Microsoft is advancing its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy by developing its own AI reasoning models to compete with OpenAI, according to a report by The Information.

This move is aimed at diversifying Microsoft’s AI offerings and reducing its reliance on OpenAI’s technology.

As part of this initiative, Microsoft has begun testing models from xAI, Meta, and DeepSeek as potential alternatives to OpenAI’s technology within its Copilot product.

This shift aligns with a growing industry trend toward cost-effective AI model development using “distillation” techniques.

Distillation involves training smaller AI models using insights from larger, more complex models, significantly lowering computational costs.

Companies such as DeepSeek have leveraged this method to develop powerful AI solutions at a fraction of traditional expenses.

Currently, Microsoft’s Copilot, an AI-powered chatbot integrated into Microsoft 365 and Windows 11, runs on OpenAI’s GPT-4 model.

By investing in the development of its own AI models, Microsoft aims to enhance Copilot’s capabilities while offering more tailored AI solutions to its users.

This strategic shift is expected to strengthen Microsoft’s position in the competitive AI market while providing greater control over its AI ecosystem.

Nigerian website owners have been warned to be weary of security vulnerabilities in the Jupiter X Core plugin for WordPress.

The warning was handed over by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), via its official X account.

According to the agency, the vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-0366, poses a significant cybersecurity risk, potentially allowing attackers to take control of affected websites without authentication.

A security advisory from the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team Nigeria (CERNT.NG) noted that the flaw is an “unauthenticated privilege escalation vulnerability,” meaning attackers can gain administrative access or execute arbitrary code on websites using this plugin.

“A critical security flaw has been discovered in the Jupiter X Core plugin for WordPress, affecting websites using this popular theme framework,” the statement said.

In a move to enhance digital security on the African continent, Kaspersky has signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Smart Africa.

This landmark agreement is set to drive collaborative efforts aimed at expanding cybersecurity capabilities throughout Africa.

The partnership focuses on building essential cybersecurity skills via training programs, including those offered by the Kaspersky Academy — an international educational venture established in 2010 with a mission to drive the best cybersecurity education to build a safer digital world.

Another major focus of the partnership will be addressing gender disparities by supporting initiatives that empower girls and women in the fields of cybersecurity, STEM, and ICT, which is a continuation of Kaspersky’s efforts aimed at empowering female professionals in IT and attracting more women in the field.

In addition to human capacity development, the collaboration aims to standardise cybersecurity policies by pooling both organisations to create harmonised regional and national frameworks. This effort involves working closely with cybersecurity authorities, law enforcement agencies, computer emergency response teams, industry leaders, and other key stakeholders to ensure a unified approach to digital security.

Moreover, the initiative is geared towards strengthening technological defenses. This includes establishing critical cyber infrastructures such as security operation centers and computer emergency response teams, as well as offering expert technical consulting to prevent and mitigate the effects of cybercrime.

Lacina Koné, CEO of Smart Africa, commented: “This MoU marks a significant milestone in our quest to secure Africa’s digital future.

“By joining forces with Kaspersky, we are not only building essential cybersecurity skills and bridging the gender gap but also setting the stage for robust regional cooperation and state-of-the-art cyber infrastructure.”

Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO of Kaspersky, noted: “Our strategic partnership with Smart Africa is designed to help create a more secure cyberspace across the continent and beyond.

“We see this initiative as a commitment to empowering both individual users and organisations to ensure that everyone can navigate the digital world safely and with confidence.”

This partnership reflects Kaspersky’s commitment to a collaborative approach in creating a more safe and secure digital space by building strategic partnerships helping to enhance efforts aimed at boosting the global cyber resilience.

It also builds on the momentum of the recently established African Network of Cybersecurity Authorities (ANCA), a collaborative initiative designed by Smart Africa to bring together cybersecurity authorities from African countries to address the growing challenges posed by cyber threats and crimes.

Together with Smart Africa’s unwavering commitment to building a secure, inclusive, and digitally empowered continent, the joint cooperation is poised to address the evolving challenges of the cyber world and position Africa as a model of digital security innovation.