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Fans divided on Rod Stewart’s Ozzy Osbourne concert tribute

Rod Stewart is under fire for using AI-generated visuals in a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne during a recent US concert. The video showed a digitally recreated Osbourne taking selfies with late music icons in heaven.

The tribute, set to Stewart’s 1988 track Forever Young, was played at his Alpharetta performance. Artists like Whitney Houston, Kurt Cobain, Freddie Mercury, and Tupac Shakur featured in the AI montage.

While some called the display disrespectful and tasteless, others viewed it as a heartfelt tribute to legendary figures. Reactions online ranged from outrage to admiration.

Osbourne, who passed away last month at age 76, was honoured with global tributes, including flowers laid at Birmingham’s Black Sabbath Bench by fans and family.

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Taiwan deepens AI and digital ties at APEC summit

Taiwan’s Digital Minister, Huang Yen-nun, discussed deeper cooperation in digital and AI technologies with the United States during the recent APEC conference in Incheon—the talks from 3 August to 6 August marked a new phase in bilateral tech collaboration.

Huang confirmed that the APEC gathering had produced its first joint ministerial statement on digital and AI policy. Ministers pledged to enhance connectivity, prevent digital exclusion, promote trustworthy AI, and accelerate the adoption of responsible technology across the Asia-Pacific region.

Digital goals of Taiwan closely align with the APEC declaration, Huang said, particularly in areas such as online fraud prevention, resilience-building, and expanding the digital economy. He framed the agreement as a strong alignment with national priorities.

Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, was highlighted as a key ally. Huang also held talks with representatives from Japan and Southeast Asia to explore regional cooperation in emerging technologies.

Cybersecurity and semiconductors remain central to Taiwan’s leadership in the technology sector. However, Huang acknowledged that further investment and collaboration with digital trailblazers, such as those in the United States, are needed to maintain the country’s edge in high-value innovation.

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News Corp CEO warns AI could ‘vandalise’ creativity and IP rights

News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson has warned that AI could damage creativity by undermining intellectual property rights.

At the company’s full-year results briefing in New York, he described the AI era as a historic turning point. He called for stronger protections to preserve America’s ‘comparative advantage in creativity’.

Thomson said allowing AI systems to consume and profit from copyrighted works without permission was akin to ‘vandalising virtuosity’.

He cited Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal, published by News Corp’s book division, questioning whether it should be used to train AI that might undermine book sales. Despite the criticism, the company has rolled out its AI newsroom tools, NewsGPT and Story Cutter.

News Corp reported a two percent revenue rise to US$8.5 billion ($A13.1 billion), with net income from continuing operations climbing 71 percent to US$648 million.

Growth in the Dow Jones and REA Group segments offset news media subscriptions and advertising declines.

Digital subscribers fell across several mastheads, although The Times and The Sunday Times saw gains. Profitability in news media rose 15 percent, aided by editorial efficiencies and cost-cutting measures.

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UK GP surgery praised for using AI to boost efficiency and patient care

UK Health Minister Karin Smyth praised St George’s Surgery in Weston-super-Mare for utilising AI to enhance efficiency. Serving nearly 14,000 patients, the surgery uses AI to automate note-taking and letter drafting, reducing administrative burdens on staff.

It has been reported that, in June of 2025, St George’s Surgery handled over 9,000 appointments, with more than half booked and held on the same day. As part of the UK’s 10-Year Health Plan, the government stated it aims to expand AI adoption in healthcare, potentially freeing up the capacity of over 2,000 full-time GPs.

Andy Carpenter, Digital Director at Mendip Vale Medical Group, highlighted that AI is helping to manage growing patient demand, increase face-to-face time with GPs, and maintain strong data protection standards. Health Minister Karin Smyth also stressed the need for safe, well-regulated AI in healthcare, noting its practical uses, such as remote monitoring of vaccine fridge temperatures.

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Google Gemini AI creates personalised illustrated storybooks from your photos and ideas

Google has introduced a new feature in its Gemini AI that allows users to create short, illustrated storybooks from prompts, essays, photos, and drawings. The tool can transform everyday materials into customised children’s books with art and narration.

The company demonstrated how a mother’s CV could be reimagined as a colouring book to explain her career to her children. Gemini can also turn vacation photos, children’s sketches, or personal life events into unique 10-page books in over 45 languages.

Users can select from various visual styles, including pixel art, claymation, crochet, comics, and colouring books.

People describe their desired story and upload optional images or files to use the feature. Gemini then generates a personalised book with illustrations and audio. The service is available worldwide on desktop and mobile through the Gemini app in all supported languages.

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OpenAI targets $500 billion valuation ahead of potential IPO

OpenAI is in early discussions over a share sale that could value the company at around $500 billion, according to a source familiar with the talks.

The transaction would occur before a possible IPO and let current and former employees sell several billion dollars’ worth of shares.

The valuation marks a steep rise from the $300 billion figure attached to its most recent funding round earlier in the year. Backed by Microsoft, OpenAI has seen rapid growth in users and revenue, with ChatGPT attracting about 700 million weekly active users, up from 400 million in February.

Revenue doubled in the first seven months of the year, reaching an annualised run rate of $12 billion, and is on track for $20 billion by year-end.

The potential sale comes as competition for AI talent intensifies.

Meta has invested billions in Scale AI to lure its chief executive, Alexandr Wang, to head its superintelligence unit. At the same time, firms such as ByteDance and Databricks have used private share sales to update valuations and reward staff.

Thrive Capital and other existing OpenAI investors are discussing joining the deal.

OpenAI is also preparing a major corporate restructuring that could replace its capped-profit model and clear the way for an eventual public listing.

However, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar said any IPO would only happen when the company and the markets are ready.

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Google DeepMind launches Genie 3 to create interactive 3D worlds from text

Google DeepMind has introduced Genie 3, an AI world model capable of generating explorable 3D environments in real time from a simple text prompt.

Unlike earlier versions, it supports several minutes of continuous interaction, basic visual memory, and real-time changes such as altering weather or adding characters.

The system allows users to navigate these spaces at 24 frames per second in 720p resolution, retaining object placement for about a minute.

Users can trigger events within the virtual world by typing new instructions, making Genie 3 suitable for applications ranging from education and training to video games and robotics.

Genie 3’s improvements over Genie 2 include frame-by-frame generation with memory tracking and dynamic scene creation without relying on pre-built 3D assets.

However, the AI model still has limits, including the inability to replicate real-world locations with geographic accuracy and restricted interaction capabilities. Multi-agent features are still in development.

Currently offered as a limited research preview to select academics and creators, Genie 3 will be made more widely available over time.

Google DeepMind has noted that safety and responsibility remain central concerns during the gradual rollout.

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Malaysia tackles online scams with AI and new cyber guidelines

Cybercrime involving financial scams continues to rise in Malaysia, with 35,368 cases reported in 2024, a 2.53 per cent increase from the previous year, resulting in losses of RM1.58 billion.

The situation remains severe in 2025, with over 12,000 online scam cases recorded in the first quarter alone, involving fake e-commerce offers, bogus loans, and non-existent investment platforms. Losses during this period reached RM573.7 million.

Instead of waiting for the situation to worsen, the Digital Ministry is rolling out proactive safeguards. These include new AI-related guidelines under development by the Department of Personal Data Protection, scheduled for release by March 2026.

The documents will cover data protection impact assessments, automated decision-making, and privacy-by-design principles.

The ministry has also introduced an official framework for responsible AI use in the public sector, called GPAISA, to ensure ethical compliance and support across government agencies.

Additionally, training initiatives such as AI Untuk Rakyat and MD Workforce aim to equip civil servants and enforcement teams with skills to handle AI and cyber threats.

In partnership with CyberSecurity Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the ministry is also creating an AI-powered application to verify digital images and videos.

Instead of relying solely on manual analysis, the tool will help investigators detect online fraud, identity forgery, and synthetic media more effectively.

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US urges Asia-Pacific to embrace open AI innovation over strict regulation

A senior White House official has urged Asia-Pacific economies to support an AI future built on US technology, warning against adopting Europe’s heavily regulated model. Michael Kratsios remarked during the APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting in Incheon.

Kratsios said countries now choose between embracing American-led innovation or falling behind under regulatory burdens. He framed the US approach as one driven by freedom and open-source innovation rather than centralised control.

The US is offering partnerships with South Korea to respect data concerns while enabling shared progress. Kratsios noted that open-weight models could soon shape industry standards worldwide.

He met South Korea’s science minister in bilateral talks to discuss AI cooperation. The US reaffirmed its commitment to supporting nations in building trustworthy AI systems based on mutual economic benefit.

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Law curbs AI use in mental health services across US state

A new law in a US state has banned the use of AI for delivering mental health care, drawing a firm line between digital tools and licensed professionals. The legislation limits AI systems to administrative tasks such as note-taking and scheduling, explicitly prohibiting them from offering therapy or clinical advice.

The move comes as concerns grow over the use of AI chatbots in sensitive care roles. Lawmakers in the midwestern state of Illinois approved the measure, citing the need to protect residents from potentially harmful or misleading AI-generated responses.

Fines of up to $10,000 may be imposed on companies or individuals who violate the ban. Officials stressed that AI lacks the e m pathy, accountability and clinical oversight necessary to ensure safe and ethical mental health treatment.

One infamous case saw an AI-powered chatbot suggest drug use to a fictional recovering addict, a warning signal, experts say, of what can go wrong without strict safeguards. The law is named the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act.

Other parts of the United States are considering similar steps. Florida’s governor recently described AI as ‘the biggest issue’ facing modern society and pledged new state-level regulations within months.

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