Breaking AI & Tech News Analyzed

Social media users in the UK are posting, sharing, and commenting less on tech platforms, driven by the rise of video-oriented apps and fears that online posts could harm their reputation. According to Ofcom, 49% of adult social media users now post, share, or comment, down from 61% in 2024.The proportion of users exploring new websites has also decreased, from 70% to 56%. Joseph Oxlade, senior research manager at Ofcom, cited the popularity of video apps like TikTok and Instagram Reels as a reason for the decline in active use.Concerns about the long-term impact of online posts on personal and professional lives are also a factor. 49% of adults are now concerned about posts causing them problems in the future, up from 43% in 2024. This fear is not unfounded, as historic internet posts have been known to cause embarrassment for public figures.Despite this, social media use remains widespread, with 89% of adult internet users using at least one social media platform. The Ofcom data was based on a survey of 7,500 people across the UK last year over the age of 16.The data also showed that use of AI tools like ChatGPT has increased, with 54% of UK adults using them, up from 31% in 2024. Some users are interacting with AI as if it were a person, using it for tasks like seeking relationship advice or generating creative content.

When billionaire hedge‑fund manager Chris Rokos announced a £190 million contribution to the University of Cambridge, the move instantly became the largest single donation to any UK university in modern history. The funds will establish a new “school of government” aimed at bridging policy, science and emerging technologies. Rokos, a 55‑year‑old Oxford graduate, has amassed an estimated £2.6 billion fortune, primarily through his firm Rokos Capital Management (RCM), which he founded in 2015 after a high‑profile stint at Brevan Howard. RCM now oversees **over £22 billion** in assets, employs roughly 350 staff, and operates from offices in London, New York, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. In the most recent fiscal year ending March, Rokos paid himself nearly £500 million, according to Companies House filings, reflecting the firm’s strong performance amid volatile markets. Beyond finance, Rokos has kept a remarkably low public profile. He famously declined to provide a photograph when launching a £500 million fund in 2007, and he has avoided media attention despite owning one of England’s most expensive private residences. The £175 million refurbishment of the Grade I‑listed Tottenham House in Wiltshire – featuring a tennis pavilion, private cinema, basement squash court and a proposed “subterranean family link” to a pool house – has drawn local council scrutiny but stands as a tangible testament to his wealth. Rokos’s career trajectory began in banking at UBS and Goldman Sachs, moving to Credit Suisse where he was recruited by Alan Howard. He later joined the founding team of Brevan Howard in 2002, generating roughly $4 billion (≈£3 billion) in investor profits and about £600 million for himself before departing in 2012. His philanthropic philosophy emphasizes diversity of thought. In a video released by Cambridge, Rokos warned that a school populated only by “centrist, socially liberal” voices would be a failure, insisting on a broad spectrum of intellectual viewpoints. Earlier this year, RCM’s exploratory talks to bring former UK business secretary Peter Mandelson onto its advisory board collapsed after revelations about Mandelson’s connections to the late Jeffrey Epstein. Rokos also ranks among the UK’s biggest taxpayers and maintains a family office in Mayfair. A lingering legal dispute over a five‑year non‑compete clause with a former employer was settled out of court, clearing the way for his current venture. Overall, the record‑breaking Cambridge donation not only reshapes the university’s academic landscape but also underscores how hedge‑fund wealth is increasingly channeled into high‑impact philanthropy, blurring the lines between finance, education and public policy.

Russia's Ministry of Defence has declared that its forces have gained complete control over the Luhansk region in eastern Ukraine. This development comes as Moscow continues its efforts to expand its territorial control in the region. The ministry stated that units of the 'West' military grouping have completed the 'liberation' of the Luhansk People's Republic, a term used by Moscow to refer to the Ukrainian region. However, there was no immediate confirmation of this claim from Ukrainian authorities. Luhansk, along with Donetsk, forms the broader Donbas area. More than 99 percent of Luhansk has been under Russian control since the beginning of the 2022 invasion. The region was one of four Ukrainian territories annexed by Russia in 2022. Additionally, Russia controls approximately three-quarters of Donetsk. The Kremlin reiterated its demand for Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the entirety of Donetsk, which Kyiv has consistently rejected. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to withdraw his forces from the Donbas area, suggesting that this would bring an end to what Russia refers to as the 'hot phase' of the war. In related developments, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia used 339 drones in overnight attacks on Ukraine. These attacks resulted in the deaths of two women in a civilian car in the Kherson region. Zelenskyy also mentioned that he would be holding a video call with US envoys to discuss stalled negotiations with Russia. Meanwhile, Ukrainian drones have been reported to have crossed into the airspace of several countries, including Estonia, Finland, and Latvia. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha clarified that Ukraine never aimed drones at these countries.

The rising cost of gaming consoles and components, such as the recent £90 price hike of the PlayStation 5, can be attributed to the growing demand for computing power driven by artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. This surge in demand has led to increased prices for RAM and storage, affecting not only console manufacturers like Sony but also PC gamers.AI data centers require massive amounts of computing power to present information, which has driven up the demand and pricing for critical components. The 30% rise in the cost of living over the past half-decade, coupled with Nvidia's market cap hitting £5 trillion, highlights the significant economic impact of AI investment.The situation is further complicated by global economic disruptions, including the wars in Ukraine and Iran, which have contributed to rampant inflation. The video game industry, including major players like Valve, Nintendo, and Sony, is feeling the strain. Valve has run out of Steam Decks, and Nintendo has raised the price of physical games by $10 in the US.Critics argue that the focus on AI is misguided and that it doesn't need to be this way. As Chris Person notes, "I'm tired of these useless jackasses making the computer expensive." The emphasis on AI over consumer needs has led to frustration among gamers, who feel that technology is being forced into everything, making desirable products prohibitively expensive.The article concludes that the issue isn't just about Sony's greed but an indication of a closed economic system in big tech, which prioritizes profits over consumer needs. This shift has resulted in consumers paying more for products like the PlayStation 5 so that a select few can benefit financially from AI advancements.

CCTV footage has emerged that appears to show the moment a US journalist was kidnapped in Baghdad. The video, which has been widely reported, provides a glimpse into the circumstances surrounding the journalist's disappearance.The footage is believed to be from a security camera and shows the journalist being taken away by unidentified individuals. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of journalists in conflict zones.The US journalist's kidnapping has sparked an investigation, with authorities working to determine the circumstances surrounding the event and to ensure the journalist's safe return.

Police in Wuhan reported a sudden "system malfunction" that immobilised several autonomous robotaxis operated by Baidu’s Apollo Go service, leaving passengers stuck on an elevated highway for up to an hour and a half.Local authorities said they received a flood of calls on Tuesday night from riders whose vehicles froze in the middle of the road. A police statement confirmed that “multiple Apollo Go cars stopped in the middle of the road, unable to move,” and preliminary investigations point to a technical failure.Baidu maintains a fleet of more than 500 driverless cars in Wuhan, though the exact number affected was not disclosed. One commuter shared a 90‑minute ordeal on the Chinese platform RedNote, describing how the vehicle stalled at 9 p.m. on an overpass, surrounded by dump trucks, while customer‑service lines remained unanswered.The rider eventually was rescued after the order was cancelled at 10:30 p.m., but criticized Apollo Go’s support team for offering “useless platitudes” instead of concrete solutions. Social‑media users also posted videos captioned “Apollo Go, are you paralysed?” showing futile attempts to contact the company via the in‑car tablet.This is not Baidu’s first controversy. In December, authorities in Zhuzhou halted robotaxi operations after a Baidu‑manufactured autonomous vehicle struck two pedestrians, sending them to intensive care.Despite these setbacks, Baidu’s autonomous‑mobility arm continues to grow. Company filings reveal that Apollo Go delivered 3.4 million driverless rides in the fourth quarter of 2025, a jump of over 200 % compared with the same period in 2024. The firm is also pursuing international expansion, having announced partnership deals with rideshare giants Lyft and Uber to deploy its vehicles on their platforms.When approached for comment, Baidu did not respond, according to Reuters.Additional reporting by Yu‑chen Li

The Victoria & Albert Museum in London has once again opened its doors to the world of video games, hosting an event that showcased independent games and immersive experiences. This was part of its long-running Friday Late series, a collaboration with the London Games Festival that explored the link between play and performance.Visitors to the museum were treated to a variety of experiences, including the opportunity to play the Bafta-winning comedy game Thank Goodness You’re Here! on a giant screen beneath a 13th-century spiral staircase. Others could engage with Sex With Friends, a physics-based puzzle game that had spectators in stitches.The event also featured live-coding electronic music and a range of interactive installations. One highlight was Robot Karaoke, a performance project by comedian and writer Jamie Brew that used an algorithm to generate new lyrics to classic pop songs.Curators emphasized the importance of showcasing video games in a museum context, highlighting their cultural significance and encouraging visitors to engage with them in new and innovative ways. The event was part of a broader effort to bring games and play back into the museum, following a successful exhibition in 2018.The London Games Festival will bring similar experiences to venues throughout the city in April, and there are similar events taking place around the world, including the Overkill festival in the Netherlands and A MAZE in Berlin.

Highland cows, a hardy breed known for their shaggy coats and upturned horns, have been a part of Hothfield Heathlands nature reserve in Kent. They were introduced to restore and maintain the reserve through wild grazing. However, their presence led to an unexpected consequence. The cows became an unlikely sensation on social media, particularly on TikTok, with videos of them going viral. This sudden fame attracted a large number of visitors to the reserve, who were eager to take selfies with the cows and even stroke them. Despite warnings from Kent Wildlife Trust to keep at least 10 meters away, the situation became unmanageable. The trust eventually made the decision to remove the cows from the reserve, at least temporarily, to protect them from the stress and potential harm caused by the influx of visitors. The cows, which have survived the harsh climate of the Scottish Highlands for over 1,000 years, were becoming distressed and could have reacted out of fear if the situation continued. This incident is not an isolated case. The popularity of Highland cows has caused trouble before, such as in January when three people had to be rescued after getting lost while searching for viral Highland cattle on Butser Hill in Hampshire. The hashtag #highlandcow has reportedly reached millions of people on social media, highlighting the significant public interest in these animals. The removal of the Highland cows from Hothfield Heathlands serves as a reminder of the impact of social media on wildlife and the importance of respecting the personal space of animals, even those as adorable and charismatic as Highland cows.

During an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher pressed members to outline concrete measures for safeguarding Lebanese civilians as Israel intensifies its ground offensive and aerial bombardment.Fletcher highlighted the stark parallel between Israel’s stated objectives in Lebanon and the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, asking the council how it intends to prevent a repeat of the humanitarian catastrophe witnessed there.Since the escalation on 2 March, more than 1.1 million people have been forced from their homes across Lebanon, a displacement surge linked to Israel’s retaliatory strikes after Hezbollah fired missiles into northern Israel.In a video address, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that, once the current operation concludes, the Israeli army will establish a security zone extending to the Litani River and maintain control over the area, effectively creating a new occupied territory.Israeli forces have pushed deeper into the south this week, claiming the moves are necessary to shield northern Israeli communities from missile attacks. Human‑rights organisations have condemned the expansion, warning that targeting civilian infrastructure and preventing residents from returning would exacerbate the crisis.The heightened conflict has also claimed the lives of three UN peacekeepers. Two Indonesian soldiers were killed on Monday when an unexplained explosion destroyed their vehicle near the village of Bani Haiyyan, while a third Indonesian peacekeeper died the previous day after a projectile detonated at a UNIFIL post near Aadshit al‑Qusayr.UN Under‑Secretary‑General for Peace Operations Jean‑Pierre Lacroix said early investigations suggest a roadside blast was responsible for the Monday deaths, emphasizing that such incidents must not occur and that peacekeepers should never be targeted.A spokesperson for Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres condemned the attacks, stating they breach international law and could constitute war crimes. The statement called for accountability and urged all parties to uphold their legal obligations to protect UN personnel and property at all times.