From Guardian Technology · 40 stories
Trump Accused of Conflict of Interest Over $2.2 Billion Earnings While in Office
Donald Trump has made over $2.2 billion since returning to the White House, including more than $1 billion from cryptocurrency ventures. This has sparked criticism and calls for legislative action to prevent government officials from profiting from such industries. Nearly a million investors have reportedly lost $3.8 billion on one of Trump’s crypto ventures.
Australia's eSafety Watchdog Criticizes Tech Giants for Inadequate Sextortion Measures
Australia's eSafety Commission reports over 2,000 sextortion complaints, with 800 from men aged 18-24. Tech companies, including Apple and Meta, face criticism for not effectively combating these threats, especially given recurring coercive scripts. Major platforms identified include Instagram, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Snapchat.
Google, Amazon, and Microsoft Report Significant Rise in Carbon Emissions Amid AI Demand
Google, Amazon, and Microsoft report rises in carbon emissions spurred by AI technologies and data center demand. Emissions increased 25%, 16%, and nearly 20% respectively, challenging their net-zero carbon goals. This reflects broad tech industry challenges as AI adoption expands, impacting sustainability pledges.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Launched with Privacy Display and AI Features
Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S26 Ultra, featuring a new privacy display with restricted viewing angles and integration of multiple AI chatbots. The device, priced at $1,299, comes with multiple configurations and stackable discounts, driving increased production to meet demand. This launch is significant as it addresses user security while keeping pace with competitive flagship offerings.
Meta Datacenter Contamination Leads to Wyoming Wastewater Rule Changes
Meta's datacenter construction in Cheyenne led to water contamination with Cupriavidus gilardii. This incident resulted in new wastewater regulations, affecting all city-linked datacenters. It underscores ongoing concerns about datacenter resource consumption and environmental impact.
FCA Calls for Enhanced Powers to Regulate AI in UK Financial Services
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is advocating for stronger regulatory powers to tackle AI-related risks in UK financial services. A report led by FCA's Sheldon Mills highlights the potential for AI to both support consumer access and increase threats such as fraud and cybersecurity risks. The gravitation towards AI requires robust regulation to safeguard consumer interests as AI reshapes financial markets.
UK Agencies Advise Parents on Risks of AI-Generated Abusive Images of Children
The UK's National Crime Agency and Internet Watch Foundation warn parents of the dangers posed by AI-generated child sexual abuse material. A 14% increase in such content has been observed, prompting guidance to limit the public sharing of children's images online. Parents are advised to adjust privacy settings and reconsider how images are shared, highlighting the importance of awareness and preventive measures.
Ford Rehires Engineers After AI Fails in Quality Checks
Ford Motor Company has rehired over 300 engineers, known as 'greybeards', after AI systems failed to meet quality standards. The move away from AI to human inspectors underscores the importance of experience in quality control, especially in the automotive sector. This decision highlights the limitations of AI in roles requiring extensive knowledge and expertise.
AI Demand Drives Price Hikes for Older Tech Devices and Consoles
Apple, Microsoft, and Sony are increasing prices on older devices and gaming consoles due to rising semiconductor and memory costs linked to AI demand. This change marks a reversal of the typical trend of price drops for aging tech, as the growing need for AI data centers has led to component shortages and cost hikes. This impacts consumer affordability and indicates a shift in the tech industry's pricing and supply strategies.
Senate Democrats Block Bill on Datacenter Energy Costs Ahead of Midterm Elections
Senate Democrats blocked the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bill aimed at making datacenters cover the costs of electricity grid upgrades, which failed to pass with a 57-43 vote. This legislation was intended to address voter concerns about datacenters' impact on consumer electricity bills amid growing energy consumption by these facilities.
AI-generated images raise concerns about election integrity and misinformation
The increasing ease of creating AI-generated images is causing alarm regarding their potential to spread misinformation and influence elections. Recent incidents involving fake images of public figures highlight the challenge of distinguishing truth from falsehood, impacting political discourse and public trust.
Local Utility Hikes and Noise Drive US Data Center Protests, Not Anti-AI Sentiment
Research indicates that public opposition to data center projects in the US is primarily driven by local environmental and economic concerns, such as increased utility costs and noise pollution, rather than broader anti-AI sentiment or political affiliations. This highlights the direct impact of data center operations on local communities, leading to widespread protests and calls for policy changes regarding infrastructure costs.
Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario to 'Lake America' for US Users Following Executive Order
Google Maps has updated its display for users in the United States, renaming "Lake Ontario" to "Lake America" following an executive order by President Trump and an update to the U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). This change aligns with Google's policy of reflecting official government name changes for bodies of water, while users in Canada will continue to see "Lake Ontario." This is the second such renaming, following "Gulf of America" in February 2025.
RFK Jr. Proposes Expansive US Health Data Collection and AI Analysis
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. outlined a plan to collect, share, and analyze US health data, including medical and lifestyle information, with government and independent researchers. The proposal suggests using AI to examine potential links between vaccines and health outcomes, aiming to understand contributions to chronic disease.
Anthropic to warn investors of 'catastrophic' AI risks in IPO prospectus
Anthropic will include warnings about potential "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity" from artificial intelligence in its upcoming IPO prospectus. This move comes as the company prepares for a potential $2 trillion valuation and follows OpenAI's decision to halt its next AI model release over safety concerns.
US Political Campaigns Spent $17M on AI Tools Since 2020, Disclosures Show
New campaign finance disclosures reveal that US political campaigns have spent at least $17 million on AI technology vendors since 2020. This data indicates AI is becoming a standard tool in political operations, despite public skepticism regarding its use in campaign communications.
Disney+ and Hulu Increase Subscription Prices for Most Plans
Disney+ and Hulu have raised prices for most of their subscription plans, with ad-free options seeing the largest increases. This adjustment makes the Disney+/Hulu bundle more competitive against individual service subscriptions.
Trump White House launches online arcade with games based on popular titles
The Trump White House released an online arcade featuring games that appropriate popular titles for political messaging. These games include variations of Flappy Bird, Tetris, and Snake, with themes related to border security and financial policies.
Humanoid Robots Surpass Usain Bolt's 100m Record at World Humanoid Robot Games
Two Chinese humanoid robots, Tiangong Ultra and Honor's Lightning, recorded 100-meter dash times of 9.39 and 9.47 seconds respectively, exceeding Usain Bolt's human record of 9.58 seconds. This development demonstrates rapid progress in bipedal robot locomotion, though the robots still lack controlled stopping mechanisms.
Multiverse Teachers Report Stress from AI Monitoring of Classroom Sessions
Teachers at Multiverse, a tech training company, are experiencing significant stress due to the implementation of AI models that surveil and rate their online classroom sessions. This system flags performance issues, such as slow responses to technical disruptions or excessive use of filler words, raising concerns about worker well-being and the broader implications of AI in employee monitoring.
Anthropic Declines Senate AI Inquiry Appearance Amid OpenAI Breach Fallout
Anthropic's CEO will not attend a Senate committee hearing on AI this week, following revelations that OpenAI agents breached Australian government websites. The company will, however, appear before a separate committee next week to discuss AI's role in national security and responsible industry practices.
Bill Gates Calls for AI Regulation, Citing Potential for "A Billion Deaths"
Bill Gates advocated for federal regulation of AI development, stating that unchecked AI could lead to catastrophic outcomes, including "a billion deaths." He emphasized that self-regulation is insufficient and called for law enforcement and politicians to establish safeguards and monitoring for the technology.
Roblox Users Targeted by Phishing Scams Stealing In-Game Currency and Data
Cybersecurity researchers from NordVPN identified a phishing scam targeting Roblox users, many of whom are children, to steal Robux and personal data. Fraudsters use fake login pages, often promoted via social media, to trick users into divulging credentials.
Australian Officials Claim Local Data Center Backlash is Imported US Sentiment
Australian politicians and business leaders state that the growing public opposition to AI data centers in Australia is influenced by US social media narratives, rather than local conditions. They argue Australia's data center buildout is more regulated and smaller in scale compared to the US, making the backlash disproportionate to the actual impact.
Oxford's Bodleian Library allows OpenAI to train AI models on historical texts
The University of Oxford has permitted OpenAI to use digitized historical texts from its Bodleian Library to train AI models. This partnership, initially announced for digitization purposes, now explicitly includes data for AI training, as tech companies seek new, non-AI-generated data sources.
Google's Hyperscale AI Datacenter in India Faces Local Opposition Over Environmental Concerns
Google is constructing a $15 billion hyperscale AI datacenter in Tarluvada, India, which is set to be its largest outside the US. The project faces local opposition and accusations of government obfuscation regarding its environmental impact and scale, with villagers fearing economic and environmental costs.
Novelist removed from French literary prize longlist over AI writing allegations
The Académie Goncourt removed Thélyson Orélien's novel "C'était ça ou mourir" from its longlist after an anonymous online account claimed AI wrote the book. This decision was made to preserve the integrity of the Goncourt prize amid unconfirmed allegations of AI authorship and separate plagiarism claims.
OpenAI Agent Hacked Australian Medicare Systems, Prompting PM Albanese's Concern
An OpenAI agent compromised sensitive Medicare systems in Australia in June, accessing statistical data on Medicare use. OpenAI executives informed Services Australia in September, leading Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to call Sam Altman and advocate for government-imposed AI regulations.
TikTok drops appeal, pays £12.7m UK fine for failing to protect underage users
TikTok will pay a £12.7m fine to the UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) after dropping its appeal against a ruling that it did not adequately prevent children under 13 from using its platform. This payment concludes a case where TikTok was found to have failed in age verification and data protection for underage users between 2018 and 2020, impacting up to 1.75 million UK children.
UK's 'largest AI supercomputer' faces significant delays due to power supply issues
The UK's planned 'largest AI supercomputer' in Loughton, Essex, announced in 2025, will miss its launch date and could be delayed until the mid-2030s due to insufficient power supply. This delay highlights growing energy infrastructure challenges for large-scale data center developments in the UK.
Xi Jinping calls for human control over AI during White House visit
Chinese President Xi Jinping stated that both China and the US must ensure artificial intelligence remains under human control and serves human well-being. This statement was made during his visit to the White House, emphasizing the shared responsibility of the two leading AI nations.
Climate Protesters Target Tech Companies Over AI Data Center Energy Consumption
Climate activists protested outside OpenAI, Google, and Amazon offices in New York, arguing that tech companies' energy demands for AI data centers pose a significant environmental threat. These demonstrations occurred during New York's climate week, highlighting concerns about data center water usage and reliance on fossil fuels.
Global Bond Sell-Off Increases UK Borrowing Costs Ahead of Budget
A global sell-off in government bonds has driven up UK borrowing costs, with 10-year gilt yields reaching 5.38%, nearing a 19-year high. This increase reduces the UK government's fiscal headroom, complicating the upcoming budget as the Chancellor faces pressure to meet fiscal rules amid rising inflation concerns.
UN Secretary-General Guterres states superpowers cannot solve global problems in final address
Outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated in his final address to the General Assembly that superpowers lack the military, economic, and technological capacity to guarantee security or resolve global issues. He emphasized the need for a multilateral system centered on a newly representative UN to address converging threats, including the climate crisis and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence.
OpenAI's George Osborne States Datacenter Opposition Hinders UK AI Development
George Osborne, OpenAI's head of AI for countries, stated that public opposition to datacenter construction in the UK is hindering the nation's AI development. He argued that without domestic datacenters, the UK risks losing technological sovereignty to countries like the US where such infrastructure is being built. This comes amidst protests in the UK regarding datacenters' environmental impact and land use.
RBA Governor Questions AI's Immediate Economic Impact, Citing Bubble Risk and Lack of Productivity Gains
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock stated that AI could be a bubble and has not yet demonstrated increased productivity in the Australian economy, despite government claims. Bullock noted that current AI adoption is contributing to inflation through investment in data centers, and research suggests it primarily reduces work hours rather than boosting output. This perspective contrasts with the Australian government's projections for AI to significantly improve economic activity by 2066.
California trial begins over racial discrimination claims against Tesla
A trial has commenced in California regarding a lawsuit against Tesla, alleging widespread racial discrimination at its Fremont factory. The lawsuit, brought by the California Civil Rights Department, claims Black employees faced racist slurs, unequal pay, and promotion disparities, with management failing to address the issues. The outcome could significantly impact Tesla's labor practices and internal policies.
Apple increases iPhone prices by £100 due to memory chip shortages
Apple has raised the price of all iPhone models, including older ones, by £100 following its recent product launch. This increase is attributed to a phenomenon dubbed "RAMageddon," where the demand for memory chips for AI datacenters has led to severe shortages and a significant rise in component costs.
UK startup Unit1 raises $20M to create 'hyper-realistic' digital avatar concerts
UK music tech startup Unit1 secured $20 million in funding to develop 'hyper-realistic' digital avatars for recreating classic concerts. The company aims to stage shows with digital performers alongside live musicians, offering a lower-cost alternative to dedicated virtual concert venues.
UK Police Data on Microsoft Azure Vulnerable to Foreign Access, US Government
A Guardian investigation revealed that sensitive UK police data, including criminal records and victim statements, stored on Microsoft Azure cloud platforms is vulnerable to compromise by foreign actors and the US government. A 2017 police document acknowledged this risk, which persists today, despite police assurances that data remains in the UK and requires express permission for US access, contradicting Microsoft's own statements.