ChatGPT to show ads, Grandparents hooked on ‘Boomerslop’

Adverts will soon appear at the top of the AI tool ChatGPT for some users, the company OpenAI has announced. The trial will initially take place in the US, and will affect some ChatGPT users on the free service and a new subscription tier, called ChatGPT Go. This cheaper option will be available for all users worldwide, and will cost $8 a month, or the equivalent pricing in other currencies. OpenAI says during the trial, relevant ads will appear after a prompt – for example, asking ChatGPT for places to visit in Mexico could result in holiday ads appearing. BBC 

Doctors and medical experts have warned of the growing evidence of “health harms” from tech and devices on children and young people in the UK. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) said frontline clinicians have given personal testimony about “horrific cases they have treated in primary, secondary and community settings throughout the NHS and across most medical specialities”. The body, which represents 23 medical royal colleges and faculties, plans to gather evidence to establish the issues healthcare professionals and specialists are seeing repeatedly that may be attributed to tech and devices. Sky News 

“What are you even doing in 2025?” says a handsome kid in a denim jacket, somewhere just shy of 18. “Out there it looks like everyone is glued to their phones, chasing nothing.” The AI-generated teenager features in an Instagram video that has more than 600,000 likes from an account dubbed Maximal Nostalgia. The video is one of dozens singing the praises of the 1970s and 1980s. Created with AI, the videos urge viewers to relive their halcyon days. The clips have gone viral across Instagram and Facebook, part of a new type of AI content that has been dubbed “boomerslop”. Telegraph

More than 60 Labour MPs have written to Keir Starmer urging him to back a social media ban for under-16s, with peers due to vote on the issue this week. The MPs, who include select committee chairs, former frontbenchers, and MPs from the right and left of the party, are seeking to put pressure on the Prime Minister as calls mount for the UK to follow Australia’s precedent. Starmer has said he is open to a ban but members of the House of Lords are looking to force the issue when they vote this week on an amendment to the children, wellbeing and schools bill. Guardian

Huawei has released a new update for the Watch Ultimate 2 smartwatch, installing new health features, including a heart failure risk assessment. The update comes with HarmonyOS firmware version 6.0.0.209 and is spreading in batches. The new additions include a coronary heart disease risk assessment. Users can join a coronary heart disease research project via the Huawei Research app on their smartphone. HuaweiCentral

Google has just changed Gmail after twenty years. In among countless AI upgrades — including “personalized AI” that gives Gemini access to all your data in Gmail, Photos and more, comes a surprising decision. You can now change your primary Gmail address for the first time ever. You shouldn’t hesitate to do so. This new option is good — but it’s not perfect. And per 9to5Google, “Google also notes this can only be done once every 12 months, up to 3 times, so make this one count.” Forbes