iWorld
Facebook announces AI for social good summit
MUMBAI: With a vision to leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deliver social good, Facebook has announced its inaugural 'AI for India Summit' focused on discussing inclusive growth and solutions to the most enduring social challenges. The one-day summit will be held on March 26th, 2019 in Bangalore.
The Summit will bring together key representatives from the AI community in India such as policy makers, start-ups, and the developer community. It will also be attended by Facebook's global AI teams, which are keen to listen and learn from the thought-leaders and experts on the future of AI technologies in India, especially those that aspire to aid social change.
Over the past decade, AI has emerged as a transformative technology for developing scalable social solutions that address the challenges of access, affordability, and skill shortage. Facebook continuously works on AI projects for social good for the benefit of people and communities. One of the examples of Facebook's application of AI for social good in India has been the work around Blood Donations, which helps hospitals and blood banks connect with blood donors quickly.
Facebook is committed to the growth of India, and wants to be an ally to India for developing an expertise in AI. The Summit has been conceptualized to serve as a platform for thought-leaders from across domains to discourse on the possible applications of AI to drive advancements across healthcare, education, agriculture, and crisis/disaster mitigation, in line with the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence that was outlined by NITI Aayog last year.
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
