Future of work Archives | Page 167 of 243 | Digital Watch Observatory

Coinbase CEO fired engineers who refused to adopt AI tools

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has revealed that he fired engineers who refused to begin using AI coding tools after the company adopted GitHub Copilot and Cursor. Armstrong shared the story during a podcast hosted by Stripe co-founder John Collison.

Engineers were told to onboard with the tools within a week. Armstrong arranged a Saturday meeting for those who had not complied and said that employees without valid reasons would be dismissed. Some were excused due to holidays, while others were let go.

Collison raised concerns about relying too heavily on AI-generated code, prompting Armstrong to agree. Past reports have described challenges with managing code produced by AI, even at companies like OpenAI. Coinbase did not comment on the matter.

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

AI’s overuse of the em dash could be your biggest giveaway

AI-generated writing may be giving itself away, and the em dash is its most flamboyant tell. Long beloved by grammar nerds for its versatility, the em dash has become AI’s go-to flourish, but not everyone is impressed.

Pacing, pauses, and a suspicious number of em dashes are often a sign that a machine had its hand in the prose. Even simple requests for editing can leave users with sentences reworked into what feels like an AI-powered monologue.

Though tools like ChatGPT or Gemini can be powerful assistants, using them blindly can dull the human spark. Overuse of certain AI quirks, like rhetorical questions, generic phrases or overstyled punctuation, can make even an honest email feel like corporate poetry.

Writers are being advised to take the reins back. Draft the first version by hand, let the AI refine it, then strip out anything that feels artificial, especially the dashes. Keeping your natural voice intact may be the best way to make sure your readers are connecting with you, not just the machine behind the curtain.

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

Meta teams up with Midjourney for AI video and image tools

Meta has confirmed a new partnership with Midjourney to license its AI image and video generation technology. The collaboration, announced by Meta Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang, will see Meta integrate Midjourney’s tools into upcoming models and products.

Midjourney will remain independent following the deal. CEO David Holz said the startup, which has never taken external investment, will continue operating on its own. The company launched its first video model earlier this year and has grown rapidly, reportedly reaching $200 million in revenue by 2023.

Midjourney is currently being sued by Disney and Universal for alleged copyright infringement in AI training data. Meta faces similar challenges, although courts have often sided with tech firms in recent decisions.

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

Google Cloud’s new AI tools expand enterprise threat protection

Following last week’s announcements on AI-driven cybersecurity, Google Cloud has unveiled further tools at its Security Summit 2025 aimed at protecting enterprise AI deployments and boosting efficiency for security teams.

The updates build on prior innovations instead of replacing them, reinforcing Google’s strategy of integrating AI directly into security operations.

Vice President and General Manager Jon Ramsey highlighted the growing importance of agentic approaches as AI agents operate across increasingly complex enterprise environments.

Building on the previous rollout, Google now introduces Model Armor protections, designed to shield AI agents from prompt injections, jailbreaking, and data leakage, enhancing safeguards without interrupting existing workflows.

Additional enhancements include the Alert Investigation agent, which automates event enrichment and analysis while offering actionable recommendations.

By combining Mandiant threat intelligence feeds with Google’s Gemini AI, organisations can now detect and respond to incidents across distributed agent networks more rapidly and efficiently than before.

SecOps Labs and updated SOAR dashboards provide early access to AI-powered threat detection experiments and comprehensive visualisations of security operations.

These tools allow teams to continue scaling agentic AI security, turning previous insights into proactive, enterprise-ready protections for real-world deployments.

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

Seemingly conscious AI may cause psychological problems and AI psychosis

Microsoft’s AI chief and DeepMind co-founder, Mustafa Suleyman, has warned that society is unprepared for AI systems that convincingly mimic human consciousness. He warned that ‘seemingly conscious’ AI could make the public treat machines as sentient.

Suleyman highlighted potential risks including demands for AI rights, welfare, and even AI citizenship. Since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022, AI developers have increasingly designed systems to act ‘more human’.

Experts caution that such technology could intensify mental health problems and distort perceptions of reality. The phenomenon known as AI Psychosis sees users forming intense emotional attachments or believing AI to be conscious or divine.

Suleyman called for clear boundaries in AI development, emphasising that these systems should be tools for people rather than digital persons. He urged careful management of human-AI interaction without calling for a halt to innovation.

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

Global tech competition intensifies as the UK outlines a £1 trillion digital blueprint

The United Kingdom has unveiled a strategy to grow its digital economy to £1 trillion by harnessing AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. The plan emphasises public-private partnerships, training, and international collaboration to tackle skills shortages and infrastructure gaps.

The initiative builds on the UK tech sector’s £1.2 trillion valuation, with regional hubs in cities such as Bristol and Manchester fuelling expansion in emerging technologies. Experts, however, warn that outdated systems and talent deficits could stall progress unless workforce development accelerates.

AI is central to the plan, with applications spanning healthcare and finance. Quantum computing also features, with investments in research and cybersecurity aimed at strengthening resilience against supply disruptions and future threats.

The government highlights sustainability as a priority, promoting renewable energy and circular economies to ensure digital growth aligns with environmental goals. Regional investment in blockchain, agri-tech, and micro-factories is expected to create jobs and diversify innovation-driven growth.

By pursuing these initiatives, the UK aims to establish itself as a leading global tech player alongside the US and China. Ethical frameworks and adaptive strategies will be key to maintaining public trust and competitiveness.

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

AI-designed proteins could transform longevity and drug development

OpenAI has launched GPT-4b micro, an AI model developed with longevity startup Retro Biosciences to accelerate protein engineering. Unlike chatbots, it focuses on biological sequences and 3D structures.

The model redesigned two Yamanaka factors- proteins that convert adult cells into stem cells, showing 50-fold higher efficiency in lab tests and improved DNA repair. Older cells acted more youthful, potentially shortening trial-and-error in regenerative medicine.

AI-designed proteins could speed up drug development and allow longevity startups to rejuvenate cells safely and consistently. The work also opens new possibilities in synthetic biology beyond natural evolution.

OpenAI emphasised that the research is still early and lab-based, with clinical applications requiring caution. Transparency is key, as the technology’s power to design potent proteins quickly raises biosecurity considerations.

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

Google pushes staff to embrace AI to stay ahead

Google is urging its workforce to adopt AI in everyday tasks instead of relying solely on traditional methods.

CEO Sundar Pichai has warned that falling behind in AI could risk the company’s competitive edge, especially as rivals like Microsoft, Amazon and Meta push their staff to embrace similar tools.

Early trials inside Google suggest a significant boost in efficiency, with engineers reporting a 10% increase in weekly productivity after adopting AI.

The company has launched a training initiative called AI Savvy Google to accelerate the shift. The programme provides courses, toolkits and hands-on sessions to help employees integrate AI into their workflows.

One of the standout tools is Cider, an AI-powered coding assistant already used by half of the engineers with access to it.

Executives believe AI will soon become an essential part of software engineering. Brian Saluzzo, a senior leader at Google, told staff that internal AI tools will continue to improve and become deeply embedded in coding work.

The company stresses the importance of using AI to support rather than replace workers, with the training programme designed to upskill employees instead of pushing them aside.

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

Dell expands AI innovation hub in Singapore to drive regional growth

Dell Technologies has launched a new Asia Pacific and Japan AI Innovation Hub in Singapore, strengthening its role in advancing AI across the region.

The hub extends the company’s Global Innovation Hub, which has already received more than US$50 million in investment since 2019. Its focus is on driving AI transformation, enablement and leadership, in line with Singapore’s National AI Strategy 2.0.

Instead of offering only infrastructure, the hub delivers end-to-end support, from strategy to deployment, helping enterprises bridge the gap between ambition and practical results. Research shows 62% of Singaporean businesses prefer such holistic partnerships.

Since 2024, the hub has developed about 50 AI prototypes and carried out more than 100 proof-of-concepts, workshops and demonstrations across areas such as generative and predictive AI.

The projects have already influenced multiple sectors. In energy, AI solutions are strengthening infrastructure resilience and enhancing customer engagement with digital humans and chatbots.

In telecommunications, AI is supporting agility and operational efficiency, while in education, cloud-based technologies are empowering research and innovation.

Dell’s AI Centre of Excellence Lab further supports these initiatives by testing solutions for AI PCs and edge computing in collaboration with academic and hardware partners.

A strong emphasis is also placed on skills development. By the end of 2025, the hub aims to train around 10,000 students and mid-career professionals in AI engineering, platform engineering and related fields.

Working with 10 local institutes, Dell is addressing the talent shortage reported by nearly half of Singaporean organisations. Events such as the Dell InnovateFest and the Dell Innovation Challenge provide platforms for students and partners to showcase ideas and create solutions for social good.

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

OpenAI to open office in New Delhi

OpenAI has announced plans to open its first office in India later this year, selecting New Delhi as the location. India is now ChatGPT’s second-largest market after the US and continues to experience rapid growth in user activity.

Weekly active users of ChatGPT in India have increased over fourfold over the past year, with students making up the largest global user segment. CEO Sam Altman praised India’s talent pool and government support, stating the new office is key to building AI with and for India.

Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw welcomed the move, citing India’s AI mission and expanding digital infrastructure as a natural foundation for the partnership. OpenAI will also hold its first Education Summit in India later this month, aiming to further engage with students and educators nationwide.

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