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Digital Assistants stories

HSBC UK & Visa test AI shopping with live payments
Data Protection

HSBC UK & Visa test AI shopping with live payments

Customers could soon shop and pay through AI assistants, after HSBC UK and Visa completed a live end-to-end card transaction online.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 4 min read • Last month
FCA review says AI will reshape retail finance by 2030
Data Protection

FCA review says AI will reshape retail finance by 2030

About 11 million UK adults could use autonomous AI for money management, raising fresh concerns over fraud, control and market concentration.

By Karen Joy Bacudo • 5 min read • Last month
UK shoppers prefer humans to AI for complex retail issues
Digital Transformation

UK shoppers prefer humans to AI for complex retail issues

Trust still trumps speed for refunds and complaints, with 90% of UK shoppers preferring human help on complex retail issues.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Wed, 13th May 2026

Global Stories

Digital Assistants stories

Amex GBT launches Claude AI connector for bookings
Digital Transformation

Amex GBT launches Claude AI connector for bookings

Business travellers can now book policy-compliant flights and hotels inside Claude, as Amex GBT pushes AI agents from search to transactions.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Last week
Aina raises USD $5.5 million seed to build AI interface
Generative AI

Aina raises USD $5.5 million seed to build AI interface

The start-up will use the cash to bring its flagship product to market as it seeks to replace keyboards and touchscreens with AI-driven controls.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 4 min read • Last month
AI reshapes customer data, loyalty and marketing decisions
Data Protection

AI reshapes customer data, loyalty and marketing decisions

Better customer data is becoming essential as AI agents start to shape product discovery, loyalty and campaign choices in real time.

By Mark Tarre • 5 min read • Last month
Google previews Android Halo for AI agents on Android
Data Protection

Google previews Android Halo for AI agents on Android

Android 17 users will get a status bar space to track AI tasks and reply in place, as Google expands its operating-system AI push.

By Sean Mitchell • 5 min read • Last month
NFON shareholders back AI strategy at annual meeting
Software-as-a-Service

NFON shareholders back AI strategy at annual meeting

Investor backing for NFON's AI push came as the Munich software group lifted revenue to EUR 89.1 million and boosted margins.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 4 min read • Mon, 29th Jun 2026
Asus launches AI PCs, tablets & software at Computex
Data Privacy

Asus launches AI PCs, tablets & software at Computex

The wider AI push spans creator laptops, home PCs and tablets, as Asus seeks to make on-device intelligence a selling point across its range.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Tue, 2nd Jun 2026
Apple registers genai subdomain ahead of WWDC AI pitch
Data Protection

Apple registers genai subdomain ahead of WWDC AI pitch

Developers could get a clearer AI roadmap at WWDC, after a newly registered subdomain fuelled speculation about Apple's next software pitch.

By Sean Mitchell • 3 min read • Mon, 25th May 2026
Direct Ferries launches ferry search inside ChatGPT
AI Agents

Direct Ferries launches ferry search inside ChatGPT

Travellers can now compare 4,000 ferry routes in ChatGPT, as the booking service pushes a fragmented market into AI planning tools.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Fri, 8th May 2026
OpenAI replaces ChatGPT default model with GPT-5.5 Instant
Generative AI

OpenAI replaces ChatGPT default model with GPT-5.5 Instant

Users may notice fewer errors as the chatbot’s default switches to GPT-5.5 Instant, which OpenAI says cuts hallucinations by 52.5%.

By Mark Tarre • 3 min read • Fri, 8th May 2026

Stories from Other Regions

Digital Assistants stories

Gemini app use in Southeast Asia more than doubles
Digital Transformation

Gemini app use in Southeast Asia more than doubles

Local language support and mobile-first use have helped drive Gemini adoption across a region where younger users are setting the pace.

By Sean Mitchell • 4 min read • Last month
Samsung launches Galaxy A27 5G in Australia from AUD $499
Artificial Intelligence

Samsung launches Galaxy A27 5G in Australia from AUD $499

A longer software support window and on-device AI tools are central to Samsung's push to win buyers in Australia's crowded mid-range 5G market.

By Sofiah Nichole Salivio • 3 min read • Fri, 26th Jun 2026
Samsung AI push focuses on proactivity, personalisation
Wearables

Samsung AI push focuses on proactivity, personalisation

Devices that anticipate routines could cut friction for New Zealand users as Samsung extends hyper-personalised AI across phones, wearables and the home.

By David Shilovsky • 5 min read • Fri, 12th Jun 2026
Loyalty leaders discuss: Impact on personalisation across APAC as AI moves from predictive to agentic
Customer Relationship Management

Loyalty leaders discuss: Impact on personalisation across APAC as AI moves from predictive to agentic

Brands risk losing customers to AI agents unless loyalty offers are machine-readable, real-time and simple enough to be chosen automatically.

By Aaron Crowe • 5 min read • Wed, 10th Jun 2026
What the wedding industry reveals about how we actually adopt AI
Personalisation

What the wedding industry reveals about how we actually adopt AI

The data suggests couples will happily use AI for drafts and planning, but rarely for choices that could haunt them for years.

By Dominic Vivarini • 6 min read • Wed, 3rd Jun 2026