News

• Microsoft Rus is about to file for bankruptcy, local reports claim
• The company reduced its operations in response to the invasion of Ukraine
• Countless foreign firms did the same already

A key Microsoft subsidiary in Russia is about to file for bankruptcy.

A Reuters report citing “a note published on the official Fedresurs registry” claims, “Microsoft Rus LLC was intending to declare bankruptcy”.

The company has four subsidiaries in the country, according to Tass: Microsoft Rus LLC (primary subsidiary responsible for marketing, localization, and partner relations), Microsoft Development Centre Rus (software development and engineering), Microsoft Mobile Rus (mobile technologies and services), and Microsoft Payments Rus (financial transactions and payment services).

Fedresurs, or “Unified Federal Register of Legally Significant Information on the Activities of Legal Entities, Individual Entrepreneurs, and Other Economic Entities”, is Russia's official online registry that serves as a centralized platform for disclosing legally significant information about company and entrepreneurship activities in the country.

Reuters is putting the news in the context of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

The company apparently continued providing key services in the country even after 2022 and major sanctions imposed on the country by Western nations, but in June 2022, it said it would be “significantly scaling down” because of the changes in the economic outlook and the impact it will have.

When it comes to the sanctions, Microsoft participated in a sense, removing Russia Today (RT)’s mobile apps from the Windows App store. It also allegedly banned advertisements on Russian state-sponsored media in the days after the invasion.

Microsoft is not the only company filing for bankruptcy in Russia, in the wake of the war.

Last year, Pepeliaev Group reported “mass bankruptcies” of foreign companies flooding Russian courts. Google’s local subsidiary filed for bankruptcy in 2022, as well, claiming that the seizure of its bank account made it impossible to operate.

• Google is officially leaving Russia
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• We've rounded up the best password managers

“They don’t really make life decisions without asking ChatGPT what they should do.” That’s what OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said about Gen Z during a talk at Sequoia Capital’s AI Ascent event recently.

It wasn’t exactly shocking, more like confirmation of something many of us already suspected and what AI research points to. People are using ChatGPT for far more than proofreading emails or brainstorming ideas these days. It’s become a tool for thinking, weighing up options, and sometimes, making deeply personal decisions.

In many ways, this makes sense, especially for Gen Z. This is a generation that grew up online, shaped by climate anxiety, economic instability, and digital intimacy. Turning to an AI tool like ChatGPT for life advice might seem concerning to some of us, but it also tells us something more interesting about how we think, trus,t and make decisions now.

And, while Altman was specifically talking about Gen Z here, they’re not the only ones using ChatGPT this way. His broader point was that ChatGPT usage shifts by age group. Gen Z tends to treat it like “an operating system,” while people in their 20s and 30s use it more like a life advisor. Older users, he said, tend to treat it like a smarter search engine and a replacement for Google.

I’m in my late 30s, and I see plenty of people in my millennial cohort doing exactly this. Asking it to vibe check an email one minute, offer career advice the next, or decode a cryptic text from a date.

So the big question is: should we be using ChatGPT in this way? Is it a sign of democratized support and important self-reflection? Or is it troubling how comfortable we’ve become with outsourcing our most human struggles to a machine trained on the internet? Like most things with AI, I suspect the truth is somewhere in between.

Let’s start with the positives, because there are real ones. AI tools like ChatGPT are always available. They don’t judge, interrupt or charge $100 an hour. For people without access to mentors, therapists or career coaches, that kind of always-on advice can feel like a lifeline.

When I looked into the rise of people using ChatGPT for therapy-style support earlier this year, accessibility was a consistent theme. It’s cheap, available 24/7, and crucially, private. You can ask it anything without fear of embarrassment or judgment.

And the value isn’t just in “replacing” a therapist or coach. Sometimes it’s about having a space to think out loud. Want to explore a big move? Test out the idea of quitting your job? Wonder how others have handled long-distance relationships or an ADHD diagnosis? You can prompt, explore, and revise, and no one has to know.

There’s also an unexpected upside when it comes to metacognition, which is the ability to reflect on your own thoughts. ChatGPT can help you do that by summarizing what you’ve said, asking clarifying questions, or suggesting different perspectives. For neurodivergent users, especially those with ADHD or anxiety, that kind of structured reflection can feel incredibly supportive. I’m starting to think that the real value here might not be that it gives you the answer, but that it helps you find your own.

But this new way of making decisions also comes with some serious concerns.

Firstly, algorithms aren’t wise. ChatGPT can mimic empathy, but it doesn’t feel it. It can sound measured, even thoughtful, but it has no intuition, gut instinc,t or lived experience. It can’t tell when you’re lying to yourself. It doesn’t know when the thing you didn’t say is the most important part.

Then there’s the issue of bias. Large language models like ChatGPT are trained on massive datasets, which means they absorb the internet’s mess of assumptions, blind spots, and cultural biases.

There’s also a clear accountability gap here. If a therapist gives you bad advice, they’re responsible. If a friend leads you astray, at least they care. But if ChatGPT nudges you towards a major life decision that doesn’t work out, then who do you blame?

We already know generative AI can hallucinate, meaning it can make things up that are completely untrue or misleading. It also has a tendency to be overly optimistic and encouraging, which is helpful in some scenarios but not always what you need when you’re grappling with something serious.

Psychologists have also raised concerns about replacing real relationships with AI-driven feedback loops. A chatbot might make you feel “seen” without truly understanding you. It might offer closure you haven’t earned. It might flatter your logic when what you actually need is someone to challenge it.

And we can’t ignore the bigger picture. It’s in OpenAI’s best interest for people to use ChatGPT for everything, especially life advice and emotional support. That’s how it becomes indispensable. And with upgrades like advanced memory, the tool gets better the more it knows about you. But the more it knows, the harder it is to walk away.

It’s not enough to say using ChatGPT for life advice is either good or bad. That flattens a far more complex reality.

Gen Z isn’t turning to AI because they don’t realize ChatGPT lacks lived experience or because they think it’s better than a therapist. I suspect most are doing it because the world feels unstable, overwhelming, and hard to navigate. In that context, a chatbot that’s always available, never tired, and oddly wise-sounding might feel safer than asking a parent, teacher, or boss.

And this isn’t just a Gen Z trend. We’re living through a time when guidance is fragmented, authority is suspect, and certainty is scarce. Of course, people of all ages will increasingly reach for a tool that offers what feels like instant and convenient clarity.

But what are we giving up when we do? I ask that because I’m not immune to this either. I write critically about AI. I regularly talk about its limits, the need for caution, and the risks of over-reliance. And yet I’ve asked ChatGPT questions I probably could have chatted about with someone I know. Did it give me a quicker answer? Maybe. A better one? Probably not. Did I miss an opportunity for real connection? Definitely.

And that’s the deeper issue. It’s easy to criticize this trend from a place of privilege. If you have offline relationships, trusted friends, and a family you can call. But not everyone does. For many, AI is filling a gap left by broken systems, absent support, and rising feelings of loneliness and disconnection.

Used thoughtfully, I do think ChatGPT can be a helpful companion. A way to untangle thoughts, explore perspectives, and even rehearse difficult conversations. That’s why I’d never tell people not to use it for these things. But I would urge them to ask: why am I turning to this now? What might I be avoiding? And who else could I talk to instead? Then again, what do I know? I’m just an elder millennial.

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• US banks are pushing back against a cyberattack disclosure rule
• The banks say its adds complexity and strain to their systems
• Banks especially don't want to disclose ongoing cyberattacks

A group of US banks is pushing back against a recent US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ruling which requires public companies, including banks, to disclose cyber attacks.

The banks argue that the ruling adds unnecessary strain and complexity to their operation, and potentially requires the disclosure of cyber incidents before internal investigations have been completed, and the scope of the damage assessed.

The group's members include the American Bankers Association (ABA), the Bank Policy Institute (BPI), the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) and the Institute of International Bankers (IIB).

The rule, known formally as the “Cybersecurity Risk Management, Strategy, Governance, and Incident Disclosure Rule", was introduced in July 2023.

Not only does it outline disclosure procedures for cyber incidents, such as impact, timings and scope of the incident, but also requires public companies to provide a report on their cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance practices each year.

A public statement issued by the Bank Policy Institute said, "This rule requires public companies to disclose material cyber incidents within four business days, adding to an already complex list of reporting and disclosure obligations that financial institutions and other critical infrastructure sector companies must follow. The Department of Homeland Security issued a report in 2023 identifying 45 different federal cyber incident reporting requirements, administered by 22 federal agencies."

The banks also argue that the rule could apply additional pressure on banks and their customers during ransomware attacks, as the attackers could point out unfulfilled disclosures as a means of extortion.

The banking group lobbied against the rule in 2023, and requested a 12 month extension to data protection and cybersecurity amendments requirements.

Similarly in Australia, a new rule has come in to force that requires all organizations with an annual turnover of AUS $3m ($1.93M) to disclose ransomware payments within 72 hours, including amount, currency, and timings of communications with the attackers.

Via Infosecurity Magazine

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A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, June 2 (game #1225).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

• F

• S

• F

• W

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1226, are…

• FUGUE
• SYRUP
• FLACK
• WORST

I was really thrilled to get SYRUP today. I had the S and the R in the correct positions and the letter U in the wrong position, so I spent a while trying to remember words that began S-U-R (SURGE was the only one I could think of) before deploying the Y.

Meanwhile, FUGUE is a word that’s cropped up before and always reminds me of the first season of Breaking Bad, while FLACK triggers thoughts of the brilliant soul artist Roberta Flack and her amazing version of Killing Me Softly With His Song. Hmmm, I wonder how many people have been killed by a song.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1226, are…

• PULSE
• CABLE
• REIGN
• ADORE

• Quordle #1225, Monday, 2 June: THINK, BELLE, CRONE, BOULE
• Quordle #1224, Sunday, 1 June: POINT, MERIT, WHOOP, APHID
• Quordle #1223, Saturday, 31 May: CRUMB, ELFIN, DRIER, QUITE
• Quordle #1222, Friday, 30 May: RAJAH, CAUSE, BLACK, ETUDE
• Quordle #1221, Thursday, 29 May: CRIER, DRAPE, STRUT, NEIGH
• Quordle #1220, Wednesday, 28 May: HELLO, BEADY, VIGIL, PURER
• Quordle #1219, Tuesday, 27 May: TWEET, RANGE, POPPY, RADAR
• Quordle #1218, Monday, 26 May: BLEAT, HOWDY, ASIDE, SCOOP
• Quordle #1217, Sunday, 25 May: OCEAN, AMBER, PIPER, GLEAN
• Quordle #1216, Saturday, 24 May: HUSKY, HEIST, FOGGY, POLAR
• Quordle #1215, Friday, 23 May: SHIRE, GIANT, AWAIT, CAPER
• Quordle #1214, Thursday, 22 May: LOSE, GLOVE, STINT, EXCEL
• Quordle #1213, Wednesday, 21 May: NOVEL, CHOSE, DIRTY, DONUT
• Quordle #1212, Tuesday, 20 May: DECOY, SHAKE, MAPLE, PURER
• Quordle #1211, Monday, 19 May: LINK, HANDY, DITCH, WAIVE
• Quordle #1210, Sunday, 18 May: QUACK, ROACH, PURGE, DOWNY
• Quordle #1209, Saturday, 17 May: STRIP, RANGE, UNITE, GEESE
• Quordle #1208, Friday, 16 May: SHEEP, SNUCK, DRIFT, BREAK
• Quordle #1207, Thursday, 15 May: PAINT, CROUP, PEDAL, FLUKE
• Quordle #1206, Wednesday, 14 May: FAVOR, METER, PICKY, MAKER