Future of work

Baidu rolls out new AI agent Xinxiang for Android

Chinese tech giant Baidu has launched a new AI agent, Xinxiang, aimed at enhancing user productivity by assisting with tasks such as information analysis and travel planning.

The tool is currently available on Android devices, with an iOS version still under review by Apple.

According to Baidu, Xinxiang represents a shift from traditional chatbot interactions towards a more task-focused AI experience, providing streamlined assistance tailored to practical needs.

The move reflects growing competition in China’s rapidly evolving AI market.

However, the launch highlights Baidu’s ambition to stay ahead in AI innovation and offer tools that integrate seamlessly into everyday digital life.

As regulatory reviews continue, the success of Xinxiang may depend on user adoption and the speed at which it becomes available across platforms.

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Former OpenAI staff challenge company’s shift to for-profit model

​A group of former OpenAI employees, supported by Nobel laureates and AI experts, has urged the attorneys general of California and Delaware to block the company’s proposed transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit structure.

They argue that such a shift could compromise OpenAI’s founding mission to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) that benefits all of humanity, potentially prioritising profit over public safety and accountability, not just in the US, but globally.

The coalition, including notable figures like economists Oliver Hart and Joseph Stiglitz, and AI pioneers Geoffrey Hinton and Stuart Russell, expressed concerns that the restructuring would reduce nonprofit oversight and increase investor influence.

They fear this change could lead to diminished ethical safeguards, especially as OpenAI advances toward creating AGI. OpenAI responded by stating that any structural changes would aim to ensure broader public benefit from AI advancements.

The company plans to adopt a public benefit corporation model while maintaining a nonprofit arm to uphold its mission. The final decision rests with the state authorities, who are reviewing the proposed restructuring.

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Jamaica tests AI tools to aid teachers

The Jamaican Ministry of Education is testing AI tools in schools to assist teachers with marking and administrative duties.

Portfolio Minister Senator Dana Morris Dixon announced this during the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Education Conference 2025, emphasising that AI would allow teachers to focus more on interacting with students, while AI handles routine tasks like grading.

The Ministry is also preparing to launch the Jamaica Learning Assistant, an AI-powered tool that personalises learning to fit individual students’ preferences, such as stories, humour, or quizzes.

Morris Dixon highlighted that AI is not meant to replace teachers, but to support them in delivering more effective lessons. The technology will allow students to review lessons, explore topics in more depth, and reinforce their understanding outside the classroom.

Looking ahead, the Government plans to open Jamaica’s first state-of-the-art AI lab later this year. The facility will offer a space where both students and teachers can develop technological solutions tailored for schools.

Additionally, the Ministry is distributing over 15,000 laptops, 600 smart boards, and 25,000 vouchers for teachers to subsidise the purchase of personal laptops to further integrate technology into the education system.

JTA President Mark Smith acknowledged the transformative potential of AI, calling it one of the most significant technological breakthroughs in history.

He urged educators to embrace this new paradigm and collaborate with the Ministry and the private sector to advance digital learning initiatives across the island.

The conference, held under the theme ‘Innovations in Education Technology: The Imperative of Change,’ reflects the ongoing push towards modernising education in Jamaica.

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AI films are now eligible for the Oscar awards

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has officially made films that incorporate AI eligible for Oscars, reflecting AI’s growing influence in cinema. Updated rules confirm that the use of generative AI or similar tools will neither help nor harm a film’s chances of nomination.

These guidelines, shaped with input from the Academy’s Science and Technology Council, aim to keep human creativity at the forefront, despite the increasing presence of digital tools in production.

Recent Oscar-winning films have already embraced AI. Adrien Brody’s performance in The Brutalist was enhanced using AI to refine his Hungarian accent, while Emilia Perez, a musical that claimed an award, used voice-cloning technology to support its cast.

Such tools can convincingly replicate voices and visual styles, making them attractive to filmmakers instead of relying solely on traditional methods, but not without raising industry-wide concerns.

The 2023 Hollywood strikes highlighted the tension between artistic control and automation. Writers and actors protested the threat posed by AI to their livelihoods, leading to new agreements that limit the use of AI-generated content and protect individuals’ likenesses.

Actress Susan Sarandon voiced fears about unauthorised use of her image, and Scarlett Johansson echoed concerns about digital impersonation.

Despite some safeguards, many in the industry remain wary. Animators argue that AI lacks the emotional nuance needed for truly compelling storytelling, and Rokit Flix’s co-founder Jonathan Kendrick warned that AI might help draft scenes, but can’t deliver the depth required for an Oscar-worthy film.

Alongside the AI rules, the Academy also introduced a new voting requirement. Members must now view every nominated film in a category before casting their final vote, to encourage fairer decisions in this shifting creative environment.

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New hiring platform tries to puts personality before paperwork

Two brothers and USC students, Raihan and Azam Dadabhoy, have launched an AI-powered job marketplace called Sensiply to foster more human-centred hiring.

They developed a platform where job seekers can introduce themselves via video, showcasing personality alongside experience.

Users upload personal and professional details before recording a ‘Sensipitch’ a video pitch that the AI analyses for traits like ambition or communication skills.

The tool then matches candidates with roles based on qualifications and inferred personality, helping employers connect with talent beyond a CV.

Despite concerns about algorithmic bias, the brothers designed the platform to delay access to demographic data until after a match is made.

While the service remains free for applicants, Sensiply plans to introduce a subscription model for employers.

The founders, driven by real-world struggles and over 100 research calls, hope their innovation makes hiring more equitable and personal.

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Google invites African AI startups to join 2025 accelerator

Google has opened applications for its 2025 Startups Accelerator Africa programme, aiming to support early-stage African companies leveraging AI to solve critical local challenges.

The three-month initiative is open to Seed to Series A startups with a live product, at least one founder of African descent, and a strong focus on responsible AI development.

Successful applicants will receive tailored technical mentorship, up to $350,000 in Google Cloud credits, and access to a global network of investors and partners.

Participants will also benefit from workshops covering technology, strategy, leadership, and AI implementation.

Google emphasised that empowering local innovators is key to unlocking the potential of AI across the continent.

Since 2018, the programme has backed 140 startups from 17 countries, helping them raise over $300 million and create more than 3,000 jobs.

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AI startup Cluely offers controversial cheating tool

A controversial new startup called Cluely has secured $5.3 million in seed funding to expand its AI-powered tool designed to help users ‘cheat on everything,’ from job interviews to exams.

Founded by 21-year-old Chungin ‘Roy’ Lee and Neel Shanmugam—both former Columbia University students—the tool works via a hidden browser window that remains invisible to interviewers or test supervisors.

The project began as ‘Interview Coder,’ originally intended to help users pass technical coding interviews on platforms like LeetCode.

Both founders faced disciplinary action at Columbia over the tool, eventually dropping out of the university. Despite ethical concerns, Cluely claims its technology has already surpassed $3 million in annual recurring revenue.

The company has drawn comparisons between its tool and past innovations like the calculator and spellcheck, arguing that it challenges outdated norms in the same way. A viral launch video showing Lee using Cluely on a date sparked backlash, with critics likening it to a scene from Black Mirror.

Cluely’s mission has sparked widespread debate over the use of AI in high-stakes settings. While some applaud its bold approach, others worry it promotes dishonesty.

Amazon, where Lee reportedly landed an internship using the tool, declined to comment on the case directly but reiterated that candidates must agree not to use unauthorised tools during the hiring process.

The startup’s rise comes amid growing concern over how AI may be used—or misused—in both professional and personal spheres.

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Royal Unibrew embraces hybrid AI-human teams

Denmark’s Royal Unibrew has introduced five AI-generated ‘colleagues’ into its workforce, in a move the brewer describes as a step towards unlocking the full potential of its staff.

Designed by Danish firm Manifold AI, the digital assistants are integrated into daily operations, assisting with tasks such as market analysis, data management, and food pairing. Each AI has a name, backstory and face, which, according to the company, has significantly increased engagement among employees.

The virtual colleagues – named KondiKai, Athena, Prometheus, Moller and Ella – are used across departments via chat and email. Their arrival has helped streamline routine tasks, allowing human employees to focus on creative and strategic work.

According to staff, their input has improved efficiency, particularly by reducing time spent on searching past reports or handling emails. AI agent Athena, for example, assists with real-time market insights and report navigation for Royal Unibrew’s analysts.

While employees have welcomed the AI tools, managers caution that human judgement remains essential.

Marketing director Michala Svane believes the blend of digital and human capabilities can create more agile teams, but others stress the need for critical thinking when relying on machine-generated input.

Experts also raise questions about the long-term effects of such hybrid teams, including the psychological and social dynamics of working alongside AI ‘colleagues’.

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Temu and Shein to raise US prices due to new tariffs

Fast fashion giants Temu and Shein have warned US shoppers to expect price hikes from next week, as sweeping new tariffs on Chinese imports come into effect under Donald Trump’s trade policy.

Both companies will lose access to the ‘de minimis’ exemption, which has allowed packages under $800 to enter the US duty-free. That change, taking effect from 2 May, will significantly raise costs for low-cost retailers who depend on cheap cross-border shipments.

The tariffs, which now reach up to 145%, are part of Trump’s escalating trade war with China. His revised plans impose a tax of $75 per item, rising to $150 by June, for shipments that were previously exempt.

Shein has told customers its operating expenses have risen and prices will be adjusted from 25 April in an effort to maintain product quality while absorbing the new costs.

In response to the tariffs and likely slowdown in US demand, both companies have also scaled back digital advertising.

According to Sensor Tower, Temu’s average US ad spend across major platforms dropped by 31% over two weeks, while Shein’s spending fell 19%.

The tariffs are expected to reshape fast fashion in the US, though some experts believe prices may still remain competitive compared to domestic alternatives.

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Gemini Live screensharing now free for all Android users

Google has announced that Gemini Live’s screen and camera sharing capabilities will now be free for all Android users through the Gemini app.

The AI feature, which enables the app to interpret and respond to real-time visuals from a device’s screen or camera, had initially launched exclusively for Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 users.

The company originally planned to restrict wider access to those subscribed to Gemini Advanced, but has now reversed that decision following strong user feedback. Google confirmed the broader rollout is beginning today and will continue over the coming weeks.

A promotional video released by the company demonstrates the feature in action, with a user pointing their phone camera at an aquarium while Gemini provides information about the marine life.

In a similar move, Microsoft has launched its own AI tool, Copilot Vision, for free via the Edge browser.

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