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The Vatican’s Interdicasterial Commission on Artificial Intelligence (ICAI) has convened for its inaugural meeting, marking the beginning of a new body tasked with coordinating efforts among various Holy See entities involved in studying, reflecting, and utilizing artificial intelligence. The gathering at Palazzo San Calisto brought together representatives from key Dicasteries and Pontifical Academies to share ongoing initiatives, identify common priorities, and outline initial steps towards promoting an AI vision that serves human dignity, the common good, and the Church’s mission.

The meeting aimed to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of current developments in artificial intelligence. Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, highlighted four significant aspects: the rapid pace of AI evolution, its impact on human dignity, growing dialogue between the Church and technology sectors, and the strong resonance generated by the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas. He emphasized the need for prudent discernment in addressing both opportunities and risks associated with this phenomenon.

The participating institutions presented their activities and reflections on artificial intelligence, referencing studies and initiatives focused on its scientific, social, ethical, and educational impacts. The meeting also recalled the path initiated through the Congress on AI Ethics and the Rome Call for AI Ethics, as well as the Holy Father’s message on the relationship between artificial intelligence and peace during the World Day of Peace 2024.

The role of the new Commission was a central topic of discussion. A broad consensus emerged regarding the need for a twofold service: fostering internal coordination, information sharing, and reflection within the institutions of the Holy See, while also serving as a point of reference for discernment and support for initiatives in this field. Participants emphasized the importance of promoting open dialogue with academic, scientific, business communities, and Bishops’ Conferences.

The Church’s engagement with societal transformations was underscored by participants. They noted that reflection must continue to engage with these changes. In light of this, the Commission considered establishing a dedicated website for sharing initiatives and facilitating information circulation.

Regarding its next steps, the Commission decided on gradual progression. Initial actions could include mapping existing initiatives, collecting themes identified by various entities, and working on guidelines concerning AI use within the Holy See. The meeting concluded with expressions of gratitude for the first ICAI gathering, which provided an interesting overview of initiatives and facilitated sharing among Dicasteries represented.

The Commission will reconvene in mid-July to continue its work. This development underscores the Vatican’s commitment to exploring the implications of artificial intelligence on human dignity and the Church’s mission.

Artificial intelligence has become an integral part of education, capable of accurately summarizing novels, writing essays, solving math problems, and coding – all within seconds. However, a popular narrative online suggests that most college students use AI to automate their work and cheat. Middlebury College assistant economics professor Germán Reyes disputes this notion, citing research conducted with colleague Zara Contractor that reveals a more nuanced story about student AI use.

Reyes and Contractor’s two-part study aimed to understand how students are using AI, what they think they’re learning from it, and what they’re actually learning. The first part involved surveying Middlebury students from December 2024 to February 2025 about their AI use at school. The results showed that 80% of Middlebury students use AI for academic work, but surprisingly, the majority do so as an augmentation tool rather than automation.

Augmentation refers to working with the AI tool to enhance learning, whereas automation involves relying on the AI to do the work for you. Reyes describes this distinction as crucial in understanding how students are using AI. To verify their data and ensure its applicability to other educational scenarios, the research team asked Anthropic, the company behind the AI software Claude, about student usage patterns with college email addresses. The response confirmed that most students were using AI for ‘technical explanations,’ rather than automating work.

A comparison of Middlebury’s survey results with global data from over 50 countries further supported the notion that college students are not primarily using AI to automate their work. Reyes notes that higher education institutions need a deeper understanding of how AI is being used by students before creating policies about its use. He warns against banning AI altogether, as this could inadvertently harm students who benefit from it.

If some students are using AI to learn more and an institution decides to ban the technology due to concerns over its potential misuse, then those students who rely on AI for learning will be negatively impacted. Reyes emphasizes the importance of having a good understanding of ground-level facts when making policy decisions about AI use in education.

The second part of the study aimed to investigate how AI impacts learning. Contrary to expectations based on other research at the time, the findings revealed that students who used AI for augmentation purposes performed better than those without access to AI tools. However, it was not simply using AI that determined student performance – rather, it was how they used it.

Reyes and his colleagues found that when students automated AI to write their essays, they initially did well but ultimately underperformed compared to those who used AI for augmentation purposes. The researchers classified prompts as either augmentation or automation based on the conversations between students and the AI tool. They discovered that augmentation users had a smaller effect on the essay in week one but a larger impact in week two.

This suggests that relying on AI to do the work for you may provide short-term gains, but it comes at the cost of lower learning in the long run. Reyes stresses that the effects of AI largely depend on how students use the tools and explains why similar studies can have different outcomes. He believes that many people tend to be pessimistic about student AI usage, but when speaking with students, they reveal a nuanced and sophisticated understanding of both its benefits and drawbacks.

The study’s findings also highlight the importance of considering factors like grade inflation in educational settings. Reyes notes that if there is high grade inflation at an institution, ‘there is less value to augmentation because you need to differentiate yourself from all other students who also have a very high GPA.’ He suggests that this could lead students to use AI for automation purposes, which may ultimately hinder their learning.

Reyes and Contractor are currently finalizing their paper on the experimentation portion of their study. However, they plan to continue researching student AI usage in education, with plans to conduct another survey in 2026. They aim to explore new questions, such as whether students are paying for premium versions of AI assistants.

Fotor is an online photo editor that’s making waves in the creative industry. This tool combines powerful one-click AI tools with a clean interface, making professional-grade photo editing accessible to everyone without requiring expensive software or advanced skills. Whether you’re a blogger, social media creator, small business owner, marketer, photographer, designer, or anyone who needs beautiful visuals quickly, Fotor is an ideal solution.

At its core, Fotor combines powerful one-click AI tools with a clean and intuitive interface for both quick edits and full creative projects. This fusion of technology and user-friendliness has earned it praise from the creator community. One user noted that ‘Fotor’s AI tools turned my average photos into professional ones in seconds — saved me so much time.’ Another praised its background remover, saying it is ‘incredibly accurate and easy to use’ - with image generator capabilities not far behind.

A major collaboration between tech giants Microsoft and Nvidia has been unveiled at this year’s CERAWeek in Houston. The partnership aims to streamline the permitting, design, and operations of nuclear power plant facilities using artificial intelligence (AI) tools. According to an announcement by Microsoft, the collaboration will build a connected, AI-powered foundation that energy developers can use to make work repeatable, traceable, secure, and predictable, while reducing timelines and maintaining safety standards.

Social media platforms have been flooded with fake images and videos of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, leaving many fans wondering what’s real and what’s not. One such image that went viral on X showed a football supporter resembling Adolf Hitler, who allegedly attended the Germany-Curaçao game on 14 June. The image spread across multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Reddit, with some posts garnering thousands of views in English, Spanish, and Russian.

Tesla’s latest flagship model, the Tesla Model S Plaid, has been making waves in the automotive world with its exceptional performance capabilities. Recently, MotorTrend put the car through rigorous testing and declared it the fastest car they have ever tested. This is a significant achievement, considering MotorTrend has over 70 years of experience driving thousands of cars.

The job market is undergoing a significant transformation with the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in hiring processes. Employers are leveraging AI to review resumes before scheduling interviews, and even using it during virtual interviews to assess candidates’ skills and fit for the role. This shift has raised concerns about bias, authenticity, and the impact on human connection in the job hunt.

As of 2025, a staggering 87% of employers use AI in at least one stage of their hiring process, with resume screening being the most common application. The AI used to review resumes is collectively known as Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), software that scans for keywords and skills. Tools like HireVue, Paradox, and Indeed Talent Scout offer advanced AI screening for skills, context, and even interviews to help companies filter candidates.

The primary reason employers are turning to AI is to handle the volume of applications, which has increased by 51% since generative AI tools became mainstream. AI can reduce time to hire by up to 75%, making it an attractive solution for businesses looking to streamline their recruitment processes. However, this speed comes at a cost: hiring managers find it harder to assess if a candidate is ‘authentic’ because everyone is using AI to polish their resumes.

AI parsing extracts data from resumes and matches it against job descriptions using specific keywords, leading to a strategic ‘cat-and-mouse’ game between applicants and employers. Roughly 65% of job seekers now modify their resumes specifically to appease algorithms, sometimes removing genuine achievements to make room for buzzwords. This raises concerns about the accuracy and fairness of AI-driven hiring processes.

A 2025 study reveals that while AI can improve hiring fairness, it can also mirror historical biases if not properly ‘debiasing.’ Without proper debiasing, some models favored white-associated names 85% of the time compared to just 9% for Black-associated names. This highlights the need for more robust data analysis tools and algorithms that can detect and mitigate bias in hiring processes.

Both employers and applicants now have access to AI tools during virtual interviews. Applicants can use AI platforms to ‘listen’ to the interview and provide scripted responses that may appeal to the interviewer. These tools can be tailored to specific interview types, assisting with content knowledge, behavioral questions, and in-the-moment skill assessments.

Interviewers also have access to AI platforms that analyze body language, eye movement, and responses to corroborate the candidate’s veracity and enthusiasm. However, this raises concerns about the potential for bias in these tools and the impact on human connection in the job hunt.

The most ‘AI-aware’ generation is also the most skeptical when it comes to using AI in their job search. While 90% of students use AI for schoolwork, only about 33% of graduating seniors report using AI for their job search. About 16% of students avoid using AI in applications because they fear employers will discover it and disqualify them.

Conversely, 46% of Gen Z hiring managers have ‘caught’ candidates using AI to cheat on assessments. Many students feel that the ‘humanity’ has been stripped from the process. They aren’t just applying for jobs; they are trying to solve an algorithm.

The use of AI in hiring processes is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can transform hiring by providing more accurate and efficient results. However, at its worst, it automates poor judgment and hides bias behind a ‘math’ facade. Technology is powerful, but using it to replace human connection risks a permanent crisis of trust.

As Amazon’s Prime Day 2026 gets underway, a significant shift in consumer behavior is becoming increasingly apparent. The four-day event, running from June 23rd to 26th, marks a moment when an increasing number of consumers are turning to AI assistants for product research and recommendations rather than traditional search engines or browsing websites. This change in behavior has created a new advertising surface that brands can leverage to reach shoppers at the point of decision-making.

Thrad, an AI-native advertising infrastructure platform, is enabling brands to tap into this emerging trend by placing paid ads within AI conversations. These ads appear as relevant and clearly labelled recommendations inside exchanges between consumers and their AI assistants, providing a more targeted approach than traditional keyword-based search engine marketing. When a shopper asks an assistant for the best noise-cancelling headphones under £200 in the Prime Day sales, the query carries far greater intent than a generic keyword search.

The platform’s advantage lies in its ability to reach across the conversational AI ecosystem rather than being limited to a single destination or platform. Thrad serves native in-chat ads across a network of over 50 AI publishers, spanning general assistants and vertical AI tools in categories such as beauty, electronics, travel, and lifestyle. This comprehensive approach allows brands to connect with consumers at multiple touchpoints throughout their research journey.

Thrad’s platform also enables brands to run ads inside ChatGPT through the same interface, providing a seamless way for advertisers to reach users across various AI tools. Campaigns can go live on the same day, and real-time bidding scores every placement against the live conversation, ensuring that ads are delivered at the most relevant moments. The company already serves millions of ads per day for Fortune 500 advertisers and growth-stage brands.

The timing of this development reflects a broader trend in marketing budgets shifting towards AI initiatives. According to Gartner’s 2026 CMO Spend Survey, published in May, chief marketing officers are now allocating an average of 15.3% of their budgets to AI projects. As AI assistants become increasingly prominent as primary surfaces for product discovery, brands that learn to operate effectively within conversational environments during events like Prime Day will be well-positioned to capitalize on this rapidly expanding channel.

Thrad has published a comprehensive guide to help brands navigate the opportunity presented by Prime Day and beyond. The guide outlines how to plan, launch, and measure conversational AI campaigns through the event window and in the days that follow. Notably, many shoppers continue their research during sales events and make purchases within 48-72 hours afterwards – a period where conversational ads often deliver strong returns.

Thrad’s CEO and co-founder, Andrea F. Tortella, emphasizes the significance of this shift: ‘Shopping is becoming a conversation, and Prime Day is the clearest signal yet of that change.’ She notes that people are increasingly turning to AI assistants for recommendations at the point of decision-making, making it essential for brands to be present in these conversations naturally across the entire AI ecosystem rather than focusing on individual platforms.

Roger Dunn, chief commercial officer at Thrad, highlights the value proposition of conversational advertising: ‘Retail media works because it reaches people at the moment they are about to purchase. AI conversation advertising takes this a step further by reaching them when they’re asking what to buy or comparing options – before scrolling past a shelf.’ He emphasizes that Prime Day represents an ideal opportunity for brands to be genuinely helpful in these exchanges and capitalize on the growing importance of conversational marketing.

In light of Thrad’s efforts, it is clear that AI assistants are becoming increasingly integral to consumer behavior during major retail events like Prime Day. As this trend continues to evolve, brands will need to adapt their strategies to effectively engage with consumers through conversational interfaces.

Music industry data analytics platform Viberate has taken a significant step forward in its product roadmap by integrating its data with artificial intelligence (AI) assistants. This move marks the company’s shift towards an AI-first approach, according to co-founder Vasja Veber.

The integration allows users to connect their data to various AI systems for analysis and processing. Veber believes that this trend will continue, stating that ‘we strongly believe that the entire business intelligence industry will sooner or later shift to becoming a data layer for AI agents to read and process.’

Viberate’s MCP server is now being positioned as one of three major ways to use the platform, alongside its analytics platform and API. This new functionality enables users to leverage their data in more comprehensive ways, taking advantage of AI tools for business.

The launch represents a significant milestone for Viberate, which has been working towards an AI-first product roadmap. Veber’s comments suggest that this move is not just about adapting to changing market trends but also about recognizing the potential of AI assistants to revolutionize data analysis and processing.

By providing a direct connection between its data and various AI systems, Viberate aims to make it easier for users to access and analyze their music industry insights. This integration has the potential to streamline data analysis processes and provide more accurate results, ultimately benefiting businesses in the music sector.

Dukascopy Bank has taken a significant step forward in trading technology by launching an AI-powered feature that enables clients to interact with their trading accounts through chat-based assistants. This innovative system allows users to execute trades, manage positions, analyze markets, and monitor risk using natural language instructions.

The bank’s decision to integrate AI assistants into its platform reflects a broader shift away from traditional trading interfaces. Clients will no longer need to rely on terminals, manual coding, or complex navigation to perform trading operations. Instead, they can use chat-based assistants like ChatGPT and Claude to manage their accounts.

Dukascopy Bank’s recent expansion of its trading infrastructure has laid the groundwork for this new feature. The Swiss broker-bank introduced a flagship mobile application that combines banking services, retail CFD trading, foreign exchange, payments, and investment tools in a single interface. It also launched a dedicated stock trading platform offering more than 25,000 equity CFDs.

The system runs alongside the bank’s JForex ecosystem as part of a modular execution structure. This setup allows users to access various features and tools without having to navigate complex menus or interfaces. The integration with AI assistants is designed to be seamless, enabling clients to execute trades and manage their positions quickly and efficiently.

Dukascopy Bank CEO Andre Duka emphasized the importance of technology in driving innovation at the bank. ‘Technology has always been at the core of Dukascopy’s DNA,’ he said. The company has invested heavily in building advanced trading infrastructure over the past two decades, and this new feature is a testament to that commitment.

The integration with AI assistants allows for a range of trading actions through chat instructions. Users can place orders, analyze instruments, calculate stop-loss and take-profit levels, and check account exposure using natural language commands. For example, they can instruct their AI assistant to ‘Close half of my gold position’ or ‘Analyze the current market trends in the S&P 500 index’.

The system is built on the Model Context Protocol, an open standard that enables AI tools to interact with external applications. This protocol allows for secure access to trading functions and account data, enabling workflows such as proportional position sizing and cross-asset analysis. The setup process takes only a few minutes and does not require programming knowledge.

The bank has taken steps to ensure the security of client accounts by not sharing passwords with AI assistants. Users can connect their AI assistant directly to their JForex trading account through a Model Context Protocol server developed by Dukascopy Bank. This allows for secure access to trading functions and account data without compromising client confidentiality.

The AI-powered feature is currently available on JForex demo accounts using virtual funds. Support for live trading accounts is planned for summer to autumn 2026, allowing clients to take advantage of this innovative technology in their real-world trading activities.

Docusign has announced a new integration that enables in-house legal teams to automate contract workflows across their entire business using artificial intelligence. The company’s Intelligent Agreement Management (IAM) platform is now available for use with Perplexity Computer and its associated tool, Computer for Counsel. This partnership aims to streamline the often laborious process of drafting, reviewing, signing, and managing contracts by leveraging AI-powered automation tools.

The integration uses Docusign’s Model Context Protocol (MCP) server to connect with Perplexity, allowing legal teams to set objectives using plain language. In response, Docusign can automate contract work from start to finish, reducing the time spent on manual tasks and freeing up resources for more strategic work. This collaboration is particularly beneficial in large enterprises where multiple teams are involved in contracting processes.

Allan Thygesen, CEO of Docusign, emphasized that contracts form a critical part of how businesses operate, with legal teams often stuck juggling multiple tools to manage contract information. By integrating Docusign’s agreement intelligence and workflows directly into the AI tools used by legal teams, the company aims to reduce document management time and enable faster business movement.

Nathan Barksdale, General Counsel at Perplexity, shared his experience with scattered contract work across various tools. He noted that connecting Docusign to Computer means legal teams can automate agreement workflows from end-to-end, allowing them to focus on strategic legal work rather than manual document management tasks.

The integration is powered by the Docusign MCP server and is available today in English globally. This move aligns with Docusign’s mission of bringing agreements to life for nearly 1.9 million customers across more than a billion people in over 180 countries. By leveraging AI-native tools, companies can create, commit, and manage agreements more efficiently.

Docusign has been recognized as one of TIME’s World Most Sustainable Companies 2026, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and business practices that minimize environmental impact.

AQSolotl, a specialist in quantum computing hardware and integrated solutions, has formed a strategic partnership with QuantrolOx, developer of automated machine learning-based control software for quantum technologies. The collaboration aims to accelerate the shift from experimental quantum systems to scalable, production-ready infrastructure by integrating AQSolotl’s Chronos-Q control system with QuantrolOx’s Quantum EDGE platform.

The unified stack created through this partnership is designed to reduce manual calibration and improve system stability in quantum computing. By combining high-speed control hardware with automated machine learning-driven workflows, the joint solution aims to deliver a more efficient operating environment for quantum engineers and researchers. This integration will significantly shorten tuning cycles and enable more consistent qubit performance.

One of the sector’s most persistent challenges is the reliance on manual, time-intensive system tuning. As quantum processors scale beyond early-stage prototypes, increasing qubit counts and tighter performance thresholds make manual calibration impractical. The industry is shifting towards automation and integrated control layers to improve reliability, reduce downtime, and enable continuous operation.

The partnership between AQSolotl and QuantrolOx will be executed in two phases. In the immediate term, the companies plan to deploy AQSolotl’s hardware on the QuantrolOx Quantum Testbed and integrate automated control workflows. This joint solution is expected to support emerging workloads such as quantum AI training, where repeatability and system fidelity are critical.

Vishal Chatrath, CEO and Co-Founder of QuantrolOx, emphasized that automation is becoming essential as quantum systems grow in complexity. ‘By bringing machine learning-driven control directly into AQSolotl’s hardware layer,’ he said, ‘we can enable more stable and repeatable performance with significantly less manual intervention.’

AQSolotl specializes in making advanced quantum technology accessible and practical for industry through its modular quantum control platforms and deployable quantum AI solutions. The company focuses on adaptability, cost-effectiveness, and seamless integration with classical computing to address complex computational problems in sectors such as finance, pharmaceuticals, energy, and logistics.

QuantrolOx develops automated machine learning-based control software that is technology agnostic and applicable to all types of quantum technologies. Their goal is to maximize quantum computer uptime and make their hardware more accessible by automating the tuning process.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has transformed the way content is produced. Developers, marketers, students, and business owners can now generate first drafts with tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini in a matter of seconds. However, this shift raises two critical questions: how to verify whether a piece of text was written by AI, and what to do when raw AI output sounds too robotic to publish?

North Carolina’s Senate has given its unanimous approval to a bill aimed at regulating artificial intelligence (AI) in education, marking a significant step towards ensuring the safe use of AI tools in schools. The legislation, House Bill 301, seeks to overhaul current standards for AI in schools and provide training to teachers and administrators on responsible AI use. If passed into law, it will also require public school units to develop and implement policies governing the use of artificial intelligence in education.

OpenAI, the leading AI research organization, has announced a significant breakthrough in its efforts to make advanced artificial intelligence (AI) more accessible and affordable. The company, along with semiconductor giant Broadcom, has unveiled Jalapeño, an LLM-optimized inference chip designed specifically for large language models (LLMs). This innovative technology is expected to revolutionize the way AI is used in various industries, including businesses that rely on Microsoft Power Automate.