Economic Archives | Page 23 of 715 | Digital Watch Observatory

Google says AI Mode surpasses one billion monthly users

Google said its AI Mode feature has surpassed one billion monthly active users globally. The figures were published in a company blog post marking one year since the feature’s launch.

According to Google, AI Mode query volumes have more than doubled each quarter since launch. Google described AI Mode as combining traditional search functions with conversational AI interactions.

The company also reported increasing use of voice and image-based search features in the United States. Google said image-based searches and planning-related AI Mode queries have grown significantly in recent months.

The company also highlighted growth in exploratory and idea-oriented search queries. The update was released ahead of Google I/O 2026 and reflects Google’s broader focus on AI-integrated search experiences.

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Vietnam introduces mandatory labels for AI-generated content

Vietnam will require disclosure labels for certain AI-generated and AI-edited content from May under a new government decree aimed at improving online transparency.

Under Decree 142/2026/ND-CP, organisations and individuals using AI systems must disclose when content has been created or altered by AI in ways that could affect perceptions of authenticity.

The rules apply to AI-generated or AI-edited audio, image, and video content, particularly material imitating real people or realistic events. Particularly, it applies to content that imitates the appearance or voice of real people or recreates real-life events in a convincing manner. According to the decree, disclosures must be clear, visible, and recognisable before or during user access to the content.

The decree states that disclosures designed to obscure the AI-generated nature of content will not satisfy the requirements. Anyways, several exemptions are included. Several exemptions are included, such as technical quality improvements that do not materially alter content.

The framework also excludes certain AI-assisted editing functions, including spelling correction, translation, summarisation, and grammar editing, where original meaning is preserved. Additional exemptions apply to internal organisational use and controlled research or testing environments not intended for public release. At the end, content produced during research, development or testing activities in controlled environments and not released to the public is also an exemption.

Authorities said disclosures may take different forms depending on content type, including labels, captions, interface notices, or audio announcements. Labels may appear directly on content, in titles, captions and descriptions, through platform interfaces or even as audio announcements. Films and artistic productions may include disclosures in opening sections, end credits or supporting materials.

Responsibility for compliance will apply both to parties generating AI content and those distributing it publicly. Parties generating or editing AI content must provide the information needed for labelling, while those publishing the material to the public must ensure disclosure rules are followed.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology is expected to publish additional technical guidance related to the implementation of the disclosure framework. Officials said the guidance would not create additional administrative procedures or business conditions or obligations beyond those already outlined in the decree.

Why does it matter?

The decree reflects broader international efforts to improve transparency around AI-generated media as synthetic content becomes more realistic and widely accessible. Disclosure requirements are increasingly being explored by governments as a way to address misinformation risks, impersonation concerns, and public trust in digital content.

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New OECD measure compares AI and job capabilities

The OECD has published a new framework designed to assess how closely current AI capabilities align with the requirements of different occupations.

The paper, ‘The OECD AI Exposure Measure‘, maps OECD AI Capability Indicators to occupations and introduces an AI Capability Gap Index. According to the OECD, the framework is intended to support analysis of potential AI impacts on work, skills, education, and labour-market policy.

The framework compares AI capabilities with occupational requirements across nine domains: language, social interaction, problem-solving, creativity, metacognition and critical thinking, knowledge, learning and memory, vision, manipulation, and robotic intelligence. Occupations with smaller capability gaps are considered more exposed to current AI capabilities, while larger gaps indicate a greater distance between AI systems and occupational requirements.

The OECD emphasised that the measure is not intended as a prediction of automation or job loss. It measures potential exposure to current AI capabilities, while actual labour-market effects will also depend on adoption, costs, task structure, regulation, organisational uptake, and social choices.

The report found that occupations involving routine information processing and administrative tasks currently show the highest levels of AI exposure. Office and administrative support occupations record the lowest total gap index, followed by production, food preparation and serving, and sales-related occupations.

Occupations relying more heavily on judgement, social interaction, interpretation, and non-standardised physical activity showed larger capability gaps.

The paper also noted that different forms of AI may affect occupations differently depending on whether work relies more on reasoning, communication, robotics, or physical interaction.

The OECD said the framework could support future task-level analysis, scenario modelling, and country-specific assessments of AI-related labour-market change. Future work may extend the approach to task-level analysis, scenario applications, macroeconomic modelling, and country-level assessments.

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Russia tightens crypto mining oversight with new IP tracking rules

Russia has introduced additional oversight requirements for cryptocurrency mining operators, including mandatory disclosure of IP addresses associated with mining activity. According to officials, the measure is intended to improve transparency and support the identification of unregistered mining operations.

The updated rules were approved by the Ministry of Finance and incorporated into the national mining registry managed by the Federal Tax Service. Registered mining operators are now required to submit technical network information in addition to business registration details.

Access to the registry is limited to authorised government institutions, including tax authorities, courts, the central bank, and energy sector entities.

Officials said the information will support compliance monitoring, risk assessment, and enforcement activities, including identifying unregistered mining activity that continues outside the legal framework.

Operators that violate registry requirements or submit inaccurate information may face removal from the registry. The measures follow ongoing government concerns regarding illegal mining activity and pressure on energy infrastructure.

Why does it matter?

Russia’s tighter mining registry rules reflect a broader trend of governments increasing technical oversight of crypto infrastructure rather than relying only on traditional financial reporting. By linking mining activity to IP addresses and energy usage patterns, authorities are effectively moving towards a more granular, data-driven enforcement model.

Strengthened compliance tools may improve state control and transparency, but they also signal a shift toward deeper surveillance of digital asset infrastructure in regulated markets.

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Kenya proposes new taxes on digital payments and fintech services

Kenya’s Finance Bill 2026 proposes expanded tax reporting and compliance requirements for virtual asset service providers and digital payment platforms. According to the proposal, the measures are intended to strengthen oversight of digital financial activity and broaden the country’s tax base.

The bill would require virtual asset service providers to submit annual transaction and user activity reports to the Kenya Revenue Authority. The framework also includes provisions enabling information sharing with foreign tax authorities.

Additional measures would affect the broader digital payments sector, including taxation changes related to card transactions and selected fintech services. Analysts cited by KPMG Kenya said the reforms could increase compliance obligations for cryptocurrency firms and digital payment providers.

The proposal also expands enforcement powers available to the Kenya Revenue Authority during tax disputes. It also shortens filing deadlines and broadens disclosure obligations for businesses. The measures form part of broader efforts to modernise tax administration and improve revenue collection.

Why does it matter?

The proposed reforms signal a broader shift in how governments are adapting tax systems to the rapid expansion of digital finance and crypto markets. By formalising reporting obligations and increasing transaction-based taxation, Kenya is moving towards tighter integration of virtual asset activity within traditional fiscal frameworks.

At the same time, stronger enforcement powers and cross-border data sharing reflect a global trend towards greater regulatory coordination in digital assets. While this may improve transparency and revenue collection, it could also raise compliance costs and reshape how crypto platforms and fintech companies operate in emerging markets.

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India summit boosts inclusive AI for development

India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Indian School of Business have convened the Governance Summit 2026, focusing on inclusive AI under the country’s Viksit Bharat development vision.

The one-day summit, held on 23 May 2026 at the ISB Mohali Campus, was organised in collaboration with the Bharti Institute of Public Policy. The event focused on AI-powered approaches to digital commerce, online safety, healthcare, governance, job creation, and digital entrepreneurship.

MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan said AI offers India an opportunity to improve productivity, governance, and access across sectors, including healthcare, education, manufacturing, and financial inclusion. He also said India is positioned to use AI for inclusive growth, while acknowledging concerns about its impact on cognitive jobs.

The programme included four thematic panels on AI in digital commerce, online safety for women and children, healthcare access and affordability, and job creation and digital entrepreneurship. A parallel roundtable examined how AI could support last-mile public service delivery, from state governments to gram panchayats.

Ashwini Chhatre, Associate Professor and Executive Director at the Bharti Institute of Public Policy, said AI should be treated as a long-term national mission. He highlighted inequality, leapfrogging opportunities, and the future of jobs as key issues in India’s emerging AI landscape, and called for equitable access through safeguards, social security mechanisms, and affirmative action.

The summit brought together government officials, industry leaders, academics, and civil society representatives. Participants included Reliance Retail, Mastercard, Apollo Hospitals, IIT Madras, UNICEF India, Punjab Police, and central and state government ministries.

Why does it matter?

The summit reflects India’s effort to frame AI as part of a broader development and public service agenda, rather than solely as an industrial or innovation policy issue. Its focus on last-mile service delivery, online safety, healthcare access, jobs, and digital entrepreneurship points to the governance questions India will need to address as AI systems are deployed across public and economic sectors.

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European Commission delays tech sovereignty package again

The European Commission has postponed the presentation of its tech sovereignty package until 3 June, following several earlier delays. The publication had previously been scheduled for 25 March, 15 April and 27 May.

According to Euractiv, the package is expected to include the proposed Cloud and AI Development Act and Chips Act 2. The initiatives are intended to support digital infrastructure development and strengthen Europe’s semiconductor sector. The measures are also expected to encourage data centre investment and semiconductor manufacturing within the EU.

The latest postponement follows comments from the US ambassador to the EU concerning potential trade implications of European digital regulation. Euractiv additionally reported uncertainty regarding a proposed EU open-source strategy previously linked to the package.

The European Commission did not comment publicly on the latest delay.

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Canada backs AI adoption across Toronto businesses

Canada has announced nearly C$16.5 million in funding for 13 businesses and organisations in the Greater Toronto Area to support AI adoption and help bring new AI technologies to market.

The investment was announced by Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. The funding will support projects in healthcare, energy management, legal services, construction, finance, transportation, sensitive data infrastructure, and enterprise software.

Several projects focus on healthcare and life sciences. Cosm Medical will accelerate the clinical and commercial rollout of an AI-driven platform for patient-specific gynaecological devices, while Future Fertility will commercialise AI-powered technology for assessing endometrial receptivity. MarkiTech will advance an AI healthcare solution for clinical workflows, and ProteinQure will bring to market an AI-powered targeted drug delivery solution.

Other recipients will use AI to improve business operations and sector-specific workflows. DMD Building Systems will integrate robotics, automation, and AI software for engineering workflows, while Edgecom Energy will commercialise its AI Energy Co-Pilot platform for energy management. Trax will develop an AI-assisted platform for building permit compliance checks, and VisFuture will deliver a natural-language AI tool for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The funding also includes C$2 million for Private AI, operating as Limina, to scale a sensitive data infrastructure platform for regulated sectors such as healthcare, financial services, and insurance. MinuteBox will add advanced AI capabilities to its legal services platform, while Stratosphere Technology, operating as Fiscal.ai, will develop an AI-powered platform for structuring corporate filing data.

The Vector Institute will receive C$4 million to launch and deliver a programme helping start-ups improve data readiness, develop models, and deploy AI products. The Government of Canada said the investment is intended to support AI adoption, commercialisation, productivity, competitiveness, and Ontario’s wider AI ecosystem.

Why does it matter?

The funding shows how Canada is using regional development programmes to push AI from research and experimentation into sector-specific commercial deployment. The mix of recipients also points to a broader policy priority: supporting domestic AI capacity while encouraging adoption in regulated and productivity-sensitive sectors such as healthcare, finance, construction, energy, and legal services.

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EU and Mexico strengthen cooperation against crypto-related money laundering

Mexico and the European Union have agreed to expand cooperation on addressing money laundering involving cryptocurrencies and digital assets. The announcement was made during the 8th EU-Mexico summit, where both sides also advanced discussions on a modernised trade agreement.

Officials highlighted concerns regarding the use of digital assets in cross-border illicit financial activities linked to organised crime. The discussions focused on improving coordination related to identifying and disrupting suspected illicit financial flows.

The cooperation forms part of broader EU-Mexico engagement covering trade, investment, security, and digital policy. Both parties said they intend to continue dialogue and cooperation on evolving financial crime risks linked to the digital economy.

Why does it matter?

The agreement reflects a broader shift towards coordinated international enforcement against crypto-enabled financial crime, where illicit flows are increasingly moving across multiple jurisdictions with limited friction.

Strengthened cooperation between major regions like the EU and Mexico is intended to reduce enforcement gaps that criminal networks have been able to exploit.

It also signals how digital assets are becoming a central focus in global security and trade diplomacy, not just financial regulation. By linking anti-money laundering efforts with wider economic and strategic agreements, both sides are treating crypto-related crime as part of the broader challenge of safeguarding the integrity of the digital financial system.

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Consumer groups file DSA complaints against Meta, TikTok and Google

Consumer organisations have filed complaints against Meta, TikTok, and Google over alleged failures to address financial scam advertising on their platforms.

The complaints were submitted by the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and partner organisations to the European Commission and national authorities under the Digital Services Act. According to research cited by the organisations, nearly 900 suspected fraudulent advertisements were identified across 13 countries between December 2025 and March 2026.

The groups said a relatively small proportion of reported content was removed, while many notices were allegedly rejected or received no response. Consumer organisations argued that the reported moderation response may leave users exposed to large volumes of potentially fraudulent advertising content.

BEUC and partner organisations are calling for investigations into whether the platforms are complying with Digital Services Act obligations related to systemic risks and harmful content.

The organisations also urged regulators to consider enforcement measures if non-compliance is identified, arguing that current moderation efforts are insufficient to mitigate systemic risks linked to online financial fraud.

Why does it matter?

The case highlights a broader issue of how effectively large online platforms can be held accountable for systemic risks such as financial scams. When reported fraudulent ads remain online at scale, it raises questions about whether existing regulatory tools are strong enough to protect consumers in practice.

It also puts pressure on enforcement bodies to move beyond complaint handling and ensure meaningful, consistent compliance across the digital advertising ecosystem.

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