The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) will prioritise new global standards for AI and digital public infrastructure (DPI), with the aim of fostering interoperability, trust, and inclusivity. The resolution, adopted at the World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA) held in Delhi, was led by India, which has promoted DPI platforms such as Aadhaar and UPI. This adoption underscores DPI’s importance as a technology that can bridge access to essential services across both public and private sectors, sparking particular interest from developing economies.
This year’s WTSA, attended by a record-breaking 3,700 delegates, also introduced standardisation frameworks for sustainable digital transformation, AI, and the metaverse, as well as enhancements to communications in vehicular technology and emergency services. These efforts aim to facilitate safer, more reliable AI innovations, particularly for nations lacking frameworks for emerging technologies. ITU Secretary General Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasised that strong AI standards are essential for building global trust and enabling responsible tech growth.
India’s influence at WTSA highlights its commitment to shaping the global tech landscape, including standards for next-generation technologies like 6G, IoT, and satellite communications. To that end, the assembly also introduced study group (ITU-T Study Group 21), focusing on multimedia and content delivery standards.
Meta Platforms announced a new partnership with Reuters on Friday, allowing its AI chatbot to give users real-time answers about news and current events using Reuters content. The agreement marks Meta’s return to licensed news distribution after scaling back on news content due to ongoing disputes over misinformation and revenue sharing with regulators and publishers. The financial specifics of the deal remain undisclosed, as Meta and Reuters-parent Thomson Reuters have chosen to keep the terms confidential.
Meta’s AI chatbot, available on platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, will now offer users summaries and links to Reuters articles when they ask news-related questions. Although Meta hasn’t clarified if Reuters content will be used to train its language models further, the company assures that Reuters will be compensated under a multi-year agreement, as reported by Axios.
Reuters, known for its fact-based journalism, confirmed its licensed content to multiple tech providers for AI usage without detailing specific deals.
Why does it matter?
The partnership reflects a growing trend in tech, with companies like OpenAI and Perplexity also forming agreements with media outlets to enhance their AI responses with verified information from trusted news sources. Reuters has already collaborated with Meta on fact-checking initiatives, a partnership that began in 2020. This latest agreement aims to improve the reliability of Meta AI’s responses to real-time questions, potentially addressing ongoing concerns around misinformation and helping to balance the distribution of accurate, trustworthy news on social media platforms.
A radio station in Krakow, Poland, has ignited controversy by replacing its human journalists with AI-generated presenters, marking what it claims to be ‘the first experiment in Poland.’ OFF Radio Krakow relaunched this week after laying off its staff, introducing virtual avatars aimed at engaging younger audiences on cultural, social, and LGBTQ+ topics.
The move has faced significant backlash, particularly from former journalist Mateusz Demski, who penned an open letter warning that this shift could set a dangerous precedent for job losses in the media and creative sectors. His petition against the change quickly gathered over 15,000 signatures, highlighting widespread public concern about the implications of using AI in broadcasting.
Station head Marcin Pulit defended the layoffs, stating that they were due to the station’s low listenership rather than the introduction of AI. However, Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski called for regulations on AI usage, emphasising the need to establish boundaries for its application in media.
On its first day back on air, the station featured an AI-generated interview with the late Polish poet Wisława Szymborska. Michał Rusinek, president of the Wisława Szymborska Foundation, expressed support for the project, suggesting that the poet would have found the use of her name in this context humorous. As OFF Radio Krakow ventures into this new territory, discussions around the role of AI in journalism and its effects on employment are intensifying.
Nvidia has deepened its ties with major Indian firms, including Reliance Industries, as it seeks to capitalise on the country’s growing AI market. At an AI summit in Mumbai, CEO Jensen Huang announced the launch of a new Hindi-focused AI model, Nemotron-4-Mini-Hindi-4B, designed to help businesses develop language-specific AI tools. This is part of Nvidia’s broader strategy to boost computing infrastructure in India, which Huang said will expand nearly 20 times by the end of this year.
The new model is tailored for Hindi, one of India’s 22 official languages, and aims to support companies in creating AI-driven solutions for customer service and content translation. Tech Mahindra is the first to adopt Nvidia’s offering, using it to develop a custom AI model, Indus 2.0, which also focuses on Hindi and its various dialects. Nvidia is also working with major IT players like Infosys, TCS, and Wipro to train half a million developers in AI.
In addition, companies such as Reliance and Ola Electric will use Nvidia’s “Omniverse” technology for virtual factory simulations, enhancing their industrial planning capabilities. The summit highlighted India’s growing significance in the global AI landscape as the country accelerates efforts to develop its semiconductor industry and AI infrastructure.
Hannah, a university student, admits to using AI to complete an essay when overwhelmed by deadlines and personal illness. Struggling with COVID and intense academic pressure, she turned to AI for help but later faced an academic misconduct hearing. Though cleared due to insufficient evidence, Hannah warns others about the risks of relying on AI tools for dishonest purposes.
Universities now grapple with teaching students to use AI responsibly while preventing misuse. A lecturer discovered Hannah’s essay had been generated by AI using detection software, reflecting the complexities of monitoring academic integrity. Some institutions prohibit AI unless explicitly approved, while others allow limited use for grammar checks or structural guidance if properly cited.
Lecturers note that AI-generated content often lacks coherence and critical thinking. Dr Sarah Lieberman from Canterbury Christchurch University explains how AI-produced essays can be spotted easily, describing them as lacking the human touch. Nonetheless, she acknowledges AI’s potential benefits, such as generating ideas or guiding students in their research, if used appropriately.
Students hold mixed views on AI in education. Some embrace it as a helpful tool for structuring work or exam preparation, while others resist it, preferring to rely on their efforts. A Department for Education spokesperson emphasises the need for universities to find a balance between maintaining academic integrity and preparing students for the workplace by equipping them with essential AI skills.
European scientists have developed an AI algorithm that can interpret pig sounds to help farmers monitor their animals’ emotions, potentially improving pig welfare. The tool, created by researchers from universities across several European countries, analyses grunts, oinks, and squeals to identify whether pigs are experiencing positive or negative emotions. This could give farmers new insights beyond just monitoring physical health, as emotions are key to animal welfare but are often overlooked on farms.
The study found that pigs on free-range or organic farms produce fewer stress-related calls compared to conventionally raised pigs, suggesting a link between environment and emotional well-being. The AI algorithm could eventually be used in an app to alert farmers when pigs are stressed or uncomfortable, allowing for better management. Short grunts are associated with positive feelings, while longer grunts and high-pitched squeals often indicate stress or discomfort.
Researchers believe that once fully developed, this technology could not only benefit animal welfare but also help consumers make more informed choices about the farms they support.
Presight and Colombia’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation have forged a significant partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abu Dhabi. The collaboration primarily focuses on advancing research and development in AI, data analytics, and innovation, particularly within emerging smart cities, energy transition, and climate action technologies.
To foster interaction among institutions in both regions, the partnership plans to organise seminars and conferences and establish mechanisms for technology transfer, thereby accelerating the adoption of AI and big data in Colombia. Consequently, this strategic alliance aligns with Colombia’s ambitions to enhance operational efficiency in smart cities while advancing its bioeconomy goals.
Furthermore, it represents a key step in Presight’s international expansion, reflecting Colombia’s desire to become a significant player in Latin America’s tech landscape. Leaders from both organisations have expressed their enthusiasm for this partnership.
It has been described as a milestone for advancing research and innovation in Colombia and the broader Latin American region. Additionally, the importance of the MoU in strengthening ties with the UAE has been emphasised, along with a commitment to ethical and sustainable AI initiatives. Together, Presight and Colombia aim to harness the potential of AI and big data to address pressing global challenges, thereby positioning themselves as leaders in innovation and technology in their respective regions.
Google has released SynthID Text, a watermarking tool designed to help developers identify AI-generated content. Available for free on platforms like Hugging Face and Google’s Responsible GenAI Toolkit, this open-source technology aims to improve transparency around AI-written text. It works by embedding subtle patterns into the token distribution of text generated by AI models without affecting the quality or speed of the output.
SynthID Text has been integrated with Google’s Gemini models since earlier this year. While it can detect text that has been paraphrased or modified, the tool does have limitations, particularly with shorter text, factual responses, and content translated from other languages. Google acknowledges that its watermarking technique may struggle with these formats but emphasises the tool’s overall benefits.
As the demand for AI-generated content grows, so does the need for reliable detection methods. Countries like China are already mandating watermarking of AI-produced material, and similar regulations are being considered in US, California. The urgency is clear, with predictions that AI-generated content could dominate 90% of online text by 2026, creating new challenges in combating misinformation and fraud.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has notified the US government about a potential breach of export controls involving Huawei. TSMC suspects that the Chinese tech company may be attempting to work around US restrictions that ban the chipmaker from producing advanced AI chips for Huawei, a target of American trade curbs since 2020.
The US imposed these controls to limit China’s access to high-end semiconductors, crucial for developing military technologies. While TSMC claims it hasn’t supplied Huawei since mid-2020, a recent customer order for a chip similar to Huawei’s Ascend 910B has raised concerns. The AI chip in question is designed for training large language models, a key area of competition in the tech rivalry between Washington and Beijing.
TSMC promptly reported the situation to the US Commerce Department, although no investigation has been launched against the company. The US and Huawei have yet to comment on the matter.
Portuguese startup Sensei, specialising in contactless store technology, has secured €15 million in a Series A funding round led by BlueCrow Capital. The investment also saw participation from Lince Capital, Explorer Investments, Kamay Ventures, and existing backers like Metro AG and Techstars Ventures. This follows Sensei’s 2021 seed round of €5.4 million.
Sensei aims to establish 1,000 fully autonomous retail points by 2026, with current operations in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Brazil. The company uses AI-powered sensors and computer vision to automate checkout, offering customers a seamless shopping experience and real-time store management for retailers.
As competition heats up in the contactless retail space, Sensei is up against major players like Standard Cognition, Trigo, and AiFi, which have raised substantial funds to develop similar technology.
