A new survey highlights a widening gap between AI usage and AI understanding among rural learners. The study, spanning five Indian states, found that most marginalised youth are unaware of what artificial intelligence is or how it functions, even though they spend considerable time on their phones, often chatting with AI tools. Girls and school students showed the weakest conceptual grasp, trailing boys and vocational trainees. The report by QuestAlliance found that many students, besides using AI for information and entertainment, are also using the tool as a confidant. The study was carried out in Delhi, Haryana, Odisha, Gujarat, and Kerala, targeting marginalised youth in high schools and ITI students.
Aye, teammate
Amazon Web Services is reframing its autonomous systems as “teammates” rather than tools, a linguistic shift intended to normalise AI agents operating in roles traditionally held by human staff. Colleen Aubrey, AWS’s senior vice-president for applied AI solutions, has described a future in which companies deploy entire “teams” of agents capable of pursuing complex objectives autonomously for hours or days, with humans stepping in mainly as supervisors. The terminology change underscores Amazon’s view that AI will function not as a passive utility but as an active operational participant, raising fresh questions about accountability and workforce integration as autonomy scales.
AI dogs
A new generation of AI-enabled quadruped robots is being introduced for disaster-response missions, promising sharper autonomy and lower risk for human rescuers. The upgraded “robot dog” platform can map unstable terrain, detect survivors and make navigation decisions without constant operator input. Emergency agencies say early trials show significant improvements over earlier tele-operated versions. Yet questions persist over liability if autonomous judgment leads to operational failure. Manufacturers aim to position the technology as an indispensable asset for climate-linked emergencies, as governments assess how to integrate robotic responders into existing protocols without compromising ethical and safety standards.
Accepting AI bonding
A new global dating-economy survey by happn finds that attitudes toward emotional relationships with AI have softened, with more than half of singles saying they would tolerate a partner forming a “meaningful bond” with an artificial companion. The report reveals that 54% of singles wouldn’t mind their crush forming an emotional bond with an AI, pointing to how quickly digital companionship is becoming normalised. At the same time, 41% admit it makes them uneasy, a reminder that while algorithms can guide, soothe, and suggest, real chemistry still belongs to humans.
‘AI reply’ in Supreme Court
India’s Supreme Court flagged concerns over the use of AI-generated submissions after a petitioner filed a response referencing a non-existent case law. The incident, reminiscent of similar episodes in US courts, has renewed calls for mandatory disclosure of AI assistance in legal documentation. Senior advocates argue that while generative tools can streamline research, unchecked use threatens procedural integrity. The court is expected to explore guidelines balancing innovation with evidentiary rigour. Legal-tech firms fear the episode may slow adoption, even as demand rises for vetted, domain-specific models capable of producing citations that meet professional verification standards.
AI-planned rail tunnel
China has completed testing on what state engineers call the world’s first high-speed rail tunnel fully planned by AI, marking a milestone in infrastructure automation. Algorithms handled geological modelling, risk assessments and route optimisation for the Wufeng project, reducing design time by nearly half. Officials say the system improved safety predictions and minimised environmental disruption. While Beijing presents the tunnel as proof of its lead in applied AI engineering, foreign analysts caution that transparency around the models remains limited. The development adds momentum to China’s broader strategy of embedding AI across transport networks to accelerate megaproject execution.
No to AI in creativity
Leonardo DiCaprio has joined a chorus of cultural figures questioning the artistic legitimacy of AI-generated content, arguing that creativity requires human intention, fallibility and emotional lived experience. “It could be an enhancement tool for a young filmmaker to do something we’ve never seen before,” he said. However, the One Battle After Another star quickly added that the technology would never be seen as art because it lacks humanity. His remarks arrive
amid a surge of studio experiments with synthetic performers and AI-assisted storyboarding. The debate underscores
Hollywood’s uneasy transition toward automation following last year’s labour disputes.
