Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance is ramping up efforts to boost revenue from the Indian Premier League (IPL) following its $8.5 billion media merger with Disney.
With broadcast rights costing the company and Disney nearly $10 billion in recent years, a strategy is in place to attract small businesses as advertisers. Closed-door seminars across Indian cities are promoting IPL ad packages starting at $17,000 to help offset rising costs.
A focus on digital advertising is central to Reliance’s approach, as it competes with global giants such as Netflix, Google, and Meta.
The company is leveraging neuroscience research to pitch its streaming ads as more engaging than those on YouTube and Instagram. A growing digital push is expected to help monetise IPL’s massive audience, with ad rates rising by up to 25% this year.
Intense competition in India‘s $28 billion digital ad market poses challenges, despite IPL’s popularity. Reliance is banking on data-driven targeted advertising to appeal to brands, but affordability remains a concern for smaller businesses.
Analysts suggest that while advanced neuroscience studies may strengthen its marketing claims, real success will depend on tangible financial gains in the highly competitive streaming space.
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Although a Berlin court initially supported the activists’ request, X filed a motion arguing the judge had shown bias by interacting with the plaintiffs’ social media posts. The court approved the motion, though similar claims against two other judges were dismissed.
The ruling means that the activists will not receive the requested data within their critical timeframe. A hearing on the matter is set for February 27, but any ruling will come too late to influence their election monitoring efforts in Germany.
However, the decision could establish an important precedent for future transparency cases involving social media platforms. The activists had argued that while some election data is technically accessible, it is not realistically obtainable without direct access from X.
X has also announced plans to sue the German government over what it calls excessive user data requests, claiming these demands violate privacy and freedom of expression.
The German digital affairs ministry acknowledged X’s public statements but confirmed that no formal lawsuits had been filed yet. The escalating legal dispute highlights growing tensions between Musk and German authorities, particularly as the country prepares for key elections amid concerns over misinformation.
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Google has quietly disclosed the pricing for its Veo 2 video-generating AI model, setting the cost at 50 cents per second of video. This translates to $30 per minute or $1,800 per hour, positioning Veo 2 as a premium tool for AI-generated video content.
While unlikely to produce big-budget epics, the model can create clips of two minutes or longer, as highlighted in Google’s initial announcement.
Jon Barron, a Google DeepMind researcher, compared Veo 2’s cost to Hollywood productions, noting that Avengers: Endgame had a production cost of around $32,000 per second.
Though Veo 2 operates at a fraction of that price, its output serves different purposes, targeting creators seeking efficient video generation without traditional production expenses.
The AI video generation space has grown increasingly competitive, with OpenAI recently releasing its Sora model to ChatGPT Pro subscribers for $200 a month. Google’s move to price Veo 2 publicly reflects the broader push to commercialise AI video tools as demand surges among content creators and businesses.
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The rise of quantum computing poses a serious threat to modern encryption systems, with experts warning that critical digital infrastructure could become vulnerable once quantum devices reach sufficient power.
Unlike classical computers that process binary bits, quantum computers use qubits, allowing them to perform vast numbers of calculations simultaneously.
This capability could make breaking widely used encryption methods, like RSA, possible in minutes—something that would take today’s computers thousands of years.
Although quantum systems powerful enough to crack encryption may still be years away, there is growing concern that hackers could already be collecting encrypted data to decode it once the technology catches up.
Sensitive information—such as national security data, intellectual property, and personal records—could be at risk. In response, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology has introduced new post-quantum encryption standards and is encouraging organisations to transition swiftly, though the scale of the upgrade needed across global infrastructure remains immense.
Updating web browsers and modern devices may be straightforward, but older systems, critical infrastructure, and the growing number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices pose significant challenges.
Satellites, for instance, vary in how easily they can be upgraded, with remote sensing satellites often requiring full replacements. Cybersecurity experts stress the need for ‘crypto agility’ to make the transition manageable, aiming to avoid a chaotic scramble once quantum threats materialise.
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A Russian court has fined Google 3.8 million roubles (£32,600) for hosting YouTube videos that allegedly instructed Russian soldiers on how to surrender. The ruling is part of Moscow’s ongoing crackdown on content it deems illegal, particularly regarding the war in Ukraine. Google has not yet responded to the decision.
Authorities in Russia have frequently ordered foreign tech companies to remove content they claim spreads misinformation. Critics argue that the government is deliberately slowing YouTube‘s download speeds to limit access to material critical of President Vladimir Putin. Moscow denies the accusation, blaming Google for failing to upgrade its infrastructure.
President Putin has previously accused Google of being used by Washington to serve political interests. The latest fine is one of many imposed on the company as part of Russia’s broader control over digital platforms.
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A wave of cyber attacks hit around 20 Italian websites, including those of banks and airports, in an incident linked to rising tensions between Rome and Moscow.
Italy‘s cybersecurity agency attributed the attacks to the pro-Russian hacker group Noname057(16), which targeted websites such as Intesa Sanpaolo, Banca Monte dei Paschi, Iccrea Banca, and Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports. Authorities reported no major disruptions.
The attack followed recent remarks by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who compared Russia‘s war on Ukraine to Nazi Germany‘s expansionism.
Moscow condemned the statement, while Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni defended it. The hackers cited Mattarella’s comments as motivation for their actions, according to Italy’s cybersecurity agency.
Noname057(16) previously claimed responsibility for a cyber attack on Italy in December, which targeted around 10 institutional websites. Some of the affected organisations declined to comment on the latest breach, while others reported no operational impact. Italian authorities continue to monitor the situation.
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Meta has announced a new programme allowing rival classified ad providers to list their adverts on Facebook Marketplace, following a €797 million EU antitrust fine for unfair competition.
The European Commission ruled in November that Meta had given its own service an unfair advantage by tying Marketplace to Facebook and imposing restrictive trading conditions on competitors.
The company has challenged the fine in court but says the new initiative, called the Facebook Marketplace Partner Program, is a response to EU competition concerns.
The programme was tested last month in Germany, France, and the United States in partnership with eBay. Under the scheme, third-party online classified ad services can display their listings on Facebook Marketplace alongside user-generated listings.
Meta maintains that the EU’s decision unfairly targets US companies, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously describing EU actions as akin to a “tariff regime.”
The European Commission is now reviewing whether Meta has fully complied with the ruling. If found lacking, the company could face further scrutiny and potential penalties. The move marks a significant shift in how Marketplace operates, potentially reshaping competition in the online classified ads sector.
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French prosecutors have launched an investigation into X, formerly known as Twitter, over alleged algorithmic bias. The probe was initiated after a lawmaker raised concerns that biased algorithms on the platform may have distorted automated data processing. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that cybercrime specialists are analysing the issue and conducting technical checks.
The investigation comes just days before a major AI summit in Paris, where global leaders and tech executives from companies like Microsoft and Alphabet will gather. X has not responded to requests for comment. The case highlights growing scrutiny of the platform, which has been criticised for its role in shaping political discourse. Elon Musk’s vocal support for right-wing parties in Europe has raised fears of foreign interference.
France‘s J3 cybercrime unit, which is leading the investigation, has previously targeted major tech platforms, including Telegram. Last year, it played a key role in the arrest of Telegram’s founder and pressured the platform to remove illegal content. X has also faced legal challenges in other countries, including Brazil, where it was temporarily blocked for failing to curb misinformation.
Microsoft has introduced Chinese startup DeepSeek’s R1 AI to its Azure cloud platform and GitHub tool for developers. The R1 model is now part of Microsoft’s extensive model catalogue, which includes over 1,800 AI models. The move reflects Microsoft’s efforts to diversify beyond OpenAI’s ChatGPT and integrate third-party AI technologies into its flagship Microsoft 365 Copilot product.
DeepSeek has recently gained attention for its cost-effective AI assistant, which surpassed ChatGPT in downloads on Apple’s App Store shortly after its launch. However, its use of servers in China for storing user data has raised privacy concerns in the United States. To address such issues, Microsoft announced plans to allow customers to run the R1 model locally on Copilot+ PCs, offering enhanced control over data-sharing.
The rise of DeepSeek has triggered a competitive response from AI industry leaders. OpenAI is investigating allegations that its data may have been misused by a group linked to DeepSeek, while releasing a tailored ChatGPT version for US government agencies. China’s Alibaba has also launched an updated version of its Qwen AI model, underscoring the intensifying race in the global AI sector.
AT&T has secured $850 million by selling and leasing back 74 underutilised central office facilities that house its legacy copper network. The deal was made with real estate firm Reign Capital and is part of AT&T’s strategy to phase out its copper network operations by 2029. The company is transitioning to fibre optic and wireless networks, which are more efficient and require less space.
The sale-leaseback arrangement enables AT&T to sell the properties while retaining the necessary space for its network operations. Michael Ford, AT&T’s global real estate head, described the agreement as a way to “unlock value in otherwise stranded commercial real estate space.” The transaction, completed in early January, impacts only a small portion of the company’s extensive real estate portfolio and will not affect jobs or services.
AT&T shares rose by 0.7% following the announcement, reflecting market confidence in the company’s move to optimise its assets and shift towards modern, high-demand technologies.
