Trump scraps responsible AI order on first day | DeepSeek sparks global AI selloff, Nvidia losses about $593 billion | 1 in 4 girls sexually propositioned online before adulthood
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US President Donald Trump has abandoned an executive order placing safety obligations on the developers of artificial intelligence systems, cutting red tape for his Big Tech backers on his first day in office. An executive order revoking the 2023 order by former President Joe Biden was one of almost 80 signed on Tuesday by President Trump. InnovationAus.com
Investors sold technology stocks across the globe on Monday as they worried that the emergence of a low-cost Chinese artificial intelligence model would threaten the dominance of current AI leaders like Nvidia, shaving $592.7 billion off the chipmaker's market value. Last week, Chinese startup DeepSeek launched a free AI assistant that it says uses less data at a fraction of the cost of incumbent services. Reuters
eSafety is asking families to urgently prioritise online safety conversations as new research shows more than 1 in 4 girls (26.3%) have experienced online sexual solicitation by an adult before they turn 18, often as young as age 11. Joint eSafety research with Queensland University of Technology, led by child safety expert Professor Ben Mathews, found online sexual solicitation often begins at an early age. eSafety Commissioner
Australia
‘No way’: Labor says NBN will beat Elon Musk’s Starlink on broadband
The Age
David Crowe
Labor is vowing to back the national broadband network in a face-off with tech titan Elon Musk after pledging $3.8 billion on faster speeds to prevent his Starlink satellite company from poaching customers and eroding the network’s revenue. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said there was “no way” the Musk venture could match the NBN fibre network as she set out plans to improve speeds rather than chasing profits.
eSafety statement re the matter of Axel Rudakubana
eSafety Commissioner
eSafety notes with great sadness reports of evidence concerning the Wakeley church stabbing video presented to a court in the United Kingdom during the sentencing of Axel Rudakubana. eSafety acted swiftly following the Wakeley attack in Sydney on April 15, 2024, working collaboratively where possible with technology companies to remove the video from online platforms.
China
After stabbings, China’s social media firms face scrutiny over hate speech
Al Jazeera
Frederik Kelter
For one user on the Chinese social media platform, Weibo, the problem was Americans. “British people make me anxious too, but I hate Americans,” read the user’s comment. For another, it was Japanese. “I really hope the Japanese die,” the user repeated 25 times in a post. Xenophobic and hyper-nationalistic comments are easy to come by on Chinese social media platforms, even after some of the country’s biggest tech firms last year pledged to crack down on hate speech following a series of knife attacks on Japanese and American nationals in the country.
China’s Antarctic mission gets helping paw from robot dog
South China Morning Post
Amber Wang
A Chinese robot dog designed to carry heavy loads in extreme cold has successfully completed a series of tests in Antarctica, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Video footage broadcast on Saturday showed the six-legged dog carrying a box on its back at the Zhongshan polar research station. The report said the robot has specially designed shoes, made from a material that can withstand temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 Fahrenheit).
How China can keep pace in the global AI race
Reuters
Robyn Mak
In 2023, smartphones-to-silicon conglomerate Huawei quietly released its flagship Mate 60 Pro handset. The launch, while muted, was worth celebrating in the People’s Republic: the device featured a made-in-China chip that had previously seemed out of reach amid crippling U.S. sanctions. Late last month, Hangzhou-based startup DeepSeek added the latest technological surprise by claiming to have trained a large language model on a par with the offerings of OpenAI and Meta Platforms at a fraction of the cost.
USA
Trump scraps responsible AI order on first day
InnovationAus.com
Justin Hendry
US President Donald Trump has abandoned an executive order placing safety obligations on the developers of artificial intelligence systems, cutting red tape for his Big Tech backers on his first day in office. An executive order revoking the 2023 order by former President Joe Biden was one of almost 80 signed on Tuesday by President Trump. It arrived shortly after his inauguration, at which leaders from US tech giants Meta, Tesla, Amazon, Apple and Google had a front row seat.
Removing barriers to American leadership in artificial intelligence
The White House
The United States has long been at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, driven by the strength of our free markets, world-class research institutions, and entrepreneurial spirit. To maintain this leadership, we must develop AI systems that are free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas. With the right Government policies, we can solidify our position as the global leader in AI and secure a brighter future for all Americans. This order revokes certain existing AI policies and directives that act as barriers to American AI innovation, clearing a path for the United States to act decisively to retain global leadership in artificial intelligence.
The tech arsenal that could power Trump’s immigration crackdown
The New York Times
Adam Satariano, Paul MozurAaron Krolik and David McCabe
Apps and ankle monitors that track asylum seekers in real time wherever they go. Databases packed with personal information like fingerprints and faces. Investigative tools that can break into locked phones and search through gigabytes of emails, text messages and other files. These are pieces of a technology arsenal available to President Trump as he aims to crack down on illegal immigration and carry out the largest deportation operation in American history.
Trump says banning TikTok won’t make Americans safer from China. He may have a point
CNN
Clare Duffy
President Donald Trump on Wednesday batted down the national security concerns surrounding TikTok, saying, “Is it that important for China to be spying on young people? On young kids watching crazy videos?” It was a surprising comment coming from the guy who first tried to ban TikTok from the United States over worries that the Chinese government could use the app to gather intelligence on Americans.
How Trump silenced tech giants on his Paris withdrawal
POLITICO
Corbin Hiar and Sara Schonhardt
Tech titans directed a wave of criticism at President Donald Trump’s move to abandon the Paris climate agreement — eight years ago. When he did the same thing this week, they ignored it while flocking to Washington to hail his return to the White House. The differences between 2017 and now are stark: Heat-trapping emissions continue to rise globally, and disasters are accelerating.
South & Central Asia
OpenAI to face Indian news firms of Ambani, Adani in copyright battle, documents show
Reuters
Aditya Kalra and Arpan Chaturvedi
Digital news units of Indian billionaires Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, and other outlets including the Indian Express and the Hindustan Times, are joining proceedings against OpenAI for improperly using copyright content, legal papers show. Courts globally are hearing claims by authors, news organisations and musicians who accuse technology firms of using their copyrighted work to train AI services without permission or payment.
The militarisation of AI and evolving nuclear doctrines in South Asia: Challenges and implications
Australian Outlook
Dalir Khan
The integration of Artificial Intelligence into military frameworks by India and Pakistan is reshaping regional security dynamics, fueling a doctrinal shift with profound implications for strategic stability. As AI-driven systems enhance military capabilities, the accompanying risks of miscalculation, escalation, and ethical dilemmas demand urgent dialogue and regulatory measures to mitigate potential conflict.
Europe
Baltic subsea cable damage was accidental, not sabotage - US and European officials
DCD
Subsea cable damage in the Baltic Sea in recent months was likely the result of maritime accidents, not Russian sabotage, according to several US and European intelligence officials. As reported by The Washington Post, US and European officials have gathered evidence - including intercepted communications - which have concluded that anchors were dragged across the seabed accidentally because of inexperienced crews aboard poorly maintained vessels.
Latvian State Radio and TV Center's optic cable damaged in Baltic Sea
ERR
The underwater optical cable of Latvia's State Radio and Television Center was damaged in the Baltic Sea on Sunday morning, the center informed the LETA news agency. Estonia's politicians are in contact with their Latvian and Swedish counterparts. According to the LVRTC, the data monitoring system reported damage on the Ventspils-Gotland section of the cable. LETA reported that the damage was identified within Sweden's economic zone.
Tesla also sues EU over electric vehicle duties
POLITICO
Koen Verhelst
Elon Musk’s Tesla will face off with the European Commission in court in Luxembourg after joining three Chinese carmakers in suing the bloc over duties on made-in-China electric vehicles, two industry sources told POLITICO on Friday. Tesla, despite being headquartered in the U.S., makes most of its vehicles destined for Europe in China. The cars also have Chinese batteries inside.
Ultranationalist Algerian influencers wage war on France
POLITICO
Marion Solletty and Clea Caulcutt
Ultranationalist social media influencers from Algeria are spreading hate across France — the country that used to rule it. The trend has triggered a wave of nervousness in government in Paris, with several high-profile arrests over the past few weeks. A handful of online influencers have built a large audience, incited violence and terrorist activity, and, in some cases, targeted French-based opponents of the Algerian regime.
UK
How vulnerable is the UK to undersea cable attacks?
UK Parliament
Undersea fibre-optic cables are the ‘backbone’ of the world’s internet system, underpinning global commerce and communications. Over 500 cables carry around 95% of all international data, with demand set to increase in coming years. These cables are often long and remote, making them difficult and costly to monitor. They are vulnerable to natural events, accidental damage by vessels or deliberate sabotage.
Gender & Women in Tech
Partnering for gender-responsive AI
UN Women
Artificial intelligence could significantly accelerate progress on gender equality. The rapid integration of AI into everyday life is creating opportunities to improve social and economic outcomes for all. However, a study by the United Nations launched in 2024 shows that the speed of development also brings challenges that could perpetuate or even create new gender inequalities if left unchecked. The private sector, particularly the technology industry, is key to designing, developing and deploying inclusive, safe, trustworthy and equitable AI systems.
Women and digital literacy
The Express Tribune
Saira Samo
Technology is transforming every facet of life, with digital literacy now a key to success. However, many women in Pakistan remain excluded due to limited access to digital skills. Teaching these skills not only can transform their lives but also contribute to societal growth. Why focus on women's digital literacy? Education is a transformative force that improves families' well-being, strengthens economies, and nurtures healthier communities. Educated women raise informed children, reduce poverty, and promote social harmony.
Big Tech
When freedom bites back: Meta, moderation, and the limits of tolerance
Tech Policy Press
Giada Pistilli
Mark Zuckerberg's Meta just made a bet that could reshape the internet as we know it: What happens when a social media giant decides to step back and let its users fight their own information wars? By dismantling significant aspects of its content moderation system, Meta isn't just changing policy – it's running a real-world experiment on the limits of digital freedom. For billions of users worldwide, this experiment could reshape how we experience everything from daily social interactions to political discourse.
Meta’s Yann LeCun predicts ‘new paradigm of AI architectures’ within 5 years and ‘decade of robotics’
TechCrunch
Paul Sawers
Meta’s chief AI scientist, Yann LeCun, says that a “new paradigm of AI architectures” will emerge in the next three to five years, going far beyond the capabilities of existing AI systems. LeCun also predicted that the coming years could be the “decade of robotics,” where advances in AI and robotics combine to unlock a new class of intelligent applications.
Don’t rely on social media users for fact-checking. Many don’t care much about the common good
The Conversation
Mark Andrejevic
In the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg fired the fact-checking team for his company’s social media platforms. At the same time, he reversed Facebook’s turn away from political content. The decision is widely viewed as placating an incoming president with a known penchant for mangling the truth.
Amazon removes sections on ‘LGBTQ+ rights’ and ‘equity for black people’ from its company policy
People of Color in Tech
Amazon has changed its company policy and a part of its website that gives employment information. According to The Washington Post, it has removed language that assures protection for Black and LGBTQ+ employees. The company also removed any language that supported laws addressing misconduct and racial bias in policing, initiatives to protect and expand voting rights, and initiatives to encourage better health and educational opportunities for Black people.
Uber CEO addresses the elephant in the room: What happens to human Uber drivers once robotaxis arrive?
Business Insider
Sarah Perkel
What happens to the millions of Uber drivers when autonomous vehicles, or robotaxis, become the norm? Uber's CEO said its human drivers won't be replaced anytime soon. "You know, I don't think you are going to feel anything as it relates in the next five years," said chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi during a recent appearance on CNBC's "Squawk Box" from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Artificial Intelligence
DeepSeek sparks global AI selloff, Nvidia losses about $593 billion of value
Reuters
Sinéad Carew, Amanda Cooper and Ankur Banerjee
Investors sold off a host of technology stocks from Tokyo to New York on Monday as they worried that the emergence of a low-cost Chinese artificial intelligence model would threaten the dominance of current AI leaders such as Nvidia. Startup DeepSeek launched a free AI assistant last week that it says uses less data at a fraction of the cost of incumbent services and by Monday DeepSeek's assistant had overtaken U.S. rival ChatGPT in downloads from Apple's app store.
DeepSeek hit with large-scale cyberattack, says it’s limiting registrations
CNBC
Hayden Field
DeepSeek on Monday said it would temporarily limit user registrations “due to large-scale malicious attacks” on its services, though existing users will be able to log in as usual. The Chinese artificial intelligence startup has generated a lot of buzz in recent weeks as a fast-growing rival to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and other leading AI tools.
Claude will eventually start speaking up during your chats
TechRadar
Eric Hal Schwartz
The Claude AI chatbot will receive major upgrades in the months ahead, including the ability to listen and respond by voice alone. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei explained the plans to the Wall Street Journal at the World Economic Forum in Davos, including the voice mode and an upcoming memory feature. Essentially, Claude is about to get a personality boost, allowing it to talk back and remember who you are.
Meta AI can now use your Facebook and Instagram data to personalize its responses
TechCrunch
Kyle Wiggers
Meta says that it is rolling out improvements to Meta AI, its cross-platform chatbot, including the ability to have the bot “remember” details from conversations. In a post on Meta’s official blog, the company said that, in chats with Meta AI on Facebook, Messenger, and WhatsApp for iOS and Android in the U.S. and Canada, users can now tell Meta AI to remember certain things about them, like that they love to travel and learn new languages.
Research
1 in 4 girls sexually propositioned online before adulthood: latest research
eSafety Commissioner
eSafety is asking families to urgently prioritise online safety conversations as new research shows more than 1 in 4 girls (26.3%) have experienced online sexual solicitation by an adult before they turn 18, often as young as age 11. Joint eSafety research with Queensland University of Technology, led by child safety expert Professor Ben Mathews, found online sexual solicitation often begins at an early age, with 80% of targets saying it started by age 15 and 25% reporting it began before age 12.
Are misinformation interventions different or fundamentally the same?
London School of Economics
Ozan Kuru
Over the past decade and particularly the past five years, misinformation and interventions aimed at mitigating it have received extensive scholarly attention. However, these interventions face significant epistemological, empirical, practical, socio-political, and ethical challenges. At the same time the field of misinformation research is fragmented across disciplines, theories, methods, and funding schemes.
Events & Podcasts
Safeguarding Australian elections: Addressing AI-enabled disinformation
ASPI
As artificial intelligence advances, it creates new challenges for democracy and electoral integrity. AI-enabled disinformation, deepfakes, and influence operations are increasingly being weaponised to distort political discourse and erode public trust. This event on Thursday 6 February, 5:30-6:30pm, co-hosted by ASPI and CETaS, will focus on the intersection of AI, electoral integrity and democratic resilience.
Jobs
Professional Development Program Coordinator
ASPI
Our Program Coordinators are fundamental to the success of our professional development programs. As a key team member, you will be tasked with nurturing collaborative relationships across Defence, National Security, the National Intelligence Community, and the broader ASPI community. Success demands adept communication and interpersonal skills, a focus on client service, exceptional organisational abilities coupled with keen attention to detail, and the capability to think on your feet, problem-solve, and meet deadlines effectively.
The Daily Cyber & Tech Digest is brought to you by the Cyber, Technology & Security team at ASPI.