Arab League Calls for Regional Cooperation to Launch Arab Strategy Regarding AI

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken June 23, 2023. (Reuters)
AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken June 23, 2023. (Reuters)
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Arab League Calls for Regional Cooperation to Launch Arab Strategy Regarding AI

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken June 23, 2023. (Reuters)
AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken June 23, 2023. (Reuters)

The Arab League has called for strengthening regional cooperation with to launch an Arab strategy in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) through exchange of expertise and use of smart applications.

The move will enhance productive capabilities and accelerate sustainable development, in line with national priorities and the core spiritual values of humanity, said Assistant Secretary General and Supervisor of the Media and Communication Sector at the Arab League Ambassador Ahmed Rashid Khattabi.

Speaking at the opening of the Language and Communication Research Lab Forum in Cairo, he stressed the need to focus on AI and develop training curricula to acquire technical and digital skills that will prepare graduates for opportunities in the labor market.

The Forum is being held for a second time and organized by the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport.

Khattabi said AI is now spurring technical competition among major powers and global digital businesses. At the same time, it raises legal, ethical and ideological concerns about its unsafe use, particularly regarding human rights, protection of personal data, cybercrime and lethal smart weapons.



Japan's Tech Business SoftBank Rolls Out OpenAI 'Patches' Against Cyberattacks

SoftBank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son speaks during an event to pitch AI for businesses, in Tokyo, Japan June 16, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada
SoftBank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son speaks during an event to pitch AI for businesses, in Tokyo, Japan June 16, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada
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Japan's Tech Business SoftBank Rolls Out OpenAI 'Patches' Against Cyberattacks

SoftBank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son speaks during an event to pitch AI for businesses, in Tokyo, Japan June 16, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada
SoftBank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son speaks during an event to pitch AI for businesses, in Tokyo, Japan June 16, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada

Japanese technology giant SoftBank Group Corp. is launching a service using OpenAI technology to protect against the looming threat of cyberattacks, both companies said Tuesday.

Chief Executive Masayoshi Son called Japan’ s vulnerability to cyberattacks “a crisis,” comparing it to a potential assault by machine guns instead of the rifle shots of the past.

SoftBank will offer “a patching service,” targeting the nation’s top 3,000 companies behind crucial infrastructure like airports, power systems and transportation, The Associated Press quoted Son as saying.

“I feel it is our duty,” Son said, repeatedly referring to the criminal attackers as “the bad guys.”

The service involves first diagnosing any weaknesses to attacks, and then analyzing what needs to be done to patch up such “holes," Son said.

Sam Altman, chief of OpenAI, was scheduled to attend the launch, but instead appeared only in a short video. He said he couldn’t make it because his baby daughter was born earlier than expected. Mark Chen, OpenAI’s chief researcher, was present in his place.

SoftBank and OpenAI, behind the popular chatbot ChatGPT, set up a 50:50 joint venture named SB OAI Japan last year to develop and exclusively market an AI service for the Japanese market.

Tuesday’s announcement was a key update, highlighting the rollout. No monetary value was announced. But SoftBank said everyone who came to the presentation in Tokyo Tuesday can apply for a free diagnosis.

The use of AI has caused the number of attacks to balloon exponentially and grow more complex, meaning defenses have had to become more AI-savvy and versatile.


France to Invest €655 Mln in AI, Set Up Common Chatbot for All State Services

France's Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu gestures as he speaks during a press conference. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
France's Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu gestures as he speaks during a press conference. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
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France to Invest €655 Mln in AI, Set Up Common Chatbot for All State Services

France's Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu gestures as he speaks during a press conference. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
France's Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu gestures as he speaks during a press conference. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday the government will invest €655 million ($758.29 million) in artificial intelligence and will set up a common chatbot for all the state services.

The French government will create a public ⁠health chatbot for state-owned ⁠health insurance Ameli agency.

"We can either be ⁠subjected to this (Artificial intelligence) revolution, or we can lead it," he said in a post on X.

"The question is not whether the state will use the artificial intelligence anymore, but the question is how fast will it ⁠transform," ⁠Lecornu said.

"We cannot rely on tools developed by foreign powers. France must have its own tools," he said.

He made the announcement as the "Viva Tech" conference was set to start in Paris.


AI-referred US Shoppers Browse Longer, Spend More per Visit, Data Shows

 The ChatGPT logo is displayed on a mobile phone in Liverpool, Britain, 09 June 2026. (EPA)
The ChatGPT logo is displayed on a mobile phone in Liverpool, Britain, 09 June 2026. (EPA)
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AI-referred US Shoppers Browse Longer, Spend More per Visit, Data Shows

 The ChatGPT logo is displayed on a mobile phone in Liverpool, Britain, 09 June 2026. (EPA)
The ChatGPT logo is displayed on a mobile phone in Liverpool, Britain, 09 June 2026. (EPA)

US shoppers who use large language models, including Google's Gemini or OpenAI's ChatGPT, for purchase recommendations are lingering more on retailers' websites and are more likely to spend, according to May data from Adobe Analytics.

Consumers who are referred to retail websites from LLMs generated ‌53% more ‌revenue per visit than ‌shoppers ⁠from non-AI sources, the ⁠data firm said, emphasizing the need for brands to invest in AI-readable webpages.

Retailers whose products show up in LLM suggestions are able to "drive more personalization" to ⁠shoppers who leave the platforms to ‌complete their ‌purchases on the native websites, Vivek Pandya, ‌director of digital insights at ‌Adobe, said.

AI traffic to retail websites increased 138% in May from last year, the highest share of ‌total retail visits since Adobe Analytics began tracking in October 2024.

⁠Retail ⁠website visitors recommended by AI converted at a rate 54% higher than online shoppers from non-AI sources did in May.

Shoppers referred to e-commerce websites spent 53% more time on the sites than visitors from other sources.

AI-referred shoppers also visit more retail webpages than non-AI referred visitors.