WhatsApp is testing a new AI feature for iOS users that provides real-time writing assistance.
Known as ‘Writing Help’, the tool suggests alternative phrasings, adjusts tone, and enhances clarity, with all processing handled on-device to safeguard privacy.
The feature allows users to select professional, friendly, or concise tones before the AI generates suitable rewordings while keeping the original meaning. According to reports, the tool is available only to a small group of beta testers through TestFlight, with no confirmed release date.
WhatsApp says it uses Meta’s Private Processing technology to ensure sensitive data never leaves the device, mirroring privacy-first approaches like Apple’s Writing Tools.
Industry watchers suggest the new tool could give WhatsApp an edge over rivals such as Telegram and Signal, which have not yet introduced generative AI writing aids.
Analysts also see potential for integration with other Meta platforms, although challenges remain in ensuring accurate, unbiased results across different languages.
Writing Help could streamline business communication by improving grammar, structure, and tone accuracy if successful. While some users have praised its seamless integration, others warn that heavy reliance on AI could undermine authenticity in digital conversations.
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The ads, circulating primarily on TikTok, combine unnatural expressions with awkward speech patterns, triggering community outrage.
Fans on Reddit slammed the ads as ’embarrassing’ and akin to ‘cheap, lazy marketing,’ arguing that Nexon had bypassed genuine collaborators for synthetic substitutes, even though those weren’t subtle attempts.
Critics warned that these deepfake-like promotions undermine the trust and credibility of creators and raise ethical questions over likeness rights and authenticity in AI usage.
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Moving like this empowers enterprises to build AI agents tailored for multimodal understanding, software development, workflow automation and research.
The rollout extends beyond the initial model. Oracle plans to integrate the entire Gemini suite, including video, image, speech, and music generation, as well as vertically specialised models like MedLM for healthcare.
For customers, Oracle simplifies adoption: Gemini access is billed via Oracle Universal Credits, and no new contracts are required. Behind the scenes, OCI’s bare-metal GPU instances ensure optimised compute performance for demanding AI workflows.
This integration further strengthens Oracle’s position in enterprise AI, offering partners and clients a curated, model-agnostic environment that combines AI innovation with operational reliability.
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Singapore has launched a $27 billion initiative to boost AI readiness and protect jobs, as global tensions and automation reshape the workforce.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong stressed that securing employment is key to national stability, particularly as geopolitical shifts and AI adoption accelerate.
IMF research warns Singapore’s skilled workers, especially women and youth, are among the most exposed to job disruption from AI technologies.
To address this, the government is expanding its SkillsFuture programme and rolling out local initiatives to connect citizens with evolving job markets.
The tech investment includes $5 billion for AI development and positions Singapore as a leader in digital transformation across Southeast Asia.
Social challenges remain, however, with rising inequality and risks to foreign workers highlighting the need for broader support systems and inclusive policy.
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AI-powered stuffed animals are transforming children’s play by combining cuddly companionship with interactive learning.
Toys such as Curio’s Grem and Mattel’s AI collaborations offer screen-free experiences instead of tablets or smartphones, using chatbots and voice recognition to engage children in conversation and educational activities.
Products like CYJBE’s AI Smart Stuffed Animal integrate tools such as ChatGPT to answer questions, tell stories, and adapt to a child’s mood, all under parental controls for monitoring interactions.
Developers say these toys foster personalised learning and emotional bonds instead of replacing human engagement entirely.
The market has grown rapidly, driven by partnerships between tech and toy companies and early experiments like Grimes’ AI plush Grok.
Regulators are calling for safeguards, and parents are urged to weigh the benefits of interactive AI companions against possible social and ethical concerns.
The sector could reshape childhood play and learning, blending imaginative experiences with algorithmic support instead of solely relying on traditional toys.
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Priorities include deploying 4G networks in remote regions, expanding public internet services, and reinforcing the Palapa Ring broadband infrastructure.
On the talent front, the government launched a Digital Talent Scholarship and AI Talent Factory to nurture AI skills, from beginners to specialists, setting the stage for future AI innovation domestically.
In parallel, digital protection measures have been bolstered: over 1.2 million pieces of harmful content have been blocked, while new regulations under the Personal Data Protection Law, age-verification, content monitoring, and reporting systems have been introduced to enhance child safety online.
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A new workplace trend known as ‘quiet cracking’ describes employees who stay in their roles while feeling increasingly disengaged and emotionally drained.
Unlike quitting, where workers reduce effort, quiet cracking refers to those who continue to meet expectations yet feel like they are breaking inside.
Experts say the phenomenon usually develops gradually, with workers reporting fatigue, stress and frustration instead of open dissatisfaction. Many feel unable to speak up for fear of losing their job or facing uncertainty in the broader labour market, leaving them silent.
Critics argue that labelling such behaviour risks encouraging weakness instead of resilience, but supporters warn that ignoring the issue may worsen mental health challenges.
Some workers are turning to AI for support instead of seeking human assistance. Generative AI tools offer low-cost and constant access for advice and empathetic responses.
Advocates suggest AI could expand mental health support where professionals are scarce, while opponents caution that relying on AI instead of qualified therapists could carry significant risks.
Whether quiet cracking becomes a lasting workplace concern or fades as a passing trend remains uncertain, for now, it highlights the growing debate about how technology might play a role in addressing modern mental health struggles.
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Parag Agrawal, the former Twitter chief executive removed after Elon Musk’s takeover in 2022, has re-entered the technology sector with a new venture.
His company, Parallel Web Systems, is developing AI tools designed to help AI agents gather and analyse information online without human input.
The company’s first product, Deep Research API, outperforms human researchers and advanced models such as OpenAI’s GPT-5 on specific benchmarks.
Agrawal revealed that the system already supports millions of tasks daily and is used by coding agents to locate documents and fix errors. Parallel has secured 30 million dollars in funding and employs around 25 staff.
Agrawal had been Twitter’s chief technology officer before succeeding Jack Dorsey as chief executive in late 2021. After leaving the company, he returned to academic research and coding instead of joining other struggling firms.
He has argued that the internet will eventually be dominated by AI agents rather than human users, predicting that individuals may soon rely on dozens of agents to act on their behalf.
His views echo predictions from Coinbase developers, who recently suggested that AI agents could become the most significant users of Ethereum.
They propose that autonomous systems can handle stablecoin transfers and e-commerce transactions, enabling services from self-driving taxis to AI-powered content platforms.
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Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said employment for citizens will remain the government’s top priority as the nation confronts global trade tensions and the rapid advance of AI.
Speaking at the annual National Day Rally to mark Singapore’s 60th year, Wong pointed to the risks created by the US–China rivalry, renewed tariff policies under President Donald Trump, and the pressure technology places on workers.
In his first primary address since the May election, Wong emphasised the need to reinforce the trade-reliant economy, expand social safety nets and redevelop parts of the island.
He pledged to protect Singaporeans from external shocks by maintaining stability instead of pursuing risky shifts. ‘Ultimately, our economic strategy is about jobs, jobs and jobs. That’s our number one priority,’ he said.
The government has introduced new welfare measures, including the country’s first unemployment benefits and wider subsidies for food, utilities and education.
Wong also announced initiatives to help enterprises use AI more effectively, such as a job-matching platform and a government-backed traineeship programme for graduates.
Looking ahead, Wong said Singapore would draw up a new economic blueprint to secure its future in a world shaped by protectionism, climate challenges and changing energy needs.
After stronger-than-expected results in the first half of the year, the government recently raised its growth forecast for 2025 to between 1.5% and 2.5%.
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Enterprise employees are increasingly building their own AI tools, sparking a surge in shadow AI that raises security concerns.
Netskope reports a 50% rise in generative AI platform use, with over half of current adoption estimated to be unsanctioned by IT.
Platforms like Azure OpenAI, Amazon Bedrock, and Vertex AI lead this trend, allowing users to connect enterprise data to custom AI agents.
The growth of shadow AI has prompted calls for better oversight, real-time user training, and updated data loss prevention strategies.
On-premises deployment is also increasing, with 34% of firms using local LLM interfaces like Ollama and LM Studio. Security risks grow as AI agents retrieve data using API calls beyond browsers, particularly from OpenAI and Anthropic endpoints.
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