The DPC inquiry wants to find out whether X complied with GDPR.

Ireland’s data protection watchdog has launched a “large-scale” inquiry into X after reports found millions of non-consensually generated sexually explicit or suggestive content created using Grok AI. X’s European headquarters is situated in Dublin.

Users on X could prompt Grok to ‘nudify’ people after the platform outfitted the AI bot with the ability to edit images late last December. Prompts asking Grok to undress people generally affected women and children, analysis found.

After severe backlash, X decided to limit the chatbot’s image-editing capabilities to paid subscribers on the platform, before geo-blocking Grok’s ‘nudification’ ability in jurisdictions “where it’s illegal”. However, it seems that such features can still be accessed via a VPN.

The Data Protection Commission’s (DPC) inquiry wants to find out whether X Internet Unlimited Company (XIUC) complied with its GDPR obligations. Specifically, the lawfulness of data processing, and the legal requirements to carry out a data protection impact assessment with regard to EU data subjects.

“The DPC has been engaging with XIUC since media reports first emerged a number of weeks ago concerning the alleged ability of X users to prompt the @‌Grok account on X to generate sexualised images of real people, including children,” said DPC deputy commissioner Graham Doyle.

“The DPC has commenced a large-scale inquiry which will examine XIUC’s compliance with some of their fundamental obligations under the GDPR in relation to the matters at hand”.

Ireland’s inquiry into X comes after the European Commission and the UK government launched a similar investigation into the Elon Musk-owned platform last month.

Meanwhile, a year-long inquiry by French authorities has expanded to probe Grok’s possible role in disseminating Holocaust denials and sexual deepfakes. California also launched a similar investigation into X and Grok’s parent company xAI last month.

Alongside this, the EU is continuing with a separate years-long investigation into X to assess if the platform mitigated risks stemming from its recommender systems, including the impact of the recently announced switch to a Grok-based recommender system.

Against this backdrop, however, where new legal troubles crop up for X once every while, Musk’s space-tech business SpaceX announced that it acquired xAI to create the world’s largest private company, estimated to be worth around $1.25trn.

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Photo credit: Volodymyr Lenard via Yanko Design
Apple’s March 4th event is reportedly going to be a big one, as the company touts it as a “special Apple experience,” with in-person meetups in New York, London, and Shanghai at 9 a.m. ET, but there will be no keynote event from Cupertino. When the invites arrived, they were just a simple Apple logo broken up into yellow, green, and blue sections, a little detail that hints we should expect some new hardware to emerge from this.

People expect laptops to be the big event, and new MacBook Pros are on the way. They’ll include the M5 Pro and M5 Max CPUs, which offer a significant boost for applications like video editing and software development. You can guarantee that the 14-inch and 16-inch variants will receive an update following last year’s refresh.

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The MacBook Air will also be along for the voyage, most likely running the ordinary M5 CPU for everyday use, which should be quite speedy and efficient without the power consumption of the Pro variants. One intriguing speculation suggests that Apple may be producing an entry-level MacBook priced below the Air. This one will use an A-series CPU, possibly an A18 Pro from the current iPhones, and a screen just shy of 13 inches. Its aluminum construction makes it light, and they want to offer it in a variety of colors other than silver and space gray. Pricing appears to be geared squarely at students and novice Mac users, who may be unable to purchase the full amount elsewhere.

Tablets are getting a look too, as the iPad Air is ready for an update and could include the M4 chip for a smoother experience and improved multitasking/creativity capabilities. The base iPad model is reportedly receiving an upgrade, probably up to an A18 processor, which should keep it running smoothly for surfing, streaming, and basic work functions. However, there will be little change in terms of design, as the emphasis will be on increasing power.

In terms of phones, there is one rumor that is looking very solid right now: the iPhone 17e. This one will be attempting to fill a gap in the lineup for a budget choice, with features like MagSafe charging and a decent display to boot, or at least compared to the 16e.

International travel in 2025 is a tricky business. That’s because there’s so much to worry about. Booked your tickets? Now, got to check whether the layover flight you booked requires a transit visa from the connecting country. Applied for the visa for the destination? Need to check if immigration is open 24/7, or you’ll be stuck at the airport at night for hours. The list doesn’t stop. And every time, I forget something, which often means my travel experiences involve running frantically through the airport. Another thing that has caused a lot of headaches is connectivity. Everyone needs a taxi from the airport to the hotel, and for that, you need data. Unfortunately, at most airports, I’ve only seen long queues to get a new SIM, which can sometimes take hours. Beyond that, buying a SIM at the airport is generally more expensive, making the overall experience less than ideal.

Fortunately, there is a solution to this headache, and that’s eSIM. As you may already know, eSIMs are just regular SIMs without the physical card. They function exactly the same and can be used in different countries. With an upcoming Vietnam trip, I decided to finally give eSIMs a go and chose Holafly for this test. These guys offer unlimited data plans in over 200 destinations, with no hidden charges or fuss.

Options

As mentioned, Holafly covers over 200 destinations spanning across North America, South America, Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, and even the Caribbean. For all these places, the company provides unlimited data, without a phone number. This means you can browse the web, watch content, and even make calls using apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.

In addition, if you’re planning to visit multiple countries, Holafly also offers regional eSIMs and a global option that provides connectivity in 110+ countries and starts at $9.90 per day. The cost per day decreases with a longer plan. And if you use my code FOSSBYTES, you get a 5% on your eSIM.

Beyond that, if your work requires you to travel to various countries each week, Holafly recently introduced a subscription, called Holafly Plans, with coverage in 160+ destinations. The 25GB plan costs $49.90, the unlimited data plan costs $ 64.90 monthly, and you can cancel the service at any time. It is important to note that this is an introductory price offer, and you can get 10% off for 12 months using the coupon FOSSBYTES.

Holafly’s eSIMs are not transferable, and, like every other eSIM, your phone must be unlocked to use the service. The eSIM does not work with carrier-locked phones, so be sure to check the compatibility before buying. Also, older phones might not have eSIM technology, so check Holafly’s website or app to see if your mobile is compatible. Fortunately, if you do end up purchasing an eSIM and it’s not compatible, Holafly offers a generous 6-month return policy, which also applies if you cancelled your travel plans. Plus, for any help, you can contact the company’s 24/7 multilingual customer support team, with real people, who’d be happy to assist you.

The Setup

To have a pleasant travel experience, I needed to set up the eSIM before the actual flight date. After all, nobody wants to be stuck using the airport wifi to install the eSIM. Fortunately, Holafly’s setup is actually simple. I headed to the Holafly website, searched for Vietnam, and bought a 15-day plan for a total of $50,90. However, you can configure it from 1 to 90 days if you wish.

From there, it was another straightforward journey to install it on my Android device, and there are multiple ways to do so. You can either set up manually, using the QR code or the Holafly app for a one-button install, available for iPhone users with iOS 17.4 or above. I went with the QR code route, and it took just a few minutes.

The Experience

Everything was set up a day before flying, and for the test, I was using my daily driver, the vivo X300 Pro. As soon as my plane touched down at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCMC, I was instantly connected to the service, with mobile data running. Naturally, the first order of business was to inform my parents since this was my first solo international trip, and they were obviously worried. I sent them a text, and it went pretty smoothly.

Once I got out of the plane, the next item on the list was immigration. If you aren’t already aware, immigration in Vietnam can take hours. However, there’s a fast-track paid service that helps you get past all this nonsense. Since my Vietnamese speaking skills are basically non-existent, I used ChatGPT as my translator, which, thanks to the connection, worked super fine.

After reaching the hotel, it was time to push Holafly’s connection to the limit. For that, I first started downloading the new episodes of Squid Game Season 3. They were done in just a few minutes, and I was also able to track my data usage using the Holafly app. I then ran a series of speed tests. On average, download speeds ranged from 45.6 Mbps to 56 Mbps, while upload speeds reached 39 Mbps. These speeds are pretty fine for just about anyone, since I could do everything from streaming content to playing PUBG with my friends. However, some streaming services like Netflix did not play well with the eSIM, thanks to the weird “this content is not available at your location” error, which I faced a couple of times. I also faced a couple of errors with the Holafly app, which crashed when tracking my data usage.

After spending a few days in Ho Chi Minh City, the next destination on my travel list was Tuy Hoa. I’m the kind of person who likes to stay away from the touristy places, and it seemed like the best of the bunch. I took a train from Saigon to the region. Since Vietnamese trains don’t have Wi-Fi on board, I was relying on the Holafly connection, which, barring a few desolate forest regions, worked really well. There was decent coverage for about 90% of my journey. Even in the super quiet town of Tuy Hoa, the speeds were the same as in the big city, and I had no problems on my few excursions out of the city and into the wild as well.

Verdict

Holafly’s eSIM service is really good for just about anyone, simply because you get unlimited data. Throughout my Vietnam trip, I never worried about finishing my daily data quota, and that’s a very reassuring feeling. Beyond that, you get really solid coverage across almost the entire globe, a simple setup with various options, a global eSIM for frequent travellers, excellent customer support, and a generous 6-month refund policy. Sure, the app can be a bit buggy at times, and some streaming services can freak out, but Holafly is still a fantastic travel companion. If you have a trip coming up, be sure to give it a try, and don’t forget to save some money using my code FOSSBYTES.

Founded in 2021, MEA deploys AI for insurance underwriting, claims, and finance-related needs.

UK-based AI-native insurance technology company MEA has announced a $50m minority growth equity investment from Scottish Equity Partners (SEP).

According to data provided by MEA, operating costs represent around $2trn in annual costs incurred by the insurance industry. MEA’s agentic AI products, in some cases, have reduced those costs by 60pc, the company said.

Founded in 2021, MEA deploys AI for insurance underwriting, claims, reinsurance and finance-related needs.

According to the company, its platform increases broker productivity and margins by 30pc and increases the average underwriting capacity by 40pc. Its products are pre-trained in the language and specificity of insurance requirements, easing customer deployment and integration.

MEA has four offices across Bermuda, India, the UK and the US, and has clients across 21 countries with more than $400bn in gross written premium processed through the platform. Its clientele includes AXIS, CAN, Accenture and ServiceNow.

The company is in its fourth consecutive year of profitable growth, MEA said. SEP’s investment will support the company as it accelerates product development and customer engagement as it continues its expansion plans announced last October.

“We saw significant inbound interest from potential investors and chose SEP for their long-term perspective, collaborative style, and the strategic support they will provide as we enter our next phase of growth,” said MEA founder and CEO Martin Henley. Henley was previously the chief information officer at AXA.

“As the industry moves from AI experimentation to production, customers increasingly recognise the value of domain-specific technology that delivers results immediately.”

Angus Conroy, a managing partner at SEP added: “MEA has built a highly differentiated, production-grade platform with clear return on investment for global insurance groups.

“Strong customer adoption, growth, and capital efficiency reflect both the quality of the technology and the team’s deep insurance expertise.”

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Autonomous robotic vacuums are the kind of gadget that has a huge gulf in performance between the entry level and the high end. Casual users might be OK with something cheap, but there’s an astronomical difference in performance between a $200 robot vac and a $1,000 combination vacuum and mop with a base station.

To that end, YEEDI has made some of our favorite automated cleaning robots in the last couple of years, and they’re typically outfitted with industry-leading technology implemented via thoughtful engineering. While YEEDI offers a wide variety across all price ranges, the best ones aren’t cheap — except for right now. Equipped with flagship features like a remarkable 18,000Pa of suction and the impressively effective Ozmo roller mop (which cleans itself, by the way), the YEEDI S14 Plus is now a whopping $700 off.

The robot’s outfitted with precisely tuned cleaning technology including the brand’s ZeroTangle 2.0 brushes that clean corners without getting lint or pet hair knotted up, and TruEdge 3D Sensor navigation that leverages a dtoF sensor, a visual camera, and dual structured light projection for impressive intelligent guidance. Plus, the multifunctional base station means you rarely even need to perform any maintenance or cleaning yourself. The robot does the vacuuming and mops up spills with a continuously self-cleaning spinning roller mop — it even constantly introduces clean mop water, as opposed to common rotating pads that just smear messes around. The YEEDI S14 Plus conveniently empties itself and gets a hot-water wash-up back at the base station, to the tune of 167°F.

From a usability standpoint, YEEDI S14 Plus has had plenty of time to refine. The app is straightforward and supports a range of useful mapping and exclusion zone functions, which makes it perfect for getting the most out of the exceptional 4+ hour battery life. It’s easy to set timed schedules, plan routines for cleaning different rooms on a rotating basis, and monitor battery life and device health in real time. It’s also compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and is newly Matter compatible, so you can easily call on it to spot-clean messes as soon as they happen or integrate it seamlessly into your broader smart home setup. If you’re in the market for a robot vacuum, it’s an awfully hard deal to pass up at $700 off.