U.K. proposes letting websites refuse being included in Google's AI search Website publishers argue that Google's artificial intelligence-generated summaries discourage clicks to their original pages, reducing traffic to their sites and, in turn, cutting their advertising revenue. LONDON - Britain's competition watchdog proposed Wednesday that websites be allowed to opt out of having their content be used by Google's AI Overviews feature as it tackles the technology giant's dominance in online search. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in October paved the way for tougher regulation on the matter, under new targeted measures focused on technology giants. Last year, it designated Google with strategic market status (SMS), subjecting it to special requirements, following a nine-month investigation. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.

Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg plans to ramp up spending on artificial intelligence (AI) projects this year, even as other executives warn of a potential bubble in the industry. During a call with financial analysts on Wednesday to discuss the Facebook-owner's 2025 financial results, the company said it expects to spend up to $135bn (£97bn) this year, mostly on infrastructure related to AI. That is nearly twice the $72bn Meta spent last year on AI projects and infrastructure. In the last three years, the technology giant has spent roughly $140bn in an attempt to get ahead of the AI boom. Zuckerberg said on Wednesday that he is expecting 2026 to be the year that AI dramatically changes the way we work.

Google's dominance of the search engine and online advertising market has come under intense scrutiny, with the technology giant embroiled in years of legal wrangling as part of two antitrust cases. A US federal judge is expected to issue a ruling this month that could see Google being ordered to break up its search business. The company has said it would appeal such a ruling, saying the idea of spinning off Chrome was an "unprecedented proposal" that would harm consumers and security. A spokesman for Perplexity told the BBC that its bid marks an "important commitment to the open web, user choice, and continuity for everyone who has chosen Chrome." As part of the proposed takeover, Perplexity said it would continue to have Google as the default search engine within Chrome, though users could adjust their settings.

As the Artificial Intelligence race heats up, Google is feeling the pressure, and the company is now reportedly working on a new AI-powered search engine. According to the latest reports, the Mountain View-based technology giant is in the process of creating a new AI-powered search engine as well as updating technology in the existing search platform. Internal documents indicate that the company has a project named Magi which is aimed at updating the existing search engine with the new technology and about 160 employees are currently working on it. The new features are being created by designers, engineers, and executives working in sprint rooms to tweak and test the new versions. After the changes, the search engine would offer a more personalized experience than the company's current service.

China's biggest-listed companies Tencent and Alibaba are expected to report a fall in profits and slowing revenue growth in the July-September quarter, hurt by the year-long regulatory crackdown that has upended its technology industry. Beijing has reasserted control over its once-freewheeling internet sector, punishing well-known names for engaging in what were previously considered regular market practices and drafting new rules to change how they compete and engage users. "We believe the financial impact of regulatory headwinds in China will be reflected in (third quarter) earnings and (fourth quarter) guidance," KGI Asia analysts said in a note last month. Tencent Holdings Ltd – the country's largest firm by market value and its first Big Tech name to report earnings on Wednesday – is expected to post a 12 percent fall in quarterly profit, its first drop in two years, according to Refinitiv data. The gaming giant's revenue is expected to rise 16.4 percent, the slowest pace since the first quarter of 2019, after the government imposed new limits on the amount of time minors can spend playing video games.

The whistleblower who exposed in 2019 that Apple contractors listened to users' Siri recordings without their knowledge or consent has gone public to protest the lack of action taken against the technology giant. In a letter, sent to all European data protection regulators, Thomas le Bonniec said that Apple had conducted a "massive violation of the privacy of millions of citizens." He wrote that although news of the case had already gone public, the technology giant "has not been subject to any kind of investigation to the best of my knowledge." Mr Le Bonniec, who was hired by one of Apple's subcontractors in Ireland called Globe Technical Services, had to listen to recordings from users and correct transcription errors. Listening to hundreds of recortings from Apple's iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches, many of them were taken "outside of any activation of Siri" – meaning that users were not aware of the action.

The U.S. will step up its crackdown on China's surveillance industry this coming week, with further restrictions on the supply of American technology that will be in effect from January 6. The new regulations target the use of artificial intelligence in geospatial applications--essentially the detection and classification of objects from planes, drones and satellites. While many such applications are civilian in nature--geographical surveys, construction, town planning, the real focus is military and surveillance. Essentially, the U.S. does not want these technologies in enemy hands. The restrictions cover U.S. exports to all countries bar Canada, but the primary target is of course China and its world-leading AI surveillance industry.

FUKUOKA: International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde warned on Saturday that the increasing presence of technology giants using big data and artificial intelligence could cause a significant disruption to the world's financial system. The rapid development of financial technology (fintech) has increased access to cheap payment and settlement systems for low-income households in emerging countries where traditional banking networks are scarce. But it has raised concern about the increasing dominance of big technology firms in mobile payments, which could force global policymakers to rethink the way they regulate the banking system and ensure financial settlements are executed safely. "A significant disruption to the financial landscape is likely to come from the big tech firms, who will use their enormous customer bases and deep pockets to offer financial products based on big data and artificial intelligence," Lagarde told a symposium on financial technology held on the sidelines of the G20 finance leaders' meeting in Fukuoka, southern Japan. While such innovation may help modernize financial markets, they could make the financial system vulnerable such by putting payment and settlement systems under the control of a handful of technology giants, she added.

To my readers it will appear as though I am writing some article on old Greek mythology, but you will soon realize that the world remains the same the more it changes. Recently Ali Rahimi, a researcher in artificial intelligence at Google, compared machine learning with alchemy. Later a few technology journalists, more than ever before, started writing about the relationship between technology and alchemy. Alchemy is about using the "trial and error" method and coming out with a formula (mostly secret or something that cannot be deconstructed). Similarly, in machine learning a model is designed out of data, this model constantly learns and produces an output but nobody know how decisions are made.

Sony's chief executive says the company is not planning to allow Fortnite players on PlayStation to compete cross-platform because it feels their console offers the best experience for gamers. The technology giant caused controversy earlier this year when the battle royale game launched on the Nintendo Switch, but existing PlayStation players discovered they could not move or change platforms on the same account – despite Xbox and PC players being able to do so. In spite of vocal protests from gamers in response, Sony has not yet changed its policy. New chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida said the company believes the best experience is on PlayStation 4. The technology giant caused controversy earlier this year when the battle royale game launched on the Nintendo Switch, but existing PlayStation players discovered they could not move change platforms on the same account – despite Xbox and PC players being able to do so. Speaking at the IFA technology show in Berlin, Sony chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida said he felt playing on the PlayStation 4 was the best experience for gamers and therefore should not be compromised.