for a more favourable position should tariff negotiations intensify.

The company’s Chief Financial Officer, Wendell Huang, acknowledged the risks posed by changing trade policies but said revenue growth is still expected in the next quarter.

Despite global pressures, TSMC remains optimistic, forecasting revenue between $28.4bn and $29.2bn. Although the company’s shares have fallen more than 20% so far this year, some analysts say the stock is now undervalued and well-positioned to rebound once market conditions stabilise.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Gemini Live screensharing now free for all Android users

Google has announced that Gemini Live’s screen and camera sharing capabilities will now be free for all Android users through the Gemini app.

The AI feature, which enables the app to interpret and respond to real-time visuals from a device’s screen or camera, had initially launched exclusively for Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 users.

The company originally planned to restrict wider access to those subscribed to Gemini Advanced, but has now reversed that decision following strong user feedback. Google confirmed the broader rollout is beginning today and will continue over the coming weeks.

A promotional video released by the company demonstrates the feature in action, with a user pointing their phone camera at an aquarium while Gemini provides information about the marine life.

In a similar move, Microsoft has launched its own AI tool, Copilot Vision, for free via the Edge browser.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

AMD warns of financial hit from US AI chip export ban

AMD has warned that new US government restrictions on exporting AI chips to China and several other countries could materially affect its earnings.

The company said it may face charges of up to $800 million related to unsold inventory, purchase commitments, and reserves if it fails to secure export licences for its MI308 GPUs, now subject to strict control measures.

In a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, AMD confirmed it would seek the necessary licences but admitted there is no guarantee they will be granted.

The move follows broader export restrictions aimed at protecting national security interests, with US officials arguing that unrestricted access to advanced chips would weaken the country’s strategic lead in AI, instead of preserving it.

AMD’s stock dropped around 6% following the announcement. Competitors are also feeling the impact. Nvidia expects charges of $5.5 billion from similar restrictions, and Intel’s Gaudi hardware line has reportedly been affected as well.

The US Commerce Department has defended the move as necessary to safeguard economic and national interests.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

xAI pushes Grok forward with memory update

Elon Musk’s AI venture, xAI, has introduced a new ‘memory’ feature for its Grok chatbot in a bid to compete more closely with established rivals like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.

The update allows Grok to remember details from past conversations, enabling it to provide more personalised responses when asked for advice or recommendations, instead of offering generic answers.

Unlike before, Grok can now ‘learn’ a user’s preferences over time, provided it’s used frequently enough. The move mirrors similar features from competitors, with ChatGPT already referencing full chat histories and Gemini using persistent memory to shape its replies.

According to xAI, the memory is fully transparent. Users can view what Grok has remembered and choose to delete specific entries at any time.

The memory function is currently available in beta on Grok’s website and mobile apps, although not yet accessible to users in the EU or UK.

Instead of being automatically enabled, it can be turned off in the settings menu under Data Controls. Deleting individual memories is also possible via the web chat interface, with Android support expected shortly.

xAI has confirmed it is working on adding memory support to Grok’s version on X. However, this expansion aims to deepen the bot’s integration with users’ digital lives instead of limiting the experience to one platform.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Microsoft unveils powerful lightweight AI model for CPUs

Microsoft researchers have introduced the largest 1-bit AI model to date, called BitNet b1.58 2B4T, designed to run efficiently on standard CPUs instead of relying on GPUs. This ‘bitnet’ model, now openly available under the MIT license, can even operate on Apple’s M2 chips.

Bitnets use extreme weight quantisation, storing only -1, 0, or 1 as values, making them far more memory- and compute-efficient than most conventional models.

With 2 billion parameters and trained on 4 trillion tokens, roughly the equivalent of 33 million books, BitNet b1.58 2B4T outperforms several similarly sized models in key benchmarks.

Microsoft claims it beats Meta’s Llama 3.2 1B, Google’s Gemma 3 1B, and Alibaba’s Qwen 2.5 1.5B on tasks like grade-school maths and physical reasoning. It also runs up to twice as fast while using significantly less memory, offering a potential edge for lower-end or energy-constrained devices.

The main limitation lies in its dependence on Microsoft’s custom bitnet.cpp framework, which supports only select hardware and does not yet work with GPUs.

Instead of being broadly compatible with existing AI systems, BitNet’s performance depends on a narrower infrastructure, a hurdle that may limit adoption, despite its promise for lightweight AI deployment.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!

Google uses AI and human reviews to fight ad fraud

Google has revealed it suspended 39.2 million advertiser accounts in 2024, more than triple the number from the previous year, as part of its latest push to combat ad fraud.

The tech giant said it is now able to block most bad actors before they even run an advert, thanks to advanced large language models and detection signals such as fake business details and fraudulent payments.

Instead of relying solely on AI, a team of over 100 experts from across Google and DeepMind also reviews deepfake scams and develops targeted countermeasures.

The company rolled out more than 50 LLM-based safety updates last year and introduced over 30 changes to advertising and publishing policies. These efforts, alongside other technical reinforcements, led to a 90% drop in reports of deepfake ads.

While the US saw the highest number of suspensions, with all 39.2 million accounts coming from there alone, India followed with 2.9 million accounts taken down. In both countries, ads were removed for violations such as trademark abuse, misleading personalisation, and financial service scams.

Overall, Google blocked 5.1 billion ads globally and restricted another 9.1 billion, instead of allowing harmful content to spread unchecked. Nearly half a billion of those removed were linked specifically to scam activity.

In a year when half the global population headed to the polls, Google also verified over 8,900 election advertisers and took down 10.7 million political ads.

While the scale of suspensions may raise concerns about fairness, Google said human reviews are included in the appeals process.

The company acknowledged previous confusion over enforcement clarity and is now updating its messaging to ensure advertisers understand the reasons behind account actions more clearly.

Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!