Meta appeals EU interim antitrust order targeting WhatsApp
August 17, 2026
| Anna Ferrari and Nicholas Hirst
US tech giant Meta Platforms has taken the EU’s competition enforcer to court over an interim order requiring it to restore free access for rival AI assistants to WhatsApp. The challenge will test the commissi... (more story)
China's Sichuan police target data theft, AI abuse in nationwide crackdown
August 17, 2026
| MLex Staff
Chinese police disclosed 10 cases involving the alleged theft, misuse and sale of personal data in Sichuan Province, exposing schemes that ranged from insider leaks and rural data harvesting to AI-enabled iden... (more story)
Australian state to fast-track data centers backed by 40% wind power
August 17, 2026
| Sean Maguire
The New South Wales government has unveiled a framework to fast-track data centers that meet new energy, water and environmental standards, including long-term renewable energy agreements with at least 40 perc... (more story)
Microsoft joins OpenAI in opposing US sanctions motion against ChatGPT maker
August 14, 2026
| Emma Whitford
A sanctions motion against OpenAI in copyright lawsuits by the New York Times and other news outlets is drawing pushback from co-defendant Microsoft, as well as OpenAI, with Microsoft saying it could suffer “s... (more story)
EU defends naming Siemens chief Snabe as industrial AI adviser
August 14, 2026
| Masha Borak
The European Commission has said it cannot release documents from its assessment of a potential conflict of interest involving Jim Hagemann Snabe's appointment as the EU's special adviser for industrial AI, ci... (more story)
Shanghai summons six platforms in national online child-protection crackdown
August 14, 2026
| MLex Staff
Six online platforms have been grilled by Shanghai’s internet regulator over failures to protect minors from harmful content, as part of a nationwide crackdown aimed at shielding young people from risks tied t... (more story)
Northern Ireland AI plan targets public sector, sets governance framework
August 14, 2026
| Patricia Figueiredo
AI suppliers in Northern Ireland could face new procurement expectations on oversight, fairness, transparency and accountability under a draft strategy for wider public-sector AI adoption. The plan also calls ... (more story)
China food-delivery giants ease algorithmic strain on riders amid regulatory push
August 13, 2026
| MLex Staff
China’s largest food-delivery platforms are easing some of the algorithmic pressures faced by couriers, as authorities push the sector away from cutthroat competition and toward stronger worker protections. Me... (more story)