Archive for July 2025
Google Search Now Lets AI Call Local Businesses On Your Behalf
Users in the United States can now ask Google Search to make real-world phone calls for them, gathering service and pricing information from local businesses without speaking to anyone themselves. AI Used in Local Enquiries Google has rolled out a new AI-powered calling feature within Search that allows users to collect information from businesses such…
Read MoreNew Industry Powered By EV Battery Recycling
As electric vehicle usage expands, the race is on to recycle their batteries and recover scarce materials like lithium, nickel and cobalt, thereby cutting emissions and easing dependence on mining. A New Phase In the EV Revolution With global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) topping 14 million in 2023, a 35 per cent increase on…
Read MoreAI Agents Failing (40% Cancellations Predicted)
New research has found that 70 per cent of AI agents struggle to complete standard office tasks successfully, while Gartner warns that over 40 per cent of current agentic AI projects will be scrapped by the end of 2027. What Are ‘AI Agents’ And Why Are They Struggling? AI agents are software systems that use…
Read MoreSpotify AI ‘Band’ Sparks Labelling Debate
In this Tech Insight, we look at how the sudden rise of a (possibly AI-generated) band on Spotify has reignited the debate over whether music streaming platforms should clearly label artificially created songs. An Indie Rock Hit, But Who Made It? The Velvet Sundown appeared suddenly in June 2025 and has since attracted more than…
Read MoreCopywriting Danish People Against Deepfakes
The Danish government is planning a major legal shift to let people claim copyright over their own body, facial features, and voice, in what it says is the first European attempt to systematically tackle the threat posed by deepfakes. A Legal Response to a Rapidly Growing Threat Deepfakes, which are highly realistic synthetic media generated…
Read MoreVoice Calling Comes To WhatsApp Business Accounts
WhatsApp will soon let large businesses make and receive voice calls directly through the platform, as Meta expands its commercial communications offering with AI-driven tools and centralised marketing features. Live Voice Calls Now Coming to the WhatsApp Business API Until now, only small businesses on WhatsApp could speak to customers using voice messages or voice…
Read MoreMicrosoft Exchange & Skype Servers Go Subscription-Only
Microsoft has officially launched subscription-only versions of its on-premises Exchange Server and Skype for Business Server, thereby ending the era of year-numbered releases and perpetual licences. A Long-Anticipated Transition Becomes Reality After months of preparation and close calls with support deadlines, Microsoft has made its Subscription Edition (SE) versions of Exchange Server and Skype for…
Read MoreEU Funding to Replace Microplastics in Cosmetics
Cellugy, a Danish industrial biotech company, has received €8.1 million in EU funding to scale up production of EcoFLEXY, a biodegradable cellulose-based material designed to replace microplastics in everyday cosmetics. A Hidden Threat Microplastics, (i.e. tiny plastic particles under 5mm), are now found in everything from toothpaste and moisturiser to shower gels and makeup. These…
Read MoreMPs Concern : ‘Predictive Policing’ in UK
A cross-party group of MPs is calling for the UK government to outlaw predictive policing technologies through an amendment to the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill, citing concerns over racial profiling, surveillance, and algorithmic bias. Proposed Law Aims to Outlaw Future Crime Predictions At the centre of the debate is New Clause 30 (NC30), an…
Read MoreBlock Or Charge AI Bots Accessing Your Website
A new system from Cloudflare gives millions of websites the power to block AI bots from scraping their content without permission and could soon let them charge for access via a new pay-per-crawl model. AI Crawlers A Problem for Publishers and Creators In recent years, the rapid growth of AI tools has sparked a battle…
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