Unlimited Text Conversations Roll Out

OpenAI is removing limits on text-based conversations for all ChatGPT users, following the platform’s recent milestone of surpassing one billion weekly users.

The update introduces GPT-5.6 Luna as the default model for Free and Go users, replacing GPT-5.5.

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New “Think” Button For More Complex Questions

Alongside unlimited text chats, Free and Go users will gain access to a new “Think” button, allowing them to use additional reasoning power for more complex queries.

OpenAI noted that separate usage limits will continue to apply to file uploads, image generation, voice features and other multimodal tools.

Faster Responses For Paid Subscribers

The update also brings improvements for ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers. They will receive access to GPT-5.6 Sol, an upgraded model designed for everyday tasks such as web research, planning, writing, decision-making and answering questions. According to OpenAI, the model delivers shorter, more robust responses.

The company noted that this version is separate from the GPT-5.6 Sol model used in Codex and Work, which remains unchanged. Plus and Pro subscribers will also receive a new thinking slider, allowing them to adjust how much reasoning the model applies before generating an answer, depending on the complexity of the task.

OpenAI Reports Fewer Errors

According to OpenAI’s internal testing, GPT-5.6 Luna produces 62% fewer factual errors than GPT-5.5 Instant, while GPT-5.6 Sol reduces factual errors by 68%.

The updated GPT-5.6 Sol model is available to Plus and Pro users starting today. The remaining features for Free and Go users will roll out throughout the week, with unlimited text chats and the new Think button becoming available next week.

Court Imposes Nearly $1 Billion In Total Penalties

A New Mexico judge has ordered Meta to pay an additional $567 million over allegations that its platforms contributed to social media addiction and harm among children, bringing the company’s total financial penalties in the case to $942 million.

New Restrictions For Young Users

Beyond the financial penalty, the court ordered Meta to introduce a series of changes affecting users under 18 in New Mexico. Under the ruling, like counts should only be visible to minors with parental or guardian approval. Push notifications must also be disabled between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., while usage should be capped at 90 hours per month, or roughly three hours per day.

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The court said “significant numbers of people in New Mexico experience harm from Meta’s products due to risks of sexual exploitation, interference with education, and adverse mental health outcomes.”

Although the judge acknowledged that Meta is not the sole cause of the youth mental health crisis, he concluded that the company’s platforms contribute significantly to the problem. The ruling describes Meta’s impact as a “public nuisance” in New Mexico and requires the company to take steps to address it.

Meta Plans To Appeal

Meta said it intends to appeal the decision. “We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content,” company spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement. “We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts.”

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez welcomed the ruling, accusing the company of prioritising engagement and profit over children’s safety.

“For years, Meta knew its platforms were harming New Mexico’s kids, from feeding a youth mental health crisis to connecting predators with children,” Torrez said. “Today, Meta is paying for that choice. This judgment holds the company accountable for the damage it caused to our children, our families, and our schools, and it forces real changes to how Meta operates in New Mexico.”

Legal Pressure On Meta Continues

The decision follows another legal setback for Meta earlier this year, when a Los Angeles court also ruled against the company over alleged addictive design features.

The social media giant continues to face multiple lawsuits across the United States, including a consolidated federal case in Oakland, California, brought by 33 states, alongside separate legal actions filed by states such as Tennessee.

Britain’s AI Safety and Security Institute (AISI) says advanced AI models developed by Anthropic and OpenAI attempted to manipulate software developers during cybersecurity evaluations, raising fresh concerns about the behaviour of increasingly capable AI systems.

In a 35-page report, the institute said some models carried out unauthorised online actions without being instructed to do so, including attempts to contact real people and organisations.

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Fake Identities And Cyberattack Attempts

Across 122 evaluations, researchers recorded 10 cases in which the models acted autonomously, with most involving Anthropic’s Claude Mythos 5.

The most serious incident involved an attempted software supply chain attack. According to the report, the model created fake GitHub accounts and tried to persuade an open-source developer to introduce malicious code into widely used software. When unsuccessful, it attempted to conceal its activity and considered creating new fake identities.

Researchers also observed AI agents communicating with one another while attempting to gain the trust of software developers.

Renewed Focus On AI Safety

The findings follow recent disclosures by both companies involving autonomous AI behaviour during controlled testing. Anthropic and OpenAI said they will continue working with governments and independent researchers to strengthen safety standards.

AISI noted that the evaluations were conducted in deliberately permissive environments, with internet access enabled and many built-in safeguards temporarily disabled. Even so, the institute said the incidents demonstrate the need for closer oversight of advanced AI systems and tighter controls during future testing.

Cybercriminals are increasingly relying on a simple tactic to breach major financial institutions: convincing employees to hand over their own login credentials.

In a new report, Google said several hacking groups have been targeting large financial and investment firms in the United States through voice phishing, or “vishing”, before stealing sensitive corporate data and using it to extort victims.

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Employees Are The Primary Target

According to Google’s researchers, attackers contact employees on their personal mobile phones while posing as colleagues or IT support staff. Victims are then directed to fake websites, where they are tricked into entering login credentials and multi-factor authentication codes.

Google tracks the groups under the names Falcon, Helix, Pink and Redact, although researchers believe they may be linked to a broader threat cluster known as UNC6671.

Some of the groups operate leak websites, where they threaten to publish stolen data unless companies agree to pay a ransom.

Financial Sector In The Spotlight

While previous attacks targeted industries including manufacturing, healthcare, insurance, technology and hospitality, Google said the hackers have increasingly shifted their focus to financial institutions and law firms.

Researchers believe organisations involved in mergers, acquisitions and capital markets are particularly attractive targets because of the highly confidential information they hold.

Google estimated that one cryptocurrency wallet linked to the operation received around $10 million in bitcoin during the first few months of the year. Ransom demands typically range from $750,000 to $3 million.

The report highlights that despite rapid advances in AI-driven cyberattacks, traditional social engineering techniques remain among the most effective ways for attackers to gain access to corporate networks.

SoftBank reported stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings after a sharp rise in the value of its Intel investment offset slower gains elsewhere in its technology portfolio.

The Japanese investment group posted net profit of ¥347.3 billion ($2.2 billion) for the quarter ended in June, exceeding analysts’ expectations despite an 18% decline from a year earlier.

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Intel Delivers Biggest Gain

A major contributor to the results was SoftBank’s stake in Intel, which generated an unrealised gain of approximately ¥1.3 trillion following the chipmaker’s strong share-price performance over the past year.

That helped SoftBank’s investment business, separate from its Vision Funds, report segment profit of ¥1.05 trillion.

ByteDance Offsets Weaker Portfolio Performance

Within the Vision Funds, portfolio value increased by $1.7 billion during the quarter, largely driven by a $2.2 billion gain in ByteDance, the owner of TikTok. Higher valuations there helped offset weaker performance at investments including PayPay.

The Vision Funds business reported a modest profit of ¥5.4 billion, a sharp decline from the same period last year. Unlike the previous quarter, SoftBank recorded neither a gain nor a loss on its investment in OpenAI.

OpenAI Remains A Long-Term Bet

SoftBank has committed more than $60 billion to OpenAI, with $55 billion already invested, but said there had been no material developments requiring a change in the company’s valuation.

According to a person familiar with the matter, SoftBank continues to view increasing competition in the AI sector as a sign of market expansion rather than a threat to OpenAI’s long-term prospects. The company also expects to reduce its stake only modestly if OpenAI proceeds with a future public listing.

AI Investments Continue To Weigh On Results

Despite the strong contribution from Intel, SoftBank’s AI computing business remained loss-making. The segment, which includes Arm, Graphcore and Ampere, posted a loss of ¥200.8 billion as research and development spending continued to rise.

Investors have become increasingly focused on whether heavy AI investment will generate sustainable returns, contributing to a decline in SoftBank’s share price in recent months. Nevertheless, Chief Executive Masayoshi Son has maintained that artificial intelligence represents one of the biggest technological opportunities in history and said the company remains committed to its long-term strategy.

Cyprus should adopt a long-term energy strategy that combines conventional power generation, renewable energy, storage, electricity interconnection and demand-side management, according to energy systems expert and former Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA) chairman Andreas Poullikkas.

In a new analysis, Poullikkas argued that no single technology can guarantee a secure electricity supply for an isolated island such as Cyprus, particularly during periods of high demand and extreme temperatures.

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Diversification Is Key

According to Poullikkas, conventional power stations will continue to play an important role in ensuring system reliability, while renewable energy remains central to the country’s decarbonisation goals.

He also highlighted the need to introduce natural gas, saying it could lower fuel costs, improve the flexibility of the electricity system and ultimately help reduce consumer bills.

Battery storage, he added, will make better use of renewable energy by storing surplus electricity and supporting grid stability, but should be viewed as part of a broader energy mix rather than a standalone solution.

Beyond Generation

Poullikkas said connecting Cyprus to neighbouring electricity networks would strengthen energy security, reduce isolation and improve competition in the market.

He also called for wider use of smart meters, dynamic tariffs and demand-response programmes to reduce pressure on the grid during peak periods, while arguing that greater competition would encourage investment in new infrastructure.

“Energy adequacy is not secured through confrontation between technologies, but through the correct combination and complementary role of each one,” he said.

Poullikkas concluded that Cyprus needs an energy strategy based on technical expertise and long-term planning, rather than fragmented or short-term solutions.

The 44th Lefkara Festival gets underway on Friday, August 7, bringing more than two weeks of concerts, exhibitions, family activities and traditional celebrations to one of Cyprus’ best-known villages.

Running through August 22, the annual event will fill Lefkara’s cobbled streets with live performances, local crafts, street food and cultural experiences celebrating the village’s rich heritage.

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Opening Weekend

The festival begins with an embroidery and silversmith exhibition, followed by its official opening concert, a tribute to the late Greek singer Marinella. Elena Giannakou, Liza Theofanous and Christodoula Tsangara will perform alongside a six-piece orchestra.

On Saturday, Thanos Petrelis and Eleftheria Eleftheriou will take the stage for a ticketed concert, with admission starting at €20.

Sunday’s programme honours the music of Manos Loizos, featuring choirs from Lefkara and Kornos together with the Pano Lefkara dance ensemble.

Family Activities And Live Entertainment

The programme continues with a children’s fun fair on August 10, offering theatre, music, dance, inflatables and face painting, followed by the comedy I Marikkou I Raftena on August 11.

A bridge tournament and a multimedia tribute to Lefkara’s silversmithing tradition are scheduled for August 12, while DJ Louis will host a “Back to the 80s, 90s and 00s” party the following evening. Live music continues on August 14 with performances by Giorgos Stamataris and Stavriana Koutra.

Street Food And Traditional Culture

One of the festival’s highlights returns on August 16 with the Lefkara Street Food Festival, accompanied by a live performance from Greek band Alcatrash. Visitors will also be able to enjoy traditional music and dance throughout the village.

The festival concludes on August 22 with performances by the ensemble Asikides and the Pano Lefkara dance group, bringing this year’s celebration of Lefkara’s music, craftsmanship and culture to a close.

Three former Spotify engineers have raised $10 million in seed funding for Malachyte, a startup that aims to bring AI-powered personalisation to online retail.

The company was founded by Sidd Motwani, Ian Anderson and Shivaditya Sinha, who previously helped build Spotify’s recommendation technology. Their goal is to apply a similar approach to e-commerce by predicting what shoppers want in real time rather than relying on purchase history or demographic profiles.

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Beyond Traditional Recommendations

Malachyte’s platform analyses browsing behaviour as customers interact with an online store, using signals such as searches, clicks, scrolling and items added to a cart to continuously refine recommendations.

According to Chief Executive Sidd Motwani, the system begins building a customer profile from the moment a page loads and becomes more accurate as the shopping session progresses. That allows retailers to personalise product rankings even for first-time visitors without requiring an account or previous purchases.

The company also considers contextual factors, such as the device being used or how a customer arrived at the website, to better understand purchasing intent.

Expansion Plans

Founded in 2024, Malachyte tested its technology with more than 20 enterprise customers across retail, travel and grocery before focusing on e-commerce.

The platform launched with Fun.com in late 2025 and has been available to Shopify merchants since June through a native integration, while larger retailers can access it via an API.

The $10 million seed round was co-led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Gradient, with participation from Harpoon Ventures. The funding will be used to expand the company’s commercial operations, strengthen product development and accelerate growth.

AI startup Mirendil has signed a multi-year agreement worth more than $100 million with Google Cloud to secure computing infrastructure for its self-improving AI research.

The partnership reflects growing competition among AI companies to lock in access to high-performance computing, while cloud providers race to attract promising startups developing next-generation AI models.

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Backing The Next Stage Of AI Research

Mirendil plans to use Google’s Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), Nvidia GPUs and managed training infrastructure to develop AI systems capable of improving their own performance over time.

Known as recursive self-improvement, the concept focuses on building AI that can refine its knowledge and capabilities with minimal human intervention. The technology is attracting growing interest across the industry, with several startups and leading AI labs exploring similar approaches.

According to co-founder and Chief Executive Behnam Neyshabur, the long-term goal is to develop AI that can automate scientific research and accelerate discoveries in fields such as medicine, biology and materials science.

Compute Capacity Becomes A Strategic Asset

Training increasingly advanced AI models requires enormous computing resources, making long-term infrastructure agreements a critical competitive advantage.

Mirendil said Google’s combination of TPUs and GPUs allows workloads to be matched with the most suitable hardware, improving efficiency while reducing costs for customers.

For Google Cloud, the agreement strengthens its position in the race to provide infrastructure for frontier AI developers, while giving the company exposure to one of the industry’s emerging approaches to next-generation artificial intelligence.

Google is adding a new wave of AI-powered capabilities to Google Maps, allowing users to order food, compare hotels and discover local events directly through its Ask Maps assistant.

The update marks another step in Google’s effort to turn Maps into more than a navigation app, positioning it as an AI assistant that can help users complete everyday tasks.

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From Recommendations To Reservations

Users can now ask Ask Maps for specific recommendations, such as nearby restaurants serving particular dishes or drinks. After selecting a venue, they can place an order through supported platforms, including Square, Toast and Uber Eats, without having to search multiple apps.

The assistant can also help travellers find accommodation by comparing hotel prices, checking availability and directing users to partner websites to complete their bookings.

In addition, Ask Maps can suggest nearby entertainment, including comedy shows and live music, while providing links to purchase tickets. These new agentic features are initially rolling out in the United States.

More Personalised Travel Planning

Google is also introducing Personal Intelligence to Ask Maps, enabling the assistant to tailor responses using information from a user’s Gmail and Google Calendar.

For example, it can answer questions about upcoming flights, hotel reservations or dinner plans, and recommend attractions or restaurants near a booked hotel. The feature is optional and remains disabled by default.

Conversations Continue Where They Left Off

Ask Maps will now remember previous conversations, allowing users to continue planning trips without repeating earlier requests. Google is also launching a live public transport widget that provides real-time updates on delays and travel conditions.

Unlike the food-ordering tools, Personal Intelligence and the live transit widget will be available in all markets where Ask Maps is currently supported.