A Kaspersky survey of 7,200 people across several countries found that many Gen Z users treat artificial intelligence as more than a tool for information and work. Published on August 19, 2026, the findings show that 27% of Gen Z respondents speak with AI as if talking to a friend, while 28% seek advice on personal matters they do not easily share with other people.

AI use is also more common among Gen Z than among other generations, according to the research. Some 47% of surveyed young people said they use AI daily or regularly. The most common uses were searching for information, cited by 56%, studying at 49%, generating new ideas at 47%, and workplace tasks at 39%.

The survey also pointed to security concerns. Only 42% of Gen Z AI users regularly take protective measures, including verifying AI-generated information through reliable sources and avoiding sharing personal or confidential data. Another 52% do so occasionally, while 6% take no precautions. Kaspersky AI Technology Research Center group manager Vladislav Tushkanov said personal AI interactions should not be considered fully private or reliable conversations.

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for Teens, a dedicated experience for users aged 13 to 17 designed to support learning, critical thinking and confidence using AI. Users estimated by the system to be under 18, or who state they are 13 to 17, are automatically placed in the teen experience. It includes stronger built-in safety protections, learning-focused tools and added controls for parents.

Study Mode uses guiding questions and step-by-step scaffolding rather than simply providing answers. Responsible homework reminders can identify apparent attempts to shortcut assignments and redirect users to collaborative problem solving. The platform also offers quizzes, learning visualizations and Study Hours, which teens or parents can schedule so Study Mode is enabled by default at chosen times.

Default safeguards address self-harm, violence, eating disorders, dangerous activities, and explicit sexual or graphic content. Parents with linked teen accounts can set Quiet Hours, manage selected settings and receive limited safety notifications; OpenAI is adding notifications related to eating disorders. OpenAI also announced a partnership with CodeAI to provide students and educators with tools and resources intended to help teens understand, question, direct and create with AI.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan said sustainable development will not be possible unless equal opportunities are ensured for everyone in society and the state. He made the remarks on Tuesday as chief guest at a dialogue at a hotel in the capital titled “Information Integrity and Social Cohesion in Bangladesh: Policy, Platform Accountability and Collective Action.” UNDP, GIZ and the Norwegian government organized the event.

Swapan said Bangladesh’s media and information landscape is changing rapidly. While technological advances have expanded opportunities for information flow, they have also created new challenges. He stressed the need to ensure both free flow of information and its credibility and responsibility, identifying misinformation, disinformation and misleading information as major challenges amid rapid growth in information technology and artificial intelligence.

The minister called for coordinated action by the state, media, civil society and international development partners. He said international experience should be used while Bangladesh builds capacities suited to its own realities and needs. He also urged the positive use of AI, digital platforms and data-driven communication, alongside media freedom, responsibility, public access to information and skills development for media workers.

Turkey has announced a new 2026–2030 Artificial Intelligence Action Plan aimed at establishing the country as one of the world’s leading AI hubs by 2030. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the circular on Tuesday, and it was subsequently published in the official gazette. Coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, the roadmap seeks technological self-reliance and broader use of AI-based solutions in strategic sectors.

The plan is structured around awareness, use, production and governance, with the stated aim of building a reliable and strong AI ecosystem. Within two years, Turkey plans to provide AI training to 5 million citizens across all 81 provinces, develop 10,000 high-level AI specialists and train 100,000 AI implementation professionals. The government also plans to prepare at least 2,000 public datasets and establish legal and ethical frameworks to protect users’ rights.

Turkey targets 1 gigawatt of installed data-centre computing capacity by 2030 and plans to allocate 20 million GPU-hours for researchers, startups and small businesses. Public institutions have been instructed to devote at least 2% of investment budgets to AI projects. The plan also targets at least $10 billion in private-sector-led AI and data-centre investment.

China’s Unitree Robotics has rapidly expanded in the global robot-dog market using technology resembling research funded by the US military, Reuters reported on August 18, 2026. The report said Unitree’s popular Go-series quadruped robots closely resemble work on movement and design carried out at US universities and research institutions.

The US Army funded the Robotics Collaborative Technology Alliance from 2010 to 2020, involving MIT, the University of Pennsylvania, NASA and other institutions. Its findings were publicly released to advance robotics worldwide. Researcher Ben Katz said Unitree’s robot-dog design was nearly identical to MIT’s Mini Cheetah robot.

While US innovations did not move into large-scale production, China began mass-producing similar technology at lower cost. Unitree’s Go2 model, launched in 2023, was priced at about $1,600. The company says it sold more than 18,000 quadruped robots and over 5,500 humanoid robots last year. The United States recently added Unitree to a list of companies linked to China’s defense industry.

Poland’s digital affairs minister Krzysztof Gawkowski has accused Meta of censorship after the Instagram account of Polish billionaire and InPost founder Rafal Brzoska was temporarily blocked. The action followed Brzoska’s criticism of fraudulent AI-generated advertisements using his image. His account was later restored, according to the report published on August 18, 2026.

Gawkowski called the incident the worst form of censorship. He accused Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, of profiting from advertisements using stolen identities while shifting responsibility to anonymous advertisers. Brzoska had publicly criticized Meta over a fraudulent Facebook advertisement featuring an AI-generated image of him surrounded by police and wearing handcuffs.

The minister said the issue extends beyond one businessman’s interests and concerns the safety of millions of Polish citizens who could lose savings through fraudulent advertisements, deepfakes and false investment schemes. In 2024, Poland’s data protection authority ordered Meta to temporarily stop advertisements using Brzoska’s personal data. Earlier this year, a Polish court ruled in Brzoska’s favor in his continuing dispute with Meta over responsibility for scam ads.

An artificial intelligence-based Auto Fine System has officially begun operating on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway to improve road safety, enforce traffic discipline and reduce accidents. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed inaugurated the technology-driven system on Tuesday at the Highway Police Command, Control and Monitoring Centre in Meghnaghat, Sonargaon, Narayanganj.

The minister described the initiative as a major Highway Police step toward restoring order on highways and said it would bring a transformative change to traffic management. He said the system’s results and experience on the Dhaka-Chattogram route would be assessed before automated AI technology is introduced gradually on highways nationwide. He also warned against illegal extortion, saying CCTV and AI camera records would be preserved.

AI cameras have been installed on 490 pillars under a project focused on the highway. The system can detect speeding, dangerous overtaking, signal violations, wrong-way driving and illegal parking. Information will be sent to the BRTA database, and registered vehicle owners will receive case details by SMS. Fines may be paid through mobile financial services, while repeated violations can lead to registration cancellation and other legal action.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the government assumed responsibility for running the country amid a fragile economy and wants to build a taxpayer-friendly revenue structure. Speaking as chief guest at Revenue Conference 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital on Tuesday, he said the National Board of Revenue must become an institution of trust rather than fear. He urged NBR officials to meet taxpayers’ expectations through efficient and sustainable revenue management.

Rahman said the government opposes relying solely on foreign assistance and burdening future generations with excessive debt. He called for expanding domestic income sources and said the government had adopted a people-oriented production policy to increase investment, trade, industrialisation, incomes, employment and public services. He also said the NBR has an essential role in these areas.

The prime minister said the tax-to-GDP ratio remains below potential, the tax base is narrow and a large part of the economy is informal. He called for simpler, online, corruption- and harassment-free tax procedures and a modern data-based tax administration. He said revenue officers need knowledge of the digital economy, e-commerce, international taxation, financial crime, money laundering, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the government wants to build a taxpayer-friendly revenue structure and transform the National Board of Revenue, or NBR, into an institution trusted rather than feared. He made the remarks as chief guest at the Revenue Conference 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital on Tuesday. He said efficient and sustainable revenue management was necessary to meet taxpayers’ expectations and build public confidence.

Rahman said the government opposed relying solely on foreign assistance while placing additional debt burdens on future generations. He called for expanding domestic income sources through a people-oriented production policy, which he said would raise investment, trade, industrialisation, incomes and employment. He also urged revenue officials to develop broad skills in areas including the digital economy, e-commerce, international taxation, financial crime, money laundering, artificial intelligence and data analytics.

He called for simpler, online-based tax payment systems free from corruption and harassment. Noting that the tax-to-GDP ratio remains low, the tax base is narrow and much of the economy is informal, he urged authorities to identify tax-capable people rather than repeatedly increasing burdens on existing taxpayers. He said revenue collection showed a positive trend from mid-February through late June.

Meta is set to face a jury trial over allegations brought by 30 US states that it harmed children’s mental health and violated their privacy. Proceedings are due to begin in a California federal court before Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. The lawsuit alleges that the technology company violated federal and state child-protection laws through its Facebook and Instagram operations.

The plaintiffs are seeking more than $1 trillion in damages and major changes to how Facebook and Instagram operate. The states allege that Meta’s algorithms and platform design keep children and teenagers on its apps for long periods and foster addiction. Their proposed changes include ending like counts, disabling infinite scrolling and automatic video playback, and removing filters that create unrealistic images.

Other demands include preventing minors from opening multiple accounts, eliminating features that disappear after a set time such as Instagram Stories, and requiring parental verification for children’s accounts. Meta has denied the allegations, saying it has long worked on safety and support for younger users and will present its position in court. A New Mexico court has already fined Meta $942 million in a child-safety case.

Disney has released the first footage from “Frozen 3,” the third installment of the popular animated franchise, with a theatrical release planned for November 24, 2027. The preview was shown recently at Disney’s D23 fan event, attended by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel, the voices of Anna and Elsa. Bell said the two sisters will embark on the biggest adventure of their lives in the new film.

A central attraction of the story will be the long-awaited royal wedding of Anna and Kristoff, bringing a festive atmosphere to Arendelle. The footage also hints at the possibility of romance in Olaf’s life. But the celebration is disrupted when a mysterious new character appears on the way to the wedding in a snow-covered, rugged mountain area.

The character tells the sisters, “The two sisters of Arendelle, at last we meet,” signaling a new conflict. Menzel, Bell, Josh Gad and Jonathan Groff return as Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Kristoff. The film was initially planned for release in 2026 but was delayed by a year. Gad said the filmmakers do not want to rush and aim to preserve the story and emotion of the first two films.

The theatre group Swapnadal has organized the three-day “Natyacharya Selim Al Deen Birth Festival 2026” to mark the 77th birth anniversary of playwright Selim Al Deen. The festival is scheduled for August 18 and August 20-21 at Jahangirnagar University and the Studio Theatre of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Its stated slogan highlights the Bengali theatre tradition and the paths of Rabindranath Tagore and Selim Al Deen.

On August 18, a remembrance procession will leave the old arts building at Jahangirnagar University at 10 a.m., followed by floral tributes at the dramatist’s grave. On August 20, the Studio Theatre will host the 124th and 125th performances of Tagore’s verse drama “Chitrangada.” The closing day, August 21, will feature the 52nd and 53rd performances of Selim Al Deen’s “Hargaj.”

Both productions were directed by Zahid Ripon and created through a laboratory method in a traditional Bengali theatrical style. “Chitrangada” explores tensions in male-female psychological and physical relations and crises of self-identity. “Hargaj” draws on the devastating 1989 Manikganj tornado. Selim Al Deen was born on August 18, 1949, and died on January 14, 2008. The event is Swapnadal’s 34th festival.

National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A. S. M. Amanullah has directed affiliated colleges across the country to establish career centers to prepare students for working life. He made the announcement as chief guest at a graduation ceremony on Monday morning at Lalmatia Government Women’s College auditorium in Dhaka. The event was linked to the “Bridging Aspiration to Achievement” career center project under the National University Employability Reform Initiative.

Amanullah said the centers would extend beyond job preparation, incorporating language clubs, cultural activities and programmes supporting students’ skills, creativity and leadership. He said students would be able to identify their interests and abilities, gain needed skills and prepare systematically for future employment. Career planning, communication, language proficiency, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving and other soft skills would also be emphasized.

The vice-chancellor said National University is pursuing initiatives in AI, robotics, data science and hospitality management to make education more current and employment-oriented. He described improving standards and facilities at colleges in rural and remote areas as a major challenge, while reiterating a goal of making the university a center of excellence. He presented certificates to students who completed training.

Rabindra Srijonkola University has awarded actor, director, painter and advertising maker Afzal Hossain the Srijonkola Guni Jon Sommanona 2026 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to creative arts and Bangladesh’s cultural sphere. The award, a new institutional honour introduced by the university this year, was presented with a commemorative crest and certificate at the university auditorium on August 16.

Trustee Board Chairman Robin Khan chaired the ceremony. Retired Lieutenant General Dr Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, Bir Bikrom, Farzana Rashid Brownia and Monira Parvin attended as special guests, while Professor Dr Md Rafiul Islam, the university’s honorary academic adviser, delivered the welcome address. Khan described Hossain as a multidimensional creative talent whose work has offered audiences joy and helped them see beauty in new ways.

After receiving the honour, Hossain shared experiences from his long creative career and took part in a direct question-and-answer session with students. Students from different university departments also presented cultural performances. The stated purpose of the award programme is to introduce younger generations to indigenous arts and the creative legacy of distinguished cultural figures.

The Asian Development Bank has pledged to support Bangladesh’s ambition to become a trillion-dollar economy and an upper-middle-income country by 2034. ADB Vice-President for South, Central and West Asia Yingming Yang said the bank would work with Bangladesh to build a productive, investment-driven and resilient economy. During a Bangladesh visit from August 9 to 13, Yang met senior government representatives on the next Country Partnership Strategy, reforms, investment priorities and the Integrated Growth Network Development initiative.

Yang said Bangladesh has shown resilience through strong remittance inflows, continued service-sector activity and a dynamic private sector. ADB forecasts GDP growth of 3.7 percent in fiscal year 2026 and 4.5 percent in fiscal year 2027. He said sustaining momentum requires continued structural reforms, including stronger tax administration, improved banking governance, action on non-performing loans, financial discipline and movement toward a market-based exchange-rate system.

The proposed partnership will prioritize private-sector-led diversification and resilience to shocks. Yang said the IGND initiative could reduce transport and logistics costs and expand economic opportunities beyond major cities. He also cited ADB’s recently launched $20 billion Asia-Pacific Digital Highway initiative as an opportunity to expand broadband, digital connectivity, and digital and AI-based skills in Bangladesh.