As millions of high school students across China began the rigorous ‘gaokao’ college entrance exam, the country’s leading tech companies took unprecedented action by disabling AI features on their popular platforms.
Apps from Tencent, ByteDance, and Moonshot AI temporarily blocked functionalities like photo recognition and real-time question answering. This move aimed to prevent students from using AI chatbots to cheat during the critical national examination, which largely dictates university admissions in China.
This year, approximately 13.4 million students are participating in the ‘gaokao,’ a multi-day test that serves as a pivotal determinant for social mobility, particularly for those from rural or lower-income backgrounds.
The immense pressure associated with the exam has historically fueled intense test preparation. However, screenshots circulating on Chinese social media app Rednote confirmed that AI chatbots like Tencent’s YuanBao, ByteDance’s Doubao, and Moonshot AI’s Kimi displayed messages indicating the temporary closure of exam-relevant features to ensure fairness.
China’s ‘gaokao’ exam highlights a balanced approach to AI: promoting its education from a young age, with compulsory instruction in Beijing schools this autumn, while firmly asserting it’s for learning, not cheating. Regulators draw a clear line, reinforcing that AI aids development, but never compromises academic integrity.
This coordinated action by major tech firms reinforces the message that AI has no place in the examination hall, despite China’s broader push to cultivate an AI-literate generation.
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Apple has unveiled a range of AI features at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, focusing on tighter privacy, enhanced user tools and broader integration with OpenAI’s ChatGPT. These updates will appear across iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 and visionOS 26, set to launch in autumn.
While Apple Intelligence was first teased last year, the company now allows third-party developers to access its on-device AI models for the first time.
CEO Tim Cook and software chief Craig Federighi outlined how these features are intended to offer more personalised, efficient apps. Users of newer iPhones will benefit from tools such as live translation in Messages and FaceTime, and AI-powered image analysis via Visual Intelligence.
Apple also enables users to blend emojis creatively and use ChatGPT through its Image Playground to stylise photos. Enhancements to the Wallet app will help summarise order tracking from emails, and AI-generated voices will offer fitness updates.
Despite these innovations, Apple’s redesign of Siri remains incomplete and is not expected to launch soon.
The event failed to deliver major surprises, as many details had already been leaked. Investors responded cautiously, sending Apple shares down by 1.2%. The firm has lost 20% of its value in the year and no longer holds the top spot as the world’s most valuable company.
Nonetheless, Apple is expected to reveal more AI advancements in 2026.
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Amazon has announced a massive $20 billion investment to build two new AI-focused data centres in Pennsylvania. The exact locations are yet to be finalised, but Salem Township and Falls Township are currently leading candidates.
The move signals Amazon’s ongoing commitment to expanding its AI infrastructure amid an increasingly competitive technology race.
Alongside the data centres, Amazon has pledged to support education and workforce development across the state. Collaborations with local institutions will bring programmes for data centre technicians, fibre optic workshops and STEM learning initiatives aimed at school-aged children.
These efforts are intended to prepare the future workforce for careers in AI and cloud computing infrastructure.
The investment is part of Amazon’s broader strategy to establish the US as a global AI leader. The company highlighted that its advanced computing infrastructure and AI hardware are designed to power the next generation of generative and agentic AI, defining digital innovation’s future.
Meanwhile, Meta, OpenAI, and Microsoft are also scaling AI operations, and crypto mining firms like Riot Platforms and Hive Digital are shifting part of their infrastructure towards high-performance computing for AI, reflecting a wider industry transformation.
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Plans for a vast AI data hub in the UAE have raised security concerns in Washington due to the country’s close ties with China.
The $100 billion Stargate UAE campus, aims to deploy advanced US chips, but US officials are scrutinising potential technology leakage risks.
Although the Trump administration supports the project, bipartisan fears remain about whether the UAE can safeguard US-developed AI and chips from foreign adversaries.
A final agreement has not been reached as both sides negotiate export conditions, with possible restrictions on Nvidia’s hardware.
The initial phase of the Stargate project will activate 200 megawatts of capacity by 2026, but the deal’s future may depend on the UAE’s willingness to accept strict US oversight.
Talks over potential amendments continue, delaying approval of what could become a $500 billion venture.
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Researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have unveiled a pioneering AI model called MOME for non-invasive breast cancer diagnosis.
Using China’s largest multiparametric MRI breast cancer dataset, MOME performs at a level comparable to seasoned radiologists and is currently undergoing clinical trials in more than ten hospitals.
Among the institutions participating in the validation phase are Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Guangzhou First Municipal People’s Hospital, and Yunnan Cancer Center. Early results show that MOME excels in predicting response to pre-surgical chemotherapy.
The development highlights the region’s growing capabilities in medtech innovation and could reshape diagnostic strategies for breast cancer across Asia. MOME’s clinical success may also pave the way for similar AI-led models in oncology.
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Samsung Electronics is testing a new open-source AI coding assistant called Cline, which is expected to be adopted by its Device eXperience (DX) division as early as next month, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Cline leverages Claude 3.7 Sonnet’s advanced agentic coding capabilities to autonomously handle complex software development tasks. The goal is to significantly boost developer productivity across Samsung’s mobile and home appliance units, which are both part of the DX division.
The move aligns with Samsung’s broader AI for All strategy. Last month, the company created a dedicated AI productivity innovation group within the DX division.
This follows the establishment of an AI centre within its chip business in December 2024, further underscoring the tech giant’s commitment to embedding AI across its operations.
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Google CEO Sundar Pichai has said AI is not a threat to human jobs—particularly in engineering—but rather a tool to make work more creative and efficient.
In a recent interview with Lex Fridman, Pichai explained that AI is already powering productivity across Google, contributing to 30% of code generation and improving overall engineering velocity by around 10%.
Far from cutting staff, Pichai confirmed Google plans to hire more engineers in 2025, arguing that AI expands possibilities rather than reducing demand.
‘The opportunity space of what we can do is expanding too,’ he said. ‘It makes coding more fun and frees you up for creativity, problem-solving, and brainstorming.’
Rather than replacing jobs, Pichai sees AI as a companion—handling repetitive tasks and enabling engineers to focus on innovation. He believes this shift will also democratise software development, empowering more people to build and create with code.
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A senior UK judge has warned that lawyers may face prosecution if they continue citing fake legal cases generated by AI without verifying their accuracy.
High Court justice Victoria Sharp called the misuse of AI a threat to justice and public trust, after lawyers in two recent cases relied on false material created by generative tools.
In one £90 million lawsuit involving Qatar National Bank, a lawyer submitted 18 cases that did not exist. The client later admitted to supplying the false information, but Justice Sharp criticised the lawyer for depending on the client’s research instead of conducting proper legal checks.
In another case, five fabricated cases were used in a housing claim against the London Borough of Haringey. The barrister denied using AI but failed to provide a clear explanation.
Both incidents have been referred to professional regulators. Sharp warned that submitting false information could amount to contempt of court or, in severe cases, perverting the course of justice — an offence that can lead to life imprisonment.
While recognising AI as a useful legal tool, Sharp stressed the need for oversight and regulation. She said AI’s risks must be managed with professional discipline if public confidence in the legal system is to be preserved.
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The UK government is launching a nationwide AI skills initiative aimed at both workers and schoolchildren, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing partnerships with major tech companies including Google, Microsoft and Amazon.
The £187 million TechFirst programme will provide AI education to one million secondary students and train 7.5 million workers over the next five years.
Rather than keeping such tools limited to specialists, the government plans to make AI training accessible across classrooms and businesses. Companies involved will make learning materials freely available to boost digital skills and productivity, particularly in using chatbots and large language models.
Starmer said the scheme is designed to empower the next generation to shape AI’s future instead of being shaped by it. He called it the start of a new era of opportunity and growth, as the UK aims to strengthen its global leadership in AI.
The initiative arrives as the country’s AI sector, currently worth £72 billion, is projected to grow to more than £800 billion by 2035.
The government also signed two agreements with NVIDIA to support a nationwide AI talent pipeline, reinforcing efforts to expand both the workforce and innovation in the sector.
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Financial firms across the UK will soon be able to experiment with AI in a new regulatory sandbox, launched by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in partnership with Nvidia.
Known as the Supercharged Sandbox, it offers a secure testing ground for firms wanting to explore AI tools without needing their advanced computing resources.
Set to begin in October, the initiative is open to any financial services company testing AI-driven ideas. Firms will have access to Nvidia’s accelerated computing platform and tailored AI software, helping them work with complex data, improve automation, and enhance risk management in a controlled setting.
The FCA said the sandbox is designed to support firms lacking the in-house capacity to test new technology.
It aims to provide not only computing power but also regulatory guidance and access to better datasets, creating an environment where innovation can flourish while remaining compliant with rules.
The move forms part of a wider push by the UK government to foster economic growth through innovation. Finance minister Rachel Reeves has urged regulators to clear away obstacles to growth and praised the FCA and Bank of England for acting on her call to cut red tape.
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