Privacy and data protection Archives | Page 141 of 329

New Amazon AI transforms seller experience

Amazon has unveiled a significant upgrade to its Seller Assistant, evolving the tool into an agentic AI-powered partner that can actively help sellers manage and grow their businesses.

Powered by Amazon Bedrock and using advanced models from Amazon Nova and Anthropic Claude, the AI can respond to queries and plan, reason, and act with a seller’s permission. Independent sellers now have an assistant operating around the clock while controlling them.

The upgraded AI can optimise inventory, monitor account health, and provide strategic guidance on product listings and compliance requirements.

Analysing historical trends alongside current data can suggest new product categories, forecast demand, and propose advertising strategies to improve performance. Sellers can receive actionable recommendations instead of manually reviewing reports, saving time and effort.

Creative Studio also benefits from agentic AI capabilities, enabling sellers to generate professional-quality advertising content in hours instead of weeks.

The AI evaluates products alongside Amazon’s shopping signals and produces tailored ad concepts with clear reasoning, helping sellers refine campaigns and boost engagement. Early users report faster decisions, better inventory management, and more efficient marketing.

Amazon plans to extend Seller Assistant to other countries in the coming months at no extra cost.

The evolution highlights the growing role of AI in everyday business operations. It reflects Amazon’s commitment to integrating advanced technologies into the seller experience instead of relying solely on human intervention.

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US judge rejects Meta’s bid to overturn verdict in reproductive data case

Meta has failed to overturn a jury verdict that found it illegally collected sensitive reproductive health data from users of the Flo period tracking app. US District Judge James Donato rejected Meta’s claim that the data was ‘secondhand’ and not protected under California’s wiretapping law.

The court found that Meta directly intercepted real-time communications between users and the app, such as when users indicated they wanted to track their menstrual cycle or pregnancy.

Judge Donato also dismissed Meta’s argument that Flo users had consented to the data sharing, calling the claim “rank speculation” unsupported by evidence.

The jury’s August verdict marked one of the first major legal decisions involving big tech’s handling of sensitive health information. Legal experts say it could open the door to more lawsuits and greater scrutiny of tech companies’ data practices. Meta has not responded to requests for comment.

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AI tool predicts risk of over 1,000 diseases years ahead

Scientists have unveiled an AI tool capable of predicting the risk of developing over 1,000 medical conditions. Published in Nature, the model can forecast certain cancers, heart attacks, and other diseases more than a decade in advance.

Developed by the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), and the University of Copenhagen, the model utilises anonymised health data from the UK and Denmark. It tracks the order and timing of medical events to spot patterns that lead to serious illness.

Researchers said the tool is exceptionally accurate for diseases with consistent progression, including some cancers, diabetes, heart attacks, and septicaemia. Its predictions work like a weather forecast, indicating higher risk rather than certainty.

The model is less reliable for unpredictable conditions such as mental health disorders, infectious diseases, or pregnancy complications. It is more accurate for near-term forecasts than for those decades ahead.

Though not yet ready for clinical use, the system could help doctors identify high-risk patients earlier and enable more personalised, preventive healthcare strategies. Researchers say more work is needed to ensure the tool works for diverse populations.

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EU AI Act enforcement gears up with 15 authorities named in Ireland

Ireland has designated 15 authorities to monitor compliance with the EU’s AI Act, making it one of the first EU countries fully ready to enforce the new rules. The AI Act regulates AI systems according to their risk to society and began phasing in last year.

Governments had until 2 August to notify the European Commission of their appointed market surveillance authorities. In Ireland, these include the Central Bank, Coimisiún na Meán, the Data Protection Commission, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, and the Health and Safety Authority.

The country will also establish a National AI Office as the central coordinator for AI Act enforcement and liaise with EU institutions. A single point of contact must be designated where multiple authorities are involved to ensure clear communication.

Ireland joins Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Spain as countries that have appointed their contact points. The Commission has not yet published the complete list of authorities notified by member states.

Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has called for a pause in the rollout of the AI Act, citing risks and a lack of technical standards. The Commission has launched a consultation as part of its digital simplification package, which will be implemented in December.

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Meta launches AI smart glasses with Ray-Ban and Oakley

Zuckerberg’s Meta has unveiled a new generation of smart glasses powered by AI at its annual Meta Connect conference in California. Working with Ray-Ban and Oakley, the company introduced devices including the Meta Ray-Ban Display and the Oakley Meta Vanguard.

These glasses are designed to bring the Meta AI assistant into daily use instead of being confined to phones or computers.

The Ray-Ban Display comes with a colour lens screen for video calls and messaging and a 12-megapixel camera, and will sell for $799. It can be paired with a neural wristband that enables tasks through hand gestures.

Meta also presented $499 Oakley Vanguard glasses aimed at sports fans and launched a second generation of its Ray-Ban Meta glasses at $379. Around two million smart glasses have been sold since Meta entered the market in 2023.

Analysts see the glasses as a more practical way of introducing AI to everyday life than the firm’s costly Metaverse project. Yet many caution that Meta must prove the benefits outweigh the price.

Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg described the technology as a scientific breakthrough. He said it forms part of Meta’s vast AI investment programme, which includes massive data centres and research into artificial superintelligence.

The launch came as activists protested outside Meta’s New York headquarters, accusing the company of neglecting children’s safety. Former safety researchers also told the US Senate that Meta ignored evidence of harm caused by its VR products, claims the company has strongly denied.

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Japan investigates X for non-compliance with the harmful content law

Japanese regulators are reviewing whether the social media platform X fails to comply with new content removal rules.

The law, which took effect in April, requires designated platforms to allow victims of harmful online posts to request deletion without facing unnecessary obstacles.

X currently obliges non-users to register an account before they can file such requests. Officials say that it could represent an excessive burden for victims who violate the law.

The company has also been criticised for not providing clear public guidance on submitting removal requests, prompting questions over its commitment to combating online harassment and defamation.

Other platforms, including YouTube and messaging service Line, have already introduced mechanisms that meet the requirements.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has urged all operators to treat non-users like registered users when responding to deletion demands. Still, X and the bulletin board site bakusai.com have yet to comply.

As said, it will continue to assess whether X’s practices breach the law. Experts on a government panel have called for more public information on the process, arguing that awareness could help deter online abuse.

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West London borough approves AI facial recognition CCTV rollout

Hammersmith and Fulham Council has approved a £3m upgrade to its CCTV system to see facial recognition and AI integrated across the west London borough.

With over 2,000 cameras, the council intends to install live facial recognition technology at crime hotspots and link it with police databases for real-time identification.

Alongside the new cameras, 500 units will be equipped with AI tools to speed up video analysis, track vehicles, and provide retrospective searches. The plans also include the possible use of drones, pending approval from the Civil Aviation Authority.

Council leader Stephen Cowan said the technology will provide more substantial evidence in a criminal justice system he described as broken, arguing it will help secure convictions instead of leaving cases unresolved.

Civil liberties group Big Brother Watch condemned the project as mass surveillance without safeguards, warning of constant identity checks and retrospective monitoring of residents’ movements.

Some locals also voiced concern, saying the cameras address crime after it happens instead of preventing it. Others welcomed the move, believing it would deter offenders and reassure those who feel unsafe on the streets.

The Metropolitan Police currently operates one pilot site in Croydon, with findings expected later in the year, and the council says its rollout depends on continued police cooperation.

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Microsoft podcast explores future of AI in medicine

AI is reshaping healthcare, according to experts featured in Microsoft’s new podcast series The AI Revolution in Medicine, Revisited.

Peter Lee, President of Microsoft Research, spoke with clinicians and researchers about how AI is helping doctors work more effectively and patients access better care. From note-taking during visits to accelerating drug discovery, the technology is already proving its value.

A doctor of UC San Diego Health in the US said AI helps physicians draft longer, more empathetic responses to patient messages, reducing mental strain. Meanwhile, Stanford’s Dr Roxana Daneshjou described how AI detected a dosage error in a medical summary, acting as a crucial safeguard.

Bill Gates highlighted how AI could boost healthcare in low-income regions by providing medical intelligence where doctors are scarce. Other guests suggested the technology may even blur traditional boundaries between medical specialties while accelerating drug development.

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AI reforms in Hong Kong expected to save millions in public services

Hong Kong will establish a new team to advance the use of AI across government departments, Chief Executive John Lee confirmed during his 2025 Policy Address.

The AI Efficacy Enhancement Team, led by Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk, will coordinate reforms to modernise outdated processes and promote efficiency.

Lee said his administration would focus on safe ‘AI+ development’, applying the technology in public services and encouraging adoption across different sectors instead of relying on traditional methods.

He added that Hong Kong had the potential to grow into a global hub for AI and would treat the field as a core industry for the city’s economic future.

Examples of AI adoption are already visible.

The government’s 1823 enquiry hotline uses voice recognition to cut response times by 30 per cent, while the Census and Statistics Department applies AI models to trade data and company reports, reducing manual checks by 40 per cent and improving accuracy.

Authorities expect upcoming censuses in 2026 and 2031 to save about $680 million through AI and data science technologies instead of conventional manpower-heavy methods.

The announcement comes shortly after China unveiled its national AI policy blueprint, which seeks widespread integration of the technology in research, governance and industry, with a target of 90 per cent prevalence by 2030.

Hong Kong’s approach is being positioned as part of a wider push for technological leadership in the region.

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Microsoft seizes 338 sites tied to phishing service

Microsoft has disrupted RaccoonO365, a fast-growing phishing service used by cybercriminals to steal Microsoft 365 login details.

Using a court order from the Southern District of New York, in the US, its Digital Crimes Unit seized 338 websites linked to the operation. The takedown cut off infrastructure that enabled criminals to mimic Microsoft branding and trick victims into sharing their credentials.

Since mid-2024, RaccoonO365 has been used in at least 94 countries and has stolen more than 5,000 credentials. The kits were marketed on Telegram to hundreds of paying subscribers, including campaigns that targeted healthcare providers in the US.

Microsoft identified the group’s alleged leader as Joshua Ogundipe, based in Nigeria, who is accused of creating and promoting the service. The company has referred the case to international law enforcement while continuing efforts to dismantle any rebuilt networks.

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