###### January 14, 2025

The UK had placed itself at the forefront of the debate over AI safety in 2023, highlighting its influence on international conversations about the dangers of AI . The tone has now radically changed. Yesterday, the government presented a comprehensive [investment plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-sets-out-blueprint-to-turbocharge-ai), promoting artificial intelligence as the cornerstone of a “decade of national renewal”.

Part of the “Plan for Change” are a record £14 billion ($17 billion) in commitments from private tech companies, expected to create 13,250 jobs, creating 'AI Growth Zones' to support AI infrastructure such as data centers and R\&D facilities, and significant investments in AI to improve public services.

Culham, in Oxfordshire, was highlighted in early announcements as the first of several AI growth areas. The UK Atomic Energy Authority and data centers managed by [AWS](https://aws.amazon.com/de/free/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAs5i8BhDmARIsAGE4xHzMquvd_ge16adE1QWEz1RhMREqGBWYmfCrrDm2XC4rual0N6WV_HgaAq9OEALw_wcB\&trk=946a9192-9b37-44c7-8b34-dbfa59d5a000\&sc_channel=ps\&ef_id=Cj0KCQiAs5i8BhDmARIsAGE4xHzMquvd_ge16adE1QWEz1RhMREqGBWYmfCrrDm2XC4rual0N6WV_HgaAq9OEALw_wcB:G:s\&s_kwcid=AL!4422!3!455709741510!e!!g!!aws!10817378570!108173613722\&all-free-tier.sort-by=item.additionalFields.SortRank\&all-free-tier.sort-order=asc\&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Types=*all\&awsf.Free%20Tier%20Categories=*all) and [CloudHQ](https://www.cloudhq.net/g_suite) are located here. A new supercomputer project, a national data library for public data storage and use of AI, a twenty-fold increase in public computing capabilities and a new Energy Council to meet the energy demands of the AI are also included in the proposal. It is based on 50 proposals from venture capitalist Matt Clifford's July 2024 "[AI Opportunities Action Plan](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/artificial-intelligence-ai-opportunities-action-plan-terms-of-reference/artificial-intelligence-ai-opportunities-action-plan-terms-of-reference)." 

Given the significant impact artificial intelligence is expected to have, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has underlined the necessity of government engagement in the field. He said that considering the significance of this technology on a global scale, waiting is not an option. His strategy urges quick and forceful action to establish Britain as a leading AI nation.

In the UK, which remains the largest hub of technology investment in Europe and a major player in AI companies, this development comes at a pivotal moment between politics and technology. However, when it comes to producing major IT giants, the UK lags behind the US.

In the long term, the government wants to modernize the UK economy and strengthen its sovereignty. Reaction from the investment community has been largely supportive but cautious, recognizing the long-term work required for the strategy to succeed. All things considered, today's statements mark a bold but controversial shift in the UK's approach to AI, prioritizing technological leadership and economic growth over previous AI concerns about ethics and security.

Secure your future in AI and big data with Code Labs Academy’s hands-on[ Data Science and AI Bootcamp](https://codelabsacademy.com/courses/data-science-and-ai).


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UK Unveils Ambitious AI Strategy for National Advancement


[According to a recent report](https://www.netskope.com/netskope-threat-labs/cloud-threat-report/cloud-and-threat-report-january-2025) from security firm [Netskope](https://www.netskope.com/), employee clicks on phishing websites almost tripled last year compared to 2023. Cloud storage sites were commonly targeted, at more than 0.8%. of employees clicking on these links, a notable increase from less than 0.3 percent in 2023 the previous year. The dangerous links are often encountered through search engines and employees continue to click on phishing links even after being trained. They are often less vigilant when searching the Internet, but more aware of email attacks..

Employees of several companies receive phishing awareness training. Researchers hypothesize that cognitive fatigue due to the high number of phishing attempts and the creativity of attackers could be the reason why people continue to click on fraudulent sites. Distinguishing fake websites has become more difficult. Researchers believe that most link clicks come from other sources because awareness of email phishing is now well recognized.

Search engine phishing is on the rise. Nearly 20% of clicks on phishing links came from search engines. To ensure that fraudulent websites appear high in search results, cybercriminals have placed advertisements on them or changed search engine optimization. Ten percent of those clicks were to commercial websites. Phishing URLs have also been discovered hidden in advertisements and comments on technology, business and entertainment websites. AI is used by browser manufacturers to protect against phishing websites.

More than 25% of clicks on phishing links led users to fake login pages for cloud services, making them a prime target for attackers looking to gain access to confidential company information and possibly more victims. With over 42% of phishing clicks, Microsoft was the most targeted cloud application. Adobe Cloud comes in second with 18% and DocuSign third with 15%.

Shadow IT Danger: Employee use of personal cloud applications puts company data at even greater risk. More than 25% of workers submit data to these apps and 88% of workers use them at least once a month. Sometimes, due to automatic smartphone backups, professional content unintentionally ends up in personal cloud accounts. Because they frequently contain links to video chats or meeting notes, work messages sent from private email addresses and personal calendar appointments are also dangerous. Recently, a phishing scam targeted Google Calendar.

Employees have used generative AI applications in 94% of companies. Nearly 75% of companies restrict at least one of these applications to prevent data from leaking to AI providers. The apps QuillBot, Beautiful.ai, and AiChatting were blocked most often. To control data flows, 45% of companies use data loss prevention techniques. About a third use coaching tools to alert users when an AI tool within the organization is inappropriate for sensitive data.

Using anonymized usage data for its products, Netskope examined the risks observed among its customers between November 2023 and 2024 for the study; however, the analysis did not take into consideration the impact of these attacks.

Lead the fight against cyber threats with[ Code Labs Academy’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp](https://codelabsacademy.com/en/courses/cybersecurity).


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Rising Phishing Threats in 2025: Why Employee Vigilance is Critical in Digital Security


###### January 7, 2025

Major announcements from the biggest tech companies have set the stage for an exciting week as the annual [CES technology convention](https://www.ces.tech/) begins in Las Vegas. Giants like Samsung, Nvidia, Toyota and Sony all unveiled cutting-edge products and launched major projects at this year's event, each contributing to the latest developments in consumer technology. Find below a detailed summary of the most recent discoveries and advances revealed at the event.

[**Nvidia**](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/)**'s AI Innovations and Robotics** As he wrapped up the press day, CEO Jensen Huang revealed Project Digits, a scaled-down version of the Grace Blackwell superchip that would cost $3,000 in May. Along with the introduction of the Blueprint modality in robotics, which makes it easier to program robots using Apple Vision Pro, details of the World Models and Cosmos World Foundation models have also been highlighted.

[**Sony**](https://www.sony.com/en/)**’s Entertainment and Technology** During its entertainment-focused presentation, Sony revealed the $89,900 price tag of its Afeela EV and talked about its upcoming anime projects for Crunchyroll. There are also new tools for creative technology, such as producing XYN spatial content.

[**Consumer Technology Association**](https://www.cta.tech/)**'s Forecast** The Consumer Technology Association has warned that possible tariffs could reduce consumer spending by $90 billion to $143 billion, but it hopes tech consumption will hit a record $537 billion in 2025.

[**Anker**](https://www.anker.com/eu-en?utm_source=google\&utm_medium=search\&utm_campaign=eu_anker_charger_conversion_search_brand_purchase_ost_ankerbrand\&utm_content=Ankerbrand\&utm_term=%7B18217468779%7D_%7B138042004982%7D_%7B619410214225%7D\&gad_source=1\&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvvO7BhC-ARIsAGFyToVOg2ARIJjEGljuffJah2KUeDVzpg_lSy59Oq-kjL09v-ajlBp4dg8aAsHJEALw_wcB)**'s Innovative Charging Solution** This summer, Anker will launch a solar-powered beach umbrella that also works as a charger, offering 80 watts of power via USB-C.

[**Samsung**](https://www.anker.com/eu-en?utm_source=google\&utm_medium=search\&utm_campaign=eu_anker_charger_conversion_search_brand_purchase_ost_ankerbrand\&utm_content=Ankerbrand\&utm_term=%7B18217468779%7D_%7B138042004982%7D_%7B619410214225%7D\&gad_source=1\&gclid=Cj0KCQiAvvO7BhC-ARIsAGFyToVOg2ARIJjEGljuffJah2KUeDVzpg_lSy59Oq-kjL09v-ajlBp4dg8aAsHJEALw_wcB)**’s Future Plans and Innovations** Samsung talked about its home robot, Ballie, scheduled to launch in 2025, and hinted at its upcoming big mobile hardware announcements for the upcoming Samsung Unpacked event on January 22.

[**Yukai Engineering**](https://www.ux-xu.com/en)**’s Robotic Companions** Yukai Engineering unveiled Nekojita FuFu, a small robotic cat that helps cool heated liquids, and Mirumi, a robot designed to simulate human relationships.

[**LG**](https://www.lg.com)**’s Home AI Enhancements** LG demonstrated its “Affectionate Intelligence” AI capabilities, improving user engagement with home automation systems and expanding cloud gaming experiences in collaboration with Microsoft.

[**AMD**](https://www.amd.com/en.html)**’s New Gaming Chips** AMD has revealed its new series of gaming processors, which will appeal to both casual and hardcore gamers and promise an 8% performance improvement over previous models.

[**John Deere**](https://www.deere.com/en/index.html)**’s Automation Advances** Along with other autonomous agricultural equipment, John Deere has unveiled a new electric robot lawn mower for commercial landscaping, capable of operating alone for up to ten hours.

[**Toyota**](https://www.toyota.com/)**’s Ambitious Projects** Toyota indicated a desire for futuristic transportation and community planning by providing updates on its Woven City project and referencing the study of rocket technology.

**Samsung’s AI-Powered Culinary Feature** In a bid to improve home cooking, Samsung's new TV feature uses AI to recognize food on screen and suggest recipes.

_Courtesy of_ [_Code Labs Academy_](https://codelabsacademy.com/en) _– Shaping the Next Generation of Tech Innovators, One Bootcamp at a Time._


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CES 2025 Highlights: Major Announcements from Nvidia, Sony, Toyota, and Samsung Cody Corrall 

###### January 2, 2025

OpenAI failed to deliver on its promise to offer an opt-out option by 2025. The company said [in May](https://openai.com/index/approach-to-data-and-ai/) that it was working on the Media Manager tool, which would give creators the power to decide which of their creations are included in its AI training datasets. Seven months later, the tool supposed to help resolve intellectual property issues and appease critics has not been released.

According to insiders who spoke to [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/01/openai-failed-to-deliver-the-opt-out-tool-it-promised-by-2025/), internal development of the tool was not a top priority. A coordinator who works with OpenAI pointed out the lack of recent updates, and a former employee admitted that he had seen almost no progress. Fred von Lohmann, a member of the tool's legal team, even took up a part-time consulting position.

OpenAI did not provide any updates regarding the development or upcoming release of Media Manager, which was intended to help manage the complex intellectual property environment that AI models must navigate. These models, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT and Sora, learn from massive data sets and can generate content that closely resembles the original data, potentially leading to lawsuits from the producers.

Ad hoc opt-out techniques are already available through OpenAI, although developers criticize them as insufficient. The goal of the new tool was to expand these choices and offer a more comprehensive solution for opt-out procedures and content ownership.

Experts doubt whether Media Manager could successfully resolve these issues if introduced. They argue that the tool might not significantly reduce legal issues or meet content protection and payment requirements, implying that authors would be unfairly burdened with managing AI training.

The significance of Media Manager in legal circumstances is still unknown as OpenAI is still subject to [lawsuits](https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/27/the-current-legal-cases-against-generative-ai-are-just-the-beginning/) and dependent on fair use defenses. The tool is not intended to provide a complete answer to the intellectual property issues associated with training AI models; rather, it is a public relations attempt to establish OpenAI as a user of ethical content.

_Ignite your passion for AI: Learn how to transform data into powerful, scalable solutions with Code Labs Academy’s online [Data Science & AI Bootcamp](https://codelabsacademy.com/en/courses/data-science-and-ai)_.


UK Unveils Ambitious AI Strategy for National Advancement

Rising Phishing Threats in 2025: Why Employee Vigilance is Critical in Digital Security

CES 2025 Highlights: Major Announcements from Nvidia, Sony, Toyota, and Samsung Cody Corrall

Delays at OpenAI: Media Manager Tool Still Missing as 2025 Deadline Passes