Privacy and data protection Archives | Page 136 of 325

Behavioural AI could be the missing piece in the $2 trillion AI economy

Global AI spending is projected to reach $1.5 trillion in 2025 and exceed $2 trillion in 2026, yet a critical element is missing: human judgement. A growing number of organisations are turning to behavioural science to bridge this gap, coding it directly into AI systems to create what experts call behavioural AI.

Early adopters like Clarity AI utilise behavioural AI to flag ESG controversies before they impact earnings. Morgan Stanley uses machine learning and satellite data to monitor environmental risks, while Google Maps influences driver behaviour, preventing over one million tonnes of CO₂ annually.

Behavioural AI is being used to predict how leaders and societies act under uncertainty. These insights guide corporate strategy, PR campaigns, and decision-making. Mind Friend combines a network of 500 mental health experts with AI to build a ‘behavioural infrastructure’ that enhances judgement.

The behaviour analytics market was valued at $1.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $10.8 billion by 2032. Major players, such as IBM and Adobe, are entering the field, while Davos and other global forums debate how behavioural frameworks should shape investment and policy decisions.

As AI scrutiny grows, ethical safeguards are critical. Companies that embed governance, fairness, and privacy protections into their behavioural AI are earning trust. In a $2 trillion market, winners will be those who pair algorithms with a deep understanding of human behaviour.

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GPT-5-powered ChatGPT Edu comes to Oxford staff and students

The University of Oxford will become the first UK university to offer free ChatGPT Edu access to all staff and students. The rollout follows a year-long pilot with 750 academics, researchers, and professional services staff across the University and Colleges.

ChatGPT Edu, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-5 model, is designed for education with enterprise-grade security and data privacy. Oxford says it will support research, teaching, and operations while encouraging safe, responsible use through robust governance, training, and guidance.

Staff and students will receive access to in-person and online training, webinars, and specialised guidance on the use of generative AI. A dedicated AI Competency Centre and network of AI Ambassadors will support users, alongside mandatory security training.

The prestigious UK university has also established a Digital Governance Unit and an AI Governance Group to oversee the adoption of emerging technologies. Pilots are underway to digitise the Bodleian Libraries and explore how AI can improve access to historical collections worldwide.

A jointly funded research programme with the Oxford Martin School and OpenAI will study the societal impact of AI adoption. The project is part of OpenAI’s NextGenAI consortium, which brings together 15 global research institutions to accelerate breakthroughs in AI.

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TikTok nears US takeover deal as Washington secures control

The White House has revealed that US companies will take control of TikTok’s algorithm, with Americans occupying six of seven board seats overseeing the platform’s operations in the country. A final deal, which would reshape the app’s US presence, is expected soon, though Beijing has yet to respond publicly.

Washington has long pushed to separate TikTok’s American operations from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, citing national security risks. The app faced repeated threats of a ban unless sold to US investors, with deadlines extended several times under President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court also upheld legislation requiring ByteDance to divest, though enforcement was delayed earlier this year.

According to the White House, data protection and privacy for American users will be managed by Oracle, chaired by Larry Ellison, a close Trump ally. Oracle will also oversee control of TikTok’s algorithm, the key technology that drives what users see on the app. Ellison’s influence in tech and media has grown, especially after his son acquired Paramount, which owns CBS News.

Trump claimed he had secured an understanding on the deal in a recent call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing the exchange as ‘productive.’ However, Beijing’s official response has been less explicit. The Commerce Ministry said discussions should proceed according to market rules and Chinese law, while state media suggested China welcomed continued negotiations.

Trump has avoided clarifying whether US investors need to develop a new system or continue using the existing one. His stance on TikTok has shifted since his first term, when he pushed for a ban, to now embracing the platform as a political tool to engage younger voters during his 2024 campaign.

Concerns over TikTok’s handling of user data remain at the heart of US objections. Officials at the Justice Department have warned that the app’s access to US data posed a security threat of ‘immense depth and scale,’ underscoring why Washington is pressing to lock down control of its operations.

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Emerging AI trends that will define 2026

AI is set to reshape daily life in 2026, with innovations moving beyond software to influence the physical world, work environments, and international relations.

Autonomous agents will increasingly manage household and workplace tasks, coordinating projects, handling logistics, and interacting with smart devices instead of relying solely on humans.

Synthetic content will become ubiquitous, potentially comprising up to 90 percent of online material. While it can accelerate data analysis and insight generation, the challenge will be to ensure genuine human creativity and experience remain visible instead of being drowned out by generic AI outputs.

The workplace will see both opportunity and disruption. Routine and administrative work will increasingly be offloaded to AI, creating roles such as prompt engineers and AI ethics specialists, while some traditional positions face redundancy.

Similarly, AI will expand into healthcare, autonomous transport, and industrial automation, becoming a tangible presence in everyday life instead of remaining a background technology.

Governments and global institutions will grapple with AI’s geopolitical and economic impact. From trade restrictions to synthetic propaganda, world leaders will attempt to control AI’s spread and underlying data instead of allowing a single country or corporation to have unchecked dominance.

Energy efficiency and sustainability will also rise to the fore, as AI’s growing power demands require innovative solutions to reduce environmental impact.

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Health New Zealand appoints a new director to lead AI-driven innovation

Te Whatu Ora (the healthcare system of New Zealand) has appointed Sonny Taite as acting director of innovation and AI and launched a new programme called HealthX.

An initiative that aims to deliver one AI-driven healthcare project each month from September 2025 until February 2026, based on ideas from frontline staff instead of new concepts.

Speaking at the TUANZ and DHA Tech Users Summit in Auckland, New Zealand, Taite explained that HealthX will focus on three pressing challenges: workforce shortages, inequitable access to care, and clinical inefficiencies.

He emphasised the importance of validating ideas, securing funding, and ensuring successful pilots scale nationally.

The programme has already tested an AI-powered medical scribe in the Hawke’s Bay emergency department, with early results showing a significant reduction in administrative workload.

Taite is also exploring solutions for specialist shortages, particularly in dermatology, where some regions lack public services, forcing patients to travel or seek private care.

A core cross-functional team, a clinical expert group, and frontline champions such as chief medical officers will drive HealthX.

Taite underlined that building on existing cybersecurity and AI infrastructure at Te Whatu Ora, which already processes billions of security signals monthly, provides a strong foundation for scaling innovation across the health system.

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Cyberattack disrupts major European airports

Airports across Europe faced severe disruption after a cyberattack on check-in software used by several major airlines.

Heathrow, Brussels, Berlin and Dublin all reported delays, with some passengers left waiting hours as staff reverted to manual processes instead of automated systems.

Brussels Airport asked airlines to cancel half of Monday’s departures after Collins Aerospace, the US-based supplier of check-in technology, could not provide a secure update. Heathrow said most flights were expected to operate but warned travellers to check their flight status.

Berlin and Dublin also reported long delays, although Dublin said it planned to run a full schedule.

Collins, a subsidiary of aerospace and defence group RTX, confirmed that its Muse software had been targeted by a cyberattack and said it was working to restore services. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre coordinates with airports and law enforcement to assess the impact.

Experts warned that aviation is particularly vulnerable because airlines and airports rely on shared platforms. They said stronger backup systems, regular updates and greater cross-border cooperation are needed instead of siloed responses, as cyberattacks rarely stop at national boundaries.

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JFTC study and MSCA shape Japan’s AI oversight strategy

Japan is adopting a softer approach to regulating generative AI, emphasising innovation while managing risks. Its 2025 AI Bill promotes development and safety, supported by international norms and guidelines.

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) is running a market study on competition concerns in AI, alongside enforcing the new Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA), aimed at curbing anti-competitive practices in mobile software.

The AI Bill focuses on transparency, international cooperation, and sector-specific guidance rather than heavy penalties. Policymakers hope this flexible framework will avoid stifling innovation while encouraging responsible adoption.

The MSCA, set to be fully enforced in December 2025, obliges mobile platform operators to ensure interoperability and fair treatment of developers, including potential applications to AI tools and assistants.

With rapid AI advances, regulators in Japan remain cautious but proactive. The JFTC aims to monitor markets closely, issue guidelines as needed, and preserve a balance between competition, innovation, and consumer protection.

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EDPS calls for strong safeguards in EU-US border data-sharing agreement

On 17 September 2025, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) issued an Opinion on the EU-US negotiating mandate for a framework agreement on exchanging information for security screenings and identity verifications. The European Commission’s Recommendation aims to establish legal conditions for sharing data between the EU member states and the USA, enabling bilateral agreements tied to the US Visa Waiver Program’s Enhanced Border Security Partnership.

EDPS Wojciech Wiewiórowski emphasised the need to balance border security with fundamental rights, warning that sharing personal and biometric data could interfere with privacy. The agreement, a first for large-scale data sharing with a third country, must strictly limit data processing to what is necessary and proportionate.

The EDPS recommended narrowing the scope of shared data, excluding transfers from sensitive EU systems related to migration and asylum, and called for robust accountability, transparency, and judicial redress mechanisms accessible to all individuals, regardless of nationality.

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AI agent headlines Notion 3.0 rollout

Notion has officially entered the agent era with the launch of Notion Agent, the centrepiece of its Notion 3.0 rollout. Described as a ‘teammate and Notion super user,’ the AI agent is designed to automate work inside and beyond Notion.

The new tool can automatically build pages and databases, search across connected tools like Slack, and perform up to 20 minutes of autonomous work at a time. Notion says this enables faster, more efficient workflows across hundreds of pages simultaneously.

A key feature is memory, which allows the agent to ‘remember’ a user’s preferences and working style. These memories can be edited and stored under multiple profiles, allowing users to customise their agent for different projects or contexts.

Notion highlights use cases such as generating email campaigns, consolidating feedback into reports, and transforming meeting notes into emails or proposals. The company says the agent acts as a partner who plans tasks and carries them out end-to-end.

Future updates will expand personalisation and automation, including fully customised agents capable of even more complex tasks. Notion positions the launch as a step toward a new era of intelligent, self-directed productivity.

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Lenovo unveils AI Super Agents for next-generation automation

Lenovo is pushing into the next phase of AI with the launch of its AI Super Agents, designed to move beyond reactive systems and perform complex, multi-step tasks autonomously.

The company describes the technology as a cognitive operating system capable of orchestrating multiple specialised agents to deliver results across devices and enterprise systems.

The AI Super Agent extends agentic AI to complete tasks like managing supply chains, booking services, and developing applications. Lenovo’s model combines perception, cognition, and autonomy, letting agents understand intent, make decisions, and adapt in real time.

According to Lenovo, the innovation will serve both individuals and businesses by streamlining workflows, scaling operations, and enhancing decision-making. The company stressed responsible AI, following international standards on ethics, transparency, and data protection.

AI Super Agents will be showcased at Lenovo’s Tech World event in Las Vegas in January 2026. They represent the next step in hybrid AI, combining on-device and enterprise-scale intelligence to enhance productivity and creativity.

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