Economic

AI assistant and cheaper autonomy headline Ford’s CES 2026 announcements

Ford has unveiled plans for an AI assistant that will launch in its smartphone app in early 2026 before expanding to in-vehicle systems in 2027. The announcement was made at the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show, alongside a preview of a next-generation BlueCruise driver assistance system.

The AI assistant will be hosted on Google Cloud and built using existing large language models, with access to vehicle-specific data. Ford said this will allow users to ask both general questions, such as vehicle capacity, and real-time queries, including oil life and maintenance status.

Ford plans to introduce the assistant first through its redesigned mobile app, with native integration into vehicles scheduled for 2027. The company has not yet specified which models will receive the in-car version first, but said the rollout would expand gradually across its lineup.

Alongside the AI assistant, the vehicle manufacturer previewed an updated version of its BlueCruise system, which it claims will be more affordable to produce and more capable. The new system is expected to debut in 2027 on the first electric vehicle built on Ford’s low-cost Universal Electric Vehicle platform.

Ford said the next-generation BlueCruise could support eyes-off driving by 2028 and enable point-to-point autonomous driving under driver supervision. As with similar systems from other automakers, drivers will still be required to remain ready to take control at any time.

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

Meet the voice-first AI companion with personality

Portola has launched Tolan, a voice-first AI companion that learns from ongoing conversations through personalised, animated characters. Tolan is designed for open-ended dialogue, making voice interactions more natural and engaging than standard text-based AI.

Built around memory and character design, the platform uses real-time context reconstruction to maintain personality and track shifting topics. Each turn, the system retrieves user memories, persona traits, and conversation tone, enabling coherent, adaptive responses.

GPT‑5.1 has improved latency, steerability, and consistency, reducing memory recall errors by 30% and boosting next-day retention over 20%.

Tolan’s architecture combines fast vector-based memory, dynamic emotional adjustment, and layered persona scaffolds. Sub-second responses and context rebuilding help the AI handle topic changes, maintain tone, and feel more human-like.

Since February 2025, Tolan has gained over 200,000 monthly users, earning a 4.8-star rating on the App Store. Future plans focus on multimodal voice agents integrating vision, context, and enhanced steerability to expand the boundaries of interactive AI.

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

AI and optical imaging transform thyroid cancer surgery

Thyroid cancer, the most common endocrine malignancy, poses challenges for surgeons trying to remove tumours while preserving healthy tissue.

Fine-needle aspiration and pathology are accurate but slow, providing no real-time guidance and sometimes causing unnecessary or incomplete surgeries. Dynamic Optical Contrast Imaging (DOCI) uses cells’ natural light to quickly distinguish healthy tissue from cancer.

The technique captures 23 optical channels from freshly excised tissue, creating detailed spectral maps without dyes or contrast agents. These optical signatures allow for rapid, label-free tissue analysis.

Researchers at Duke University and UCLA combined DOCI with AI to improve accuracy in classification and localisation. A two-stage machine-learning approach first categorised tissue as healthy or cancerous, including common and aggressive thyroid cancer subtypes.

Deep-learning models then produced tumour probability maps, pinpointing cancerous regions with minimal false positives.

Although initial studies focused on post-excision tissue, the technology could soon offer surgeons real-time guidance in the operating room. By combining optical imaging with AI, DOCI may reduce unnecessary surgery, preserve healthy tissue, and improve outcomes for thyroid cancer patients.

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

New UK cyber strategy focuses on trust in online public services

The UK government has announced new measures to strengthen the security and resilience of online public services as more interactions with the state move online. Ministers say public confidence is essential as citizens increasingly rely on digital systems for everyday services.

Backed by more than £210 million, the UK Government Cyber Action Plan outlines how cyber defences and digital resilience will be improved across the public sector. A new Government Cyber Unit will coordinate risk identification, incident response, and action on complex threats spanning multiple departments.

The plan underpins wider efforts to digitise public services, including benefits applications, tax payments, and healthcare access. Officials argue that secure systems can reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency, but only if users trust that their data is protected.

The announcement coincides with parliamentary debate on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which sets clearer expectations for companies supplying services to the government. The legislation is intended to strengthen cyber resilience across critical supply chains.

Ministers also highlighted new steps to address software supply chain risks, including a Software Security Ambassador Scheme promoting basic security practices. The government says stronger cyber resilience is essential to protect public services and maintain public trust.

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

Universal Music Group partners with NVIDIA on AI music strategy

UMG has entered a strategic collaboration with NVIDIA to reshape how billions of fans discover, experience and engage with music by using advanced AI.

An initiative that combines NVIDIA’s AI infrastructure with UMG’s extensive global catalogue, aiming to elevate music interaction instead of relying solely on traditional search and recommendation systems.

The partnership will focus on AI-driven discovery and engagement that interprets music at a deeper cultural and emotional level.

By analysing full-length tracks, the technology is designed to surface music through narrative, mood and context, offering fans richer exploration while helping artists reach audiences more meaningfully.

Artist empowerment sits at the centre of the collaboration, with plans to establish an incubator where musicians and producers help co-design AI tools.

The goal is to enhance originality and creative control instead of producing generic outputs, while ensuring proper attribution and protection of copyrighted works.

Universal Music Group and NVIDIA also emphasise responsible AI development, combining technical safeguards with industry oversight.

By aligning innovation with artist rights and fair compensation, both companies aim to set new standards for how AI supports creativity across the global music ecosystem.

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

ChatGPT Health offers personalised health support

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Health, a secure platform linking users’ health information with ChatGPT’s intelligence. The platform supports, rather than replaces, medical care, helping users understand test results, prepare for appointments, and manage their wellness.

ChatGPT Health allows users to safely connect medical records and apps such as Apple Health, Function, and MyFitnessPal. All data is stored in a separate Health space with encryption and enhanced privacy to keep sensitive information secure.

Conversations in Health are not used to train OpenAI’s models.

The platform was developed with input from more than 260 physicians worldwide, ensuring guidance is accurate, clinically relevant, and prioritises safety.

HealthBench, a physician-informed evaluation framework, helps measure quality, clarity, and appropriate escalation in responses, supporting users in making informed decisions about their health.

ChatGPT Health is initially available outside the EEA, Switzerland, and the UK, with wider access coming in the coming weeks. Users can sign up for a waitlist and begin connecting records and wellness apps to receive personalised, context-aware health insights.

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

Roblox rolls out facial age checks for chat

The online gaming platform, Roblox, has begun a global rollout requiring facial age checks before users can access chat features, expanding a system first tested in selected regions late last year.

The measure applies wherever chat is available and aims to create age-appropriate communication environments across the platform.

Instead of relying on self-declared ages, Roblox uses facial age estimation to group users and restrict interactions, limiting contact between adults and children under 16. Younger users need parental consent to chat, while verified users aged 13 and over can connect more freely through Trusted Connections.

The company says privacy safeguards remain central, with images deleted immediately after secure processing and no image sharing allowed in chat. Appeals, ID verification and parental controls support accuracy, while ongoing behavioural checks may trigger repeat age verification if discrepancies appear.

Roblox plans to extend age checks beyond chat later in 2026, including creator tools and community features, as part of a broader push to strengthen online safety and rebuild trust in youth-focused digital platforms.

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

Amazon makes Alexa+ available in web browsers

Growing demand for AI assistants has pushed Amazon to open access to Alexa+ through a web browser for the first time.

Early-access users in the US and Canada can now sign in through Alexa.com, allowing interaction with the service without relying solely on Echo devices or the mobile app.

Amazon has positioned the move as part of a broader effort to keep pace with rivals such as OpenAI, Google and Anthropic in the generative AI space.

Alexa+ is designed to operate as an intelligent personal assistant instead of a simple voice tool. Users can manage travel bookings, restaurant reservations, home automation and weekly meal planning while maintaining personalised preferences and chat history across devices.

Prime subscribers will eventually receive the paid service at no extra charge, and Amazon says tens of millions already have access.

Amazon expects availability to expand over time as the company places greater emphasis on AI-driven consumer services. Web-based access marks an effort to ensure the assistant is reachable wherever users connect, rather than being tied only to Amazon hardware.

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

NVIDIA and Siemens build new industrial AI operating system

Siemens and NVIDIA have expanded their strategic partnership to build what they describe as an Industrial AI operating system.

The collaboration aims to embed AI-driven intelligence throughout the entire industrial lifecycle, from product design and engineering to manufacturing, operations and supply chains.

Siemens will contribute industrial AI expertise alongside hardware and software, while NVIDIA will provide AI infrastructure, simulation technologies and accelerated computing platforms.

The companies plan to develop fully AI-driven adaptive manufacturing sites, beginning in 2026 with Siemens’ electronics factory in Erlangen, Germany.

Digital twins will be used as active intelligence tools instead of static simulations, allowing factories to analyse performance in real time, test improvements virtually and convert successful adjustments directly into operational changes.

Both firms will also accelerate semiconductor design by combining Siemens’ EDA tools with NVIDIA’s GPU-accelerated computing and AI models. The goal is to shorten design cycles, improve manufacturing yields and support the development of advanced AI-enabled products.

The partnership also aims to create next-generation AI factories that optimise power, cooling, automation and infrastructure efficiency.

Siemens and NVIDIA intend to use the same technologies internally to improve their own operations before scaling them to customers. They argue the partnership will help industries adopt AI more rapidly and reliably, while supporting more resilient and sustainable manufacturing worldwide.

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

Meta’s Threads tests basketball game inside chats

Threads is experimenting with gaming inside private chats, beginning with a simple basketball game that allows users to swipe to shoot hoops.

Meta confirmed that the game remains an internal prototype and is not available to the public, meaning there is no certainty it will launch. The feature was first uncovered by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi, who frequently spots unreleased tools during development.

In-chat gaming could give Threads an advantage over rivals such as X and Bluesky, which do not currently offer built-in games. It may also position Threads as a competitor to Apple’s Messages, where users can already access chat-based games through third-party apps instead of relying on the platform alone.

Meta has already explored similar ideas inside Instagram DMs, including a hidden game that lets users keep an emoji bouncing on screen.

Threads continues to expand its feature set with Communities and disappearing posts, although the platform still trails X in US adoption despite reporting 400 million monthly users worldwide.

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