When researchers at a nonprofit that studies social media wanted to understand the connection between YouTube videos and gun violence, they set up accounts on the platform that mimicked the behavior of typical boys living in the United States. They simulated two 9-year-olds who liked video games. The accounts were identical, except that one clicked … continue reading -> “‘It’s the Algorithms’: YouTube Sent Violent Gun Videos to 9-Year-Olds, Study Finds”
U.S. law enforcement officials on Tuesday announced a series of criminal cases exposing the relentless efforts by Russia, China and Iran to steal sensitive U.S. technologies. The five cases, which spanned a wide range of protected U.S. technologies, were brought by a new “strike force” created earlier this year to deter foreign adversaries from … continue reading -> “US Announces Charges Related to Efforts by Russia, China, Iran to Steal Technology”
The head of the artificial intelligence company that makes ChatGPT told U.S. Congress on Tuesday that government intervention “will be critical to mitigate the risks of increasingly powerful” AI systems. “As this technology advances, we understand that people are anxious about how it could change the way we live. We are too,” OpenAI CEO Sam … continue reading -> “ChatGPT’s Chief Testifies Before US Congress as Concerns Grow About AI Risks”
Studying science, technology, engineering, and math — or STEM — can be a challenge for girls in rural Africa, especially those with disabilities. In Kenya, an aid group called The Action Foundation is helping to change that by providing remote STEM courses for girls with hearing, visual and physical impairments. Ahmed Hussein reports from Wajir … continue reading -> “STEM Courses in Rural Kenya Open Doors for Girls With Disabilities”
On a recent, cold morning, Dr. Carlos Ortuño hopped into a tiny electric car to go check on a patient in the outskirts of Bolivia’s capital of La Paz, unsure if the vehicle would be able to handle the steep, winding streets of the high-altitude city. “I thought that because of the city’s topography it … continue reading -> “Bolivian EV Startup Hopes Tiny Car Will Make It Big in Lithium-Rich Country”
Computer engineers and tech-inclined political scientists have warned for years that cheap, powerful artificial intelligence tools would soon allow anyone to create fake images, video and audio that was realistic enough to fool voters and perhaps sway an election. The synthetic images that emerged were often crude, unconvincing and costly to produce, especially when other … continue reading -> “AI Presents Political Peril for 2024 With Threat to Mislead Voters”
Holed up at home during the pandemic lockdown three years ago, 13-year-old Shreya Nallamothu was scrolling through social media when she noticed a pattern: Children even younger than her were the stars — dancing, cracking one-liners and being generally adorable. “It seemed innocuous to me at first,” Nallamothu said. But as she watched more and … continue reading -> “Child Social Media Stars Have Few Protections; Illinois Aims to Fix That”
Banned from using popular Western apps, Iranians have been left with little choice but to take up state-backed alternatives, as the authorities tighten internet restrictions for security reasons following months of protests. Iranians are accustomed to using virtual private networks, or VPNs, to evade restrictions and access prohibited websites or apps, including the U.S.-based Facebook, … continue reading -> “As Net Tightens, Iranians Pushed to Take Up Homegrown Apps”
As Tamar Ana Jawa wove a red sarong in the fading sunlight, her neighbor switched on a light bulb dangling from the sloping tin roof. It was just one bulb powered by a small solar panel, but in this remote village that means a lot. In some of the world’s most remote places, off-grid solar … continue reading -> “Off-Grid Solar Brings Light, Time, Income to Remotest Indonesia Villages”
As people brace for the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and everyday living, those in the world of audio books say their field is already being transformed. AI has the ability to create human-sounding recordings — at assembly-line speed — while bypassing at least part of the services of the human professionals who … continue reading -> “Audio Book Narrators Say AI Is Already Taking Away Business”
Billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk on Friday named NBCUniversal executive Linda Yaccarino as the chief executive officer of social media giant Twitter. From his own Twitter account Friday, Musk wrote, “I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter! (She) will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product … continue reading -> “Elon Musk Names NBCUniversal’s Yaccarino as New Twitter CEO”
Apple will launch its first online store in Vietnam next week, the company said Friday, hoping to cash in on the country’s young and tech-savvy population. The iPhone maker is among a host of global tech giants including Intel, Samsung and LG, that have chosen Vietnam for assembly of their products. But up to now, … continue reading -> “Apple to Launch First Online Store in Vietnam”
Astronomers have created a stunning mosaic of baby star clusters hiding in our galactic backyard. The montage, published Thursday, reveals five vast stellar nurseries less than 1,500 light-years away. A light-year is nearly 9.7 trillion kilometers. To come up with their atlas, scientists pieced together more than 1 million images taken over five years by … continue reading -> “Stunning Mosaic of Baby Star Clusters Created From 1 Million Telescope Shots”
The growing abilities of artificial intelligence have left many observers wondering how AI will impact people’s jobs and livelihoods. One expert in the field predicts it won’t have much effect, at least in the short term. The topic was a point of discussion at the annual TED conference held recently in Vancouver. In a world … continue reading -> “Will Artificial Intelligence Take Away Jobs? Not Many for Now, Says Expert”
Tesla Inc on Monday broke ground on a Texas lithium refinery that CEO Elon Musk said should produce enough of the battery metal to build about 1 million electric vehicles (EVs) by 2025, making it the largest North American processor of the material. The facility will push Tesla outside its core focus of building automobiles and … continue reading -> “Elon Musk and Tesla Break Ground on Massive Texas Lithium Refinery”
Most Democrats and Republicans agree that the federal government should better regulate the biggest technology companies, particularly social media platforms. But there is little consensus on how it should be done. Concerns have skyrocketed about China’s ownership of TikTok, and parents have grown increasingly worried about what their children are seeing online. Lawmakers have introduced … continue reading -> “Congress Eyes New Rules for Tech”
Tracking down accurate information about Philadelphia’s elections on Twitter used to be easy. The account for the city commissioners who run elections, @phillyvotes, was the only one carrying a blue check mark, a sign of authenticity. But ever since the social media platform overhauled its verification service last month, the check mark has disappeared. That’s … continue reading -> “New Twitter Rules Expose Election Offices to Spoof Accounts”
Google is planning to make its search engine more “visual, snackable, personal and human,” with a focus on serving young people globally, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing documents. The move comes as artificial intelligence (AI) applications such as ChatGPT are rapidly gaining in popularity, highlighting a technology that could upend the way … continue reading -> “Google Plans to Make Search More ‘Human,’ Says Wall Street Journal”
Billionaire Warren Buffett said artificial intelligence may change the world in all sorts of ways, but new technology won’t take away opportunities for investors, and he’s confident America will continue to prosper over time. Buffett and his partner Charlie Munger are spending all day Saturday answering questions at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting inside a packed … continue reading -> “Buffett Shares Good News on Profits, AI Thoughts at Meeting”
When Greg Brockman, the president and co-founder of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, was recently extolling the capabilities of artificial intelligence, he turned to “Game of Thrones.” Imagine, he said, if you could use AI to rewrite the ending of that not-so-popular finale. Maybe even put yourself into the show. “That is what entertainment will look like,” … continue reading -> “Could AI Pen ‘Casablanca’? Screenwriters Take Aim at ChatGPT”
White House Mulls AI Oversight, Protections with Industry Leaders …
Good news for all the password-haters out there: Google has taken a big step toward making them an afterthought by adding “passkeys” as a more straightforward and secure way to log into its services. Here’s what you need to know: What are passkeys? Passkeys offer a safer alternative to passwords and texted confirmation codes. … continue reading -> “Hate Passwords? You’re in Luck — Google Is Sidelining Them”
A computer scientist often dubbed “the godfather of artificial intelligence” has quit his job at Google to speak out about the dangers of the technology, U.S. media reported Monday. Geoffrey Hinton, who created a foundation technology for AI systems, told The New York Times that advancements made in the field posed “profound risks to society … continue reading -> “‘Godfather of AI’ Quits Google to Warn of the Technology’s Dangers”
The European Union is likely to reach a political agreement this year that will pave the way for the world’s first major artificial intelligence (AI) law, the bloc’s tech regulation chief, Margrethe Vestager, said on Sunday. This follows a preliminary deal reached on Thursday by members of the European Parliament to push through the draft … continue reading -> “EU Tech Tsar Vestager Sees Political Agreement on AI Law This Year “
Artificial intelligence, or AI, could potentially transform arts and entertainment, from music to movies, but it is also raising concerns. Is AI a creative tool or a threat to creators and artists? VOA’s Mike O’Sullivan examines the question. …