Economic Archives | Page 16 of 654 | Digital Watch Observatory

Galaxy S26 series brings powerful AI and privacy features

Samsung Electronics has unveiled the Galaxy S26 series, featuring advanced AI experiences, powerful performance, and an industry-leading camera system designed to simplify everyday smartphone tasks.

The series, which includes the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, handles complex processes in the background, allowing users to focus on results rather than device operations.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces the world’s first built-in Privacy Display, a redesigned chipset, and improved thermal management. Together, these upgrades enhance AI performance, graphics, and CPU efficiency, while ensuring faster, cooler, and more reliable operation throughout the day.

Photography and videography are also upgraded with wider apertures, Nightography Video, Super Steady video, and AI-powered editing tools that make professional-quality content accessible to all users.

Galaxy AI streamlines daily experiences by proactively suggesting actions, organising information, and automating tasks. Features such as Now Nudge, Now Brief, Circle to Search, and upgraded Bixby allow users to interact naturally with their devices.

Integrated AI agents, including Gemini and Perplexity, support multi-step tasks across apps, from booking services to advanced searches, all with minimal input.

Samsung has embedded multiple layers of security and privacy in the Galaxy S26 series. From AI-powered Call Screening and Privacy Alerts to Knox Vault, Knox Matrix, and post-quantum cryptography, users can control data access and protect personal information.

With long-term security updates, seamless software, and Galaxy Buds4 integration, the S26 series aims to combine performance, convenience, and safety in a single, intuitive device.

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

Scotland considers new offence for AI intimate images

The Scottish government has launched a consultation proposing a specific criminal offence for creating AI-generated intimate images without consent. Existing Scots law covers the sharing of such photos, but ministers in Scotland say gaps remain around their creation.

The consultation in Scotland also seeks views on criminalising digital tools designed solely to produce intimate images and videos. Ministers aim to address harms linked to emerging AI technologies affecting women and girls across Scotland.

Additional proposals in Scotland include a statutory aggravation where domestic abuse involves a pregnant woman, requiring courts to treat such cases more seriously at sentencing. Measures to strengthen protections against spiking offences are also under review in Scotland.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said responses in Scotland would inform future action to reduce violence against women and girls. The consultation also considers changes to non-harassment orders and examines whether further laws on non-fatal strangulation are needed in Scotland.

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

AI misuse in online scams involving OpenAI models

OpenAI has reported new instances of its models being exploited in online scams and coordinated information campaigns. The company detailed actions to remove offending accounts and strengthen safeguards, highlighting misuse in fraud and deceptive content creation.

Several cases involved romance and ‘task’ scams, in which AI-generated messages built emotional engagement before requesting payment. One network, dubbed ‘Operation Date Bait,’ used chatbots to promote a fictitious dating service targeting young men in Indonesia.

Another, ‘Operation False Witness,’ saw actors posing as legal professionals to solicit advance fees for non-existent recovery services.

The report also outlined coordinated campaigns leveraging AI to produce articles, social media posts, and comments on geopolitical topics. In ‘Operation Trolling Stone,’ AI-generated content on a Russian arrest in Argentina was shared widely in multiple languages to mimic grassroots engagement.

OpenAI stressed that AI was sometimes used, but reach and account size largely drove engagement.

The company continues monitoring misuse and collaborates with partners and authorities to curb fraudulent or deceptive activity. Systems have been updated to decline policy-violating requests, and not all suspicious content online was generated using its tools.

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

Binance targets Greece as EU gateway

Efforts to secure a foothold in Europe have led Binance to select Greece as its entry point for operating under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets framework. A licence would let the exchange offer services across the European Union when the rules take effect in July 2026.

Strategic considerations outweigh speed in the decision. Co-chief executive Richard Teng cited workforce quality, safety, and long-term growth potential as decisive factors, even though several larger EU economies have already issued more licences.

Regulatory attention continues to shape the company’s trajectory. Founder Changpeng Zhao remains a shareholder, as leadership says reforms aim to make the platform one of the most regulated exchanges globally.

Expansion plans unfold amid turbulent market conditions. Bitcoin’s prices remain well below last year’s highs, dampening retail sentiment, yet institutional participation has remained resilient, supporting liquidity amid volatility.

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

OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger urges playful approach to AI coding

Peter Steinberger, creator of the viral AI agent OpenClaw and now at OpenAI, urged developers to approach AI experimentation with curiosity rather than rigid plans. On the Builders Unscripted podcast, he said progress often comes from exploration rather than expertise.

He said OpenClaw began without a roadmap. Early tests included a WhatsApp integration he paused, expecting major labs to build similar tools. When that did not happen, he developed his own prototype and refined it through real-world use.

Using the tool in low-connectivity environments helped clarify its value. Through trial and iteration, he observed how modern AI models can generate workable solutions without explicit programming, reshaping how developers think about problem-solving and workflows.

He cautioned that coding with AI is a skill that requires practice. Comparing it to learning guitar, Steinberger said early frustration is common, but persistence leads to improved intuition and efficiency over time.

Steinberger argued that developers who focus on solving problems and creating useful tools will remain in demand. Treating AI as a collaborative instrument rather than a shortcut, he said, is essential in a rapidly shifting technology landscape.

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

AT&T data breach settlement wins preliminary approval in $177 million deal

A federal judge in Texas has preliminarily approved a $177 million settlement resolving claims that AT&T failed to safeguard consumer data in two separate breaches. The company denies wrongdoing but agreed to establish compensation funds covering affected customers nationwide.

The agreement creates two non-reversionary funds: $149 million for individuals whose personal data appeared on the dark web, and $28 million for customers whose call and text logs were accessed. It covers a March 2024 breach and a separate incident between May 2022 and early 2023.

Eligible class members may submit claims for cash payments, with amounts depending on the number of valid submissions, and may also receive up to 24 months of credit monitoring. The deadline to opt out or object is 17 October 2025, with a final approval hearing set for 3 December 2025.

Legal and administrative costs, attorneys’ fees, and service awards will be paid from the settlement funds. The case resolves claims brought on behalf of all living US residents whose data was exposed in the two AT&T breaches.

The settlement follows other recent legal challenges facing AT&T, including class actions filed by New York pensioners alleging the company misled investors about the environmental impact of its lead-sheathed cables.

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

AI transforming the factory floor with smart automation and real-time oversight

According to industrial technology reporting, AI is being integrated across factory floor operations to improve efficiency, safety and productivity. Key applications include predictive maintenance, quality inspection, workflow optimisation and human-AI collaboration tools.

Machine learning models analyse sensor data from equipment (motors, conveyors, robots) to forecast failures before they occur, reducing unplanned downtime and lowering maintenance costs. Computer vision AI inspects products at high speed, detecting defects with greater accuracy than human inspection and enabling real-time corrective action.

AI systems analyse production workflows to identify bottlenecks, recommend adjustments to schedules and resource allocation, and help balance workload across stations. Augmented reality and AI assistants support factory workers with contextual guidance, safety alerts and hands-free documentation during complex tasks.

Manufacturers adopting these systems report gains in production reliability, reduced scrap rates and more flexible responsiveness to demand variability. However, the report notes challenges around data quality, legacy equipment integration and workforce upskilling.

Ensuring that AI tools are transparent and explainable for operators, rather than opaque ‘black box’ systems, is also highlighted as necessary for trust and operational safety.

These trends reflect a broader shift toward ‘smart factories’ within the framework of Industry 4.0, where digital tools across hardware, networks, data analytics and AI collaborate to support lean, adaptive and resilient manufacturing systems.

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

The New Delhi AI Summit between inclusion and fragmentation

The 2026 AI Summit in New Delhi was billed as a turning point for a more inclusive and development-focused approach to AI. As a rising ‘digital middle power’, India used its role as host to reframe the global AI debate around social empowerment, trust, energy efficiency, and equitable access to technology. Drawing on the concept of MANAV (a Sanskrit word for humanity), and a set of seven guiding pillars, the summit sought to place development and inclusion at the centre of global AI governance.

Yet, as Marília Maciel argues in her blog ‘The New Delhi AI Summit: Inclusive rhetoric, fractured reality,’ the event ultimately exposed growing fragmentation in the international AI landscape. While India succeeded in broadening the narrative, many of its priorities were pushed into working groups and voluntary initiatives rather than reflected in strong political commitments.

A proliferation of new charters, coalitions, and platforms added to an already crowded field of AI initiatives, raising concerns about duplication and a lack of follow-through from previous summits.

The language of the Delhi Declaration reinforced this impression. Its reliance on non-binding formulations and cautious diplomatic phrasing signalled a retreat from even modest collective ambition. At the same time, key UN-led processes on digital cooperation and AI governance were largely sidelined.

For Maciel, this omission risks weakening evidence-based multilateral efforts at a time when reliable data and coordinated policymaking are urgently needed to understand AI’s real impact on economies, labour markets, and education systems.

India’s decision to join the US-led ‘Pax Silica’ initiative on AI and supply chain reflects a broader trend in which AI governance is increasingly tied to economic security and strategic competition.

While the partnership may bring India investment and access to technology, it also embeds AI more deeply within bloc-based alignments and the securitisation of global supply chains.

The summit also highlighted the fluid and often contradictory meaning of ‘digital sovereignty.’ Although India is frequently seen as a champion of sovereign digital infrastructure, the concept received limited emphasis in Delhi.

Maciel notes that sovereignty is increasingly shaped by immediate political and economic calculations rather than anchored in clear strategies, metrics, or participatory governance frameworks. Without greater clarity, she warns, AI sovereignty risks drifting away from broader goals of autonomy, rights, and self-determination.

In the end, the New Delhi Summit may be remembered less for its inclusive rhetoric than for revealing a fractured reality. India demonstrated how middle powers can influence the AI agenda, but the event underscored how fragmented, securitised, and initiative-heavy global AI governance has become. Whether future summits and the United Nations can restore coherence and continuity to this landscape remains an open question.

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

Italy orders Amazon to stop processing sensitive employee data after privacy ruling

The Italian data protection authority has ordered Amazon Italia Logistics to halt processing of sensitive employee data after investigators found that the company gathered details ranging from health conditions to union involvement.

Information about workers’ private lives and family members had also been collected, often retained for a decade through internal tracking systems rather than being limited to what labour rules in Italy allow.

Regulators discovered that some data originated from cameras positioned near restrooms and staff break areas, a practice that breached EU privacy standards.

The watchdog concluded that the company’s monitoring went far beyond what employers are permitted to compile when assessing staff performance or workplace needs.

Amazon responded by stressing that protecting employee information remains a priority and said that internal rules and training programmes are designed to ensure compliance. The company added that any findings from the Italian authority would prompt a review of its procedures instead of being dismissed.

An order that arrives as Amazon attempts to regain its lobby badges at the European Parliament.

Access was suspended in 2024 after senior representatives declined to attend hearings on warehouse working conditions, and opposition from MEPs continues to place pressure on Parliament President Roberta Metsola to reject reinstatement.

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

EU moves to enforce digital fairness rules with stronger consumer oversight

Regulatory scrutiny of the EU’s digital fairness framework is set to begin on 1 July as the European Commission moves to tighten its supervision of online platforms.

An initiative that forms part of a broader effort to ensure stronger consumer protection across digital markets, with officials signalling stricter oversight of commercial practices that disadvantage users.

The Commission is preparing a major upgrade of its consumer protection framework, expected by December 2026.

The reforms aim to reinforce enforcement tools under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation, allowing regulators to intervene more effectively when platforms breach fairness standards.

Michael McGrath, Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and Rule of Law, has highlighted the need for greater transparency and accountability as digital markets expand rapidly.

The forthcoming scrutiny focuses on ensuring that platforms respect transparency obligations, avoid manipulating users and provide fair conditions in online transactions.

Regulators seek to replace fragmented enforcement with a more coordinated model that reflects the increasingly cross-border nature of digital commerce.

Stronger consumer safeguards are becoming central to the digital agenda of the EU.

The next phase of reforms is expected to streamline investigations across member states and deliver more predictable outcomes for affected consumers, offering steadier enforcement instead of reactive measures taken after violations escalate.

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