The U.K.-based Virgin Group said on Wednesday that it plans to launch its digital music service, Virgin Digital UK, on Friday, offering a library of over one million tracks for 79p ($1.42) each. The service was developed in-house, and will feature tracks licensed through U.S.-based MusicNet. In addition to permanent downloads, Virgin Digital will offer a basic subscription for 9.99 pounds ($18) per month and a premium version for 14.99 pounds ($27) per month. Virgin Digital will be promoted within all Virgin Megastores, which will also sell MP3 hardware compatible with the service from Samsung, Sony, Creative and iRiver; the service will not support Apple's iPod. The company also partnered with U.K. broadband provider Blueyonder, to offer free downloads and trial subscriptions to Virgin Digital. "With a strong music heritage behind us, as a record label and a retailer, Virgin has a huge advantage, and platform to launch a digital service that will become the ultimate destination to buy, stream, burn and enjoy the best the music world has to offer," said Virgin Group founder Richard Branson.
Across the globe, artificial intelligence (AI) regulatory violations are poised to reshape the legal environment for technology companies over the next several years. Gartner predicts a sharp 30 percent increase in legal disputes by 2028 as regulatory frameworks struggle to keep pace with rapid innovation in generative AI (GenAI). For leaders navigating the intersection of technology and compliance, this development is both a warning and an opportunity for those able to anticipate, adapt, and build trustworthy, resilient AI capabilities. AI Regulations Market Development As GenAI productivity tools become more ubiquitous across enterprise environments, global regulatory environments present a complex and evolving challenge. Gartner’s survey found that more than 70 percent rank regulatory compliance among their organization’s top three concerns when scaling GenAI deployments. The widespread inconsistency and frequent incoherence in national AI regulations reflect each country’s unique a...