Interdisciplinary approaches Archives | Page 129 of 185

Korea’s LG CNS wins first overseas AI data centre deal in Indonesia

LG CNS has secured a 100 billion won ($72 million) contract to build an AI data centre in Jakarta, a first for a Korean firm in a project of this kind overseas. The centre is expected to be completed by 2026 and will house over 100,000 servers.

The deal was signed through LG Sinar Mas Technology Solutions, a joint venture between Sinar Mas Group of Indonesia and LG of South Korea. Local partner KMG, backed by Korea Investment Real Asset Management, is leading the project to create Indonesia’s largest hyperscale AI data centre.

The 11-storey facility will launch with a power capacity of 30 megawatts, with plans to expand to 220 megawatts in future phases. LG CNS will manage key infrastructure, including electricity, cooling, and telecoms systems, using technologies across the LG Group.

Safety has been a key selling point. The centre will utilise seismic isolation systems to safeguard equipment in earthquake-prone Southeast Asia. Redundant power systems will also ensure continuous operation even during outages.

Southeast Asia is emerging as a cost-effective hub for AI among global technology giants. LG CNS plans to leverage the Jakarta project as a launchpad for expanding into Singapore, Malaysia, and other international markets.

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ChatGPT checkout could sideline major platforms

OpenAI is preparing to add a payment system into ChatGPT, allowing users to complete purchases without ever leaving the chatbot. Retail leaders are calling it a turning point in e-commerce, as it may significantly simplify how people shop online.

The company is expected to take a cut of transactions and work with platforms such as Shopify to streamline operations. With over 77 million users, ChatGPT has the reach to become a dominant shopping tool, potentially bypassing platforms like Amazon.

Executives worry visibility could depend on revenue-sharing, forcing brands to pay for prominence in the chatbot. Some fear this pay-to-play model could leave smaller retailers behind and limit consumer choice.

At the same time, personalised AI-driven recommendations may enhance user experiences while raising questions about data use and bias. Entrepreneurs on X are already predicting widespread AI-led shopping within a year.

Retailers are now adjusting strategies to remain visible in this new market. While some early adopters show success using AI to complete purchases, others highlight technical challenges in integration and website compatibility.

Observers say search engines could lose relevance as shoppers turn to AI instead. Regulators remain cautious, particularly in markets like Australia, where many consumers are open to AI-led transactions.

The industry faces a shift where chatbots may evolve into full-scale digital marketplaces. Brands are urged to act quickly, or risk losing out as AI commerce becomes the norm.

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Google signs groundbreaking deal to cut data centre energy use

Google has become the first major tech firm to sign formal agreements with US electric utilities to ease grid pressure. The deals come as data centres drive unprecedented energy demand, straining power infrastructure in several regions.

The company will work with Indiana Michigan Power and Tennessee Valley Authority to reduce electricity usage during peak demand. These arrangements will help divert power to general utilities when needed.

Under the agreements, Google will temporarily scale down its data centre operations, particularly those linked to energy-intensive AI and machine learning workloads.

Google described the initiative as a way to speed up data centre integration with local grids while avoiding costly infrastructure expansion. The move reflects growing concern over AI’s rising energy footprint.

Demand-response programmes, once used mainly in heavy manufacturing and crypto mining, are now being adopted by tech firms to stabilise grids in return for lower energy costs.

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OpenAI launches ‘study mode’ to curb AI-fuelled cheating

OpenAI has introduced a new ‘study mode’ to help students use AI for learning rather than cheating. The update arrives amid a spike in academic dishonesty linked to generative AI tools.

According to The Guardian, a UK survey found nearly 7,000 confirmed cases of AI misuse during the 2023–24 academic year. Universities are under pressure to adapt assessments in response.

Under the chatbot’s Tools menu, the new mode walks users through questions with step-by-step guidance, acting more like a tutor than a solution engine.

Jayna Devani, OpenAI’s international education lead, said the aim is to foster productive use of AI. ‘It’s guiding me towards an answer, rather than just giving it to me first-hand,’ she explained.

The tool can assist with homework and exam prep and even interpret uploaded images of past papers. OpenAI cautions it may still produce errors, underscoring the need for broader conversations around AI in education.

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Altman shares first glimpse of GPT-5 via Pantheon screenshot

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared a screenshot on X showing GPT-5 in action. The post casually endorsed the animated sci-fi series Pantheon, a cult tech favourite exploring general AI.

When asked if GPT-5 also recommends the show, Altman replied with a screenshot: ‘turns out yes’. It marked one of the earliest public glimpses of the new model, hinting at expanded capabilities.

GPT-5 is expected to outperform its predecessors, with a larger context window, multimodal abilities, and more agentic task handling. The screenshot also shows that some quirks remain, such as its fondness for the em dash.

The model identified Pantheon as having a 100% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and described it as ‘cerebral, emotional, and philosophically intense’. Business Insider verified the score and tone of the reviews.

OpenAI faces mounting pressure to keep pace with rivals like Google DeepMind, Meta, xAI, and Anthropic. Public teasers such as this one suggest GPT-5 will soon make a broader debut.

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AI’s transformation of work habits, mindset and lifestyle

At Mindvalley’s AI Summit, former Google Chief Decision Scientist Cassie Kozyrkov described AI as not a substitute for human thought but a magnifier of what the human mind can produce. Rather than replacing us, AI lets us offload mundane tasks and focus on deeper cognitive and creative work.

Work structures are being transformed, not just in factories, but behind computer screens. AI now handles administrative ‘work about work,’ multitasking, scheduling, and research summarisation, lowering friction in knowledge work and enabling people to supervise agents rather than execute tasks manually.

Personal life is being reshaped, too. AI tools for finance or health, such as budgeting apps or personalised diagnostics, move decisions into data-augmented systems with faster insight and fewer human biases.

Meanwhile, creativity is co-authored via AI-generated design, music or writing, requiring humans to filter, refine and ideate beyond the algorithm.

Recognising cognitive change, AI thought leaders envision a new era where ‘blended work’ prevails: humans manage AI agents, call the shots, and wield ethical oversight, while the AI executes pipelines of repetitive or semi-intelligent tasks.

Scholars warn that this model demands new fairness, transparency, and collaboration skills.

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Science removes concern from Microsoft quantum paper

The journal Science will replace an editorial expression of concern (EEoC) on a 2020 Microsoft quantum computing paper with a correction. The update notes incomplete explanations of device tuning and partial data disclosure, but no misconduct.

Co-author Charles Marcus welcomed the decision but lamented the four-year dispute.

Sergey Frolov, who raised concerns about data selection, disagrees with the correction and believes the paper should be retracted. The debate centres on Microsoft’s claims about topological superconductors using Majorana particles, a critical step for quantum computing.

Several Microsoft-backed papers on Majoranas have faced scrutiny, including retractions. Critics accuse Microsoft of cherry-picking data, while supporters stress the research’s complexity and pioneering nature.

The controversy reveals challenges in peer review and verifying claims in a competitive field.

Microsoft defends the integrity of its research and values open scientific debate. Critics warn that selective reporting risks misleading the community. The dispute highlights the difficulty of confirming breakthrough quantum computing claims in an emerging industry.

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UK Online Safety Act under fire amid free speech and privacy concerns

The UK’s Online Safety Act, aimed at protecting children and eliminating illegal content online, is stirring a strong debate due to its stringent requirements on social media platforms and websites hosting adult content.

Critics argue that the act’s broad application could unintentionally suppress free speech, as highlighted by social media platform X.

X claims the act results in the censorship of lawful content, reflecting concerns shared by politicians, free-speech campaigners, and content creators.

Moreover, public unease is evident, with over 468,000 individuals signing a petition for the act’s repeal, citing privacy concerns over mandatory age checks requiring personal data on adult content sites.

Despite mounting criticism, the UK government is resolute in its commitment to the legislation. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle equates opposition to siding with online predators, emphasising child protection.

The government asserts that the act also mandates platforms to uphold freedom of expression alongside child safety obligations.

While X criticises both the broad scope and the tight compliance timelines of the act, warning of pressures towards over-censorship, it calls for significant statutory revisions to protect personal freedoms while safeguarding children.

The government rebuffs claims that the Online Safety Act compromises free speech, with assurances that the law equally protects freedom of expression.

Meanwhile, Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has initiated investigations into the compliance of several companies managing pornography sites, highlighting the rigorous enforcement.

Source: Reuters

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Prisons trial AI to forecast conflict and self‑harm risk

UK Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has rolled out an AI-driven violence prediction tool across prisons and probation services. One system evaluates inmates’ profiles, factoring in age, past behaviour, and gang ties, to flag those likely to become violent. Matching prisoners to tighter supervision or relocation aims to reduce attacks on staff and fellow inmates.

Another feature actively scans content from seized mobile phones. AI algorithms sift through over 33,000 devices and 8.6 million messages, detecting coded language tied to contraband, violence, or escape plans. When suspicious content is flagged, staff receive alerts for preventive action.

Rising prison violence and self-harm underscore the urgency of such interventions. Assaults on staff recently reached over 10,500 a year, the highest on record, while self-harm incidents reached nearly 78,000. Overcrowding and drug infiltration have intensified operational challenges.

Analysts compare the approach to ‘pre‑crime’ models, drawing parallels with sci-fi narratives, raising concerns around civil liberties. Without robust governance, predictive tools may replicate biases or punish potential rather than actual behaviour. Transparency, independent audit, and appeals processes are essential to uphold inmate rights.

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Cybersecurity sector sees busy July for mergers

July witnessed a significant surge in cybersecurity mergers and acquisitions (M&A), spearheaded by Palo Alto Networks’ announcement of its definitive agreement to acquire identity security firm CyberArk for an estimated $25 billion.

The transaction, set to be the second-largest cybersecurity acquisition on record, signals Palo Alto’s strategic entry into identity security.

Beyond this significant deal, Palo Alto Networks also completed its purchase of AI security specialist Protect AI. The month saw widespread activity across the sector, including LevelBlue’s acquisition of Trustwave to create the industry’s largest pureplay managed security services provider.

Zurich Insurance Group, Signicat, Limerston Capital, Darktrace, Orange Cyberdefense, SecurityBridge, Commvault, and Axonius all announced or finalised strategic cybersecurity acquisitions.

The deals highlight a strong market focus on AI security, identity management, and expanding service capabilities across various regions.

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