AI for All? Sam Altman Weighs the Challenges of Equitable AI Distribution

A new post was published on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s blog that spoke about the company’s ideas of making the benefits of AI widely distributed for all.

He shared more on the matter including how a computed budget was amongst the many other strange-sounding ideas that he was ready to put forth. The goal was to make the masses benefit from the approach.

The historical impact of this technological progress hints that most of the metrics that users worry about are getting better with time. Altman mentioned that the balance between matters like capital and labor could get messy and it might need early intervention.

Solutions to such issues including Altman’s concept for compute budget (i.e. bringing AI to the masses) might appear easier said than done. Today, AI is affecting the labor market and giving rise to serious job cuts and downsizing in several departments. Experts issued a warning that mass unemployment is a potential outcome relating to the rise of AI when not supported by the correct government policies.

This isn’t the first time, Altman shared how AGI is also very near which can solve even the most complex issues out there today. No matter what, AGI ceases to be perfect and will never compare to human potential. Altman says this could require serious human supervision as well as direction.

All AGI systems won’t have the best ideas and while it can do some good things, it will be bad at so many others. The real value related to AGI will arise from running systems on a big scale. Similar to the thinking of Anthropic’s CEO, Altman sees thousands of those capable of tackling tasks in different fields of work.

It’s definitely not a cheap vision but Altman says that a person can spend huge sums of money and get the right gains in return with AI. This is why OpenAI is ready to start talks to raise $40B in funding. They’ve pledged to spend $500B with the help of partners on the huge data network.

Altman also speaks about cases where the costs for AI fall up to ten times every year. In other words, while pushing AI boundaries won’t make it cheaper, more users are going to get access to capable systems along the way.

So many inexpensive AI models keep popping up as we speak. This includes DeepSeek and more that support this cause. There’s similar evidence that suggests both training and development costs fall to a new low. Both Altman and Amodei argued that there are massive investments at stake here that need to attain the AGI level of AI and more.

In terms of how the company hopes to roll out these AGI systems, Altman refused to get into the minute details. He said that some major decisions will soon be coming and there’s a lot to consider about the safety of this project.

Let’s not forget how OpenAI is in the midst of converting into a corporate structure that’s far from traditional. It will reach $100B in revenue by 2029 which is equal to what was seen for Target and Nestle’s yearly sales.

Image: DIW-AIgen

Read next: UC Berkeley Researcher Criticizes Billion-Dollar AGI Race, Says AI Can’t Know Everything
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Long-Form Wins: YouTube Users Ditch Shorts for Videos Over 30 Minutes

Digital i, a software company, analyzed data of American YouTube users and found that most of theme prefer long-form over short-form videos. YouTube has invested a lot on its vertical short-form videos that resemble TikTok videos but most of the YouTube are more interested in long-form videos on the platform. The analysis also found that there was an 8% increase in time consumed watching long form videos on YouTube by American users as compared to October 2024.

The respondents of the survey also said that they spend 73% of their YouTube watch time while watching videos that are more than 30 minutes long. Only 27% of the respondents said that they spend their YouTube watch time by watching short-form videos or videos that are shorter than 30 minutes. YouTube invited a lot of creators to its Shorts monetisation program and a lot of people thought that it would bring more traffic to Shorts and decrease traffic on long-form videos.

YouTube has also improved its streaming operation by focusing on mobile-oriented broadcasts which are well liked by Gen-Z. There was a 21% YoY increase in 18-24 year olds who increased their YouTube time by watching long-form videos on their mobile phones. But even with users’ interest in long-form videos, it doesn't mean that short-form videos on YouTube are not getting any response. Shorts are also growing on YouTube, but a little slower than long-form content.

Additionally, Digital i’s research revealed that long-form content consumption in the U.S. grew from 65% in October 2023 to 73% in October 2024, marking an 8-percentage-point increase. Among 18–24-year-olds, long-form viewing on mobile devices surged from 58% to 79% during the same period, reflecting a 21-percentage-point rise. This demographic also spent an average of 2.7 hours per day on YouTube between July and October 2024, watching around 25 videos daily. The data further indicated that YouTube viewing time decreases with age, with younger users showing the highest engagement levels.

H/T: Digital i

Read next: Fewer People Clicking on Google Search Results Because of AI Summaries
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Major Economies, Minor Trust: Why the World’s Biggest Powers Are Losing Credibility

A new 2025 by Edelman Trust Barometer global survey finds that there has been a distrust in government institutions among people. Edelman Trust Index calculates trust percentages of people in government, business ideas and media and the survey was based on 33,000 people from 28 countries. According to the survey, there was no change in trust percentage in 2025 as compared to 2024 and it is still steady at 56% global average. But 54% of the countries in the survey saw some decline in trust percentages among people in their respective countries.

The survey also found that five out of ten world’s biggest economies are ranked among least trusted countries, with Japan being the least trusted at 37%, Germany at 41% and the UK at 43%. The US and France were also among the least trusted nations because of its institutions with 47% and 48% trust percentages respectively. There was a 9% increase in trust in Argentina as compared to 2024 after the elections of Javier Milei. The report also stated that countries like South Africa, Indonesia, Nigeria and Argentina which recently held national elections or got leadership changes saw an increase in trust.

China had the most trust percentage out of all the countries surveyed at 77% which was a 2% decrease from 2024. It was followed by Indonesia (76%), India (75%), UAE (72%) and Saudi Arabia (71%). The survey also found that 61% of the respondents showed moderate or high sense of grievances meaning that they believe that the governments of their countries are making their lives harder.

The Edelman Trust Barometer 2025 highlights a growing sentiment that governments are increasingly disconnected from the people they are meant to serve. Many believe that governments are forcefully imposing policies without considering public will, prioritizing power retention over genuine governance. This perception is fueled by the lack of moral accountability, as leaders often pursue agendas that benefit political or elite interests rather than addressing the real needs of their citizens. Democratic systems, once seen as pillars of representation, appear broken to many, with declining civic participation reflecting widespread disillusionment. People feel unheard, as governments fail to engage in meaningful dialogue or understand the evolving aspirations of their populations. This crisis of trust suggests a global demand for a new governance model—one that transcends outdated systems and fosters transparency, accountability, and authentic public involvement to restore faith in leadership.

Country	Election/Leadership Change (Past Year)	Trust Index 2025 (%)	Change from 2024 (%)
China	No	77	-2
Indonesia	Yes	76	+3
India	Yes	75	0
UAE	No	72	-2
Saudi Arabia	No	71	-1
Thailand	Yes	66	-4
Malaysia	No	66	-2
Singapore	No	65	-1
Nigeria	No	65	+4
Kenya	No	63	-1
Mexico	Yes	57	-2
Netherlands	Yes	57	+1
South Africa	Yes	53	+4
Canada	No	52	-1
Brazil	No	51	-2
Italy	No	50	0
Sweden	No	50	+1
Australia	No	49	-2
Colombia	No	49	+2
Argentina	Yes	48	+9
France	Yes	48	+1
Ireland	No	48	+1
U.S.	Yes	47	+1
Spain	No	44	-2
UK	Yes	43	+4
Germany	Yes	41	-4
South Korea	Yes	41	-2
Japan	Yes	37	-2

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• Fewer People Clicking on Google Search Results Because of AI Summaries
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Fewer People Clicking on Google Search Results Because of AI Summaries

SeerInteractive conducted a study and found that paid and organic search results on Google are being impacted by AI Overviews and that AI Overviews are impacting click-through of Google searches a lot.

The study analyzed 10,000 keywords and looked at the ones which have been ranking in top 20 positions with informational intent. Google Search Console and Google Ads data was seen along with Ziptie data to see which keywords and queries were triggering AI Overviews.

The study revealed that 31.6% of queries triggering AI Overviews are question-based, and the average query length for AIO-triggering searches is 4.29 words. This suggests that longer, informational searches are more likely to generate AI Overviews. Year-over-year data shows a decline in organic CTR from 1.41% to 0.64% when AI Overviews appear, reducing organic traffic opportunities. Paid CTR has also dropped across the board, indicating that changes in SERP design and user behavior are affecting both organic and paid search performance.

The study found that when websites appear in AIO, organic click through rate increases to 1.02% from 0.74% and paid click through rate also goes up to 11% from 7.89%. Click through rate also becomes an all time low when AIO appears on Google, both for organic and paid search. When AI Overviews don’t show up, click through rates appear to be in good shape.

Glenn Gabe found a way to track AI Overviews data correctly. It was revealed that GSC data for AI Overviews is hard to access but if you have a manual action, you are able to track it now. He has explained it more in his post called The Twiddler that Didn't Twiddle.

Read next: UC Berkeley Researcher Criticizes Billion-Dollar AGI Race, Says AI Can’t Know Everything
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Sam Altman Warns EU AI Regulations Could Limit Access, Urges Lawmakers to Act

Sam Altman is making it very clear to the European Union that their growing list of regulations might restrict the region’s access to AI.

The news comes as the OpenAI CEO was seen delivering a speech at a German University, Technische Universität Berlin, where he shared that he’d love to design the EU version of Stargate. The new AI infrastructure project is based in the US but such advancements totally depend on the rules in the EU.

Altman mentioned that he would like to deploy products across the EU in the swiftest manner possible. He wants to do what’s best for the region and the people but it’s now up to lawmakers in the region to see what kind of rules they are setting up.

Alman again mentioned how India is one of the biggest and most important global markets for the firm while Germany stands at number five. He shared that his company will obey the laws mentioned in the AI Act which entails rules regarding transparency and AI model risks.

OpenAI mentioned how it rolled out data residency in the EU for various products such as ChatGPT Edu, API Platform, and the ChatGPT Enterprise. The goal was to assist companies working in this part of the world to assist with data protection. Hence, they are now looking forward to collaborations across the EU and different places around the globe.

They similarly hope to maintain standards of privacy as well as security with compliance in the region and ensure things run smoothly on both ends. Remember, it was claimed a few days back how the EU regulations prepared the latest guidance and covered banned uses related to AI as part of the major effort to enforce this law.

The new AI Act restricts actions such as online data scraping to produce facial recognition which came into play starting this month. We also saw how the EC is ready to roll out key guidance on the way rules must be applied.

During the year’s start, it was shared how the US President’s decision to share more about Stargate could give rise to further calls from EU CEOs for a similar design regarding AI in the region.

As per the SAP CEO, EU lawmakers and companies might start working to implement AI as this tech could boost competition in the industry.

Image: TUBerlinTV / YouTube

Read next: UK Seeks Unrestricted Access to iCloud Data, Ignoring Privacy and Security Rights
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

UK Seeks Unrestricted Access to iCloud Data, Ignoring Privacy and Security Rights

A new report is highlighting the secret demands of the UK government and how it wants Apple to produce a secret backdoor to retrieve all content. This has to do with user material uploaded by iCloud users around the globe.

Apple is sure to say no to the demand for obvious privacy reasons and this might give rise to a new stand-off affair between the two.

The news comes thanks to the Washington Post which reported more on the matter including how it was released by Apple in the past. Security officials wished that Apple give rise to the back door to retrieve any and all material belonging to global Apple users.

The UK government reportedly released the order last month and therefore needs blanket capabilities to completely view encrypted content. So it’s not just linked to taking Apple’s assistance for cracking down against certain accounts.

The fact that Apple already is famous for its privacy stance might make things really complicated, experts feel. This is why many don’t see Apple saying yes to the demand by any means. Furthermore, we could witness the rise of a new battle in court that’s quite like that witnessed in the year 2016 between the iPhone maker and the FBI.

In that particular lawsuit, the American government wanted Apple to produce iOS backdoors to assist the FBI break into iPhones belonging to potential shooters. Therefore, Apple said no and the case was dealt with in court. In the end, the FBI did get what they wanted in the form of access through another third party and no assistance from Apple.

The demands by the UK Government seem to be very clueless and totally outrageous. For starters, most data is protected through the likes of E2EE. Hence, Apple doesn’t hold copies of such keys and cannot decrypt them. Users could ensure all data on the Cloud is protected by E2EE by selecting Advanced Data Protection settings.

Secondly, the data that Apple might supply has legal systems in place for different law agencies to go about requesting it. Therefore, all they need to do is go to judges to get court orders. Judges can weigh the pros and cons of the situation and make a judgment based on what the scenario is.

When the judge does say yes to the court order, the iPhone maker will comply to the extent that it feels it can assist. There’s no kind of justification for the government to get uncontrolled access to personal information belonging to different iCloud users around the globe.

From what we can see so far, Apple will say no because it displayed similar behavior in legal cases of the past. We’ve seen the company go down a similar road with the Pensacola case as well as the San Bernardino one.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: Are Teens Spending Too Much of Their School Time on Their Phones?
by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Are Teens Spending Too Much of Their School Time on Their Phones?

According to a new study by Seattle Children’s Research Institute, most teens spend a quarter of their school time using their phones for scrolling, texting or streaming. The study tracked 117 children between the ages of 13 to 18 who had smartphones to know about their usage habits during and after the school hours. Researchers say that it is important to know where children are spending their screen times and if these screen times are displacing other activities like learning.

The study found that most teens are spending about 1.5 hours on their smartphones out of their 6.5 school hours in 2024 while 1 in 4 children are spending more than 2 hours on their smartphones during school hours. On average, teenagers are spending 5.6 hours everyday on their phones overall. The apps these teens are using the most on their smartphones are audio apps, email apps, video streaming apps, messaging apps and Instagram.

The researchers say that these studies are only based on smartphone use among teenagers and not overall screen use so we are underestimating how much screen time teenagers are having in a day. The study also said that social media use is making teenagers depressed but the use of social media apps among teenagers is still rising.

Image: DIW-Aigen

Read next: Is AI the Future or a Threat? 36% of Americans Fear It Could End Humanity
by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World