[2/23 12:00] 61 Global Privacy Authorities Joint Statement on AI Deepfakes / AI-Powered Hacker Breaches 600+ FortiGate Firewalls in 55 Countries

AI News Flash for February 23, 2026 at 12:00 UTC. Topics: 1. 61 Global Privacy Authorities Joint Statement on AI Deepfakes https://www.edpb.europa.eu/news/news/2026/ai-generated-imagery-and-protection-privacy-edpb-supports-joint-global-privacy_en 2. AI-Powered Hacker Breaches 600+ FortiGate Firewalls in 55 Countries https://thehackernews.com/2026/02/ai-assisted-threat-actor-compromises.html 3. Software Companies Face Higher Borrowing Costs as AI Threatens Businesses https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/software-companies-face-higher-borrowing-costs-tougher-scrutiny-ai-threatens-2026-02-23/ 4. AI Economic Growth Narrative May Be a Mirage https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/02/23/ai-economic-growth-gdp-mirage/