At Mindvalley’s AI Summit, former Google Chief Decision Scientist Cassie Kozyrkov described AI as not a substitute for human thought but a magnifier of what the human mind can produce. Rather than replacing us, AI lets us offload mundane tasks and focus on deeper cognitive and creative work.
Work structures are being transformed, not just in factories, but behind computer screens. AI now handles administrative ‘work about work,’ multitasking, scheduling, and research summarisation, lowering friction in knowledge work and enabling people to supervise agents rather than execute tasks manually.
Personal life is being reshaped, too. AI tools for finance or health, such as budgeting apps or personalised diagnostics, move decisions into data-augmented systems with faster insight and fewer human biases.
Meanwhile, creativity is co-authored via AI-generated design, music or writing, requiring humans to filter, refine and ideate beyond the algorithm.
Recognising cognitive change, AI thought leaders envision a new era where ‘blended work’ prevails: humans manage AI agents, call the shots, and wield ethical oversight, while the AI executes pipelines of repetitive or semi-intelligent tasks.
Google’s AI Mode has quietly launched in the UK, reshaping how users access news by summarising information directly in search results.
By paraphrasing content gathered across the internet, the tool offers instant answers while reducing the need to visit original news sites.
Critics argue that the technology monopolises UK information by filtering what users see, based on algorithms rather than editorial judgement. Concerns have grown over transparency, fairness and the future of independent journalism.
Publishers are not compensated for content used by AI Mode, and most users rarely click through to the sources. Newsrooms fear pressure to adapt their output to align with Google’s preferences or risk being buried online.
While AI may streamline convenience, it lacks accountability. Regulated journalism must operate under legal frameworks, whereas AI faces no such scrutiny even when errors have real consequences.
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Elon Musk has predicted a major shift in software development, claiming that AI is turning coding from a job into a recreational activity. The xAI CEO believes AI has removed much of the ‘drudgery’ from writing software.
Replying to OpenAI President Greg Brockman, Musk compared the future of coding to painting. He suggested that software creation will be more creative and expressive, no longer requiring professional expertise for functional outcomes.
Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, left the organisation after a public dispute with the current CEO, Sam Altman. He later launched xAI, which now operates the Grok chatbot as a rival to ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude.
Generative AI firms are accelerating efforts in automated coding. OpenAI recently launched Codex to create a cloud-based software engineering agent, while Microsoft released GitHub Spark AI to generate apps from natural language.
xAI’s latest offering, Grok 4, supports over 20 programming languages and integrates with code editors. It enables developers to write, debug, and understand code using commands.
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North Korea-linked hacking group APT37 is using malicious JPEG image files to deploy advanced malware on Windows systems, according to Genians Security Centre. The new campaign showcases a more evasive version of RoKRAT malware, which hides payloads in image files through steganography.
These attacks rely on large Windows shortcut files embedded in email attachments or cloud storage links, enticing users with decoy documents while executing hidden code. Once activated, the malware launches scripts to decrypt shellcode and inject it into trusted apps like MS Paint and Notepad.
This fileless strategy makes detection difficult, avoiding traditional antivirus tools by leaving minimal traces. The malware also exfiltrates data through legitimate cloud services, complicating efforts to trace and block the threat.
Researchers stress the urgency for organisations to adopt cybersecurity measures, behavioural monitoring, robust end point management, and ongoing user education. Defenders must prioritise proactive strategies to protect critical systems as threat actors evolve.
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Andrew Tulloch, an Australian AI engineer raised in Perth, has reportedly rejected a US$1 billion (A$1.55 billion) compensation package from Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta.
Tulloch, a University of Sydney mathematics graduate with a near-perfect ATAR, co-founded the AI start-up Thinking Machines Lab earlier this year with former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.
Thinking Machines Lab, focused on building safer, customisable multimodal AI systems, has already secured US$2 billion in seed funding and is now valued at $12 billion. Investors include major tech firms Nvidia, AMD and Cisco, and the Albanian government.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Meta attempted to acquire the company and later made direct offers to key employees. Tulloch declined the offer, which Meta dismissed as “inaccurate and ridiculous.”
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Eswatini is moving forward with a national digital transformation plan focused on infrastructure, legislation and skills development.
The country’s Minister of ICT, Savannah Maziya, outlined key milestones during the 2025 Eswatini Economic Update, co-hosted with the World Bank.
In her remarks, Maziya said that digital technology plays a central role in job creation, governance and economic development. She introduced several regulatory frameworks, including a Cybersecurity Bill, a Critical Infrastructure Bill and an E-Commerce Strategy.
Additional legislation is planned for emerging technologies such as AI, robotics and satellite systems.
Infrastructure improvements include the nationwide expansion of fibre optic networks and a rise in international connectivity capacity from 47 Gbps to 72 Gbps.
Mbabane, the capital, is being developed as a Smart City with 5G coverage, AI-enabled surveillance and public Wi-Fi access.
The Ministry of ICT has launched more than 11 digital public services and plans to add 90 more in the next three years.
A nationwide coding initiative will offer digital skills training to over 300,000 citizens, supporting wider efforts to increase access and participation in the digital economy.
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Organisations representing creative sectors have issued a joint statement expressing concerns over the current implementation of the EU AI Act, particularly its provisions for general-purpose AI systems.
The response focuses on recent documents, including the General Purpose AI Code of Practice, accompanying guidelines, and the template for training data disclosure under Article 53.
The signatories, drawn from music and broader creative industries, said they had engaged extensively throughout the consultation process. They now argue that the outcomes do not fully reflect the issues raised during those discussions.
According to the statement, the result does not provide the level of intellectual property protection that some had expected from the regulation.
The group has called on the European Commission to reconsider the implementation package and is encouraging the European Parliament and member states to review the process.
The original EU AI Act was widely acknowledged as a landmark regulation, with technology firms and creative industries closely watching its rollout across member countries.
Google confirmed that it will sign the General Purpose Code of Practice elsewhere. The company said the latest version supports Europe’s broader innovation goals more effectively than earlier drafts, but it also noted ongoing concerns.
These include the potential impact of specific requirements on competitiveness and handling trade secrets.
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Microsoft Research released a comprehensive AI impact assessment, ranking 80 occupations by exposure to generative AI tools such as Copilot and ChatGPT. Roles heavily involved in language, writing, client communication, and routine digital tasks showed the highest AI overlap. Notable examples include translators, historians, customer service agents, political scientists, and data scientists.
By contrast, jobs requiring hands-on work, empathy, real-time physical or emotional engagement, such as nurses, phlebotomists, construction trades, embalmers, and housekeeping staff, were classified as low risk under current AI capabilities. Experts suggest that these kinds of positions remain essential because they involve physical presence, human interaction, and complex real-time decision making.
Although certain professions scored high for AI exposure, Microsoft and independent analysts emphasise that most jobs won’t disappear entirely. Instead, generative AI tools are expected to augment workflows, creating hybrid roles where human judgement and oversight remain critical, especially in sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and creative industries.
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Apple is ramping up its AI efforts, with CEO Tim Cook confirming that the company is significantly increasing its investments in the technology. During the Q3 2025 earnings call, Cook said AI would be embedded across Apple’s devices, platforms and internal operations.
The firm has reallocated staff to focus on AI and continues to acquire smaller companies to accelerate progress, completing seven acquisitions this year alone. Capital expenditure has also risen, partly due to the growing focus on AI.
Despite criticism that Apple has lagged behind in the AI race, the company insists it will not rush features to market. More than 20 Apple Intelligence tools have already been released, with additional features like live translation and an AI fitness assistant expected by year-end.
The updated version of Siri, which promises greater personalisation, has been pushed to 2026. Cook dismissed suggestions that AI-powered hardware, like glasses, would replace the iPhone, instead positioning future devices as complementary.
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UK universities risk losing their competitive edge unless they adopt a clear, forward-looking approach to ΑΙ in teaching. Falling enrolments, limited funding, and outdated digital systems have exposed a lack of AI literacy across many institutions.
As AI skills become essential for today’s workforce, employers increasingly expect graduates to be confident users rather than passive observers.
Many universities continue relying on legacy technology rather than exploring the full potential of modern learning platforms. AI tools can enhance teaching by adapting to individual student needs and helping educators identify learning gaps.
However, few staff have received adequate training, and many universities lack the resources or structure to embed AI into day-to-day teaching effectively.
To close the growing gap between education and the workplace, universities must explore flexible short courses and microcredentials that develop workplace-ready skills.
Introducing ethical standards and data transparency from the start will ensure AI is used responsibly without weakening academic integrity.
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