Amazon has unveiled Nova Sonic, a new AI model designed to process and generate human-like speech, positioning it as a rival to OpenAI and Google’s top voice assistants. The company claims it outperforms competitors in speed, accuracy, and cost, and it is reportedly 80% cheaper than GPT-4o.
Already powering Alexa+, Nova Sonic excels in real-time conversation, handling interruptions and noisy environments better than legacy AI assistants.
Unlike older voice models, Nova Sonic can dynamically route requests, fetching live data or triggering external actions when needed. Amazon says it achieves a 4.2% word error rate across multiple languages and responds in just 1.09 seconds, faster than OpenAI’s GPT-4o.
Developers can access it via Bedrock, Amazon’s AI platform, using a new streaming API.
The launch signals Amazon’s push into artificial general intelligence (AGI), AI that mimics human capabilities.
Rohit Prasad, head of Amazon’s AGI division, hinted at future models handling images, video, and sensory data. This follows last week’s preview of Nova Act, an AI for browser tasks, suggesting Amazon is accelerating its AI rollout beyond Alexa.
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New Jersey has become the first US state to criminalise the creation and sharing of AI-generated nude images of minors, following a high-profile campaign led by 14-year-old Francesca Mani. The US legislation, signed into law on 2 April by Governor Phil Murphy, allows victims to sue perpetrators for up to $1,000 per image and includes criminal penalties of up to five years in prison and fines of up to $30,000.
Mani launched her campaign after discovering that boys at her school had used an AI “nudify” website to target her and other girls. Refusing to accept the school’s minimal disciplinary response, she called for lawmakers to take decisive action against such deepfake abuses. Her efforts gained national attention, including a feature on 60 Minutes, and helped drive the new legal protections.
The law defines deepfakes as media that convincingly depicts someone doing something they never actually did. It also prohibits the use of such technology for election interference or defamation. Although the law’s focus is on malicious misuse, questions remain about whether exemptions will be made for legitimate uses in film, tech, or education sectors.
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Claude for Education, launched by Anthropic, introduces a specialised AI for higher education, aiming to support universities in teaching, learning, and administration.
The initiative includes key features like Learning mode, full campus access for top universities, and partnerships with organisations like Internet2 and Instructure to integrate AI into academic tools.
Learning mode helps students develop critical thinking by guiding them through problems with Socratic questioning instead of providing direct answers. It also offers templates for research and study.
Key academic partnerships include Northeastern University, London School of Economics, and Champlain College, all of which will benefit from campus-wide access to Claude. These partnerships ensure AI’s responsible integration and accessibility for all students.
New student programs, such as the Claude Campus Ambassadors and API credit initiatives, provide opportunities for students to engage with and build on AI tools.
The launch also coincides with efforts to integrate AI into the academic plans of institutions like Northeastern University, which is pioneering AI adoption in higher education with its ‘Northeastern 2025’ initiative.
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Cybercriminals stole billions of login credentials last year using infostealer malware, putting businesses worldwide at serious risk.
These malicious tools quietly harvest passwords and session tokens from infected devices, often within minutes.
To fight back, companies must use strong multi-factor authentication, store passwords in dedicated managers, and protect devices with advanced endpoint security.
Simple browser-stored logins are no longer safe, and attackers are getting better at bypassing weak defences.
Reducing session lifespans, using hardware-backed logins, and training staff to spot phishing threats are all key to staying secure.
By combining tech with human vigilance, organisations can stay ahead of attackers and safeguard their systems and data.
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Google has unveiled a new feature called Mind Maps for its AI-powered research tool, NotebookLM. Mind maps are visual diagrams that help users understand complex subjects by displaying ideas and their connections.
An addition like this follows the recent release of Audio Overviews, which provide AI-generated podcasts summarising key points from documents, articles, and videos.
NotebookLM, which works in both free and paid versions, assists users in summarising content and offering interactive conversations with AI to deepen understanding.
The new Mind Maps feature lets users generate and explore visual connections between ideas. Once created, users can zoom, expand or collapse branches, and click on nodes for detailed information on specific topics.
The feature is particularly useful for students or anyone who needs to absorb a lot of information quickly. With the combined power of Mind Maps and Audio Overviews, NotebookLM offers a multi-faceted approach to learning, making it easier to navigate and retain key insights.
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Teachers in Stoke-on-Trent gathered for a full-day event to discuss the role of AI in education. Organised by the Good Future Foundation, the session saw more than 40 educators, including Stoke-on-Trent South MP Allison Gardner, explore how AI can enhance teaching and learning. Gardner emphasised the government’s belief that AI represents a ‘generational opportunity’ for education in the UK.
The event highlighted both the promise and the challenges of integrating AI into UK schools. Attendees shared ideas on using AI to improve communication, particularly with families who speak English as an additional language, and to streamline access to school resources through automated chatbots. While the potential benefits are clear, many teachers expressed concerns about the risks associated with new technology.
Daniel Emmerson, executive director of the Good Future Foundation, stressed the importance of supporting educators in understanding and implementing AI. He explained that AI can help prepare students for a future dominated by this technology. Meanwhile, schools like Belgrave St Bartholomew’s Academy are already leading the way in using AI to improve lessons and prepare students for the opportunities AI will bring.
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Nagasaki University in southwestern Japan, in collaboration with a local systems development company, has unveiled a new AI program aimed at enhancing medical student training.
The innovative program allows students to practice interviews with virtual patients on a screen, addressing the growing difficulty of securing simulated patients for training, especially in regional areas facing population declines.
In a demonstration earlier this month, an AI-powered virtual patient exhibited symptoms such as fever and cough, responding appropriately to questions from a medical student.
Scheduled for introduction by March 2026, the technology will allow students to interact with virtual patients of different ages, genders, and symptoms, enhancing their learning experience.
The university plans to enhance the program with scoring and feedback functions to make the training more efficient and improve the quality of learning.
Shinya Kawashiri, an associate professor at the university’s School of Medicine, expressed hope that the system would lead to more effective study methods.
Toru Kobayashi, a professor at the university’s School of Information and Data Sciences, highlighted the program as a groundbreaking initiative in Japan’s medical education landscape.
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China’s top universities are set to expand undergraduate enrolment to develop talent in key strategic fields, particularly AI.
The move follows the rapid rise of AI startup DeepSeek, which has drawn global attention for producing advanced AI models at a fraction of the usual cost.
The company’s success, largely driven by researchers from elite institutions in China, is seen as a major step in Beijing’s efforts to boost its homegrown STEM workforce.
Peking University announced it would add 150 undergraduate spots in 2025 to focus on national strategic needs, particularly in information science, engineering, and clinical medicine.
Renmin University will expand enrolment by over 100 places, aiming to foster innovation in AI. Meanwhile, Shanghai Jiao Tong University plans to add 150 spots dedicated to emerging technologies such as integrated circuits, biomedicine, and new energy.
This expansion aligns with China’s broader strategy to strengthen its education system and technological capabilities. In January, the government introduced a national action plan to enhance education efficiency and innovation by 2035.
Additionally, authorities plan to introduce AI education in primary and secondary schools to nurture digital skills and scientific curiosity from an early age.
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Estonia has launched a new initiative aimed at preparing students and teachers for the age of AI. The ‘AI Leap’ programme will provide access to popular AI chatbots, including an educational version of ChatGPT, to help build digital skills. Starting in September 2025, the programme will involve 20,000 high school students and 3,000 teachers, with plans to expand to vocational schools and an additional 38,000 students and 3,000 teachers in 2026.
Education Minister Kristina Kallas emphasised that Estonia’s economic competitiveness depends on how well the country adapts to AI, ensuring young people are equipped for the future. As part of the initiative, Estonia will also invest in teacher training to support the integration of AI in classrooms.
The programme is a public-private partnership, with negotiations underway with major AI companies, including OpenAI and Anthropic. OpenAI has expressed its pride in collaborating with Estonia to bring ChatGPT Edu to the education system, aiming to better prepare students for the workforce. Estonia’s use of AI in education is seen as a model that other countries may follow as the EU pushes to increase digital skills across Europe by 2030.
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British universities have been urged to reassess their assessment methods after new research revealed a significant rise in students using genAI for their projects. A survey of 1,000 undergraduates found that 88% of students used AI tools like ChatGPT for assessments in 2025, up from 53% last year. Overall, 92% of students now use some form of AI, marking a substantial shift in academic behaviours in just a year.
The report, by the Higher Education Policy Institute and Kortext, highlights how AI is being used for tasks such as summarising articles, explaining concepts, and suggesting research ideas. While AI can enhance the quality of work and save time, some students admitted to directly including AI-generated content in their assignments, raising concerns about academic misconduct.
The research also found that concerns over AI’s potential impact on academic integrity vary across demographics. Women, wealthier students, and those studying STEM subjects were more likely to embrace AI, while others expressed fears about getting caught or receiving biased results. Despite these concerns, students generally feel that universities are addressing the issue of academic integrity, with many believing their institutions have clear policies on AI use.
Experts argue that universities need to adapt quickly to the changing landscape, with some suggesting that AI should be integrated into teaching rather than being seen solely as a threat to academic integrity. As AI tools become an essential part of education, institutions must find a balance between leveraging the technology and maintaining academic standards.
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