AWS CEO Matt Garman celebrated the partnership as a ‘powerhouse combination’, noting that the models outperform comparable options, claiming they are three times more price-efficient than Gemini and five times more than DeepSeek‑R1, when deployed via Bedrock.
Rich functionality comes with these models: wide context capacity, chain-of-thought transparency, adjustable reasoning levels, and compatibility with agentic workflows. Bedrock offers secure deployment with Guardrails support, while SageMaker enables experimentation across AWS regions.
Financial markets took notice. AWS stock rose after the announcement, as analysts viewed the pairing with OpenAI’s open models as a meaningful step toward boosting its AI offerings amid fierce cloud rivalry.
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Beijing United Family Hospital and Alibaba DAMO Academy have launched a joint effort to bring advanced AI screening into clinical use.
Their flagship project uses a plain CT scan combined with DAMO Academy’s multi-condition detection AI to facilitate early identification of gastrointestinal cancers and chronic diseases.
The technology has already internationally earned the FDA’s ‘Breakthrough Device’ designation. Collaborators stress that combining AI with established international standards supports more accurate, patient-centred care.
The use of AI for travel planning has surged in the UAE, with six in ten travellers reporting they use AI to manage flights, hotels, itineraries, and dining. Tourism Economics and ATM data show that the UAE’s adoption rate significantly exceeds the global average.
Despite the technological appeal, travel professionals stress the importance of human contact. Automated agents may optimise logistics, but UAE customers continue to value emotionally intelligent service, especially for complex or premium experiences.
As Al Rais Travel puts it, a hybrid approach, where AI performs background analysis and humans provide real connection, is ideal.
Industry dialogue at ATM 2025 underscored trust as key: AI can generate draft itineraries and administrative support, but travellers still rely on agents to uncover hidden gems, accommodate cultural preferences, and fine-tune experiences.
Experts such as Naomi Ekberg argue that in the UAE’s cosmopolitan market, AI should free up staff to deliver memorable human moments rather than replace them.
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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’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 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 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 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 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 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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