ai

Critical minerals challenge AI’s sustainable expansion

Recent debates on AI’s environmental impact have overwhelmingly focused on energy use, particularly in powering massive data centres and training large language models.

However, a Forbes analysis by Saleem H. Ali warns that the material inputs for AI, such as phosphorus, copper, lithium, rare earths, and uranium, are being neglected, despite presenting similarly severe constraints to scaling and sustainability.

While major companies like Google and Blackstone invest heavily in data centre construction and hydroelectric power in places like Pennsylvania, these energy-focused solutions do not address looming material bottlenecks.

Many raw minerals essential for AI hardware are finite, regionally concentrated, and environmentally taxing to extract. However, this raises risks ranging from supply chain fragility to ecological damage and geopolitical tension.

Experts now say that sustainable AI development demands a dual focus, not only on low-carbon energy, but on keeping critical mineral supply chains resilient.

Without a coordinated approach, AI growth may stall or drive unsustainable resource extraction with long-term global consequences.

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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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New AI device brings early skin cancer diagnosis to remote communities

A Scottish research team has developed a pioneering AI-powered tool that could transform how skin cancer is diagnosed in some of the world’s most isolated regions.

The device, created by PhD student Tess Watt at Heriot-Watt University, enables rapid diagnosis without needing internet access or direct contact with a dermatologist.

Patients use a compact camera connected to a Raspberry Pi computer to photograph suspicious skin lesions.

The system then compares the image against thousands of preloaded examples using advanced image recognition and delivers a diagnosis in real time. These results are then shared with local GP services, allowing treatment to begin without delay.

The self-contained diagnostic system is among the first designed specifically for remote medical use. Watt said that home-based healthcare is vital, especially with growing delays in GP appointments.

The device, currently 85 per cent accurate, is expected to improve further with access to more image datasets and machine learning enhancements.

The team plans to trial the tool in real-world settings after securing NHS ethical approval. The initial rollout is aimed at rural Scottish communities, but the technology could benefit global populations with poor access to dermatological care.

Heriot-Watt researchers also believe the device will aid patients who are infirm or housebound, making early diagnosis more accessible than ever.

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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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DuckDuckGo adds new tool to block AI-generated images from search results

Privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo has launched a new feature that allows users to filter out AI-generated images from search results.

Although the company admits the tool is not perfect and may miss some content, it claims it will significantly reduce the number of synthetic images users encounter.

The new filter uses open-source blocklists, including a more aggressive ‘nuclear’ option, sourced from tools like uBlock Origin and uBlacklist.

Users can access the setting via the Images tab after performing a search or use a dedicated link — noai.duckduckgo.com — which keeps the filter always on and also disables AI summaries and the browser’s chatbot.

The update responds to growing frustration among internet users. Platforms like X and Reddit have seen complaints about AI content flooding search results.

In one example, users searching for ‘baby peacock’ reported seeing just as many or more AI images than real ones, making it harder to distinguish between fake and authentic content.

DuckDuckGo isn’t alone in trying to tackle unwanted AI material. In 2024, Hiya launched a Chrome extension aimed at spotting deepfake audio across major platforms.

Microsoft’s Bing has also partnered with groups like StopNCII to remove explicit synthetic media from its results, showing that the fight against AI content saturation is becoming a broader industry trend.

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Ten jobs likely to be replaced by AI — here’s how workers can pivot

AI is poised to disrupt the job market, with routine roles such as data entry clerks, telemarketers, customer service agents, cashiers, proofreaders, legal assistants, bookkeepers, front-desk staff, warehouse operatives, and entry-level market researchers most at risk.

Workers in these roles are encouraged to reskill strategically, as automation and shifting market demands reshape the employment landscape.

Promising transition options include data analytics, digital marketing, technical support, logistics technology, financial advising, retail management, culinary operations, and business intelligence — careers that harness creativity, empathy, and critical thinking.

This risk also presents an opportunity. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has launched a S$200 million fund to retrain aviation professionals as AI reshapes the industry, a model that other sectors can follow.

Research indicates that AI predominantly complements tasks rather than replaces them entirely. Roles demanding human-centred reasoning, teamwork and digital literacy are growing, emphasising the importance of lifelong learning and adaptability.

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GPT-5 to launch soon as OpenAI showcases major AI milestone

OpenAI’s experimental language model has reached a noteworthy milestone in AI by performing at a gold medal level in the 2025 International Math Olympiad (IMO), one of the world’s most challenging competitions.

The model solved five out of six problems under the same timed and tool-free conditions as human participants, earning 35 out of 42 possible points. Three former IMO medalists evaluated each solution to ensure fairness and accuracy.

The achievement marks a leap in AI’s reasoning capabilities, with the model demonstrating the ability to tackle complex problems requiring hours of sustained creative thinking.

Researcher Alexander Wei noted the significance of this progress, tracing the model’s development through reasoning benchmarks from fundamental arithmetic problems to Olympiad-level tasks demanding far deeper cognitive effort.

Despite the breakthrough, the model is not expected to be released to the public anytime soon. OpenAI clarified that the IMO-capable model is part of an internal research track, distinct from its upcoming release of GPT-5.

According to Wei, GPT-5 will arrive soon but will not yet contain the same advanced mathematics capabilities.

In parallel, Hyperbolic Labs co-founder Yuchen Jin hinted that GPT-5 will operate as a multi-model system with dynamic routing, automatically selecting the most appropriate sub-model based on user input. Jin also noted that GPT-6 is already in training, suggesting rapid, continued progress in AI development.

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Nvidia’s container toolkit patched after critical bug

Cloud security researchers at Wiz have uncovered a critical misconfiguration in Nvidia’s Container Toolkit, used widely across managed AI services, that could allow a malicious container to break out and gain full root privileges on the host system.

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE‑2025‑23266 and nicknamed ‘NVIDIAScape’, arises from unsafe handling of OCI hooks. Exploiters can bypass container boundaries by using a simple three‑line Dockerfile, granting them access to server files, memory and GPU resources.

With Nvidia’s toolkit integral to GPU‑accelerated cloud offerings, the risk is systemic. A single compromised container could steal or corrupt sensitive data and AI models belonging to other tenants on the same infrastructure.

Nvidia has released a security advisory alongside updated toolkit versions. Users are strongly advised to apply patches immediately. Experts also recommend deploying additional isolation measures, such as virtual machines, to protect against container escape threats in multi-tenant AI environments.

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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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