In today’s Digest, we cover terrestrial TV switch-off plans coming under government review, Baidu saying AI is now its primary growth driver despite a revenue drop, and Anthropic set to brief a global watchdog on Mythos cyber flaws. 

Government plans terrestrial TV switch-off

The UK Government is reportedly in the process of developing a Green Paper that will be published in the coming weeks, outlining plans for a potential transition away from terrestrial television signals towards internet-based streaming services. While the Government remains formally committed to maintaining digital terrestrial television (DTT) until 2034, industry voices have suggested that a full switch-off could be technically achievable as early as 2030.

Projections indicate that by 2040, only around 5% of UK households, which is approximately 1.5 million people, may still depend on traditional broadcast signals if they remain available. 

However, concerns have been raised over infrastructure and affordability gaps. Around 39,000 homes are currently unable to access broadband speeds suitable for reliable streaming and roughly 9% of households are struggling with the cost of basic internet services.

Baidu says AI now drives business

Baidu has reported a major shift in its business structure, with AI operations becoming its leading revenue source for the first time in the first quarter. The Chinese technology company posted a 2% decline in overall revenue, even as its AI-driven segments continued to expand rapidly.

Revenue from AI-related businesses including AI cloud services, AI applications, and AI marketing rose to 13.6bn yuan (£1.47bn), reflecting a 49% year-on-year increase. Baidu founder and CEO Robin Li Yanhong said in an earnings statement that AI-powered operations accounted for more than half of the company’s core business revenue for the first time, describing the development as a clear indication that AI has become the firm’s central growth engine.

Anthropic to brief watchdog on Mythos flaws

Anthropic is set to brief senior finance ministries and central banks on cybersecurity weaknesses in the global financial system identified through its latest AI model. The discussions reportedly follow a request from Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England and chair of the Financial Stability Board (FSB), for the company to present insights from its Claude Mythos Preview model to global financial authorities.

Anthropic has said its Mythos model has uncovered thousands of high-severity vulnerabilities across critical software systems, raising concerns about potential economic and security fallout if such capabilities are misused. Regulators, including UK authorities and the International Monetary Fund, have warned that AI-driven cyber threats could escalate into broader financial stability risks and with calls for stronger international coordination to address rapidly evolving vulnerabilities.