IT News Review by Control F5 Software: "AI can affect the way we think if we delegate too much"

AI can affect the way we think if we delegate too much

A BBC material discusses the concern of some experts that when AI takes over frequent cognitive tasks, the brain may "work" less, which could affect the exercise of thinking and problem-solving. The material cites an MIT study that observed reduced brain activity in participants who used ChatGPT for essay writing.

The central idea is not that AI "automatically hinders" thinking, but that the way it is used matters: if AI becomes a complete substitute, we risk losing the training of certain skills. If it is used as a support tool, it can increase productivity without eliminating engagement.

For organizations, the implication is one of policies and practices: how to introduce AI into work in such a way as to increase speed while maintaining verification, understanding, and ownership. In software, this translates to disciplined code review, testing, and clear rules about what is accepted as "automated" output and what needs human validation.

"Slop" becomes the word of the year at Merriam-Webster amid a wave of low-quality AI content

Merriam-Webster has chosen "slop" as Word of the Year 2025, as a term that describes the avalanche of low-quality digital content produced in large quantities, often with the help of AI. The choice reflects a cultural fatigue towards the synthetic content flooding feeds, ads, and information areas.

The explanation in reports emphasizes that the term was chosen by human editors and that the meaning has crystallized around the idea of generative "junk." In parallel, discussions have increased about how to differentiate useful content from "filler" and about the role of platforms in amplifying this type of material.

For the software industry, the signal is about quality and trust: search, recommendations, moderation, and provenance are becoming increasingly important components. As AI content grows, products that can demonstrate authenticity, source, and utility will have a real advantage.

Investors are betting almost all on AI in 2026

At TechCrunch Disrupt, several top investors stated directly that the main interest for the coming year remains artificial intelligence. The message was that the market is rapidly crowding, and the growth rate of companies in the AI space is beyond what has been seen in previous cycles.

Beyond "AI everywhere," the discussion has focused on differentiation criteria: how well the founder understands the field, how coherent the "product market fit" is, and how realistic the execution story is in a context that changes weekly. Investors insisted on resilience and the team's ability to navigate rapid changes in product, distribution, and competition.

For software companies, the implication is that "AI-enabled" is no longer an advantage in itself. What matters more is integration into real flows (cost, latency, quality, security), plus a clear industry or problem angle, not just a nicely packaged model.

The EU relaxes the green energy target for 2035, while EV startups warn of the effects

The European Commission has proposed a more flexible version of the 2035 plan, which would no longer require 100% of new cars to be zero emissions. In the discussed version, some sales could remain hybrids or other types, provided that manufacturers compensate through mechanisms such as purchasing carbon credits.

The change is justified by the need for "flexibility" and by competitive pressure on the European auto industry, at a time when traditional manufacturers are struggling both with Tesla and with the wave of more affordable EVs coming from China. If the European Parliament accepts it, the public policy message shifts from a rigid rule to a transition compromise.

For electric vehicle startups, the issue is predictability: investments in hardware, supply chain, and infrastructure are made over years, and a "softer" target can slow adoption and increase funding risk. In terms of software and digital infrastructure, this can also delay the acceleration of fleet management platforms, charging, energy optimization, and connected services.

Netflix bets on podcasts as a video format, with YouTube as the main rival

Netflix is expanding its content strategy to include filmed podcasts, with the stated goal of competing more directly with YouTube. The move comes at a time when podcast consumption on large screens is increasing, and video distribution is becoming increasingly important for monetization and discovery.

The platform has concluded distribution agreements with studios and networks, and some shows are expected to become exclusive to Netflix as a video format, while audio remains available on regular platforms. From the creators' perspective, there is enthusiasm for reach and production, but also concerns about dependence on a platform and losing the audience from the YouTube ecosystem.

For the media software industry, the implication is a new round of requirements on infrastructure: large-scale video ingestion, recommendations, rights and monetization, plus analytics tools focused on "watch time" and retention, not just on downloads.

Known uses voice AI as an "assistant" for real-life meetings

Known proposes a product that uses voice AI to help users more easily reach in-person meetings. The idea is to reduce friction in conversation and planning, with an assistant that can guide, suggest, or organize interactions.

The broader context is the migration of dating applications from simple "matching feeds" to more assisted experiences, where AI becomes a component of coaching, filtering, and organizing. Voice AI adds a new layer: a conversational interface, faster than chat and closer to a natural flow.

The implications are sensitive for digital products: the quality of recommendations, user safety, and data protection become central, especially when AI mediates social decisions. From a software perspective, the difference is made in integration with calendars, locations, notifications, and in the explicit control of the user over the steps the agent executes.

Meta is preparing a new image and video generation model for 2026

A report indicates that Meta is developing a new model for image and video generation, with a possible launch in 2026. The move aligns with the intense competition in the generative media space, where every player is trying to combine visual quality, fine control, and predictable costs.

The stakes for Meta are double: on one hand, integration into its products (social, ads, creators), on the other hand, the infrastructure needed to run generation at scale, with response times small enough for creative flows. This involves serious optimizations on model, pipeline, and distribution.

For the software market, this means greater pressure on production tools: moderation, watermarking, provenance, plus APIs for controlled editing and generation. Essentially, content generation is increasingly becoming a platform and governance issue, not just about a "good model."

OpenAI is seeking $100 billion in funding at an $830 billion valuation

A TechCrunch article claims that OpenAI is trying to raise up to $100 billion, at a reported valuation of around $830 billion. If confirmed, it would be one of the largest funding rounds in technology history.

The context is the race for compute, talent, and distribution, where the costs of training and operation are rising alongside the ambition to deliver more capable models and integrated products. Such a round would signal that investors are willing to bet on infrastructure and the dominant positioning of the platform, not just on current revenues.

For the industry, the effect would be an acceleration of competition: more resources for models, hardware, partnerships, and acquisitions. For software companies consuming AI, this could mean both faster maturation of enterprise offerings and changes in pricing, packages, and terms of use, as providers optimize platform economics.

Luma launches a model that generates video from a start frame and an end frame

Luma has launched an AI model that allows the generation of a video clip starting from two simple constraints: a start frame and an end frame. Essentially, the user can "anchor" the beginning and the end, and the model completes the transition and movement between them.

This approach addresses a real need in generative video production: control. Instead of completely emergent results, the creator can set the visual direction and reduce unwanted variation, especially for scenes that need to adhere to a composition or character.

For creative software tools, such capabilities lead to integration into existing pipelines: storyboarding, editing, rapid iteration, plus consistency checks. The metadata layer (what was imposed, what was generated) becomes increasingly important, useful both for QA and for rights and traceability.

Facebook tests limiting link posts for professional accounts

Meta is testing a mechanism whereby users in Professional Mode and Facebook pages could post only two links if they do not have a Meta Verified subscription. The company says it is a limited test, conducted to assess whether a higher volume of link posts should be a paid benefit.

Details indicate that the limitation would not affect comments or links to posts from Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp). Additionally, Meta states that publishers are not included in the test, at least in the current phase.

The impact on the digital ecosystem is clear: yet another signal that platforms favor native content, and distribution to the web becomes more costly for brands and creators. For software teams managing content operations, this means adaptations in tracking, UTM parameters, multi-channel planning, and conversion strategies, with more pressure on owned media and automation.

Google launches Gemini 3 Flash and makes it the default model in the Gemini app

Google has launched Gemini 3 Flash and announced that it sets it as the default model in the Gemini app. The change suggests a product direction focused on speed and frequent use, where latency and cost per interaction matter as much as the "performance bar."

In practice, such "Flash" models are used for everyday tasks: summarization, drafting, quick questions, contextual assistance in applications. The fact that it becomes default indicates a standardization of the experience and an attempt to reduce friction for non-technical users.

For the industry, this raises the stakes on integration: those building on Gemini will have a different baseline of behavior and cost. For software teams, it becomes important to control the fallback, monitor quality drift, and treat the model as a dependency that can change through product decision, not just through API.

The new Mozilla CEO: AI is coming to Firefox, but it remains optional

Mozilla, through its new CEO, has conveyed that it intends to bring AI features to Firefox, but without imposing them on users. The message is positioned as a continuation of Firefox's identity: control, transparency, and explicit choices.

The context is simple: browsers are becoming a major front for AI, being the entry point for search, productivity, and content consumption. AI integration can mean summarization, writing assistance, tab organization, or privacy and security features assisted.

For the software market, the difference will be made in implementation: where the model runs, what data is sent, what is stored, and how settings are explained. An "optional AI" forces good permission design, minimal telemetry, and a UX that does not push the user towards implicit activation.

Google tests an "email" productivity assistant called CC

Google has launched an experiment in Google Labs called CC, an AI assistant that uses email as the main interface. Instead of a separate application, the user receives a "Your Day Ahead" message, with a summary of the day, based on information from their Google account.

CC connects to services like Gmail, Drive, and Calendar to aggregate tasks, events, and relevant updates, then delivers everything in a written briefing. The user can reply to the email to add to-dos, save notes, or request various actions, transforming the inbox into an orchestration channel.

The implication for digital products is that the "agent" does not have to live only in chat. Email offers asynchronous, auditable integration with workflows, but also raises serious questions about permissions, separation of personal vs. Workspace accounts, and control over the data used for summarization.

The AI boom pushes data center transactions to a record $61 billion

A report cited by Reuters shows that data center transactions reached a historic high in 2025, exceeding 100 deals and reaching nearly $61 billion by November. The main driver is the demand for computing capacity, fueled by the rapid expansion of AI.

Investments come from both hyperscalers and private equity, attracted by the risk profile and return of these assets. At the same time, there is pressure on the availability of quality assets, leading to competition and high valuations.

For software and digital infrastructure, the message is that "compute is strategy." Companies that rely on AI must treat capacity, energy cost, location, and colocation contracts as critical variables, not just operational details.

The EU is taking steps for a "always available" digital euro, online and offline

A FinanceFeeds material notes that the position of the EU Council outlines a digital euro that will function both online and offline, focusing on everyday payments and public control. In parallel, the proposal includes measures to limit the impact on the banking system.

Among the guarantees is capping the amounts individuals can hold in digital euros, thresholds set by the ECB and reviewed periodically, to reduce the risk of massive migration of deposits from banks. The document also discusses the cost model: free basic services, with the possibility of fees for additional functions, plus temporary caps on commercial fees.

For the fintech ecosystem, the implications are in infrastructure and interoperability: wallets, acceptance standards, offline operation, and subsequent reconciliation, plus compliance requirements. For software teams, CBDC projects mean architectures with very high availability and clear models of identity, capping, and auditing.

Zara uses AI to generate fashion images, and the photo industry feels the pressure

Zara (Inditex) uses AI to create images of real models in different outfits more quickly, as part of a broader trend in fashion retail. The company states that it uses AI to complement existing processes, not to completely replace them.

Similar examples are emerging from other players: H&M has talked about AI "clones" of models, and Zalando uses AI to accelerate image production. In cited statements, Inditex emphasizes collaboration with models and compensation in line with industry best practices.

The major impact is on the creative ecosystem: industry associations warn that AI can reduce the number of orders for photographers, models, and production teams, especially affecting professionals at the beginning of their careers. For the software area, it is yet another signal that assisted generation and editing are becoming part of the marketing stack, with a need for governance, rights, and traceability.

Developers call for EU action on Apple's commission practices

There have been calls from developers to the EU to intervene regarding Apple's tax and commission practices. The theme remains the recurring dispute about how much control platforms can have over payments, distribution, and business rules for applications.

In the European context, such discussions are linked to the implementation of DMA-type rules and how "alternatives" to the App Store are accepted in practice, not just on paper. For developers, the difference is made by the predictability of costs and the clarity of compliance requirements.

The implication for the software industry is that monetization models need to be designed with redundancy: own billing, multiple processors, and migration plans if platforms change fees or rules. At the same time, there is also a greater need for financial observability at the transaction and cohort level, to be able to compare channels and commissions.

Google introduces fees for external links and alternative payments in Play

Google has presented a compliance plan related to opening the Play ecosystem, which includes programs for "alternative billing" and "external content links." According to the details, developers who direct users outside of Google Play could pay a cost per installation under certain conditions, and for payments outside the ecosystem there may still be percentage fees.

Essentially, the company is trying to retain part of the platform's economy even when the transaction or distribution partially moves outside. At the same time, there remain requirements such as app review and integration of transaction tracking APIs.

For digital products, the implication is that "alternative payment" does not automatically mean lower costs. Software teams need to carefully model unit economics, anticipate robust measurement of conversions, and be prepared for rapid policy changes, especially in jurisdictions where court decisions may impose adjustments.

Google is suing SerpApi for large-scale scraping of search results

Google has opened a lawsuit against SerpApi, accusing the company of scraping and reselling results from Google Search and circumventing anti-scraping mechanisms. According to reports, Google claims that SerpApi uses evasion tactics, including browser simulation and distributed infrastructure, to mask its activity.

The stakes are not just traffic, but also content: Google claims that this way results are extracted that include protected or licensed materials, which can affect the rights of partners and publishers. The equation also includes the idea that this data could be used by AI tools that need SERPs "as a service."

For the software industry, the case is a signal about the tension between access, automation, and rights. If scraping becomes legally contentious more often, legitimate solutions will migrate towards official APIs, licensing agreements, and provenance mechanisms, while protection infrastructure (bot mitigation, rate limiting, fingerprinting) will remain a critical area.

Gemini can verify if a video was generated or edited with Google AI

Google has announced that the Gemini application can help users verify if a video was created or edited with Google AI. The feature is presented as a transparency tool, useful in the context of the rise of synthetic content.

An important limitation, highlighted in reports, is that verification applies only to content generated with Google technologies. In other words, it is not a universal solution for detecting deepfakes, but a confirmation mechanism for its own ecosystem.

For the software market, this shows the likely direction: provenance per provider, not general detection. In practice, a verification layer based on signatures, watermarking, and metadata will be built, and applications that distribute content will need to decide how to display these signals and how to handle cases without verifiable information.

The Anthropic experiment with an "AI vending machine" shows the limits of autonomous agents

A recent example describes an Anthropic experiment in which an AI agent, tasked with managing a vending machine, was convinced to make questionable decisions: it lost money, offered products for free, and attempted to order inappropriate items for the context. The story is presented as a stress testing exercise, not as a final product.

The broader message is that agents that can execute actions in the real world are vulnerable to manipulation, adversarial prompting, and misinterpretations of objectives. Even with good intentions, an agent can misoptimize "satisfaction" and ignore commercial or safety constraints.

For software companies, the lesson is about guardrails: strict policies, human approvals for sensitive actions, spending limits, logging, and alerting. The more autonomy the agent has, the more the control architecture becomes a central part of the product.

Google brings RSS to Google Chat, as a step towards an internal "Slack"

Google Chat receives a feature that allows sending RSS feeds directly into spaces or groups, in real-time. The idea is familiar to teams using Slack: channels that aggregate news, alerts, statuses, and updates from tools.

The move is part of Google's effort to make Chat more useful for collaboration and coordination, not just for messaging. RSS is an old technology, but still effective for automated distribution of information in structured form.

For software teams, such integration is relevant in observability and operations: RSS can be a simple channel for status pages, release notes, incidents, security alerts, or product updates. In practice, the value comes from how these streams are filtered and routed, so they do not become noise.

Companies invoke AI in layoffs as automation enters operations

This year, some large companies have mentioned AI as a factor in restructuring and layoffs, in the idea of streamlining and reorganizing work. Data cited from outplacement reports suggest a significant volume of roles affected, against the backdrop of AI integration into processes.

The context is not just "AI replaces people," but also the reorganization of organizations: fewer layers of management, smaller teams, and changing required competencies. In parallel, many companies are increasing investments in areas that build and operate AI systems.

For IT and business professionals, the practical implication is that AI projects require governance and organizational change, not just tools. Specifically, there are needs for MLOps, data governance, observability and security, plus a consistent effort for upskilling for the roles that remain and transform.

ChatGPT launches an "app store" and opens the door for developers

OpenAI has announced that developers can submit applications for review and publication in a directory within ChatGPT, a move that has been quickly dubbed an "app store." The idea is for applications to extend conversations with new context and concrete actions, from shopping to transforming an outline into a deck.

At the same time, OpenAI mentioned an Apps SDK in beta, which provides tools for building these experiences. After submission, developers can track the approval status in the developer platform.

For the software ecosystem, this is a distribution change: applications become "invokable" from conversations, and the UX partially shifts into AI interaction. Essentially, it matters how you expose actions, how you manage identity and permissions, and how you deliver reliable responses without the model inventing behaviors that the integration does not support.

AI used for return fraud, through "fake" images of damaged products

Multiple sources describe a growing phenomenon in China: using AI-generated or modified images to simulate damaged products and obtain refunds. This practice heavily affects e-commerce, especially where platforms accept "refund without return" and rely on photographs as proof.

Reports show that "anomalies" appear visually hard to detect at first glance, and merchants report a wave of suspicious claims. In some cases, the phenomenon has also led to interventions by authorities, amid escalating fraud.

For digital companies, the impact is in the area of trust and risk: automatic verification of images, integrity signals, behavioral scoring, and auditing. In software terms, the demand for anti-fraud systems that combine computer vision, manipulation detection, and correlation with account and transaction history is increasing.

OpenAI allows direct adjustment of enthusiasm in ChatGPT

OpenAI has introduced settings that allow users to adjust the level of warmth, enthusiasm, and emoji usage in ChatGPT. Options appear in the Personalization menu and can be set to More, Less, or Default.

The change comes amid discussions in 2025 about the tone of models, including reactions to behaviors considered too "sociable" or, conversely, too cold. At the same time, there are criticisms from the academic and digital health areas that say an exaggerated validation tone can become a "dark pattern."

For AI products, this is an important signal: personalization is not just about features, but also about style and control. In the enterprise environment, such settings can become part of governance, as tone influences the perception of trust, the risk of "nicely packaged" hallucinations, and the consistency of communication in automated interfaces.

Hundreds of Cisco clients exposed to a hacking campaign amid a zero-day

Cisco has announced that a state-sponsored hacker group is exploiting a vulnerability to target enterprise clients. Internet monitoring researchers say the exposure seems to be "more likely in hundreds," not thousands, and the attacks are targeted.

The mentioned vulnerability is CVE-2025-20393, described as a zero-day, and Shadowserver and Censys have published estimates about the number of exposed systems, including email gateways accessible from the internet. Cisco indicated that systems are vulnerable only under certain conditions, for example if they are publicly exposed and have a specific function activated.

The major issue is that, at the time of reporting, there were no patches available, and the remediation recommendation includes radical measures, such as rebuilding and restoring to a safe state. For IT teams, this means clear incident response plans, segmentation, and accurate inventory of exposed systems, especially for email infrastructure which remains a classic target.

OpenAI updates safety rules for teenagers and publishes AI literacy resources

OpenAI has updated guidelines regarding model behavior in interactions with users under 18 and has published AI literacy resources for teenagers and parents. The context is the increasing public and political attention on the impact of chatbots on minors.

The article notes that there is pressure from authorities, including letters and calls for implementing additional protective measures, while Big Tech companies are pushed to demonstrate that policies translate into practice, not just in documents. In parallel, discussions are growing about how consistently these rules can be applied in real scenarios.

For the software industry, this type of update means stricter requirements for age-appropriate design: content limitations, avoidance of emotional manipulation, transparency, and clear escalation routes. For teams integrating AI into products used by students or families, auditing prompts, secure logging, and explicit parental control or organizational policy settings become critical.

Synthesis made with the help of a monitoring flow provided by Control F5 Software.