The rapid advancement and integration of artificial intelligence are prompting varied responses globally, from new regulatory frameworks to concerns over energy consumption and societal impact. Italy has become the first EU country to enact a comprehensive national AI law, Law No. 132, effective October 10, 2025. This law mandates human oversight for automated decisions in the workplace, requires employers to inform employees about AI tool usage, and ensures respect for fundamental rights, with non-compliance leading to fines up to €1,500 per employee.
Across the Atlantic, US employers face increasing scrutiny over AI tools used in hiring and performance reviews, particularly concerning bias risks. New York City, for instance, requires bias audits and transparency, demanding explainable AI decisions and disclosure to applicants. Meanwhile, Germany's Federal Digital Minister Volker Wissing is urgently seeking solutions for AI's significant energy consumption, advocating for a long-term strategy involving energy-efficient algorithms, better hardware, and increased renewable energy for data centers.
Despite the tech industry's enthusiasm, public reception to the AI boom shows more skepticism than previous tech revolutions. Sam Altman of OpenAI has observed greater resistance to AI integration than anticipated, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang expresses concern about the narrative battle with critics. This contrasts with the dot-com era, suggesting the current hype isn't fully convincing the public.
In terms of practical applications, AI continues to demonstrate impressive capabilities. MobiKwik CEO Bipin Preet Singh reported that the AI model Claude developed a complete fraud detection system with 3,000 lines of code and 40 files in under 30 minutes, leading him to exclaim, "Dev is cooked!" This highlights AI's rapid coding prowess. Additionally, Google DeepMind spin-off Isomorphic Labs has developed IsoDDE, a proprietary AI model for drug discovery, which scientists are hailing as a major advance, comparable to an 'AlphaFold 4' for predicting protein-drug interactions.
Companies like Seismic are also leveraging AI, with their Winter 2026 Product Release on February 18, 2026, introducing AI-powered tools like a Page Builder Agent for sales teams. On the creative front, Remaker AI offers a free platform for image generation, photo editing, and AI face swap, providing daily credits for content creators. However, Senator Bernie Sanders warns the US is unprepared for the speed and scale of the AI revolution, calling for urgent policy action and a moratorium on AI data center expansion due to concerns about job losses and societal impact.
Key Takeaways
- Italy enacted the first comprehensive national AI law in the EU, Law No. 132, effective October 10, 2025, requiring human oversight and employer disclosure in the workplace.
- US employers using AI for hiring and performance reviews face new regulations, like NYC's bias audit requirements, to prevent discrimination and ensure transparency.
- Germany's Federal Digital Minister Volker Wissing is seeking urgent solutions for AI's high energy consumption, advocating for energy-efficient algorithms and renewable energy for data centers.
- Public skepticism towards the AI boom is higher than previous tech revolutions, with OpenAI's Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang noting resistance and a "narrative battle."
- Google DeepMind spin-off Isomorphic Labs developed IsoDDE, a proprietary AI model for drug discovery, which scientists compare to 'AlphaFold 4' for its ability to predict protein-drug interactions.
- The AI model Claude built a complete fraud detection system with 3,000 lines of code and 40 files for MobiKwik in under 30 minutes, demonstrating rapid coding capabilities.
- Seismic's Winter 2026 Product Release on February 18, 2026, includes new AI-powered tools like a Page Builder Agent to enhance sales team performance.
- Remaker AI offers a free AI image and art generator with daily credits, providing tools like text-to-image and AI face swap for commercial use without watermarks.
- Senator Bernie Sanders warns the US is unprepared for the speed of the AI revolution, calling for urgent policy action and a moratorium on AI data center expansion due to job loss concerns.
Italy enacts AI workplace law, first in EU
Italy has become the first EU country to enact a comprehensive national law on artificial intelligence, known as Law No. 132. This law, effective October 10, 2025, sets rules for AI in the workplace and requires employers to provide clear information about AI tools to employees. It also mandates human oversight for automated decisions and ensures AI systems respect fundamental rights. Non-compliance can result in fines of up to €1,500 per employee. An Oversight Committee will monitor AI's impact on employment.
Employers face new AI rules and bias risks
Many US employers now use AI tools for hiring and performance reviews, but these systems can lead to discrimination if trained on biased data. Laws in states like New York City require bias audits and transparency for AI tools. Employers must disclose AI use to applicants and employees, and ensure AI decisions are explainable. AI monitoring also raises privacy concerns, and automated productivity metrics can create wage-and-hour issues. These issues are becoming a significant part of labor and employment law.
Seismic launches AI tools for sales teams
Seismic announced its Winter 2026 Product Release on February 18, 2026, featuring new AI-powered tools for go-to-market teams. The release includes a Page Builder Agent that uses AI to create sales pages quickly and enhancements to Mutual Action Plans and Digital Sales Rooms for better collaboration. These tools aim to help teams overcome complexity and improve sales performance. Seismic plans to showcase these updates at its user conference in March 2026.
Germany seeks solution for AI's high energy use
Germany's Federal Digital Minister Volker Wissing stated that a solution is urgently needed to address the significant energy consumption of artificial intelligence. He emphasized the need for a long-term strategy to manage the growing electricity demand from AI technologies. Wissing called for collaboration between industry, research, and government to develop energy-efficient AI algorithms, better hardware, and increased use of renewable energy for data centers. He stressed the importance of mitigating AI's environmental impact.
AI boom faces public skepticism unlike dot-com era
While tech executives promise AI will transform lives, public reception is less enthusiastic compared to the dot-com boom. Sam Altman of OpenAI noted more resistance to AI's integration than expected, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang worries about the narrative battle with critics. Unlike past technologies like radio or TV, which were also touted as revolutionary, AI faces significant skepticism. This suggests the tech industry's hype may not be fully convincing the public this time.
DeepMind spin-off's new AI impresses scientists
Isomorphic Labs, a spin-off from Google DeepMind, has developed a new proprietary AI model called IsoDDE for drug discovery. Scientists are calling it a major advance, comparable to an 'AlphaFold 4'. The AI can predict how proteins interact with potential drugs, outperforming existing methods. However, unlike DeepMind's AlphaFold, Isomorphic Labs has not released the technical details of IsoDDE, leaving researchers unable to replicate its success. The company has already formed partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies.
AI builds fraud system in 30 minutes, says MobiKwik CEO
MobiKwik CEO Bipin Preet Singh reported that the AI model Claude built a complete fraud detection and prevention system for his company in under 30 minutes. The system included 3,000 lines of code and 40 files. This event highlights the rapid advancements in AI's coding capabilities, which are significantly changing how software development is approached. Singh's comment, 'Dev is cooked!', reflects growing concerns in the developer community about AI's impact on the industry.
Sanders warns US unprepared for AI revolution's speed
Senator Bernie Sanders warned that the US lacks understanding of the speed and scale of the coming AI revolution, urging policymakers to 'slow this thing down.' After meeting with tech leaders, he described the situation as a 'dangerous moment.' Sanders expressed concern about AI's impact on jobs, personal well-being, and social interaction, citing projections of millions of job losses. He called for urgent policy action and a moratorium on AI data center expansion to allow time for adaptation.
Remaker AI offers free image generation with limits
Remaker AI is presented as a free AI image and art generator for content creators and marketers who are not professional designers. It offers tools like text-to-image generation, photo editing, and AI face swap, all within a single interface. The platform operates on a daily credit system, providing free credits every 24 hours for basic tasks. While advanced features consume more credits, the free plan allows commercial use of generated images without watermarks, though resolution may be limited.
Sources
- AI News: Italy Sets the Rules for AI in the Workplace
- Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace: Emerging Obligations for Employers
- Seismic Unveils Winter 2026 Product Release with AI-Powered Enablement Tools
- German digital minister: Solution needed for AI energy consumption
- People Loved the Dot-Com Boom. The A.I. Boom, Not So Much.
- ‘An AlphaFold 4’—scientists marvel at DeepMind drug spin-off’s exclusive new AI
- Claude Built An Entire Fraud Detection System For Us In 30 Minutes: Mobikwik CEO
- ‘Slow this thing down’: Sanders warns US has no clue about speed and scale of coming AI revolution
- Análisis de Remaker AI (2026): ¿Un generador gratuito de imágenes y arte con IA?
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