Human rights principles

Germany drafts reforms expanding offensive cyber powers

Politico reports that Germany is preparing legislative reforms that would expand the legal framework for conducting offensive cyber operations abroad and strengthen authorities to counter hybrid threats.

According to the Interior Ministry, two draft laws are under preparation:

  • One would revise the mandate of Germany’s foreign intelligence service to allow cyber operations outside national territory.
  • A second would grant security services expanded powers to fight back against hybrid threats and what the government describes as active cyber defense.

The discussion in Germany coincides with broader European debates on offensive cyber capabilities. In particular, the Netherlands have incorporated offensive cyber elements into national strategies.

The reforms in Germany remain in draft form and may face procedural and constitutional scrutiny. Adjustments to intelligence mandates could require amendments supported by a two-thirds majority in both the Bundestag and Bundesrat.

The proposed framework for ‘active cyber defense’ would focus on preventing or mitigating serious threats. Reporting by Tagesschau ndicates that draft provisions may allow operational follow-up measures in ‘special national situations,’ particularly where timely police or military assistance is not feasible.

Opposition lawmakers have raised questions regarding legal clarity, implementation mechanisms, and safeguards. Expanding offensive cyber authorities raises longstanding policy questions, including challenges of attribution to identify responsible actors; risks of escalation or diplomatic repercussions; oversight and accountability mechanisms; and compatibility with international law and norms of responsible state behaviour.

The legislative process is expected to continue through the year, with further debate anticipated in parliament.

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AI anxiety strains the modern workforce

Mounting anxiety is reshaping the modern workplace as AI alters job expectations and career paths. Pew Research indicates more than a third of employees believe AI could harm their prospects, fuelling tension across teams.

Younger workers feel particular strain, with 92% of Gen Z saying it is vital to speak openly about mental health at work. Communicators and managers must now deliver reassurance while coping with their own pressure.

Leadership expert Anna Liotta points to generational intelligence as a practical way to reduce friction and improve trust. She highlights how tailored communication can reduce misunderstanding and conflict.

Her latest research connects neuroscience, including the role of the vagus nerve, with practical workplace strategies. By combining emotional regulation with thoughtful messaging, she suggests that organisations can calm anxiety and build more resilient teams.

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British Transport Police trial live facial recognition at London Bridge station

On 11 February 2026, the British Transport Police (BTP) deployed Live Facial Recognition cameras at London Bridge railway station as the first phase of a six-month trial intended to assess how the technology performs in a busy railway environment.

The pilot, planned with Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the Rail Delivery Group, will scan faces passing through designated areas and compare them to a watchlist of individuals wanted for serious offences, generating alerts for officers to review.

BTP says the trial is part of efforts to make the railways safer by quickly identifying high-risk offenders, with future LFR deployments to be announced in advance online.

Operational procedures include deleting images of people not on the authorised database and providing alternative routes for passengers who prefer not to enter recognition zones, with public feedback encouraged via QR codes on signage.

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Institute of AI Education marks significant step for responsible AI in schools

The Institute of AI Education was officially launched at York St John University, bringing together education leaders, teachers, and researchers to explore practical and responsible approaches to AI in schools.

Discussions at the event focused on critical challenges, including fostering AI literacy, promoting fairness and inclusion, and empowering teachers and students to have agency over how AI tools are used.

The institute will serve as a collaborative hub, offering research-based guidance, professional development, and practical support to schools. A central message emphasised that AI should enhance the work of educators and learners, rather than replace them.

The launch featured interactive sessions with contributions from both education and technology leaders, as well as practitioners sharing real-world experiences of integrating AI into classrooms.

Strong attendance and active participation underscored the growing interest in AI across the education sector, with representatives from the Department for Education highlighting notable progress in early years and primary school settings.

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Russia signals no immediate Google ban as Android dependence remains critical

Officials in Russia have confirmed that no plans are underway to restrict access to Google, despite recent public debate about the possibility of a technical block. Anton Gorelkin, a senior lawmaker, said regulators clarified that such a step is not being considered.

Concerns centre on the impact a ban would have on devices running Android, which are used by a significant share of smartphone owners in the country.

A block on Google would disrupt essential digital services instead of encouraging the company to resolve ongoing legal disputes involving unpaid fines.

Gorelkin noted that court proceedings abroad are still in progress, meaning enforcement options remain open. He added that any future move to reduce reliance on Google services should follow a gradual pathway supported by domestic technological development rather than abrupt restrictions.

The comments follow earlier statements from another lawmaker, Andrey Svintsov, who acknowledged that blocking Google in Russia is technically feasible but unnecessary.

Officials now appear focused on creating conditions that would allow local digital platforms to grow without destabilising existing infrastructure.

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Hybrid AI could reshape robotics and defence

Investors and researchers are increasingly arguing that the future of AI lies beyond large language models. In London and across Europe, startups are developing so-called world models designed to simulate physical reality rather than simply predict text.

Unlike LLMs, which rely on static datasets, world models aim to build internal representations of cause and effect. Advocates say these systems are better suited to autonomous vehicles, robotics, defence and industrial simulation.

London based Stanhope AI is among companies pursuing this approach, claiming its systems learn by inference and continuously update their internal maps. The company is reportedly working with European governments and aerospace firms on AI drone applications.

Supporters argue that safety and explainability must be embedded from the outset, particularly under frameworks such as the EU AI Act. Investors suggest that hybrid systems combining LLMs with physics aware models could unlock large commercial markets across Europe.

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EU faces tension over potential ban on AI ‘pornification’

Lawmakers in the European Parliament remain divided over whether a direct ban on AI-driven ‘pornification’ should be added to the emerging digital omnibus.

Left-wing members push for an explicit prohibition, arguing that synthetic sexual imagery generated without consent has created a rapidly escalating form of online abuse. They say a strong legal measure is required instead of fragmented national responses.

Centre and liberal groups take a different position by promoting lighter requirements for industrial AI and seeking clarity on how any restrictions would interact with the AI Act.

They warn that an unrefined ban could spill over into general-purpose models and complicate enforcement across the European market. Their priority is a more predictable regulatory environment for companies developing high-volume AI systems.

Key figures across the political spectrum, including lawmakers such as Assita Kanko, Axel Voss and Brando Benifei, continue to debate how far the omnibus should go.

Some argue that safeguarding individuals from non-consensual sexual deepfakes must outweigh concerns about administrative burdens, while others insist that proportionality and technical feasibility need stronger assessment.

The lack of consensus leaves the proposal in a delicate phase as negotiations intensify. Lawmakers now face growing public scrutiny over how Europe will respond to the misuse of generative AI.

A clear stance from the Parliament is still pending, rather than an assured path toward agreement.

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Researchers tackle LLM regression with on policy training

Researchers at MIT, the Improbable AI Lab and ETH Zurich have proposed a fine tuning method to address catastrophic forgetting in large language models. The issue often causes models to lose earlier skills when trained on new tasks.

The technique, called self distillation fine tuning, allows a model to act as both teacher and student during training. In Cambridge and Zurich experiments, the approach preserved prior capabilities while improving accuracy on new tasks.

Enterprise teams often manage separate model variants to prevent regression, increasing operational complexity. The researchers argue that their method could reduce fragmentation and support continual learning, useful for AI, within a single production model.

However, the method requires around 2.5 times more computing power than standard supervised fine tuning. Analysts note that real world deployment will depend on governance controls, training costs and suitability for regulated industries.

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Latam-GPT signals new AI ambition in Latin America

Chile has introduced Latam-GPT to strengthen Latin America’s presence in global AI.

The project, developed by the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence with support across South America, aims to correct long-standing biases by training systems on the region’s own data instead of material drawn mainly from the US or Europe.

President Gabriel Boric said the model will help maintain cultural identity and allow the region to take a more active role in technological development.

Latam-GPT is not designed as a conversational tool but rather as a vast dataset that serves as the foundation for future applications. More than eight terabytes of information have been collected, mainly in Spanish and Portuguese, with plans to add indigenous languages as the project expands.

The first version has been trained on Amazon Web Services. At the same time, future work will run on a new supercomputer at the University of Tarapacá, supported by millions of dollars in regional funding.

The model reflects growing interest among countries outside the major AI hubs of the US, China and Europe in developing their own technology instead of relying on foreign systems.

Researchers in Chile argue that global models often include Latin American data in tiny proportions, which can limit accurate representation. Despite questions about resources and scale, supporters believe Latam-GPT can deliver practical benefits tailored to local needs.

Early adoption is already underway, with the Chilean firm Digevo preparing customer service tools based on the model.

These systems will operate in regional languages and recognise local expressions, offering a more natural experience than products trained on data from other parts of the world.

Developers say the approach could reduce bias and promote more inclusive AI across the continent.

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Young voices seek critical approach to AI in classrooms

In Houston, more than 200 students from across the US gathered to discuss the future of AI in schools. The event, organised by the Close Up Foundation and Stanford University’s Deliberative Democracy Lab, brought together participants from 39 schools in 19 states.

Students debated whether AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini support or undermine learning. Many argued that schools are introducing powerful systems before pupils develop core critical thinking skills.

Participants did not call for a total ban or full embrace of AI. Instead, they urged schools to delay exposure for younger pupils and introduce clearer classroom policies that distinguish between support and substitution.

After returning to Honolulu, a student from ʻIolani School said Hawaiʻi schools should involve students directly in AI policy decisions. In Honolulu and beyond, he argued that structured dialogue can help schools balance innovation with cognitive development.

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