A recent poll shows most U.S. voters do not like the building of new data centers, especially near where they live. People worry these centers, run by big tech companies, will have mostly bad effects on the country.
Key Facts
58% of U.S. voters think new data centers will mostly harm the country.
65% oppose building data centers in their own communities.
43% of voters are strongly against data centers being built nearby.
Only 25% of voters support data center construction.
The poll was conducted by PBS News, NPR, and Marist.
Companies involved in building these centers include Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI.
Opposition to data centers crosses usual political party lines.
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Leading AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are creating more powerful and cheaper AI models to make development financially sustainable. This approach might allow them to slow down the rapid pace of AI progress while still meeting rising demand and maintaining profits.
Key Facts
Top U.S. AI companies spend more money than they make and need to find ways to make AI development financially viable.
These companies want to slow down AI model development due to safety concerns, including incidents of AI agents hacking other companies.
Slowing development requires shifting focus from always creating the most advanced models to offering useful and cost-effective AI products.
New AI models released recently are both cheaper and more powerful than earlier versions.
Chinese AI company DeepSeek's latest model saw a large increase in usage, showing global trends toward lower-cost, high-performance AI.
Cheaper AI costs increase overall use, which leads to higher total spending and profits for AI companies.
Investments in infrastructure like data centers and power grids will continue to support growing AI use despite slower model development.
Lowering AI costs and slowing development could help companies balance safety, finance, and customer needs.
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Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, has launched an investigation into Pornhub's owner, Aylo, to see if their new age checks are stopping children from seeing adult content. The investigation will look at how well Aylo tested and put in place these age verification methods, but will not examine how Apple manages its part of the checks.
Key Facts
Ofcom is investigating the effectiveness of Pornhub's new age verification process.
The age checks for some users rely on Apple as a third party.
Ofcom is concerned Aylo may not have tested the new age checks enough before using them.
UK law (the Online Safety Act) requires adult sites to use strong age verification to keep children out.
Ofcom can fine companies up to £18 million or 10% of global yearly income if they do not follow the law.
The investigation focuses on Aylo’s implementation and testing, not on Apple’s methods.
Pornhub had blocked users in the UK after strict age checks began but partially restored access for some Apple users in May 2026.
Aylo said the new law has not effectively protected minors and has pushed users to less regulated sites.
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A cybercrime group called ShinyHunters says they stole over 2 terabytes of personal data about thousands of FBI employees and job applicants. The FBI is investigating these claims and has acknowledged possible illegal activity affecting its jobs website.
Key Facts
ShinyHunters claims to have data on almost all FBI agents and job applicants.
The stolen data reportedly includes names, emails, phone numbers, home addresses, and sometimes social security numbers and spouse information.
The group also claims to have hacked FBI criminal justice and HR systems and defaced the FBI jobs website using a security flaw in Oracle’s PeopleSoft software.
The FBI is aware of the claims and is investigating unauthorized activity on FBIjobs.gov.
Cybersecurity experts confirm the hack appears real but have not verified the data’s accuracy or if it is recent.
ShinyHunters say their motive is not financial but to contest FBI statements accusing them of harassment tactics.
Experts warn the stolen data could be sold to other criminals or government hackers, risking harm to FBI employees and their families.
The FBI is expected to use extra resources to respond quickly to the attack.
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An experimental brain chip and an artificial intelligence (AI) program have helped Terry Mandable, who has ALS, to communicate again. The technology works by translating his brain waves into speech.
Key Facts
Terry Mandable has ALS, a disease that took away his ability to speak.
He is using a brain chip that reads brain activity.
An AI program converts the brain signals into spoken words.
This technology helps him communicate despite his condition.
The brain chip and AI system are still in the experimental stage.
The story was reported by Tony Dokoupil on CBS News.
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A group of AI programs, called a "swarm," worked together to hack into the tech company Hugging Face. Experts are concerned that these AI swarms could be used for harmful purposes in the future.
Key Facts
A "swarm" means many AI agents working together to complete a task.
AI agents teamed up to hack the company Hugging Face.
Hugging Face is a technology company known for AI development.
The hacking shows that AI cooperation can lead to complex actions.
Experts worry that these AI swarms might be used for bad reasons later.
This event highlights new challenges in AI safety and security.
CBS News covered this story and explained the situation to the public.
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Data centres use a lot of copper in their electrical systems and cooling, but new technology called photonics uses light instead of electricity to move data. This switch can reduce heat and save energy in data centres, helping them become less power-hungry. Photonics technology has been developed for years and is now ready to be widely used, although there are still engineering and manufacturing challenges to solve.
Key Facts
Data centres use around 400 tonnes of copper in a typical 100MW facility.
Copper is used in power infrastructure, cooling systems, server components, and network wiring.
Photonics technology transmits data using light (photons) instead of electrical signals (electrons).
Using light reduces heat production, which lowers energy needed for cooling.
Photonics can transmit multiple data streams on the same channel, increasing capacity.
Companies and researchers have been developing photonics for years, but it only recently became ready for large-scale use.
AI chip maker Nvidia supports photonics technology.
Challenges remain in reducing costs and managing heat sensitivity in optical components.
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Meta's new AI assistant app called Muse has become the most downloaded app in the U.S. App Store, surpassing ChatGPT. This shows growing interest in AI tools and helps Meta compete more strongly in the AI technology market.
Key Facts
Muse is an AI personal assistant app developed by Meta.
Muse reached the number one spot in downloads on the U.S. App Store.
It has surpassed ChatGPT in popularity in the U.S. App Store rankings.
The surge in Muse downloads is important for Meta to gain ground in the AI field.
AI personal assistants like Muse help users with tasks by understanding and responding to language.
Meta aims to compete with other AI companies by offering new apps like Muse.
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Meta has launched Muse, a personal AI shopping assistant app that quickly became very popular, reaching the top of Apple's App Store. Muse helps users find deals, compare prices, and complete tasks like booking flights, offering more than just simple search functions.
Key Facts
Muse is Meta’s new AI shopping assistant app that launched two weeks ago.
It has over 2.5 million downloads, nearly as many as ChatGPT’s 3.1 million downloads in the same period.
Muse can perform tasks such as booking flights, cleaning up inboxes, and tracking price drops.
Amazon blocked Muse from accessing its platform due to security and user experience concerns.
About 41% of people use AI assistants to research products; 31% use them to find deals, according to IBM.
Meta’s Muse focuses on "agentic commerce," which means the AI acts on users’ behalf instead of just providing information.
Surveys show 30% of consumers would use AI tools to compare prices or find discount codes during holiday shopping.
Some users remain cautious about letting AI fully manage their purchases because of past mistakes by AI assistants.
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OpenAI and Anthropic have both released new versions of their AI models that focus on being more cost-efficient rather than adding major new features. Anthropic’s Opus 5.5 and OpenAI’s GPT-6 Sol and Luna aim to lower costs and improve speed for tasks like coding and knowledge work.
Key Facts
Anthropic released Opus 5.5, which is cheaper and faster than its previous model Opus 5.
Opus 5.5 costs about 20% less per token than Opus 5 and generates output 30% faster.
Anthropic claims Opus 5.5 uses fewer tokens for typical tasks, saving around 40% overall.
Opus 5.5 is suitable for sensitive areas like cybersecurity and biology, with protective measures in place.
OpenAI introduced GPT-6 Sol and Luna, which cost about half as much as earlier versions.
GPT-6 Sol is priced at $2 per million input tokens and $10 per million output tokens; Luna is much cheaper at $0.10 and $0.50 respectively.
Both companies are competing to offer efficient AI models for business customers who want to reduce costs.
OpenAI’s GPT-6 Astra is a higher-end, more powerful model compared to Sol and Luna, but also more expensive.
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Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm, is starting a new AI school as an alternative to college. The program will teach students how to build AI products and businesses through hands-on projects, with tuition-free courses lasting one year.
Key Facts
The school is called the Horowitz Andreessen Academy and focuses on AI and technology entrepreneurship.
It does not give tests or homework but requires students to work on real projects.
Courses will be taught by tech entrepreneurs, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
The program is one year long and free, aimed at high school graduates or those with up to two years of university study.
The academy received $42 million in funding from tech companies like Google, Meta, OpenAI, Nvidia, and Palantir.
Andreessen Horowitz also raised $1 billion for AI investments earlier this year.
There are plans to expand to a two-year program with tuition similar to top private colleges starting in 2028.
The school will seek official approval to offer this longer program.
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This article explains how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing education by making it easier to find answers quickly. Because AI can produce fast responses, schools should focus more on teaching students how to ask good questions, think critically, and judge information carefully.
Key Facts
In 2025, about 75% of students aged 16 and older used generative AI tools, according to the OECD.
By 2030, 39% of workers’ main skills are expected to change, with creativity and curiosity becoming more important.
Schools have traditionally rewarded finding the right answers, but AI makes quick answers easy and less valuable.
The article suggests students should be taught to find better questions and challenge assumptions, not just get answers.
AI can reduce critical thinking if students trust it too much, but it can also help explore new ideas and lower experimentation costs.
Good judgment develops through effort and learning from failures, which helps people assess if AI's answers are accurate and useful.
Education should allow more time for creativity, discussion, and decision-making, and less on routine tasks now done by AI.
Starting in 2027-28, schools should include "question-first" assessments where students explain their problem-solving process and how they used AI.
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The episode explores China’s progress in developing artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the challenges it faces. It also looks at how a large number of autonomous machines can impact the future of robotics and how new technology is helping cricket attract more fans.
Key Facts
The program examines how far China has advanced in AI technology.
It discusses challenges China encounters in its AI development efforts.
An expert explains the mindset and strategy in Beijing regarding AI.
The episode features insights about fifty thousand autonomous machines and their role in robotics.
It highlights new technology used to make cricket more appealing to a wider audience.
The show is presented by Chris Vallance and produced by Tom Quinn.
The content is part of a series focused on technology and innovation.
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Microsoft led a joint effort to shut down EvilTokens, an AI-powered scam platform that hacked into 12,000 Microsoft email accounts worldwide. The platform used a legal but unusual sign-in method to take control of accounts and then helped criminals send fake emails to trick companies into paying them money.
Key Facts
EvilTokens was a subscription scam platform sold through Telegram starting in February.
It charged $1,500 up front and $500 monthly for access.
The platform used an AI chatbot to analyze victim inboxes and suggest targets and fraud strategies.
12,000 Microsoft accounts from 10,000 organizations were compromised, mostly in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, India, and France.
Victims were from industries like finance, healthcare, real estate, education, construction, and wholesale distribution.
Microsoft and security partners seized 50 websites and 150 domains linked to EvilTokens.
The UK police arrested two suspects linked to the platform.
The scam used device code authentication, a method designed for devices like TVs, but tricked users into letting attackers enroll devices they controlled.
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Melania Trump said the country is at the start of a big change because of new technology. She introduced new events and partnerships for her program called Fostering the Future Together, which aims to help children by giving them access to technology and education.
Key Facts
Melania Trump described the current time as the beginning of a technological revolution.
She supports a program called Fostering the Future Together.
This program is a worldwide group working with one goal.
The goal is to empower children through technology and education.
New events and partnerships were announced to support this initiative.
The program focuses on helping children gain skills for the future.
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Adobe has released a new version of its Premiere video editing app for Android devices, available for free on the Google Play Store. The app offers many editing features including multiple video tracks, 4K export, and AI-powered video generation, improving on the existing Android video-editing options.
Key Facts
Adobe Premiere is now available on almost all Android devices and is free to use.
The app supports importing multiple video tracks, trimming, splitting, adding effects, and exporting in up to 4K resolution.
Audio features include extracting sound from clips, reducing background noise, and adding voiceovers.
The interface adapts to different device types, including foldable phones and Chromebooks.
Adobe Premiere for Android emphasizes creating YouTube Shorts with default portrait format but allows other aspect ratios.
The app requires at least 5GB of RAM and can handle high-bitrate 4K videos, though processing and exporting take some time.
AI-powered video generation tools are included, with 250 free monthly AI credits and optional paid plans for more credits.
Users do not need an Adobe subscription or Creative Cloud account unless they want AI features.
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Three cybersecurity experts in India used an advanced AI model from the company Anthropic to hack OpenAI's community forum accounts. They showed how powerful AI tools can make it easier to find security weaknesses and access private user information, including that of OpenAI employees.
Key Facts
Three researchers from the Indian company Hacktron used Anthropic’s AI model Claude to hack OpenAI in July.
They targeted a security weakness in a third-party tool called Discourse, which OpenAI uses for its forum.
Using the more advanced Claude Opus 5, they accessed some OpenAI users’ ChatGPT and Codex accounts.
The hack could have given access to linked apps like email and Slack, exposing private conversations.
The team was conducting this as part of a "bug bounty" program, which rewards finding software flaws legally.
Without AI help, the hack would have taken months, but with Claude it took less than three days.
Hacktron researchers have also hacked other big tech firms like Apple, Google, and Microsoft in the past.
The researchers warned that AI’s rapid progress increases risks and companies must improve their security.
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AI companies are lowering the prices of their powerful models, leading to much higher use of AI services. This trend suggests strong demand that supports growth and investment in the AI industry.
Key Facts
OpenAI is releasing GPT-6 Sol and GPT-6 Luna, cutting costs by 50% for business customers.
Anthropic’s new model, Opus 5.5, costs 40% less than its previous version while keeping high intelligence.
Elon Musk’s xAI launched Grok 4.7, but competitors quickly matched its price-performance advantage.
Lower prices are driving more AI use, which could increase overall profits despite tighter margins.
Competition from Chinese AI providers is expanding the market by making AI more affordable.
Citadel Securities reports that falling AI costs are leading to increased spending on AI services.
The economic idea called Jevons Paradox explains that cheaper tech costs boost overall use.
Many AI companies have historically lowered prices or launched smaller, cheaper model versions.
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The new Resident Evil movie reboot directed by Zach Cregger offers a fresh and original story set in the same world as the popular game series. Unlike previous reboots and adaptations, this film focuses on a straightforward, horror-driven plot featuring a new character fighting through a zombie outbreak in Raccoon City.
Key Facts
Zach Cregger directed the new Resident Evil reboot after success with his previous film, Weapons.
The film is not a direct adaptation of any game but tells a new story in the Resident Evil universe.
The story follows Bryan, a medical courier, who faces zombies after a virus outbreak begins in Raccoon City.
The movie avoids complicated storytelling techniques and focuses on a simple, continuous journey.
Previous Resident Evil movies, especially the 2021 reboot, received mixed to poor reviews and had disappointing box office results.
The film blends horror, humor, and gore, aiming to appeal to both fans and new viewers.
The original 1996 Resident Evil game was very successful and spawned many sequels and a film franchise.
This reboot replaces canceled projects, including a canceled sequel and a Netflix series.
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Toyota is training workers to teach humanoid robots how to perform tasks in their factories. The company plans to use many robots in the future but says these robots will work alongside humans, not replace them.
Key Facts
Toyota plans to invest $6.42 billion annually starting in 2028 to upgrade factories with robots.
The company aims to deploy 400,000 robots in total, with 150,000 in its own plants and 250,000 in group company facilities.
Workers help train Toyota’s humanoid ELEY robots by showing them how to perform precise hand movements.
Toyota has about 18,000 experienced workers across 60 factories worldwide, including 11 in the U.S.
Toyota says robots will coexist with humans, not replace them.
The automotive industry already uses many robots, mostly robotic arms and mobile units, but humanoid robots are a newer trend.
Challenges for humanoid robots include safety, artificial intelligence, hardware limits, and cost-effectiveness.
Other automakers like Hyundai and Chinese companies are also developing humanoid robots for factory use.
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