The country is moving forward with a new AI bill that embraces self-regulation and collaboration over punitive measures. Japan is moving to establish a formal AI regulatory framework designed to promote innovation through self-regulation and minimal enforcement – part of a wider effort to position the country as the world’s most “AI-friendly” economy. The bill, already approved by the House of Representatives and expected to pass in the upper house where the ruling coalition holds a majority, emphasises collaboration over control. Rather than setting binding rules, it encourages AI developers to act responsibly, promising support from the government and proposing guidance,…

The 76th WAN-IFRA World News Media Congress starts this weekend. This Sunday, media leaders from across the globe will converge in Krakow for the start of the 76th edition of WAN-IFRA’s World News Media Congress – an event that arrives at a pivotal time for the journalism industry. Hosted from 4-6 May, this year’s Congress promises to tackle the urgent challenges facing publishers today, under the theme Mastering Media’s New Playbook. As newsrooms contend with the twin pressures of technological disruption and shifting audience behaviours, the Congress offers a forum for publishers to explore fresh strategies and hear directly from…

New rules mandated by the Cyberspace Administration aim to promote transparency and combat misinformation from AI-generated materials. China has established new regulations concerning internet content created by artificial intelligence technologies, which require all content produced by AI to be clearly labelled as such. The regulations, which will come into effect on September 1, are intended to encourage the healthy growth of the AI sector while simultaneously aiding users in discerning misinformation as AI-generated materials proliferate online. The guidelines were announced by the Cyberspace Administration of China, among other pertinent authorities, as reported by Xinhua News Agency. The rapid expansion of…

Payments have started to flow to Canadian media under a $100 million initiative aimed at supporting journalism in the face of digital disruption. Payments have begun being distributed to Canadian media outlets under the terms of the Online News Act, which aims to financially support journalism in a rapidly changing digital landscape. The Canadian Journalism Collective reported last week that they have begun to disburse the first tranche of funding, totalling $17.25 million, from a $100 million agreement secured with Google. This funding initiative is designed to provide compensation to news organisations in exchange for an exemption from certain provisions…

The Canadian Privacy Commissioner launches an investigation into X following allegations of improper use of personal data for AI training. Elon Musk’s social media platform X is being investigated by Canada’s privacy commissioner over allegations that it is using personal data from Canadians to train AI models, which may contravene national privacy laws. The Canadian Privacy Commissioner announced the investigation on Thursday, highlighting concerns regarding the potential violations of the federal Privacy Act. In its statement, the office emphasised that the investigation would specifically examine the collection, use and disclosure of personal data by X for AI training purposes. However,…

OpenAI has introduced a new AI tool that can generate comprehensive reports in minutes with implications for the publishing industry. OpenAI has unveiled a new AI tool named “deep research” that it claims can generate reports comparable to the output of human research analysts. This announcement highlights the company’s continued push to deploy systems capable of autonomously carrying out complex tasks. The new tool, announced shortly after OpenAI pledged to accelerate its product releases due to competition from Chinese rival DeepSeek, is designed to perform extensive research efficiently. According to the company, deep research can accomplish in merely 10 minutes…

The rollback of the order is seen by supporters as a move to invigorate investment in artificial intelligence development. President Donald Trump has officially revoked the AI executive order implemented by former President Joe Biden, a move that many in the tech industry believe could reinvigorate investment in artificial intelligence (AI) development. This decision was announced on January 20, the first day of Trump’s second presidency. The revoked executive order, introduced in 2023, mandated that AI developers submit comprehensive safety test results to the government to mitigate potential risks to national security, public health and the economy. Big players in…

The search giant has rejected EU mandates to incorporate fact-checking into its search results and YouTube videos. Google is resisting requirements imposed by the European Union (EU) that would compel the company to display fact-checks alongside its search results and YouTube videos. According to a report from Axios, Google has also declined to embed fact-checking directly into its ranking algorithms, which may soon be mandated under the EU’s new Code of Practice on Disinformation. This development arrives amid intensified discussions surrounding the responsibilities of major tech platforms in managing misinformation and regulating content. Earlier this month Meta announced its decision…

The Competition and Markets Authority has begun a major inquiry into Google just after new powers came into effect on January 1. The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has initiated an investigation into the search services market to evaluate whether Google maintains a dominant position that adversely affects users, media companies and advertisers. This inquiry marks the first enforcement of regulations under the newly established Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act, which is specifically designed to scrutinise companies with global revenues exceeding £25 billion ($44.6 billion), and came into force this month. The CMA issued a press release detailing…

Publishers are among many sectors that will be affected by upcoming regulations governing subscription contracts. The UK government is seeking input from businesses regarding new regulations that will govern subscription contracts, emphasising the importance of consumer protection in the ever-evolving digital landscape. The consultation is part of the broader Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (DMCCA), which aims to address issues related to automatic and recurring payments for goods, services, or digital content. According to a recent impact assessment from the UK government, about 155 million active subscriptions exist in non-regulated sectors across the UK, with consumer spending reaching…