Human rights principles

Microsoft urges systems approach to AI skills in Europe

AI is increasingly reshaping European workplaces, though large-scale job losses have not yet materialised. Studies by labour bodies show that tasks change faster than roles disappear.

Policymakers and employers face pressure to expand AI skills while addressing unequal access to them. Researchers warn that the benefits and risks concentrate among already skilled workers and larger organisations.

Education systems across Europe are beginning to integrate AI literacy, including teacher training and classroom tools. Progress remains uneven between countries and regions.

Microsoft experts say workforce readiness will depend on evidence-based policy and sustained funding. Skills programmes alone may not offset broader economic and social disruption from AI adoption.

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Microsoft launches Elevate for Educators programme

Elevate for Educators, launched by Microsoft, is a global programme designed to help teachers build the skills and confidence to use AI tools in the classroom. The initiative provides free access to training, credentials, and professional learning resources.

The programme connects educators to peer networks, self-paced courses, and AI-powered simulations. The aim is to support responsible AI adoption while improving teaching quality and classroom outcomes.

New educator credentials have been developed in partnership with ISTE and ASCD. Schools and education systems can also gain recognition for supporting professional development and demonstrating impact in classrooms.

AI-powered education tools within Microsoft 365 have been expanded to support lesson planning and personalised instruction. New features help teachers adapt materials to different learning needs and provide students with faster feedback.

College students will also receive free access to Microsoft 365 Premium and LinkedIn Premium Career for 12 months. The offer includes AI tools, productivity apps, and career resources to support future employment.

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Sadiq Khan voices strong concerns over AI job impact

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has warned that AI could become a ‘weapon of mass destruction of jobs‘ if its impact is not managed correctly. He said urgent action is needed to prevent large-scale unemployment.

Speaking at Mansion House in the UK capital, Khan said London is particularly exposed due to the concentration of finance, professional services, and creative industries. He described the potential impact on jobs as ‘colossal’.

Khan said AI could improve public services and help tackle challenges such as cancer care and climate change. At the same time, he warned that reckless use could increase inequality and concentrate wealth and power.

Polling by City Hall suggests more than half of London workers expect AI to affect their jobs within a year. Sadiq Khan said entry-level roles may disappear fastest, limiting opportunities for young people.

The mayor announced a new task force to assess how Londoners can be supported through the transition. His office will also commission free AI training for residents.

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Matthew McConaughey moves decisively to protect AI likeness rights

Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has trademarked his image and voice to protect them from unauthorised use by AI platforms. His lawyers say the move is intended to safeguard consent and attribution in an evolving digital environment.

Several clips, including his well-known catchphrase from Dazed and Confused, have been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Legal experts say it is the first time an actor has used trademark law to address potential AI misuse of their likeness.

McConaughey’s legal team said there is no evidence of his image being manipulated by AI so far. The trademarks are intended to act as a preventative measure against unauthorised copying or commercial use.

The actor said he wants to ensure any future use of his voice or appearance is approved. Lawyers also said the approach could help capture value created through licensed AI applications.

Concerns over deepfakes and synthetic media are growing across the entertainment industry. Other celebrities have faced unauthorised AI-generated content, prompting calls for stronger legal protections.

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Ofcom probes AI companion chatbot over age checks

Ofcom has opened an investigation into Novi Ltd over age checks on its AI companion chatbot. The probe focuses on duties under the Online Safety Act.

Regulators will assess whether children can access pornographic content without effective age assurance. Sanctions could include substantial fines or business disruption measures under the UK’s Online Safety Bill.

In a separate case, Ofcom confirmed enforcement pressure led Snapchat to overhaul its illegal content risk assessment. Revised findings now require stronger protections for UK users.

Ofcom said accurate risk assessments underpin online safety regulation. Platforms must match safeguards to real world risks, particularly when AI and children are concerned.

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Regulators press on with Grok investigations in Britain and Canada

Britain and Canada are continuing regulatory probes into xAI’s Grok chatbot, signalling that official scrutiny will persist despite the company’s announcement of new safeguards. Authorities say concerns remain over the system’s ability to generate explicit and non-consensual images.

xAI said it had updated Grok to block edits that place real people in revealing clothing and restricted image generation in jurisdictions where such content is illegal. The company did not specify which regions are affected by the new limits.

Reuters testing found Grok was still capable of producing sexualised images, including in Britain. Social media platform X and xAI did not respond to questions about how effective the changes have been.

UK regulator Ofcom said its investigation remains ongoing, despite welcoming xAI’s announcement. A privacy watchdog in Canada also confirmed it is expanding an existing probe into both X and xAI.

Pressure is growing internationally, with countries including France, India, and the Philippines raising concerns. British Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the Online Safety Act gives the government tools to hold platforms accountable for harmful content.

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Council of Europe highlights legal frameworks for AI fairness

The Council of Europe recently hosted an online event to examine the challenges posed by algorithmic discrimination and explore ways to strengthen governance frameworks for AI and automated decision-making (ADM) systems.

Two new publications were presented, focusing on legal protections against algorithmic bias and policy guidelines for equality bodies and human rights institutions.

Algorithmic bias has been shown to exacerbate existing social inequalities. In employment, AI systems trained on historical data may unfairly favour male candidates or disadvantage minority groups.

Public authorities also use AI in law enforcement, migration, welfare, justice, education, and healthcare, where profiling, facial recognition, and other automated tools can carry discriminatory risks. Private-sector applications in banking, insurance, and personnel services similarly raise concerns.

Legal frameworks such as the EU AI Act (2024/1689) and the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on AI, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law aim to mitigate these risks. The publications review how regulations protect against algorithmic discrimination and highlight remaining gaps.

National equality bodies and human rights structures play a key role in monitoring AI/ADM systems, ensuring compliance, and promoting human rights-based deployment.

The webinar highlighted practical guidance and examples for applying EU and Council of Europe rules to public sector AI initiatives, fostering more equitable and accountable systems.

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Brazil excluded from WhatsApp rival AI chatbot ban

WhatsApp has excluded Brazil from its new restriction on third-party general-purpose chatbots, allowing AI providers to continue operating on the platform despite a broader policy shift affecting other markets.

The decision follows action by the competition authority of Brazil, which ordered Meta to suspend elements of the policy while assessing whether the rules unfairly disadvantage rival chatbot providers in favour of Meta AI.

Developers have been informed that services linked to Brazilian phone numbers do not need to stop responding to users or issue service warnings.

Elsewhere, WhatsApp has introduced a 90-day grace period starting in mid-January, requiring chatbot developers to halt responses and notify users that services will no longer function on the app.

The policy applies to tools such as ChatGPT and Grok, while customer service bots used by businesses remain unaffected.

Italy has already secured a similar exemption after regulatory scrutiny, while the EU has opened an antitrust investigation into the new rules.

Meta continues to argue that general-purpose AI chatbots place technical strain on systems designed for business messaging instead of acting as an open distribution platform for AI services.

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SRB GDPR case withdrawn from EU court

A high-profile EU court case on pseudonymised data has ended without a final ruling. The dispute involved the Single Resolution Board and the European Data Protection Supervisor.

The case focused on whether pseudonymised opinions qualify as personal data under the GDPR. Judges were also asked to assess reidentification risks and notification duties.

After intervention by the Court of Justice of the European Union, the matter returned to the General Court. Both parties later withdrew the case, leaving no binding judgement.

Legal experts say the CJEU’s guidance continues to shape enforcement practice. Regulators are expected to reflect those principles in updated EU pseudonymisation guidelines.

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EU lawmakers push limits on AI nudity apps

More than 50 EU lawmakers have called on the European Commission to clarify whether AI-powered applications for nudity are prohibited under existing EU legislation, citing concerns about online harm and legal uncertainty.

The request follows public scrutiny of the Grok, owned by xAI, which was found to generate manipulated intimate images involving women and minors.

Lawmakers argue that such systems enable gender-based online violence and the production of child sexual abuse material instead of legitimate creative uses.

In their letter, lawmakers questioned whether current provisions under the EU AI Act sufficiently address nudification tools or whether additional prohibitions are required. They also warned that enforcement focused only on substantial online platforms risks leaving similar applications operating elsewhere.

While EU authorities have taken steps under the Digital Services Act to assess platform responsibilities, lawmakers stressed the need for broader regulatory clarity and consistent application across the digital market.

Further political debate on the issue is expected in the coming days.

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