PlayStation State of Play, EU brands ChatGPT a search engine, plus 3 quick wins

🎮 PlayStation's next State of Play airs Thursday, Sept 3 at 6:30 PM IST, live on YouTube and Twitch, running back-to-back with State of Play Japan. The one locked-in segment is an extended look at Final Fantasy VII Revelation; everything else doing the rounds — Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the Japan/Asia lineup — is still rumor until Sony shows it. Worth a reminder, not the hype.

The problem

Every showcase season, fans get buried under leaks and 'insider' lists that rarely match what actually airs, so it's hard to know what's real.

What changed

Sony has officially confirmed a State of Play on Sept 3 (6:30 PM IST), streaming on YouTube and Twitch, back-to-back with State of Play Japan. The confirmed highlight is an extended Final Fantasy VII Revelation segment from Square Enix.

The catch

Most of the exciting names — Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and the rumored Japan/Asia slate — are unconfirmed. Treat them as leaks, not guarantees.

What it means for you

Set a reminder for 6:30 PM IST, watch it live to dodge fake 'leak' clips, and judge announcements by release dates rather than hype.

🚨 On Aug 31 the European Commission designated ChatGPT a 'Very Large Online Search Engine' (VLOSE) under the Digital Services Act — the first AI chatbot to get that label. The trigger is its live web-search feature, not the fact that it's AI. With roughly 159M monthly EU users (about 3x the threshold), ChatGPT now faces the DSA's strictest transparency and audit rules, with a Jan 2027 compliance deadline or fines up to 6% of global turnover.

The problem

AI chatbots that pull live web results have been sitting in a regulatory grey zone, outside the search-engine rules that govern Google.

What changed

The EU classified ChatGPT as a VLOSE under the DSA on Aug 31 — the first AI chatbot to be designated. It cited ~159M average monthly EU users, 3x the 45M threshold, and pointed to the live web-search capability as the trigger. Reddit and Roblox were designated Very Large Online Platforms the same day.

The catch

The label hangs on the web-search feature, not 'AI' broadly — a capability-based template the EU can extend to Gemini, Claude and Perplexity as they scale. The tougher obligations don't bite until January 2027.

What it means for you

Expect more transparency reports and content controls inside ChatGPT, especially if you're in the EU, and watch whether rivals get the same designation next.

💡 Instead of spelling out a long WiFi password, let Android hand it over as a QR code. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Internet, tap your current network, then tap Share — Android generates a QR code your guest points their camera at to connect instantly. No typos, no 'is that a 1 or an l?'. And the same code scans fine on iPhones too.

The problem

Reading out or texting a long WiFi password is slow and error-prone, especially with special characters.

What changed

Android has a built-in share option: Settings > Network & internet > Internet > tap your network > Share creates a scannable QR code that connects a guest in one tap.

The catch

You'll need to unlock with your PIN or biometric to reveal it, and it lives in the network settings — but the resulting QR code is cross-platform.

What it means for you

Use it any time a guest asks for WiFi; point them at the code and skip the spelling. iPhones can scan it too.

🔐 Reused and breached passwords are the easiest way into your accounts — and your device already flags them, if you look. On Android/Chrome, open Password Manager > Password Checkup; on iPhone, go to Settings > Passwords > Security Recommendations. Both scan your saved logins against known breaches and reuse. Fix the reused and breached ones first — it takes about five minutes.

The problem

Weak, reused and breached passwords are the top cause of account takeovers, and most people never notice which of theirs are compromised.

What changed

Both major phone ecosystems have a built-in checker: Android/Chrome Password Manager > Password Checkup and iPhone Settings > Passwords > Security Recommendations scan your saved passwords against known breach databases.

The catch

It only flags — you still have to change each one — and it can't see passwords you store outside the built-in manager.

What it means for you

Run the check today, change the reused and breached logins first, and turn on two-factor authentication where you can.

🤖 Most people use AI to confirm what they already believe, which just reinforces their blind spots. Flip it: paste your plan or decision and ask, 'What am I NOT asking that I should be? List my blind spots, then give me the one question that would change my mind.' Instead of agreeing, the AI starts poking holes — before reality does. It works for job offers, product launches and big purchases.

The problem

People tend to ask AI to validate a decision they've already made, so it reinforces confirmation bias instead of testing the idea.

What changed

A simple reusable prompt reframes the AI as a critic: paste the plan, then ask what you're not asking, for your blind spots, and for the single question that would change your mind.

The catch

The AI can still be confidently wrong — it surfaces questions and angles, not guaranteed answers. You still make the call.

What it means for you

Save the prompt and run it on high-stakes calls — a job offer, a launch, a big buy — before you commit.