ai

AI controversy surrounds Will Smith’s comeback shows

Footage from Will Smith’s comeback tour has sparked claims that AI was used to alter shots of the crowd. Viewers noticed faces appearing blurred or distorted, along with extra fingers and oddly shaped hands in several clips.

Some accused Smith of boosting audience shots with AI, while others pointed to YouTube, which has been reported to apply AI upscaling without creators’ knowledge.

Guitarist and YouTuber Rhett Shull recently suggested the platform had altered his videos, raising concerns that artists might be wrongly accused of using deepfakes.

The controversy comes as the boundary between reality and fabrication grows increasingly uncertain. AI has been reshaping how audiences perceive authenticity, from fake bands to fabricated images of music legends.

Singer SZA is among the artists criticising the technology, highlighting its heavy energy use and potential to undermine creativity.

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AI chatbots found unreliable in suicide-related responses, according to a new study

A new study by the RAND Corporation has raised concerns about the ability of AI chatbots to answer questions related to suicide and self-harm safely.

Researchers tested ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini with 30 different suicide-related questions, repeating each one 100 times. Clinicians assessed the queries on a scale from low to high risk, ranging from general information-seeking to dangerous requests about methods of self-harm.

The study revealed that ChatGPT and Claude were more reliable at handling low-risk and high-risk questions, avoiding harmful instructions in dangerous scenarios. Gemini, however, produced more variable results.

While all three ΑΙ chatbots sometimes responded appropriately to medium-risk questions, such as offering supportive resources, they often failed to respond altogether, leaving potentially vulnerable users without guidance.

Experts warn that millions of people now use large language models as conversational partners instead of trained professionals, which raises serious risks when the subject matter involves mental health. Instances have already been reported where AI appeared to encourage self-harm or generate suicide notes.

The RAND team stressed that safeguards are urgently needed to prevent such tools from producing harmful content in response to sensitive queries.

The study also noted troubling inconsistencies. ChatGPT and Claude occasionally gave inappropriate details when asked about hazardous methods, while Gemini refused even basic factual queries about suicide statistics.

Researchers further observed that ChatGPT showed reluctance to recommend therapeutic resources, often avoiding direct mention of safe support channels.

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Honor and Google deepen platform partnership with longer updates and AI integration

Honor has announced a joint commitment with Google to strengthen its Android platform support. The company now guarantees six years of Android OS and security updates for its upcoming Honor 400 series, aligning with similar practices by Pixel and Samsung devices.

This update period is part of Honor’s wider Alpha Plan, a strategic framework positioning the company as an AI device ecosystem player.

Honor will invest US $10 billion over five years to support this transformation through hardware innovation, software longevity and AI agent integration.

The partnership enables deeper cooperation with Google around Android updates and AI features. Honor already integrates tools like Circle to Search, AI photo expansion and Gemini voice assistants on its Magic series. The extended software support promises longer device lifespans, reduced e-waste and improved user experience.

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Copilot policy flaw allows unauthorized access to AI agents

Administrators found that Microsoft Copilot’s intended ‘NoUsersCanAccessAgent’ policy, which is designed to prevent user access to certain AI agents, is being ignored. Some agents, including ExpenseTrackerBot and HRQueryAgent, remain installable despite global restrictions.

Microsoft 365 tenants must now use per-agent PowerShell commands to disable access manually. This workaround is both time-consuming and error-prone, particularly in large organisations. The failure to enforce access policies raises concerns regarding operational overhead and audit risk.

The security implications are significant. Unauthorised agents can export data from SharePoint or OneDrive, run RPA workflows without oversight, or process sensitive information without compliance controls. The flaw undermined the purpose of access control settings and exposed the system to misuse.

To mitigate this risk, administrators are urged to audit agent inventories, enforce Conditional Access policies, for example, requiring MFA or device compliance, and consistently monitor agent usage through logs and dashboards.

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Coinbase CEO fired engineers who refused to adopt AI tools

Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has revealed that he fired engineers who refused to begin using AI coding tools after the company adopted GitHub Copilot and Cursor. Armstrong shared the story during a podcast hosted by Stripe co-founder John Collison.

Engineers were told to onboard with the tools within a week. Armstrong arranged a Saturday meeting for those who had not complied and said that employees without valid reasons would be dismissed. Some were excused due to holidays, while others were let go.

Collison raised concerns about relying too heavily on AI-generated code, prompting Armstrong to agree. Past reports have described challenges with managing code produced by AI, even at companies like OpenAI. Coinbase did not comment on the matter.

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AI’s overuse of the em dash could be your biggest giveaway

AI-generated writing may be giving itself away, and the em dash is its most flamboyant tell. Long beloved by grammar nerds for its versatility, the em dash has become AI’s go-to flourish, but not everyone is impressed.

Pacing, pauses, and a suspicious number of em dashes are often a sign that a machine had its hand in the prose. Even simple requests for editing can leave users with sentences reworked into what feels like an AI-powered monologue.

Though tools like ChatGPT or Gemini can be powerful assistants, using them blindly can dull the human spark. Overuse of certain AI quirks, like rhetorical questions, generic phrases or overstyled punctuation, can make even an honest email feel like corporate poetry.

Writers are being advised to take the reins back. Draft the first version by hand, let the AI refine it, then strip out anything that feels artificial, especially the dashes. Keeping your natural voice intact may be the best way to make sure your readers are connecting with you, not just the machine behind the curtain.

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Meta teams up with Midjourney for AI video and image tools

Meta has confirmed a new partnership with Midjourney to license its AI image and video generation technology. The collaboration, announced by Meta Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang, will see Meta integrate Midjourney’s tools into upcoming models and products.

Midjourney will remain independent following the deal. CEO David Holz said the startup, which has never taken external investment, will continue operating on its own. The company launched its first video model earlier this year and has grown rapidly, reportedly reaching $200 million in revenue by 2023.

Midjourney is currently being sued by Disney and Universal for alleged copyright infringement in AI training data. Meta faces similar challenges, although courts have often sided with tech firms in recent decisions.

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AI could democratise higher education if implemented responsibly

Professor Orla Sheils of Trinity College Dublin calls on universities to embrace AI as a tool for educational equity rather than fear. She notes that AI is already ubiquitous in higher education, with students, lecturers, and researchers using it daily.

AI can help universities fulfil the democratic ideals of the Bologna Process and Ireland’s National AI Strategy by expanding lifelong learning, making education more accessible and supporting personalised student experiences.

Initiatives such as AI-driven tutoring, automated transcription and translation, streamlined timetabling and grading tools can free staff time while supporting learners with challenging schedules or disabilities.

Trinity’s AI Accountability Lab, led by Dr Abeba Birhane, exemplifies how institutions can blend innovation with ethics. Sheils warns that overreliance on AI risks academic integrity and privacy unless governed carefully. AI must serve educators, not replace them, preserving the human qualities of creativity and judgement in learning.

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Google Cloud’s new AI tools expand enterprise threat protection

Following last week’s announcements on AI-driven cybersecurity, Google Cloud has unveiled further tools at its Security Summit 2025 aimed at protecting enterprise AI deployments and boosting efficiency for security teams.

The updates build on prior innovations instead of replacing them, reinforcing Google’s strategy of integrating AI directly into security operations.

Vice President and General Manager Jon Ramsey highlighted the growing importance of agentic approaches as AI agents operate across increasingly complex enterprise environments.

Building on the previous rollout, Google now introduces Model Armor protections, designed to shield AI agents from prompt injections, jailbreaking, and data leakage, enhancing safeguards without interrupting existing workflows.

Additional enhancements include the Alert Investigation agent, which automates event enrichment and analysis while offering actionable recommendations.

By combining Mandiant threat intelligence feeds with Google’s Gemini AI, organisations can now detect and respond to incidents across distributed agent networks more rapidly and efficiently than before.

SecOps Labs and updated SOAR dashboards provide early access to AI-powered threat detection experiments and comprehensive visualisations of security operations.

These tools allow teams to continue scaling agentic AI security, turning previous insights into proactive, enterprise-ready protections for real-world deployments.

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Global tech competition intensifies as the UK outlines a £1 trillion digital blueprint

The United Kingdom has unveiled a strategy to grow its digital economy to £1 trillion by harnessing AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity. The plan emphasises public-private partnerships, training, and international collaboration to tackle skills shortages and infrastructure gaps.

The initiative builds on the UK tech sector’s £1.2 trillion valuation, with regional hubs in cities such as Bristol and Manchester fuelling expansion in emerging technologies. Experts, however, warn that outdated systems and talent deficits could stall progress unless workforce development accelerates.

AI is central to the plan, with applications spanning healthcare and finance. Quantum computing also features, with investments in research and cybersecurity aimed at strengthening resilience against supply disruptions and future threats.

The government highlights sustainability as a priority, promoting renewable energy and circular economies to ensure digital growth aligns with environmental goals. Regional investment in blockchain, agri-tech, and micro-factories is expected to create jobs and diversify innovation-driven growth.

By pursuing these initiatives, the UK aims to establish itself as a leading global tech player alongside the US and China. Ethical frameworks and adaptive strategies will be key to maintaining public trust and competitiveness.

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