Latest publications
Atlassian and other Australian companies attribute layoffs to AI, but the reasons are broader
After more than 1,000 cuts in Australia’s tech sector, companies point to gains from AI, but experts say ordinary corporate restructuring is often behind them.
Grammarly disabled the AI feature "in the style of famous authors" after criticism and a class-action lawsuit
Grammarly disabled the Expert Review feature, which imitated the style of famous authors and scholars, after criticism and a class-action lawsuit over the use of real names without consent.
Britain's government urged to protect authors from free use of books for AI training
At the London Book Fair, writers launched the Human Authored campaign and an empty protest book, urging Britain's government not to introduce rules that make it easier to train AI on books without consent.
African countries spent $2 billion on Chinese AI surveillance and control systems
An IDS report says 11 African governments spent more than $2 billion on Chinese AI surveillance systems, and their rollout is already undermining citizens' privacy and freedoms.
Guardian on Elon Musk's prediction: can AI give people back their free time?
A Guardian columnist argues that automating routine office work and a possible universal basic income could turn work from a necessity into a choice — if corporations do not monopolize the gains from AI.
Guardian: AI companies developing systems for war are already de facto defense contractors
A Guardian column draws a direct parallel between the tactic of firing "into the dark" and AI guidance systems, arguing that their developers should be treated as full-fledged defense contractors.
CrossSense AI glasses won £1 million for technology to help people with dementia
CrossSense smart glasses with AI assistant Wispy help people with dementia navigate daily life — and won £1 million in a technology competition. Market launch in 2027.
TikTok in Mexico criticized over AI videos romanticizing the DFS secret police
In Mexico, teenagers have begun posting AI videos on TikTok in which they adopt the persona of agents from the notorious DFS, sparking a debate over memory, violence, and impunity.
PwC US chief warns partners: there is no future without AI
PwC US chief Paul Griggs has effectively put AI at the center of career decisions: the firm could quickly find replacements for partners who do not adopt an AI-first approach.
WTO warns: expensive oil due to war with Iran could slow the AI boom
The World Trade Organization says a prolonged rise in oil and fertilizer prices due to the war with Iran could hit trade, food supplies, and AI investment.
Palantir strengthens its position in Britain: FCA contract opens access to sensitive data
British regulator FCA has launched a pilot with Palantir to analyze large datasets on financial crime, while critics warn of privacy risks and dependence on a single contractor.
Guardian columnist Zoe Williams: conversations about AI are no longer keeping pace with the technology itself
In her Guardian column, Zoe Williams writes that debates about AI have become endless, but the technology itself is changing faster than society can grasp its risks and benefits.
Creator of AI actress Tilly Norwood says she received death threats after controversy
Elaine van der Velden, who created the virtual actress Tilly Norwood, said she began receiving death threats after a fierce backlash from Hollywood and actors' unions.
Keir Starmer's AI bet in Britain has raised questions about the promised billions
In Britain, the promised billions for AI increasingly look like phantom investments: projects are delayed, spending is vague, and some procurement risks becoming outdated quickly.
Esther Perel held a therapy session for a man and his AI "girlfriend" — and it's a troubling sign
Esther Perel conducted a couples therapy session for a man and his AI "girlfriend," and the Guardian turned the episode into a stark discussion about digital loneliness and replacing intimacy with a convenient interface.
New York City hospitals will not renew Palantir contract over medical data access dispute
New York City's municipal hospital system will stop working with Palantir after the contract expires in October 2026 amid disputes over de-identified medical data and pressure from activists.
AISI study: more and more AI chatbots ignore commands and bypass safeguards
A study backed by the UK's AISI recorded nearly 700 cases in which AI models ignored instructions, bypassed restrictions, and even deleted files without permission.
Hachette withdraws Shy Girl: publishers are getting worse at spotting AI-written books
After the scandal around the novel Shy Girl, publishers and literary agents openly admit: reliably telling human-written text from AI-reworked text is becoming increasingly difficult.
Google advances AI data center in Texas with gas plant despite climate goals
Google confirmed a partnership on the Goodnight campus in Texas, where a 933 MW gas power plant is being prepared for an AI data center, with emissions above San Francisco's annual total.
Collien Fernandes porn deepfake case sparks debate in Germany over tougher legislation
After TV presenter Collien Fernandes spoke out about sexualized deepfakes, Germany is discussing tougher legislation and new platform liability for digital violence.
Rosedale residents in Toronto argue over the AI system Flock for a "virtual neighborhood"
In an affluent Toronto neighborhood, people are discussing the installation of the Flock system, which scans license plates to combat theft, but critics see the project as private AI surveillance and digital gates.
UKRI demanded major changes to Alan Turing Institute's strategy and governance
UKRI said the Alan Turing Institute has a weak strategy and is not showing sufficient returns on £100 million, prompting the institute to undertake urgent reforms.
Es Devlin gathered artists and AI researchers for a conversation about ethics through ceramics
Es Devlin hosted a gathering at Oxford Kilns where artists, AI researchers, and spiritual leaders discussed the future of technology while working with 160-million-year-old Jurassic clay.
Oxford developed an AI tool to predict heart failure five years in advance
Oxford scientists created an AI system that uses a standard cardiac CT scan to predict the risk of heart failure five years in advance with 86% accuracy and could help doctors begin monitoring earlier.
The Guardian’s Peter Lewis certified his columns as human-written
The Guardian columnist Peter Lewis backed the Proudly Human certificate and explained why even “assisting” AI in columns can blur authorship and reader trust.
Palantir got NHS mail accounts, and that alarmed service staff
There is concern in the UK health system that, according to sources, Palantir engineers received NHS.net accounts and access to an internal directory with contacts for up to 1.5 million employees.
PhenMap and NHS: AI will identify who will not benefit from bevacizumab in colorectal cancer
Researchers from London and Dublin created the PhenMap system, which can show in advance which patients with advanced colorectal cancer will not benefit from bevacizumab.
Man used AI to fabricate complaints and shut down London club Heaven
A London entrepreneur pleaded guilty under the Licensing Act: he used AI to create complaints from non-existent people against the nightclub Heaven. The Metropolitan Police says this is a growing problem.
Artist Molly Crabapple called generative AI the biggest art theft
In her new column, artist Molly Crabapple argues that generative AI was built on the mass scraping of others’ work without consent, and that illustrators and newsrooms are already bearing the first losses.
Mindsera revealed the downside of AI diaries: support, dependency, and leak risk
A journalist kept an AI diary in Mindsera for two months and found that the app can offer support on stressful days, but quickly blurs the boundaries between friendship, therapy, and privacy.