This was an interesting week in the business world. Here’s a breakdown of some of the week’s top stories.

Apple has rolled out the beta version of Apple Music 5.0 for Android, introducing handy features like pinning favourite songs, albums, and artists to the top of libraries, with automatic downloads and cross-device syncing. The update also adds AI-powered lyrics translation and a pronunciation guide, likely leveraging Google’s AI for Android users. However, the new “Liquid Glass” visual overhaul seen in iOS 26 is missing from this Android release. Also, the popular AutoMix feature, which blends tracks like a DJ, hasn’t been confirmed for Android yet. This update highlights Apple’s gradual enhancement of its Android app experience.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the gaming industry with smarter NPCs, dynamic difficulty, and procedural content generation. From early concepts like the 1983 film WarGames to today’s AI-powered games, developers now use AI to enhance realism and personalise player experiences—such as Ubisoft’s AI-generated NPC dialogue and Ovomind’s emotion-tracking wristband. However, AI’s rise also brings challenges, including data privacy concerns, energy use, and potential job losses in game development. AI excels at tedious tasks like quality assurance testing, but integrating large AI models on consoles remains costly. As AI advances, balancing innovation with ethical and economic impacts is critical for the gaming world.

Apple has announced a monumental $600 billion investment in the U.S. over the next four years, including a new $100 billion American Manufacturing Program (AMP) aimed at reshoring critical supply chains and expanding domestic manufacturing. The initiative partners with leading companies like Corning, TSMC, Texas Instruments, and Broadcom to produce key components—from iPhone glass covers in Kentucky to advanced silicon chips in Arizona and Texas. Apple plans to create 450,000 jobs through its supplier network and directly hire 20,000 employees focused on R&D, AI, and software development. This investment highlights Apple’s commitment to innovation, economic growth, and strengthening America’s tech ecosystem.

TikTok’s newly introduced age verification requires users to submit government-issued photo IDs, sparking widespread controversy and resistance. Launched in August 2025, this move follows similar demands from platforms like Spotify, YouTube, Xbox, and Discord. Many users are alarmed, dubbing it the “mark of the beast” and fearing for online privacy, while some younger users suggest alternatives like MP3 players to avoid ID submission. The rapid implementation caught many off guard, igniting debates on data privacy and the growing appetite of big tech companies to know exactly who uses their services. This shift highlights rising tensions between user privacy and platform security.

As the UK’s EdTech market surges toward $31 billion by 2030, decision-makers are demanding more than just flashy AI-powered tools—they want proof of real learning gains. Schools and institutions are shifting toward data-driven adoption, seeking platforms backed by measurable evidence, impact studies, and transparent analytics. This maturity is especially vital for high-stakes fields like medical education, where digital programs must deliver clinical rigour comparable to in-person training. Despite progress, only 45% of EdTech tools meet established evidence standards. The future belongs to solutions that combine flexibility with verified learning outcomes, supported by continuous data insights and user feedback.

ClassLink’s new AppTrack tool empowers education leaders to manage the edtech approval process with clarity and confidence. It provides a structured workflow that covers security checks, interoperability verification, and instructional fit, ensuring only safe and compatible apps move forward. AppTrack also tracks budget considerations and enables all stakeholders to monitor requests from submission to approval. This transparency helps schools say yes to innovation without risking security or compliance. Alongside AppTrack, ClassLink has enhanced its platform with improved security and management tools, supporting smarter and safer edtech adoption in educational institutions.

Klarna, serving over 100 million consumers worldwide, continues to see improved repayment performance, with delinquency rates on Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) loans dropping to 0.88% in Q2 2025. This signals growing consumer trust in Klarna’s fair and transparent credit options, which encourage responsible borrowing. Klarna’s UK arm recently received FCA authorisation as an Electronic Money Institution, paving the way for new products like Klarna Balance and cashback, set to launch later this year. These innovations position Klarna to expand beyond credit, becoming a daily banking and spending partner while challenging traditional retail banking models.

Alaan, a leading Middle Eastern spend management fintech founded by ex-McKinsey consultants, has secured $48 million in a major Series A round led by Peak XV Partners. Frustrated by limited corporate card acceptance and tedious expense processes, founders Parthi Duraisamy and Karun Kurien built a platform that uses AI to automate receipt matching, reconciliation, and VAT extraction. Despite regulatory challenges delaying market entry in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Alaan has processed 2.5 million transactions for over 1,500 finance teams, saving 1.5 million hours of manual work. The new funding will accelerate regional growth, scale hiring, and deepen AI-driven automation.

Billions in emerging markets remain unbanked due to infrastructure gaps, low digital literacy, fragmented identities, and cash-based cultures. Fintech is changing this by building tailored solutions like mobile money platforms (e.g., M-Pesa, UPI), AI-driven micro-lending using alternative data, agent banking networks, and digital identity systems such as India’s Aadhaar. These innovations empower individuals with access to credit, savings, and insurance, fostering economic mobility and systemic resilience. However, challenges like regulatory uncertainty, cybersecurity risks, and the need for digital literacy persist. The fintech-driven transformation in emerging economies highlights how inclusive digital finance can drive equitable growth on a global scale.

ChatGPT is designed to help users thrive by supporting their goals—whether learning, problem-solving, or managing tough conversations—without wasting their time. The team prioritises usefulness over time spent, introducing features like gentle break reminders and AI agents that assist beyond the app. Recognising the sensitive nature of mental health, ChatGPT is improving its responses to emotional distress and personal challenges by collaborating with medical and research experts. The goal is to guide users thoughtfully without making decisions on their behalf.

As millions of college students gear up for the new academic year, Google is launching its most advanced AI tools for free to help them learn smarter. Available in the U.S., Japan, Indonesia, Korea, and Brazil, the 12-month Google AI Pro plan offers features such as Gemini 2.5 Pro, Guided Learning mode, NotebookLM, and 2TB of storage. Alongside, Google is investing $1 billion over three years in AI education, job training, and research, including the AI for Education Accelerator, which provides free AI and career training to U.S. college students. This initiative aims to empower students as AI natives ready to innovate and lead.

Starting August 20, the U.S. will pilot a visa bond program requiring travellers from select countries to post bonds of $5,000 to $15,000 to reduce visa overstays. Consular officers will target countries with high overstay rates and vetting concerns. The bonds are refundable if visitors comply with visa terms. This comes alongside a new $250 visa integrity fee effective October 1, potentially making U.S. visitor visa fees among the highest globally. While limited to roughly 2,000 applicants, these policies could impact international travel and tourism, especially for entrepreneurs and businesses relying on cross-border mobility and tourism flows.

South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal North Coast is gearing up for a transformative tourism and investment surge, backed by R80 billion in private developments and R22 billion in city-led infrastructure spending over the next three years. Coastal hubs uMhlanga and Ballito are at the heart of this growth, featuring luxury projects like the Radisson Blu Oceans Hotel and the North Oceans Tower. The region, now home to over 3,500 millionaires, is attracting global hospitality brands like Club Med, which plans a R2 billion beachfront and safari resort by 2026. This boom positions the North Coast as a premier luxury and investment hotspot.

Shoprite Holdings, South Africa’s largest grocery retailer, announced the sale of its operations in Ghana and Malawi, continuing its strategy to consolidate and focus on its core South African market. The company has exited several African countries, including Nigeria and Kenya, citing challenges like currency volatility, inflation, and high import duties. Despite these pullbacks, Shoprite expects its headline earnings per share to rise by up to 19.4% and projects an 8.9% increase in sales from continuing operations, reaching approximately R252.7 billion in the year ending June 2025. The restructuring aims to improve profitability amid challenging economic conditions.

Pick’n Pay reported a 4.3% rise in group turnover, fueled largely by strong performance from its discounter brand Boxer, which saw a 12.1% increase in turnover and 3.9% like-for-like sales growth. Despite a constrained consumer environment and subdued food price inflation, Pick’n Pay’s core South African supermarkets grew like-for-like sales by 3.6%, progressing with its Store Estate Reset Plan to improve profitability. The group aims for its core business to break even by 2028 after narrowing losses. Additionally, retail veteran Grant Pattison will join the board in 2026, bringing extensive industry experience.

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