New research has been published by OpenAI, examining whether advanced AI models can accelerate biological research within the wet lab, rather than just supporting theoretical science.
Working with biosecurity firm Red Queen Bio, researchers tested GPT-5 within a tightly controlled molecular cloning system designed to measure practical laboratory improvements.
Across multiple experimental rounds, GPT-5 independently proposed protocol modifications, analysed results and refined its approach using experimental feedback.
The model introduced a previously unexplored enzymatic mechanism that combines RecA and gp32 proteins, along with adjustments to reaction timing and temperature, resulting in a 79-fold increase in cloning efficiency compared to the baseline protocol.
OpenAI emphasises that all experiments were carried out under strict biosecurity safeguards and still relied on human scientists to execute laboratory work.
Even so, the findings suggest AI systems could work alongside researchers to reduce costs, accelerate experimentation and improve scientific productivity while informing future safety and governance frameworks.
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The US tech company OpenAI has rolled out a significant update to ChatGPT with the launch of GPT Images 1.5, strengthening its generative image capabilities.
A new model that produces photorealistic images using text prompts at speeds up to four times faster than earlier versions, reflecting OpenAI’s push to make visual generation more practical for everyday use.
Users can upload existing photos and modify them through natural language instructions, allowing objects to be added, removed, combined or blended with minimal effort.
OpenAI highlights applications such as clothing and hairstyle try-ons, alongside stylistic filters designed to support creative experimentation while preserving realistic visual quality.
The update also introduces a redesigned ChatGPT interface, including a dedicated Images section available via the sidebar on both mobile apps and the web.
GPT Images 1.5 is now accessible to regular users, while Business and Enterprise subscribers are expected to receive enhanced access and additional features in the coming weeks.
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Retailers face escalating cyber threats as hackers increasingly target customer data, eroding trust and damaging long-term brand value.
Deloitte warns that data breaches and ransomware attacks are becoming more frequent and costly, with some retailers facing losses reaching hundreds of millions, alongside declining consumer confidence.
The expansion of AI-driven personalisation has intensified privacy concerns, as customers weigh convenience against data protection.
While many shoppers accept sharing personal information in exchange for value, confidence depends on clear safeguards, transparent data use and credible security practices across digital channels.
Deloitte argues that leading retailers integrate cybersecurity into their core business strategy, rather than treating it as a compliance obligation.
Priorities include protecting critical digital assets, modernising security operations and building cyber-aware cultures capable of responding to AI-enabled fraud, preserving customer trust and sustaining revenue growth.
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Leading AI researcher Yann LeCun has argued that large language models only simulate understanding rather than genuinely comprehending the world. Their intelligence, he said, lacks grounding in physical reality and everyday common sense.
Despite being trained on vast amounts of online text, LLMs struggle with unfamiliar situations, according to LeCun. Real-world experience, he noted, provides richer learning than language alone ever could.
Drawing on decades in AI research, LeCun warned that enthusiasm around LLMs mirrors earlier hype cycles that promised human-level intelligence. Similar claims have repeatedly failed to deliver since the 1950s.
Instead of further scaling language models, LeCun urged greater investment in ‘world models’ that can reason about actions and consequences. He also cautioned that current funding patterns risk sidelining alternative approaches to AI.
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AI is entering a new phase, with 2026 expected to mark a shift from experimentation to real-world collaboration. Microsoft executives describe AI as an emerging partner that amplifies human expertise rather than replacing it.
Microsoft says the impact is becoming visible across healthcare, software development, and scientific research. AI tools embedded in Microsoft products are supporting diagnosis, coding, and research workflows.
With the expansion of AI agents across all platforms, organisations are strengthening safeguards to manage new risks. Security leaders argue agents will require clear identities, restricted access, and continuous monitoring.
Microsoft also points to changes in the infrastructure powering AI. The company says future systems will prioritise efficiency and intelligence output, supported by distributed and hybrid cloud architectures.
Looking further ahead, the convergence of AI, supercomputing, and quantum technologies stands out as the main highlight. Hybrid approaches, the company says, are bringing practical quantum advantage closer for applications in materials science, medicine, and research.
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The UK government has formed a Women in Tech taskforce to help more women enter, remain and lead across the technology sector. Technology secretary Liz Kendall will guide the group alongside industry figures determined to narrow long-standing representation gaps highlighted by recent BCS data.
Members include Anne-Marie Imafidon, Allison Kirkby and Francesca Carlesi, who will advise ministers on boosting diversity and supporting economic growth. Leaders stress that better representation enables more inclusive decision-making and encourages technology built with wider perspectives in mind.
The taskforce plans to address barriers affecting women’s progression, ranging from career access to investment opportunities. Organisations such as techUK and the Royal Academy of Engineering argue that gender imbalance limits innovation, particularly as the UK pursues ambitious AI goals.
UK officials expect working groups to develop proposals over the coming months, focusing on practical steps that broaden the talent pool. Advocates say the initiative arrives at a crucial moment as emerging technologies reshape employment and demand more inclusive leadership.
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Taichung Municipal Hospital for Geriatric Rehabilitation and Comprehensive Care has introduced 20 AI-enabled Aibo robots to support medical staff, help mitigate labour shortages and improve patient services.
The Aibo robots, developed by China Medical University Hospital and EverBot Technology, can guide inpatients, offer basic health education, conduct telemedicine interactions via built-in cameras and respond quickly to questions, learning from each interaction to improve accuracy.
Each robot features autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance, and is integrated with hospital systems, allowing one AI server to manage up to 30 units simultaneously while protecting patient data with firewall security.
The hospital also uses other AI systems, such as an ambulance-linked platform for early heart-attack detection, while additional Taiwanese medical facilities are expanding robotic support for deliveries, patient interaction and surgical assistance.
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New Orleans has become the first US city to use real time facial recognition through a privately operated system. The technology flags wanted individuals as they pass cameras, with alerts sent directly to police despite ongoing disputes between city officials.
A local non profit runs the network independently and sets its own guard rails for police cooperation. Advocates claim the arrangement limits bureaucracy, while critics argue it bypasses vital public oversight and privacy protections.
Debate over facial recognition has intensified nationwide as communities question accuracy, fairness and civil liberties. New Orleans now represents a major test case for how such tools may develop without clear government regulation.
Officials remain divided over long term consequences while campaigners warn of creeping surveillance risks. Residents are likely to face years of uncertainty as policies evolve and private systems grow more influential.
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The US tech company, Oracle, has expanded Oracle Database@Google Cloud to India, making the service available through Google Cloud’s Mumbai region.
Enterprises can access Oracle Exadata, Autonomous AI Database and AI Lakehouse services while keeping data in the region to meet sovereignty and regulatory requirements.
The multicloud offering allows organisations to combine Oracle enterprise data with Google Cloud analytics and AI tools, including BigQuery, Vertex AI and Gemini models.
Customers can modernise applications and migrate mission-critical workloads without sacrificing performance, security or low-latency access.
Oracle Database@Google Cloud is available through the Google Cloud Marketplace, enabling customers to procure services via trusted partners instead of navigating complex contracting models.
Oracle and Google Cloud partners can also integrate the service into broader multicloud solutions.
The launch reflects growing demand for flexible multicloud architectures in India, supporting AI-driven innovation, advanced analytics and accelerated IT modernisation across regulated and data-intensive industries.
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NVIDIA has announced the acquisition of SchedMD, the developer of Slurm, a widely used open-source workload manager for high-performance computing and AI environments.
The company stated that Slurm will continue to be developed and distributed as open-source, vendor-neutral software, with support maintained across a broad range of hardware and software platforms used by the HPC and AI communities.
Slurm plays a central role in managing complex workloads on large computing clusters, handling job scheduling, queuing, and resource allocation. It is used by more than half of the top 10 and top 100 systems on the TOP500 supercomputer list, reflecting its widespread adoption and significant impact.
NVIDIA stated that the software is also critical infrastructure for generative AI, helping developers manage large-scale model training and inference. The company has collaborated with SchedMD for over a decade and plans to increase investment in Slurm’s ongoing development.
SchedMD said the deal will enable Slurm to evolve in tandem with accelerated computing demands while remaining open source. NVIDIA said it will continue to provide support, training, and development to existing customers across various use cases, including research, industry, and public sectors.
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