Tech

A US federal jury convicted former Google engineer Linwei Ding of stealing sensitive AI trade secrets for China, the first AI-related economic espionage conviction, exposing a major breach of trust and national security concerns

India’s active internet users reached 958 million in 2025, driven by rapid rural connectivity growth. Rural users form 57% of the base. Short-video consumption, AI adoption, quick commerce and multi-device usage are accelerating, underscoring India’s fast-evolving digital economy nationwide trends 

Digital addiction is emerging as a major health challenge among children and youth, worsening mental health outcomes, the Economic Survey 2025-26 said. It flagged rising social media and gaming dependence and outlined measures to promote digital wellness and safer technology use.

The government has launched a new Aadhaar mobile app that enables faster and safer digital identity verification through selective data sharing, QR-based offline checks and biometric controls, reducing the need for physical documents while aligning with data protection norms.

Google has launched an AI-powered photo editing feature in India that allows users to edit images in Google Photos using voice or text prompts. Powered by Gemini, the feature supports multiple Indian languages and introduces conversational and personalised editing tools.

The Union Health Ministry has eased pharmaceutical regulations, allowing companies to start drug development and low-risk clinical studies via online intimation to CDSCO, cutting approval timelines, reducing regulatory burden, and boosting research and innovation in the Indian pharma sector

Samsung announced a new built-in privacy display for upcoming Galaxy smartphones, likely debuting on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, while also unveiling the Galaxy Z Flip 7 Olympic Edition for athletes at the Milan-Cortina Winter Games

India marked its 77th Republic Day with a grand military parade on Kartavya Path, showcasing missiles, indigenous weapon systems and new formations. President Droupadi Murmu led celebrations themed on “Vande Mataram,” with EU leaders attending as chief guests

President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Ashoka Chakra on Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla at Republic Day celebrations, honouring his historic achievement as the first Indian to visit the International Space Station during the Axiom-4 mission

OpenAI plans to introduce advertising on free and low-cost versions of ChatGPT in the US, while exempting paid users. Though the company promises safeguards, experts warn ad-driven AI could blur the line between assistance and persuasion.

India’s adoption of artificial intelligence could generate $1.7 trillion in economic value by 2035, driven by semiconductor investments, strong data governance and rapid sectoral adoption, according to a KPMG report released at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

AI Engineer has emerged as the fastest-growing job role in Hyderabad, according to LinkedIn’s Jobs on the Rise 2026 report. The findings highlight growing demand for AI-led and cross-functional roles amid evolving hiring trends in the city.

Amazon Grocery is offering discounts of up to 70% on groceries, baby care, pet supplies and wellness products during Amazon India’s Great Republic Day Sale 2026. Prime members can avail additional savings, bank offers and cashback benefits.

OnePlus India has denied reports claiming it is shutting down operations, calling them false and misleading. CEO Robin Liu said the company continues to operate normally, urging stakeholders to rely on official sources amid industry consolidation and market speculation.

Rajya Sabha member Sudha Murty warned the public about deepfake videos falsely using her image and voice to promote investment schemes. She urged people not to trust such content, verify information through official channels, and avoid financial losses

The Indian Army showcased its artillery prowess at 'Exercise TOPCHI' in Nashik, featuring K-9 Vajra, M777 Howitzers, indigenous guns, rockets, mortars, drones, and paramilitary participation, highlighting operational readiness, technological integration, and self-reliance in defence manufacturing

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams retires after a 27-year career marked by nine space missions, nine spacewalks, and historic leadership aboard the ISS. Her contributions advanced human spaceflight, lunar and Mars exploration, and inspired future generations in science and space exploration

India’s first privately built national earth observation satellite constellation will be launched from 2026 by a Pixxel-led startup consortium. The 12-satellite project, backed by IN-SPACe, will deliver high-resolution data for government and global commercial use

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu praised over 50,000 state learners enrolling in IIT Madras–IBM’s Advanced Quantum Skilling course via NPTEL, calling it vital to building one lakh global-standard quantum professionals and driving future-ready, technology-led economic growth in India

Uttar Pradesh police registered eight FIRs in Varanasi over alleged AI-generated and misleading social media posts about Manikarnika Ghat redevelopment. Authorities accused individuals and X handles of spreading false visuals, hurting religious sentiments, and disturbing social harmony during the ongoing beautification project

Space start-up GalaxEye will launch “Mission Drishti,” India’s largest privately developed satellite combining optical and radar sensors to produce all-weather fused earth images, with applications in defence, agriculture, disaster response, and climate monitoring, aiming for a 10-satellite constellation by 2030

Researchers at IIIT–Hyderabad are developing an AI-powered system to analyse the Indian thali, a meal known for its diverse textures and overlapping ingredients. The research was recently presented at the 16th Indian Conference on Computer Vision, Graphics and Image Processing 2025.

Elon Musk has asked a US federal court to award up to $134 billion in damages, alleging that OpenAI and Microsoft defrauded him by abandoning OpenAI’s nonprofit mission. The case will proceed to a jury trial later this month.

Artificial intelligence will shape India’s next phase of digital growth, DoT Secretary Amit Agrawal said, reaffirming India’s commitment to responsible AI and ASEAN digital cooperation while highlighting rapid telecom expansion, digital public infrastructure and capacity-building initiatives.