Future of work

Take-Two confirms generative AI played no role in Rockstar’s GTA VI

Generative AI is increasingly affecting creative industries, raising concerns related to authorship, labour, and human oversight. Companies are under growing pressure to clarify how AI is used in creative production.

Many firms present generative AI as a tool to improve efficiency rather than replace human creativity. This reflects a cautious approach that prioritises human control and risk management.

Take-Two Interactive has confirmed that it is running hundreds of AI pilots focused on cost and time efficiencies. However, the company stresses that AI is used for operational support, not creative generation.

According to CEO Strauss Zelnick, generative AI played no role in the development of Grand Theft Auto VI. Rockstar Games’ worlds are described as fully handcrafted by human developers.

These statements come amid investor uncertainty triggered by recent generative AI experiments in gaming. Alongside this, ongoing labour disputes at Rockstar Games highlight broader governance challenges beyond technology.

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MIT develops AI model to speed up materials synthesis

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a generative AI model to guide scientists through the complex process of materials synthesis, a significant bottleneck in materials discovery.

DiffSyn uses diffusion-based AI to suggest multiple synthesis routes for a material, factoring in temperature, reaction time, and precursor ratios. Unlike earlier tools tied to single recipes, DiffSyn reflects the laboratory reality in which multiple pathways can produce the same material.

The system achieved state-of-the-art accuracy on zeolites, a challenging material class used in catalysis and chemical processing. Using DiffSyn’s recommendations, the team synthesised a new zeolite with improved thermal stability, confirming the model’s practical value.

The researchers believe the approach could be extended beyond zeolites to other complex materials, eventually integrating with automated experiments to shorten the path from theoretical design to real-world application dramatically.

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Bitcoin drops to 2024 low as AI fears and geopolitics rattle markets

A cautious mood spread across global markets as US stocks declined and Bitcoin slid to its lowest level since late 2024. Technology and software shares led losses, pushing major indices to their weakest performance in two weeks.

Bitcoin fell sharply before stabilising, remaining well below its October peak despite continued pro-crypto messaging from Washington. Gold and silver moved higher during the session, reinforcing their appeal as defensive assets amid rising uncertainty.

Investor sentiment weakened after Anthropic unveiled new legal-focused features for its Claude chatbot, reviving fears of disruption across software and data-driven business models. Analysts at Morgan Stanley pointed to rotation within the technology sector, with investors reducing exposure to software stocks.

Geopolitical tensions intensified after reports of US military action involving Iran, pushing oil prices higher and increasing market volatility. Combined AI uncertainty, geopolitical risk, and shifting safe-haven flows continue to weigh on equities and digital assets alike.

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EU AI Act guidance delay raises compliance uncertainty

The European Commission has missed a key deadline to issue guidance on how companies should classify high-risk AI systems under the EU AI Act, fuelling uncertainty around the landmark law’s implementation.

Guidance on Article 6, which defines high-risk AI systems and stricter compliance rules, was due by early February. Officials have indicated that feedback is still being integrated, with a revised draft expected later this month and final adoption potentially slipping to spring.

The delay follows warnings that regulators and businesses are unprepared for the act’s most complex rules, due to apply from August. Brussels has suggested delaying high-risk obligations under its Digital Omnibus package, citing unfinished standards and the need for legal clarity.

Industry groups want enforcement delayed until guidance and standards are finalised, while some lawmakers warn repeated slippage could undermine confidence in the AI Act. Critics warn further changes could deepen uncertainty if proposed revisions fail or disrupt existing timelines.

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EU moves closer to decision on ChatGPT oversight

The European Commission plans to decide by early 2026 whether OpenAI’s ChatGPT should be classified as a vast online platform under the Digital Services Act.

OpenAI’s tool reported 120.4 million average monthly users in the EU back in October, a figure far above the 45-million threshold that triggers more onerous obligations instead of lighter oversight.

Officials said the designation procedure depends on both quantitative and qualitative assessments of how a service operates, together with input from national authorities.

The Commission is examining whether a standalone AI chatbot can fall within the scope of rules usually applied to platforms such as social networks, online marketplaces and significant search engines.

ChatGPT’s user data largely stems from its integrated online search feature, which prompts users to allow the chatbot to search the web. The Commission noted that OpenAI could voluntarily meet the DSA’s risk-reduction obligations while the formal assessment continues.

The EU’s latest wave of designations included Meta’s WhatsApp, though the rules applied only to public channels, not private messaging.

A decision on ChatGPT that will clarify how far the bloc intends to extend its most stringent online governance framework to emerging AI systems.

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AI legal tool rattles European data stocks

European data and legal software stocks fell sharply after US AI startup Anthropic launched a new tool for corporate legal teams. The company said the software can automate contract reviews, compliance workflows, and document triage, while clarifying that it does not offer legal advice.

Investors reacted swiftly, sending shares in Pearson, RELX, Sage, Wolters Kluwer, London Stock Exchange Group, and Experian sharply lower. Thomson Reuters also suffered a steep decline, reflecting concern that AI tools could erode demand for traditional data-driven services.

Market commentators warned that broader adoption of AI in professional services could compress margins or bypass established providers altogether. Morgan Stanley flagged intensifying competition, while AJ Bell pointed to rising investor anxiety across the sector.

The sell-off also revived debate over AI’s impact on employment, particularly in legal and other office-based roles. Recent studies suggest the UK may face greater disruption than other large economies as companies adopt AI tools, even as productivity gains continue to rise.

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Innovation and security shape the UAE’s tech strategy

The United Arab Emirates is strengthening its global tech role by treating advanced innovation as a pillar of sovereignty rather than a standalone growth driver. National strategy increasingly links technology with long-term economic resilience, security, and geopolitical relevance.

A key milestone was the launch of the UAE Advanced Technology Centre with the Technology Innovation Institute and the World Economic Forum, announced alongside the Davos gathering.

The initiative highlights the UAE’s transition from technology consumer to active participant in shaping global governance frameworks for emerging technologies.

The centre focuses on policy and governance for areas including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, robotics, and space-based payment systems.

Backed by a flexible regulatory environment, the UAE is promoting regulatory experimentation and translating research into real-world applications through institutions such as the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence and innovation hubs like Masdar City.

Alongside innovation, authorities are addressing rising digital risks, particularly deepfake technologies that threaten financial systems, public trust, and national security.

By combining governance, ethical standards, and international cooperation, the UAE is advancing a model of digital sovereignty that prioritises security, shared benefits, and long-term strategic independence.

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ChatGPT restored after global outage disrupts users worldwide

OpenAI faced a wave of global complaints after many users struggled to access ChatGPT.

Reports began circulating in the US during the afternoon, with outage cases climbing to more than 12.000 in less than half an hour. Social media quickly filled with questions from people trying to determine whether the disruption was widespread or a local glitch.

Also, users in the UK reported complete failure to generate responses, yet access returned when they switched to a US-based VPN.

Other regions saw mixed results, as VPNs in Ireland, Canada, India and Poland allowed ChatGPT to function, although replies were noticeably slower instead of consistent.

OpenAI later confirmed that several services were experiencing elevated errors. Engineers identified the source of the disruption, introduced mitigations and continued monitoring the recovery.

The company stressed that users in many regions might still experience intermittent problems while the system stabilises rather than operating at full capacity.

In the following update, OpenAI announced that its systems were fully operational again.

The status page indicated that the affected services had recovered, and engineers were no longer aware of active issues. The company added that the underlying fault was addressed, with further safeguards being developed to prevent similar incidents.

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Major Chinese data leak exposes billions of records

Cybersecurity researchers uncovered an unsecured database exposing 8.7 billion records linked to individuals and businesses in China. The data was found in early January 2026 and remained accessible online for more than three weeks.

The China focused dataset included national ID numbers, home addresses, email accounts, social media identifiers and passwords. Researchers warned that the scale of exposure in China creates serious risks of identity theft and account takeovers.

The records were stored in a large Elasticsearch cluster hosted on so called bulletproof infrastructure. Analysts believe the structure suggests deliberate aggregation in China rather than an accidental misconfiguration.

Although the database is now closed, experts say actors targeting China may have already copied the data. China has experienced several major leaks in recent years, highlighting persistent weaknesses in large scale data handling.

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Austria and Poland eye social media limits for minors

Austria is advancing plans to bar children under 14 from social media when the new school year begins in September 2026, according to comments from a senior Austrian official. Poland’s government is drafting a law to restrict access for under-15s, using digital ID tools to confirm age.

Austria’s governing parties support protecting young people online but differ on how to verify ages securely without undermining privacy. In Poland supporters of the draft argue that early exposure to screens is a parental and platform enforcement issue.

Austria and Poland form part of a broader European trend as France moves to ban under-15s and the UK is debating similar measures. Wider debates tie these proposals to concerns about children’s mental health and online safety.

Proponents in both Austria and Poland aim to finalise legal frameworks by 2026, with implementation potentially rolling out in the following year if national parliaments approve the age restrictions.

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