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UAE experts warn on AI privacy risks in art apps

A surge in AI applications transforming selfies into Studio Ghibli-style artwork has captivated social media, but UAE cybersecurity experts are raising concerns over privacy and data misuse.

Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, warned that engaging with unofficial apps could lead to breaches or leaks of personal data. He emphasised that while AI’s benefits are clear, users must understand how their personal data is handled by these platforms.

He called for strong cybersecurity standards across all digital platforms, urging individuals to be more cautious with their data.

Media professionals are also sounding alarms. Adel Al-Rashed, an Emirati journalist, cautioned that free apps often mimic trusted platforms but could exploit user data. He advised users to stick to verified applications, noting that paid services, like ChatGPT’s Pro edition, offer stronger privacy protections.

While acknowledging the risks, social media influencer Ibrahim Al-Thahli highlighted the excitement AI brings to creative expression. He urged users to focus on education and safe engagement with the technology, underscoring the UAE’s goal to build a resilient digital economy.

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AI transforms global healthcare with major growth ahead

The healthcare sector is poised for significant growth as AI continues to revolutionise the industry. A new report from Avant Technologies predicts an influx of AI-powered solutions in healthcare, with key technology giants leading the charge.

Avant Technologies and Ainnova, in their joint venture, plan to showcase their AI-powered Vision AI platform at the 2025 Mexico Healthcare Innovation Summit.

The platform, aimed at early disease detection, is nearing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is already in clinical trials in Southeast Asia and South America.

Apple and Amazon are also entering the AI healthcare space, with Apple launching an AI-powered health coach to guide users on diet and exercise, while Amazon is expanding its AI solutions with a healthcare chatbot.

Meanwhile, GE Healthcare has seen success with its AI-driven cardiac imaging, which has garnered FDA approval. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports AI integration in healthcare, particularly for outpatient care and early diagnosis, though it has urged regulators to be cautious of potential risks.

AI in healthcare is expected to grow exponentially, reaching a market valuation of $613 billion by 2034. The sector’s rapid expansion is driven by increasing adoption rates, particularly for early disease detection, administrative efficiency, and personalised medicine.

Despite data privacy concerns, the adoption of AI tools in fields like dermatology, oncology, and cardiovascular health is expected to surge. North America is predicted to lead the market, followed by Europe and South Asia, as more healthcare institutions embrace AI technologies.

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Lenovo unveils compact edge AI server

Lenovo has introduced the ThinkEdge SE100, a compact AI inferencing server aimed at bringing edge AI within reach for businesses of all sizes.

Rather than relying on large data centres for processing, this server is designed to operate on-site in space-constrained environments, allowing data to be processed locally instead of being sent to the cloud.

The SE100 supports hybrid cloud deployments and is part of Lenovo’s new ThinkSystem V4 family. While the V4 systems are built for AI training, the SE100 is intended for inferencing, which is less demanding and doesn’t require power-hungry GPUs.

Lenovo says the unit is 85% smaller than a typical 1U server and draws under 140W, even with GPU configurations.

Engineered to be both energy-efficient and quiet, the SE100 uses Neptune liquid cooling instead of traditional fans, making it suitable for public spaces. Its design also helps extend system health and lifespan by reducing air flow needs and lowering operating temperatures.

Lenovo’s vice president of infrastructure products, Scott Tease, stated the SE100 is a cost-effective solution that simplifies AI deployment at the edge.

Its flexible design adapts to diverse business needs, offering low-latency, high-performance inferencing without the complexity or expense of full-scale AI infrastructure.

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Google rolls out AI to improve US power grid connections

Google has announced a partnership with PJM Interconnection, the largest electricity grid operator in North America, to deploy AI aimed at reducing delays in connecting new power sources to the grid. The move comes as energy demand surges due to the expansion of data centres required for AI development.

Wait times for connecting renewable and traditional energy sources, such as wind, solar and gas, have reached record levels, increasing the risk of blackouts and rising energy costs in the US. Google’s AI technology, developed alongside Alphabet-backed Tapestry, will streamline and automate key planning processes traditionally handled manually by grid operators.

Initial deployment will focus on automating tasks like assessing project viability, which are currently time-consuming. Over time, the project aims to create a digital model of PJM’s grid, similar to Google Maps, allowing planners to view layered data and make faster, more informed decisions.

While it is too early to quantify exactly how much time will be saved, the collaboration is expected to gradually improve planning efficiency. PJM’s grid serves 67 million people, including the world’s largest data centre hub in northern Virginia, making this a critical step toward modernising the energy infrastructure needed to support the AI era.

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AI boom drives TSMC revenue surge

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) reported record-breaking sales for March and the first quarter of the year, driven by robust demand for AI technologies.

March revenue reached NT$285.96 billion (US$8.70 billion), while quarterly revenue climbed to NT$839.25 billion, reflecting a 41.6 percent year-on-year increase.

The chipmaker confirmed that the sales performance aligned with internal expectations, attributing the surge largely to continued global investment in AI development.

Despite a temporary production setback caused by the Jan. 21 earthquake in southern Taiwan, which forced the scrapping of some wafers, the company’s growth momentum remained strong.

TSMC is set to provide further financial details and its second-quarter outlook at an investor conference on 17 April. Meanwhile, the company has announced an additional US$100 billion in United States investment, building on its ongoing US$65 billion expansion in Phoenix, Arizona.

However, its stock price has dropped below NT$1,000, closing Thursday at NT$863, amid a strengthening US dollar and broader economic uncertainties.

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Nissan backs Wayve to power self-driving tech

Nissan Motor has partnered with UK-based AI company Wayve to develop the next generation of its autonomous driving technology, marking the first time a major automaker has publicly backed the start-up.

The carmaker intends to integrate Wayve’s AI Driver software into its ProPilot system, with a launch targeted for its fiscal year 2027, ending in March 2028.

Wayve claims the AI Driver platform, built on its embodied AI foundation model, will significantly enhance collision avoidance and overall safety.

Designed to navigate complex real-world conditions in a human-like way, the software will work in tandem with next-generation Lidar to deliver a more advanced driver assistance system.

The collaboration follows a $1.1 billion Series-C funding round led by SoftBank in 2024, which also saw support from Microsoft and NVIDIA.

Nissan’s endorsement signals a major leap forward for Wayve’s technology, as the race to commercialise autonomous driving intensifies across the automotive industry.

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AI site faces backlash for copying Southern Oregon news

A major publishing organisation has issued a formal warning to Good Daily News, an AI-powered news aggregator, demanding it cease the unauthorised scraping of content from local news outlets across Southern Oregon and beyond. The News Media Alliance, which represents 2,200 publishers, sent the letter on 25 March, urging the national operator to respect publishers’ rights and stop reproducing material without permission.

Good Daily runs over 350 online ‘local’ news websites across 47 US states, including Daily Medford and Daily Salem in Oregon. Though the platforms appear locally based, they are developed using AI and managed by one individual, Matt Henderson, who has registered mailing addresses in both Ashland, Oregon and Austin, Texas. Content is reportedly scraped from legitimate local news sites, rewritten by AI, and shared in newsletters, sometimes with source links, but often without permission.

News Media Alliance president Danielle Coffey said such practices undermine the time, resources, and revenue of local journalism. Many publishers use digital tools to block automated scrapers, though this comes at a financial cost. The organisation is working with the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association and exploring legal options. Others in the industry, including Heidi Wright of the Fund for Oregon Rural Journalism, have voiced strong support for the warning, calling for greater action to defend the integrity of local news.

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Fujitsu launches AI scanner to assess tuna fat

Fujitsu has developed a new AI-powered inspection device that determines the fat content of frozen albacore tuna with unprecedented speed and accuracy. Replacing the traditional practice of slicing and thawing tuna tails for human evaluation, the technology uses ultrasonic waves and artificial intelligence to analyse the internal marbling of the fish without causing damage.

The system scans each tuna from four angles, generating waveforms that an AI algorithm interprets to assess fat levels. Results are displayed in seconds with labels such as ‘highly marbled’ or ‘low fat’, dramatically reducing the time required compared to manual inspection. While visual assessment typically takes around a minute, Fujitsu’s device completes the process in just 12 seconds.

Developed in partnership with Tokai University and with support from machinery firm Ishida Tech, the device promises greater consistency and the ability to inspect every fish in a catch, something previously considered too labour-intensive. Scheduled to launch in June, it will be priced between 30 million and 35 million yen (£160,000–£187,000). Fujitsu aims to expand the system to evaluate additional species like yellowfin and bonito, and to assess freshness and texture in future updates.

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Gerry Adams targets Meta over use of his books

Gerry Adams, the former president of Sinn Féin, is considering legal action against Meta for allegedly using his books to train AI. Adams claims that at least seven of his books were included in a large collection of copyrighted material Meta used to develop its AI systems.

He has handed the matter over to his solicitor. The books in question include his autobiography Before the Dawn, prison memoir Cage Eleven, and reflections on Northern Ireland’s peace process Hope and History, among others.

Adams is not the only author voicing concerns about Meta’s use of copyrighted works. A group of writers filed a US court case in January, accusing Meta of using the controversial Library Genesis (LibGen) database, which hosts over 7.5 million books, many believed to be pirated.

The discovery followed a searchable database of titles from LibGen being published by The Atlantic, which led several authors to identify their works being used to train Meta’s Llama AI model.

The Society of Authors has condemned Meta’s actions, with chair Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin calling the move ‘shocking and devastating’ for authors.

Many authors are concerned that AI models like Llama, which power tools such as chatbots, could undermine their work by reproducing creative content without permission. Meta has defended its actions, claiming that its use of information to train AI models is in line with existing laws.

Adams, a prolific author and former MP, joins other Northern Irish writers, including Booker Prize winner Anna Burns, in opposing the use of their work for AI training without consent.

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Rapid AI growth raises global energy demands

The global demand for AI technology is set to consume nearly as much energy by 2030 as Japan does today, with much of that coming from data centres. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity demand from data centres will more than double by 2030, driven largely by AI.

Some AI data centres will require up to 20 times more energy than the average one, raising concerns about the environmental impact.

While AI’s rapid adoption could increase energy consumption, the IEA believes it also holds the potential for reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. AI could improve energy efficiency, assist in designing grids for renewable energy, and optimise industrial processes.

However, the report warns that without careful regulation, AI’s growth could strain energy systems and harm the environment, particularly if fossil fuel-powered plants are used to meet energy demand.

Efforts to mitigate the impact of AI include harnessing its capabilities to design energy-efficient systems, optimise transport, and assist in critical infrastructure management. Yet, some experts argue that AI’s energy demands might outpace these benefits unless governments take proactive steps.

Claude Turmes, former Luxembourg energy minister, warned that the IEA’s optimistic outlook overlooks the severe risks to energy systems, urging stronger regulatory measures.

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