News & Reviews:   Artificial Intelligence

Although the official start of the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 is tomorrow, companies have already begun sharing new tech at the annual tech conference. This year, artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be the focus, and Honor has some cool stuff to show this time.

In a continuous effort to battle online scams, Maxis has rolled out an integrated artificial intelligence-powered network firewall, designed to combat digital fraud across both voice and SMS traffic. The system has been operational since January 2026 and forms part of the company’s broader multi-layered security framework aimed at delivering safer connectivity for customers.

Google has introduced Gemini 3.1 Pro, the newest evolution in its Gemini series of artificial intelligence models aimed at helping developers, enterprises and everyday users solve the hardest problems in AI. The model builds on the reasoning and multimodal capabilities first seen in Gemini 3, and is now rolling out across key Google platforms and interfaces.

While it sounds hard to believe, it is apparently consistent across multiple industry sources familiar with the matter. OpenAI has grown increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of certain NVIDIA artificial intelligence chips used for inference, the stage where models generate responses. This unease has pushed the San Francisco–based AI leader to quietly explore alternative hardware options since 2025, potentially reshaping its long-term computing roadmap and impacting its relationship with NVIDIA.

Just weeks ago, we reported that ASUS would pause new smartphone launches for 2026. Although there was no official word from the company, ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih has come forward and confirmed the new direction. ASUS is moving its focus away from expanding its smartphone lineup to concentrate on artificial intelligence–driven innovation.

In a move that no one saw coming, Apple and Google have officially announced a collaboration that will see Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence models power future Apple Intelligence features and a more capable version of Siri later this year. This move follows earlier reporting about the partnership and now marks the first public confirmation from both companies.

At the start of the new year, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) issued a strong warning against the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to generate harmful content online. The regulator says it has received numerous public complaints involving AI-powered image manipulation, particularly cases targeting women and minors.

According to MCMC, these incidents involve digitally altered images that result in indecent, grossly offensive, or otherwise harmful material being circulated on social platforms, including X.

According to a recent report from a tech media site, Xiaomi is developing a new intelligent question-answer assistant named “Mi Chat.” This move aligns with Xiaomi’s broader AI ambitions: the company has reportedly increased its investment in large-language model (LLM) research and generation-based applications in recent quarters.

In a first for Malaysia’s broadcast media, TV3 has embraced artificial intelligence by deploying an AI-powered host called “Sofea”. "She" was designed to present election coverage around PRN Sabah ke-17, which marks a significant milestone not only for TV3, but for local adoption of AI in live media and political reporting.

HONOR recently held the AI + Design Summit 2025 (APAC Edition) at REXKL, Kuala Lumpur — an event that gathered industry experts, academics, policymakers, and stakeholders across the Asia-Pacific region. The summit aims to explore how artificial intelligence, design and education can intersect to shape the future of creative industries and youth education.