Tech News
LAST UPDATE: June 3, 2025
UK civil servants who used AI saved two weeks a year, government study finds
A UK government study revealed that civil servants using AI tools like Microsoft’s Copilot improved productivity by saving approximately 26 minutes daily, equating to two weeks annually on administrative tasks such as document drafting and meeting summaries.
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The three-month trial involved over 20,000 officials, with 82% expressing a desire to continue using the technology. The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s goal to modernize the public sector and achieve £45 billion in cost savings through digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Despite productivity benefits, experts caution about AI’s limitations and potential for errors. The trial showed Copilot to be particularly effective in drafting documents and creating presentations, though 17% of users reported no time savings. Additionally, the Alan Turing Institute suggested AI could assist in up to 41% of public sector tasks, notably lesson planning for teachers. However, concerns remain over AI misuse, citing examples like problematic predictive policing in the UK and discriminatory fraud detection practices in the Netherlands.
Bitcoin Falls, XRP Rises. How Trade Tensions Are Affecting Cryptos.
On June 2, 2025, Bitcoin experienced a slight decline of 0.3% after initially gaining 1%, falling to $104,052. The cryptocurrency had previously surged over 10% in May, reaching a record high of more than $111,000.
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Other digital currencies showed positive movement, with Ethereum rising 0.1%, XRP up 0.5%, Solana gaining 1.3%, and Dogecoin increasing 0.7%. These market fluctuations occurred amid renewed trade tensions between the U.S. and China, highlighting cryptocurrency’s dual role as both a safe haven and a risk-on asset, depending on market perception. The crypto market also received a boost from political support, specifically the Trump administration’s pledge to establish the U.S. as a global hub for cryptocurrency. Vice President JD Vance reinforced this stance during a keynote speech at a Las Vegas conference, affirming that the White House supports the crypto sector. Simultaneously, gold futures also advanced, underscoring investor movement towards perceived safe-haven assets.
Apple challenges ‘unreasonable’ EU order to open up to rivals
Apple has legally challenged a European Union directive requiring it to open its closed ecosystem to competitors like Meta and Google.
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The EU’s order, based on the Digital Markets Act aimed at curbing Big Tech dominance, compels Apple to make its technology interoperable with rival devices and apps. Apple argues that complying would be unreasonable, costly, and detrimental to innovation. It also raises concerns over user privacy and security, stating that sharing sensitive data with other companies could endanger EU users. Apple particularly criticizes the directive as unfairly targeting it exclusively, potentially harming the user experience in Europe. Companies like Spotify, Garmin, Meta, and Google have requested access to Apple users’ data and platforms. Despite the legal opposition, Apple must comply with the EU’s requirements while the case plays out, which is expected to take years. The European Commission has established a detailed process and timeline for Apple’s compliance with interoperability demands from competing app developers and device makers.
