OpenAI has declared its interest in buying Google Chrome (if Alphabet is forced to sell it following an antitrust ruling against the tech giant), raising major questions about the future of internet browsing, AI, and search.

OpenAI’s Interest Made Clear During Antitrust Testimony

Speaking during a landmark antitrust trial in Washington DC, OpenAI’s Head of Product for ChatGPT, Nick Turley, confirmed that the AI company would “absolutely” consider buying Chrome should it become available.

“Yes, we would, as would many other parties,” Turley testified. He added that integrating ChatGPT directly into Chrome could create “a really incredible experience,” giving users a glimpse into an “AI-first experience” for web browsing.

Turley’s comments came during a three-week remedies phase of the US Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit against Google, where the focus has shifted from proving wrongdoing to deciding what structural changes might be needed to restore competition.

The Google Antitrust Trial

Google’s troubles with US regulators are nothing new, but the current trial represents one of the most serious challenges to the company’s dominance. In 2023, a federal judge ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly over online search. For example, proposed remedies include:

– Forcing Google to divest its Chrome browser.

– Preventing Google from paying companies (e.g. Apple, Samsung) to make Google their default search.

– Forcing Google to share its search index with rivals.

Chrome has become a central focus because of its overwhelming influence on how users access the internet. For example, according to Similarweb, Chrome commands around 64 per cent of the global browser market. Microsoft’s Edge trails far behind at 13.35 per cent, while Apple’s Safari holds 21 per cent of the market.

Therefore, if the court orders Google to spin off Chrome, it would clearly be one of the most significant regulatory interventions in tech history, and it now seems as though OpenAI is positioning itself as a major contender to scoop it up.

Why OpenAI Wants Chrome

At its core, OpenAI’s interest in Chrome is likely to be about reach. Despite the soaring popularity of ChatGPT, distributing AI services directly to users has been a major hurdle. As Brian Jackson, Principal Research Director at Info-Tech Research Group (quoted in Fortune) puts it: “Control of a browser is control of the primary access point to the web,” and that “Owning Chrome would instantly give OpenAI a massive footprint and new opportunities to harvest browser interaction data.”

Currently, ChatGPT Search exists as a Chrome extension, with around three million users according to the Chrome Web Store. However, deeper integration could significantly enhance both the functionality and the adoption rate of OpenAI’s tools.

Turley also highlighted that access to web browsing is crucial to OpenAI’s ambitions to build a “super assistant” , i.e. an AI capable of helping users with real-time, accurate information across daily tasks.

However, it seems that OpenAI has faced stiff barriers to wider distribution. Although it successfully partnered with Apple to integrate ChatGPT into iPhones, it has struggled on Android, where Google’s influence is stronger. For example, since January, Google has paid Samsung to make its own Gemini AI model the default on Samsung devices, leaving little room for rivals.

“Our powerful competitors control the access points,” Turley said, warning that without new avenues, OpenAI’s growth could be limited.

What Would It Mean If OpenAI Bought Chrome?

For OpenAI, the benefits of getting Chrome are clear, i.e. it’s an instant gateway to billions of users, deeper integration of AI into everyday browsing, and access to a treasure trove of real-time user interaction data.

For users, however, the picture may be more complicated. For example, OpenAI already holds vast amounts of data through ChatGPT interactions. If it owned a browser, it could potentially access even more detailed information about user behaviour, searches, and preferences. This raises new privacy concerns. As Professor Anjana Susarla, an expert in Information Systems at Michigan State University, says: “The idea of an AI company having access to your browsing history should make everyone think carefully about data protection.”

There would also be a significant shift in the competitive landscape. Today, Google dominates not just search but also browser-based advertising. OpenAI’s takeover of Chrome could fragment the market, creating new opportunities for Microsoft (with Bing and Edge), Apple (with Safari), and rising AI-powered search engines like Perplexity AI.

What Does Google Say?

Unsurprisingly, Google is not keen on the idea! In a statement, Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Head of Regulatory Affairs, said that the government’s proposals would “hurt America’s consumers, economy, and technological leadership.”

Google has also made clear that it has no intention of selling Chrome voluntarily. The company plans to appeal the earlier rulings that declared it a search and advertising monopolist.

Challenges and Criticisms of an OpenAI Chrome Acquisition

While the prospect is tantalising for OpenAI, it would not be without major challenges. For example:

– Antitrust regulators would almost certainly scrutinise any deal that allowed OpenAI (itself heavily backed by Microsoft) to control a major internet gateway. Microsoft’s existing links to OpenAI through its Azure cloud deals and investments could raise concerns about a new type of market consolidation.

– The backlash over data privacy could be fierce. Businesses, particularly those reliant on sensitive web applications, would likely be cautious about trusting a browser tied to an AI company whose models constantly learn from user interactions.

– Maintaining a browser the size and complexity of Chrome is no small feat. Ensuring security updates, standards compliance, and feature innovation at the scale Chrome users expect would stretch OpenAI’s capabilities far beyond its current experience.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

The possibility of OpenAI acquiring Chrome, while still hypothetical, marks a pivotal moment for the future of internet browsing, AI development, and competitive dynamics across the tech sector. Should Alphabet be forced to part with its prized browser, it could fundamentally alter how billions of users experience the web, and who holds influence over that journey.

For OpenAI, the opportunity to directly control such a vast user base would accelerate its ambitions to integrate AI into everyday life. Yet the potential for wider concerns around privacy, regulatory scrutiny, and concentration of power would be equally profound. An AI company, especially one with OpenAI’s scale and reach, controlling both a major browser and a large language model platform would invite fresh questions over how personal data is used, secured, and monetised.

From a business perspective (especially for UK firms) any shift in browser ownership could have far-reaching implications. Chrome remains the default environment for a significant proportion of business applications, marketing strategies, and customer engagement channels. A transition to an OpenAI-owned Chrome could introduce new integrations, potentially making AI-powered tools more accessible, but it could also mean greater complexity around data governance and compliance requirements, particularly under UK GDPR standards. Firms may need to review their digital strategies more closely if browser platforms start embedding AI deeper into the browsing experience.

Meanwhile, for Google, the threat of losing Chrome would weaken its dominance not only in search but also in digital advertising and browser-driven innovation. Rivals like Microsoft, Apple, and emerging AI-first players could find new openings to grow their own ecosystems, leading to a more fragmented, but potentially more dynamic marketplace. Other stakeholders, from consumers to regulators, would need to weigh up the benefits of greater competition against the risks of concentrating browsing and AI capabilities in fewer hands.

Whether OpenAI’s interest in Chrome becomes reality or not, the mere fact it is seriously being discussed shows how the battle lines in tech are rapidly redrawing. Search, browsing, and AI are no longer separate arenas but are becoming a single, contested frontier. How that frontier is shaped (and who wins control over it) will have lasting consequences for users, businesses, and the broader digital economy alike.

Toshiba Europe has successfully sent quantum-encrypted messages across a record 254km of standard commercial fibre optic cable, marking a major step towards achieving real-world quantum-secure communications without relying on highly specialised hardware.

A Record-Breaking Achievement Using Everyday Infrastructure

Quantum cryptography has long promised unbreakable security, but practical challenges have kept it largely confined to laboratories. Quantum key distribution (QKD), a method that uses the principles of quantum mechanics to securely share encryption keys between two parties, ensures that any attempt to intercept the key is instantly detectable. Now, researchers at Toshiba Europe have pushed the boundaries by sending QKD messages across an existing fibre optic network spanning Frankfurt, Kirchfeld and Kehl in Germany.

Using Standard Commercial Equipment, Not Specialist Kit

Importantly, they achieved this milestone without the specialised cryogenic cooling or custom-engineered cables typically required. This makes it the first time coherent quantum communication has been performed at this scale using infrastructure similar to what supports today’s internet traffic.

“This work opens the door to practical quantum networks without needing exotic hardware,” said Mirko Pittaluga, one of the lead authors of the study (published this week in Nature).

The experiment managed a secure transmission rate of around 110 bits per second. While modest compared to classical speeds, it represents an essential proof-of-concept for scaling up quantum communications without prohibitive costs.

What Makes This Different From Previous Efforts?

Quantum key distribution has been demonstrated before. For example, China famously linked Beijing and Shanghai via quantum connections, and even launched a quantum satellite, Micius. However, those efforts typically relied on expensive dedicated infrastructure or free-space optical links requiring near-perfect environmental conditions.

However, Toshiba’s work stands out because it used standard telecom-grade fibre optic cables and commercially viable equipment. There was no need for the ultra-low temperatures usually associated with photon detectors in quantum systems.

How?

The team was able to achieve this by using a technology called twin-field QKD, which cleverly sidesteps many of the transmission losses that usually plague long-distance quantum communication.

Robert Woodward, who leads the fibre QKD research team at Toshiba Europe, described the approach as “using commercially viable components to achieve much higher performance,” paving the way for national and even international scale deployment.

Why Quantum Encryption Matters More Than Ever

Traditional encryption relies on mathematical problems that would take today’s fastest computers billions of years to crack. However, quantum computers (which are still in early stages of development) could one day solve these problems in mere minutes.

This looming threat, often called ‘Q-Day’, has prompted governments and industries worldwide to invest heavily in quantum-secure communications.

QKD Is ‘Untappable’

It seems, therefore, as shown by Toshiba’s experiment, that quantum key distribution offers a potential solution. It uses the principles of quantum mechanics to create a shared encryption key between two parties, with the critical advantage that any attempt to intercept the key would immediately be detectable. In short, it’s untappable.

For example, if an eavesdropper tries to measure the photons used in the transmission, the quantum state of the system changes, alerting both sender and receiver to a breach attempt.

Given the stakes (e.g. applications ranging from securing bank transactions and medical records to protecting national secrets), the ability to run QKD over existing telecoms infrastructure could be a game-changer.

A New Frontier in Data Security for Businesses?

For businesses, Toshiba’s breakthrough may offer the tantalising prospect of ultra-secure communication without the need for massive investment in specialist systems.

In sectors where confidentiality is paramount (e.g. finance, healthcare, legal services, and defence), quantum-safe communication looks as though it could become a standard expectation rather than a futuristic luxury. If commercial telecom providers can integrate QKD into their existing offerings, businesses could access quantum-grade security over regular broadband or leased line connections.

This could lead to:

– New premium-grade secure communication services.

– Enhanced protection for sensitive client data.

– Increased resilience against future quantum threats.

– Competitive advantage for early adopters of quantum-safe systems.

As Mirko Pittaluga puts it: “It lowers the entry barrier for industry adoption.”

Speed, Cost, and Infrastructure Risks

Despite the excitement, significant hurdles remain before QKD becomes mainstream. For example:

– The data rates achievable today are extremely low. At 110 bits per second, Toshiba’s demonstration is far from supporting the bandwidth needs of typical modern businesses.

– While the system does use existing fibres, it still requires highly sensitive (though now commercially available) equipment to detect single photons and manage synchronisation over long distances.

– While quantum signals themselves are secure, the underlying fibre network remains vulnerable to physical attacks. As James Millen (an experimental quantum scientist at King’s College London) warned, “using existing optical fibre infrastructure is more cost-effective, but it introduces potential vulnerabilities through attacks on the physical network itself.”

In short, while QKD can detect eavesdropping, it cannot prevent fibre cables being physically damaged, tapped at the hardware level, or sabotaged.

Not All Experts Are Fully Convinced

Despite the obvious promise here, some researchers have expressed cautious optimism rather than unqualified celebration. For example, while Professor Sandrine Heutz of Imperial College London has praised the breakthrough as a “significant advance”, she has also highlighted the need for “practical engineering approaches combining sustainability with performance” before quantum networks can scale.

Others point out that alternative post-quantum cryptography methods (i.e. those based on mathematical techniques designed to resist quantum attacks) may offer a more immediate and scalable solution for many businesses.

That said, QKD appears to offer a completely different security model, i.e. true information-theoretic security, rather than security based on assumptions of computational difficulty.

A Step Closer to a Quantum-Connected Future

Toshiba’s success may be a clear signal that quantum encryption is becoming more than just a theoretical concept. It could also be seen as showing that businesses could soon have access to ultra-secure communications without relying on highly specialised or impractical technology. The real challenge now will be extending QKD into broader networks, scaling transmission speeds, and driving down costs so it becomes viable for everyday use.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

Toshiba’s breakthrough brings the vision of ultra-secure quantum communications significantly closer to reality. For UK businesses, particularly those handling sensitive client information or operating in highly regulated sectors, the prospect of deploying quantum-safe communication networks using existing fibre infrastructure is beginning to look far more attainable. It suggests a future where ultra-secure encryption could be a built-in feature of mainstream services, rather than a costly, bespoke solution accessible only to a few.

However, businesses will need to stay alert. Although Toshiba’s achievement shows what is possible, there are still some serious barriers to its practical deployment on a wide scale. For example, current data transmission rates are far too low for everyday commercial needs, and the cost of equipping networks with suitable quantum-ready hardware remains high. Companies that invest early may gain a competitive edge in terms of trust and security, but must also weigh the risks and realities of early adoption.

For telecoms providers, technology firms, and national infrastructure planners, the success of Toshiba’s test sends a strong signal that investment in quantum communication systems is no longer just experimental. As QKD capabilities improve and costs fall, we may start to see broader moves towards building quantum-safe national networks, which is something governments across Europe and beyond are now likely to be very interested in.

At the same time, this new chapter in cyber security brings fresh challenges for infrastructure security and network resilience. While quantum signals themselves are robust against hacking, the physical cables they travel through remain vulnerable to attack. Any future strategy must therefore combine quantum encryption with strong physical and network security measures.

Toshiba’s test seems to be a turning point in that it shows that quantum cryptography is moving out of the lab and into the real world.

The United Arab Emirates has become the first country in the world to officially use artificial intelligence to write, review and amend its federal and local laws, a move that is already sparking global debate about the future of governance.

A Bold Leap Into AI-Driven Legislation

In a decision that has stunned many policy experts, the UAE government has announced the creation of a new cabinet unit, the Regulatory Intelligence Office, which will oversee a sweeping AI-powered legislative programme. This will not only draft new laws but also monitor, review, and update existing ones using advanced AI systems.

Speaking through state media, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai and UAE Prime Minister, said: “This new legislative system, powered by artificial intelligence, will change how we create laws, making the process faster and more precise.”

For example, instead of human committees debating potential changes over months, AI will now be tasked with analysing legal data, case law, and societal impacts to suggest amendments in real-time. The move actually builds on years of strategic investment as the UAE appointed the world’s first Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Omar Sultan Al Olama, back in 2017 and launched its UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence shortly after.

Why Is This Move So Unusual?

In short, while many governments globally are experimenting with AI to summarise bills, automate paperwork, or assist with public services, none have gone as far as allowing AI to actively co-write and amend legislation.

Rony Medaglia, professor at Copenhagen Business School, has been quoted as describing the move as “very bold,” noting it shifts AI from being a mere administrative tool to becoming “some sort of co-legislator.”

For example, the AI will not just analyse existing laws but will also proactively predict areas needing reform, based on economic trends, legal precedents, and public service data. This predictive approach, experts argue, is unheard of on a national scale.

However, it’s worth noting here that details about the specific AI models and their safeguards remain limited at this stage. Questions also linger about how much human oversight will accompany the automated recommendations.

What Does It Mean for the UAE?

It seems that officials are optimistic, as the UAE cabinet predicts that AI will speed up the lawmaking process by 70 per cent, cut government costs by up to 50 per cent, and could ultimately boost the nation’s GDP by around 35 per cent by 2030.

The move is also being seen as a strategic step to cement the UAE’s position as a leader in digital governance and regulatory innovation. For example, by creating a massive database of all federal and local laws, combined with court judgments and government service outcomes, the AI system will be able to evaluate how laws impact the population and the economy in near real-time.

Global Ambition

From a geopolitical perspective, the UAE’s willingness to experiment at scale reflects its broader ambition to position itself as a global AI hub, alongside its major investments such as MGX, an AI-focused sovereign investment vehicle launched last year.

What Could It Mean for Other Countries?

The UAE’s decision could set a powerful precedent. Other nations, especially those with more centralised or technocratic governments, may watch closely to see if AI-driven lawmaking improves efficiency, lowers costs, and boosts citizen satisfaction.

However, democratic countries, where legislative processes are deliberately slower to encourage scrutiny and debate, may find it harder to adopt similar systems without triggering political backlash. For example, in Europe, strict regulations like the EU’s AI Act, and public sensitivities around data privacy and algorithmic transparency, would make a UAE-style rollout far more contentious.

Impact on Businesses in the UAE and Beyond

For businesses operating within the UAE (or trading with companies there) the implications could be profound. A faster, more dynamic legislative environment could create opportunities for innovation, but could also create some uncertainty. For example, regulations affecting sectors like fintech, healthcare, and renewable energy could change more quickly and unpredictably than before, depending on AI-driven assessments of sector performance and risk.

At the same time, companies may benefit from clearer, more data-driven legal frameworks if the AI is successful in creating laws that better match economic realities. International companies dealing with the UAE may therefore need to stay especially vigilant, investing in legal monitoring systems that can track rapid regulatory shifts suggested by AI analyses.

Criticisms and Challenges

Despite the excitement, experts have warned of some significant risks from a move like this. One major concern is reliability. As Vincent Straub (an AI researcher at Oxford University) has noted, current AI models still “hallucinate” (a technical term for making up false or misleading information) and suffer from robustness issues, warning that “We can’t trust them”. For example, AI could recommend a law amendment that, while mathematically sound, may be legally nonsensical or socially harmful. Without some critical degree of human oversight, these proposals could therefore pose real dangers.

Bias in training data is another key issue. If historical laws and court rulings contain systemic biases, the AI could perpetuate or even amplify these flaws unless carefully corrected. As Marina De Vos, a computer scientist at the University of Bath has cautioned, without tight “guardrails,” the AI might produce recommendations that “make sense to a machine” but are utterly impractical for human societies.

Transparency is also a key concern here. Legal decisions require clear rationales, yet many AI systems operate as “black boxes” whose reasoning is opaque even to their developers. This could undermine trust in the legislative process if not carefully managed.

Also, while the UAE’s political system enables rapid innovation, some critics have pointed out that democratic oversight may be limited. In countries with more public participation in governance, rolling out similar AI programmes would likely face heavy scrutiny and slower adoption.

What’s Next?

It remains unclear which AI platforms the UAE will deploy for this historic experiment. Experts suggest the government may need to combine multiple models to handle the complexities of legislative drafting, economic modelling, and ethical review.

The Regulatory Intelligence Office is expected to start work immediately, with AI-written and AI-amended laws anticipated to appear before the end of the year.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

The UAE’s decision to embed AI at the heart of its legislative process marks a pioneering moment not just for the Gulf region, but for the world at large. By embracing technology in this way, the UAE is signalling a future where governments may no longer be the sole authors of their own laws, but co-creators with machines capable of absorbing vast datasets and drawing new insights at unprecedented speed. Yet with such a bold move comes an equally bold set of risks, from reliability concerns to the potential for unseen biases and a lack of transparency.

For UK businesses (and indeed any company trading with or operating within the UAE), the impact could be significant. A faster-moving legal environment may unlock new opportunities, particularly for sectors like finance, technology, and renewable energy, where regulatory agility can be a major advantage. However, it also means firms will need to be increasingly proactive, keeping a close watch on legislative changes that could emerge with far less warning than under traditional systems. Investing in legal risk management and maintaining close ties with local partners will likely become even more critical for safeguarding operations in the region.

More broadly, the UAE’s experiment could provide valuable lessons for policymakers, businesses, and citizens around the world. Whether AI can truly deliver faster, fairer, and more effective governance remains to be seen, but what is clear already is that the global conversation around the role of technology in public life has entered a new and more urgent phase. As the first test case plays out in the UAE, the stakes will be watched closely by governments, regulators, and businesses alike (including here in the UK), where balancing innovation with accountability remains an ever-delicate task.

A playful question on X has uncovered the fact that our polite habits with AI models like ChatGPT may be quietly racking up major financial and environmental costs.

The Question That Sparked It All

This fact was revealed following a seemingly light-hearted post by X user @tomieinlove: “I wonder how much money OpenAI has lost in electricity costs from people saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ to their models.”

This led to OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, jumping into the thread with a characteristically dry reply: “Tens of millions of dollars well spent — you never know.”

While Altman’s comment was clearly tongue-in-cheek, it opened up a deeper conversation. As it turns out, it seems that every extra word typed into ChatGPT, however courteous, requires processing power. Multiply that by millions of interactions every day, and the costs begin to stack up in ways that are anything but trivial.

How Politeness Comes With a Price Tag

Behind ChatGPT’s friendly interface lies a vast network of servers powered by high-performance GPUs (graphics processing units). Every user input (no matter how short or polite) triggers an inference process, i.e. the AI’s work to interpret, generate, and deliver a response. For example:

– A simple “Please help me draft a job application” requires more compute than just “Draft job application.”

– Adding extra pleasantries leads to more data being processed, however small it might seem.

According to estimates by semiconductor analyst Dylan Patel, OpenAI’s running costs were around $700,000 (£525,000) per day for GPT-3 models in 2023. Given the far greater complexity of the newer GPT-4o model, it may, therefore, be reasonable to assume that these daily operational costs have increased substantially.

The cumulative impact of billions of interactions, each a few characters longer because of user politeness, adds up over time, hence, “tens of millions” might not be such a wild estimate after all.

The Environmental Cost Is Also Mounting

In terms of costs, it’s not just about money but also the environmental toll of generative AI that is significant … and growing.

For example, the International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that data centres, AI processing and crypto mining together accounted for almost 2 per cent of global electricity demand in 2022. Alarmingly, the IEA forecasts this could double by 2026, which is a consumption level equivalent to that of Japan!

Also, research by the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that training a single large AI model can emit more carbon than five American cars produce across their entire lifetimes, manufacturing included. With companies racing to develop ever more powerful models, that carbon footprint is only expected to expand.

Cooling these server farms also guzzles resources. For example, Microsoft’s water use jumped by over 1.7 billion gallons in just one year (enough to fill roughly 2,500 Olympic swimming pools!) as a direct result of AI growth. Also, Google reported a 48 per cent rise in emissions since 2019, largely driven by AI demands.

Why AI Inference Costs Are A Growing Concern

It’s worth noting here that one important nuance is the distinction between training costs and inference costs. For example:

– Training. Building an AI model like GPT-4 involves massive, one-off energy and financial investments.

– Inference. Running the model daily (every query, every interaction) generates ongoing operational costs that are now, for many companies, the larger burden.

It seems that as AI adoption explodes, inference costs are becoming a major pinch point. In a nutshell, this is because responding to every user prompt (whether polite or not) demands electricity, server capacity, and human oversight, and when you extend that across millions of daily users, small inefficiencies balloon into major issues.

How This Impacts OpenAI, Competitors, And Business Users

For OpenAI, these growing costs have a direct effect on business strategy. Free access to ChatGPT may no longer be sustainable at scale, especially as users lean on the system for increasingly complex tasks. For example, the company already charges $20 (£16) per month for its premium “ChatGPT Plus” service and has introduced a $200 (£150) per month “ChatGPT Pro” tier. Also, reports suggest that OpenAI is now exploring advertising models to supplement revenue.

Other AI providers are, of course, facing similar dilemmas. Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, and Microsoft’s Copilot all involve vast back-end costs. Some, like Anthropic, are experimenting with tiered pricing and restricted free access to manage demand.

For business users, especially SMEs reliant on AI for tasks like customer service, marketing, and document generation, the potential implications could include:

– Higher costs. More businesses may find themselves needing to pay for premium AI services.

– Usage limits. Companies relying heavily on free AI tools could face throttling or capped usage.

– Environmental pressure. Businesses with sustainability commitments may need to rethink how they deploy AI, balancing productivity with carbon goals.

Is There A Way To Mitigate The Costs?

Thankfully, there are several potential strategies for reducing the financial and environmental burden of AI usage without sacrificing performance, such as:

– Model optimisation. AI developers are racing to make inference more efficient. Techniques like ‘model quantisation’ and ‘low-rank adaptation’ could significantly reduce the compute needed for each response.

– User education. Encouraging users to streamline their prompts could shave precious microseconds off every interaction.

– Energy innovation. Companies are investing in renewable energy to power their data centres. For example, Microsoft aims to be carbon negative by 2030.

– Alternative architectures. Research into more efficient AI models, including smaller specialist models rather than vast generalist ones, could lessen the overall burden.

Politeness Still Has Its Place

Interestingly, politeness may still have its place. As Kurt Beavers, a director on Microsoft’s Copilot team, points out, polite language can “set a tone” for more courteous AI responses. In customer-facing settings, this could lead to better user experiences, which is something businesses will not want to sacrifice lightly.

It seems, therefore, that while a “please” or “thank you” might seem harmless, at scale it reveals the fundamental truth that efficiency will be key to the future of AI and even our manners might need an upgrade.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

It seems that a casual question on X has actually shed some light on one overlooked area of the challenges of scaling AI technology. Seemingly minor behaviours, like adding polite language to prompts, may have surprisingly major implications when multiplied across millions of users. For companies like OpenAI, it is likely to be a sharp reminder that the cost of delivering ever-more human-like AI experiences is not just technical, but financial and environmental too.

For UK businesses in particular, this could signal a future where the true price of AI adoption becomes harder to ignore. As premium AI services rise in cost and environmental concerns gather pace, firms may need to become more selective about when and how they use generative AI tools. For small and medium-sized enterprises, who have so far enjoyed the benefits of free or low-cost AI support for tasks like customer engagement and content creation, the possibility of tighter usage limits or higher subscription fees could soon reshape digital strategies. Those with strong ESG (environmental, social, and governance) commitments will also be under greater pressure to account for the carbon impact of their AI usage, adding another layer of responsibility to technology procurement decisions.

At the same time, for developers, investors, and regulators, the issue highlights a growing tension at the heart of the AI boom. The race to embed AI in every product and service is clashing with the reality that massive compute power is neither free nor limitless. As AI models grow in scale and sophistication, the demand for greener technologies, smarter model optimisation, and fairer business models will only intensify. It seems that businesses who plan ahead (i.e. investing in efficiency, staying informed about evolving AI practices, and questioning the real-world costs behind the tools they use) may be best placed to navigate this shifting landscape.

All this means that our (digital) manners now come with a price.

Tesla’s profits have plummeted by 71 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, a collapse driven by weakening vehicle sales, political controversy and rising competition, thereby marking one of the toughest periods the electric vehicle pioneer has faced in years.

Tesla’s Financial Strength Shaken

Elon Musk’s Tesla posted $409 million in net income on $19.3 billion in revenue, falling well short of analyst expectations and underlining growing pressures on the company’s business model. Tesla’s car sales revenue plunged by 20 per cent compared to a year ago, reflecting not only a softening market but a series of self-inflicted wounds.

Only Just Kept Out of the Red

In fact, the company’s results show that Tesla was only kept out of the red by selling $595 million worth of zero-emissions credits. Without these, Tesla would have recorded a loss – a stark shift for a business once seen as the powerhouse of the EV industry.

Second Consecutive Quarter Decline

It’s now the second consecutive quarter of dramatic year-on-year declines, with Tesla also warning that ongoing political uncertainty and evolving trade policies could make recovery even harder in 2025.

Musk’s Brand Damaged

Much of the recent backlash against Tesla has centred on CEO Elon Musk himself. His high-profile involvement in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) programme has sparked protests, vandalism of Tesla dealerships, and a surge in negative sentiment towards the brand.

Public opinion polls show Musk’s favourability ratings have dropped sharply since taking on his controversial White House role. Although Musk confirmed he will now be reducing his government involvement, pledging to spend more time at Tesla from May onwards, some damage to the company’s reputation already appears to be baked in.

Not surprisingly, shareholders have grown increasingly concerned, with some suggesting that Tesla’s recent slide can be traced directly to Musk’s divided focus and political entanglements. For example, Tesla stock is now down around 50 per cent from its peak in December 2024.

Tariffs and Trade Wars Add More Pressure

It seems that Tesla now also faces external challenges, fuelled by Musk’s friend and associate President Trump’s trade war policies, including new tariffs, which are putting strain on the company’s supply chains and cost base. While Musk has publicly advocated for lower tariffs, Tesla remains exposed due to its reliance on imported parts, despite its US-based manufacturing footprint.

The company’s latest earnings statement highlighted that “rapidly evolving trade policy” and “changing political sentiment” are likely to affect demand for Tesla products in the near term, particularly outside the US where sentiment towards Musk’s political stance may carry additional weight.

Product Delays and Competitive Threats

Meanwhile, rivals have taken full advantage of Tesla’s slowdown. For example, Chinese manufacturer BYD, in particular, has surged ahead globally, offering new models at lower price points and packing in increasingly sophisticated technology. BYD recently overtook Tesla as the world’s top EV seller by volume, a major psychological and market shift that could have long-term effects on Tesla’s standing.

In Europe, brands like BMW, Volkswagen, and Hyundai are also eating into Tesla’s market share, while in the UK, MG (backed by Chinese automaker SAIC) has grown rapidly to become one of the best-selling EV brands. MG’s affordable models like the MG4 have resonated strongly with British buyers looking for value and reliability, placing direct pressure on Tesla’s more expensive offerings.

Tesla’s situation has also been made worse by a major recall of nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks due to a faulty accelerator pedal, just months after the vehicle’s launch. The recall has further dented confidence in Tesla’s ability to deliver new models without critical flaws, at a time when competition is growing fiercer by the day.

As a result, Tesla’s dominance in the UK EV market has slipped, with recent figures showing it falling behind local favourites and newer Asian entrants in key sales rankings. This trend has been further accelerated by consumer concerns over Musk’s politics, which some analysts believe has made the brand less appealing to mainstream buyers in the UK and Europe.

More Affordable Model On The Way

Musk has promised that production of a new, more affordable Tesla model will begin in June 2025, using a modified version of the existing manufacturing platform rather than a full next-generation overhaul. However, scepticism remains, especially after Reuters reported potential delays to these plans earlier this month.

Without a compelling, lower-cost alternative soon, it looks as though Tesla risks losing even more ground to rivals that are moving faster and offering sharper value.

Uncertain Future For Robotaxis and AI Projects

Musk’s bold claims around Tesla’s Robotaxi and Optimus robot programmes have also drawn some scrutiny. Musk stated that an initial Robotaxi service will launch in Austin, Texas, this June, with broader rollouts later in the year, and he predicted that Tesla vehicles would be capable of fully autonomous driving by the end of 2025.

However, Tesla has repeatedly missed self-driving targets in the past, and internal analysis reportedly suggests that Robotaxi services would lose money for an extended period even if technically successful. Investors remain wary of promises that may be years away from full commercial viability.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

For those operating in sectors linked to clean energy, automotive technology, or international trade, Tesla’s latest struggles could create real ripple effects. If Tesla stumbles further, it risks not only damaging its own future but also unsettling wider supply chains, investment patterns, and consumer expectations, including here in the UK, where Tesla has been a visible flagbearer for EV adoption.

There is still a chance that Musk’s decision to scale back his government commitments and refocus on Tesla’s core business could help stabilise the situation. The company’s push to launch more affordable models (if delivered successfully) may also help to re-energise its position in increasingly crowded global markets. However, with Tesla’s brand reputation, operational execution, and international supply resilience now all under intense pressure, many businesses and stakeholders will be watching the next six months very closely.

It also cannot be ignored that many critics see Elon Musk himself as a key factor behind Tesla’s current predicament. His divisive political involvement, coupled with persistent overpromises on self-driving technology and other initiatives, have arguably fuelled much of the backlash the company is now facing. In today’s volatile market, even the strongest tech brands are not immune to political risks, operational missteps, or shifting public sentiment.

Whether this is merely a temporary stumble or the start of a deeper turning point remains to be seen. What is clear, though, is that the road ahead for Tesla, and for businesses that depend on its ecosystem, looks far bumpier than anyone might have predicted just a year ago.

A new cyber campaign is exploiting Zoom’s remote control feature to install malware, exfiltrate data, and hijack victim devices, researchers have warned.

The attack, linked to a threat group called Elusive Comet, tricks users into granting remote access during fake Zoom interviews arranged via bogus Calendly links and spoofed Bloomberg emails. Once on the call, attackers rename themselves “Zoom” to make their remote control request look like a harmless system notification.

Trail of Bits, who uncovered the attack, warned that “users habituated to clicking ‘Approve’ on Zoom prompts may grant complete control of their computer without realising the implications.” This method bypasses technical vulnerabilities and instead relies on exploiting normal user behaviour and trust in legitimate platforms.

Security experts say the incident highlights the growing threat of ‘living off trusted services’ (LOTS) attacks, with Mimecast noting over five billion such threats were flagged in late 2024 alone. Using Zoom and Calendly links makes these attacks harder to detect and block.

Businesses can protect themselves by blocking Zoom’s remote control permissions, encouraging browser-based meeting tools like Google Meet, hardening authentication with security keys, and training staff to spot suspicious activity during video calls.