Vodafone has announced a significant expansion of its partnership with Google in a ten-year deal worth over a billion dollars. This agreement aims to introduce Google’s generative AI-powered devices to customers in Europe and Africa, capitalising on the 5G network. The collaboration will also promote the Android ecosystem in these regions.
Vodafone intends to extend the availability of Google’s AI-powered Pixel devices, enhancing customer access to innovative technology. By 2025, the company will begin offering Google One AI Premium subscription plans, which include advanced features such as Gemini Advanced.
In addition to customer-focused advancements, this multinational telecommunications company will use Google Cloud’s AI platform for enterprise-level applications. The integration of AI will streamline operations and enhance services within the company.
Google remains in fierce competition in the AI sector, vying against other major tech companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and NVIDIA. The partnership with Vodafone strengthens its position in this fast-evolving market.
In Virginia’s 8th congressional district, independent challenger Bentley Hensel has come up with an unconventional approach to engage incumbent Democrat Don Beyer, who secured a decisive win in 2022. Upset by Beyer’s refusal to join further debates, Hensel developed an AI chatbot called ‘DonBot,’ which mimics Beyer’s public positions. The AI uses OpenAI’s technology and pulls information from Beyer’s official platforms to generate responses. Set for 17 October, the debate will have Hensel and independent candidate David Kennedy facing off against DonBot, with Republican candidate Jerry Torres potentially joining if he responds in time.
Beyer’s campaign stated that he would not attend the upcoming debate, noting that he had already participated in a previous forum and had no plans for additional events. His spokesperson highlighted Beyer’s dedication to regulating AI to curb election misinformation but did not comment on the legality of Hensel’s AI tactic. Legal experts indicate that Beyer has few options to prevent the debate as long as the AI’s use remains non-commercial and clearly identified as artificial.
Hensel, who has raised about $17,000 for his campaign compared to Beyer’s $1.5 million, admits the AI debate is a last-ditch effort to gain attention in a race he acknowledges is heavily tilted in Beyer’s favour. He believes the event will highlight the potential of AI in politics while advocating for more transparency in election campaigns.
Samsung Electronics has announced the mass production of its PM9E1, a PCIe 5.0 SSD that boasts the highest performance and largest capacity in the industry. Built on a 5nm controller and eighth-generation V-NAND technology, the PM9E1 offers enhanced power efficiency and powerful performance, making it an ideal choice for on-device AI PCs. Compared to its predecessor, the PM9A1, key attributes like speed, storage capacity, and security have all seen significant improvements.
The new SSD features an eight-channel PCIe 5.0 interface, enabling sequential read speeds of up to 14.5 gigabytes per second (GB/s) and write speeds of 13GB/s, more than doubling the capabilities of the previous generation. This impressive performance facilitates rapid data transfer for demanding AI applications, allowing large models to be transferred from the SSD to DRAM in less than a second.
Available in multiple storage options—512GB, 1 terabyte (TB), 2TB, and a market-leading 4TB—the PM9E1 is particularly suited for users needing high-capacity storage for large files, including AI-generated content and high-resolution videos. Its improved power efficiency, exceeding 50%, also supports longer battery life for on-device applications.
To enhance security, Samsung has implemented Security Protocol and Data Model (SPDM) v1.2, which includes features like secure channels and device authentication to prevent data manipulation during production or distribution. With the PM9E1, Samsung aims to expand its advanced SSD offerings to global PC manufacturers and plans to introduce additional PCIe 5.0-based consumer products to strengthen its position in the on-device AI market.
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Polish Ministry of Digital Affairs (MDA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to bolster their collaboration in cybersecurity and emerging technology. This MOU strengthens the longstanding partnership between the United States and Poland, providing a structured framework for coordinated efforts in addressing global security challenges, including cyber threats and responsible technology development.
By focusing on key areas such as cyber policy, Secure by Design practices, information sharing, incident response, human capital development, and the safe deployment of AI and the Internet of Things (IoT), both nations demonstrate a shared commitment to transatlantic security. The timing of this MOU, which coincides with the Fourth Counter Ransomware Initiative Summit, reflects a united stance against the growing ransomware threat, as nearly 70 countries gathered to reinforce global resilience against cybercrime.
Various agencies will spearhead the implementation of the MOU as part of the agreement. In the United States, DHS entities like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans, and the Science and Technology Directorate will drive projects that enhance cybersecurity and support critical infrastructure. On the Polish side, the National Research Institute (NASK) will be instrumental in coordinating these efforts, positioning Poland for its upcoming EU Council presidency in 2025, where it aims to strengthen US-EU relations and prioritise European information security.
Why does it matter?
Together, these agencies will focus on collaborative initiatives that ensure safe technology practices, build critical skills, and enable a proactive response to digital threats, securing a stronger digital future for both nations.
Google has rolled out its Gemini-powered AI assistant, Gmail Q&A, to iOS users, allowing select Gmail accounts to ask questions about their emails within the app. First introduced to Android in August, the feature is now available to Google One AI Premium subscribers and Google Workspace accounts with specific add-ons. Users can ask the AI for insights into their inbox, like summarising email threads or finding particular messages.
Adding the Gemini button next to Gmail’s search bar aims to encourage users to rely on AI to navigate their inbox, offering a more intuitive alternative to the traditional search bar. Google plans to expand Gemini’s capabilities to include information from Google Drive.
Gmail Q&A is part of Google’s broader push to integrate AI across its products, adding features like email summaries, package tracking, and reminders. With these updates, Google seeks to stay competitive against Apple’s Mail app, which recently introduced features similar to iOS 18. However, free Gmail users may not have access to these premium AI tools anytime soon, as Google uses them to drive subscription growth.
Google is adding ads to AI-generated summaries, known as AI Overviews, which appear in response to certain search queries. These ads, labelled ‘Sponsored,’ will appear alongside non-sponsored content, offering users quick access to relevant products and services. This marks Google’s latest effort to monetise its AI search feature and boost user engagement, particularly among younger audiences.
Along with ads, Google is also rolling out AI-organised search results. These new pages will display more diverse content, including videos, articles, and forum posts. While these AI-organised results will not include ads, they aim to make search results more relevant and visually appealing, offering users a more tailored experience.
As Google continues to expand its AI-driven search features, there are concerns about the impact on web traffic for publishers. Some studies suggest AI-generated summaries could reduce page views and ad revenues, potentially costing publishers billions. However, Google says it is working to address these concerns while continuing to refine its AI search technology.
Google is introducing several new AI-powered features to its Maps app in India, including AI-generated summaries, enhanced search options for experiences, and real-time weather alerts. Announced during the annual Google for India event, these updates will allow users to search for specific experiences, like ‘unique picnic spots’ or ‘themed birthday cakes,’ with results presented through an image-focused interface highlighting photos uploaded by businesses and users.
Additionally, the AI in Google Maps will analyse reviews to provide concise summaries of places, similar to features launched in the US earlier this year. When navigating, users will also receive weather alerts about low visibility from fog or flooding.
These updates follow Google’s July introduction of India-specific features, such as improved navigation for narrow roads and flyovers, EV charging station locations, and community-powered discovery lists. The new features will be rolled out to Indian users later this month.
Captions, an AI-powered video editing app, has introduced a new tool that manages content publishing schedules for websites and generates videos on relevant topics. This tool analyses a site to collect content, keywords, service offerings, and key selling points, creating a customised content plan. Currently, the emphasis is on producing videos for social media platforms such as Instagram Reels and TikTok, with plans to explore additional formats in the future.
The tool is designed to support small businesses like cafes and dental clinics by showcasing their offerings and seasonal trends. In June, Captions launched a feature that enables users to automatically create and edit videos using 12 AI characters. This new tool utilises a business’s existing content and relevant trends to generate video prompts, allowing sellers to create a digital twin and incorporate their brand identity, including custom colours, logos, and fonts.
Captions CEO Gaurav Misra highlighted that the tool assists businesses lacking resources to create high-quality content, enabling them to build an online presence without requiring advanced video production skills. He envisions a future where businesses can incorporate more of their web pages into the AI content planning process. Recently, Captions secured $60 million in Series C funding, which will be used to enhance its AI capabilities. The company offers paid plans, including Max at $25 per month and Scale at $70 per month.
A recent pilot program using AI software has significantly reduced the time social workers spend on administrative tasks by more than 60%, according to Swindon Borough Council. The AI tool, Magic Notes, developed by UK-based Beam, was tested by 19 social workers and received ‘overwhelmingly positive’ feedback. By automating the recording of conversations and generating assessments, the software allowed social workers to focus more on meaningful interactions with the people they support.
The trial, held from April to June, revealed a significant reduction in assessment times, decreasing from an average of 90 minutes to just 35 minutes. Additionally, the time needed to write reports was slashed from four hours to 90 minutes. Social workers facing challenges such as visual impairments or dyslexia reported that the tool fostered a more inclusive work environment, enhancing their confidence in their roles.
Councillor Ray Ballman, the cabinet member for adult social care, described Magic Notes as a ‘game changer.’ He mentioned that the council is now looking into additional ways to integrate the technology to enhance care quality and provide better staff support.
Sir Paul McCartney has announced his return to the stage with the ‘Got Back’ tour, featuring a highly anticipated performance of the last Beatles song, Now and Then. The song, which includes vocals from the late John Lennon, was completed with the help of AI technology and marks a poignant moment in Beatles history.
Now and Then was created using Lennon’s vocals from an old cassette tape, recovered and refined using AI. McCartney and fellow Beatle Ringo Starr worked together on the project, adding guitar parts from the late George Harrison. The song, originally left unfinished in 1977, has now been brought to life, with McCartney singing alongside Lennon’s voice.
The tour will kick off in Montevideo, Uruguay, before moving through South America and Europe, with two dates at Manchester’s Co-op Live and two final shows at London’s O2 Arena in December. McCartney, who last played in the UK at Glastonbury four years ago, has expressed excitement about returning to his home country to end the tour.
Despite some complaints from Liverpool fans over the absence of a hometown gig, McCartney remains enthusiastic about his UK shows. He described the upcoming performances as a ‘special feeling’ and looks forward to closing out the year with a celebration on home soil.
