G7 Calls for Adoption of International Technical Standards For AI

File photo: Digital and technology ministers attend a photo session during the G7 Digital and Tech Ministers' Meeting in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, on April 29, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS
File photo: Digital and technology ministers attend a photo session during the G7 Digital and Tech Ministers' Meeting in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, on April 29, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS
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G7 Calls for Adoption of International Technical Standards For AI

File photo: Digital and technology ministers attend a photo session during the G7 Digital and Tech Ministers' Meeting in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, on April 29, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS
File photo: Digital and technology ministers attend a photo session during the G7 Digital and Tech Ministers' Meeting in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan, on April 29, 2023, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo via REUTERS

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations on Saturday called for the development and adoption of international technical standards for trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) as lawmakers of the rich countries focus on the new technology.
While the G7 leaders, meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, recognised that the approaches to achieving "the common vision and goal of trustworthy AI may vary", they said in a statement that "the governance of the digital economy should continue to be updated in line with our shared democratic values", Reuters reported.
Generative AI, the subset of AI popularized by the ChatGPT app, found special mention as the G7 leaders said they "need to immediately take stock of the opportunities and challenges of generative AI."



Apple’s China Smartphone Shipments Slide 9% in First Quarter

The Apple logo is seen at a mall in the financial district of Shanghai on April 14, 2025. (AFP)
The Apple logo is seen at a mall in the financial district of Shanghai on April 14, 2025. (AFP)
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Apple’s China Smartphone Shipments Slide 9% in First Quarter

The Apple logo is seen at a mall in the financial district of Shanghai on April 14, 2025. (AFP)
The Apple logo is seen at a mall in the financial district of Shanghai on April 14, 2025. (AFP)

Apple's shipments of smartphones in China slumped 9% in the first quarter from a year earlier and it was the only major manufacturer to see a decline, according to data from research firm IDC.

Apple, which ranks fifth in China's smartphone market, saw shipments fall to 9.8 million phones, giving it a market share of 13.7%, down from 17.4% in the previous quarter.

It was Apple's seventh straight quarter of decline.

By contrast, market leader Xiaomi saws its shipments surge 40% to 13.3 million while industry-wide shipments grew 3.3%.

IDC analyst Will Wong said Apple's premium pricing structure has prevented the US company from capitalizing on new government subsidies introduced in January which fueled growth in the first quarter.

The government subsidies for smartphones and some other consumer electronics refund consumers 15% of products with a sticker price under 6,000 yuan ($820).