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Technology
Artificial Intelligence Digital Identity Hackers Technology

AI-Powered Tools Now Facing Higher Risk of Cyberattacks

 



As artificial intelligence becomes more common in business settings, experts are warning that these tools could be the next major target for online criminals.

Some of the biggest software companies, like Microsoft and SAP, have recently started using AI systems that can handle office tasks such as finance and data management. But these digital programs also come with new security risks.


What Are These Digital Identities?

In today’s automated world, many apps and devices run tasks on their own. To do this, they use something called digital identities — known in tech terms as non-human identities, or NHIs. These are like virtual badges that allow machines to connect and work together without human help.

The problem is that every one of these digital identities could become a door for hackers to enter a company’s system.


Why Are They Being Ignored?

Modern businesses now rely on large numbers of these machine profiles. Because there are so many, they often go unnoticed during security checks. This makes them easy targets for cybercriminals.

A recent report found that nearly one out of every five companies had already dealt with a security problem involving one of these digital identities.


Unsafe Habits Increase the Risk

Many companies fail to change or update the credentials of these identities in a timely manner. This is a basic safety step that should be done often. However, studies show that more than 70% of these identities are left unchanged for long periods, which leaves them vulnerable to attacks.

Another issue is that nearly all organizations allow outside vendors to access their digital identities. When third parties are involved, there is a bigger chance that something could go wrong, especially if those vendors don’t have strong security systems of their own.

Experts say that keeping old login details in use while also giving access to outsiders creates serious weak spots in a company's defense.


What Needs to Be Done

As businesses begin using AI agents more widely, the number of digital identities is growing quickly. If they are not protected, hackers could use them to gain control over company data and systems.

Experts suggest that companies should treat these machine profiles just like human accounts. That means regularly updating passwords, limiting who has access, and monitoring their use closely.

With the rise of AI in workplaces, keeping these tools safe is now more important than ever.


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Technology
AI AI Training Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT Cybersecurity Google IT OpenAI Technology

Building Smarter AI Through Targeted Training


 

In recent years, artificial intelligence and machine learning have been in high demand across a broad range of industries. As a consequence, the cost and complexity of constructing and maintaining these models have increased significantly. Artificial intelligence and machine learning systems are resource-intensive, as they require substantial computation resources and large datasets, and are also difficult to manage effectively due to their complexity. 

As a result of this trend, professionals such as data engineers, machine learning engineers, and data scientists are increasingly being tasked with identifying ways to streamline models without compromising performance or accuracy, which in turn will lead to improved outcomes. Among the key aspects of this process involves determining which data inputs or features can be reduced or eliminated, thereby making the model operate more efficiently. 

In AI model optimization, a systematic effort is made to improve a model's performance, accuracy, and efficiency to achieve superior results in real-world applications. The purpose of this process is to improve a model's operational and predictive capabilities through a combination of technical strategies. It is the engineering team's responsibility to improve computational efficiency—reducing processing time, reducing resource consumption, and reducing infrastructure costs—while also enhancing the model's predictive precision and adaptability to changing datasets by enhancing the model's computational efficiency. 

An important optimization task might involve fine-tuning hyperparameters, selecting the most relevant features, pruning redundant elements, and making advanced algorithmic adjustments to the model. Ultimately, the goal of modeling is not only to provide accurate and responsive data, but also to provide scalable, cost-effective, and efficient data. As long as these optimization techniques are applied effectively, they ensure the model will perform reliably in production environments as well as remain aligned with the overall objectives of the organization. 

It is designed to retain important details and user preferences as well as contextually accurate responses when ChatGPT's memory feature is enabled, which is typically set to active by default so that the system can provide more personalized responses over time. If the user desires to access this functionality, he or she can navigate to the Settings menu and select Personalization, where they can check whether memory is active and then remove specific saved interactions if needed. 

As a result of this, it is recommended that users periodically review the data that has been stored within the memory feature to ensure its accuracy. In some cases, incorrect information may be retained, including inaccurate personal information or assumptions made during a previous conversation. As an example, in certain circumstances, the system might incorrectly log information about a user’s family, or other aspects of their profile, based on the context in which it is being used. 

In addition, the memory feature may inadvertently store sensitive data when used for practical purposes, such as financial institutions, account details, or health-related queries, especially if users are attempting to solve personal problems or experiment with the model. It is important to remember that while the memory function contributes to improved response quality and continuity, it also requires careful oversight from the user. There is a strong recommendation that users audit their saved data points routinely and delete the information that they find inaccurate or overly sensitive. This practice helps maintain the accuracy of data, as well as ensure better, more secure interactions. 

It is similar to clearing the cache of your browser periodically to maintain your privacy and performance optimally. "Training" ChatGPT in terms of customized usage means providing specific contextual information to the AI so that its responses will be relevant and accurate in a way that is more relevant to the individual. ITGuides the AI to behave and speak in a way that is consistent with the needs of the users, users can upload documents such as PDFs, company policies, or customer service transcripts. 

When people and organizations can make customized interactions for business-related content and customer engagement workflows, this type of customization provides them with more customized interactions. It is, however, often unnecessary for users to build a custom GPT for personal use in the majority of cases. Instead, they can share relevant context directly within their prompts or attach files to their messages, thereby achieving effective personalization. 

As an example, a user can upload their resume along with a job description when crafting a job application, allowing artificial intelligence to create a cover letter based on the resume and the job description, ensuring that the cover letter accurately represents the user's qualifications and aligns with the position's requirements. As it stands, this type of user-level customization is significantly different from the traditional model training process, which requires large quantities of data to be processed and is mainly performed by OpenAI's engineering teams. 

Additionally, ChatGPT users can increase the extent of its memory-driven personalization by explicitly telling it what details they wish to be remembered, such as their recent move to a new city or specific lifestyle preferences, like dietary choices. This type of information, once stored, allows the artificial intelligence to keep a consistent conversation going in the future. Even though these interactions enhance usability, they also require thoughtful data sharing to ensure privacy and accuracy, especially as ChatGPT's memory is slowly swelled over time. 

It is essential to optimize an AI model to improve performance as well as resource efficiency. It involves refining a variety of model elements to maximize prediction accuracy and minimize computational demand while doing so. It is crucial that we remove unused parameters from networks to streamline them, that we apply quantization to reduce data precision and speed up processing, and that we implement knowledge distillation, which translates insights from complex models to simpler, faster models. 

A significant amount of efficiency can be achieved by optimizing data pipelines, deploying high-performance algorithms, utilizing hardware accelerations such as GPUs and TPUs, and employing compression techniques such as weight sharing, low-rank approximation, and optimization of the data pipelines. Also, balancing batch sizes ensures the optimal use of resources and the stability of training. 

A great way to improve accuracy is to curate clean, balanced datasets, fine-tune hyperparameters using advanced search methods, increase model complexity with caution and combine techniques like cross-validation and feature engineering with the models. Keeping long-term performance high requires not only the ability to learn from pre-trained models but also regular retraining as a means of combating model drift. To enhance the scalability, cost-effectiveness, and reliability of AI systems across diverse applications, these techniques are strategically applied. 

Using tailored optimization solutions from Oyelabs, organizations can unlock the full potential of their AI investments. In an age when artificial intelligence is continuing to evolve rapidly, it becomes increasingly important to train and optimize models strategically through data-driven optimization. There are advanced techniques that can be implemented by organizations to improve performance while controlling resource expenditures, from selecting features and optimizing algorithms to efficiently handling data. 

As professionals and teams that place a high priority on these improvements, they will put themselves in a much better position to create AI systems that are not only faster and smarter but are also more adaptable to the daily demands of the world. Businesses are able to broaden their understanding of AI and improve their scalability and long-term sustainability by partnering with experts and focusing on how AI achieves value-driven outcomes.
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Technology
Amazon Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT Cybersecurity CyberThreat Google GTI Microsoft New Sec Gemini OpenAI Technology

New Sec-Gemini v1 from Google Outperforms Cybersecurity Rivals

 


A cutting-edge artificial intelligence model developed by Google called Sec-Gemini v1, a version of Sec-Gemini that integrates advanced language processing, real-time threat intelligence, and enhanced cybersecurity operations, has just been released. With the help of Google's proprietary Gemini large language model and dynamic security data and tools, this innovative solution utilizes its capabilities seamlessly to enhance security operations. 

A new AI model, Sec-Gemini v1 that combines sophisticated reasoning with real-time cybersecurity insights and tools has been released by Google. This integration makes the model extremely capable of performing essential security functions like threat detection, vulnerability assessment, and incident analysis. A key part of Google's effort to support progress across the broader security landscape is its initiative to provide free access to Sec-Gemini v1 to select institutions, professionals, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions to promote a collaborative approach to security research. 

Due to its integration with Google Threat Intelligence (GTI), the Open Source Vulnerabilities (OSV) database, and other key data sources, Sec-Gemini v1 stands out as a unique solution. On the CTI-MCQ threat intelligence benchmark and the CTI-Root Cause Mapping benchmark, it outperforms peer models by at least 11%, respectively. Using the CWE taxonomy, this benchmark assesses the model's ability to analyze and classify vulnerabilities.

One of its strongest features is accurately identifying and describing the threat actors it encounters. Because of its connection to Mandiant Threat Intelligence, it can recognize Salt Typhoon as a known adversary, which is a powerful feature. There is no doubt that the model performs better than its competitors based on independent benchmarks. According to a report from Security Gemini v1, compared to comparable AI systems, Sec-Gemini v1 scored at least 11 per cent higher on CTI-MCQ, a key metric used to assess threat intelligence capabilities. 

Additionally, it achieved a 10.5 per cent edge over its competitors in the CTI-Root Cause Mapping benchmark, a test that assesses the effectiveness of an AI model in interpreting vulnerability descriptions and classifying them by the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, an industry standard. It is through this advancement that Google is extending its leadership position in artificial intelligence-powered cybersecurity, by providing organizations with a powerful tool to detect, interpret, and respond to evolving threats more quickly and accurately. 

It is believed that Sec-Gemini v1 has the strength to be able to perform complex cybersecurity tasks efficiently, according to Google. Aside from conducting in-depth investigations, analyzing emerging threats, and assessing the impact of known vulnerabilities, you are also responsible for performing comprehensive incident investigations. In addition to accelerating decision-making processes and strengthening organization security postures, the model utilizes contextual knowledge in conjunction with technical insights to accomplish the objective. 

Though several technology giants are actively developing AI-powered cybersecurity solutions—such as Microsoft's Security Copilot, developed with OpenAI, and Amazon's GuardDuty, which utilizes machine learning to monitor cloud environments—Google appears to have carved out an advantage in this field through its Sec-Gemini v1 technology. 

A key reason for this edge is the fact that it is deeply integrated with proprietary threat intelligence sources like Google Threat Intelligence and Mandiant, as well as its remarkable performance on industry benchmarks. In an increasingly competitive field, these technical strengths place it at the top of the list as a standout solution. Despite the scepticism surrounding the practical value of artificial intelligence in cybersecurity - often dismissed as little more than enhanced assistants that still require a lot of human interaction - Google insists that Sec-Gemini v1 is fundamentally different from other artificial intelligence models out there. 

The model is geared towards delivering highly contextual, actionable intelligence rather than simply summarizing alerts or making basic recommendations. Moreover, this technology not only facilitates faster decision-making but also reduces the cognitive load of security analysts. As a result, teams can respond more quickly to emerging threats in a more efficient way. At present, Sec-Gemini v1 is being made available exclusively as a research tool, with access being granted only to a select set of professionals, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations that are willing to share their findings. 

There have been early signs that the model will make a significant contribution to the evolution of AI-driven threat defence, as evidenced by the model's use-case demonstrations and early results. It will introduce a new era of proactive cyber risk identification, contextualization, and mitigation by enabling the use of advanced language models. 

In real-world evaluations, the Google security team demonstrated Sec-Gemini v1's advanced analytical capabilities by correctly identifying Salt Typhoon, a recognized threat actor, with its accurate analytical capabilities. As well as providing in-depth contextual insights, the model provided in-depth contextual information, including vulnerability details, potential exploitation techniques, and associated risk levels. This level of nuanced understanding is possible because Mandiant's threat intelligence provides a rich repository of real-time threat data as well as adversary profiles that can be accessed in real time. 

The integration of Sec-Gemini v1 into other systems allows Sec-Gemini v1 to go beyond conventional pattern recognition, allowing it to provide more timely threat analysis and faster, evidence-based decision-making. To foster collaboration and accelerate model refinement, Google has offered limited access to Sec-Gemini v1 to a carefully selected group of cybersecurity practitioners, academics, and non-profit organizations to foster collaboration. 

To avoid a broader commercial rollout, Google wishes to gather feedback from trusted users. This will not only ensure that the model is more reliable and capable of scaling across different use cases but also ensure that it is developed in a responsible and community-led manner. During practical demonstrations, Google's security team demonstrated Sec-Gemini v1's ability to identify Salt Typhoon, an internationally recognized threat actor, with high accuracy, as well as to provide rich contextual information, such as vulnerabilities, attack patterns and potential risk exposures associated with this threat actor. 

Through its integration with Mandiant's threat intelligence, which enhances the model's ability to understand evolving threat landscapes, this level of precision and depth can be achieved. The Sec-Gemini v1 software, which is being made available for free to a select group of cybersecurity professionals, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations, for research, is part of Google's commitment to responsible innovation and industry collaboration. 

Before a broader deployment of this model occurs, this initiative will be designed to gather feedback, validate use cases, and ensure that it is effective across diverse environments. Sec-Gemini v1 represents an important step forward in integrating artificial intelligence into cybersecurity. Google's enthusiasm for advancing this technology while ensuring its responsible development underscores the company's role as a pioneer in the field. 

Providing early, research-focused access to Sec-Gemini v1 not only fosters collaboration within the cybersecurity community but also ensures that Sec-Gemini v1 will evolve in response to collective expertise and real-world feedback, as Google offers this model to the community at the same time. Sec-Gemini v1 has demonstrated remarkable performance across industry benchmarks as well as its ability to detect and mitigate complex threats, so it may be able to change the face of threat defense strategies in the future. 

The advanced reasoning capabilities of Sec-Gemini v1 are coupled with cutting-edge threat intelligence, which can accelerate decision-making, cut response times, and improve organizational security. However, while Sec-Gemini v1 shows great promise, it is still in the research phase and awaiting wider commercial deployment. Using such a phased approach, it is possible to refine the model carefully, ensuring that it adheres to the high standards that are required by various environments. 

For this reason, it is very important that stakeholders, such as cybersecurity experts, researchers, and industry professionals, provide valuable feedback during the first phase of the model development process, to ensure that the model's capabilities are aligned with real-world scenarios and needs. This proactive stance by Google in engaging the community emphasizes the importance of integrating AI responsibly into cybersecurity. 

This is not solely about advancing the technology, but also about establishing a collaborative framework that can make it easier to detect and respond to emerging cyber threats more effectively, more quickly, and more securely. The real issue is the evolution of Sec-Gemini version 1, which may turn out to be one of the most important tools for safeguarding critical systems and infrastructure around the globe in the future.
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Technology
Artificial Intelligence Behemoth Llama 4 Meta Technology

Meta Launches New Llama 4 AI Models

 



Meta has introduced a fresh set of artificial intelligence models under the name Llama 4. This release includes three new versions: Scout, Maverick, and Behemoth. Each one has been designed to better understand and respond to a mix of text, images, and videos.

The reason behind this launch seems to be rising competition, especially from Chinese companies like DeepSeek. Their recent models have been doing so well that Meta rushed to improve its own tools to keep up.


Where You Can Access Llama 4

The Scout and Maverick models are now available online through Meta’s official site and other developer platforms like Hugging Face. However, Behemoth is still in the testing phase and hasn’t been released yet.

Meta has already added Llama 4 to its own digital assistant, which is built into apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger in several countries. However, some special features are only available in the U.S. and only in English for now.


Who Can and Can’t Use It

Meta has placed some limits on who can access Llama 4. People and companies based in the European Union are not allowed to use or share these models, likely due to strict data rules in that region. Also, very large companies, those with over 700 million monthly users — must first get permission from Meta.


Smarter Design, Better Performance

Llama 4 is Meta’s first release using a new design method called "Mixture of Experts." This means the model can divide big tasks into smaller parts and assign each part to a different “expert” inside the system. This makes it faster and more efficient.

For example, the Maverick model has 400 billion total "parameters" (which basically measure how smart it is), but it only uses a small part of them at a time. Scout, the lighter model, is great for reading long documents or big sections of code and can run on a single high-powered computer chip. Maverick needs a more advanced system to function properly.


Behemoth: The Most Advanced One Yet

Behemoth, which is still being developed, will be the most powerful version. It will have a huge amount of learning data and is expected to perform better than many leading models in science and math-based tasks. But it will also need very strong computing systems to work.

One big change in this new version is how it handles sensitive topics. Previous models often avoided difficult questions. Now, Llama 4 is trained to give clearer, fairer answers on political or controversial issues. Meta says the goal is to make the AI more helpful to users, no matter what their views are.

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WhatsApp
AI Privacy Artificial Intelligence Auto-Saving CyberCrime Cybersecurity CyberThreat Technology WhatsApp

New WhatsApp Feature Allows Users to Control Media Auto-Saving

 


As part of WhatsApp's ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of its users, a new feature will strengthen the confidential nature of chat histories. The enhancement is part of the platform's overall initiative aimed at increasing privacy safeguards and allowing users to take more control of their messaging experience by strengthening the privacy safeguards. This upcoming feature offers advanced settings which allow individuals to control how their conversations are stored, accessed, and used, providing a deeper level of protection against unauthorized access to their communications. 

As WhatsApp refines its privacy architecture, it aims to meet the evolving expectations of its users about data security while strengthening their trust in it at the same time. WhatsApp's strategy of focusing on user-centric innovation reflects its focus on ensuring communication remains seamless as well as secure in an increasingly digital world, which is the reason for this development. As part of its continued effort to improve digital safety, WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that is aimed at protecting the privacy of conversations of its users.

With the launch of this initiative, the platform is highlighting its evolving approach to data security to create a user-friendly, secure messaging environment. As part of this new development, users will be able to customize how their chat data is handled within the app through a set of refined privacy controls. By allowing individuals to customize their privacy preferences, rather than relying solely on default settings, they will be able to tailor their privacy preferences specifically to meet their communication needs.

By using this approach, people are minimizing the risk that users will experience unauthorized access, and some are also enhancing transparency in how data is managed on their platform. In line with the broader shift toward ensuring users are more autonomous in protecting their digital interactions, these improvements are aligned with a greater industry shift. With WhatsApp's strong balance between usability and robust privacy standards, it continues to position itself as a leader in secure communication.

As social media becomes an increasingly integral part of our daily lives, it continues to prioritize the delivery of tools that prioritize the trust and resilience of its users as well as their technological abilities. During the coming months, WhatsApp plans on introducing a new feature that will allow users to take control over how recipients handle their shared content. 

There was a time when media files sent through the platform were automatically saved to the recipient's device, but now with this upcoming change, users will have the option of preventing others from automatically saving the media that they send—which will make it easier to maintain their privacy, whether it be in one-to-one or group conversations. This new functionality extends similar privacy protections to regular chats and their associated media, as well as disappearing messages. 

It will also be a great idea for users to activate the feature to get additional security precautions, such as a restriction on exporting complete chat histories from conversations where the setting is enabled. Even though the feature does not prevent individuals from forwarding individual messages, it does set stronger limits on the ability to share and archive entire conversations. 

By making this change to the privacy setting, users can limit the reach of their content while still having the flexibility to use the messaging experience as freely as possible. Another interesting aspect of this update is how it interacts with artificial intelligence software. When the advanced privacy setting is enabled, participants of that conversation will not be able to make use of Meta AI features within the chat when this setting is enabled.

It seems that this inclusion indicates an underlying commitment to enhancing data protection and ethical AI integration. The feature is still in the development stage, and WhatsApp is expected to refine and expand its capabilities in advance of its official release. Once it is released, it will remain an optional feature, which users will be able to choose to enable or disable based on their personal preferences. 

In addition to its ongoing improvements to the calling features of WhatsApp, it is rumoured that the company will launch a new privacy-focused tool to give users more control over how their media is shared. As a matter of tradition, the platform has always defaulted to store pictures and videos sent to users on their devices, and this default behaviour has created ongoing concerns about data privacy, data protection, and the safety of digital devices. 

WhatsApp has responded to this problem by allowing senders to decide whether the media they share can be saved by the recipient. Using this feature, WhatsApp introduces a new level of content ownership by giving the sender the ability to decide whether or not their message should be saved. The setting is presented in the chat interface as a toggle option, and functions similarly to the existing Disappearing Messages feature. 

In addition, WhatsApp has also developed a system to limit the automatic storage of files that are shared during a typical conversation. By doing so, WhatsApp hopes to reduce the risk of sensitive content being accidentally stored on unauthorized devices, shared further without consent, or stored on devices that are not properly secured. A user in an era when data is becoming increasingly vulnerable will certainly appreciate this additional control, which is particularly useful for users who handle confidential, personal or time-sensitive information. 

In addition to presently being in beta testing, this update is part of WhatsApp's overall strategy to roll out improvements in user-centred privacy in phases. Although the beta program will expand to a wider audience within the next few weeks, users enrolled in the beta program are the first ones to have access to the feature. To ensure early access to new functionalities, WhatsApp encourages users to keep their app up to date so that they can explore the latest privacy tools. 

To push users for greater privacy, WhatsApp has developed an advanced chat protection tool that goes beyond controlling media downloads to strengthen the user experience. In terms of data retention and third-party access, this upcoming functionality is intended to give users a greater sense of control over how they manage their conversations. 

By focusing on features that restrict how chats can be saved and exported, the platform aims to create an environment that is both safe and respectful for its users. The restriction of exporting entire chat histories is an important part of this update. This setting is activated when users enable the feature. 

Once users activate this setting, recipients will not be able to export conversations that include messages from users whose settings have been enabled by this feature. This restriction aims to prevent the wholesale sharing of private information by preventing concerns over unauthorized data transfers. However, the inability to send individual messages will continue to be allowed, however, the inability to export full conversations will ensure that long-form chats remain confidential, particularly those that contain sensitive or personal material. 

In addition, the integration of artificial intelligence tools is significantly limited because of this feature, which introduces an important limitation. As long as advanced chat privacy is enabled, neither the sender nor the recipient will be able to interact with Meta AI within a conversation when it is active. The restriction represents a larger shift towards cautious and intentional AI implementation, ensuring that private interactions are left safe from automating or analyzing them without the need for human intervention. 

 The feature, which is still under development, may require further refinements before it becomes widely available, but when it becomes widely available, it will be offered to users as an opt-in setting, so they have the option to enhance their privacy in any way that they choose.
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trending news
AI Artificial Intelligence Cyber Security mobile fraud News Payment Fraud trending news

Payment Fraud on the Rise: How Businesses Are Fighting Back with AI

The threat of payment fraud is growing rapidly, fueled by the widespread use of digital transactions and evolving cyber tactics. At its core, payment fraud refers to the unauthorized use of someone’s financial information to make illicit transactions. Criminals are increasingly leveraging hardware tools like skimmers and keystroke loggers, as well as malware, to extract sensitive data during legitimate transactions. 

As a result, companies are under mounting pressure to adopt more advanced fraud prevention systems. Credit and debit card fraud continue to dominate fraud cases globally. A recent report by Nilson found that global losses due to payment card fraud reached $33.83 billion in 2023, with nearly half of these losses affecting U.S. cardholders. 

While chip-enabled cards have reduced in-person fraud, online or card-not-present (CNP) fraud has surged. Debit card fraud often results in immediate financial damage to the victim, given its direct link to bank accounts. Meanwhile, mobile payments are vulnerable to tactics like SIM swapping and mobile malware, allowing attackers to hijack user accounts. 

Other methods include wire fraud, identity theft, chargeback fraud, and even check fraud—which, despite a decline in paper check usage, remains a threat through forged or altered checks. In one recent case, customers manipulated ATM systems to deposit fake checks and withdraw funds before detection, resulting in substantial bank losses. Additionally, criminals have turned to synthetic identity creation and AI-generated impersonations to carry out sophisticated schemes.  

However, artificial intelligence is not just a tool for fraudsters—it’s also a powerful ally for defense. Financial institutions are integrating AI into their fraud detection systems. Platforms like Visa Advanced Authorization and Mastercard Decision Intelligence use real-time analytics and machine learning to assess transaction risk and flag suspicious behavior. 

AI-driven firms such as Signifyd and Riskified help businesses prevent fraud by analyzing user behavior, transaction patterns, and device data. The consequences of payment fraud extend beyond financial loss. Businesses also suffer reputational harm, resource strain, and operational disruptions. 

With nearly 60% of companies reporting fraud-related losses exceeding $5 million in 2024, preventive action is crucial. From employee training and risk assessments to AI-powered tools and multi-layered security, organizations are now investing in proactive strategies to protect themselves and their customers from the rising tide of digital fraud.
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Studio Ghibli
Animation Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT-4o Privacy Studio Ghibli

Turned Into a Ghibli Character? So Did Your Private Info

 


A popular trend is taking over social media, where users are sharing cartoon-like pictures of themselves inspired by the art style of Studio Ghibli. These fun, animated portraits are often created using tools powered by artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT-4o. From Instagram to Facebook, users are posting these images excitedly. Big entrepreneurs and celebrities have partaken in this global trend, Sam Altman and Elon Musk to name a few.

But behind the charm of these AI filters lies a serious concern— your face is being collected and stored, often without your full understanding or consent.


What’s Really Happening When You Upload Your Face?

Each time someone uploads a photo or gives camera access to an app, they may be unknowingly allowing tech companies to capture their facial features. These features become part of a digital profile that can be stored, analyzed, and even sold. Unlike a password that you can change, your facial data is permanent. Once it’s out there, it’s out for good.

Many people don’t realize how often their face is scanned— whether it’s to unlock their phone, tag friends in photos, or try out AI tools that turn selfies into artwork. Even images of children and family members are being uploaded, putting their privacy at risk too.


Real-World Cases Show the Dangers

In one well-known case, a company named Clearview AI was accused of collecting billions of images from social platforms and other websites without asking permission. These were then used to create a massive database for law enforcement and private use.

In another incident, an Australian tech company called Outabox suffered a breach in May 2024. Over a million people had their facial scans and identity documents leaked. The stolen data was used for fraud, impersonation, and other crimes.

Retail stores using facial recognition to prevent theft have also become targets of cyberattacks. Once stolen, this kind of data is often sold on hidden parts of the internet, where it can be used to create fake identities or manipulate videos.


The Market for Facial Recognition Is Booming

Experts say the facial recognition industry will be worth over $14 billion by 2031. As demand grows, concerns about how companies use our faces for training AI tools without transparency are also increasing. Some websites can even track down a person’s online profile using just a picture.


How to Protect Yourself

To keep your face and personal data safe, it’s best to avoid viral image trends that ask you to upload clear photos. Turn off unnecessary camera permissions, don’t share high-resolution selfies, and choose passwords or PINs over face unlock for your devices.

These simple steps can help you avoid falling into the trap of giving away something as personal as your identity. Before sharing an AI-edited selfie, take a moment to think— are a few likes worth risking your privacy? Rather respect art and the artists who spend years perfecting their craft and maybe consider commissioning a portrait if you're that enthusiastic about it. 


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Technology
Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT CyberCrime Cybersecurity CyberThreat DeepSeek Google OpenAI Technology

DeepSeek Revives China's Tech Industry, Challenging Western Giants

 



As a result of DeepSeek's emergence, the global landscape for artificial intelligence (AI) has been profoundly affected, going way beyond initial media coverage. AI-driven businesses, semiconductor manufacturing, data centres and energy infrastructure all benefit from its advancements, which are transforming the dynamics of the industry and impacting valuations across key sectors. 


DeepSeek's R1 model is one of the defining characteristics of its success, and it represents one of the technological milestones of the company. This breakthrough system can rival leading Western artificial intelligence models while using significantly fewer resources to operate. Despite conventional assumptions that Western dominance in artificial intelligence remains, Chinese R1 models demonstrate China's growing capacity to compete at the highest level of innovation at the highest levels in AI. 

The R1 model is both efficient and sophisticated. Among the many disruptive forces in artificial intelligence, DeepSeek has established itself as one of the most efficient, scalable, and cost-effective systems on the market. It is built on a Mixture of Experts (MoE) architecture, which optimizes resource allocation by utilizing only relevant subnetworks to enhance performance and reduce computational costs at the same time. 

DeepSeek's innovation places it at the forefront of a global AI race, challenging Western dominance and influencing industry trends, investment strategies, and geopolitical competition while influencing industry trends. Even though its impact has spanned a wide range of industries, from technology and finance to energy, there is no doubt that a shift toward a decentralized AI ecosystem has taken place. 

As a result of DeepSeek's accomplishments, a turning point has been reached in the development of artificial intelligence worldwide, emphasizing the fact that China is capable of rivalling and even surpassing established technological leaders in certain fields. There is a shift indicating the emergence of a decentralized AI ecosystem in which innovation is increasingly spread throughout multiple regions rather than being concentrated in Western markets alone. 

Changing power balances in artificial intelligence research, commercialization, and industrial applications are likely to be altered as a result of the intensifying competition that is likely to persist. China's technology industry has experienced a wave of rapid innovation as a result of the emergence of DeepSeek as one of the most formidable competitors in artificial intelligence (AI). As a result of DeepSeek’s alleged victory over OpenAI last January, leading Chinese companies have launched several AI-based solutions based on a cost-effective artificial intelligence model developed at a fraction of conventional costs. 

The surge in artificial intelligence development poses a direct threat to both OpenAI and Alphabet Inc.’s Google, as well as the greater AI ecosystem that exists in Western nations. Over the past two weeks, major Chinese companies have unveiled no less than ten significant AI products or upgrades, demonstrating a strong commitment to redefining global AI competition. In addition to DeepSeek's technological achievements, this rapid succession of advancements was not simply a reaction to that achievement, but rather a concerted effort to set new standards for the global AI community. 

According to Baidu Inc., it has launched a new product called the Ernie X1 as a direct rival to DeepSeek's R1, while Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has announced several enhancements to its artificial intelligence reasoning model. At the same time, Tencent Holdings Ltd. has revealed its strategic AI roadmap, presenting its own alternative to the R1 model, and Ant Group Co. has revealed research that indicated domestically produced chips can be used to cut costs by up to 20 per cent. 

A new version of DeepSeek was unveiled by DeepSeek, a company that continues to grow, while Meituan, a company widely recognized as being the world's largest meal delivery platform, has made significant investment in artificial intelligence. As China has become increasingly reliant on open-source artificial intelligence development, established Western technology companies are being pressured to reassess their business strategies as a result. 

According to OpenAI, as a response to DeepSeek’s success, the company is considering a hybrid approach that may include freeing up certain technologies, while at the same time contemplating substantial increases in prices for its most advanced artificial intelligence models. There is also a chance that the widespread adoption of cost-effective AI solutions could have profound effects on the semiconductor industry in general, potentially hurting Nvidia's profits as well. 

Analysts expect that as DeepSeek's economic AI model gains traction, it may become inevitable that leading AI chip manufacturers' valuations are adjusted. Chinese artificial intelligence innovation is on the rise at a rapid pace, underscoring a fundamental shift in the global technology landscape. In the world of artificial intelligence, Chinese firms are increasingly asserting their dominance, while Western firms are facing mounting challenges in maintaining their dominance. 

As the long-term consequences of this shift remain undefined, the current competitive dynamic within China's AI sector indicates an emerging competitive dynamic that could potentially reshape the future of artificial intelligence worldwide. The advancements in task distribution and processing of DeepSeek have allowed it to introduce a highly cost-effective way to deploy artificial intelligence (AI). Using computational efficiency, the company was able to develop its AI model for around $5.6 million, a substantial savings compared to the $100 million or more that Western competitors typically require to develop a similar AI model. 

By introducing a resource-efficient and sustainable alternative to traditional models of artificial intelligence, this breakthrough has the potential to redefine the economic landscape of artificial intelligence. As a result of its ability to minimize reliance on high-performance computing resources, DeepSeekcano reduces costs by reducing the number of graphics processing units (GPUs) used. As a result, the model operates with a reduced number of graphics processing unit (GPU) hours, resulting in a significant reduction in hardware and energy consumption. 

Although the United States has continued to place sanctions against microchips, restricting China's access to advanced semiconductor technologies, DeepSeek has managed to overcome these obstacles by using innovative technological solutions. It is through this resilience that we can demonstrate that, even in challenging regulatory and technological environments, it is possible to continue to develop artificial intelligence. DeepSeek's cost-effective approach influences the broader market trends beyond AI development, and it has been shown to have an impact beyond AI development. 

During the last few years, a decline in the share price of Nvidia, one of the leading manufacturers of artificial intelligence chips, has occurred as a result of the move toward lower-cost computation. It is because of this market adjustment, which Apple was able to regain its position as the world's most valuable company by market capitalization. The impact of DeepSeek's innovations extends beyond financial markets, as its AI model requires fewer computations and operates with a lower level of data input, so it does not rely on expensive computers and big data centres to function. 

The result of this is not only a lower infrastructure cost but also a lower electricity consumption, which makes AI deployments more energy-efficient. As AI-driven industries continue to evolve, DeepSeek's model may catalyze a broader shift toward more sustainable, cost-effective AI solutions. The rapid advancement of technology in China has gone far beyond just participating in the DeepSeek trend. The AI models developed by Chinese developers, which are largely open-source, are collectively positioned as a concerted effort to set global benchmarks and gain a larger share of the international market. 

Even though it is still unclear whether or not these innovations will ultimately surpass the capabilities of the Western counterparts of these innovations, a significant amount of pressure is being exerted on the business models of the leading technology companies in the United States as a result of them. It is for this reason that OpenAI is attempting to maintain a strategic balance in its work. As a result, the company is contemplating the possibility of releasing certain aspects of its technology as open-source software, as inspired by DeepSeek's success with open-source software. 

Furthermore, it may also contemplate charging higher fees for its most advanced services and products. ASeveralindustry analysts, including Amr Awadallah, the founder and CEO of Vectara Inc., advocate the spread of DeepSeek's cost-effective model. If premium chip manufacturers, such as Nvidia, are adversely affected by this trend,theyt will likely have to adjust market valuations, causing premium chip manufacturers to lose profit margins.
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