Applications
Oppo’s got the Mind Space to make AI more personal with Google
MUMBAI: Oppo is giving artificial intelligence a human touch and a safe space to think. The smartphone maker has joined forces with Google to take mobile AI beyond the buzzword, with a partnership designed to make smart devices not just intuitive, but also private, personal, and powerful.
The collaboration centres on creating what Oppo calls “personalised and secure mobile AI”, blending the company’s software finesse with Google’s Gemini ecosystem. The goal? To deliver next-gen AI experiences that understand users better while keeping their data off-limits to everyone else.
“Working closely with partners like Google allows us to integrate next-generation AI experiences that are not only powerful but also highly personalised and secure,” said Oppo president of software engineering Kai Tang. “Our goal is to provide users with an AI assistant that truly understands their needs and is worthy of their trust.”
At the heart of this collaboration lies Mind Space, a smart productivity app debuting on the upcoming Find X9 Series. Think of it as a digital diary that remembers everything for you. With a simple three-finger swipe, users can save text, images, or web pages into one unified hub. Mind Space then auto-categorises and stores the content, so your ideas, plans, and to-dos live in one tidy corner of your phone.
But the real power play begins when Mind Space meets Gemini. The integration allows Gemini to draw from saved information with the user’s permission and help take action. Planning a vacation? Just stash your notes and articles in Mind Space and ask Gemini to whip up an itinerary. Need a reminder for tomorrow’s meeting or a follow-up email draft? Gemini’s got it covered.
The collaboration doesn’t stop there. Users can now chat with Gemini across Oppo’s suite of apps, use Gemini Live to ask questions about what’s on their screen or camera, and even edit photos using Gemini’s new AI model, Nano Banana. With a simple prompt, Nano Banana can retouch, enhance, or creatively transform images, turning quick snaps into scroll-stopping visuals.
And while Gemini is the brain of the operation, Oppo’s AI Private Computing Cloud (PCC) ensures it all runs in a locked vault. Built on Google Cloud’s confidential computing technology, PCC encrypts and processes data in a secure environment invisible even to Oppo itself. Core AI features like AI Mind Space, AI Search, AI Recorder, AI Call Summary, AI VoiceScribe, and AI Writer all operate under this privacy-first architecture.
This powerful blend of intelligence and integrity will first roll out with Oppo’s Find X9 Series and ColorOS 16 flagship devices. To sweeten the deal, buyers of the Find X9 or X9 Pro will receive a complimentary three-month subscription to Google AI Pro offering early access to premium Gemini features and 2TB of cloud storage.
By combining Oppo’s design sensibilities with Google’s AI muscle, the partnership is setting the stage for smartphones that don’t just think fast, they think for you, with you, and about you. Because in Oppo’s world, the smartest AI is the one that minds your space.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
