Telecommunications infrastructure

Cloudflare acquires Human Native to build a fair AI content licensing model

San Francisco-based company Cloudflare has acquired Human Native, an AI data marketplace designed to connect content creators with AI developers seeking high-quality training and inference material.

A move that reflects growing pressure to establish clearer economic rules for how online content is used by AI systems.

The acquisition is intended to help creators and publishers decide whether to block AI access entirely, optimise material for machine use, or license content for payment instead of allowing uncontrolled scraping.

Cloudflare says the tools developed through Human Native will support transparent pricing and fair compensation across the AI supply chain.

Human Native, founded in 2024 and backed by UK-based investors, focuses on structuring original content so it can be discovered, accessed and purchased by AI developers through standardised channels.

The team includes researchers and engineers with experience across AI research, design platforms and financial media.

Cloudflare argues that access to reliable and ethically sourced data will shape long-term competition in AI. By integrating Human Native into its wider platform, the company aims to support a more sustainable internet economy that balances innovation with creator rights.

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Brazil excluded from WhatsApp rival AI chatbot ban

WhatsApp has excluded Brazil from its new restriction on third-party general-purpose chatbots, allowing AI providers to continue operating on the platform despite a broader policy shift affecting other markets.

The decision follows action by the competition authority of Brazil, which ordered Meta to suspend elements of the policy while assessing whether the rules unfairly disadvantage rival chatbot providers in favour of Meta AI.

Developers have been informed that services linked to Brazilian phone numbers do not need to stop responding to users or issue service warnings.

Elsewhere, WhatsApp has introduced a 90-day grace period starting in mid-January, requiring chatbot developers to halt responses and notify users that services will no longer function on the app.

The policy applies to tools such as ChatGPT and Grok, while customer service bots used by businesses remain unaffected.

Italy has already secured a similar exemption after regulatory scrutiny, while the EU has opened an antitrust investigation into the new rules.

Meta continues to argue that general-purpose AI chatbots place technical strain on systems designed for business messaging instead of acting as an open distribution platform for AI services.

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EU lawmakers push limits on AI nudity apps

More than 50 EU lawmakers have called on the European Commission to clarify whether AI-powered applications for nudity are prohibited under existing EU legislation, citing concerns about online harm and legal uncertainty.

The request follows public scrutiny of the Grok, owned by xAI, which was found to generate manipulated intimate images involving women and minors.

Lawmakers argue that such systems enable gender-based online violence and the production of child sexual abuse material instead of legitimate creative uses.

In their letter, lawmakers questioned whether current provisions under the EU AI Act sufficiently address nudification tools or whether additional prohibitions are required. They also warned that enforcement focused only on substantial online platforms risks leaving similar applications operating elsewhere.

While EU authorities have taken steps under the Digital Services Act to assess platform responsibilities, lawmakers stressed the need for broader regulatory clarity and consistent application across the digital market.

Further political debate on the issue is expected in the coming days.

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EU proposes indefinite spectrum licences for telecoms

The European Commission is set to unveil the Digital Networks Act (DNA), a major revamp of EU telecom regulations aimed at boosting investment in digital infrastructure.

A draft document indicates the Commission plans to grant indefinite-duration radio spectrum licences, introducing ‘use-it-or-share-it’ conditions to prevent hoarding and encourage active deployment.

The DNA also calls for tighter oversight of dominant firms, including transparency, non-discrimination, and pricing rules in related markets.

Fibre rollout guidance and flexible copper replacement deadlines aim to harmonise investment and support 2030 connectivity goals across member states.

Large online platforms are expected to engage in a voluntary cooperative framework moderated by the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC).

The approach avoids mandatory levies or binding duties, focusing instead on technical dialogue and ‘best practice’ codes while leaving enforcement largely to national regulators.

The draft shifts focus from forcing Big Tech to fund networks to reforming spectrum and telecom rules to boost investment. Member states and the European Parliament will negotiate EU coordination, national discretion, and net neutrality protections.

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Starlink adds Grok AI chatbot to improve customer support

A Grok-powered AI support tool has been added to Starlink’s website, expanding automated help for broadband users. The chatbot builds on a similar service already available through the company’s mobile app.

Users can access the chatbot via the checkout support page, receiving a link by email. Responses are limited to Starlink services and usually appear within several seconds.

The system is designed to streamline support for millions of users worldwide, including rural UK customers. Public opinion remains divided over the growing reliance on AI instead of human support staff.

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UK considers social media limits for youth

Keir Starmer has told Labour MPs that he is open to an Australian-style ban on social media for young people, following concerns about the amount of time children spend on screens.

The prime minister said reports of very young children using phones for hours each day have increased anxiety about the effects of digital platforms on under-16s.

Starmer previously opposed such a ban, arguing that enforcement would prove difficult and might instead push teenagers towards unregulated online spaces rather than safer platforms. Growing political momentum across Westminster, combined with Australia’s decision to act, has led to a reassessment of that position.

Speaking to MPs, Starmer said different enforcement approaches were being examined and added that phone use during school hours should be restricted.

UK ministers have also revisited earlier proposals aimed at reducing the addictive design of social media and strengthening safeguards on devices sold to teenagers.

Support for stricter measures has emerged across party lines, with senior figures from Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK signalling openness to a ban.

A final decision is expected within months as ministers weigh child safety, regulation and practical implementation.

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US exit from global bodies leaves digital governance mostly intact

The United States’ recent withdrawal from several international organisations has raised concerns about the future of global digital cooperation, but its impact on technology governance appears more limited than initial headlines suggest. In a blog post titled ‘USA’s exit from international organisations leaves digital governance largely unscathed’, Jovan Kurbalija argues that Washington is not abandoning digital multilateralism outright, but selectively disengaging from forums it sees as less aligned with its interests.

While the US stepped back from dozens of international initiatives in early January, most major technology-related bodies remained unaffected. Organisations central to standards, infrastructure, and spectrum coordination, such as the International Telecommunication Union and international standardisation bodies, continue to enjoy US support.

According to Kurbalija, this reflects a pragmatic calculation. Multilateral tech forums often enable the US to project power more efficiently than bilateral arrangements, particularly in areas such as global interoperability and satellite governance.

The most notable digital-related withdrawals were from the Freedom Online Coalition and the Global Forum on Cyber Expertise. Both initiatives focus on values-based cooperation, such as human rights online and cyber capacity development, and have limited institutional power. Kurbalija suggests the exits may signal a shift away from multilateral approaches to internet freedom and development-oriented cyber assistance, in favour of bilateral tools, national security measures, and tighter control over technology diffusion.

Greater uncertainty surrounds US disengagement from broader UN bodies with growing digital relevance, including UNCTAD and UN DESA. These organisations host discussions on digital trade, data governance, and the follow-up to global digital summits.

Although their work is unlikely to collapse, Kurbalija warns that reduced US involvement could weaken momentum, resources, and agenda-setting power, particularly in areas important to developing countries.

Overall, the blog argues that US digital governance policy is becoming more selective rather than isolationist. Washington appears willing to stay engaged where international cooperation supports its strategic and commercial interests, while withdrawing from spaces tied to development, training, or rights-based agendas.

For now, Kurbalija concludes, the foundations of global digital governance remain intact, but the balance of priorities is clearly shifting.

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Morocco outlines national AI roadmap to 2030

Morocco is preparing to unveil ‘Maroc IA 2030’, a national AI roadmap designed to structure the country’s AI ecosystem and strengthen digital transformation.

The strategy seeks to modernise public services, improve interoperability across digital systems and enhance economic competitiveness, according to officials ahead of the ‘AI Made in Morocco’ event in Rabat.

A central element of the plan involves the creation of Al Jazari Institutes, a national network of AI centres of excellence connecting academic research with innovation and regional economic needs.

A roadmap that prioritises technological autonomy, trusted AI use, skills development, support for local innovation and balanced territorial coverage instead of fragmented deployment.

The initiative builds on the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy launched in 2024, which places AI at the core of national digital policy.

Authorities expect the combined efforts to generate around 240,000 digital jobs and contribute approximately $10 billion to gross domestic product by 2030, while improving the international AI readiness ranking of Morocco.

Additional measures include the establishment of a General Directorate for AI and Emerging Technologies to oversee public policy and the development of an Arab African regional digital hub in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme.

Their main goal is to support sustainable and responsible digital innovation.

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Australia raises concerns over AI misuse on X

The eSafety regulator in Australia has expressed concern over the misuse of the generative AI system Grok on social media platform X, following reports involving sexualised or exploitative content, particularly affecting children.

Although overall report numbers remain low, authorities in Australia have observed a recent increase over the past weeks.

The regulator confirmed that enforcement powers under the Online Safety Act remain available where content meets defined legal thresholds.

X and other services are subject to systemic obligations requiring the detection and removal of child sexual exploitation material, alongside broader industry codes and safety standards.

eSafety has formally requested further information from X regarding safeguards designed to prevent misuse of generative AI features and to ensure compliance with existing obligations.

Previous enforcement actions taken in 2025 against similar AI services resulted in their withdrawal from the Australian market.

Additional mandatory safety codes will take effect in March 2026, introducing new obligations for AI services to limit children’s exposure to sexually explicit, violent and self-harm-related material.

Authorities emphasised the importance of Safety by Design measures and continued international cooperation among online safety regulators.

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China pushes frontier tech from research to real-world applications

Innovations across China are moving rapidly from laboratories into everyday use, spanning robotics, autonomous vehicles and quantum computing. Airports, hotels and city streets are increasingly becoming testing grounds for advanced technologies.

In Hefei, humanoid cleaning robots developed by local start-up Zerith are already operating in public venues across major cities. The company scaled from prototype to mass production within a year, securing significant commercial orders.

Beyond robotics, frontier research is finding industrial applications in energy, healthcare and manufacturing. Advances from fusion research and quantum mechanics are being adapted for cancer screening, battery safety and precision measurement.

Policy support and investment are accelerating this transition from research to market. National planning and local funding initiatives aim to turn scientific breakthroughs into scalable technologies with global reach.

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