NEWS YOU CAN’T MISS

China’s Schools Say Yes to AI

Two years ago, students in China were discouraged from using AI tools in academic work. Access to tools like ChatGPT was often limited to unofficial sites, and any use was largely kept quiet.

According to this analysis by Caiwei Chen for MIT Technology Review, this is changing. Today, students are actively being encouraged to use AI in their studies.

A growing number of Chinese universities are now treating AI as a core skill, and not a threat to academic integrity. A recent survey found that nearly all faculty and students in China use AI tools regularly - just 1% say they never do.

It’s showing on campus:

• AI courses are required: Top schools like Tsinghua and Zhejiang have made AI literacy mandatory for undergraduates.

• Professors are building it into lessons: From law to humanities, students are being taught how to use AI tools productively and responsibly in their future professions.

• Universities are hosting their own models: Many campuses run advanced versions of local models like DeepSeek, giving students free, full access.

The upheaval is being driven by the Chinese government, which is promoting what's known as “AI+ education” - an effort to integrate AI skills into every stage of learning from kindergarten through university.

Flo App Data Breach Puts Millions at Risk

When you use a period tracking app, you expect your most personal health data (cycle dates, fertility plans, or symptoms) to stay private. But a California jury has found that Meta broke that trust.

In a class-action lawsuit brought by users of the popular period-tracking app Flo, Meta was found to have collected sensitive health information without permission and used it for ad targeting.

That includes data like when someone’s period started, how long it lasted, and whether they were trying to get pregnant.

The case was originally filed in 2021 and named several companies, including Flo, Google, and two ad analytics firms. Google settled in July, Flo reached a settlement earlier this month - but Meta kept fighting, and lost.

Meta disagrees with the verdict. The company says it doesn’t want health data and has policies against receiving it. But the jury found that those policies weren’t enough to protect users.

Flo, now worth over $1 billion, raised $200 million just last year. Millions of women trust it to manage their health. Bottom line: we deserve digital tools that respect our privacy as much as our doctor would.

Should James Bond Let AI Handle the Villains?

Throughout its 60-year history, the James Bond franchise has shifted between two extremes: sleek, high-tech espionage and stripped-down, back-to-basics spycraft.

Bond’s toolset has included everything from laser watches, x-ray sunglasses, and exploding pens to invisible cars and a jetpack. But as Christoper Holliday puts it in his piece for The Conversation, after every gadget-heavy installment, the series often reboots with a more grounded tone.

Daniel Craig’s era, for example, began with minimal tech and a focus on physicality and realism.

Now, a new reboot is in development. Written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, there’s a growing debate whether Bond 26 will feature AI ‘toys’.

Some say it could be exciting to see Bond use AI in the field - predicting threats and hacking systems. Others argue that part of the appeal is watching Bond think fast and act under pressure without a digital safety net. What do you think?