The UAE has unveiled a US$1 billion AI for Development initiative to finance AI projects across African nations. The programme aims to enhance digital infrastructure, government services, and productivity, supporting long-term economic and social development.
Implementation will be led by the Abu Dhabi Exports Office (ADEX), in cooperation with the UAE Foreign Aid Agency. AI technologies will be applied in key sectors, including education, agriculture, and infrastructure, to create innovative solutions and promote sustainable growth.
Officials highlighted the initiative as part of the UAE’s vision to become a global hub for AI while reinforcing its humanitarian and developmental legacy. The programme aims to boost international partnerships and deliver impactful support to developing countries.
The initiative reinforces the UAE’s long-term commitment to Africa and its role in technological and digital advancement. Leaders emphasised that AI-driven projects can improve living standards and foster inclusive, sustainable development.
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Australia’s online safety regulator has moved to classify Twitch as an age-restricted social media platform after ruling that the service is centred on user interaction through livestreamed content.
The decision means Twitch must take reasonable steps to stop children under sixteen from creating accounts from 10 December instead of relying on its own internal checks.
Pinterest has been treated differently after eSafety found that its main purpose is image collection and idea curation instead of social interaction.
As a result, the platform will not be required to follow age-restriction rules. The regulator stressed that the courts hold the final say on whether a service is age-restricted. Yet, the assessments were carried out to support families and industry ahead of the December deadline.
The ruling places Twitch alongside earlier named platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube.
eSafety expects all companies operating in Australia to examine their legal responsibilities and has provided a self assessment tool to guide platforms that may fall under the social media minimum age requirements.
eSafety confirmed that assessments have been completed in stages to offer timely advice while reviews were still underway. The regulator added that no further assessments will be released before 10 December as preparations for compliance continue across the sector.
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A recent survey reveals that 38.7% of Portuguese individuals aged 16 to 74 used AI tools in the three months preceding the interview, primarily for personal purposes. Usage is particularly high among 16 to 24-year-olds (76.5%) and students (81.5%).
Internet access remains widespread, with 89.5% of residents going online recently. Nearly half (49.6%) placed orders online, primarily for clothing, footwear, and fashion accessories, while 74.2% accessed public service websites, often using a Citizen Card or Digital Mobile Key for authentication.
Digital skills are growing, with 59.2% of the population reaching basic or above basic levels. Young adults and tertiary-educated individuals show the highest digital proficiency, at 83.4% and 88.4% respectively.
Household internet penetration stands at 90.9%, predominantly via fixed connections.
Concerns about online safety are on the rise, as 45.2% of internet users reported encountering aggressive or discriminatory content, up from 35.5% in 2023. Reported issues include discrimination based on nationality, politics, and sexual identity.
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Italy has closed its investigation into Google after the company agreed to adjust how it requests user consent for personal data use. Regulators had accused Google of presenting unclear and potentially misleading choices when connecting users to its services.
The authority said Google will now offer clearer explanations about how consent affects data processing. Updates will outline where personal information may be combined or used across the company’s wider service ecosystem.
Officials launched the probe in July 2024, arguing Google’s approach could amount to aggressive commercial practice. Revised consent flows were accepted as sufficient remedies, leading to the closure of the case without financial penalties.
The Italian competition regulator indicated that transparency improvements were central to compliance. Similar scrutiny continues across Europe as regulators assess how large technology firms obtain permission for extensive data handling.
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The report was unveiled in Dhaka with representatives from government, international organisations, academia, civil society and the private sector. Officials described the assessment as a pivotal step as the country prepares for an increasingly AI-driven era.
The report outlines Bangladesh’s current strengths, including solid progress in e-government and high public trust in digital services, while also identifying areas requiring urgent attention.
Connectivity gaps, digital divides, limited computing capacity and the need for stronger data protection and cybersecurity remain key challenges. Policymakers noted that evidence-based decisions are essential as Bangladesh completes its National AI Policy.
International partners highlighted that the direction of AI development will depend heavily on choices made today. Strengthening digital infrastructure, improving skills, and building rights-driven governance structures were cited as central to ensuring AI benefits all communities.
Stakeholders also stressed the importance of using AI to improve services across health, education, justice and social protection without deepening existing inequalities.
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A Lund University study shows an AI assistant can assess psychiatric conditions more accurately than standard mental health rating scales. In a study of 303 participants, the AI assistant Alba gave DSM-based diagnoses, outperforming standard tools in eight of nine disorders.
The study included conditions such as depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, autism, eating disorders, substance use disorder and bipolar disorder.
Alba proved particularly effective at distinguishing overlapping conditions where traditional rating scales often yield similar results. Participants also reported positive experiences with the AI interview, describing it as empathic, supportive and engaging.
Researchers highlighted that AI-assisted interviews could serve as a scalable, person-centred tool to complement clinical assessments while preserving the clinician’s essential role.
The study advances digital mental health tools, with Alba analysing the full DSM-5 manual instead of individual disorders. Talk To Alba offers AI-powered clinical interviews, CBT support, DSM-5-based diagnosis, and consultation transcription.
Experts emphasise that such AI solutions can ease healthcare workloads, provide preliminary assessments, and maintain high diagnostic reliability without replacing mental health professionals.
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Google has launched Nano Banana Pro, a new image generation and editing model built on Gemini 3 Pro. The upgrade expands Gemini’s visual capabilities inside the Gemini app, Google Ads, Google AI Studio, Vertex AI and Workspace tools.
Nano Banana Pro focuses on cleaner text rendering, richer world knowledge and tighter control over style and layout. Creators can produce infographics, diagrams and character consistent scenes, and refine lighting, camera angle or composition with detailed prompts.
The AI model supports higher resolution visuals, localised text in multiple languages and more accurate handling of complex scripts. Google highlights uses in marketing materials, business presentations and professional design workflows, as partners such as Adobe integrate the model into Firefly and Photoshop.
Users can try Nano Banana Pro through Gemini with usage limits, while paying customers and enterprises gain extended access. Google embeds watermarking and C2PA-style metadata to help identify AI-generated images, foregrounding safety and transparency around synthetic content.
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Meta has presented a new generation of AI glasses designed to increase independence for people with disabilities. The devices support hands-free calls, messages and translations while offering voice-activated photography and video capture.
Users can rely on spoken prompts instead of phones when they want to explore their surroundings or capture important moments.
The glasses help blind and low-vision individuals identify objects, read documents and understand scenes through detailed AI descriptions. Meta partnered with the Blinded Veterans Association to produce a training guide that explains how to activate voice commands and manage daily tasks more easily.
Veterans Affairs rehabilitation centres have adopted the glasses to support people who need greater autonomy in unfamiliar environments.
Creators and athletes describe how the technology influences their work and daily activities. A filmmaker uses first-person recording and AI-assisted scene guidance to streamline production. A Paralympic sprinter relies on real-time updates to track workouts without pausing to check a phone.
Other users highlight how hands-free photography and environmental awareness allow them to stay engaged instead of becoming distracted by screens.
Meta emphasises its collaboration with disabled communities to shape features that reflect diverse needs. The company views AI glasses as a route to improved participation, stronger confidence and wider digital access.
An approach that signals a long-term commitment to wearable technology that supports inclusion in everyday life.
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OpenAI Academy is running a US nationwide Small Business AI Jam for more than 1,000 owners. Workshops in San Francisco, New York, Detroit, Houston and Miami give practical help using AI to handle everyday tasks.
Participants from restaurants, retailers, professional services and creative firms work alongside mentors to build tailored AI tools. Typical projects include marketing assistants, customer communication helpers and organisers for bookings, stock or paperwork. Everyone leaves with at least one ready to use workflow.
A survey for OpenAI found around half of small business leaders want staff comfortable with AI. About sixty percent expect clear efficiency gains when employees have those skills, from faster content writing to smoother operations.
Only available in the US, owners gain access to an online academy hub before and after the in person events. Follow up offers a virtual jam on 4 December, office hours, and links to an AI for Main Street certification track and jobs platform.
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British novelists are raising concerns that AI could replace their work, with nearly half saying the technology could ‘entirely replace’ them. The MCTD survey of 332 authors found deep unease about the impact of generative tools trained on vast fiction datasets.
About 97% of novelists expressed intense negativity towards the idea of AI writing complete novels, while around 40% said their income from related work had already suffered. Many authors have reported that their work has been used to train large language models without their permission or payment.
While 80 % agreed AI offers societal benefits, authors called for better protections, including copyright reform and consent-based use of their work. MCTD Executive Director Prof. Gina Neff stressed that creative industries are not expendable in the AI race.
A UK government spokesperson said collaboration between the AI sector and creative industries is vital, with a focus on innovation and protection for creators. But writers say urgent action is needed to ensure their rights are upheld.
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