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ILO supports digital workplace safety tool in Malaysia

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has supported the launch of a digital occupational safety and health (OSH) assessment tool in Malaysia to help employers strengthen workplace safety, improve regulatory compliance and better protect workers.

Developed by the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) with support from the EU-funded PROTECT project, the tool was introduced during practical training for more than 80 employers in Port Klang.

The MEF–ILO OSH Digital Assessment Tool enables employers to conduct occupational safety and health assessments through a structured digital platform, while the accompanying OSHAWA Handbook provides practical guidance on implementing workplace safety measures.

Together, they aim to improve risk identification, strengthen compliance with Malaysian legislation and promote a stronger workplace safety culture across industries.

The initiative builds on Malaysia’s strengthened occupational safety framework following amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994, which expanded workplace coverage and introduced more robust risk assessment requirements.

It also supports responsible business practices by helping employers meet growing international expectations on labour rights, human rights due diligence and workplace safety within global supply chains.

A particular focus of the project is improving protection for migrant workers, who make up a significant share of the workforce in sectors including manufacturing, construction, plantations and services.

By integrating the digital assessment tool into MEF’s long-term advisory and training services, the ILO aims to expand its use across Malaysia and support lasting improvements in workplace safety..

Why does it matter?

The initiative illustrates how digital tools are increasingly being used to strengthen labour governance by making workplace risk assessments more systematic, consistent and accessible. Digital platforms can also help employers monitor compliance more effectively and respond more quickly to occupational safety risks.

The project further reflects growing international expectations that businesses demonstrate responsible labour practices throughout global supply chains. By supporting compliance with both national legislation and international standards, digital workplace safety tools can improve worker protection while helping companies meet evolving regulatory and due diligence requirements.

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Microsoft and Mistral expand sovereign AI partnership in Europe

Microsoft and French AI company Mistral have expanded their strategic partnership to strengthen sovereign AI deployment in Europe, giving enterprises and regulated industries greater control over how frontier AI is deployed and managed.

The agreement combines Mistral’s AI models and expanding European compute infrastructure with Microsoft’s AI platform, allowing organisations to run AI workloads across cloud, hybrid and fully disconnected environments while maintaining greater control over data, operations and regulatory compliance.

A central element of the partnership is a multibillion-dollar investment in European AI infrastructure. Microsoft will leverage Mistral’s expanding GPU capacity, powered by thousands of NVIDIA Vera Rubin GPUs, to support AI training, inference and large-scale deployment while increasing capacity for Microsoft’s cloud and AI services.

The companies said the investment supports Europe’s AI ecosystem and aligns with Microsoft’s European Digital Commitments and Sovereign Cloud strategy.

The partnership also brings Mistral’s Medium 3.5 and OCR 4 models to Microsoft Foundry, while Medium 3.5 becomes available through Microsoft Copilot Studio. Organisations will be able to develop AI applications using Mistral’s multilingual models and deploy them consistently across Azure, Azure Local and fully disconnected environments without redesigning workloads.

According to the companies, the partnership is intended to support highly regulated sectors including healthcare, manufacturing, financial services and critical infrastructure, where sovereignty, resilience, privacy and operational continuity are key requirements.

Alongside joint customer engagement, Microsoft and Mistral will also provide proof-of-concept funding, Azure credits and technical workshops to accelerate enterprise AI adoption.

Why does it matter?

The partnership reflects a broader shift in enterprise AI from simply providing access to advanced models towards giving organisations greater control over where AI systems run, how data is handled and how regulatory requirements are met. Flexible deployment options are becoming increasingly important for governments and highly regulated industries.

The announcement also reinforces Europe’s ambition to build sovereign AI capabilities by combining domestic AI models, regional compute infrastructure and trusted cloud services. Rather than viewing sovereignty as an alternative to global technology partnerships, the collaboration illustrates how international companies and European AI developers are increasingly working together to strengthen regional digital resilience.

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Movement Labs files for Chapter 11 after MOVE token turmoil

MVMT Labs, the former developer of the Movement blockchain, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

The company submitted a voluntary petition on 15 July under Subchapter V, a streamlined restructuring process available to qualifying small businesses.

Court records show that MVMT Labs reported less than $1 million in assets, between $1 million and $10 million in liabilities and between 200 and 999 creditors. Creditors have until 14 September to submit claims.

The filing follows prolonged controversy surrounding the launch of the MOVE token and a disputed market-making arrangement.

Binance said an authorised market maker sold approximately 66 million MOVE tokens shortly after the token was listed, with few corresponding buy orders. The exchange later removed the market maker and froze proceeds intended for user compensation.

Movement Labs and the Movement Network Foundation said they had not been aware of the market maker’s conduct and opened an investigation into the arrangement.

Coinbase subsequently suspended MOVE trading after concluding that the asset no longer met its listing standards.

The bankruptcy applies to MVMT Labs rather than Move Industries, which took over development and operations of the Movement ecosystem in late 2025 and says the network continues to operate.

The case remains open, with MVMT Labs seeking to restructure under court supervision.

Why does it matter?

The filing shows how controversial token distribution and market-making arrangements can create prolonged governance, reputational and financial risks for blockchain companies. It also highlights the distinction between a decentralised network and the corporate entities involved in developing it, as the bankruptcy concerns MVMT Labs while another company continues operating the Movement ecosystem.

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European Commission publishes AI Act guidance on transparency labels

The European Commission has published guidance explaining how providers and deployers should comply with new AI transparency requirements under the EU AI Act, ahead of obligations taking effect on 2 August 2026.

The rules are intended to help people recognise when they are interacting with an AI system or viewing content generated or manipulated by AI. According to the European Commission, greater transparency should reduce the risks of deception and manipulation.

Providers must ensure that interactive AI systems, including chatbots, inform users that they are communicating with AI. They must also attach machine-readable markings to synthetic or AI-manipulated content so it can be detected.

Deployers face separate obligations. They must disclose the use of deepfakes, emotion-recognition systems and biometric categorisation tools, and identify AI-generated content on matters of public interest when it is published without human review or editorial oversight.

The guidance also clarifies key concepts, including interactive AI systems, synthetic content, deepfakes and AI-generated public-interest text. It further explains exemptions for routine editing tools such as spelling and grammar correction.

Organisations can demonstrate compliance by following the voluntary Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-generated Content, which has been recognised by the Commission and the European AI Board as a practical means of meeting the AI Act’s requirements.

Most transparency obligations and enforcement powers will apply from 2 August, while AI systems already on the market must meet marking and detection requirements by 2 December 2026.

The Commission is also providing an AI Act Service Desk and additional guidance to help organisations understand and implement the new requirements.

Why does it matter?

The guidance marks the beginning of one of the AI Act’s first operational transparency obligations. By requiring AI-generated and manipulated content to be identified, the EU aims to reduce the risks posed by deepfakes, synthetic media and undisclosed AI interactions while helping users make more informed decisions about the content they encounter.

The guidance also provides organisations with greater legal certainty ahead of enforcement. Clear definitions, recognised compliance mechanisms and practical implementation support should make it easier for providers and deployers to meet the AI Act’s transparency requirements consistently across the EU.

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OECD warns of risks from growing use of AI financial advice

The OECD has warned that the growing use of AI for financial advice could expose consumers to misleading information, biased recommendations and privacy risks, even as it makes financial guidance more accessible.

More than one-third of people across OECD countries used AI tools in 2025. Consumers are increasingly turning to AI for budgeting, debt management, investing, retirement planning and understanding financial products, with some also using it to ask sensitive financial questions they might hesitate to raise with a human adviser.

The OECD said AI can simplify complex financial documents, personalise financial education and help consumers compare products. However, AI systems may hallucinate, reproduce biases or generate commercially influenced recommendations without users fully recognising those limitations.

Conversational AI can also blur the distinction between general financial information and regulated professional advice. Consumers may act on recommendations that fail to reflect their financial circumstances, objectives or tolerance for risk.

The report stresses that AI cannot replace financial literacy. Consumers should question AI-generated answers, verify important information and carefully assess requests for personal or financial data. The OECD also urged policymakers to promote digital and financial literacy, maintain human oversight and ensure AI tools are grounded in reliable information, noting that people with limited digital skills or internet access may require additional support.

Why does it matter?

As AI becomes an increasingly common source of financial guidance, inaccurate, biased or commercially influenced recommendations could have direct consequences for consumers’ savings, debt, investments and long-term financial wellbeing. Unlike many other AI applications, errors in financial advice can translate into immediate economic harm.

The report also highlights the growing need for AI governance that combines transparency, human oversight and financial literacy. Ensuring that consumers understand both the capabilities and limitations of AI will become increasingly important as AI tools play a larger role in everyday financial decision-making.

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European Commission fines AliExpress €550 million for DSA breaches

The European Commission has fined AliExpress €550 million for breaching the Digital Services Act (DSA), concluding that the platform failed to adequately assess and mitigate the systemic risks associated with illegal, unsafe and counterfeit products sold through its marketplace.

The Commission found that AliExpress underestimated the risks posed by its services and failed to implement effective safeguards to protect consumers across the EU.

According to the Commission, AliExpress failed to adequately assess the effectiveness of its content moderation systems or allocate sufficient human resources to review illegal products.

Investigators also found that the platform’s recommender and advertising systems continued promoting illegal products before they were removed, while its risk assessments relied on insufficient quantitative evidence to measure the effectiveness of its mitigation measures.

The investigation also identified significant weaknesses in AliExpress’ risk mitigation measures. Counterfeit goods, unsafe toys and dangerous cosmetics remained available for extended periods, while traders repeatedly bypassed compliance checks through product miscategorisation.

The Commission further concluded that the platform failed to consistently sanction sellers of illegal products and that its brand authorisation system did not effectively prevent counterfeit listings.

AliExpress must submit an action plan by 20 October 2026 explaining how it will comply with the DSA.

The European Board for Digital Services will review the proposal before the Commission adopts a final implementation decision. Continued non-compliance could result in periodic penalty payments as the Commission monitors implementation.

Why does it matter?

The decision is one of the most significant enforcement actions taken under the Digital Services Act to date and demonstrates the European Commission’s willingness to impose substantial financial penalties on platforms that fail to manage systemic risks. It reinforces the DSA’s preventive approach, which requires very large online platforms to identify, assess and mitigate risks before harm occurs rather than relying solely on the removal of illegal content after the fact.

The case also signals that the Commission expects platforms to back their risk assessments with robust evidence, effective moderation systems and adequate human oversight. Future DSA enforcement is therefore likely to focus not only on the presence of illegal content but also on whether companies can demonstrate that their governance and risk management processes are working effectively.

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European Central Bank moves digital euro project into next legislative phase

The European Central Bank (ECB) says the digital euro project has entered a new phase after the European Parliament adopted its negotiating position, allowing trilogue negotiations with other EU institutions to begin.

Speaking in Rome, ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said the digital euro could be introduced in 2029 if the legislative process is completed by the end of 2026. He said the project is intended to complement cash, strengthen Europe’s payments infrastructure and preserve the role of banks in the digital payments ecosystem.

The ECB also announced that a pilot involving 36 payment service providers, including banks and non-bank institutions, will begin in September 2027. The exercise is intended to support technical preparations ahead of any potential launch.

Under the proposed model, banks would distribute the digital euro and maintain customer relationships, while the Eurosystem would continue working with the payments sector to prepare the wider ecosystem for a possible rollout.

Why does it matter?

The adoption of the European Parliament’s negotiating position marks an important step towards establishing the legal framework for the digital euro. If trilogue negotiations conclude successfully, the project will move from design and experimentation towards implementation.

The ECB’s approach also reflects a broader effort to modernise Europe’s payment infrastructure while preserving the role of commercial banks and reducing dependence on non-European payment providers. The digital euro is therefore both a payments initiative and part of the EU’s wider strategy for financial and digital sovereignty.

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ILO, Zambia and Japan launch e-waste project for green jobs

The International Labour Organization (ILO), the governments of Zambia and Japan have launched a Japan-funded initiative to promote sustainable e-waste management while creating green employment opportunities for young people.

The Sustainable E-Waste Management for Youth Employment Project will support green enterprise development, expand employment opportunities for young people, women and persons with disabilities, strengthen skills development and promote circular economy practices as part of Zambia’s environmental and economic transformation.

According to the ILO and project partners, the initiative demonstrates how environmental sustainability and decent work can be advanced together. Employers, workers and government representatives said it will encourage entrepreneurship, strengthen collaboration, and help address Zambia’s growing e-waste challenge.

The project was launched in Lusaka as part of a partnership between the ILO and the governments of Zambia and Japan to support a greener and more resilient economy.

Why does it matter?

The initiative links environmental protection with employment creation by treating electronic waste as an economic resource rather than simply a disposal problem. Developing recycling and circular economy industries could help create new jobs while reducing the environmental and health impacts of poorly managed e-waste.

The project also reflects a broader international trend towards integrating climate, labour and development policies. By combining skills development, entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability, it illustrates how green transition programmes are increasingly being designed to deliver both economic and social benefits.

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Nearly six in ten UK adults now use generative AI, survey finds

Nearly six in ten UK adults used generative AI during the previous three months, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s (DSIT) first Public Engagement Survey.

The survey found that 59% of adults had used generative AI, while 97% reported at least some awareness of AI. Tools capable of producing human-like text or speech were used by 56% of respondents, while 54% had used AI-powered digital assistants.

Adoption was highest among adults aged 16 to 44 before declining steadily with age, reaching just 8% among people aged 85 and over. Use also increased with education levels, from 19% among adults without formal qualifications to 75% among degree holders. Regionally, London recorded the highest adoption rate at 69%, compared with 51% in North East England.

Among online respondents using the technology, 83% reported personal use, 54% used it for work, and 27% for education or study. Saving time was the main motivation, followed by generating ideas and summarising information. Although easier access to information or advice was seen as AI’s biggest benefit, 74% of adults remained concerned that AI-generated information could be inaccurate.

The findings also point to broad public support for regulation. At least two-thirds of respondents backed legislation to improve AI safety, increase transparency, reduce bias and limit job displacement.

The survey was conducted between November 2025 and March 2026 and included 30,698 respondents, providing one of the broadest official snapshots of generative AI use across the UK.

Why does it matter?

The survey suggests that generative AI has moved rapidly into the mainstream, making questions of governance, digital skills and public trust increasingly important. As adoption grows across everyday life and work, ensuring people can use AI safely and effectively may become as important as expanding access to the technology itself.

The findings also highlight persistent inequalities in adoption across age, education and geography. Combined with strong public support for AI regulation, they suggest that future policy will need to address both access to AI and confidence in how it is developed and used.

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Report urges Hong Kong to strengthen AI adoption strategy

Hong Kong should draw on the experiences of Singapore and the United Kingdom to accelerate AI adoption, according to research published by the Legislative Council Secretariat.

Although Hong Kong has identified AI as a priority industry, it has yet to adopt a standalone economy-wide AI strategy. A 2025 survey found that only around 2% of local organisations were fully prepared for AI, compared with a global average of 13%.

Hong Kong ranked 20th in the International Monetary Fund’s AI Preparedness Index, behind Singapore, Japan, South Korea and the UK. While it scored highly for digital infrastructure and innovation, it ranked considerably lower in human capital, labour policy, regulation and ethics.

The report identifies fragmented governance, limited in-house expertise and insufficient computing capacity as major barriers. Around 44% of Hong Kong businesses reportedly struggled to secure adequate processing power, while many, particularly smaller firms, lacked support for redesigning workflows and integrating legacy data systems.

Singapore has addressed these barriers through coordinated funding, diagnostics and technical assistance. Grants subsidise approved AI tools, while government programmes connect businesses with consultants, engineers and major cloud providers. By October 2025, its Enterprise Compute Initiative had linked around 1,000 companies with cloud partners.

However, the report notes that Singapore also faces challenges in moving from experimentation to widespread organisational transformation. AI adoption reached 62.5% among larger companies and 14.5% among SMEs in 2024, yet only 4% of firms had integrated AI into their core business processes by 2026.

The UK has concentrated support on SMEs and traditionally less digitised sectors through programmes such as BridgeAI and Made Smarter, which combine funding with mentoring, diagnostics, training and technical collaboration. Business use of AI increased from 9.4% in September 2023 to 25.9% in March 2026, with particularly strong growth in construction, transport and manufacturing.

Both Singapore and the UK have also expanded computing infrastructure. Singapore combines cloud credits with technical support, while the UK is investing in public supercomputers and regional AI Growth Zones, which had attracted £28.2 billion in planned investment by January 2026.

The report concludes that accelerating AI adoption will require more than financial incentives. A coordinated approach combining affordable computing, technical support, workforce development and assistance with business transformation could help organisations move from isolated AI pilots to widespread operational use.

Why does it matter?

The report highlights that digital infrastructure alone is not enough to drive AI adoption. Countries that combine funding with technical assistance, workforce development, computing capacity and coordinated governance appear better positioned to translate AI investment into measurable productivity gains.

For Hong Kong, the findings suggest that competitiveness will depend less on access to AI technologies than on the ability of businesses, particularly SMEs, to integrate them into everyday operations. The report therefore reinforces a broader international trend towards AI adoption policies that emphasise implementation alongside innovation.

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