President of Uzbekistan met with founder of ROX Group

Caxton News Group & CTP Publishers & Printers has begun testing artificial intelligence in its media division, using the technology exclusively for copyediting, not for content creation.

This was stated in the group's financial results for the period up to June 30, 2026, which were published on Friday. These reports indicate a deliberately cautious approach to implementing new technologies.

Caxton Media reported that it has started piloting various initiatives using AI, specifying that copyediting processes have been implemented, not content generation, and that there are additional opportunities to improve efficiency in the group's newspapers. Caxton publishes The Citizen and also manages a large number of local newspapers.

The financial situation may have prompted interest in AI tools. Caxton's local newspaper business lost 11% of revenue over the year. Advertising expenditure from national retailers decreased by 9.7%, and local advertising, which funds small local publications, dropped by 14%. The company attributed this to advertisers facing survival difficulties and being unable to afford advertising.

Operating costs in this segment decreased by 7%, but profitability still declined. Across the publishing, printing, and distribution segment, total revenue fell by 191.4 million rand, or 6.4%, and operating profit before depreciation dropped by 18.1%. Another part of the group, dealing with packaging and stationery, increased revenue by 1.9% over the same period.

Dividends

The digital division is the only part of the publishing business showing growth. Caxton's digital resource portfolio increased revenue by 17%, more than doubled the number of annual users, and raised page views by 23%. The Citizen publication showed an 8% revenue increase, a 25% increase in users, and a 30% rise in page views, which, according to the company, exceeded overall market trends.

Despite this, the group has sufficient financial resources to determine a strategy for using AI in its editorial offices. Over the year, the group ended the reporting period with cash reserves of 3.1 billion rand, increased its final dividend to 80 cents per share (from 70 cents), and paid a one-off interim dividend of 1 rand per share. The group's total revenue decreased by 1.8% to 6.59 billion rand, and earnings per share fell by 5.7% to 168.6 cents.

Many consumers on online platforms are promised large discounts, sometimes up to 80 percent. However, it turns out that the offered deal is not as profitable as advertised. In this regard, the government is preparing to introduce new regulations that should limit misleading offers from e-commerce companies.

According to the new rules, the government intends to increase the responsibility of companies towards online platforms regarding information on prices, discounts, search results, complaints, and product characteristics.

According to PTI, the government has amended the Consumer Protection Rules (e-commerce) of 2020. These rules were originally developed under the Consumer Protection Law of 2019.

The goal of these revised rules is to ensure transparency in the e-commerce sector and strengthen consumer interests. The new provisions will come into force on January 1, 2027. After this date, e-commerce platforms will be required to indicate not only attractive offers but also certain important details.

The most significant changes concern pricing and discounts in online shopping. When displaying a price reduction or discount on any item, the e-commerce company must indicate both the reduced price and the previous price of the item. The previous price is the cost at which the item was sold on that online platform during the last 30 days. Thus, attempts to create the appearance of a large discount by artificially inflating the old price will be ineffective, and buyers will be able to easily understand the size of their savings.

The government has also tightened requirements for search engines on e-commerce platforms. Companies will not be able to alter search results in a way that misleads the customer or influences the choice based on a query. Furthermore, sponsored placements will have clear identification, and this must be done explicitly. The buyer must understand which product is a regular search result and which one is promoted for a fee.

The government is also closely monitoring 'dark patterns' on online platforms—methods aimed at pushing the customer toward a specific choice or influencing their preferences. E-commerce companies will have to comply with the guidelines related to 'Dark Patterns, 2023'. Moreover, companies must conduct an annual self-audit and provide a certificate of conformity confirming the platform's compliance with the established rules.

The government is also working to strengthen the consumer complaint handling system. Every e-commerce entity must become a partner in the convergence process of the National Hotline for Consumer Protection. According to government data, in 2025, the National Hotline for Consumer Protection received a total of 1,771,622 complaints, about 29 percent of which, or 511,196 complaints, concerned the e-commerce sector. Now, if a client files a complaint, they must receive a copy of that complaint registered by the claims review officer. This ensures the client has an official record of their appeal.

Companies selling goods on e-commerce platforms are also obliged to provide buyers with more information. For products, details such as 'Best before' or 'Use by' must be indicated. It is also required to clearly state the terms regarding returns, refunds, warranty, delivery, and payment. If the item is imported, information about the importer and country of origin must be provided.

A delegation from the Fergana region, led by Hokim Khayrullo Bozorov, familiarized itself with the activities of the South Korean IT company EXEM Co., Ltd.

According to the administration of the Fergana region, the visit took place in the Magok innovation district, located in the Gangseo district of Seoul, as part of the delegation's working trip to the Republic of Korea.

Delegates were presented with the main areas of EXEM's operations, as well as the company's modern solutions and technological developments. EXEM specializes in IT infrastructure management, monitoring of databases and digital systems, artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud technologies. Furthermore, the company develops solutions for comprehensive IT system monitoring.

EXEM was founded in 2001 and has been included in the list of listed securities on the KOSDAQ exchange since 2015. The main areas of business include application and database monitoring, identification and analysis of problems in IT systems, AI-based IT process management, and the development of big data and enterprise AI solutions.

Currently, EXEM cooperates with over a thousand major clients in 29 countries. The company's activities also cover the United States, China, and Japan.

During the visit, the delegation was shown EXEM's technological solutions for managing IT infrastructure using artificial intelligence and big data. The company also demonstrated capabilities for ensuring the stable operation of digital systems and automating technological processes.

An excursion through the company was organized for the delegation members, allowing them to observe the work processes. The parties also discussed the possibility of applying EXEM's experience and technological solutions for the digitalization of the Fergana region, knowledge exchange in the field of IT, and the development of promising cooperation directions.