United News of Bangladesh

Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot AI has introduced a new large-scale AI model, Kimi K3, claiming it can compete with leading US models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic. The company said Kimi K3 has 2.8 trillion parameters, a key measure of an AI model's size and computing capability. Its full features, including coding, reasoning and knowledge-based tasks, will become available when the model is released as open source on July 27. If launched as planned, Kimi K3 will become the world's first freely downloadable and customizable open-source AI model in the three-trillion-parameter class, allowing developers worldwide to use and modify it. The launch signals China's rapid progress in artificial intelligence, narrowing the technology gap with US companies and challenging the long-held belief that Chinese AI developers lag behind their American counterparts. The announcement comes weeks after the US government temporarily ordered American AI company Anthropic to withdraw its flagship Fable and Mythos models over cybersecurity concerns. Although those restrictions have since been lifted, Washington has increasingly treated advanced AI systems as critical national security assets and imposed tighter export controls on related technologies. Despite US restrictions on advanced chip exports, Moonshot's latest model suggests Chinese AI companies continue to make significant progress using domestic resources. Supported by Chinese technology giants Alibaba and Tencent, Moonshot AI has quickly emerged as one of the country's leading developers of generative AI. In a statement, the company described Kimi K3 as its "most capable flagship model" so far. Unlike the closed AI systems offered by OpenAI and Anthropic, Kimi K3 will be open source, enabling developers to customize it for complex software development, reasoning and other advanced applications. Moonshot said the model is designed to perform engineering, coding and other complicated tasks with minimal human supervision. Independent evaluations by Artificial Analysis and Arena.ai found that Kimi K3 performs at a level similar to leading US AI models, including OpenAI's GPT and Anthropic's Claude. According to the benchmark results, Kimi K3 ranked first in web interface engineering and outperformed Anthropic's Fable model in blind human preference tests. Although the model requires powerful computing hardware to run locally because of its massive size, analysts say its open-source release could reshape the AI market by giving developers free access to advanced technology. Following the announcement, shares of Moonshot's Chinese rivals Zhipu and MiniMax fell sharply in Hong Kong, dropping about 27% and 16%, respectively. Source: BBC

India on Friday launched its first domestically built hydrogen-powered train, marking a major step in the country's efforts to promote clean energy across its railway network. The new train, consisting of two hydrogen-powered driving cars and eight passenger coaches, will operate in the northern state of Haryana. Railway officials said it can reach a top speed of 75 kilometres per hour and carry up to 2,600 passengers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the "NaMo Green Rail" service at Jind railway station in Haryana. "NaMo" is a commonly used abbreviation of Modi's name. Calling it an important milestone, Modi said in a post on X that the launch reflects India's progress towards self-reliance and sustainable development. The pilot project also includes hydrogen storage and refuelling facilities to test the technology for wider use on the country's railway network, officials said. Hydrogen fuel cell technology produces electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen, with water vapour being the only direct emission. Several countries have already introduced hydrogen-powered trains as a cleaner alternative to diesel on railway routes that are not fully electrified. The launch is part of India's wider plan to expand the use of green hydrogen and reduce carbon emissions. The country has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, and Indian Railways is exploring hydrogen-powered trains as an environmentally friendly replacement for diesel services on selected routes.

A new study by the Meta Oversight Board has raised concerns that leading artificial intelligence chatbots may be reinforcing government restrictions on free expression by refusing to generate criticism of leaders in countries with strict speech controls. The report found that while Anthropic’s Claude readily created content critical of US President Donald Trump and Britain’s King Charles III, it declined similar requests involving China’s leader, Thailand’s king and Saudi Arabia’s crown prince. The board warned that AI developers risk extending illegitimate restrictions on free speech globally if they fail to conduct proper human rights assessments. Hundreds of economists urge immediate action to tackle AI's impact on jobs and economy The study evaluated 10 major AI models, including those developed by Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic, using prompts related to political criticism. It found the systems were more willing to criticize authorities in countries with stronger protections for free speech than governments where dissent is legally restricted. The findings follow a separate study published in Nature, which showed that AI models trained on non-English data may reflect government-influenced narratives. Researchers found ChatGPT gave different responses about China's democracy when questioned in English and Chinese. Experts said AI systems inherit biases from the information used to train them and urged developers to improve multilingual audits and reduce the influence of repeated state-backed narratives in training data.

More than 200 economists and artificial intelligence (AI) experts have signed an open letter urging governments and institutions to take immediate steps to address the growing economic impact of AI, warning that the technology could transform the global economy while displacing large numbers of workers. The statement, released on Monday, has been signed by leading economists, computer scientists and executives from major technology companies, including Anthropic, Google and OpenAI. The letter, organised by Stanford University's Digital Economy Lab, says AI could become "radically more powerful" over the next decade, bringing economic changes on a scale greater than the Industrial Revolution but happening much more quickly. According to the signatories, AI has the potential to significantly improve living standards but also poses serious risks, including widespread job losses. The four-sentence letter calls on policymakers and institutions to act now by creating the right incentives, safeguards and institutions to ensure AI develops in ways that support people and benefit society rather than replace human workers. Stanford's Digital Economy Lab said the letter has so far been endorsed by more than 200 economists and AI researchers, including 16 Nobel Prize winners. Among the signatories is AI pioneer and computer scientist Yoshua Bengio, who said the rapid pace of AI development makes it highly likely that the technology will dramatically reshape economies. "We must make deliberate and democratic decisions about how AI is developed and used, instead of leaving its future entirely to market forces and risking that many people are left behind," said Bengio, a professor at the University of Montreal.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday called for possible age restrictions on children's use of social media as an EU advisory panel recommended blocking access for users under 13 until technology companies can prove their platforms are safe. The debate comes amid growing global concerns over the impact of social media on children's mental and emotional development. Several countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Indonesia, have introduced or approved measures restricting access to platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram for younger users. Von der Leyen, who trained as a physician, said children below the age of three should not have any exposure to screens. She suggested that access to digital platforms should be introduced gradually depending on children's age and maturity. “Childhood won’t wait and once it’s gone, we can never give it back,” she told reporters, stressing the need for legal limits on when children can use social media. Drawing a comparison with existing rules on driving and alcohol consumption, she said society sets age limits for activities that require maturity and should similarly determine when children can access social media. Von der Leyen highlighted features such as endless scrolling as examples of potentially addictive designs that technology companies need to address. Although she did not propose a specific age limit beyond restrictions for very young children, the European Commission is expected to prepare recommendations for consideration by the EU's 27 member states. Her policy initiatives often influence discussions among EU governments. The EU panel tasked with examining online child safety submitted its report to von der Leyen on Monday. It said technology companies, rather than regulators, parents or children, should bear responsibility for proving that their services are safe. “Until they demonstrate that their services are safe by design, social media and other digital services providers should have restricted access to children under the age of 13 in the EU,” the report said. The panel also recommended that EU member states consider additional precautionary age limits for children older than 13 to further protect young users online.  

Meta has disabled a feature in its newly launched AI image-generation tool, Muse Image, following criticism that it automatically used photos from public Instagram accounts as references for creating AI-generated images. The decision, announced on Friday, came less than a week after Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, introduced Muse Image through its artificial intelligence assistant, Meta AI. AI brings challenges and opportunities for office assistants In a statement, Meta said the feature was intended to provide a creative tool while allowing users to control whether their public content could be referenced. However, the company acknowledged the criticism, saying it had "missed the mark" and confirmed the feature is no longer available. Like other AI-powered image generators, Muse Image creates images based on user prompts. However, it also automatically allowed photos from public Instagram accounts to be used as reference material, sparking privacy concerns. The feature prompted widespread criticism on social media, with users sharing instructions on how to prevent their Instagram content from being accessed by the AI tool. The entertainment industry also voiced concerns. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) urged its members to update their Instagram privacy settings to protect their likenesses. Following Meta's decision, the union welcomed the move, saying that encouraging the creation of non-consensual digital replicas was inappropriate and that discontinuing the feature was the right step.

Minister for Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology and Science and Technology Faqir Mahbub Anam on Saturday said the government is giving the highest priority to developing an AI-skilled workforce, describing artificial intelligence as a key driver of the country's future economy, innovation and competitiveness. He made the remarks while inaugurating the Artificial Intelligence Research Laboratory and AI Project Competition 2026 at Daffodil International University (DIU) in Birulia, Savar. Speaking at the event, the minister said AI is no longer just an emerging technology but has become a transformative force shaping education, healthcare, agriculture, industry, business and public administration. "Building a new Bangladesh requires sustained investment in research, innovation and the development of a highly skilled workforce," he said. He said university-based AI research laboratories can serve as centres of excellence by equipping students with advanced knowledge and practical skills, enabling them to conduct research, develop innovative prototypes and create industry-focused solutions. Highlighting the government's digital transformation agenda, the minister said continued investment in the ICT sector has laid a strong foundation for developing future-ready human resources through a range of initiatives. Referring to the government's long-term vision, Anam said Prime Minister Tareq Rahman considers young people the driving force behind tomorrow's Bangladesh. "Our goal is to create one million new jobs in the ICT sector over the next five years," he said, adding that AI will play a central role in achieving that target by driving economic growth, employment and innovation. The minister also announced that the government and the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology would support the most promising AI projects developed by DIU students through the ministry's Startup Fund and other relevant platforms. He said the government is also working to establish AI training centres across the country while expanding satellite-based internet connectivity to the grassroots to ensure wider access to digital services. The newly inaugurated AI Research Laboratory includes 25 NVIDIA DGX Spark workstations, along with five high-performance computers powered by RTX 3060 and RTX 4090 graphics processing units (GPUs). According to the university, the laboratory has appointed five full-time researchers who are working on AI-driven solutions to real-world challenges, including AI agents and product development. The research team has already developed platforms such as AI Professor, AI Proctor and AI Registrar, and is currently developing a Smart Classroom system. The minister later distributed prizes to 12 winning teams across six categories in the AI Project Competition 2026, where 145 student-developed AI projects were showcased. Dr Md Sabur Khan, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Daffodil International University chaired the session. Among those present were Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr S M R Kabir, Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Md Shams Iqbal, Head of the Department of Computing and Information Systems Prof Dr Md Sarwar Hossain Mollah, faculty members, students and invited guests.

Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, accusing the ChatGPT maker of stealing confidential trade secrets while developing its own artificial intelligence hardware, marking a major escalation in tensions between the two companies. The lawsuit, filed Friday in a federal court in California, alleges that OpenAI encouraged Apple employees it was recruiting to share confidential company information and even advised them on how to avoid attracting attention when leaving Apple. "This case is about Apple's former employees stealing Apple's trade secrets for the benefit of OpenAI," Apple said in the court filing, adding that it filed the lawsuit to stop the alleged misuse of its proprietary information. The lawsuit also names two former Apple employees who now work at OpenAI. One of them is Tang Tan, who played a key role in designing the iPhone, Apple Watch and iPod before becoming OpenAI's chief hardware officer. The other is Chang Liu, who worked on Apple's product development before joining OpenAI earlier this year. OpenAI said it is reviewing the lawsuit. Company spokesperson Drew Pusateri said OpenAI has "no interest in other companies' trade secrets" and remains focused on developing technology that benefits users. Apple claims OpenAI's hardware project relies partly on confidential information taken from the company. Although OpenAI has not revealed details of the device it is developing, it has said the goal is to create a new way for people to interact with artificial intelligence beyond traditional computers and smartphones. According to the lawsuit, Apple launched an internal investigation after suspecting that confidential information had been compromised and found what it described as a pattern of trade secret theft involving former employees who later joined OpenAI. The complaint alleges that Liu accessed and downloaded confidential hardware-related files on an Apple-issued device after leaving the company. It also claims Tan encouraged Apple employees interviewing for jobs at OpenAI to bring actual Apple hardware components to interviews. Apple said it raised its concerns with OpenAI in February but did not receive a response. An Apple spokesperson said the company would continue to protect its employees' work and innovations through appropriate legal action. The lawsuit comes as relations between the two companies have shifted from partnership to growing competition. Apple partnered with OpenAI in 2024 to integrate ChatGPT into the iPhone, allowing users to access AI-powered responses when Siri could not answer their questions. Since then, OpenAI has expanded its hardware ambitions by hiring former Apple designer Jony Ive to lead the development of an AI-powered device that industry analysts believe could eventually compete with Apple's products. Last year, OpenAI announced a confidential hardware collaboration with Ive and acquired io Products, a company co-founded by Ive, Tang Tan and others, in a deal valued at nearly $6.5 billion. Apple's lawsuit also names io Products as a defendant. The legal battle comes as OpenAI considers a future public stock market listing while facing growing competition in the AI sector from companies including Anthropic and Google. Despite scaling back some business projects earlier this year to focus on ChatGPT, OpenAI has continued developing its consumer hardware. Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar told The Associated Press in April that the company expects to introduce its first consumer hardware product later this year.

Japan's space agency successfully carried out the first test flight of its experimental reusable rocket on Saturday, marking an important step toward developing cheaper space launches and strengthening its position in the global space industry. The reusable vehicle, known as RV-X, lifted off from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Noshiro Testing Center in northeastern Japan. During the test, the rocket rose vertically, hovered, moved sideways and then landed safely after a flight lasting less than one minute. The launch was livestreamed by NVS, a Japanese space enthusiasts' group. According to Takashi Ito, JAXA's reusable rocket project manager, the test went as planned. The rocket climbed to a height of 11 metres (36 feet), moved 16 metres (52 feet) horizontally while maintaining an upright position, and then landed successfully. The test is part of Japan's efforts to develop reusable rocket technology that can significantly reduce launch costs, similar to the system used by Elon Musk's SpaceX for several years. JAXA hopes the technology will eventually support the development of a reusable successor to Japan's current H3 rocket, which is designed for a single launch. The successful test came a day after Chinese state media reported that China had recovered the first stage of a rocket for the first time following a launch. Japan's H3 rocket was introduced as a more affordable replacement for the highly reliable H-2A rocket. However, officials say further cost reductions will be necessary for Japan to compete effectively in the growing global launch market. The Japanese government considers a reliable and commercially competitive launch system essential for both the country's space programme and national security. JAXA and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are jointly developing the RV-X. The rocket measures 7.3 metres (23.9 feet) in length and 1.8 metres (5.9 feet) in diameter. It is equipped with a more durable engine and four shock-absorbing landing legs designed for repeated use. Ito said the rocket's engine has already completed 165 combustion tests, demonstrating its durability. JAXA is also working with partners in France and Germany on reusable rocket technology. Future test flights of the RV-X are expected to reach altitudes of around 100 metres (328 feet) as development continues.

British counterterrorism officials have warned that technology and online platforms are increasingly being used by hostile states, extremist organisations and far-right groups to threaten the United Kingdom, making online security a growing challenge. Speaking on Thursday, Vicki Evans, the Metropolitan Police's senior national coordinator for counterterrorism, said tackling online threats has become a "constant battle" and stressed that police cannot address the problem without stronger cooperation from technology companies. While Islamist extremism continues to pose the biggest security threat, officials said risks linked to far-right extremism and hostile foreign states have risen sharply over the past five years. Laurence Taylor, head of counterterrorism policing, said hostile state activity has become one of the fastest-growing security concerns facing Britain. Evans said police have uncovered more than 20 Iran-linked plots in 2025, including alleged assassination attempts, kidnappings and other serious crimes targeting the UK. Authorities are also investigating whether arson attacks on Jewish sites earlier this year were connected to Iran. She added that Russia has continued to organise surveillance operations across Britain, targeting individuals and institutions, seeking to identify people viewed as enemies by Moscow and recruit others to spread Russian narratives or carry out activities on its behalf. Across Europe, Russia has reportedly recruited dozens of people through messaging platforms such as Telegram to carry out acts of vandalism and arson, including an attack on a London warehouse storing communications equipment intended for Ukraine. Authorities said Dylan Earl, who led that plot, was recruited through Telegram by the Wagner Group, a mercenary organisation designated as a terrorist group by the UK government. Evans also revealed that police have arrested teenagers as young as 15 in connection with proxy operations linked to hostile states. She warned that anyone could become a target, particularly through online platforms. "This isn't something happening somewhere else," she said. "It's happening here—in our communities, workplaces and online spaces." Taylor said Britain's national terrorism threat level was raised from "substantial" to "severe" in April, partly because cases involving far-right extremism have increased significantly. He said police have seen a rise in online content promoting racism, misogyny and extreme homophobia, creating an environment where extremist views are becoming more common and less likely to be challenged. As an example, Taylor referred to the case of 18-year-old Alina Burns, who was sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison in May after attacking a stranger with an axe. Police said the attack was motivated by far-right extremist beliefs. Officials also expressed concern about the growing online radicalisation of children and teenagers. Taylor said 22-year-old Alfie Coleman, who was sentenced on Wednesday to 13 and a half years in prison for attempting to buy a gun from an undercover MI5 officer, had been radicalised online from the age of 14. Evans said extremist groups are deliberately creating online content that appeals to young people by combining propaganda with gaming footage, music and historical images. Some are encouraged to imitate violent acts seen in video games or compete in carrying out harmful activities online and offline. She warned that some online groups encourage cybercrime, violent extremism, serious assaults, child sexual abuse and even terrorism. Evans also raised concerns about the widespread availability of violent and graphic online content that, while legal, can distort young people's understanding of what is acceptable and make them more vulnerable to manipulation by extremist groups and hostile states. Although the UK government has proposed banning social media use for children under 16, Evans said that measure alone would not be enough. She called for technology companies to take greater responsibility for limiting harmful content, noting that laws often struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving online platforms. She warned that young people can quickly become drawn into harmful online content, making early intervention essential.