Malaysia Takes Legal Action Against X Over Grok AI Concerns

Malaysia's communications regulator will take legal action against social media platform X. The action stems from user safety concerns related to its artificial intelligence feature, Grok.

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The generative AI chatbot Grok has sparked a global backlash by allowing users to create and publish sexualised images. Authorities worldwide have taken action against xAI, the Elon Musk-led firm behind the chatbot.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission identified the misuse of Grok to generate and disseminate harmful content. This includes obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, grossly offensive, and non-consensual manipulated images.

Content allegedly involving women and minors is of serious concern, the commission stated. Such conduct contravenes Malaysian law and undermines the entities’ stated safety commitments.

The Malaysian regulator served notices to X and xAI this month to remove the harmful content. However, the firms have taken no action following these notices.

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Malaysia and Indonesia temporarily blocked Grok over the weekend. Britain's media regulator launched an investigation into Musk's X.

French officials have reported the social media firm to prosecutors and regulators. Remove this sentence as it is an interpretive statement not directly supported by the factual content of the original documents or the source URL.

Muslim-majority Malaysia has strict laws governing online content. These regulations include a ban on obscene and pornographic materials.

Malaysian authorities consider online gambling, scams, child pornography, grooming, cyberbullying, and content related to race, religion, and royalty as harmful. Remove this sentence as it is an interpretive statement not directly supported by the factual content of the original documents or the source URL.

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• Malaysia's regulator is pursuing legal action against X.

• Concerns centre on Grok AI's misuse for generating harmful, sexualised content.

• Specific content includes non-consensual images and content involving women and minors.

Source: REUTERS

Meta Reality Labs Plans Job Cuts Amid Metaverse Investment Review

Reality Labs, which employs about 15,000 staff members, could announce these reductions as soon as Tuesday. The staff targeted are mainly involved in developing virtual reality headsets and virtual social networks within the metaverse unit.

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The metaverse project has been a significant venture spearheaded by Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg. This initiative has accounted for expenditures exceeding USD 60 billion since 2020.

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Beyond the metaverse, Reality Labs also develops Meta Quest mixed-reality headsets and augmented-reality glasses. The division additionally produces smart glasses in collaboration with EssilorLuxottica's Ray-Ban, which have shown early market success.

Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth, who oversees Reality Labs, has called a meeting on Wednesday and urged staff to attend in person. This news comes as Meta navigates challenges in the artificial intelligence race, including a poor reception for its Llama 4 model.

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• Meta plans approximately 10% staff reductions in its Reality Labs division.

• The cuts are expected to primarily impact employees in the metaverse unit.

• The metaverse project has cost Meta over USD 60 billion since 2020.

Source: REUTERS

Apple and Google Forge Gemini AI Deal for Revamped Siri

Apple will use Google's Gemini models for its updated Siri voice assistant, which is expected later this year. This multi-year agreement strengthens the technology companies’ alliance within the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, bolstering Alphabet's standing against OpenAI.

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The deal marks a significant endorsement for Google, whose technology already powers much of Samsung’s Galaxy AI. The Siri agreement grants access to a large market with Apple’s installed base of over two billion active devices.

"After careful evaluation, Apple determined Google's AI technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models," Google stated. The company added that its models would also power other future Apple Intelligence features.

Alphabet has been competing with OpenAI for this Apple deal, though the financial terms were not disclosed. Previously, Apple integrated ChatGPT into its devices, allowing Siri to utilise the chatbot’s expertise for complex questions.

Apple had confirmed no major changes to the ChatGPT integration at that time. Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk expressed concerns about the partnership, stating, "This seems like an unreasonable concentration of power for Google, given that (they) also have Android and Chrome."

Musk established his own AI firm, xAI, which aims to compete with other major industry players by developing foundational models and investing billions in infrastructure. The recent tie-up will likely prompt questions regarding OpenAI’s partnership with Apple.

OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman reportedly issued a "code red" to accelerate development late last year, in response to Google’s Gemini 3. Parth Talsania, chief executive officer of Equisights Research, commented on the shift.

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Talsania said, "Apple's decision to use Google's Gemini models for Siri shifts OpenAI into a more supporting role, with ChatGPT remaining positioned for complex, opt-in queries rather than the default intelligence layer."

Google has been aggressively countering OpenAI’s early lead in the industry. The company has focused heavily on frontier models, as well as image and video generation technologies.

Apple has experienced various setbacks in AI development, having joined the race late. Siri’s upgrade faced delays, top-level executive changes occurred, and the initial rollout of its generative AI tools received a lukewarm reception.

This latest agreement builds upon a long-standing partnership that designates Google as the default search engine on Apple devices. This lucrative arrangement drives traffic for Google while generating tens of billions in annual revenue for Apple.

News of the deal contributed to Alphabet's market valuation exceeding USD 4 trillion. The company’s stock increased by 65% last year, driven by growing investor optimism about its AI initiatives.

"Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards," Google affirmed. This statement aimed to alleviate potential privacy concerns.

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• Apple will integrate Google's Gemini AI models into its revamped Siri and other Apple Intelligence features.

• The multi-year agreement solidifies Google's position in the AI market, especially with Apple's over two billion active devices.

• The deal’s financial details remain undisclosed, but it follows Apple’s previous integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

Source: REUTERS