Author: Michael O Oke

Jumia is preparing to cut around 200 jobs as the company accelerates the adoption of artificial intelligence across its operations, aiming to improve efficiency and move the business closer to profitability. The planned layoffs were disclosed by Jumia CEO Francis Dufay, who said the company is increasingly relying on AI-driven systems to streamline processes across several departments, including customer service, marketing, software engineering, logistics, finance, and cybersecurity. According to Dufay, artificial intelligence is already helping the company automate repetitive tasks, improve internal productivity, and reduce operational costs. He explained that many functions that were previously handled manually can now be…

According to a senior executive at AI firm Anthropic. Artificial intelligence assistants could soon move beyond reactive chatbots and begin anticipating what users want before they even ask. Cat Wu, Anthropic’s head of product for Claude Code and Cowork, said future AI systems are expected to become increasingly proactive, using context and behavioural understanding to predict user intentions. Wu suggested that AI assistants may eventually evolve into systems capable of preparing information, surfacing recommendations and initiating tasks before users explicitly request them, a significant shift from today’s prompt-driven interaction model. The remarks reflect a broader movement across the AI industry,…

Amazon has launched its first commercial drone delivery service in the UK, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-running efforts to automate last-mile logistics through autonomous aviation technology. The rollout, which began this week in Darlington, County Durham, allows eligible Prime customers within a 7.5-mile radius of Amazon’s local fulfilment centre to receive selected items delivered by drone in under two hours. The launch makes Darlington the first location outside the United States where Amazon has introduced the service commercially. The service operates through Amazon’s Prime Air division, using the company’s MK30 drones, which are designed to fly autonomously…

Data-driven technologies are playing an increasingly influential role in Formula One, as teams across the grid embrace advanced systems to gain a competitive edge in one of the world’s most technologically demanding sports. From race strategy to car development, AI-driven systems are now being integrated into core operations, enabling teams to process vast amounts of data in real time. Engineers and strategists rely on these tools to simulate race scenarios, predict tyre performance, and optimise pit-stop decisions, often within fractions of a second. The shift reflects a broader transformation within the sport, where marginal gains can determine the outcome of…

A new study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School has found that advanced artificial intelligence systems can deliver more accurate emergency room diagnoses than human doctors under controlled testing conditions, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of AI in clinical medicine. The research evaluated the performance of advanced AI models against physicians using real patient cases drawn from an emergency department setting in Boston. Both the AI system and the doctors were provided with identical clinical information, including patient symptoms, medical histories, and initial test results, with their outputs subsequently assessed by independent reviewers. The study found that…

Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly central role in Ukraine’s defence strategy, as the country adapts to the demands of modern warfare and seeks to counter a larger and better-resourced adversary. Since the outset of the conflict with Russia, Ukrainian forces have relied heavily on technological innovation to maintain operational effectiveness. In recent months, officials and defence experts say artificial intelligence has become a critical component of that effort, supporting everything from battlefield awareness to mission planning. Related: AI‑generated Iran war videos surge as creators cash in AI systems are being used to process vast amounts of data collected from…

The United States Department of Defence has entered into a series of agreements with leading technology companies as part of a broader effort to transform its armed forces into what officials describe as an “AI-first” military. According to reports from outlets including the BBC News and LBC, the Pentagon is seeking to accelerate the integration of artificial intelligence across its operations, ranging from battlefield decision-making to logistics and intelligence analysis. The initiative reflects a growing emphasis within the US defence establishment on maintaining a technological edge, particularly as geopolitical rivals invest heavily in advanced computing and autonomous systems. By partnering…

Stripe has unveiled a new digital wallet called “Link”, designed to enable autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) agents to make online payments on behalf of users, marking a significant step towards what the company describes as “agentic commerce”. The announcement was made during Stripe’s annual Sessions conference, where the financial technology firm introduced a series of new products aimed at building infrastructure for AI-driven transactions. According to the company, Link is a consumer wallet that enables users to connect payment methods, manage subscriptions, and track spending, while also giving AI agents controlled access to make purchases on their behalf. The system…

Google is expanding its artificial intelligence capabilities by integrating an AI-powered search experience into YouTube, marking a significant step in the company’s broader push to reshape how users discover content online. The move will see Google introduce a more conversational search mode to YouTube, allowing users to ask detailed questions rather than relying on traditional keyword-based queries. The feature is designed to deliver more precise and context-aware results, including summarised answers, recommended video segments, and guided suggestions. The new system builds on Google’s wider rollout of AI-driven search tools, often referred to as “AI mode”, which aims to transform search…

The Metropolitan Police Service has launched a wide-ranging investigation into officers identified by an artificial intelligence system developed by Palantir Technologies, amid efforts to strengthen internal standards and accountability. The system, which analyses large volumes of internal data, flagged hundreds of officers for potential misconduct risks. These alerts are understood to span a range of concerns, from breaches of professional standards to more serious allegations. Scotland Yard confirmed that the tool is being used to support ongoing vetting and monitoring processes, rather than to make disciplinary decisions in isolation. Each case identified by the system is subject to further human…