Apple will challenge the October decision by the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal over £1.5 billion fine, the Cyberspace Administration of China posted draft rules increasing regulations on AI products, and a Kapwing study claims 20% of YouTube videos shown to new users are “AI slop”.
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Show Notes
Apple will challenge the October decision by the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), which ordered a fine of £1.5 billion, approximately $2 billion USD, on behalf of UK customers over overcharging fees in the App Store. After Apple’s appeal to the CAT was not granted, this challenge is directly to the UK Court of Appeal. If the appeal fails, UK customers could potentially receive a payout if they purchased anything in the App Store between 2015 and 2024.
Source: Engadget
OpenAI listed a new position for a Head of Preparedness role, following the establishment of a preparedness team back in 2023. The preparedness group studies “catastrophic risks”, from phishing attacks up to possible nuclear threats, though many members resigned over the last two years. CEO Sam Altman posted on X how AI models are “starting to present some real challenges” and there is a “potential impact of models on mental health”. The new head would earn $555,000, plus equity.
Source: TechCrunch
University of Pennsylvania researcher Ran Barzilay published “Smartphone Ownership, Age of Smartphone Acquisition, and Health Outcomes in Early Adolescence” with the American Academy of Pediatrics, about harms over screen time in minors. The analysis, involving over 10,500 children across the US, states minors with phones at age 12 had a 60% higher risk of poor sleep and 40% increased risk of obesity compared to those receiving a phone at 13. In a comment to The Washington Post, Barzilay said “It’s very important to me that this isn’t about blaming parents” and “Kids got smartphones at very young ages in the past because we didn’t know. Now we know.”
Source: The Washington Post
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) announced remote exams will be discontinued in March 2026 due to the rise of cheating with AI tools. Chief executive of the ACCA Helen Brand told the Financial Times “We’re seeing the sophistication of systems outpacing what can be put in, [in] terms of safeguards.” Those with exceptional circumstances will still be permitted to take a remote exam.
Source: The Guardian
On Saturday, The Cyberspace Administration of China posted draft rules which would regulate AI products and services simulating traits similar to human personalities engaging with users through text, audio, video, and images. The draft proposes chatbots must have a human take over a conversation once suicide or self-harm is mentioned, must not generate violent, obscene, or gambling-related content, and be able to discern if a user is a minor and impose limits. Public consultation for comments will be open until January 25th, 2026.
And, As translated by The Register, the draft rules also include a proposal preventing AI companions from serving as a simulation of relatives to the elderly. The Cyberspace Administration of China further calls for any AI companion to remind users every two hours that any interactions are not with an actual human.
Source: The Register
Beginning January 1st 2026, the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CCA) change of regulations regarding drones will be in effect. A theory test will be required before being allowed to fly outdoors if the drone is 100g or more, which was previously only required for drones over 250g. Successfully passing the test grants a five-year Flyer ID license and any drone over 100g with a camera must also register with the CAA for an Operator ID.
Source: BBC
Online video editing platform Kapwing surveyed the top 100 YouTube channels in every country, approximately 15,000 channels, and found 278 of them exclusively posted AI content. Kapwing also claims over 20% of videos shown to new YouTube users are “AI slop”. These videos have over 63 billion views and 221 million subscribers, with estimated earnings of $117 million USD. A YouTube spokesperson told The Guardian “Generative AI is a tool, and like any tool it can be used to make both high- and low-quality content. We remain focused on connecting our users with high-quality content, regardless of how it was made.”
Source: The Guardian