The United Arab Emirates Releases a Tiny but Powerful AI Model Summary The UAE research centre MBZUAI, backed by tech group G42, has released K2 Think: an open-source, 32-billion-parameter model specialised for reasoning. Researchers say it matches the reasoning performance of much larger systems from the US and China by using a mix of recent […]
Join Us for WIRED’s AI Power Summit Summary WIRED is hosting its first AI Power Summit in New York City on 15 September. The day will bring together leaders from technology, government, media and policy to explain where generative AI is heading and what it means for industry and society. Panels will cover the White […]
Microsoft’s AI Chief Says Machine Consciousness Is an ‘Illusion’ Summary Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft AI and a DeepMind cofounder, told WIRED that machine consciousness is essentially an illusion and that deliberately designing systems to exceed human intelligence or mimic conscious behaviour would be “dangerous and misguided.” The piece frames his comments in the context […]
Thailand’s new PM says no casinos while he’s in office Summary Anutin Charnvirakul, who became prime minister on 5 September 2025, has ruled out legalising casinos while he leads the government. He criticised the previously promoted Entertainment Complex Bill — put forward by predecessors Srettha Thavisin and Paetongtarn Shinawatra — saying it harmed Thailand’s tourism, […]
NCAA pursues additional sports betting violations involving 13 ex-college hoops players Summary The NCAA has announced enforcement action involving alleged sports-betting violations and/or failure-to-cooperate allegations against 13 former men’s college basketball players. The players competed at six institutions: Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T and Mississippi Valley State. The NCAA did […]
Aristocrat taps L&W iGaming chief for Interactive CEO Summary Aristocrat has appointed Dylan Slaney, the former iGaming CEO at Light & Wonder, as chief executive officer of Aristocrat Interactive. Slaney is due to start on 3 November, subject to regulatory approvals, and succeeds Moti Malul, who will remain at the business until March 2026 to […]
Playtech bullish on Brazil market leadership opportunity despite KYC pains Summary Playtech is positioning itself to be a B2B market leader in Brazil, claiming it already leads in onboarding services. The supplier plans further investment in the market despite a 32% decline in LatAm B2B revenue in H1 (largely due to a revised agreement with […]
Veikkaus halts Finland floorball wagers as betting scandal builds momentum Summary Finnish monopoly operator Veikkaus has suspended betting on elite men’s floorball markets after uncovering widespread violations earlier this year. The pause covers the F-Liiga, Finnish Cup, certain international fixtures and other contests while disciplinary decisions are awaited following an investigation by the Finnish Centre […]
The Coney casino dreams seem farther off than ever after second hearing goes awry Summary The Coney Island casino proposal — a $3.4bn mixed-use bid backed by Thor Equities, the Chickasaw Nation and others — saw its second community hearing descend into chaos. Police intervened more than once as supporters and opponents shouted, waved signs […]
New Kindbridge initiative aims to reduce gambling-related harm for military members, families Summary Kindbridge Research Institute (KRI) has launched “Stigma Stand Down,” a Colorado-wide programme to support active-duty service personnel, veterans and their families facing gambling-related mental health issues. The initiative offers free, confidential therapy via a partnership with Kindbridge Behavioral Health, and an anonymous […]
