AI Radar: Between Virtual Crimes and Billion-Dollar Investments – The Panorama of the Last 24 Hours

The use of artificial intelligence continues to accelerate on different fronts, bringing both significant opportunities and challenges. Over the past 24 hours, we have seen news that perfectly illustrates this duality: on the one hand, billion-dollar investments that promise to revolutionize our devices; on the other, the criminal use of technology that is already provoking reactions from authorities. Let's understand what is happening and what it means for the innovation ecosystem.

European operation arrests 25 for AI-generated child pornography

One of the most shocking cases in recent hours was released by Europol: the arrest of 25 people involved in the creation and distribution of child pornography generated exclusively by AI tools. This is considered the first large-scale case in which European authorities face a scenario where the criminal material has no real victims, since it was entirely created artificially.

Second information from Hardware.com.br, even without real victims, authorities are emphatic in stating that this type of content promotes the objectification and sexualization of children, representing a serious threat. operation involved 19 countries and reveals an important legal challenge: how to classify crimes that do not have physical victims, but which still promote abusive practices?

This case highlights something I have been discussing for years in my lectures: technology itself is neutral, but its use depends on our ethical choices. The European Union is already discussing the implementation of specific legislation to classify this content as child abuse, even without real victims. In Brazil, we urgently need to advance this discussion.

Honor Announces $10 Billion Investment in AI

On the positive side of the news, Chinese smartphone maker Honor has announced a massive investment of US$10 billion over the next five years to develop artificial intelligence in its devices. According to Brasil 247, the company's CEO, James Li, made the announcement during the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.

What stands out about the project, called Honor Alpha Plan, is the vision of integration between devices and operating systems. According to Folha de S.Paulo, the company is developing a user-centric AI agent that will be able to perform tasks like restaurant reservations autonomously.

Even more interesting is the three-step implementation, starting with smartphones and culminating in the creation of an “electronic brain” that points to the development of Artificial General Intelligence. This move by Honor reflects a trend I’ve been observing: AI is moving from point solutions to a layer of distributed intelligence across our entire ecosystem of devices.

This trend represents a huge opportunity for startups in Brazil that are working on integrating AI into devices and services. In my mentoring work with entrepreneurs, I have seen innovative ideas that can benefit from this wave of investment, especially in solutions that integrate different platforms and offer personalized experiences to users.

The risks of sharing sensitive information with AI

Another relevant topic in the last few hours was the warning about the risks associated with sharing personal information with AI systems. According to the State of Minas, the increasingly common interaction with chatbots like Google's Gemini poses risks of exposing users to threats such as identity theft and fraud.

This is an important reminder that despite the impressive advances in AI, we are still building the governance and security framework for these technologies. In Brazil, the LGPD (General Data Protection Law) already offers a certain level of protection, but the speed of innovation often outpaces the ability of regulatory frameworks to adapt.

In practice, I recommend three levels of caution when interacting with AI systems:

• Never share personally identifiable information (full name, documents, address)
• Be cautious with contextual information that may, in aggregate, reveal your identity
• Assume that everything you share may eventually become public

The European regulatory scenario and its implications for Brazil

The definition of artificial intelligence systems in the European AI Act has also been highlighted in recent news. According to JOTA, EU Regulation 2024/1689, known as the AI Act, seeks to establish harmonized rules for artificial intelligence in the European Union, with impacts on innovation and legal certainty.

This is a fundamental discussion for Brazil, which is still developing its own legislation on AI. In my experience working with startups and public innovation policies, I realize that we need a delicate balance: enough regulation to protect society, but not so restrictive that it stifles innovation.

The European definition of AI systems as those that operate with varying degrees of autonomy and can impact physical or virtual environments is a good starting point, but we need to adapt it to the Brazilian reality. As an advisor to several innovation initiatives, I have been closely following this discussion and I believe that Brazil has the opportunity to learn from international experiences to create a balanced regulatory framework.

The impact of AI on sales and business management

Economic uncertainties and the adoption of artificial intelligence are demanding transformations in companies' work routines. According to Valor Econômico, Robert Blaisdell, vice president at Gartner, warns that sales directors will face a challenging scenario in 2025, with the need to adapt their operations quickly.

I’ve seen this phenomenon very concretely in the companies I mentor. AI is accelerating cycles of innovation and change, requiring organizations to be more agile and adaptive. For sales professionals, this means not only mastering new tools, but also completely rethinking the processes of approaching and interacting with customers.

In my talks about the future of work, I often emphasize the CACACA concept: the six essential skills for professionals in the world of AI – Creativity, Autonomy, Collaboration, Adaptability, Connection and Affection. For sales professionals, Adaptability and Human Connection will be critical differentiators in this new scenario.

AI startups to watch in 2025

The 'Future of Jobs' report indicates that more than 75% of companies will use AI in their business in the next five years. According to Terra, there are six startups with AI innovations that are standing out and deserve attention.

This is a fact that confirms what I have been observing in the Brazilian innovation ecosystem: we are experiencing a moment of unprecedented acceleration in the adoption of AI. Startups that are able to create solutions that not only incorporate the technology, but apply it in an ethical and user-centric way, will have significant competitive advantages.

In my mentoring work, I have guided entrepreneurs to think in three dimensions when developing AI-based solutions:

• Real value: technology needs to solve real problems, not just be “cool”
• Ethics and transparency: users need to understand how their information is used
• Sustainable differentiation: In a market where AI is becoming commoditized, what makes your solution unique?

Claude 3.7 Sonnet: the AI that promises to surpass ChatGPT

Startup Anthropic has introduced Claude 3.7 Sonnet, a new AI version that promises to revolutionize software development. According to Correio Braziliense, the model combines speed with reasoning abilities, allowing developers to save time and generate effective solutions to complex issues.

This release illustrates the speed at which we’re advancing in the field of generative AI. In less than two years, we’ve gone from the launch of ChatGPT to a diverse ecosystem of increasingly powerful and specialized models. Claude 3.7 Sonnet’s focus on speed illustrates an important trend: computational efficiency is becoming as important as the quality of results.

For Brazilian startups, this evolution represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is to keep up with the rapid pace of innovation; the opportunity is to use these increasingly powerful tools to create innovative solutions to local problems.

Challenges in integrating AI at Apple

Even giants like Apple face difficulties in implementing AI technologies. According to TudoCelular, the company is having trouble developing AI features for iOS 19, which could lead to the delay in the release of a more advanced version of Siri.

This is an interesting example that demonstrates that, regardless of size or available resources, implementing AI efficiently remains a significant technical challenge. For startups, this provides an important lesson: even if you don’t have the resources of Apple, you can still compete on agility and focus.

In my mentoring sessions with technology startups, I always emphasize that the advantage of smaller companies lies precisely in their ability to pivot quickly and focus on specific problems, while large corporations need to ensure that new technologies work well in complex ecosystems and for huge user bases.

What can we learn from all this?

The panorama of the last 24 hours shows us a scenario of contrasts: on the one hand, billion-dollar investments and impressive technological advances; on the other, significant ethical, legal and technical challenges. What does this mean for entrepreneurs, innovators and professionals working with technology in Brazil?

First, we need to be mindful of the ethical component of innovation. The case of arrests in Europe for AI-generated content is a stark reminder that technology can be misused. As responsible entrepreneurs, we need to consider the ethical impacts of our innovations from the very beginning.

Second, massive investments like Honor’s show that AI is not just a passing fad, but a field that is receiving long-term investment. This means sustainable opportunities for those who know how to position their solutions in this growing ecosystem.

Ultimately, the complexity of implementing AI even for giants like Apple reminds us that we are only at the beginning of this journey. There is plenty of room for innovation, experimentation, and learning.

In my mentoring work with startups, I have observed that companies that are able to balance technological innovation with a clear purpose and ethical responsibility are the ones that tend to stand out in this new scenario. AI is transforming the world, but it is up to us to decide how we want this transformation to happen.

Whether you’re building a startup, leading an innovation team, or simply trying to figure out how to adapt to this new world, remember: technology is just the means, not the end. The real value lies in how we use these tools to solve real problems and create positive impact.

In my mentoring programs, I work with entrepreneurs to develop not only the technical expertise, but also the strategic and ethical vision needed to navigate this new landscape. If you’d like to learn more about how we can work together, get in touch.