Shamil Khan

China's largest tech firms are removing customizable AI personas to comply with new regulations banning virtual intimate relationships for minors. The crackdown, effective July 15, targets apps that let users create AI girlfriends, relatives, and other companions, following a surge in 'AI psychosis' cases.

xAI's Grok Voice gets a massive upgrade with 21 new multilingual voices, a no-code agent builder, and voice cloning from one minute of audio. The platform now ranks first on the Big Bench Audio benchmark, signaling a serious challenge to established voice AI players.

Synopsys is ending support for key fab process control software, affecting Samsung, SK Hynix, and others, as it pivots to AI-driven chip design. The move raises questions about production yields and the future of third-party fab software.

Tencent reduced its Kuaishou holding by selling 273 million shares, just days after co-leading a $3 billion funding round for Kuaishou's AI video unit Kling AI. The move signals a strategic pivot toward generative AI while optimizing its investment portfolio.

AWS's latest weekly roundup reveals the general availability of Anthropic's Claude Sonnet 5, a new AI agent workspace service, and key infrastructure updates. The cloud giant also announced service deprecations and community events.

Britain's FCA is under pressure to extend its regulatory perimeter after a review found widespread consumer trust in AI chatbots for financial advice. The findings raise urgent questions about consumer protection and systemic risk.

Midjourney escalates its legal fight with Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros, demanding disclosure of internal AI projects. The discovery battle could expose how studios use generative AI and influence fair use precedents.

TECNO launches a promotion in Pakistan offering three months of Google AI Plus with 2TB cloud storage for eligible smartphones. The bundle includes Gemini AI tools and aims to simplify digital life, but questions remain about long-term adoption.

TeraWulf signed a 20-year, $19 billion data center lease with AI firm Anthropic, sending its stock up over 16%. The deal marks a major shift from bitcoin mining to AI infrastructure, securing long-term revenue for TeraWulf and dedicated compute for Anthropic's Claude models.

Onic has launched Pakistan’s first AI-powered telecom support chatbot, Onic AI Assist, which understands Roman Urdu and mixed phrasing. The tool resolves queries instantly and escalates to humans without losing context, setting a new standard in local customer service.

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority is pushing to review whether large language models like ChatGPT should be regulated as they influence consumer financial decisions. A new report reveals over a quarter of UK consumers trust these tools for advice, unaware of missing protections.

Biren Technology is raising US$900 million to scale production of its next-generation GPUs, directly challenging Nvidia's hold on China's AI chip market. The move comes as U.S. export restrictions force Chinese cloud providers to seek domestic alternatives.

Donald Trump shared AI-generated images of Barack and Michelle Obama on a graffiti-covered Air Force One, continuing a pattern of using generative AI for political attacks. The post revives debates on deepfakes, racism, and disinformation in the 2026 election cycle.

Google Maps is testing an AI-powered tool that lets users order food directly through the app. The feature, integrated with Ask Maps, could disrupt the food delivery industry by eliminating third-party apps.

ByteDance’s Doubao and Alibaba’s Qwen are disabling humanlike AI agents this month, directly triggered by China’s new Interim Measures on anthropomorphic AI services. The rules target sustained emotional interaction, citing risks of addiction and manipulation.

China is quietly building an army of AI-powered robots for export, sparking fears of a 'China shock 3.0' that could reshape global industries. With a shrinking workforce at home, the country is turning to automation as its next economic weapon.

Meta is ditching per-message fees for WhatsApp Business, moving to a token-based model that charges for AI compute. Starting August 1, 2026, costs will vary with query complexity. Some message fees also return in October, ending a two-year waiver.

HMD Global unveils four Nokia feature phones with a dedicated AI assistant button and video calling. The Sikey AI assistant is free for 180 days, then requires a subscription, targeting users in emerging markets.

OpenAI is exploring reductions in AI subscription and token prices to address customer cost concerns and compete with Anthropic. The move signals a potential price war as both companies eye IPOs and seek sustainable business models.

Security researchers have documented JADEPUFFER, the first AI-driven ransomware that autonomously executed an entire attack chain without human intervention. The agentic threat actor exploited a Langflow vulnerability, moved laterally, and encrypted data while narrating its own actions, signaling a dangerous shift in cyber extortion.

A leaked 2024 video shows Microsoft’s experimental Copilot OS, codenamed Aion, which reimagines the desktop around an agentic AI core. The web-based system drops legacy app support, relying on cloud streaming, and may have evolved into Project Solara.

Scammers are leveraging real-time deepfake technology to impersonate Dubai's Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed, known as Fazza, in elaborate romance scams. Victims are left emotionally and financially ruined as AI makes deception more convincing than ever.

Kuaishou's AI video platform Kling AI is close to a $3 billion funding round with Tencent, valuing it at $18 billion. The deal paves the way for a spin-off and IPO as early as 2027, intensifying China's AI video race.

South African retailer Pick n Pay has launched an AI-powered shopping assistant named Penny, built on Google's Gemini models, to help customers order groceries using voice, text, or images. The move intensifies competition with Shoprite's Checkers Sixty60 platform.

Thailand's foreign ministry debunked an AI-generated image showing French President Macron kneeling before King Vajiralongkorn during a state visit. The fake, shared widely online, highlights the rising threat of synthetic media in international relations.

TECNO has launched a promotional offer in Pakistan, providing three months of Google AI Plus at no cost with eligible smartphones. The bundle includes 2TB of cloud storage and access to Gemini AI tools, aiming to make premium AI more accessible.

Microsoft launches a new $2.5 billion entity to help enterprises integrate diverse AI models. The firm promises model flexibility and full data ownership, challenging single-provider strategies.

UBTech unveils ultra-realistic humanoid robots with emotion-sensing AI, priced up to $145,835. The launch fuels social media debates on AI companionship and data privacy.

An AI-generated Michael Caine voice narrates a new Odyssey audiobook with his consent, igniting concerns about the future of human voice artists and creative authenticity.

Zhipu AI has launched a harness tool that transforms its GLM-5.2 model into an autonomous coding agent, directly challenging Anthropic. The move includes developer incentives and comes as Anthropic removes covert tracking code from Claude Code.