The EU has told Meta that it must allow AI chatbots operated by rival firms to use WhatsApp for free. The European Commission said the firm would need to maintain that access while it concluded an antitrust investigation into the tech giant’s decision to bar access for AI providers, other than Meta AI, on the messaging platform. It said the intervention was needed to prevent “serious and irreparable harm to competition in this growing market by Meta’s conduct”, which it said appeared to infringe EU competition rules. BBC 

Prediction market company Kalshi has announced a series of measures to prevent insider trading following allegations of market manipulation on the platform and rival sites, including a requirement that some users disclose their employment details. Kalshi, which allows users to bet on future events ranging from sports fixtures to elections and wars, said on Tuesday that it had started collecting job information for markets deemed to be at heightened risk of manipulation to screen out users with non-public knowledge. Al Jazeera 

I come here to celebrate Apple delivering. It’s not overshooting the mark with the new Siri AI, which it unveiled at WWDC 2026, but it is finally delivering on the promises it made at WWDC 2024. Sure, it’s beta (again), and there’s a wait list (again), but I’ve now seen it at work, in person, in live and potentially unpredictable demos. Siri AI, as it’s now called, works across platforms, and it has the potential to change how you use your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Tech Radar 

BYD has threatened to sue the US government after the Pentagon accused the Chinese carmaker of aiding Beijing’s military. Stella Li, BYD’s executive vice-president, said the company would use every legal “weapon” at its disposal to fight the claims as she accused the Trump administration of seeking to hobble the Chinese firm because of its growing success internationally. The carmaker recently overtook American rival Tesla to become the world’s biggest manufacturer of electric vehicles and has rapidly grown sales in Britain and Europe over the past three years. Telegraph 

White House displeasure over the prospect of an under-16 social media ban will not deter the UK from cracking down on tech platforms, the British government has said. The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, told the Guardian she was not concerned “in the slightest” by the Trump administration’s intervention in the debate over restrictions, after the US embassy in London posted a notice warning against a ban. Kendall added that nine out of 10 respondents to a government poll supported an under-16 ban. The Guardian 

Reform leader Nigel Farage has called on X to act over a series of fake, AI-generated adverts which depict him fighting Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey. The ads – showing the Reform leader and Bank of England governor in a number of fake scenarios, on a set resembling BBC Question Time – have been repeatedly shown to X users in the UK in recent days. Farage told reporters on Tuesday that Reform UK contacted X on Monday “to the highest level” – adding he hoped it would take action to remove the ads “incredibly quickly.” BBC 

The Amazfit Helio Strap ($94 on Amazon) last received a major feature update in December, and now Amazfit is announcing another patch that will introduce a number of improvements. The release notes once again advertise new training modes, including basketball and swimming in the pool, as well as the ability to save favorite workouts in a list in the associated smartphone app. After the update, it is possible to connect the Amazfit Helio Strap to a compatible Amazfit smartwatch, allowing the Amazfit Helio Strap’s heart rate data to be stored offline on the smartwatch while swimming. NotebookCheck

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Chinese innovator Insta360 has officially expanded into a new product category with the release of the Luna Ultra, a portable 3-axis gimbal camera co-engineered with German optics legend Leica

Unveiled to the media at a London preview event attended by Tech Digest, the flagship device is engineered to bridge the gap between buttery-smooth cinematic filmmaking and elite-tier pocket photography.

Tech Digest is currently testing the Luna Ultra and we are very impressed so far. Weighing just over 200g, the ultra-portable device designed to fit easily in your hand, packs a technical punch, boasting a primary 1-inch 8K sensor backed by Leica Summicron optics, alongside a secondary pro-grade 1/1.3-inch telephoto lens.

Dual-Lens imaging and Leica optics

While primarily built for mobile video creators and influencers, the Luna Ultra doesn’t compromise on the photography front either. One board are impressive 37MP UltraPhoto mode and a massive 200MP Scenic Panorama capability. 

“This launch represents more than a new product announcement,” stated Marius Eschweiler, VP of Business Unit Mobile at Leica Camera AG, at the official unveiling of the Luna Ulta at Leica Camera’s HQ in Wetzlar, Germany. “It reflects the shared vision and long-term collaboration between Insta360 and Leica, combining optical heritage with a new generation of intelligent imaging technology.”

Speaking at the London preview event, Philipp Dreyer, Senior Business Development Manager EU at Insta360, emphasised that the Luna Ultra is built specifically to transition the brand into the prosumer and high-end videography space.

“I think this is the first time we dive into this cinematic footage, which is now possible to capture,” Dreyer told attendees. “In the past, you really had to use a big setup, for example, a big gimbal, and this product basically combines everything into one, and on a super portable body.”

Advanced AI and modular design

On board the camera is a ground-breaking detachable 2-inch OLED touchscreen that enables wireless remote monitoring and HD control up to 20 metres away, a feature Dreyer labelled “the best feature of this camera.” For audio, the modular screen capsule even doubles as a standalone microphone for solo creators filming B-roll.

The internal heavy lifting is driven by a Triple AI Chip layout, which runs Insta360’s Deep Track 5.0 subject tracking and a robust PureVideo low-light de-noising engine. It also becomes the first Insta360 device to support a professional 10-bit I-Log profile with 14 stops of dynamic range.

“This is the first time Insta360 has 10-bit log, right? I think a lot of creators, a lot of people have been waiting for that, and finally we have it,” Dreyer added.

The device is available immediately in Midnight Black and Moon White. In the UK, the Standard Bundle retails for £649, while the accessory-heavy Creator Bundle is priced at £829. European customers can purchase the Standard Pack for €729 or the Creator Pack for €929.

Key Features of the Insta360 Luna Ultra

• Dual-Lens Camera System: Features a primary 1″ 8K sensor with an F1.8 Leica Summicron lens and a secondary 1/1.3″ telephoto lens offering up to 12× zoom.

• Pro-Grade Video & Photos: Supports 8K 30fps recording with Dolby Vision, 10-bit I-Log workflow, 37MP UltraPhotos, and 200MP panoramas.

• Detachable 2″ OLED Screen: Industry-first modular display that detaches to act as an HD remote control and a remote microphone.

• Triple AI Architecture: Dual imaging chips handle hardware noise reduction and HDR processing, while a primary Falcon chip drives smooth device operations.

• Robust Battery and Power: 1550mAh cell provides up to four hours of runtime, with fast charging capable of reaching 80% in 23 minutes.

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This guide can help you explain your setup to a roommate, a landlord, or a neighbor: where the lens points, why audio stays limited in thin-wall buildings, how mounts come down, and which eufy option fits a narrow entry, a studio, or a balcony your lease actually permits. New to the category? Choose indoor versus outdoor coverage first, then power, then how selective you want motion alerts to be.

Lease-friendly security camera mounted unobtrusively on apartment wall with adhesive.

Table of contents:

• Apartment Security Camera Rules and Privacy Boundaries
• No-Drill Mounting Ideas to Save Your Security Deposit
• Practical Lease-Friendly Security Camera Picks
• How to Discuss Security Cameras with Your Landlord
• Safe Removal and Move-Out Documentation Tips
• Conclusion

Apartment Security Camera Rules and Privacy Boundaries

Cameras in spaces you control

Many renters aim cameras at their own living room, kitchen, or entryway while skipping sightlines into a neighbor’s windows or doors. Shared hallways, gyms, laundry rooms, and other tenants’ doors carry extra privacy risk.

Audio, roommates, and your lease

Video along your entry path is usually easier to explain than always-on audio in dense buildings. Many renters disable continuous listening and use two-way talk only during a live session they start on purpose. Shared units benefit from written agreement on common spaces. Prefer shelves, clamps, rated adhesive, or indoor magnets you control, then read the lease for alterations, exterior gear, and balcony clauses. If screws and siding changes are off limits, treat a plug-in indoor camera like furniture you lift away on move-out day. Vague wording is a signal to send a short written summary of your indoor plan before you spend money.

Quick renter checklist before you mount anything

• Aim at your own doors and interior paths, not neighboring glass or doors.
• Treat audio as higher risk than video where walls are thin.
• Match any outdoor unit to balcony and exterior rules in writing.

No-Drill Mounting Ideas to Save Your Security Deposit

Modern renters can usually lock in a stable angle without anchors. You spend less time patching, you can install on a Saturday, and clips stay useful because the camera quits sliding after the first week of real traffic.

Freestanding on a shelf or cabinet. Set the lens slightly above eye level on a stable surface along the door path. Add a non-slip mat if pets shove the furniture.

Magnetic grip on indoor metal. Fridge sides, metal shelving, or a small steel plate inside a closet you control can hold a magnetic base. Skip common-area metal other residents rely on.

Removable adhesive strips. Pick a weight rating above the camera, clean smooth paint, and press for the full time the brand lists. At move-out, move the removal tab slowly along the low angle shown on the package. Rushing is what tears paint. Test a hidden spot when paint is old or heavily textured.

Window or door clamps. A clamp-style mount on your sill or rail can watch a porch or parking spot from inside the glass. Expect IR glare on glass at night; adjust angle, outside lighting, or night mode per manual.

Minimalist infographic banner illustrating four no-drill mounting ideas for eufy security cameras in rental homes.

Practical Lease-Friendly Security Camera Picks

eufy Indoor Cam S350 when one shelf has to do the work of two cameras.

Best for renters who need to cover both the entry and the main living zone from a single plug-in, without remounting. You hold the doorway and the main living sightline from one outlet, then punch in with hybrid zoom when faces or package text matter instead of doubling hardware.

• Key features:
• Pan-and-tilt head sweeps almost the full room
• Hybrid zoom for faces and package labels
• Local microSD storage up to 128 GB, or compatible HomeBase (cloud optional)
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 for crowded building networks
• Privacy mode spins the lens away when the room should stay off camera
• Voice control: Alexa and Google Assistant (not Apple Home — Apple-first renters should pick a different line)

eufy Indoor Cam S350

eufy Indoor Cam E30 when dark entries and late packages are real stress.

Best for renters in dim hallways or studios where nighttime visibility is the top concern. You get usable color at night in a dim hallway when the spotlight works with IR, instead of muddy footage that makes “who was that?” useless the next morning.

• Key features:

Color night vision: spotlight + IR combined

Quick Focus Tap and full-room pan-and-tilt spin

On-device alerts for people, pets, and cries

Local microSD storage; cloud stays opt-in

Works with HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Assistant

1080p HomeKit live view; 2.4 GHz only (no 5 GHz)

eufy Indoor Cam E30

eufy Indoor Cam E220 when rent checks and deposit math come first.

Best for budget-conscious renters who want reliable day-to-day coverage without committing to a subscription. You still swing attention between the door path and the couch zone on one outlet instead of buying a second body you have to justify to a landlord.

• Key features:
• Pan-and-tilt covers entry and living area from one outlet
• Smarter human/pet separation trims false alert fatigue
• Two-way talk handles package drop-offs without a doorbell you don’t own
• Local microSD storage; cloud optional if priorities change
• Works with HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Assistant

eufy Indoor Cam E220

On models that support HomeKit, live view in the Home app is limited to 1080p, per eufy and Apple documentation.

How to Discuss Security Cameras with Your Landlord

Most landlords care about damage, noise complaints, and surprises, not whether you feel safer. Start with what protects the building: removable indoor mounts, no structural drilling, no view into shared hallways, and how you will remove any adhesive at move-out.

Say where the camera points: your entry path and your own interior spaces. It does not cover neighbors’ windows or doors.

In thin-wall buildings, audio matters more. Keep continuous listening off; use two-way talk only when you deliberately start a live session. Recording rules vary by state, so check yours.

After a phone call, send a dated email that restates what you installed or will install, how it mounts, what stays out of frame, and how it comes down.

For a written request, adapt a reputable sample letter to your facts. Short consumer renter guides can help you explain local recording, motion alerts, and night behavior in plain language without sounding like a pitch.

If anything changes (roommates, angle, or trying something outside), tell management in writing before you do it. That habit builds more trust than specs alone.

Safe Removal and Move-Out Documentation Tips

Document before you install. Date-stamped photos of walls and sills give you a baseline if someone mislabels a scuff months later.

Remove adhesive with patience. Follow the printed timeline. A hair dryer on low, held about six to eight inches away, can soften backing so the strip lets go without lifting paint. Pull straight down when the label says downward; skip outward yanks.

Do a final walkthrough. After takedown, scan each site. If paint lifts, use complex-approved touch-up where the lease allows, or ask the office for the matching color before inspection.

Conclusion

You do not have to pick between feeling safer and keeping a deposit. Match mounts to your walls, match cameras to outlets and any permitted outdoor zones, document like a vehicle return, and share clear facts when management likes a heads-up. Compare kits anytime through eufy indoor camera.

Disclaimer:

This section is general information, not legal advice. Rules are changed by city and state. If your situation involves roommates, audio recording, or shared building cameras, confirm details with a qualified attorney or a local tenant resource center. eufy is not responsible for any consequences arising from the use of this content.

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Shoddy and dangerous counterfeit phone chargers capable of exploding, causing fires and delivering fatal electric shocks are being widely sold to British consumers on major online platforms, a damning investigation has revealed.

A fresh inquiry by Which? discovered that seven years after first exposing the threat of “knock-off” electricals, hazardous charging plugs remain readily available on prominent digital storefronts, including Amazon, eBay, AliExpress as well as newer budget-focused platforms, such as Amazon Haul.

The consumer watchdog purchased 15 USB phone chargers from seven major online marketplaces to put them through rigorous electrical stress and safety assessments. The results revealed that nine out of the 15 chargers failed electrical safety tests, presenting an immediate risk of an electric shock to users. Furthermore, eight of those failing devices carried severe fire and explosion risks.

In a disturbing trend, researchers found that manufacturers are deliberately using deceptive tactics to mask the poor build quality of these cheap devices. For example, the inside of a Dual Port 35W charger (£9.99) from Debenhams marketplace was weighted down with modelling clay, while the packaging, markings and documentation failed to provide the legally required information.

Similarly, Which? bought an ‘Apple’ USB-C 35W Power Adaptor charger for £11.99. The box was marked with the famous Apple logo, but testing from Which? researchers revealed that it was a cheap and dangerous fake. When Which? researchers opened the charger’s case they also found modelling clay inside. Engineers believe the clay was stuffed inside the casings strictly to simulate the hefty, robust weight associated with authentic, high-quality manufacturing.

The safety hazards extended across numerous mainstream outlets. A fast-charging plug sourced via B&Q Marketplace immediately burned out during insulation stress tests, featuring oversized pins capable of permanently damaging household wall sockets.

Extremely cheap unbranded plugs bought on eBay for under £3 also failed due to insufficient internal spacing between circuit components, heavily increasing the likelihood of catastrophic shorts.

While chargers purchased from Shein and Temu passed the physical laboratory stress tests, they joined every single one of the 15 tested items in failing UK legal requirements. None of the products possessed the correct packaging information, safety instructions, or mandatory details identifying the UK importer.

The revelations have intensified pressure on the government to crack down on digital platforms. Although the Product Regulation and Metrology Act was adopted last year, secondary legislation directly holding online marketplaces legally liable for third-party safety failures has stalled.

“Badly designed electricals like these can have life-altering – even fatal – consequences,” warned Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Protection Policy at Which?

“The government must urgently use the new powers it has under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act to update product safety legislation and impose a clear legal duty on online marketplaces for ensuring the safety of products sold through their third-party sellers, with tough enforcement for those that fall short.

“By making online marketplaces legally responsible for unsafe products, the government can set a world-leading standard for product safety in the digital age.”

Results summary: 

• Nine out of the 15 phone chargers were found to be electrically unsafe.

• All nine unsafe chargers had the potential to give users an electric shock and eight posed an explosion and fire risk, too.

• Two were filled with modelling clay and one with a metal weight to make the lightweight chargers feel more substantial.

• One ‘Apple’ charger was found to be counterfeit and dangerous.

• A ‘Samsung’ charger was delivered without packaging or instructions and Which? believes it to be counterfeit.

• All 15 chargers were missing required information on the product, the packaging or in the instructions. 

• None of the 15 chargers can be sold legally in the UK.

How to Spot and Avoid Dangerous Chargers

Protecting your home from hazardous counterfeits requires vigilance when shopping online. By following a few key safety protocols, you can easily filter out high-risk electrical devices:

• Stick to Verified Brands and Retailers: When Which? tested genuine, well-known tech brands, all of them passed strict electrical safety thresholds. Buy directly from established high-street names or official brand storefronts rather than unverified third-party sellers online.

• Inspect the Pricing: If a deal looks too good to be true, it is almost certainly a counterfeit. The dangerous fake “Apple” adapter exposed in the investigation was listed for a fraction of the cost of a genuine manufacturer component.

• Check for Regulatory Markings: Look for a clearly stamped CE or UKCA mark on the chassis of the plug. These symbols demonstrate that the hardware legally complies with British and European safety legislation.

• Locate the UK Importer: Legally, electronics manufactured outside the UK must display the postal address and contact details of the official UK importer on the packaging or the product. A total absence of importer data is a major red flag for a shady, non-compliant device.

Right of replies: 

• An AliExpress spokesperson said: AliExpress takes product safety very seriously, and we have strict rules and policies in place to ensure a safe online shopping environment. We have removed both identified products: one was taken down via proactive monitoring early this May, the other was removed immediately upon your report; and same takedown actions were already made for any that are identical to these products as well. We will inform affected UK consumers of the risks and support refund requests. We have put mechanisms in place to maintain proactive monitoring and prevent similar non-compliant items from being listed. We remain dedicated to working with regulators to ensure marketplace safety.

• An Amazon spokesperson said: Customer safety is a top priority at Amazon and we have partnered with Electrical Safety First to provide customers with easy-to-understand expert tips on charging devices safely. We require all products offered in our store to comply with applicable laws, regulations, Amazon policies, and we monitor for product safety concerns. We’ve removed the highlighted items. We proactively monitor our store for safety alerts and product recalls and remove relevant products and email customers who purchased them. If we discover a product was undetected by our automated checks, we address the issue immediately and refine our controls. If customers have concerns about an item they’ve purchased, we encourage them to contact our Customer Service directly so we can investigate and help resolve their issue.

• A B&Q spokesperson said: We take the safety of products sold by sellers at B&Q Marketplace very seriously and proactively check to ensure no products subject to an OPSS recall are offered for sale.

• A Debenhams spokesperson said: We take product safety and compliance extremely seriously. The product in question was listed by a third-party seller through our marketplace. As soon as we were made aware of the potential safety issue, we immediately removed this product from our website. We are contacting the small number of customers who purchased this product to inform them of the issue and to issue full refunds. While the product was sold by an independent third-party seller, we expect all marketplace partners to adhere to our listing policies and relevant safety standards, and we are working with them to understand how this occurred.

• An eBay spokesperson said: We can confirm that all of the items listed in this investigation had already been removed by eBay’s standard safety measures prior to Which? sharing them with us. We are also reviewing the accounts of the reported sellers for other similar items, before taking the appropriate action. Consumer safety is a top priority for eBay, and we take this issue very seriously. We work diligently to prevent and remove unsafe listings through seller compliance audits, block filter algorithms, AI-supported monitoring by in-house specialists, and close partnerships with regulators. These measures helped to prevent 21 million potentially unsafe listings from appearing on eBay in 2025.

• A Shein spokesperson said: Shein takes product safety very seriously and is committed to offering safe and reliable products to customers. As soon as we were informed of the findings we immediately initiated our standard safety protocol and delisted this product while we investigated. While we note that while the device itself was found to be compliant with applicable safety standards, we require all sellers to ensure that products include the correct labelling, documentation and regulatory information required in the markets where they are sold. In this case, we are requiring the seller to review similar products and associated listings to ensure ongoing compliance across our platform. We are also continuing to screen for similar listings as part of our broader compliance processes.

• A Temu spokesperson said: The seller provided a certified CE-LVD report and a UK Plug Test Report as part of our pre-listing compliance check, which is consistent with the product passing Which?’s safety tests. On receipt of Which?’s notice, we removed the listing pending a review of packaging, product markings and documentation against UK requirements. The listing will not be reinstated until it is fully compliant. As a precaution, we are also removing identical and substantially similar listings pending the same review.

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Meta has abruptly scrubbed hidden code from its smart glasses following a media investigation which revealed it planned to add facial recognition to its wearable devices. 

An investigation published by Wired disclosed that Meta had quietly embedded an unreleased, dormant facial recognition system internally code-named “NameTag” into its Meta AI companion app.

The software, which supports the company’s popular Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses, has already been downloaded onto more than 50 million smartphones worldwide.

According to code audits, the NameTag infrastructure was remarkably robust despite being inactive. The software contained three live AI models designed to detect passersby, crop their faces, and convert them into unique biometric signatures known as “faceprints.”

These faceprints would then be cross-referenced against a localised database to instantly push a “Person recognized” notification directly to the wearer’s lenses. Within 24 hours of the report’s publication, Meta quietly pushed an emergency software update that deleted virtually all code libraries, pending storage folders, and interface links tied to NameTag.

While the swift deletion suggests Meta recognised the extreme regulatory and public relations tightrope it was walking, the exposure triggered an aggressive, highly public backlash from the company’s upper management.

Meta leadership was deeply frustrated by the reporting, primarily because the facial recognition feature was entirely dormant and had never actually gone live for a single consumer.

Taking to social media, Meta’s Vice President of Communications, Andy Stone, launched a furious defence, blasting the investigation as “intellectually dishonest” and “pure advocacy-driven click bait.”

Stone criticised the publication for waiting until the fourth paragraph to clarify that the feature was entirely disabled, and taking until the 16th paragraph to note that the code was merely exploratory. He reiterated that Meta has no active plans to launch the scanner and is absolutely “not building a central face database.”

Meta’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrew “Boz” Bosworth, also lashed out publicly, calling the reporting “incredibly misleading” and “absolutely dishonest.” However, he stopped short of disputing any of the specific technical code findings.

The corporate anger underscores the immense sensitivity surrounding biometric data at Meta. The company previously built one of the world’s largest facial recognition systems on Facebook before being forced to dismantle it in 2021 due to severe privacy scrutiny.

Tech industry analysts noted that while the feature was inactive, discovering operational face-scanning machinery pre-loaded onto millions of consumer phones validates long-held anxieties among digital rights groups regarding the covert surveillance potential of everyday wearable technology.

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The world’s first commercial underwater data centre powered by offshore wind has begun operations off the coast of Shanghai.

Submerged 10 metres beneath the ocean surface and located roughly six miles offshore, the Shanghai Lingang undersea datacentre demonstration project boasts a 24-megawatt capacity.

The £177 million (1.6 billion yuan) project is a joint venture between HiCloud Technology and the state-owned China Communications Construction company, built specifically to handle intensive AI workloads, 5G infrastructure and big data processing.

The facility addresses the two greatest environmental liabilities of modern computing: immense electricity consumption and massive freshwater depletion.

In a traditional, land-based facility, massive graphics processing units (GPUs) generate intense heat, requiring heavy industrial chillers and HVAC systems to continuously pump chilled water through the server racks.

This auxiliary cooling footprint typically devours between 25% and 40% of a facility’s total electricity. Furthermore, the global water footprint required to cool these inland stations is projected to reach 9.3 trillion litres by 2030.

The subsea datacentre potentially rewrites this engineering equation by utilising the surrounding ocean as a giant, passive heat sink. The system operates through an array of sealed, pressure-resistant steel hulls that contain four levels of server racks.

Instead of consuming precious freshwater, heat generated by the processors is transferred directly to the ocean via a highly efficient, circulating copper-pipe heat exchange system.

Because the chilly seawater naturally absorbs and dissipates the thermal output, the facility slashes cooling energy demands by roughly 90%. This passive mechanism reduces the datacentre’s overall electricity consumption by 22.8% compared to land-based equivalents, achieving an exceptional Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) rating below 1.15.

To eliminate carbon emissions from its remaining power needs, the facility hooks directly into a nearby offshore wind farm via subsea cables. The ocean turbines generate an estimated 95% of the electricity required to keep the servers online.

While tech giants like Microsoft previously piloted underwater pods, their efforts stalled due to high maintenance costs and the extreme difficulty of servicing submerged equipment. Because technicians cannot simply swap out a dead memory module on the seabed, the Shanghai modules are filled with a dry nitrogen atmosphere to prevent condensation and corrosion, relying on heavy infrastructure redundancy to run entirely autonomously for years.

While marine biologists note that the design poses minor localised risks to marine ecosystems via sediment disruption and water heating, they emphasise that the localised thermal variations are narrow, making the ocean floor a highly viable destination for the physical backbone of artificial intelligence.

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OpenAI, the company behind popular chatbot ChatGPT,

The government is piloting the use of artificial intelligence in the crown court, with a raft of new technology projects aiming to deliver improvements across the justice system and tackle the court backlog. These include AI legal assistants to support legal professionals and staff, and streamlined case management processes to get cases moving quicker. The new AI legal assistants will be developed in partnership with UK legal experts and leading AI developers to support legal professionals with routine casework, including research and case analysis, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said. Sky News 

The world’s first wind-powered underwater datacentre has started operations off the coast of Shanghai, as China presses forwards with solutions for energy challenges created by the country’s artificial intelligence boom. The Shanghai Lingang undersea datacentre demonstration project, which launched in May, has a capacity of 24 megawatts. It is a joint effort between HiCloud Technology and China Communications Construction, a state-owned company. Located more than 6 miles (10km) off the coast of Shanghai, the datacentre is submerged 10 metres below the surface of the water and is powered by a nearby offshore windfarm. The Guardian

The Bank of England is pushing Elon Musk’s X to crack down on deepfake adverts showing Andrew Bailey fighting Nigel Farage. A raft of AI-generated adverts have sprung up on the social media platform in recent days falsely showing the Bank of England governor in conflict with the Reform UK leader on the set of BBC’s Question Time. Mr Bailey said the AI deepfakes were linked to scams “designed to criminally exploit the public” and were an “online scourge”. Staff at Threadneedle Street have been reporting the adverts to X for removal, and Mr Bailey urged other users to do the same. Telegraph

A hidden camera has been discovered in a ceiling panel in a government building. The electronic device was found in the Westminster complex where the Home Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) are based…The Marsham Street complex is the base for the Home Office, responsible for policing and national security, and MHCLG, which took decisions relating to the planning permission for the massive new Chinese embassy in London. Independent 

Well, the rumors were true once again. Today at its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple unveiled what it’s calling the “next generation of Apple Intelligence”, complete with the very long-awaited revamped Siri, which is called Siri AI.

Siri AI is based on Google’s Gemini models, is much more conversational, features on-device processing, and also uses Apple’s Private Cloud Compute when it needs to use servers, which ensures that your personal data isn’t stored nor made accessible to Apple or anyone else. GSM Arena 

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Apple unveiled an overhaul of its operating systems at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), including the highly anticipated transformation of its digital assistant into “Siri AI.”

The event also marked an emotional milestone for the tech giant, serving as Tim Cook’s final WWDC keynote before he steps down as CEO in September after 15 years at the helm.

The centrepiece of the presentation was the introduction of Siri AI, a ground-up rebuild designed to answer persistent criticism that Apple had fallen behind its competitors, including OpenAI and Anthropic.

Operating across Apple’s ecosystem and within a new, dedicated conversational app interface, Siri AI marks a shift from a rigid voice command tool to a contextual, conversational assistant.

According to Apple, the upgraded assistant can securely analyse a user’s past interactions, synthesize broad-world knowledge, and demonstrate an understanding of images and on-screen context. Under the hood, the system is powered by Apple Foundation Models developed in partnership with Google, leveraging the search giant’s Gemini models and cloud infrastructure.

Craig Federighi, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, took an unusual public swipe at competitors during the presentation, critiquing “AI for the sake of AI without considering the people it’s supposed to be able to serve.” Federighi claimed that Siri AI was built with privacy “at every step.”

A beta version of Siri AI will launch later this year for devices set to English. However, EU users will be left out due to a regulatory impasse with European officials over virtual assistant compatibility.

Beyond AI, Apple detailed critical trust and safety features coming to its next operating system, iOS 27. Addressing heavy pressure from child safety advocates, including demonstrators who protested outside Apple Park on Monday morning, the company is expanding its parental control frameworks.

A new “ask” feature will require parental approval before children can text or call unknown individuals. Additionally, Apple will deploy automatic system-level censorship to flag and block violent or sexually explicit images sent to a child’s device.

The security updates coincide with growing political pressure, including a speech on Monday by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer demanding tech platforms block under-18s from accessing explicit content.

The keynote concluded with a poignant farewell from Cook, who will transition to Executive Chairman on September 1, handing the CEO reins to hardware engineering chief John Ternus. Addressed by a standing ovation from thousands of developers, an emotional Cook called leading the company “the honour of a lifetime.”

“Your imagination and ingenuity have inspired me for the last 15 years,” Cook told the crowd, closing a historic chapter for Apple as it pivots toward an AI-centric future.

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Uber has officially entered the race to bring autonomous ride-hailing to the UK, launching a passenger waiting list for an upcoming robotaxi service in London.

The move sets up a driverless showdown between the ride-hailing giant and Google-parent Alphabet’s rival Waymo service.

Starting today, London users can open the Uber app to join an “Interest List,” giving them priority access to be matched with a self-driving vehicle when the service debuts.

Uber has confirmed that the commercial deployment will begin “in the coming months,” subject to final regulatory clearance from the UK Department for Transport, which officially opened applications for its autonomous vehicle pilot program in May.

To deploy the service, Uber is partnering with Wayve, a prominent British artificial intelligence startup backed by tech heavyweights Nvidia and Microsoft. Unlike traditional autonomous systems that rely on restrictive 3D geofencing and pre-mapped zones, Wayve utilizes a “mapless” end-to-end embodied AI system.

This software allows the vehicles to navigate unfamiliar areas dynamically, making them uniquely suited for London’s chaotic, medieval road layouts, unpredictable weather, and constant stream of pedestrians. To experience the service first, UK users can update their Uber app and navigate to Account > Settings > Ride Preferences > Autonomous vehicles to join the waiting list.

The London rollout will feature a fleet of all-electric, black Ford Mustang Mach-E SUVs (pictured above). When the service goes live, passengers matched with an autonomous vehicle will not face any additional costs compared to a standard Uber ride.

Initially, the vehicles will operate with a human safety driver behind the wheel to monitor the system and intervene if necessary, with fully driverless, Level 4 operations expected to follow as the technology secures mature regulatory approvals.

The London pilot is a crucial milestone for Wayve, representing the company’s first-ever public ride-hailing deployment. It also carries significant financial stakes. Uber has committed a contingent $300 million investment into the startup, which is tied directly to a successful deployment in the capital.

If the pilot navigates the UK’s fresh regulatory framework successfully, the partners plan to use the London blueprint to scale commercial robotaxi services to more than 10 global cities.

Meanwhile, Alphabet’s Waymo has already been testing a fleet of 100 Jaguar I-Pace vehicles across a 100-square-mile zone in London since April, aiming for its own commercial launch by the end of 2026.

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EV dealership group CG Auto Global has joined forces with Humax EV Charging to introduce a home charging package for BYD customers across the UK.

The strategic partnership allows both private consumers and commercial fleet buyers to order a premium home charging system at the exact moment they purchase their vehicle.

By removing the traditional obstacles of separate hardware procurement and independent contractor sourcing, the collaboration aims to provide drivers with seamless home charging capabilities from their very first day of ownership.

Available immediately across CG Motors dealerships throughout the south of England, the package features the award-winning Humax MX7 smart home charger.

Crucially, the initiative eliminates significant up-front hardware and installation costs by allowing customers to bundle the entire system directly into their vehicle’s Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) finance scheme, spreading the total cost across manageable monthly automotive payments.

Retailing from £999 including installation, the OZEV-compliant Humax MX7 brings high-end smart features to BYD owners. The hardware includes advanced energy theft protection via smart vehicle recognition, solar energy compatibility and a dedicated smartphone app that enables automated off-peak charging schedules to lower home electricity bills.

The future-proofed system is also built with ISO 15118-ready capabilities, preparing the hardware for Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) power sharing as the technology matures.

The joint venture arrives as BYD continues its trajectory as one of the fastest-growing automotive brands in the UK market.

According to leadership at both firms, the collaboration successfully removes unnecessary administrative complexity and heavy advance costs for buyers, lowering the barrier to entry for clean transport while reducing driver reliance on expensive, public rapid-charging infrastructure.

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