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Modi ally proposes social media ban for India's teens An ally of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has proposed a bill to ban social media for children, as the world's biggest market for Meta and YouTube joins a global debate on the impact of social media on young people's health and safety. "Not only are our children becoming addicted to social media, but India is also one of the world's largest producers of data for foreign platforms," lawmaker L.S.K. Devarayalu told Reuters on Friday. "Based on this data, these companies are creating advanced AI systems, effectively turning Indian users into unpaid data providers, while the strategic and economic benefits are reaped elsewhere," he said. Australia last month became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking access in a move welcomed by many parents and child advocates but criticised by major technology companies and free-speech advocates. France's National Assembl...

Pakistan launches AI tool to catch child predators online Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency has launched an AI-enabled investigative tool aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to detect, prioritise and investigate online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The system, named Katalyst, was developed through a partnership between the Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control and the UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement (UPSCALE) Programme, funded by the British High Commission, and was formally launched at an event in Islamabad. Read: Musk wants to put AI data centres in space Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control, Talal Chaudhry, British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, and National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Director General Syed Khurram Ali, attended the launch. Chaudhry said protecting children from online exploitation was a “national responsibility”, adding that the use of artificial intelligence reflected...

Musk wants to put AI data centers in space A proposed merger between Elon Musk's SpaceX and xAI, reported exclusively by Reuters on Thursday, could give fresh momentum to Musk's plan to launch satellite data centres into orbit as he battles for supremacy in the rapidly escalating AI race against tech giants like Alphabet's Google, Meta, and OpenAI. Here is what we know about space-based AI computing: Space‑based data centres - still an early‑stage concept - would likely rely on hundreds of solar‑powered satellites networked in orbit to handle the enormous computing demands of AI systems like xAI’s Grok or OpenAI’s ChatGPT, at a time when energy‑hungry Earth‑based facilities are becoming increasingly costly to run. Advocates say operating above the atmosphere offers nearly constant solar power and eliminates the cooling burdens that dominate ground‑based data-centre costs, potentially making AI processing far more efficient. But engineers and space specialists caution that...

China vows to launch space tourism within five years amid US rivalry China's main space contractor vowed to develop space tourism in the next five years, state media reported on Thursday, as Beijing revs up its commercial spaceflight and deep space exploration ambitions amid a technology race with the US. State-owned China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) said it would "achieve the flight operation of suborbital space tourism and gradually develop orbital space tourism," as well as "build a gigawatt-level space digital intelligence infrastructure", state broadcaster CCTV reported. China and the US are competing as they look to turn space exploration into a commercially viable business similar to civil aviation, as well as becoming the first to exploit the military and strategic advantages of space dominance. CASC has vowed to transform China into a "world-leading space power" by 2045. Beijing's key bottleneck so far is its fail...

Amazon axes 16,000 jobs as it pushes AI and efficiency Amazon (AMZN.O), opens new tab confirmed 16,000 corporate job cuts on Wednesday, completing a plan for around 30,000 since October, while leaving ​open the possibility of further reductions. Reuters first reported last week that Amazon was planning a second round of job cuts as ‌part of its broader goal under CEO Andy Jassy, who has been trying to reduce bureaucracy and abandon underperforming businesses. Amazon said on Tuesday it was closing its remaining brick-and-mortar Fresh grocery stores and Go markets, despite years of effort, and said it was dropping its Amazon One biometric payment system, which scans the palm of a customer's hand. Although 30,000 represents a small portion of Amazon's 1.58 million employees, who are mostly in fulfillment centers and warehouses, ‌it is nearly 10% of its corporate workforce and represents the largest job cuts in its three decades, surpassing ​the 27,000 it pared between...

TikTok settles major youth addiction lawsuit days before trial TikTok has agreed to settle a major lawsuit claiming its platform deliberately addicted and harmed children, just days before the trial was set to begin. The case, which also involves Meta’s Instagram, Google’s YouTube and Snap, could influence hundreds of similar lawsuits targeting social media companies over youth mental health and safety. TikTok agreed to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit just before the trial kicked off, the plaintiff’s attorneys confirmed. The social video platform was one of three companies – along with Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube – facing claims that their platforms deliberately addict and harm children. A fourth company named in the lawsuit, Snapchat parent company Snap Inc., settled the case last week for an undisclosed sum. Details of the settlement with TikTok were not disclosed, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. At the core of the ca...

GTA 6 physical release may slip to 2027 as Rockstar looks to prevent leaks The physical release of Grand Theft Auto VI could be delayed until 2027, according to a new insider report that has sparked fresh debate among fans eagerly awaiting Rockstar Games’ next blockbuster title. GTA 6 is currently scheduled to launch digitally on November 19, 2026, but a report from Polish outlet PPE suggests that Rockstar and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, may hold back the boxed edition to reduce the risk of leaks. The claim comes from insider Graczdari, who has previously shared accurate information about titles such as Oblivion: Remastered. According to the report, Take-Two is not planning to release a physical version of GTA 6 alongside the digital launch. The reasoning is reportedly tied to preventing early leaks, an issue that has plagued Rockstar throughout the game’s development. The studio has already dealt with major unauthorized gameplay footage and confirmed that several leake...

Musk’s X investigated by EU over Grok sexualised images after public outcry Elon Musk’s social media platform X is being investigated by the European Union over whether it disseminated illegal content, following public outcry over the spread of manipulated sexualised images generated by its artificial intelligence chatbot Grok. The European Commission, the executive arm of the 27-nation bloc, said on Monday it would examine whether X had properly assessed and mitigated risks related to Grok’s functionalities, as required under EU law. The probe comes two weeks after British media regulator Ofcom launched its own investigation amid concerns Grok was creating sexually intimate deepfake images, and after Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia temporarily blocked access to the chatbot. The commission said earlier this month that AI-generated images of undressed women and children being shared on X were unlawful and appalling, echoing condemnation from regulators worldwide. Read More: El...

Intel forecasts weak quarter as AI server chip demand outstrips supply Intel (INTC.O) said on Thursday it struggled to satisfy demand for its server chips used in AI data centres, and forecast quarterly revenue and profit below market ​estimates, sending shares down 13% in after-hours trading. The forecast underscores the difficulties faced by Intel in predicting global chip markets, where the company's current products are the result of decisions ‌made years ago. The company, whose shares have risen 40% in the past month, recently launched a long-awaited laptop chip designed to reclaim its lead in personal computers just as a memory chip crunch is expected to depress sales across that industry. Meanwhile, Intel executives said the company was caught off guard by surging demand for server central processors that accompany AI chips. Despite running its factories at capacity, Intel cannot keep up with demand for the chips, leaving profitable data centre sales on the table whil...

X rebuffs PTA attempts to suspend Imran The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday that it had approached X on three occasions over the past three-and-a-half years, seeking the suspension of incarcerated PTI founder Imran Khan's account, but most of its requests were declined. According to a PTA report submitted to the court, the authority first wrote to X on August 21, 2022, requesting that Imran's account be blocked. A second request was sent on April 18, 2024, citing convictions in the Toshakhana, cipher and iddat cases, the report said. The proceedings stem from a writ petition filed by a citizen seeking the blocking of Imran's X, formerly Twitter, account. The PTA told the court that a third request was made on November 27, 2025, seeking the blocking of "47 tweets" posted by the PTI founder. However, X acted on only one tweet, while the remainder of the request was rejected, according to the report. Th...

Columbia engineers teach robot to lip-sync by watching itself and humans Columbia University engineers have built a robotic face that can learn to move its lips in sync with speech and singing by watching itself in a mirror and then observing humans in online videos, aiming to make humanoid robots appear less "uncanny" in face-to-face interaction. In a study published in Science Robotics, the Columbia University team describes a two-step "observational learning" approach rather than programming fixed rules for facial motion. In the 1970s, robotics professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology Masahiro Mori published a paper on how he imagined people's reactions to robots that looked and acted almost human. In particular, he hypothesised that a person's response to a humanlike robot would abruptly shift from empathy to disgust as it approached, but failed to attain, a lifelike appearance. This descent into eeriness is known as the uncanny valley. "We ...

Microsoft CEO warns AI could stall without global economic impact Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella has warned that Artificial Intelligence (AI) could falter in the coming market downturn unless it delivers real economic value across the wider world. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, Nadella said AI’s long-term success depends on its adoption beyond the technology sector and affluent economies, the Financial Times reported. His remarks come amid growing concerns that the current AI boom may be unsustainable if its benefits remain concentrated among a few firms. Nadella said the technology must be applied in sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and public services to demonstrate that it can improve outcomes for ordinary people. He told the forum that if AI’s advantages are only seen in Silicon Valley and wealthy nations, it could become akin to a financial bubble rather than a force for broad productivity growth. An AI bubble is thought t...

Meta’s AI expands real-time lip-synced translation for Reels Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, has expanded its AI capabilities in a move designed to make short-form video content accessible across language barriers. They have rolled out enhanced AI-powered translations and lip-syncing for Reels, its short video format, supporting a wider range of languages, including Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Kannada alongside previously available English, Hindi, Portuguese and Spanish.   According to the blog post, the update uses neural machine translation models as well as on-device and cloud-based AI models to generate dubbed audio and real-time captions, respectively, which can automatically be suggested to viewers when the language of a Reel differs from that set on their device. The technology goes beyond subtitles and recreates a creator’s voice in the translated language, matching mouth movements in the video and making it appear as though the creator is speakin...

Pakistani student develops world's largest Urdu AI model 'Qalb' Pakistan's own Urdu ChatGPT, "Qalb", has officially been launched, marking a historic milestone in the country's digital journey. Developed under the leadership of Taimoor Hassan, a Pakistani student studying in the United States, Qalb is now recognised as the world's largest Large Language Model created exclusively for the Urdu language. Trained on a massive dataset of 1.97 billion tokens and benchmarked across more than seven international evaluation frameworks, Qalb outperforms existing Urdu-focused AI models on key real-world performance indicators, setting a new standard for natural language processing in Pakistan. Read: Government introduces artificial intelligence training for CSS officers Hassan is a young serial entrepreneur who has successfully launched and exited 13 startups. A former winner of the Microsoft Cup, he has represented Pakistan at international forums and complete...

PTA introduces measures to prevent SIM blocking for overseas Pakistanis The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) on Saturday announced a new facility allowing overseas Pakistanis to retain their Pakistani mobile phone SIMs during extended stays abroad. In a statement, the PTA said expatriates would be able to maintain continuity of their mobile services, ensuring their SIM cards were not blocked while they were outside the country. It said overseas Pakistanis could contact their respective mobile network operators to avail the facility. اوورسیز پاکستانیوں کے لیے آسان، محفوظ اور مسلسل رابطہ پی ٹی اے کا ایک اور اہم قدم#PTA #OverseasPakistanis #StayConnected #SIMNotBlocked #DigitalPakistan #PakistanZindabad #PTAUpdates #PakDiaspora #MobileConnectivity #PublicService pic.twitter.com/6uCKAbFTck — PTA (@PTAofficialpk) January 17, 2026 The authority said the measure would help expatriates maintain uninterrupted access to essential communication services while living or w...

OpenAI introducing ads to ChatGPT OpenAI announced Friday it will begin testing advertisements on ChatGPT in the coming weeks, as the wildly popular artificial intelligence chatbot seeks to increase revenue to cover its soaring costs. The ads will initially appear in the United States for free and lower-tier subscribers, the company said in a blog post outlining its long-anticipated move into advertising. The integration of advertising has been a key question for generative AI chatbots, with companies largely reluctant to interrupt the user experience with ads. But the exorbitant costs of running AI services may have forced OpenAI's hand. Only a small percentage of its nearly one billion users pay for subscription services, putting pressure on the company to find new revenue sources. Since ChatGPT's launch in 2022, OpenAI's valuation has soared to $500 billion in funding rounds -- higher than any other private company. Some expect it could go public with a trillion-dollar...

X outage reported globally second time in week Social media platform X experienced a significant global outage on Friday, leaving users worldwide unable to access the service, according to internet tracking monitor NetBlocks. There were more than 41,000 reports of issues with the social media platform as of 10:35am ET in the United States, according to Downdetector, which tracks outages by collating status reports from a number of sources, according to Reuters. Users in the UK reported around 8000 incidents and over 2,400 issues were reported in India, it added. In a post on X, the monitor said: "X is again experiencing international outages; incident not related to country-level internet disruptions or filtering." Reports of problems surged around 8pm local time, according to tracking website Downdetector, which recorded a substantial spike in user complaints, saying that user reports indicated "possible problems" at X.   In an update at 9:21pm, Cloudflare said i...

Lawmakers sound alarm on cybercrimes in National Assembly session Members of the National Assembly on Friday expressed serious concern over rising incidents of digital and cyber scams across the country with lawmakers from across party lines calling for urgent policy formulation to curb such crimes. During the session, chaired by NA Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, several members highlighted incidents affecting ordinary citizens, underlining the growing severity of cyber fraud. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl MNA Naeema Kishwar highlighted increasing cases of WhatsApp accounts being hacked. “We receive messages that a member’s phone has been hacked and demands for money are being made. This has become routine. What steps can be taken to control it?” she asked. Drawing attention to another form of fraud, she said criminals were now tricking people under the pretext of parcel deliveries. “A new scam has started: they ask you to resend your number, claiming a parcel will be...

Over 1.4m links blocked as part of actions against unlawful online content, PTA informs LHC The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has informed the Lahore High Court that it has blocked more than 1.4 million web links and URLs in its ongoing drive against "unlawful online content" amid growing concern over coordinated social media campaigns targeting state institutions, including the superior judiciary. The Lahore High Court (LHC) had directed the PTA on Thursday to approach Facebook, X and other social media platforms to ensure the removal of defamatory and contemptuous content targeting judges, observing that legal action can be taken in Pakistan even if such material was created and shared from abroad. Justice Ali Zia Bajwa had issued the directions while hearing a petition filed against an alleged social media smear campaign against judges. The PTA had submitted a report to the court, according to which, more than one million links were review...

Global pressure forces X to restrict Grok over sexualised deepfake images Elon Musk's platform X on Wednesday announced measures to prevent its AI chatbot Grok from undressing images of real people, following global backlash over its generation of sexualized photos of women and children. The announcement comes after California's attorney general launched an investigation into Musk's xAI -- the developer of Grok -- over the sexually explicit material and multiple countries either blocked access to the chatbot or launched their own probes. X said it will "geoblock the ability" of all Grok and X users to create images of people in "bikinis, underwear, and similar attire" in those jurisdictions where such actions are deemed illegal. "We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis," X's safety team said in a statement. "This re...

TikTok named FIFA’s first-ever preferred platform for 2026 World Cup TikTok has partnered with FIFA under a global agreement that will see the social media app become FIFA’s first-ever Preferred Platform, enabling expanded official coverage, behind-the-scenes access, and interactive fan experiences around the FIFA World Cup 2026. Running until the end of 2026, the partnership marks a new phase in how football’s biggest event will be experienced digitally, with TikTok set to play a central role in connecting fans and creators to the tournament beyond live match broadcasts. The collaboration will allow TikTok to offer more comprehensive FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage, including increased original content, offering interactive and community-driven football experiences. TikTok’s immersive FIFA World Cup 2026 hub, a bustling nexus powered by TikTok GamePlan, will enable fans to discover engaging content that brings the 48-team tournament to life alongside match ticket and viewing inform...

Commercial recoverable spacecraft completes test flight in China A Chinese spacecraft designed for space tourism on Monday completed its suborbital flight test mission in northwest China. Using a parachute-recovery system, the recoverable payload capsule landed safely and was retrieved at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. Using a parachute-recovery system, the recoverable payload capsule landed safely and was retrieved at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. PHOTO: XINHUA The flight test demonstrated the re-entry deceleration and completed the verification of recoverable payload module, and showcased the precision landing-control technology for the spacecraft's sub-stage, paving the way for the development of future space tourism activities, according to its developer, commercial Chinese aerospace enterprise CAS Space. Read More: Will China remain a spectator? Designated Lihong-1 Y1, the spacecraft can reach altitudes of approximately 120 kilometers. It has low launch costs, a...

Qatar and UAE to join US-led effort to bolster technology supply chain Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will soon join a US-led initiative to secure AI and semiconductor supply chains, Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg told Reuters in an interview. The addition of those two countries is notable given the Middle East’s history of political divisions and reflects a US-led effort to bring Israel and Gulf states into the same technology-focused economic framework. The program, dubbed Pax Silica, seeks to safeguard the full technology supply chain, including critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, computing and data infrastructure. It is a key pillar of the Trump administration’s economic statecraft strategy to reduce dependence on rival nations and strengthen cooperation among allied partners. “The Silicon Declaration isn’t just a diplomatic communiqué,” Helberg said. “It’s meant to be an operational document for a new economic security consensus.” The group...

Malaysia blocks Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot over pornographic AI images Malaysia suspended access to Elon Musk's chatbot Grok over AI-generated pornographic content, the country's tech regulator said on Sunday. The decision follows global backlash after it emerged that Grok's image creation feature allowed users to sexualise pictures of women and children using simple text prompts. According to Japan Times, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said on Sunday it had ordered an immediate restriction on Grok for users in the country after the tool was used to produce sexually explicit, indecent and grossly offensive material, including non-consensual manipulated images. Read More: India proposes forcing smartphone makers to give source code in security overhaul The regulator said the content involved women and minors, despite prior engagement and formal notices issued to X Corp and xAI. According to the MCMC, existing safeguards on the platform were ina...

India proposes forcing smartphone makers to give source code in security overhaul India proposes requiring smartphone makers to share source code with the government and make several software changes as part of a raft of security measures, prompting behind-the-scenes opposition from giants like Apple and Samsung. The tech companies have countered that the package of 83 security standards, which would also include a requirement to alert the government to major software updates, lacks any global precedent and risks revealing proprietary details, according to four people familiar with the discussions and a Reuters review of confidential government and industry documents. The plan is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to boost security of user data as online fraud and data breaches increase in the world's second-largest smartphone market, with nearly 750 million phones. IT Secretary S. Krishnan told Reuters that "any legitimate concerns of the industry will be ad...