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Global variants of the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max appeared on Geekbench AI. These phones, which launched in China last month, run on Android 17 with 12GB of RAM. The listing showed their AI performance scores, though Xiaomi has not said when they will reach global markets.
Japan is stepping up its cybersecurity response after many data breaches exposed millions of customer records. On 9 October, the Financial Services Agency called on banks to use chip-based identity documents. Masaaki Taira said, "a state of emergency in cyberspace," as officials warned that hackers now target vulnerable systems.
Oppo is launching the Pad Mini Matte Display Edition tablet and Enco X4 earbuds in India soon. These products might arrive around October 13, alongside the ColorOS 17 rollout. The tablet features a 144Hz screen, while the earbuds offer AI translation and long battery life for users who want premium tech.
Apple launched the special edition AirPods 5 in India featuring a custom rangoli engraving on the charging case. Priced at Rs 17,900, these earbuds offer active noise cancellation and 22 hours of battery life. Apple’s festive offers run from October 11 to November 11, 2026, across select stores and online.
Think41 achieved Select Partner status in the Claude Partner Network on Oct. 12, 2026. Every employee completed the Anthropic learning path to build with Claude. Anusha Aravapalli said, "Seeing colleagues from HR, Finance, Recruitment, Design and IT learn alongside engineers made it clear that this was something the whole company could contribute to."
Microsoft Vice President Kesavan Shanmugam is leaving the company after 23 years to care for his parents in India. He led key AI projects like Excel Copilot. Shanmugam said, "It is also the right trade-off for me - to focus my energy on family and friends." Many people praised his choice.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said AI needs regulation like cars and medicine to prevent misuse. He wrote on X, “Just as we regulate planes, cars, and medicines, we need safeguards that help us realize AI's incredible potential while reducing the risks.” Gates believes stricter rules help manage these dangerous technologies.
Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar said AI researchers have started smoking to show their faith in the technology curing cancer. Sankar told CBS, "I'm showing you my chips are all in." While some believe AI will soon fix diseases, Sankar warned that this extreme devotion feels like a social delusion.
The Trump administration reversed a decision, allowing American AI developers to share new models with Britain’s AI Security Institute for safety testing. This change signals a softer stance on international cooperation. Previously, developers like OpenAI and Anthropic faced restrictions. Now, they have more freedom to work with British safety experts.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said artificial intelligence infrastructure investment is supporting global growth at around 3%. Asian economies like Thailand stand to benefit from rising hardware demand. This spending boost helps offset energy supply disruptions, though geopolitical tensions and market uncertainty remain risks for the region’s long-term economic outlook.
Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said AI companies may soon launch smartphones running 100-billion-parameter models locally by 2028. Amon noted that these firms are in touch with Qualcomm to build on-device capabilities. He believes phones are here to stay, saying, “Phones are not going to go anywhere, and it is the largest development platform.”
Elon Musk suggested users upload credit card photos to Grok for online shopping, sparking a major privacy debate. Many people on social media raised concerns about the safety of sharing sensitive payment details with AI. Experts now question how these systems store data and protect users from potential financial risks.