ai

AI chatbot mixes up Dutch political party policies

Dutch voters have been warned not to rely on AI chatbots for political advice after Google’s NotebookLM mixed up VVD and PVV policies.

When asked about Ukrainian refugees, the tool attributed a PVV proposal to send men back to Ukraine to the VVD programme. Similar confusions reportedly occurred when others used the system.

Google acknowledged the mistake and said it would investigate whether the error was a hallucination, the term for incorrect AI-generated output.

Experts caution that language models predict patterns rather than facts, making errors unavoidable. Voting guide StemWijzer stressed that reliable political advice requires up-to-date and verified information.

Professor Claes de Vreese said chatbots might be helpful to supplementary tools but should never replace reading actual party programmes. He also urged stricter regulation to avoid undue influence on election choices.

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Google launches AI Plus to expand access to Gemini tools

Google has introduced a new mid-tier subscription called AI Plus, designed to make its Gemini AI tools more accessible at a lower price. Positioned between the free and premium Pro plans, AI Plus offers broader access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, productivity features across Gmail, Docs, and Sheets, and 200GB of Google One cloud storage.

Subscribers will benefit from a larger 128,000-token context window, compared with 32,000 for free users, and tools such as Veo 3 Fast for video creation, Google Flow for video generation, and Whisk for image-to-video conversion. The plan also includes expanded use of NotebookLM, Google’s AI-powered research assistant.

The service has launched first in Indonesia at Rp. 75,000 ($4.56) per month, a fraction of the AI Pro plan’s price of Rp. 309,000 ($18.79). Google has not set a timeline for global rollout but said AI Plus will cost under $20 per month in other markets, with prices adjusted regionally.

After months of vague descriptions, the new tier follows Google’s move to publish clearer guidelines on Gemini’s usage limits across free, Pro, and Ultra plans. The update aims to bring greater transparency as the company pushes deeper into the competitive AI subscription market.

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Google avoids breakup as AI reshapes search and threatens e-commerce traffic

The US tech giant Google will not be forced to divest Chrome or Android following the long-running US monopoly case.

Judge Mehta ruled that while Google holds a monopoly in traditional search, the rise of AI companies is creating new competitive pressures.

The judgement prevents Google from striking exclusive distribution deals but still allows it to pay partners for preloading and placement of its products. The court also ordered Google to loosen its control over search data, a move that could enable rivals to build their own AI-driven search tools.

Yet, concerns remain for e-commerce businesses.

Google Zero, the company’s AI-powered search summary, is cutting website traffic by keeping users within Google’s results.

Research shows sharp declines in mobile click-through rates, leaving online retailers uncertain of their future visibility.

Experts warn that zero-click searches are becoming the norm. Businesses are being urged to optimise for Google’s AI overviews, enhance the value of product and review pages, track traffic impacts, and diversify their marketing channels.

While Google has avoided structural remedies, its dominance in search and AI appears far from over.

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Teens turn to AI chatbots for support, raising mental health concerns

Mental health experts in Iowa have warned that teenagers are increasingly turning to AI chatbots instead of seeking human connection, raising concerns about misinformation and harmful advice.

The issue comes into focus on National Suicide Prevention Day, shortly after a lawsuit against ChatGPT was filed over a teenager’s suicide.

Jessica Bartz, a therapy supervisor at Vera French Duck Creek, said young people are at a vulnerable stage of identity formation while family communication often breaks down.

She noted that some teens use chatbot tools like ChatGPT, Genius and Copilot to self-diagnose, which can reinforce inaccurate or damaging ideas.

‘Sometimes AI can validate the wrong things,’ Bartz said, stressing that algorithms only reflect the limited information users provide.

Without human guidance, young people risk misinterpreting results and worsening their struggles.

Experts recommend that parents and trusted adults engage directly with teenagers, offering empathy and open communication instead of leaving them dependent on technology.

Bartz emphasised that nothing can replace a caring person noticing warning signs and intervening to protect a child’s well-being.

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AI export rules tighten as the US opens global opportunities

President Trump has signed an Executive Order to promote American leadership in AI exports, marking a significant policy shift. The move creates new global opportunities for US businesses but also introduces stricter compliance responsibilities.

The order establishes the American AI Exports Program, overseen by the Department of Commerce, to develop and deploy ‘full-stack’ AI export packages.

These packages cover everything from chips and cloud infrastructure to AI models and cybersecurity safeguards. Industry consortia will be invited to submit proposals, outlining hardware origins, export targets, business models, and federal support requests.

A central element of the initiative is ensuring compliance with US export control regimes. Companies must align with the Export Control Reform Act and the Export Administration Regulations, with special attention to restrictions on advanced computing chips.

New guidance warns against potential violations linked to hardware and highlights red flags for illegal diversion of sensitive technology.

Commerce stresses that participation requires robust export compliance plans and rigorous end user screening.

Legal teams are urged to review policies on AI exports, as regulators focus on preventing misuse of advanced computing systems in military or weapons programmes abroad.

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Arm unveils Lumex mobile chips built for AI

UK-based chip designer Arm introduced Lumex, a next-generation chip design explicitly designed to power AI on smartphones, smartwatches, and next-generation PCs.

Arm, whose processor architecture underpins devices from Apple and Nvidia, described Lumex as its most advanced platform yet for real-time AI assistance, communication and on-device personalisation.

Arm’s senior vice-president Chris Bergey said consumers now expect instant, private, seamless AI features instead of gradual improvements.

The Lumex platform combines performance, privacy, and efficiency, allowing partners to use the design as delivered or configure it to their own requirements.

A brand that is part of a broader naming structure includes Neoverse for infrastructure, Niva for PCs, Zena for automotive, and Orbis for the internet of things.

Meanwhile, Arm is reportedly preparing to manufacture its chips, having recruited Amazon’s Rami Sinno, who helped build Trainium and Inferentia, to strengthen its in-house ambitions.

These moves mark a significant moment for Arm, as the company seeks to expand its influence in the AI hardware space and reduce reliance on licensing alone.

With the rise of generative AI, the push for high-performance chips designed around on-device intelligence is becoming central to the future of mobile technology.

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Older patients report high satisfaction with AI blood pressure support

AI voice agents helped older adults with high blood pressure provide accurate readings from home, according to new research presented at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2025.

The study involved 2,000 patients, most aged 65 or older, who received automated phone calls in multiple languages prompting them to submit readings. Calls outside safe thresholds or involving symptoms such as chest pain were immediately escalated to clinicians.

Researchers reported improved compliance and accuracy, with 68% of patients meeting blood pressure control standards. The programme also cut costs by nearly 89% compared to nurse-led interventions while boosting Medicare performance ratings.

Patient satisfaction was high, with average scores above nine out of ten. Experts said such AI tools could help close care gaps, particularly for patients with limited access to medical professionals.

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New project expands AI access for African languages

Africa is working to close the AI language gap, as most global tools remain trained on English, Chinese, and European languages.

The African Next Voices project has created the continent’s largest dataset of spoken African languages, covering 18 tongues across Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Supported by a $2.2m Gates Foundation grant, the dataset includes 9,000 hours of speech in farming, health, and education settings.

Languages such as Hausa, Yoruba, isiZulu, and Kikuyu are now available for developers to build translation, transcription, and conversational AI tools. Farmers like South Africa’s Kelebogile Mosime already use local-language apps to solve agricultural challenges.

Start-ups, including Lelapa AI, are building products in African languages for banks and telecoms. Researchers warn that without such initiatives, millions risk exclusion from vital services and cultural knowledge could be lost.

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UK publishers fear Google AI summaries hit revenues

UK publishers warn that Google’s AI Overviews significantly cut website traffic, threatening fragile online revenues.

Reach, owner of the Mirror and Daily Express, said readers often settle for the AI summary instead of visiting its sites. DMG Media told regulators that click-through rates had fallen by up to 89% since the rollout.

Publishers argue that they provide accurate reporting that fuels Google’s search results, yet they see no financial return when users no longer click through. Concerns are growing over Google’s conversational AI Mode, which displays even fewer links.

Google insists that search traffic has remained stable year-on-year and claims that AI overviews offer users more opportunities to find quality links. Still, a coalition of publishers has filed a complaint with the UK Competition and Markets Authority, alleging misuse of their content.

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Google boosts Gemini with audio uploads and NotebookLM upgrades

The US tech giant has expanded the capability of its Gemini app by allowing users to upload audio files for AI analysis across Android, iOS, and the web. The upgrade enables transcription of interviews, voice memos and lecture recordings instead of relying solely on typed or spoken prompts.

Free-tier users can upload clips of up to ten minutes with five prompts daily, while paid subscribers have access to three hours of uploads across multiple files. According to Gemini vice president Josh Woodward, the feature is designed to make the platform more versatile and practical for everyday tasks.

Google has also enhanced its Search AI mode with five new languages, including Hindi, Japanese and Korean, extending its multilingual reach.

NotebookLM, the company’s research assistant powered by Gemini, can now generate structured reports such as quizzes, study guides and blog posts from uploaded content, available in more than 80 languages.

These improvements underline Google’s ambition to integrate AI more deeply into everyday applications instead of leaving the technology confined to experimental tools. They also highlight growing competition in the AI market, with Google using Gemini 2.5 to expand its services for global users.

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