Digimasters Shorts - Delta’s AI Price Hike Sparks Privacy Outrage, Meta Fights Aussie Data Laws, Amazon Unleashes AgentCore Revolution

Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, your quick dive into the latest developments shaping the digital landscape. Hosts Adam Nagus and Carly Wilson bring you concise insights on groundbreaking AI innovations in industries like aviation, retail, and tech. From airlines adopting personalized AI pricing that sparks legal and ethical debates, to Google's new AI-powered local business calls transforming customer service, we cover the cutting-edge stories that matter. Stay informed on Meta’s push to train AI with social media data amid privacy concerns, global efforts to tax tech and crypto for climate action, and Amazon’s new platform empowering businesses to deploy connected AI agents. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, business leader, or curious listener, Digimasters Shorts delivers the essential updates you need to understand the digital frontier—fast.

Transcript

Adam N2: 0:05

Welcome to Digimasters Shorts, we are your hosts Adam Nagus

Carly W: 0:09

and Carly Wilson delivering the latest scoop from the digital realm. Delta Air Lines is expanding its use of AI to personalize ticket pricing, aiming for 20% of fares to be AI-determined by year-end, up from the current 3%. The airline's president, Glen Hauenstein, described this shift as a complete overhaul of pricing strategies, where each passenger receives a unique fare. Delta partners with Israeli company Fetcherr, which also serves other airlines, and plans to extend AI pricing to other travel sectors in the future. While Delta is transparent about this approach, other airlines like United and American use AI for customer communications and flight predictions. Critics argue personalized pricing could lead to invasive practices, with privacy advocates calling it an attempt to"hack" customers’ willingness to pay. Senator Ruben Gallego labeled the strategy as"predatory pricing," raising regulatory concerns. Delta insists its fares comply with federal laws and are based on trip-related factors without discrimination. Experts warn AI-driven pricing may disadvantage lower-income travelers, offering better deals to wealthier customers. Despite being legal, personalized pricing blurs ethical and legal boundaries, especially without full transparency on fare differences. This advancement signals a fundamental change in airline commerce, ending the era of uniform pricing for passengers.

Adam N2: 1:32

Google has introduced a new AI-powered feature allowing users across the U.S to call local businesses through Search without talking on the phone. Initially tested in January, the tool is available for certain services such as pet groomers, dry cleaners, and auto shops. When users search for these businesses, a prompt appears offering to“have AI check pricing.” The AI collects details like pet type, breed, requested services, timing, and preferred update method via text or email. Google's Duplex model, enhanced by Gemini, makes the calls while identifying itself as AI to streamline the process and save users time. After gathering information, the AI sends updates on availability and prices directly to the user. Business owners can opt out of AI calls in their Google profile settings. Higher usage limits are available for Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers. Additionally, Google is testing Gemini 2.5 Pro in AI Mode for advanced reasoning, math, and coding tasks in search. Subscriptions also grant access to experimental features like Deep Search, which uses multi-step reasoning to generate in-depth reports. Meta has urged the Australian government not to restrict the use of personal information from Facebook and Instagram posts to train its AI systems. In a submission to the Productivity Commission, Meta emphasized the importance of accessing diverse, real user data to help AI learn how Australians discuss culture and trends. The company argued that legislative databases alone are insufficient for effective AI training. Meta has been training its AI model, Llama, on publicly accessible posts since last year but stopped such practices in Europe following regulatory orders and user opt-outs. Unlike in Europe, Australian users currently have no opt-out option, raising privacy concerns. Meta warned that tightening privacy laws in Australia could isolate the country from global data norms and discourage AI investment. Other companies, including Bunnings and Woolworths, have also expressed concerns about the balance between privacy and operational needs. Bunnings highlighted the importance of workplace safety alongside privacy protections. Woolworths supported privacy reform but cautioned about potential impacts on customer experience. Google called for clearer AI regulations and copyright law changes to allow lawful AI training in Australia.

Carly W: 3:54

Laurence Tubiana, a key architect of the Paris agreement, has called for governments to tax artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies to fund climate crisis efforts. Tubiana leads the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force, which explores new taxes on polluting activities like aviation and fossil fuel extraction. She noted that AI and cryptocurrencies consume vast amounts of energy, with bitcoin alone using energy equivalent to Poland's annual consumption. While taxing AI presents challenges, such as data center relocation, Tubiana said there is interest from central bankers in regulating crypto due to financial stability concerns. The task force has already seen success with new charges on premium airline tickets and private jets, signed by several countries including France and Spain. French President Emmanuel Macron urged more nations to join these efforts, highlighting the need for fair contributions from profitable global sectors. Potential revenues from such taxes could reach€147 billion annually if major economies participate. Tubiana emphasized that aviation taxes are sovereign decisions and do not require global consensus. The task force is also considering taxes on shipping emissions and stock market transactions to raise additional funds. Despite progress, Tubiana expressed concern over France's recent hesitations on emission cuts, warning delays could harm international climate goals. Amazon Web Services has introduced Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, a platform designed to help businesses deploy connected AI agents to analyze data, write code, and automate tasks. This customizable service aims to free employees for more creative and strategic work amid concerns about AI-driven job displacement. The platform, previewed at the A.W.S Summit in New York, supports communication between AI agents for up to eight hours and is compatible with multiple frameworks beyond Amazon’s own models. Amazon executives describe AgentCore as a transformative step comparable to the impact of the internet. Competitors like Microsoft, Google, and Open A.I have launched similar tools, though A.W.S emphasizes broader model compatibility. The company also unveiled a dashboard for tracking agent performance and a marketplace for buying and selling AI agents. Despite these advancements, surveys reveal that most American workers neither use AI in their jobs nor feel comfortable with its increasing presence. Experts argue that widespread adoption hinges on employee education and engagement, which many companies have yet to prioritize. McKinsey research suggests employees may be more ready for AI integration than their leaders believe, highlighting a gap between C-suite perceptions and workforce realities. Ultimately, the success of Amazon’s new platform depends not just on technology, but on companies investing in training and change management.

Don: 6:42

Thank you for listening to today's AI and Tech News podcast summary... Please do leave us a comment and for additional feedback, please email us at podcast@digimasters.co.uk You can now follow us on Instagram and Threads by searching for@DigimastersShorts or Search for Digimasters on Linkedin. Be sure to tune in tomorrow and don't forget to follow or subscribe!