Future of work

Mac users lose ChatGPT voice access in 2026

OpenAI has confirmed that Voice interactions will stop working in the ChatGPT macOS app as of 15 January 2026, affecting users who rely on spoken conversations instead of typing.

The company states that the change is part of a broader effort to streamline voice experiences across its platforms.

Currently, the Mac app allows hands-free, real-time conversations with ChatGPT. After the deadline, voice functionality will remain accessible through chatgpt.com, as well as on iOS, Android, and the Windows app. OpenAI stresses that no other macOS features will be removed.

According to OpenAI, recent updates have already brought Voice mode closer to standard chat interactions on mobile and the web, allowing users to review earlier messages and engage with visual content while speaking.

The company has suggested that the existing macOS Voice feature may not support its next-generation approach.

Mac users will be able to continue using Voice mode until mid-January 2026. After this date, voice-based interactions will require switching to other supported platforms until a potential macOS update is introduced.

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Civil servants and AI will work together in 2050

Public administrations worldwide are facing unprecedented change as AI reshapes automation, procurement, and decision-making. Governments must stay flexible, open, and resilient, preparing for multiple futures with foresight, continuous learning, and adaptability.

During World Futures Day, experts from the SPARK-AI Alliance and representatives from governments, academia, and the private sector explored four potential scenarios for public service in 2050.

Scenarios ranged from human-centred administrations that reinforce trust, to algorithmic bureaucracies focused on oversight, agentic administrations with semi-autonomous AI actors, and data-eroded futures that require renewed governance of poor-quality data.

Key insights highlighted the growing importance of anticipatory capacity, positioning AI as a ‘co-worker’ rather than a replacement, and emphasising the need to safeguard public trust.

Civil servants will increasingly focus on ethical reasoning, interpretation of automated processes, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, supported by robust accountability and transparent data governance.

The SPARK-AI Alliance has launched a Working Group on the Future of Work in the Public Sector to help governments anticipate and prepare for change. Its focus will be on building resilient public administrations, evolving civil-service roles, and maintaining trust in AI-enabled governance.

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Bank of England governor warns AI could displace jobs at Industrial Revolution scale

Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said the widespread adoption of AI is likely to displace workers from existing roles, drawing parallels with the labour disruption caused by the Industrial Revolution.

He emphasised that while AI can boost productivity and economic growth, the UK must invest in training and education to help workers transition into jobs that are AI-enabled.

Bailey expressed particular concern about the impact on younger and inexperienced workers, warning that AI may reduce entry-level opportunities in sectors such as law, accountancy and administration. He noted that firms may hire fewer junior staff as AI systems replace routine data and document analysis.

Despite these risks, Bailey described AI as a potential driver of future UK growth, although he cautioned that productivity gains may take time to materialise.

He also stated that the Bank of England is experimenting with AI internally while monitoring concerns about a potential AI market bubble and the risks of a sharp valuation correction.

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Dubai charities open doors to crypto donations

Dubai charities now accept donations in cryptocurrencies and virtual assets through a new service launched by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department. The move signals a shift towards modernised fundraising channels across the emirate.

The service supports Dubai’s wider digital transformation strategy and aims to improve efficiency within the charitable donation ecosystem. Donors can now use globally recognised payment options, highlighting the rising use of virtual assets as valid financial tools.

Regulation remains central to the initiative, with IACAD introducing clear policies to protect donors, enhance transparency, and ensure compliance with approved standards. Introductory workshops have also been organised to guide charities through operational and procedural requirements.

Officials stressed that charities need preliminary authorisation to ensure donations are processed securely and in accordance with regulations. The initiative further reinforces Dubai’s ambition to lead in innovative and technology-driven humanitarian work.

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UK report quantifies rapid advances in frontier AI capabilities

For the first time, the UK has published a detailed, evidence-based assessment of frontier AI capabilities. The Frontier AI Trends Report draws on two years of structured testing across areas including cybersecurity, software engineering, chemistry, and biology.

The findings show rapid progress in technical performance. Success rates on apprentice-level cyber tasks rose from under 9% in 2023 to around 50% in 2025, while models also completed expert-level cyber challenges previously requiring a decade of experience.

Safeguards designed to limit misuse are also improving, according to the report. Red-team testing found that the time required to identify universal jailbreaks increased from minutes to several hours between model generations, representing an estimated forty-fold improvement in resistance.

The analysis highlights advances beyond cybersecurity. AI systems now complete hour-long software engineering tasks more than 40% of the time, while biology and chemistry models outperform PhD-level researchers in controlled knowledge tests and support non-experts in laboratory-style workflows.

While the report avoids policy recommendations, UK officials say it strengthens transparency around advanced AI systems. The government plans to continue investing in evaluation science through the AI Security Institute, supporting independent testing and international collaboration.

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Natural language meets robotics in MIT’s on-demand object creation system

MIT researchers have developed a speech-to-reality system that allows users to create physical objects by describing them aloud, combining generative AI with robotic assembly. The system can produce simple furniture and decorative items in minutes using modular components.

The workflow translates spoken instructions into a digital design using a large language model and 3D generative AI. The design is then broken into voxel-based parts and adapted to real-world fabrication constraints before being assembled by a robotic arm.

Researchers have demonstrated the system by producing stools, shelves, chairs, tables and small sculptures. The approach aims to reduce manufacturing complexity by enabling rapid construction without specialised knowledge of 3D modelling or robotics.

Unlike traditional fabrication methods such as 3D printing, which can take hours or days, the modular assembly process operates quickly and allows objects to be disassembled and reused. The team is exploring stronger connection methods and extensions to larger-scale robotic systems.

The research was presented at the ACM Symposium on Computational Fabrication in November. The team said the work points toward more accessible, flexible and sustainable ways to produce physical objects using natural language and AI-driven design.

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Amazon considers 10 billion investment in OpenAI

Amazon is reportedly considering a $10 billion investment in OpenAI, highlighting its growing focus on the generative AI market. The investment follows OpenAI’s October restructuring, giving it more flexibility to raise funds and form new tech partnerships.

OpenAI has recently secured major infrastructure agreements, including a $38 billion cloud computing deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Deals with Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom boost OpenAI’s access to computing power for its AI development.

Amazon has invested $8 billion in Anthropic and continues developing AI hardware through AWS’s Inferentia and Trainium chips. The move into OpenAI reflects Amazon’s strategy to expand its influence across the AI sector.

OpenAI’s prior $13 billion Microsoft exclusivity has ended, enabling it to pursue new partnerships. The combination of fresh funding, cloud capacity, and hardware support positions OpenAI for continued growth in the AI industry.

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PwC automates AI governance with Agent Mode

The global professional services network, PwC, has expanded its Model Edge platform with the launch of Agent Mode, an AI assistant designed to automate governance, compliance and documentation across enterprise AI model lifecycles.

The capability targets the growing administrative burden faced by organisations as AI model portfolios scale and regulatory expectations intensify.

Agent Mode allows users to describe governance tasks in natural language, instead of manually navigating workflows.

A system that executes actions directly within Model Edge, generates leadership-ready documentation and supports common document and reporting formats, significantly reducing routine compliance effort.

PwC estimates weekly time savings of between 20 and 50 percent for governance and model risk teams.

Behind the interface, a secure orchestration engine interprets user intent, verifies role based permissions and selects appropriate large language models based on task complexity. The design ensures governance guardrails remain intact while enabling faster and more consistent oversight.

PwC positions Agent Mode as a step towards fully automated, agent-driven AI governance, enabling organisations to focus expert attention on risk assessment and regulatory judgement instead of process management as enterprise AI adoption accelerates.

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The limits of raw computing power in AI

As the global race for AI accelerates, a growing number of experts are questioning whether simply adding more computing power still delivers meaningful results. In a recent blog post, digital policy expert Jovan Kurbalija argues that AI development is approaching a critical plateau, where massive investments in hardware produce only marginal gains in performance.

Despite the dominance of advanced GPUs and ever-larger data centres, improvements in accuracy and reasoning among leading models are slowing, exposing what he describes as an emerging ‘AI Pareto paradox’.

According to Kurbalija, the imbalance is striking: around 80% of AI investment is currently spent on computing infrastructure, yet it accounts for only a fraction of real-world impact. As hardware becomes cheaper and more widely available, he suggests it is no longer the decisive factor.

Instead, the next phase of AI progress will depend on how effectively organisations integrate human knowledge, skills, and processes into AI systems.

That shift places people, not machines, at the centre of AI transformation. Kurbalija highlights the limits of traditional training approaches and points to new models of learning that focus on hands-on development and deep understanding of data.

Building a simple AI tool may now take minutes, but turning it into a reliable, high-precision system requires sustained human effort, from refining data to rethinking internal workflows.

Looking ahead to 2026, the message is clear. Success in AI will not be defined by who owns the most powerful chips, but by who invests most wisely in people.

As Kurbalija concludes, organisations that treat AI as a skill to be cultivated, rather than a product to be purchased, are far more likely to see lasting benefits from the technology.

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AI reshapes media in North Macedonia with new regulatory guidance

A new analysis examines the impact of AI on North Macedonia’s media sector, offering guidance on ethical standards, human rights, and regulatory approaches.

Prepared in both Macedonian and English, the study benchmarks the country’s practices against European frameworks and provides actionable recommendations for future regulation and self-regulation.

The research, supported by the EU and Council of Europe’s PRO-FREX initiative and in collaboration with the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AVMU), was presented during Media Literacy Days 2025 in Skopje.

It highlights the relevance of EU and Council of Europe guidelines, including the Framework Convention on AI and Human Rights, and guidance on responsible AI in journalism.

AVMU’s involvement underlines its role in ensuring media freedom, fairness, and accountability amid rapid technological change. Participants highlighted the need for careful policymaking to manage AI’s impact, protecting media diversity, journalistic standards, and public trust online.

The analysis forms part of broader efforts under the Council of Europe and the EU’s Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, aiming to support North Macedonia in aligning media regulation with European standards while responsibly integrating AI technologies.

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