Future of work

OpenAI accelerates enterprise AI growth after Gartner names it an emerging leader

The US tech firm, OpenAI, gained fresh momentum after being named an Emerging Leader in Generative AI by Gartner. The assessment highlights strong industry confidence in OpenAI’s ability to support companies that want reliable and scalable AI systems.

Enterprise clients have increasingly adopted the company’s tools after significant investment in privacy controls, data governance frameworks and evaluation methods that help organisations deploy AI safely.

More than one million companies now use OpenAI’s technology, driven by workers who request ChatGPT as part of their daily tasks.

Over eight hundred million weekly users arrive already familiar with the tool, which shortens pilot phases and improves returns, rather than slowing transformation with lengthy onboarding. ChatGPT Enterprise has experienced sharp expansion, recording ninefold growth in seats over the past year.

OpenAI views generative AI as a new layer of enterprise infrastructure rather than a peripheral experiment. The next generation of systems is expected to be more collaborative and closely integrated with corporate operations, supporting new ways of working across multiple sectors.

The company aims to help organisations convert AI strategies into measurable results, rather than abstract ambitions.

Executives described the recognition as encouraging, although they stressed that broader progress still lies ahead. OpenAI plans to continue strengthening its enterprise platform, enabling businesses to integrate AI responsibly and at scale.

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EU aviation regulator opens debate on AI oversight and safety

EASA has issued its first regulatory proposal on AI in aviation, opening a three-month consultation for industry feedback. The draft focuses on trustworthy, data-driven AI systems and anticipates applications ranging from basic assistance to human–AI teaming.

The move comes amid wider criticism of EU AI rules from major tech firms and political leaders. Aviation stakeholders are now assessing whether compliance costs and operational demands could slow development or disrupt competitive positioning across the sector.

Experts warn that adapting to the framework may require significant investment, particularly for companies with limited resources. Others may accelerate AI adoption to preserve market advantage, especially where safety gains or efficiency improvements justify rapid deployment.

EASA stresses that consultation is essential to balance strict assurance requirements with the flexibility needed for innovation. Privacy and personal data issues remain contentious, shaping expectations for acceptable AI use in safety-critical environments.

Meanwhile, Airbus is pushing to reach 75 A320-family deliveries per month by 2027, driven by the A321neo’s strong order book. In parallel, Mitsui OSK Lines continues to lead the global LNG carrier market, reflecting broader momentum across adjacent transport sectors.

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New Quantum Echoes system reveals molecular structures at scale

Google says its new Quantum Echoes algorithm runs 13,000 times faster than leading supercomputers, marking what it calls the first verifiable quantum result across different hardware. The breakthrough brings real-world use cases in medicine and materials science closer to feasibility.

Quantum Echoes is built to overcome a core limitation in today’s models: constrained memory that prevents long reasoning chains. The method uses structured world models to maintain a single research goal while processing tens of millions of tokens across multiple agent runs.

Powered by the Willow quantum chip, the system reads thousands of scientific papers and executes tens of thousands of lines of analysis code in a single run. Early estimates suggest one execution could match six months of human scientific labour.

Recent studies have shown that the algorithm reproduces known molecular findings and generates new insights using a technique likened to a quantum molecular ruler. Results matched those of nuclear magnetic resonance techniques, indicating that quantum tools could reveal previously inaccessible structural detail.

Experts still caution that practical quantum computing remains years away. Google faces competition from IBM, Microsoft, and Chinese labs, yet the company argues that Quantum Echoes proves its hardware and algorithms are converging toward usable scientific applications.

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SAP unveils new models and tools shaping enterprise AI

The German multinational software company, SAP, used its TechEd event in Berlin to reveal a significant expansion of its Business AI portfolio, signalling a decisive shift toward an AI-native future across its suite.

The company expects to deliver 400 AI use cases by the end of 2025, building on more than 300 already in place.

It also argues that its early use cases already generate substantial returns, offering meaningful value for firms seeking operational gains instead of incremental upgrades.

A firm that places AI-native architecture at the centre of its strategy. SAP HANA Cloud now supports richer model grounding through multi-model engines, long-term agentic memory, and automated knowledge graph creation.

SAP aims to integrate these tools with SAP Business Data Cloud and Snowflake through zero-copy data sharing next year.

The introduction of SAP-RPT-1, a new relational foundation model designed for structured enterprise data rather than general language tasks, is presented as a significant step toward improving prediction accuracy across finance, supply chains, and customer analytics.

SAP also seeks to empower developers through a mix of low-code and pro-code tools, allowing companies to design and orchestrate their own Joule Agents.

Agent governance is strengthened through the LeanIX agent hub. At the same time, new interoperability efforts based on the agent-to-agent protocol are expected to enable SAP systems to work more smoothly with models and agents from major partners, including AWS, Google, Microsoft, and ServiceNow.

Improvements in ABAP development, including the introduction of SAP-ABAP-1 and a new Visual Studio Code extension, aim to support developers who prefer modern, AI-enabled workflows over older, siloed environments.

Physical AI also takes a prominent role. SAP demonstrated how Joule Agents already operate inside autonomous robots for tasks linked to logistics, field services, and asset performance.

Plans extend from embodied AI to quantum-ready business algorithms designed to enhance complex decision-making without forcing companies to re-platform.

SAP frames the overall strategy as a means to support Europe’s digital sovereignty, which is strengthened through expanded infrastructure in Germany and cooperation with Deutsche Telekom under the Industrial AI Cloud project.

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Deepfakes surge as scammers exploit AI video tools

Experts warn online video is entering a perilous new phase as AI deepfakes spread. Analysts say totals climbed from roughly 500,000 in 2023 to eight million in 2025.

Security researchers say deepfake scams have risen by more than 3,000 percent recently. Studies also indicate humans correctly spot high-quality fakes only around one in four times. People are urged to question surprising clips, verify stories elsewhere and trust their instincts.

Video apps such as Sora 2 create lifelike clips that fraudsters reuse for scams. Sora passed one million downloads and later tightened rules after racist deepfakes of Martin Luther King Jr.

Specialists at Outplayed suggest checking eye blinks, mouth movements and hands for subtle distortions. Inconsistent lighting, unnaturally smooth skin or glitching backgrounds can reveal manipulated or AI-generated video.

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New strategy targets Africa’s connectivity gap

Africa’s latest digital summit in Cotonou presented a growing concern. Coverage has expanded across West and Central Africa, yet adoption remains stubbornly low. Nearly two-thirds of Africans remain offline, despite most already living in areas with mobile networks.

Senior figures at the World Bank argued that the continent now faces an inclusion challenge rather than an infrastructure gap, as many households weigh daily necessities against the cost of connectivity.

Affordability has become the dominant barrier. Mobile Internet often consumes more than twice the global threshold for acceptable pricing, while fixed broadband can account for a striking share of monthly income. Devices remain expensive, and digital literacy is far from widespread.

Women, in particular, lag, and many rural communities lack the necessary skills to utilise essential digital services. Concerns also extend to businesses that struggle to train staff for digital tools and emerging AI solutions.

Policymakers now argue for a shift in strategy. The World Bank intends to prioritise digital public goods such as digital identification, electronic payments and interoperable platforms, believing that valuable services will encourage people to go online.

Governments hope that a stronger ecosystem will make online health, connected agriculture and digital learning more accessible and therefore more valuable.

Benin used the summit to highlight its advances in online administration and training programmes. Regional leaders also called for the creation of an African Single Digital Market that would lower access costs, encourage cross-border investment and harmonise regulations.

Officials insisted that a unified approach could accelerate development and equip African workers with the skills required for the digital jobs expected to expand by the end of the decade.

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AI expected to reshape 89% of jobs across the workforce in 2026

AI is set to transform the UK workforce in 2026, with nearly 9 out of 10 senior HR leaders expecting AI to reshape jobs, according to a CNBC survey. The survey highlights a shift towards skill-based, AI-enabled recruitment rather than traditional degree-focused hiring.

Despite the widespread adoption of AI, workforce reductions are expected to stem mainly from general cost-cutting rather than efficiency gains. Many HR leaders also noted that while AI has improved efficiency and innovation, it has not yet been fully integrated into every job, resulting in uneven impact across organisations.

The research highlights the potential of AI to boost productivity and innovation, with studies indicating that employees can save an average of 7.5 hours per week by utilising AI tools. HR experts emphasised that learning to use AI to augment human interactions, rather than replace them, will be crucial for the workforce’s future.

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Hyundai launches record investment to boost South Korea’s tech future

Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled a record 85.8 billion dollar investment plan that will reshape South Korea’s industrial landscape over the next five years.

The company intends to channel a large share of the funds into fields such as AI, robotics, electrification, software-defined vehicles, and hydrogen technologies.

Hyundai presents the roadmap as evidence of an agile response to a global environment in which export strength and technological leadership matter more than ever.

A major part of the strategy centres on turning innovation into export gains. The group expects the investment to raise overseas shipments of South Korea-made vehicles by more than thirteen percent by 2030.

A plan that emerges shortly after Seoul concluded a new trade agreement with Washington that lowers tariffs on South Korean vehicles to fifteen percent instead of the previous twenty-five percent. The rate remains much higher than the earlier 2.5 percent applied before the renegotiation.

Hyundai’s announcement mirrors a wider industrial push across the country. Samsung Group recently committed 310 billion dollars for a similar period, largely focused on AI development.

Both companies aim to reinforce the nation’s position in advanced technologies and secure long-term competitiveness at a time when global supply chains and industrial alliances are rapidly shifting.

Hyundai, together with Kia, sold more than 7.2 million vehicles globally last year.

The company views its new investment programme as a foundation for future export growth and a signal that South Korea plans to anchor its economic future in next-generation technologies instead of relying on past models of industrial expansion.

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India’s data protection rules finally take effect

India has activated the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 after extended delays. Final regulations notified in November operationalise a long-awaited national privacy framework. The Act, passed in August 2023, now gains a fully operational compliance structure.

Implementation of the rules is staggered so organisations can adjust governance, systems and contracts. Some provisions, including the creation of a Data Protection Board, take effect immediately. Obligations on consent notices, breach reporting and children’s data begin after 12 or 18 months.

India introduces regulated consent managers acting as a single interface between users and data fiduciaries. Managers must register with the Board and follow strict operational standards. Parents will use digital locker-based verification when authorising the processing of children’s information online.

Global technology, finance and health providers now face major upgrades to internal privacy programmes. Lawyers expect major work mapping data flows, refining consent journeys and tightening security practices.

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IBM advances quantum computing understanding with new project

IBM has introduced two new quantum processors, named ‘Nighthawk’ and ‘Loon’, aimed at major leaps in quantum computing. The Nighthawk chip features 120 qubits and 218 tunable couplers, enabling circuits with approximately 30% greater complexity than previous models.

The Loon processor is designed as a testbed for fault-tolerant quantum computing, implementing key hardware components, including six-way qubit connectivity and long-range couplers. These advances mark a strategic shift by IBM to scale quantum systems beyond experimental prototypes.

IBM has also upgraded its fabrication process by shifting to 300 mm wafers at its Albany NanoTech facility, which has doubled development speed and boosted physical chip complexity tenfold.

Looking ahead, IBM projects the initial delivery of Nighthawk by the end of 2025 and aims to achieve verified quantum advantage by the end of 2026, with fully fault-tolerant quantum systems targeted by 2029.

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