Category: Biz Tech

Kaspersky reports a dramatic escalation in cyber‑attacks across Sub‑Saharan Africa during the first half of 2025 as the company prepares to lead discussions in Lagos on strengthening regional defences. Data shows that web‑based threats soared to 42.4 million incidents, while on‑device attacks—including malware delivered via USB drives and hidden installers—reached 95.6 million, both representing sharp increases from a year earlier. Spyware attacks more than doubled, password‑stealer incidents rose by 64 per cent, and backdoor infections climbed 12 per cent. These concerning trends frame the agenda for

Google Cloud has introduced the Google Cloud Universal Ledger, a Layer-1 blockchain platform tailored for financial institutions, now operating in a private testnet. Developed with Python-based smart contracts and designed for 24/7 capital markets operations, the platform aims to support tokenisation, payments, settlements and asset management at scale. It follows a pilot with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, which completed integration testing in March, and signals broader plans for institutional deployment by 2026.Launching GCUL positions Google at the forefront of

Spotify has begun rolling out a new Messages feature that lets users aged 16 and above send music, podcast, and audiobook recommendations directly through the app on mobile devices. The feature is being launched in select markets and is accessible to both Free and Premium subscribers. Users can initiate messages via the “Share” icon in the Now Playing view, and messages are stored in a dedicated inbox under the user’s profile. 1-on-1 conversations support text and emoji reactions and are

The US government has secured a 10% stake in Intel, a move that has sparked significant debate within the business and investment community. This unprecedented acquisition, part of the Biden administration’s push to strengthen domestic semiconductor manufacturing, could reshape the company’s relationship with investors and international stakeholders. Intel executives have raised concerns, warning that this direct involvement by the government might lead to complications in global markets, potentially alienating foreign customers and investors.The government’s investment comes at a time when

A shift is taking place within the UAE’s restaurant industry, as owners increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to optimise their operations and improve profitability. According to a recent survey by SevenRooms, 87 per cent of restaurant owners in the UAE have already integrated AI into their business strategies. The rise of AI-powered solutions is transforming the food and beverage industry, enabling operators to harness the full potential of technology to maintain their competitive edge.AI adoption in the F&B

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has once again shifted the focus to the next evolution of artificial intelligence: GPT-6. With GPT-5 just beginning to take hold in various sectors, Altman is already laying the groundwork for what's to come. Unlike the extended gaps between earlier versions, such as GPT-4 and GPT-5, the trajectory towards GPT-6 is expected to be significantly quicker. This fast-tracked development signals not just incremental improvements but transformative shifts in how AI interfaces with users.The core

A US Supreme Court order permitting Mississippi’s social media age-verification law to be enforced has prompted Bluesky to block access across the state. Critics warn the measure infringes on free speech and user privacy, while proponents contend it offers vital protection for children.Bluesky has suspended service entirely to IP addresses in Mississippi, citing the law’s sweeping demands and the technical burden it imposes. The measure—known as the Walker Montgomery Protecting Children Online Act —mandates that social media platforms verify all

YouTube Music has unveiled “taste match” playlists as part of its tenth-anniversary rollout, a feature that crafts shared playlists by blending the listening habits of participating users into a daily-refreshed soundtrack. This move mirrors Spotify’s Blend functionality, suggesting Google is keen to edge more firmly into the social recommendation space. The rollout also includes interactive touches—fans can begin leaving comments directly on albums and playlists, loyalty badges like “First to Watch” will recognize fan engagement, and partnerships—such as one with

A newly identified cyberattack technique, HTTP request smuggling, has raised alarms in the cybersecurity community for its ability to circumvent traditional security mechanisms. The attack exploits discrepancies between how front-end proxy servers and back-end application servers handle HTTP requests, enabling hackers to inject malicious requests into web applications. This sophisticated method is considered a significant leap in HTTP smuggling tactics, a technique that has evolved from simpler attack vectors into a highly advanced threat.At its core, HTTP request smuggling involves

Spotify is grappling with a sophisticated tool designed to bypass its subscription system, a move that could threaten the platform's financial model. The tool, named Eevee, is designed to enable users to access premium services without paying for them, circumventing Spotify’s paywall and enabling a rise in piracy, while challenging the music streaming giant’s attempts to curb unauthorized access.Eevee, a software aimed at Spotify’s premium tier, operates through a combination of techniques that spoof legitimate account access, essentially granting premium

Elon Musk's X has settled a protracted legal dispute with former employees of Twitter over a $500 million severance pay claim. The tentative deal marks a significant step in resolving a lawsuit filed after Musk’s acquisition of the social media platform in 2022, which led to widespread layoffs and restructurings.The settlement, still subject to court approval, is seen as a crucial development in the ongoing legal battle, which centres on claims that former Twitter staff were wrongfully denied severance payments

Dubai has unveiled a development that could reshape the future of global information security. At a closed event organized by Vektor T13 Technologies, researcher and developer Dmytro Momot, better known as Vektor T13 and as a creator of the Antidetect Project, presented a unique artificial intelligence system under the codename A_BotAlpha, capable of detecting fake digital identities with unprecedented accuracy and protecting infrastructure from cyber threats.A system that changes the rules of the gameThe key achievement of the project lies in

Two former Harvard students are poised to disrupt the tech world with a groundbreaking product: AI-powered smart glasses designed to record and listen to every conversation, even when the wearer is unaware. The venture, which has already garnered attention from the technology sector, promises to revolutionise the way people capture and interact with the world around them.The glasses, equipped with highly sensitive microphones and an advanced AI engine, are being marketed as an "always-on" wearable that seamlessly integrates into daily

The North American data centre market is grappling with an unprecedented surge in demand, causing vacancy rates to plummet to their lowest levels in history. As organisations push for more robust digital infrastructure to support the rapid growth in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data-intensive applications, the industry's response is struggling to keep up with the escalating requirements.Recent reports highlight a significant tightening of the market. According to JLL’s Midyear 2025 North America Data Center Report, vacancy rates across major

Foxconn Technology Group has committed to investing $30 million in Robocore, a robotics firm specialising in medical and elderly care solutions. This move marks the company’s strategic push into the rapidly growing healthcare robotics sector, a field poised to revolutionise the care of ageing populations globally.Robocore, based in Taiwan, develops advanced robotic systems designed to assist elderly people with daily activities, enhancing their mobility, independence, and overall quality of life. The company’s innovative technologies include robotic exoskeletons, smart wheelchairs, and

Cyber-security researchers have exposed a covert malware distribution effort exploiting pirated software download sites to deliver a modular loader known as HijackLoader, bypassing key defences such as ad-blockers and Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. The campaign has been traced to illegal download pages and SEO-poisoned sites that continue to evade detection, putting users at elevated risk.HijackLoader, first identified in 2023, has rapidly evolved into a multi-module loader capable of deploying various malware payloads such as RedLine, Danabot and LummaC2 stealers. Recent technical

An executive order signed on 30 July 2025 will suspend the long-standing "de minimis" exemption for all international shipments valued under $800, starting 29 August. This removes the duty-free benefit that major cross-border platforms like Shein and Temu relied upon, prompting both to announce price adjustments and restructure shipping models.Online marketplaces specialising in ultra-low-cost goods are scrambling to recalibrate. Temu has already halted direct shipments from China to U. S. customers, shifting instead to fulfil all U. S. orders via

 LibreOffice now supports AI-driven image generation via a new extension that bridges the office suite with the Stable Diffusion system, enabling users to create visuals directly from textual descriptions without leaving the application.A compact, purpose-built introduction prompts users to describe a scene, then uses Stable Horde, a collaborative network of volunteer-run Stable Diffusion servers, to generate an image. This functionality allows immediate integration of visuals into documents and presentations, eliminating the need to search externally or rely on local GPU

The UAE has unveiled the third edition of the Samsung Innovation Campus, a collaborative initiative between the UAE’s Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications Office and Samsung Gulf Electronics. This new chapter is part of the broader UAE Artificial Intelligence Camp 2025, aiming to nurture a new generation of talent in artificial intelligence and related fields. The event marks another significant step in the UAE's efforts to establish itself as a global leader in the tech sector,

Cohere has raised $500 million in new funding, propelling its valuation to an impressive $6.8 billion as the company accelerates its push to reshape enterprise AI. This significant investment will bolster its efforts to expand its security-first agentic AI platform, a product designed to enhance organizational productivity through advanced, secure artificial intelligence.The AI sector has seen rapid growth over the last few years, with businesses increasingly adopting machine learning and automation tools to streamline operations and improve decision-making processes. Cohere,

Oracle’s aggressive expansion in AI and cloud services has set the stage for a major shift in the tech industry, with analysts predicting the company could achieve a $1 trillion market valuation by 2030. As one of the largest tech giants globally, Oracle’s growth trajectory is bolstered by significant revenue gains and strategic partnerships, positioning it to challenge established players like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.The company’s latest quarterly results reveal a remarkable 27% surge in cloud and

Lumen Technologies has surpassed a significant milestone by crossing the 1,000-customer mark on its expanding Network-as-a-Service platform. This achievement underscores the growing demand for flexible, scalable enterprise connectivity solutions as businesses accelerate their digital transformations. NaaS, which enables organisations to streamline and scale their network infrastructure without the need for heavy investments in hardware, has become an essential offering in today's fast-evolving technology landscape.The milestone reflects the increasing shift toward software-defined networking and cloud-based solutions, driven by the

Peloton Interactive Inc. is gearing up to launch its most significant product upgrades in years, with plans to boost sales by introducing new hardware, fresh accessories, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence features. These moves come as the company strives to reassert itself in the competitive fitness market and rebuild consumer confidence after a series of financial setbacks and slowing growth.The company is set to unveil a revamped version of its flagship Peloton Bike, designed to offer improved performance and a

Sentient has rolled out The GRID, an open-source network for artificial general intelligence enabling developers to build, share and monetise AI agents. The launch introduces a decentralised alternative to closed AI platforms such as OpenAI, offering token-based monetisation and interoperability across Web2, Web3 and multiple blockchain ecosystems. At launch, The GRID presents over 40 AI agents, 50 data sources and more than 10 distinct models. Developers gain access through Sentient Chat, allowing them to integrate tools such as Napkin, a generative

A growing cybersecurity concern has surfaced following an attack targeting job seekers in the tech industry. The attack leverages a malicious npm package disguised as a legitimate recruitment tool, warning security experts about the increasing vulnerability within the development community.The incident began when a self-identified Ukrainian Web3 team allegedly recruited a community member through a job interview. During the interview process, the candidate was instructed to clone and run a GitHub repository, identified as EvaCodes-Community/UltraX. What seemed like a simple

Atlassian has forged a strategic partnership with Google Cloud to enhance cloud adoption across its client base and integrate advanced artificial intelligence features into its collaboration platforms. This multi-year agreement is designed to combine the strengths of both companies, enabling businesses to leverage cutting-edge technology to improve operational efficiency, productivity, and innovation.The partnership aims to expand Atlassian’s suite of tools, such as Jira, Confluence, and Trello, by embedding AI-driven features powered by Google Cloud’s infrastructure. With this collaboration, users

A UK court recently ruled against Wikipedia’s challenge to the country’s Online Safety Act, yet the decision may have set a significant legal precedent. The case, which has been closely monitored by tech companies and legal experts, revolved around the implications of the new rules on platforms like Wikipedia. Despite the court’s decision, legal commentators argue that the ruling still marks a pivotal moment in the debate over online regulation and platform accountability.The Online Safety Act, introduced by the UK

Information technology expenditure across the Middle East and North Africa region is poised to climb to $169 billion by 2026, reflecting a notable 8.9 percent growth from 2025, according to projections from Gartner. The surge in IT spending underscores a region-wide shift towards digital transformation, fuelled by the increasing reliance on artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, and AI-optimised infrastructure enhancements. This rise in spending is taking place against the backdrop of global economic and geopolitical challenges, prompting businesses to rapidly

GPT-5, the latest iteration of OpenAI’s language model, has been found vulnerable to a range of security breaches, according to recent findings by red team researchers. These researchers have demonstrated that sophisticated multi-turn attacks, dubbed “storytelling” attacks, can bypass prompt-level filters, rendering the model nearly unusable for enterprise applications.The attacks focus on exploiting systemic weaknesses within GPT-5’s defensive mechanisms. While OpenAI has made strides in bolstering GPT-5’s security features, including stricter content moderation and improved safeguards, red team experts argue

A new artificial intelligence tool that claims to produce video series within minutes is stirring up a significant debate within the entertainment industry. The AI technology, known for generating entire scripts and corresponding video content from basic prompts, raises concerns about the potential displacement of scriptwriters, filmmakers, and creative professionals.The tool’s primary allure lies in its ability to streamline content production. By inputting simple instructions, users can generate everything from character development to plotlines and even film-ready scripts. The

Amazon Web Services has launched the Amazon Elastic VMware Service, marking a significant step in its cloud offerings. This new service allows businesses to seamlessly run and scale VMware-based workloads on AWS infrastructure. By integrating VMware environments with AWS, organisations can leverage the cloud without needing to replatform or refactor their existing workloads. This innovation is aimed at simplifying cloud migration and operations for businesses relying on VMware technologies, particularly those seeking to reduce infrastructure costs and enhance scalability.Amazon

Humanoid robots, once viewed as the pinnacle of artificial intelligence and automation, continue to struggle with one basic task: folding a t-shirt. Despite extraordinary advances in AI and machine learning, the physical limitations of robot bodies have created a bottleneck in their progress, even as the brains behind them grow ever more sophisticated.Though AI systems now power these machines with remarkable computational capability, they remain far from perfect in mimicking human movement. While humanoid robots have become more agile

Tesla has officially halted operations of its Dojo supercomputer, a key element in CEO Elon Musk's vision for advancing full self-driving technology. Originally introduced as a crucial piece of the puzzle for the automaker's autonomous driving ambitions, Dojo was expected to significantly enhance Tesla’s machine-learning capabilities. The decision to shut down the AI training system comes at a time when Tesla is facing increased competition in the rapidly evolving autonomous vehicle sector, with several players refining their own self-driving technologies.Dojo

The global network security sector is projected to witness significant expansion, reaching $38 billion by 2029, up from $24 billion in 2024. This robust growth trajectory comes amid escalating concerns over cyber threats and the increasing adoption of cloud technologies, hybrid work environments, and AI-driven innovations.A major factor driving the growth of the network security market is the widespread transition to cloud-based infrastructures. Organisations across various sectors are embracing cloud solutions to enhance operational efficiency, scalability, and flexibility. This shift