Interdisciplinary approaches

OpenAI faced questions after ChatGPT surfaced app prompts for paid users

ChatGPT users complained after the system surfaced an unexpected Peloton suggestion during an unrelated conversation. The prompt appeared for a Pro Plan subscriber and triggered questions about ad-like behaviour. Many asked why paid chats were showing promotional-style links.

OpenAI said the prompt was part of early app-discovery tests, not advertising. Staff acknowledged that the suggestion was irrelevant to the query. They said the system is still being adjusted to avoid confusing or misplaced prompts.

Users reported other recommendations, including music apps that contradicted their stated preferences. The lack of an option to turn off these suggestions fuelled irritation. Paid subscribers warned that such prompts undermine the service’s reliability.

OpenAI described the feature as a step toward integrating apps directly into conversations. The aim is to surface tools when genuinely helpful. Early trials, however, have demonstrated gaps between intended relevance and actual outcomes.

The tests remain limited to selected regions and are not active in parts of Europe. Critics argue intrusive prompts risk pushing users to competitors. OpenAI said refinements will continue to ensure suggestions feel helpful, not promotional.

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Regulators question transparency after Mixpanel data leak

Mixpanel is facing criticism after disclosing a security incident with minimal detail, providing only a brief note before the US Thanksgiving weekend. Analysts say the timing and lack of clarity set a poor example for transparency in breach reporting.

OpenAI later confirmed its own exposure, stating that analytics data linked to developer activity had been obtained from Mixpanel’s systems. It stressed that ChatGPT users were not affected and that it had halted its use of the service following the incident.

OpenAI said the stolen information included names, email addresses, coarse location data and browser details, raising concerns about phishing risks. It noted that no advertising identifiers were involved, limiting broader cross-platform tracking.

Security experts say the breach highlights long-standing concerns about analytics companies that collect detailed behavioural and device data across thousands of apps. Mixpanel’s session-replay tools can be sensitive, as they can inadvertently capture private information.

Regulators argue the case shows why analytics providers have become prime targets for attackers. They say that more transparent disclosure from Mixpanel is needed to assess the scale of exposure and the potential impact on companies and end-users.

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OpenAI expands investment in mental health safety research

Yesterday, OpenAI launched a new grant programme to support external research on the connection between AI and mental health.

An initiative that aims to expand independent inquiry into how people express distress, how AI interprets complex emotional signals and how different cultures shape the language used to discuss sensitive experiences.

OpenAI also hopes that broader participation will strengthen collective understanding, rather than keeping progress confined to internal studies.

The programme encourages interdisciplinary work that brings together technical specialists, mental health professionals and people with lived experience. OpenAI is seeking proposals that can offer clear outputs, such as datasets, evaluation methods, or practical insights, that improve safety and guidance.

Researchers may focus on patterns of distress in specific communities, the influence of slang and vernacular, or the challenges that appear when mental health symptoms manifest in ways that current systems fail to recognise.

The grants also aim to expand knowledge of how providers use AI within care settings, including where tools are practical, where limitations appear and where risks emerge for users.

Additional areas of interest include how young people respond to different tones or styles, how grief is expressed in language and how visual cues linked to body image concerns can be interpreted responsibly.

OpenAI emphasises that better evaluation frameworks, ethical datasets and annotated examples can support safer development across the field.

Applications are open until 19 December, with decisions expected by mid-January. The programme forms part of OpenAI’s broader effort to invest in well-being and safety research, offering financial support to independent teams working across diverse cultural and linguistic contexts.

The company argues that expanding evidence and perspectives will contribute to a more secure and supportive environment for future AI systems.

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Quantum money meets Bitcoin: Building unforgeable digital currency

Quantum money might sound like science fiction, yet it is rapidly emerging as one of the most compelling frontiers in modern digital finance. Initially a theoretical concept, it was far ahead of the technology of its time, making practical implementation impossible. Today, thanks to breakthroughs in quantum computing and quantum communication, scientists are reviving the idea, investigating how the principles of quantum physics could finally enable unforgeable quantum digital money. 

Comparisons between blockchain and quantum money are frequent and, on the surface, appear logical, yet can these two visions of new-generation cash genuinely be measured by the same yardstick? 

Origins of quantum money 

Quantum money was first proposed by physicist Stephen Wiesner in the late 1960s. Wiesner envisioned a system in which each banknote would carry quantum particles encoded in specific states, known only to the issuing bank, making the notes inherently secure. 

Due to the peculiarities of quantum mechanics, these quantum states could not be copied, offering a level of security fundamentally impossible with classical systems. At the time, however, quantum technologies were purely theoretical, and devices capable of creating, storing, and accurately measuring delicate quantum states simply did not exist. 

For decades, Wiesner’s idea remained a fascinating thought experiment. Today, the rise of functional quantum computers, advanced photonic systems, and reliable quantum communication networks is breathing new life into the concept, allowing researchers to explore practical applications of quantum money in ways that were once unimaginable.

A new battle for the digital throne is emerging as quantum money shifts from theory to possibility, challenging whether Bitcoin’s decentralised strength can hold its ground in a future shaped by quantum technology.

The no-cloning theorem: The physics that makes quantum money impossible to forge

At the heart of quantum money lies the no-cloning theorem, a cornerstone of quantum mechanics. The principle establishes that it is physically impossible to create an exact copy of an unknown quantum state. Any attempt to measure a quantum state inevitably alters it, meaning that copying or scanning a quantum banknote destroys the very information that ensures its authenticity. 

The unique property makes quantum money exceptionally secure: unlike blockchain, which relies on cryptographic algorithms and distributed consensus, quantum money derives its protection directly from the laws of physics. In theory, a quantum banknote cannot be counterfeited, even by an attacker with unlimited computing resources, which is why quantum money is considered one of the most promising approaches to unforgeable digital currency.

A new battle for the digital throne is emerging as quantum money shifts from theory to possibility, challenging whether Bitcoin’s decentralised strength can hold its ground in a future shaped by quantum technology.

How quantum money works in theory

Quantum money schemes are typically divided into two main types: private and public. 

In private quantum money systems, a central authority- such as a bank- creates quantum banknotes and remains the only entity capable of verifying them. Each note carries a classical serial number alongside a set of quantum states known solely to the issuer. The primary advantage of this approach is its absolute immunity to counterfeiting, as no one outside the issuing institution can replicate the banknote. However, such systems are fully centralised and rely entirely on the security and infrastructure of the issuing bank, which inherently limits scalability and accessibility.

Public quantum money, by contrast, pursues a more ambitious goal: allowing anyone to verify a quantum banknote without consulting a central authority. Developing this level of decentralisation has proven exceptionally difficult. Numerous proposed schemes have been broken by researchers who have managed to extract information without destroying the quantum states. Despite these challenges, public quantum money remains a major focus of quantum cryptography research, with scientists actively pursuing secure and scalable methods for open verification. 

Beyond theoretical appeal, quantum money faces substantial practical hurdles. Quantum states are inherently fragile and susceptible to decoherence, meaning they can lose their information when interacting with the surrounding environment. 

Maintaining stable quantum states demands highly specialised and costly equipment, including photonic processors, quantum memory modules, and sophisticated quantum error-correction systems. Any error or loss could render a quantum banknote completely worthless, and no reliable method currently exists to store these states over long periods. In essence, the concept of quantum money is groundbreaking, yet real-world implementation requires technological advances that are not yet mature enough for mass adoption. 

A new battle for the digital throne is emerging as quantum money shifts from theory to possibility, challenging whether Bitcoin’s decentralised strength can hold its ground in a future shaped by quantum technology.

Bitcoin solves the duplication problem differently

While quantum money relies on the laws of physics to prevent counterfeiting, Bitcoin tackles the duplication problem through cryptography and distributed consensus. Each transaction is verified across thousands of nodes, and SHA-256 hash functions secure the blockchain against double spending without the need for a central authority. 

Unlike elliptic curve cryptography, which could eventually be vulnerable to large-scale quantum attacks, SHA-256 has proven remarkably resilient; even quantum algorithms such as Grover’s offer only a marginal advantage, reducing the search space from 2256 to 2128– still far beyond any realistic brute-force attempt. 

Bitcoin’s security does not hinge on unbreakable mathematics alone but on a combination of decentralisation, network verification, and robust cryptographic design. Many experts therefore consider Bitcoin effectively quantum-proof, with most of the dramatic threats predicted from quantum computers likely to be impossible in practice. 

Software-based and globally accessible, Bitcoin operates independently of specialised hardware, allowing users to send, receive, and verify value anywhere in the world without the fragility and complexity inherent in quantum systems. Furthermore, the network can evolve to adopt post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, ensuring long-term resilience, making Bitcoin arguably the most battle-hardened digital financial instrument in existence. 

A new battle for the digital throne is emerging as quantum money shifts from theory to possibility, challenging whether Bitcoin’s decentralised strength can hold its ground in a future shaped by quantum technology.

Could quantum money be a threat to Bitcoin?

In reality, quantum money and Bitcoin address entirely different challenges, meaning the former is unlikely to replace the latter. Bitcoin operates as a global, decentralised monetary network with established economic rules and governance, while quantum money represents a technological approach to issuing physically unforgeable tokens. Bitcoin is not designed to be physically unclonable; its strength lies in verifiability, decentralisation, and network-wide trust.

However, SHA-256- the hashing algorithm that underpins Bitcoin mining and block creation- remains highly resistant to quantum threats. Quantum computers achieve only a quadratic speed-up through Grover’s algorithm, which is insufficient to break SHA-256 in practical terms. Bitcoin also retains the ability to adopt post-quantum cryptographic standards as they mature, whereas quantum money is limited by rigid physical constraints that are far harder to update.

Quantum money also remains too fragile, complex, and costly for widespread use. Its realistic applications are limited to state institutions, military networks, or highly secure financial environments rather than everyday payments. Bitcoin, by contrast, already benefits from extensive global infrastructure, strong market adoption, and deep liquidity, making it far more practical for daily transactions and long-term digital value transfer. 

A new battle for the digital throne is emerging as quantum money shifts from theory to possibility, challenging whether Bitcoin’s decentralised strength can hold its ground in a future shaped by quantum technology.

Where quantum money and blockchain could coexist

Although fundamentally different, quantum money and blockchain technologies have the potential to complement one another in meaningful ways. Quantum key distribution could strengthen the security of blockchain networks by protecting communication channels from advanced attacks, while quantum-generated randomness may enhance cryptographic protocols used in decentralised systems. 

Researchers have also explored the idea of using ‘quantum tokens’ to provide an additional privacy layer within specialised blockchain applications. Both technologies ultimately aim to deliver secure and verifiable forms of digital value. Their coexistence may offer the most resilient future framework for digital finance, combining the physics-based protection of quantum money with the decentralisation, transparency, and global reach of blockchain technology. 

A new battle for the digital throne is emerging as quantum money shifts from theory to possibility, challenging whether Bitcoin’s decentralised strength can hold its ground in a future shaped by quantum technology.

Quantum physics meets blockchain for the future of secure currency

Quantum money remains a remarkable concept, originally decades ahead of its time, and now revived by advances in quantum computing and quantum communication. Although it promises theoretically unforgeable digital currency, its fragility, technical complexity, and demanding infrastructure make it impractical for large-scale use. 

Bitcoin, by contrast, stands as the most resilient and widely adopted model of decentralised digital money, supported by a mature global network and robust cryptographic foundations. 

Quantum money and Bitcoin stand as twin engines of a new digital finance era, where quantum physics is reshaping value creation, powering blockchain innovation, and driving next-generation fintech solutions for secure and resilient digital currency. 

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Gemini Projects feature appears in Google app teardown

Google is preparing a Gemini feature called Projects, offering a small workspace for grouping chats by topic. Early clues show it works like a sandbox that keeps related conversations structured. It is still hidden and not active for anyone.

An Android Authority teardown of the Google app revealed the interface and onboarding prompts. These mention isolating chats, choosing a focus area and adding files for context. The feature remains dormant until Google enables it on the server.

When opening a project, users can name it and then view a simple dashboard. This includes options to set project goals that guide Gemini’s behaviour. The aim is to keep longer tasks organised in one place.

The teardown shows a limit of ten file uploads per project, with no clarity on whether paid tiers will receive more. This may affect complex tasks that require a larger context. Users will also be able to pin projects for quicker access.

Because all information comes from hidden code, Google has not confirmed any details. The design or limits may change before launch. Until the Gemini feature is announced, the findings should be treated as provisional.

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Thrive Holdings deepens AI collaboration with OpenAI for business transformation

OpenAI and Thrive Holdings have launched a partnership to accelerate enterprise adoption of AI. The work focuses on applying AI to high-volume business functions such as accounting and IT services. Both companies say these areas offer immediate gains in speed, accuracy, and cost efficiency.

OpenAI will place its teams inside Thrive Holdings’ companies to improve core workflows. The partners want a model they can replicate across other sectors. They say embedding AI in real operations delivers better results than external tools.

Executives say AI is reshaping how organisations deliver value in competitive markets. OpenAI’s Brad Lightcap described the collaboration as an example of rapid, organisation-wide transformation. He said the approach could guide other businesses seeking practical pathways to use advanced AI tools.

Thrive Holdings views the initiative as part of a broader shift in how technology is adopted. Founder Joshua Kushner said industry experts are now driving change from within their sectors. He added that Thrive’s portfolio offers the data and domain knowledge needed to refine AI for specialised tasks.

Both partners expect the model to scale into additional business areas as uptake grows. They see long-term opportunities to adapt the framework to more enterprise functions. The ambition is to demonstrate how embedded AI can boost performance and sustain operational improvements.

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Singapore and the EU advance their digital partnership

The European Union met Singapore in Brussels for the second Digital Partnership Council, reinforcing a joint ambition to strengthen cooperation across a broad set of digital priorities.

Both sides expressed a shared interest in improving competitiveness, expanding innovation and shaping common approaches to digital rules instead of relying on fragmented national frameworks.

Discussions covered AI, cybersecurity, online safety, data flows, digital identities, semiconductors and quantum technologies.

Officials highlighted the importance of administrative arrangements in AI safety. They explored potential future cooperation on language models, including the EU’s work on the Alliance for Language Technologies and Singapore’s Sea-Lion initiative.

Efforts to protect consumers and support minors online were highlighted, alongside the potential role of age verification tools.

Further exchanges focused on trust services and the interoperability of digital identity systems, as well as collaborative research on semiconductors and quantum technologies.

Both sides emphasised the importance of robust cyber resilience and ongoing evaluation of cybersecurity risks, rather than relying on reactive measures. The recently signed Digital Trade Agreement was welcomed for improving legal certainty, building consumer trust and reducing barriers to digital commerce.

The meeting between the EU and Singapore confirmed the importance of the partnership in supporting economic security, strengthening research capacity and increasing resilience in critical technologies.

It also reflected the wider priorities outlined in the European Commission’s International Digital Strategy, which placed particular emphasis on cooperation with Asian partners across emerging technologies and digital governance.

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Italy secures new EU support for growth and reform

The European Commission has endorsed Italy’s latest request for funding under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, marking an important step in the country’s economic modernisation.

An approval that covers 12.8 billion euros, combining grants and loans, and supports efforts to strengthen competitiveness and long-term growth across key sectors of national life.

Italy completed 32 milestones and targets connected to the eighth instalment, enabling progress in public administration, procurement, employment, education, research, tourism, renewable energy and the circular economy.

Thousands of schools have gained new resources to improve multilingual learning and build stronger skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Many primary and secondary schools have also secured modern digital tools to enhance teaching quality instead of relying on outdated systems.

Health research forms another major part of the package. Projects focused on rare diseases, cancer and other high-impact conditions have gained fresh funding to support scientific work and improve treatment pathways.

These measures contribute to a broader transformation programme financed through 194.4 billion euros, representing one of the largest recovery plans in the EU.

A four-week review by the Economic and Financial Committee will follow before the payment can be released. Once completed, Italy’s total receipts will exceed 153 billion euros, covering more than 70 percent of its full Recovery and Resilience Facility allocation.

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Poetic prompts reveal gaps in AI safety, according to study

Researchers in Italy have found that poetic language can weaken the safety barriers used by many leading AI chatbots.

A work by Icaro Lab, part of DexAI, that examined whether poems containing harmful requests could provoke unsafe answers from widely deployed models across the industry. The team wrote twenty poems in English and Italian, each ending with explicit instructions that AI systems are trained to block.

The researchers tested the poems on twenty-five models developed by nine major companies. Poetic prompts produced unsafe responses in more than half of the tests.

Some models appeared more resilient than others. OpenAI’s GPT-5 Nano avoided unsafe replies in every case, while Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro generated harmful content in all tests. Two Meta systems produced unsafe responses to twenty percent of the poems.

Researchers also argue that poetic structure disrupts the predictive patterns large language models rely on to filter harmful material. The unconventional rhythm and metaphor common in poetry make the underlying safety mechanisms less reliable.

Additionally, the team warned that adversarial poetry can be used by anyone, which raises concerns about how easily safety systems may be manipulated in everyday use.

Before releasing the study, the researchers contacted all companies involved and shared the full dataset with them.

Anthropic confirmed receipt and stated that it was reviewing the findings. The work has prompted debate over how AI systems can be strengthened as creative language becomes an increasingly common method for attempting to bypass safety controls.

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Philips launches AI-powered spectral CT system

Philips has unveiled Verida, the world’s first detector-based spectral CT fully powered by AI. The system integrates AI across the imaging chain, enhancing image quality, lowering system noise, and streamlining clinical workflow for faster, more precise diagnostics.

Spectral CT allows tissues to be distinguished based on how they absorb different x-ray energies, providing insights that conventional scans cannot. Verida reconstructs 145 images per second, completing exams in under 30 seconds, allowing up to 270 scans daily with lower doses and up to 45% less energy use.

Clinicians are already seeing benefits, especially in cardiac imaging. Prof. Eliseo Vañó Galván, Chairman of CT & MR at Hospital Nuestra. Sra. Del Rosario in Madrid, said the system could boost confidence, reduce invasive procedures, and expand spectral imaging.

Built for high-demand environments, Verida combines AI-driven reconstruction with Philips’ Nano-panel dual-layer detector and proprietary Spectral Precise Image technology. The system is CE-marked and 510k pending, with availability in select markets expected in 2026.

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