On December 14 2025, a terrorist attack occurred at Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia, leaving 15 civilians and one gunman dead. While Australia was still reeling in shock, social media saw the rapid spread of misinformation generated and powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI). For example, a manipulated video of New South Wales Premier Chris… Read more »
Woolworths has announced a partnership with Google to incorporate agentic artificial intelligence into its “Olive” chatbot, starting in Australia later this year. Until now, Olive has largely answered questions, resolved problems and directed shoppers to information. Soon, Olive will be able to do more: planning meals, interpreting handwritten recipes, applying loyalty discounts and placing suggested… Read more »
Attempts at communicating what generative artificial intelligence (AI) is and what it does have produced a range of metaphors and analogies. From a “black box” to “autocomplete on steroids”, a “parrot”, and even a pair of “sneakers”, the goal is to make the understanding of a complex piece of technology accessible by grounding it in… Read more »
The Australian Energy Market Operator estimates data centres will consume 6% of Australia’s grid-supplied electricity by 2030. To put that in context, that’s more than the current share of Australia’s healthcare and social assistance industry. This reflects the rapid growth of Australia’s data centre industry – the backbone of artificial intelligence (AI). This growth is,… Read more »
X (formerly Twitter) has become a site for the rapid spread of artificial intelligence-generated nonconsensual sexual images (also known as “deepfakes”). Using the platform’s own built-in generative AI chatbot, Grok, users can edit images they upload through simple voice or text prompts. Various media outlets have reported that users are using Grok to create sexualised… Read more »
Every January, offices quietly reset. New planners appear on desks. Fresh notebooks open in meetings. To-do lists look neater, ambitions clearer. There is a shared sense that this year, things will be different. And yet, by February, many of those planners sit half-used. The motivation that felt so real just weeks earlier fades. This pattern… Read more »
Over the Summer break, Startup Daily is republishing key stories from 2025. This analysis by QUT’s Cameron Shackell, compares the introduction and hype around electricity in the 1920s – and those who profiting from it with AI today, and the lessons to learn, and was popular with readers when it came out in October. The… Read more »
For many of us, listening to music is simply part of the driving routine – as ordinary as wearing a seatbelt. We build playlists for road trips, pick songs to stay awake, and even turn the volume up when traffic gets stressful. More than 80% of drivers listen to music on most trips. And many… Read more »
As the cold season ends and we fold away our favourite wool jumpers and silk scarves, some fascinating material science is about to unfold quietly in our wardrobes. Subtle chemical and biological processes will decide whether our clothes stay as cosy as ever or emerge next winter yellowed, brittle and ridden with holes. Some of… Read more »
Winston Churchill has just arrived in New York City. It is October 6 1929. Travelling with several members of his family, the British statesman checks into the Plaza Hotel, synonymous with wealth and celebrity – and certainly not cheap. But that’s no concern for Churchill: the cost of his stay – along with his cigars… Read more »
Earlier this month, Australia’s long-anticipated National AI Plan was released to a mixed reception. The plan shifts away from the government’s previously promised mandatory AI safeguards. Instead, it’s positioned as a whole-of-government roadmap for building an “AI-enabled economy”. The plan has raised alarm bells among experts for its lack of specificity, measurable targets, and clarity.… Read more »
The end of the year means holiday celebrations, summer breaks … and for us, one important thing: best books lists. We asked 35 expert readers for their favourite picks, ranging from novelists to anthropologists, scientists to criminologists – and experts in politics, publishing and philosophy. The only rule? The book had to be published this… Read more »
In the wake of Sunday’s tragic Bondi shooting, conspiracy theories and deliberate misinformation have spread on social media. Many social media posts suggested the name Naveed Akram was searched before the Bondi attacks. Facebook One thing some people have latched onto is the idea Google Trends data show a spike in searches for “Naveed Akram”… Read more »
After mass violence such as the Bondi beach terrorist attack on Sunday, distress does not stop with those directly affected. Fear, anger and uncertainty spread through media and social networks. This can intensify harm for survivors and targeted communities. People closest to an event are often supported by services and community. But the wider public… Read more »
Over the weekend the federal government announced major changes to its A$2.3 billion home battery subsidy program. The changes include nearly $5 billion in extra funding and adjustments to the financial support provided for different-sized batteries. They follow recent reporting by The Conversation that the program is subsidising unnecessarily large home batteries and blowing out… Read more »
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