Journalism begins where hype ends

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We can only see a short distance ahead, but we can see plenty there that needs to be done.” "

—Alan Turing

EU AI Act Rules Take Effect From Aug 2; Violations Can Attract Hefty Penalties

EU AI Act Rules Take Effect From Aug. 2; Violations Can Attract Hefty Penalties

The AI Act introduces a four-tier risk framework for AI systems, establishes governance and enforcement mechanisms, provides for penalties, and seeks to facilitate a single market for AI applications.

AI is Helping Detect Methane Emissions; Satellite Data Could Unlock $700 Billion: Reports

An industrial oil and gas facility. AI-powered satellite monitoring is helping detect methane emissions from energy infrastructure, enabling faster mitigation efforts and supporting climate action, according to a UNEP report highlighted by the World Economic Forum.

The World Economic Forum highlights how AI and satellite data are driving real methane cuts, while pointing to a much larger $700 billion economic opportunity across the broader Earth Observation industry

Google Rolls Back Earth AI Tool After Fake Image Backlash

Google said generated images did not appear in the main Google Earth experience and carried SynthID watermarks identifying them as AI-created. Credit: Google

Disinformation researchers warned that the tool could be exploited to create realistic geospatial fakes on Google Earth, a platform relied upon worldwide for fact-checking and geolocation verification. The feature lasted less than a day.

OpenAI’s Model Astra Solves Ten Longstanding Mathematical Problems

OpenAI said the tokens needed to find the ten solutions would cost roughly $2,000 at its Sol API rates.

An internal version of OpenAI’s next major model produced solutions spanning high-dimensional geometry, coding theory, group theory, operator algebras, quantum complexity and lattice cryptography. None of the ten results has been independently verified.

Gemini Robotics 2 can Control Full Humanoids, from Feet to Fingertips: Google DeepMind

Google DeepMind showcases Gemini Robotics 2 controlling humanoid and robotic systems across a range of tasks, including object manipulation, multi-robot collaboration and human-computer interaction.

The launch comes two days after the US FCC announced restrictions on new foreign-made humanoid robots, citing “unacceptable risks” to US national security. Google DeepMind said Gemini Robotics 2 includes new safety features for real-world operation and human collaboration.

China Accuses Japanese Right-Wing Groups of Using AI to Distort War History

Beijing has accused right-wing forces in Japan of using artificial intelligence to distort the history of Japan's wartime aggression against China. Representative image.

China’s Foreign Ministry has accused right-wing groups in Japan of using artificial intelligence to distort the record of Japan’s wartime aggression, calling it a threat to the postwar international order.

India’s SC Calls for Standalone Offence for Digital Arrests, AI-Generated Deepfakes; Centre Working on Bill

Handcuffs placed on a laptop keyboard illustrate cybercrime enforcement and legal action amid growing concerns over digital arrest scams, AI-generated deepfakes and other cyber-enabled crimes.

The Supreme Court urged the Centre to define digital arrest as a standalone offence as the government said it is preparing a Bill covering digital arrest scams, AI-generated deepfakes and related cyber-enabled crimes.

Sarvam AI Announces Trillion-Parameter Model, Claims 105B is 5.5× Cheaper Than GPT-5.4 Mini

Sarvam AI announced its building a 1 trillion parameter foundational AI model from scratch.

Sarvam AI announces it is building a trillion-plus parameter foundational model in India at Epoch 2026, while claiming its flagship 105B is 5.5× cheaper than GPT-5.4 Mini.

US FCC Bans Foreign Robots; Move Aimed Against China Dominance

The FCC's ban on new foreign-made mobile robots does not name China, but the world's leading humanoid and quadruped makers are overwhelmingly Chinese. (Representational image)

The US Federal Communications Commission has barred new models of foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots, along with connected power inverters, from receiving equipment authorisation, in a move that squarely targets China’s dominant robotics industry.

Bombay High Court Defers Hearing in Nitin Gadkari’s AI Deepfake Suit Against X, Meta, Google

The Bombay High Court has deferred the hearing in Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's suit seeking the removal of alleged AI-generated and deepfake content and ₹11 crore in damages until August 5.

A lawsuit over fabricated content highlights mounting concerns over AI-powered deepfakes and manipulated digital content, as synthetic media increasingly fuels misinformation, identity misuse and reputational harm affecting organizations, institutions and public figures.