Earlier this month, Jacob Coxon, an AI worker, resigned from Anthropic and declared on X: “The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.” And Andy Burnham warned world leaders at the UN this week that “fundamental decisions on this technology are too important to be left to chance“.
It’s easy to be drawn into the hype that artificial intelligence is going to destroy us all, and tech is often built faster than all the ethical knots it presents are worked out. But AI isn’t going anywhere, and plenty of us are already using it.
To find out how we can make our own personal interactions with these tools safer and more reliable, The i Paper spoke to Lauren Ingram, a former Meta and Amazon marketer, who now runs AI Girl Gang, a community and podcast designed to get more women into AI.
Don’t share anything you wouldn’t want elsewhere
I think we will come to regret how much of ourselves we’ve given over to these technologies. I used to use ChatGPT to untangle relationships because it was this exciting, shiny and new tool, but I’ve become more self-conscious.
It’s the Wild West out there – there are so many new AI tools coming out every day. So it’s hard to keep on top of which company has what kind of data policy or what’s OK to feed into these tools. My rule of thumb is I wouldn’t share information there that I wouldn’t be happy to share elsewhere online, because the more you’re sharing digitally, the less control you have over your information.
That includes your children
I personally wouldn’t share photos of my child with an AI chatbot, in the same way I don’t advocate for putting lots of photos of your children on social media. Firstly, they won’t have consented, and there are a lot of weirdos out there who have access to the same cheap AI tools as everybody else.
You can personalise gifts using small AI companies, but I trust these even less than bigger ones. You don’t know what their data controls are, whereas bigger companies are under more pressure to provide safe AI, so tend to have a really clear privacy policy.
Chess prodigy, 11, becomes youngest woman grandmaster
A London schoolgirl has made history while representing England at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan.
Former chancellor, Rachel Reeves, called the young player “a chess superstar”.
Play by play account
Bodhana Sivanandan scored eight points across 11 games, qualifying for the title of woman grandmaster.
The International Chess Federation confirmed this performance made her the youngest person to gain the lifelong title.
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What makes a champion?
Neither of Sivanandan’s parents are good at chess. She taught herself to play during lockdown using YouTube tutorials.
She entered her first tournament at Harrow Chess Club in 2021.
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After she won the British Women’s Championship earlier this year, she said: “I want to become a [full] grandmaster as soon as possible.”
- She now has two of the three “norms” required to become an International Master, the next rank up on the path to becoming a grandmaster.
Avanti West Coast trains to be nationalised
The Transport Secretary said the operator has been underperforming “for years” as it becomes the latest service to be brought back into public ownership.
Andy Burnham said the service had failed people “time and time again” with cancellations and overcrowding.
What you need to know
- Avanti West Coast train services will be nationalised from March 2027, when its contract ends.
- Its London hub is Euston station, with services running to Wales, Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool and Scotland.
- All train services under Department for Transport contracts, including Avanti, are in the process of being transferred to public ownership.
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Reactions from the sector
“For years, we’ve heard stories of Avanti underperforming, with passengers left paying the price. Enough is enough,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.
Conversely, Andy Mellors, managing director at Avanti West Coast, said: “We’re proud of what we’ve achieved over the last six years – from refurbishing our Pendolino fleet and introducing our new Evero trains to running more services than ever before.”
The results for customers
- Labour claims nationalisation will mean fewer delays and cancellations.
- This is thanks to a £10m investment in power and signalling maintenance, faster and more reliable services, upgraded facilities at Euston, and more stable internet connection on board trains.
Several rail firms around the country are already publicly owned, including Great Anglia and South Western Railway.
Women and child die attempting to cross Channel
A 10-year-old child and two women in their 30s have died just off the coast of France, near Calais.
Andy Burnham’s spokesman said the tragedy was a “stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs”.
What you need to know
- French authorities rescued 102 people from a dinghy which had left Bleriot Plage.
- At least 17 people, including children, have now died attempting to cross the Channel this year.
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The timeline of events
What happened this morning and when:
- The dinghy pushed off from Bleriot Plage, near Calais, on Monday morning.
- French maritime police received a distress call after the boat got into trouble in the water.
- A rescue ship and Navy helicopter were sent to the scene with a medical team.
- The emergency responders were unable to save the child and two women.
- French officials said the deaths were likely due to crushing rather than drowning, due to overcrowding on the boat.
The official response
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “We’re deeply saddened to hear about the deaths in France today.
“It is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by the criminal gangs who exploit vulnerable people for profit, and we will continue to work relentlessly.”
An investigation has been opened into the incident.
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What we know so far about RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’
Five men were arrested on terror charges and villagers evacuated from their homes after a major incident was declared near the RAF Fairford airbase used by the US Air Force.
Aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot inspecting three white vans in the area.
What are they accused of?
- The men were initially arrested on suspicion of Explosives Act offences.
- Police were called out to three suspicious vans heading towards the airbase in Gloucestershire at 12.45am on Sunday.
- The five men were later further arrested on suspicion of the preparation of a terrorist act, with counter-terrorism policing officers now leading the investigation.
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How were they caught?
A local farmer spotted the seemingly abandoned white vans blocking a quiet country road a few hundred metres from RAF Fairford when driving home from a party.
The farmer told she saw a group of “young” men, some wearing “masks or balaclavas”, running into the trees and across fields towards the airbase. She called the police and warned neighbours to lock their doors.
RAF Fairford’s links to Iran war
A senior Western intelligence source told The i Paper the assumption is that those involved in this incident are likely to be proxies for a hostile state. Iran is understood to be the leading suspect.
- The US Air Force has used RAF Fairford to carry out bombing missions against Iran in a bid to protect ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
- In July, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) warned against allowing US bombers to fly from British bases, saying such sites would be legitimate targets.
- A UK Government spokesperson said at the time: “Our armed forces are ready to keep the United Kingdom safe from any kind of attacks, whether it’s on our soil or from abroad.”
- Inquiries have yet to rule out Russia or even domestic activity.
What did the police say?
I can’t go into details, but I can give reassurance that we believe the matter to be contained and as a set of agencies working together across Gloucestershire, we are gathering and responding to local intelligence all the time.
Gloucestershire Police temporary Chief Constable, Maggie Blyth.
How triple lock could be axed to pay for national care service
Andy Burnham’s plan to put free social care in Labour’s next general election manifesto could be part of a grand bargain to drop the state pension triple lock, Labour MPs believe.
What you need to know
- A Labour MP told The i Paper that introducing the NHS-style care service would be a “politically smart” way to “sugar the pill” of finally scrapping the lock
- On Sunday, the PM kicked off Labour’s conference in Liverpool by vowing to put forward a plan to voters at the next election in which “everyone contributes, everyone is covered” for social care.
- In private, many MPs across the political spectrum confide that the lock is fundamentally unsustainable over the long term.
Figures chime in
The think-tank said an Australian-style system would deliver savings of about £650m by 2030.
The ex-cabinet minister said getting rid of the triple lock is “an option that the Government should consider”.
The junior minister suggested tax rises would be needed to fund the policy, saying it “isn’t going to be cheap”.
A word of warning
A backbencher cautioned that Burnham would have to tread carefully. “We will need to try and secure a cross-party consensus on adult social care,” they said.
Back in 2017, Theresa May proposed replacing the triple lock with a “double lock”. The policy was dubbed a “dementia tax” and the Tories subsequently lost their majority.
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Sycamore Gap stump shows new shoots three years after felling
Three years after it was illegally felled, photos show a thick ring of new shoots around the stump of the sycamore tree made famous by 1991’s Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
What happened to it?
The tree, which was planted in the late 1800s in Northumberland, was illegally felled in September 2023 by Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers, causing national outcry.
In 2025, the pair were jailed for four years and three months for criminal damage for cutting down the iconic tree with a chainsaw.
Slow recovery starts to show
Now, the National Trust, which operates the site at Hadrian’s Wall, has revealed the stump has shown new growth.
Since it was felled, the remaining stump has been protected by a barrier, allowing nature to take its course and new green shoots to spring up.
Promising signs
These flourishing shoots are really encouraging and show that the special measures we’ve taken, including reducing soil compaction around the roots and limiting human disturbance, are paying off.
Andrew Poad, general manager for the National Trust at Hadrian’s Wall
How puzzles may ‘reduce age-related cognitive decline’
Researchers found memory, logic and reasoning puzzles with advice on diet and exercise, can help improve thinking and memory problems.
How the study works
- The study examined people aged 60-85 with low cognitive scores.
- They were split into three groups. One group was given evidence-based advice on diet.
- The second used a website called Active Brains, which provides cognitive exercises in the form of puzzles.
- The third group were directed to the same website and also given “brief support” with a nurse.
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The study’s findings
- After 12 months, all groups showed improvement in their cognitive scores and a significant proportion no longer met the criteria for age-related cognitive decline.
- 28 per cent of people who were given simple lifestyle advice were no longer deemed to have cognitive decline.
- This increased to 33 per cent of those directed to the website and 32 per cent of those directed to the website and given additional support.
- Among those directed to the website and given additional support, there was an 18 per cent reduction in severe cognitive impairment compared to those who were just given advice, researchers found.
Hear from the researchers
Professor Paul Little, co-lead of the study, said: “These are really exciting findings that people can easily take on board.
“Simple messages and simple things that people can do really make a difference – and the NHS does not need to spend a lot of money.”
He added the research team was “surprised” by the cognitive improvement seen among people just given “brief advice”.
What do the experts say?
Experts said the study was “encouraging”, but added some caveats.
Dr Richard Oakley from the Alzheimer’s Society said: “People should not take this study to mean that doing puzzles can reverse dementia or improve symptoms for everyone living with memory problems.”
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How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
I do – sometimes – put my photo into AI tools
I resisted putting photos of myself in for a long time – really, how much do companies need to know about us as individuals? But AI can be helpful in preparing promotional images.
However, I used Google’s Nano Banana because I wanted a photo to look like it was shot in a studio, and it made a couple of tweaks to my eyes to make me more generically pretty and made me a lot slimmer. AI is helping create unnecessary beauty standards instead of helping us fit them – I’m slightly dreading what’s coming next on that, because it’s so easy to kind of tweak and beautify images.
If you’re not paying for it, you’re the product
If you’re on the free version of an AI tool, by default, the things you type in may be used to improve future versions of AI.
It doesn’t mean AI is literally memorising your conversation and repeating it to someone else – it’s more that your chats become part of the material used to make the whole system better. ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude are all made smarter every day through real-world examples of work people have done.
You can turn that off, usually in the “settings” section. I have it off so it doesn’t use too much of my information.
An exercise I did recently was to ask my AI what it knows about my family and my circumstances. It actually knew quite a lot. You can then ask it to delete that memory. It may not be off of servers for ever, but it means it won’t be used day-to-day.
Assume your boss can see everything on your work computer
If you’re planning to put more confidential information into AI, especially in a work context, it’s good to have the paid version of whichever AI tool, because it gives you better data controls. And if your company is paying it, you should be cautious with what you put in. In the same way I wouldn’t use my personal emails on a work computer, I think you should always assume that bosses can ultimately see things on your computer if they want to.
I use AI, then a
As a rule of thumb, AI gets things right about 70 per cent of the time, but you never know which 30 per cent is a little bit off, because when AI is wrong, it’s confidently wrong. It gets so many things right that you can be lulled into a false sense of security.
So I always fact-check anything that’s got a name, a number or a date in it. And I’ll say, “Are you sure about that?” or “Is that definitely the case?” or “Is that information recent, and is it reliable?”
Expect to be recorded
I don’t think there’s a good established etiquette around recording work meetings, but if I’m speaking face-to-face with someone, I’ll ask, “Is it OK if I transcribe this using AI?” But sometimes online AI tools will dial in to the call, and that can feel more invasive than me just recording.
I always assume any kind of online work call is being recorded and transcribed by someone’s AI.
I’m freelance and I sometimes feed in transcripts of calls to try and understand someone’s prerogative in a situation, like when money is being discussed in a business meeting. I’ll ask, “Why does this company want this? What’s their skin in the game? Are they low-balling me?” I always bear in mind that AI won’t give a correct answer, but it can give a good answer.
I have a safe word with my family to avoid scams
AI makes it very easy to clone someone’s voice. The public needs to be aware that this will become a common scam, and I feel hyperaware that, as a podcaster, my voice is out there. So I’ve told my family that if I ever ring them saying I’ve been in a car crash and they need to send money to help, to put their emotions aside for a second and ask themselves: would I really need money in a rush? We have a family safe word agreed in advance to avoid getting scammed in those situations.
Play with AI
Recent headlines are so negative and extreme, and that definitely boosts the value of companies, but it just makes people scared, which helps no one. We don’t always need to be frightened of it.
You can give it some really simple tasks to begin with, like if your goal is to get promoted by the end of the year, ask it, “What are the blind spots I may not have thought about when trying to get promoted?”
I’ve got a tool called Town and it is like a human executive assistant that goes into my emails and calendar to pull out what I want to pay attention to, or where I’m at risk of dropping the ball.
AI can be used to problem-solve
I have a double-glazed backdoor and I wanted to put a cat flap in there. Normally I’d just put it off, but then I took a photo of the door and asked AI, “How would you put a cat flap in this?” It said, “Whatever you do, do not try to do this yourself, because you’ll be breaking the vacuum of the double glazing”. It told me what a glazier could do to help. How much googling of random websites would it have taken for me to find that information out? It’s a bit like having an extra dad to help you get started on a problem.