Telecommunications infrastructure

5G market grows as GCT begins chipset rollout

GCT Semiconductor Holding, Inc. has begun delivering samples of its latest 5G chipsets to lead customers, including Airspan Networks and Orbic. The company offers chip and module formats to meet specific testing needs.

Initial shipments aim to fulfil early demand, after which GCT will work with clients to assess performance and establish production requirements. The firm is well positioned to scale with a robust supply chain and deep experience in high-speed connectivity.

The fabless semiconductor designer targets mid-tier 5G applications and plans to introduce a Verizon-certified module. GCT has said it remains focused on accelerating its role in the global 5G market.

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ChatGPT stuns users by guessing object in viral video using smart questions

A video featuring ChatGPT Live has gone viral after it correctly guessed an object hidden in a user’s hand using only a series of questions.

The clip, shared on the social media platform X, shows the chatbot narrowing down its guesses until it lands on the correct answer — a pen — within less than a minute. The video has fascinated viewers by showing how far generative AI has come since its initial launch.

Multimodal AI like ChatGPT can now process audio, video and text together, making interactions more intuitive and lifelike.

Another user attempted the same challenge with Gemini AI by holding an AC remote. Gemini described it as a ‘control panel for controlling temperature’, which was close but not entirely accurate.

The fun experiment also highlights the growing real-world utility of generative AI. During Google’s I/O conference during the year, the company demonstrated how Gemini Live can help users troubleshoot and repair appliances at home by understanding both spoken instructions and visual input.

Beyond casual use, these AI tools are proving helpful in serious scenarios. A UPSC aspirant recently explained how uploading her Detailed Application Form to a chatbot allowed it to generate practice questions.

She used those prompts to prepare for her interview and credited the AI with helping her boost her confidence.

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Perplexity CEO predicts that AI browser could soon replace recruiters and assistants

Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas believes that the company’s new AI-powered browser, Comet, could soon replace two key white-collar roles in most offices: recruiters and executive assistants.

Speaking on The Verge podcast, Srinivas explained that with the integration of more advanced reasoning models like GPT-5 or Claude 4.5, Comet will be able to handle tasks traditionally assigned to these positions.

He also described how a recruiter’s week-long workload could be reduced to a single AI prompt.

From sourcing candidates to scheduling interviews, tracking responses in Google Sheets, syncing calendars, and even briefing users ahead of meetings, Comet is built to manage the entire process—often without any follow-up input.

The tool remains in an invite-only phase and is currently available to premium users.

Srinivas also framed Comet as the early foundation of a broader AI operating system for knowledge workers, enabling users to issue natural language commands for complex tasks.

He emphasised the importance of adopting AI early, warning that those who fail to keep pace with the technology’s rapid growth—where breakthroughs arrive every few months—risk being left behind in the job market.

In a separate discussion, he urged younger generations to reduce time spent scrolling on Instagram and instead focus on mastering AI tools. According to him, the shift is inevitable, and those who embrace it now will hold a long-term professional advantage.

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Meta CEO unveils plan to spend hundreds of billions on AI data centres

Mark Zuckerberg has pledged to invest hundreds of billions of dollars to build a network of massive data centres focused on superintelligent AI. The initiative forms part of Meta’s wider push to lead the race in developing machines capable of outperforming humans in complex tasks.

The first of these centres, called Prometheus, is set to launch in 2026. Another facility, Hyperion, is expected to scale up to 5 gigawatts. Zuckerberg said the company is building several more AI ‘titan clusters’, each one covering an area comparable to a significant part of Manhattan.

He also cited Meta’s strong advertising revenue as the reason it can afford such bold spending despite investor concerns.

Meta recently regrouped its AI projects under a new division, Superintelligence Labs, following internal setbacks and high-profile staff departures.

The company hopes the division will generate fresh revenue streams through Meta AI tools, video ad generators, and wearable smart devices. It is reportedly considering dropping its most powerful open-source model, Behemoth, in favour of a closed alternative.

The firm has increased its 2025 capital expenditure to up to $72 billion and is actively hiring top talent, including former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang and ex-GitHub chief Nat Friedman.

Analysts say Meta’s AI investments are paying off in advertising but warn that the real return on long-term AI dominance will take time to emerge.

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Salt Typhoon targets routers in sweeping campaign

Since early 2025, the Chinese-linked hacking group Salt Typhoon has aggressively targeted telecom infrastructure worldwide, compromising routers, switches and edge devices used by clients of major operators such as Comcast, MTN and LG Uplus.

Exploiting known but unpatched vulnerabilities, attackers gained persistent access to these network devices, potentially enabling further intrusions into core telecom systems.

The pattern suggests a strategic shift: the group broadly sweeps telecom infrastructure to establish ready-made access across critical communication channels.

Affected providers emphasised that only client-owned hardware was breached and confirmed no internal networks were compromised, but the campaign raises deeper concerns.

Experts warn that such indiscriminate telecommunications targeting could threaten data security and disrupt essential services, revealing a long-term cyber‑espionage strategy.

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5G Advanced lays the groundwork for 6G, says 5G Americas

5G Americas has released a new white paper outlining how 5G Advanced features in 3GPP Releases 18 to 20 are shaping the path to 6G.

The report highlights how 5G Advanced is evolving mobile networks through embedded AI, scaled IoT, improved energy efficiency, and broader service capabilities. Viet Nguyen, President of 5G Americas, called it a turning point for wireless systems, offering more intelligent, resilient, and sustainable connectivity.

AI-native networking is a key innovation which brings machine learning into the radio and core network. The innovation enables zero-touch automation, predictive maintenance, and self-organising systems, cutting fault detection by 90% and reducing false alarms by 70%.

Energy efficiency is another core benefit. Features like cell sleep modes and antenna switching can reduce energy use by up to 56%. Ambient IoT also advances, enabling battery-less devices for industrial and consumer use in energy-constrained environments.

Latency improvements like L4S and enhanced QoS allow scalable support for immersive XR and real-time automation. Advances in spectral efficiency and satellite support are boosting uplink speeds above 500 Mbps and expanding coverage to remote areas.

Andrea Brambilla of Nokia noted that 5G Advanced supports digital twins, private networks, and AI-driven transformation. Pei Hou of T-Mobile said it builds on 5G Standalone to prepare for a sustainable shift to 6G.

The paper urges updated policies on AI governance, spectrum sharing, and IoT standards to ensure global interoperability. Strategic takeaways include AI, automation, and energy savings as key to long-term innovation and monetisation across the public and private sectors.

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Policy gaps widen Europe’s 5G divide

Europe’s 5G deployment is moving at two speeds, with northern and southern countries leading and western and eastern ones falling behind. The disparity stems less from geography and more from policy gaps in spectrum allocation and subsidy execution.

While Europe saw an increase in 5G adoption overall, reaching 44.5% time spent on 5G, the deployment of 5G Standalone remains slow. Spain and the UK are notable exceptions, with proactive policy use and EU funding helping to close the rural-urban divide.

The analysis by Ookla suggests that effective regulation, not technology gaps, will determine how competitive Europe remains in 5G. As data traffic growth slows and operator revenues remain flat, strategic national policies will decide whether Europe keeps pace globally.

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Amazon cuts hundreds of AWS jobs amid AI shift

Amazon has reportedly cut hundreds of jobs within its Amazon Web Services cloud computing division, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Instead of providing specific numbers, Amazon confirmed the decision, citing ongoing efforts to optimise resources while continuing to invest in customer-focused innovation.

These layoffs follow warnings by CEO Andy Jassy, who recently said the rising use of generative AI would reduce workforce needs across the company.

The cuts affect several AWS teams, including specialists who support customers in developing new products and selling services. Employees reported receiving termination emails on Thursday, with their system access deactivated soon after.

Rather than focusing solely on AWS, Amazon has also been reducing roles in other units, such as its books division, devices and services unit, and Wondery podcast platform.

Despite these workforce reductions, AWS sales rose 17% in the first quarter to $29.3 billion compared to a year earlier, with operating income increasing by 23% to $11.5 billion.

Amazon, alongside firms like Microsoft, Meta, and CrowdStrike, is increasingly relying on AI tools instead of human workers to automate tasks, write software code, and streamline operations as part of a broader trend affecting the tech industry.

Amazon’s latest cuts reflect efforts by Jassy to reduce bureaucracy and eliminate managerial layers, aiming to keep the company agile amid rapid AI adoption and changing business priorities.

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Hackers hide malware using DNS TXT records

Hackers are increasingly exploiting DNS records to deliver malware undetected, according to new research from DomainTools.

Instead of relying on typical delivery methods such as emails or downloads, attackers now hide malicious code within DNS TXT records, part of the Domain Name System, often overlooked by security systems.

The method involves converting malware into hexadecimal code, splitting it into small segments, and storing each chunk in the TXT record of subdomains under domains like whitetreecollective.com.

Once attackers gain limited access to a network, they retrieve these chunks via ordinary-looking DNS queries, reassembling them into functioning malware without triggering antivirus or firewall alerts.

The rising use of encrypted DNS protocols like DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS makes detecting such queries harder, especially without in-house DNS resolvers equipped for deep inspection.

Researchers also noted that attackers are using DNS TXT records for malware and embedding harmful text designed to manipulate AI systems through prompt injection.

Ian Campbell of DomainTools warns that even organisations with strong security measures struggle to detect such DNS-based threats due to the hidden nature of the traffic.

Instead of focusing solely on traditional defences, organisations are advised to monitor DNS traffic closely, log and inspect queries through internal resolvers, and restrict DNS access to trusted sources. Educating teams on these emerging threats remains essential for maintaining robust cybersecurity.

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Perplexity AI overtakes ChatGPT on India’s App Store

Perplexity AI has overtaken OpenAI’s ChatGPT as the top AI app on Apple’s App Store in India, following a new partnership with telecom provider Airtel.

Instead of paying the usual ₹17,000 annual fee for Perplexity AI Pro, Airtel customers now receive a free 12-month subscription, triggering a sharp increase in downloads and user engagement.

Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas confirmed the app’s rise to the number one position via LinkedIn.

The Perplexity app, available on iOS and browsers, offers AI search features including image generation, research tools, file analysis, and access to models like Claude, Grok 4, and GPT-4.1.

Although the app has been in the App Store for months, it has not surpassed ChatGPT until now.

The Airtel offer applies to all mobile, broadband, and DTH customers, who can redeem their subscription directly through the Airtel Thanks app.

Instead of limiting access to just the app, Perplexity Pro users can also use its advanced AI functionalities via Safari or Chrome browsers.

The offer is seen as especially beneficial for students, researchers, and professionals, encouraging a broader audience to try the service without an upfront payment.

Perplexity’s rapid rise in popularity highlights growing competition in India’s AI app market, with local telecom partnerships becoming a key driver instead of relying solely on organic growth through app stores.

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