Economic

Tech firms push longer working hours to compete in AI race

Tech companies competing in AI are increasingly expecting employees to work longer weeks to keep pace with rapid innovation. Some start-ups openly promote 70-hour schedules, presenting intense effort as necessary to launch products faster and stay ahead of rivals.

Investors and founders often believe that extended working hours improve development speed and increase the chances of securing funding. Fast growth and fierce global competition have made urgency a defining feature of many AI workplaces.

However, research shows productivity rises only up to a limit before fatigue reduces efficiency and focus. Experts warn that excessive workloads can lead to burnout and make it harder for companies to retain experienced professionals.

Health specialists link extended working weeks to higher risks of heart disease and stroke. Many experts argue that smarter management and efficient use of technology offer safer and more effective paths to lasting productivity.

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Study questions reliability of AI medical guidance

AI chatbots are not yet capable of providing reliable health advice, according to new research published in the journal Nature Medicine. Findings show users gain no greater diagnostic accuracy from chatbots than from traditional internet searches.

Researchers tested nearly 1,300 UK participants using ten medical scenarios, ranging from minor symptoms to conditions requiring urgent care. Participants were assigned to use either OpenAI’s GPT-4o, Meta’s Llama 3, Command R+, or a standard search engine to assess symptoms and determine next steps.

Chatbot users identified their condition about one-third of the time, with only 45 percent selecting the correct medical response. Performance levels matched those relying solely on search engines, despite AI systems scoring highly on medical licensing benchmarks.

Experts attributed the gap to communication failures. Users often provided incomplete information or misinterpreted chatbot guidance.

Researchers and bioethicists warned that growing reliance on AI for medical queries could pose public health risks without professional oversight.

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Crypto exchange scrambles after $40bn Bitcoin payout error

South Korea’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, Bithumb, is attempting to recover more than $40bn in Bitcoin after a promotional payout error credited customers with Bitcoin rather than Korean won.

The mistake occurred on 6 February during a ‘random box’ event, when prize values were entered in Bitcoin rather than in Bitcoin. Intended rewards totalled 620,000 won for 695 users, yet 620,000 bitcoins were distributed.

Only 249 customers opened their boxes, but the credited sums exceeded the exchange’s holdings.

Most balances were reversed through internal ledger corrections. About 13bn won ($9m) remains unrecovered after some users sold or withdrew funds before accounts were frozen. Authorities said 86 customers liquidated roughly 1,788 Bitcoins within 35 minutes.

Regulators have opened a full investigation, and lawmakers have scheduled an emergency hearing. Legal uncertainty remains over liability, while the exchange confirmed no hacking was involved and pledged stronger internal controls.

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Pakistan pledges major investment in AI by 2030

Pakistan plans to invest $1 billion in AI by 2030, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at the opening of Indus AI Week in Islamabad. The pledge aims to build a national AI ecosystem in Pakistan.

The government in Pakistan said AI education would expand to schools and universities, including remote regions. Islamabad also plans 1,000 fully funded PhD scholarships in AI to strengthen research capacity in Pakistan.

Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan would train one million non IT professionals in AI skills by 2030. Islamabad identified agriculture, mining and industry as priority sectors for AI driven productivity gains in Pakistan.

Pakistan approved a National AI Policy in 2025, although implementation has moved slowly. Officials in Islamabad said Indus AI Week marks an early step towards broader adoption of AI across Pakistan.

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New York weighs pause on data centre expansion

Lawmakers in New York have introduced a bill proposing a three year pause on permits for new data centres. Supporters say rapid expansion linked to AI infrastructure risks straining energy systems in New York.

Concerns in New York focus on rising electricity demand and higher household bills as tech companies scale AI operations. Critics across the US argue local communities bear the cost of supporting large scale computing facilities.

The New York proposal has drawn backing from environmental groups and politicians in the US who want time to set stricter rules. US senator Bernie Sanders has also called for a nationwide halt on new data centres.

Officials in New York say the pause would allow stronger policies on grid access and fair cost sharing. The debate reflects wider US tension between economic growth driven by AI and environmental limits.

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Shadow AI becomes a new governance challenge for European organisations

Employees are adopting generative tools at work faster than organisations can approve or secure them, giving rise to what is increasingly described as ‘shadow AI‘. Unlike earlier forms of shadow IT, these tools can transform data, infer sensitive insights, and trigger automated actions beyond established controls.

For European organisations, the issue is no longer whether AI should be used, but how to regain visibility and control without undermining productivity, as shadow AI increasingly appears inside approved platforms, browser extensions, and developer tools, expanding risks beyond data leakage.

Security experts warn that blanket bans often push AI use further underground, reducing transparency and trust. Instead, guidance from EU cybersecurity bodies increasingly promotes responsible enablement through clear policies, staff awareness, and targeted technical controls.

Key mitigation measures include mapping AI use across approved and informal tools, defining safe prompt data, and offering sanctioned alternatives, with logging, least-privilege access, and approval steps becoming essential as AI acts across workflows.

With the EU AI Act introducing clearer accountability across the AI value chain, unmanaged shadow AI is also emerging as a compliance risk. As AI becomes embedded across enterprise software, organisations face growing pressure to make safe use the default rather than the exception.

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Super Bowl 2026 ads embrace the AI power

AI dominated the 2026 Super Bowl advertising landscape as brands relied on advanced models instead of traditional high-budget productions.

Many spots showcased AI as both the creative engine behind the visuals and the featured product, signalling a shift toward technology-centred storytelling during the most expensive broadcast event of the year.

Svedka pursued a provocative strategy by presenting a largely AI-generated commercial starring its robot pair, a choice that reignited arguments over whether generative tools could displace human creatives.

Anthropic went in a different direction by using humour to mock OpenAI’s plan to introduce advertisements to ChatGPT, a jab that led to a pointed response from Sam Altman and fuelled an online dispute.

Meta, Amazon and Google used their airtime to promote their latest consumer offerings, with Meta focusing on AI-assisted glasses for extreme activities and Amazon unveiling Alexa+, framed through a satirical performance by Chris Hemsworth about fears of malfunctioning assistants.

Google leaned toward practical design applications instead of spectacle, demonstrating its Nano Banana Pro system transforming bare rooms into personalised images.

Other companies emphasised service automation, from Ring’s AI tool for locating missing pets to Ramp, Rippling and Wix, which showcased platforms designed to ease administrative work and simplify creative tasks.

Hims & Hers adopted a more social approach by highlighting the unequal nature of healthcare access and promoting its AI-driven MedMatch feature.

The variety of tones across the adverts underscored how brands increasingly depend on AI to stand out, either through spectacle or through commentary on the technology’s expanding cultural power.

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Study shows AI-enabled digital stethoscope boosts cardiac screening accuracy

Researchers have found that an AI-enabled digital stethoscope significantly improves the detection of moderate-to-severe valvular heart disease in primary care compared with traditional auscultation. The prospective study was published in the European Heart Journal Digital Health.

In the trial, the AI-assisted device achieved a sensitivity of 92.3 percent for audible valvular disease, more than double the 46.2 percent recorded using standard stethoscopes. The system identified twice as many previously undiagnosed moderate-to-severe cases.

The study involved 357 patients aged 50 and over with cardiovascular risk factors and no known valvular disease. Participants underwent routine clinician examination, along with AI-supported phonocardiogram analysis, with echocardiography used for confirmation.

While specificity was lower for the AI tool, researchers said the technology is intended to support screening rather than replace clinical judgement. Earlier identification could enable faster referral for echocardiography and treatment.

Authors cautioned that increased false positives may raise referral volumes and healthcare costs, highlighting the need for further evaluation. Despite limitations, the findings suggest AI augmentation could strengthen early cardiac screening in primary care settings.

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Global leaders turn to AI adoption as Davos priorities evolve

AI dominated this year’s World Economic Forum, with debate shifting from experimentation to execution. Leaders focused on scaling AI adoption, delivering economic impact, and ensuring benefits extend beyond a small group of advanced economies and firms.

Concerns centred on the risk that AI could deepen global inequality if access to computing, data, power, and financing remains uneven. Without affordable deployment in health, education, and public services, support for AI’s rising energy and infrastructure demands could erode quickly.

Geopolitics has become inseparable from AI adoption. Trade restrictions, export controls, and diverging regulatory models are reshaping access to semiconductors, data centres, and critical minerals, making sovereignty and partnerships as important as innovation.

For developing economies, widespread AI adoption is now a development priority rather than a technological luxury. Blended finance and targeted investment are increasingly seen as essential to fund infrastructure and direct AI toward productivity, resilience, and inclusion.

Discussions under the ‘Blue Davos‘ theme highlighted how AI is embedded in physical and environmental systems, from energy grids to oceans. Choices on governance, financing, and deployment will shape whether AI supports sustainable development or widens existing divides.

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Fake DeepSeek and ChatGPT services draw penalties in China

China’s market regulator has fined several companies for impersonating AI services such as DeepSeek and OpenAI’s ChatGPT, citing unfair competition and consumer fraud. The cases form part of a broader crackdown on deceptive practices in the country’s rapidly expanding AI sector.

The State Administration for Market Regulation penalised Shanghai Shangyun Internet Technology for running a fraudulent ChatGPT service on Tencent’s WeChat platform. Regulators said the service falsely presented itself as an official Chinese version of ChatGPT and charged users for AI conversations.

In a separate case, Hangzhou Boheng Culture Media was fined for operating an unauthorised website offering so-called ‘DeepSeek local deployment’. The site closely replicated DeepSeek’s branding and interface, misleading users into paying for imitation services.

Authorities said knock-off DeepSeek mini-programmes and websites surged in early 2025, involving trademark infringement, brand confusion, and false advertising. Regulators described the enforcement actions as a deterrent aimed at restoring order in the AI marketplace.

The regulator also disclosed penalties in other AI-related cases, including unauthorised access to proprietary algorithms and the use of AI calling software for scams. China is simultaneously updating antitrust rules to address emerging risks linked to algorithm-driven market manipulation.

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