Experts warn online video is entering a perilous new phase as AI deepfakes spread. Analysts say totals climbed from roughly 500,000 in 2023 to eight million in 2025.
Security researchers say deepfake scams have risen by more than 3,000 percent recently. Studies also indicate humans correctly spot high-quality fakes only around one in four times. People are urged to question surprising clips, verify stories elsewhere and trust their instincts.
Specialists at Outplayed suggest checking eye blinks, mouth movements and hands for subtle distortions. Inconsistent lighting, unnaturally smooth skin or glitching backgrounds can reveal manipulated or AI-generated video.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
AI is set to transform the UK workforce in 2026, with nearly 9 out of 10 senior HR leaders expecting AI to reshape jobs, according to a CNBC survey. The survey highlights a shift towards skill-based, AI-enabled recruitment rather than traditional degree-focused hiring.
Despite the widespread adoption of AI, workforce reductions are expected to stem mainly from general cost-cutting rather than efficiency gains. Many HR leaders also noted that while AI has improved efficiency and innovation, it has not yet been fully integrated into every job, resulting in uneven impact across organisations.
The research highlights the potential of AI to boost productivity and innovation, with studies indicating that employees can save an average of 7.5 hours per week by utilising AI tools. HR experts emphasised that learning to use AI to augment human interactions, rather than replace them, will be crucial for the workforce’s future.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Medical professionals, ethicists and theologians gathered in the Vatican this week to discuss the ethical use of AI in healthcare. The conference, organised by the Pontifical Academy for Life and the International Federation of Catholic Medical Associations, highlighted the growing role of AI in diagnostics and treatment.
Speakers warned against reducing patient care to data alone, stressing that human interaction and personalised treatment remain central to medicine. Experts highlighted the need for transparency, non-discrimination and ethical oversight when implementing AI, noting that technology should enhance rather than replace human judgement.
The event also explored global experiences from regions including India, Latin America and Europe, with participants emphasising the role of citizens in shaping AI’s direction in medicine. Organisers called for ongoing dialogue between healthcare professionals, faith communities and technology leaders to ensure AI benefits patients while safeguarding human dignity.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Hyundai Motor Group has unveiled a record 85.8 billion dollar investment plan that will reshape South Korea’s industrial landscape over the next five years.
The company intends to channel a large share of the funds into fields such as AI, robotics, electrification, software-defined vehicles, and hydrogen technologies.
Hyundai presents the roadmap as evidence of an agile response to a global environment in which export strength and technological leadership matter more than ever.
A major part of the strategy centres on turning innovation into export gains. The group expects the investment to raise overseas shipments of South Korea-made vehicles by more than thirteen percent by 2030.
A plan that emerges shortly after Seoul concluded a new trade agreement with Washington that lowers tariffs on South Korean vehicles to fifteen percent instead of the previous twenty-five percent. The rate remains much higher than the earlier 2.5 percent applied before the renegotiation.
Hyundai’s announcement mirrors a wider industrial push across the country. Samsung Group recently committed 310 billion dollars for a similar period, largely focused on AI development.
Both companies aim to reinforce the nation’s position in advanced technologies and secure long-term competitiveness at a time when global supply chains and industrial alliances are rapidly shifting.
Hyundai, together with Kia, sold more than 7.2 million vehicles globally last year.
The company views its new investment programme as a foundation for future export growth and a signal that South Korea plans to anchor its economic future in next-generation technologies instead of relying on past models of industrial expansion.
Would you like to learn more aboutAI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Google will pour 40 billion dollars into Texas by 2027, expanding digital infrastructure. Funding focuses on new cloud and AI facilities alongside existing campuses in Midlothian and Dallas.
Three new US data centres are planned, one in Armstrong County and two in Haskell County. One Haskell site will sit beside a solar plant and battery storage facility. Investment is accompanied by agreements for more than 6,200 megawatts of additional power generation.
Google will create a 30 million dollar Energy Impact Fund supporting Texan energy efficiency and affordability projects. The company backs training for existing electricians and over 1,700 apprentices through electrical training programmes.
Spending strengthens Texas as a major hub for data centres and AI development. Google says expanded infrastructure and workforce will help maintain US leadership in advanced computing technologies. Company highlights its 15 year presence in Texas and pledges ongoing community support.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
A rights-centred AI blueprint highlights the growing use of AI in analysing citizen submissions during public participation, promising efficiency but raising questions about fairness, transparency and human rights. Experts caution that poorly designed AI could silence minority voices, deepen inequalities and weaken trust in democratic decision-making.
The European Centre for Not-for-Profit Law (ECNL) provides detailed guidance for governments, civil society organisations and technology developers on how to implement AI responsibly. Recommendations include conducting human rights impact assessments, involving marginalised communities from the design stage, testing AI accuracy across demographics, and ensuring meaningful human oversight at every stage.
Transparency and accountability are key pillars of the framework, providing guidance on publishing assessments, documenting AI decision-making processes, and mitigating bias. Experts stress that efficiency gains should never come at the expense of inclusiveness, and that AI tools must be monitored and updated continually to reflect community feedback and rights considerations.
The blueprint also emphasises collaboration and sustainability, urging multistakeholder governance, civil society co-design, and ongoing training for public servants and developers. By prioritising rights, transparency and community engagement, AI in public participation can enhance citizen voices rather than undermining them, but only if implemented deliberately and inclusively.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Hospitals in Lincolnshire, UK, are introducing AI to assist doctors in identifying fractures and dislocations, with the aim to speeding up treatment and improving patient care. The Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust will launch a two-year NHS England pilot later this month.
AI software will provide near-instant annotated X-rays alongside standard scans, highlighting potential issues for clinicians to review. Patients under the age of two, as well as those undergoing chest, spine, skull, facial or soft tissue imaging, will not be included in the pilot.
Consultants emphasise that AI is an additional tool, not a replacement, and clinicians will retain the final say on diagnosis and treatment. Early trials in northern Europe suggest the technology can help meet rising demand, and the trust is monitoring its impact closely.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
Research highlights that digital accessibility is now viewed as a driver of business growth rather than a compliance requirement.
A survey of over 1,600 professionals across the US, UK, and Europe found 75% of organisations linking accessibility improvements to revenue gains, while 91% reported enhanced user experience and 88% noted brand reputation benefits.
AI is playing an increasingly central role in accessibility initiatives. More than 80% of organisations now use AI tools to support accessibility, particularly in mature programmes with formal policies, accountability structures, and dedicated budgets.
Leaders in these organisations view AI as a force multiplier, complementing human expertise rather than replacing it. Despite progress, many organisations still implement accessibility late in digital development processes. Only around 28% address accessibility during planning, and 27% during design stages.
Leadership support and effective training emerged as key success factors. Organisations with engaged executives and strong accessibility training were far more likely to achieve revenue and operational benefits while reducing perceived legal risk.
As AI adoption accelerates and regulatory frameworks expand, companies treating accessibility strategically are better positioned to gain competitive advantage.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
In the UK and other countries, teenagers continue to encounter harmful social media content, including posts about bullying, suicide and weapons, despite the Online Safety Act coming into effect in July.
A BBC investigation using test profiles revealed that some platforms continue to expose young users to concerning material, particularly on TikTok and YouTube.
The experiment, conducted with six fictional accounts aged 13 to 15, revealed differences in exposure between boys and girls.
While Instagram showed marked improvement, with no harmful content displayed during the latest test, TikTok users were repeatedly served posts about self-harm and abuse, and one YouTube profile encountered videos featuring weapons and animal harm.
Experts warned that changes will take time and urged parents to monitor their children’s online activity actively. They also recommended open conversations about content, the use of parental controls, and vigilance rather than relying solely on the new regulatory codes.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
eBay is deepening its investment in AI as part of a multi-year effort to revive the platform after years of stagnant growth.
The company, which saw renewed momentum during the pandemic, has launched five new AI features this year, including AI-generated shipping estimates, an AI shopping agent and a partnership with OpenAI.
Chief executive Jamie Iannone argues that eBay’s long history gives it an advantage in the AI era, citing decades of product listings, buyer behaviour data and more than two billion active listings. That data underpins tools such as the ‘magical listing’ feature, which automatically produces item descriptions from photos, and an AI assistant that answers buyer questions based on a listing’s details.
These tools are also aimed at unlocking supply: eBay says the average US household holds thousands of dollars’ worth of unused goods.
Analysts note that helping casual sellers overcome the friction of listing and photographing items could lift the company’s gross merchandise volume, which grew 10 percent in the most recent quarter.
AI is also reshaping the buyer experience. Around 70 percent of eBay transactions come from enthusiasts who already know how to navigate the platform. The new ‘eBay.ai’ tool is designed to help less experienced users by recommending products based on natural-language descriptions.
Despite this push, the platform still faces intense competition from Amazon, Google, Shein and emerging AI-shopping agents. Iannone has hinted that eBay may integrate with external systems such as OpenAI’s instant-checkout tools to broaden discovery beyond the platform.
Would you like to learn more about AI, tech and digital diplomacy? If so, ask our Diplo chatbot!
