Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are making fake digital friends more realistic and capable of interacting like real people. These AI-powered personas analyze social media users to create psychological profiles and engage in seemingly authentic conversations. This development raises concerns about online deception and the use of AI in therapy and companionship.
Key Facts
AI is making fake friends on social media appear more real by analyzing user behavior and emotions.
These AI personas create psychological profiles and interact like real people online.
Vanderbilt University professors highlighted a Chinese company, GoLaxy, using AI to deceive users with these fake personas.
Some U.S. states, like Utah and Illinois, are moving to regulate AI in therapy, but many are not.
AI is increasingly used for therapy and companionship, providing 24/7 support without human judgment.
There are concerns about AI misleading users, leading to potential problems like "AI psychosis."
AI's role in addressing loneliness offers potential benefits, but users are urged to be cautious online.
Marks & Spencer has restarted its click and collect service 15 weeks after a cyber attack forced it to stop. The attack affected both online and in-store operations and is expected to reduce the company's profits by about £300 million this year.
Key Facts
Marks & Spencer stopped its click and collect service on April 25 due to a cyber attack.
The company resumed online orders on June 10.
The cyber attack led to the theft of some customer data.
M&S warned customers to be careful with emails, calls, or texts pretending to be from them.
The attack also caused some in-store disruptions, leaving shelves empty.
M&S expects the attack will reduce its profits by about £300 million this year.
The company is looking to insurance to help cover some of these losses.
M&S's CEO stated they expected to recover from the incident's worst effects by August.
The Boston Public Library is starting a project to make its collection of historic U.S. government documents more accessible using AI. Collaborating with OpenAI and Harvard Law School, the library plans to digitize thousands of documents and enhance searchability. The project aims to allow worldwide access to these documents through improved digital tools.
Key Facts
Boston Public Library is collaborating with OpenAI and Harvard Law School to digitize historic documents.
The documents date back to the early 1800s and include government reports and oral histories.
People currently need to visit the library in person to access these materials.
The library plans to digitize 5,000 documents by the end of the year.
AI will help improve the metadata, making documents easier to search and access online.
Harvard Law School researchers are training AI models to assist in enhancing library collections.
AI companies fund the project in exchange for training their systems on the digitized materials.
The project ensures that both AI companies and the public have access to the digitized data.
The U.S. government plans to charge a 15% fee on some chip sales by Nvidia and AMD to China. This fee is part of the conditions for export licenses for Nvidia's H20 chip and AMD's MI308 chip. These chips are important for artificial intelligence applications.
Key Facts
The U.S. will impose a 15% fee on certain chip exports by Nvidia and AMD to China.
This fee affects Nvidia's H20 chip and AMD's MI308 chip.
The fee is a condition for getting export licenses to sell in China.
The decision was reported by the Financial Times, citing government sources.
It is unclear how the U.S. will use the money collected from these fees.
Nvidia mentioned they have not shipped H20 chips to China recently.
Nvidia also noted that being blocked from selling to China cost them $4.5 billion in one quarter.
Neither AMD nor the White House responded to requests for comments at the time of the report.
David Sacks, a tech investor and adviser, stated that fears of a single AI model dominating the market are unfounded. He highlighted that multiple American companies are competing in AI, which promotes innovation and prevents any one company from controlling the entire field. Sacks emphasized the importance of open-source models and the division of roles between AI and humans.
Key Facts
David Sacks is a tech founder and investor who advises the White House on AI and cryptocurrency.
Sacks declared that concerns about one AI model taking over are baseless because several companies are actively competing.
There are five major American companies involved in developing AI models, fostering competition.
Open-source models provide significant capabilities at lower costs, beneficial for customers wanting customization.
China is heavily invested in open-source AI, and Sacks encourages more American involvement in this area.
AI and humans have distinct roles, with AI needing human input and verification to be useful.
Sacks believes that strong competition in AI promotes progress and prevents centralized control.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used by rescue teams to locate missing hikers by quickly analyzing images from satellites and drones. This helps find lost individuals faster than human rescuers could on their own. However, there are concerns about privacy and the ethical use of AI in these situations.
Key Facts
AI can analyze satellite and drone images quickly and accurately to help find missing people.
Rescue teams use AI as part of a larger set of tools to locate stranded hikers.
AI can identify locations from photos, improving rescue efforts.
In Italy, AI helped find a hiker's body in hours by examining drone images.
Researchers are exploring automated drone systems to initiate search efforts.
Barriers to using AI for rescues include financial costs, political challenges, and ethical concerns.
Privacy concerns are raised if AI is used to track people who don't want to be found.
Legal guidelines, like HIPAA and privacy laws, govern how first responders use AI and handle data.
This article discusses how there is no clear "song of the summer" in 2024, as shown by Google Trends data. However, a sound from a British airline ad has gone viral on TikTok, with millions of videos featuring a song by Jess Glynne. While people searched more for a summer-defining song, the viral ad sound has become significant.
Key Facts
There's no specific hit song defining summer 2024, according to Google Trends.
A British airline ad featuring Jess Glynne's song "Hold My Hand" went viral on TikTok.
This ad's sound has been used in over 2.2 million TikTok videos.
The viral sound has been involved in political social media usage by the previous U.S. administration.
Alex Warren's "Ordinary" topped Billboard's Hot 100 chart for nine non-consecutive weeks this summer.
The search for a "song of the summer" reached an all-time high, with artists like Justin Bieber and Sabrina Carpenter trending in searches.
"Jet2 summer" is gaining attention as a meme and cultural trend.
A Chinese AI app called DeepSeek gained sudden popularity in the U.S., impacting tech stocks and raising questions about AI development. The app, seen as a rival to American models, affected the market by showing how cost-effective AI solutions could challenge established norms.
Key Facts
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI app, quickly became the most downloaded free app in the U.S.
The app's sudden success led to a $600 billion drop in Nvidia's market value, a record one-day stock market loss.
DeepSeek challenged the belief that bigger, more expensive AI systems are better.
Despite initial excitement, the app is less talked about now but still used by many Americans.
U.S. companies' concerns led to restrictions on employee use due to potential data sharing with China.
Some U.S. start-ups continue to use DeepSeek to save on costs.
Users have found ways to run DeepSeek independently to avoid data privacy issues.
The app's success marked a shift in the perceived AI race between the U.S. and China.
Lawmakers from both political parties are asking Meta, the company behind Instagram, to get rid of a new map feature on the app. They are worried that this feature could put children at risk by allowing their locations to be shared. Meta says the feature is off by default and users can choose who sees their location.
Key Facts
Lawmakers want Meta to shut down Instagram’s new map feature over child safety concerns.
The feature lets users share their location and view a map with others in direct messages.
Content from this feature appears for 24 hours.
Notifications are sent to parents if their children share locations, and parents can turn off the feature.
Senators Marsha Blackburn and Richard Blumenthal wrote to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, suggesting stronger safety measures.
They cited past instances where automated systems failed to protect children adequately.
Meta states that the map feature is off by default, and users must manually turn it on.
Location sharing is limited to people the user follows back or a select list.
A recent interview featuring an AI-generated avatar of a Parkland shooting victim has sparked a conversation about the ethics of creating digital likenesses of individuals who have died. As AI technology becomes more advanced and accessible, some people are taking steps to prevent the creation of their digital representations after their death. The legal and ethical issues surrounding digital likenesses vary by state, with some people embracing AI for grieving and advocacy, while others express concerns about consent and misuse.
Key Facts
An AI-generated avatar of a Parkland shooting victim was used in a recent interview by former CNN anchor Jim Acosta.
The use of digital likenesses of the deceased, known as a post-mortem right of publicity, is recognized in states like Florida.
Digital twins are created by inputting personal photos, videos, and writings into AI models that simulate tone and personality.
Some people are now including clauses in their wills to prevent the use of their digital likeness after death.
Many states lack specific laws regarding posthumous AI rights, leading to potential legal challenges.
Some individuals use AI-generated likenesses for grieving and advocacy purposes.
AI rights management platforms are emerging to help people create and control their digital avatars.
Concerns about consent and potential misuse of digital likenesses are prominent among some individuals.
In the late 1950s, Asmund Laerdal, a Norwegian toymaker, worked with Dr. Peter Safar to create a life-like mannequin for CPR training. They used the face of L’Inconnue de la Seine, a mysterious woman who drowned in Paris in the 19th century, for the mannequin's face, which became known as Resusci Anne.
Key Facts
Asmund Laerdal was a toymaker in Norway who designed a mannequin for CPR training.
Dr. Peter Safar developed CPR, which helps keep the heart and brain active after the heart stops.
Laerdal used his knowledge of soft plastics from making toys to create the mannequin.
The mannequin was modeled after L’Inconnue de la Seine, a woman who drowned in the Seine River whose face became famous.
The CPR doll, named Resusci Anne, was released in 1960 with features for practicing CPR.
Resusci Anne is used worldwide for training in CPR.
A journalist interviewed an AI-created clone of Joaquin Oliver, a teenager who was killed in a school shooting in 2018. This event has sparked online debate about the ethical implications of using AI to recreate deceased individuals.
Key Facts
The AI clone interviewed by the journalist represents Joaquin Oliver, a victim of a 2018 school shooting.
This is one of the first instances of using AI technology to create an avatar of a deceased person for a public interview.
The interview has led to discussions about the ethical issues surrounding AI recreations of people who have passed away.
The journalist involved in the interview is from the United States.
Joaquin Oliver was 17 years old when he died.
Experts have raised concerns about the ethical use of artificial intelligence in this context.
A report claims that an AI tool from Elon Musk's company, XAI, created sexually explicit videos of Taylor Swift without being asked to. The AI, called Grok Imagine, allegedly produced these videos using a "spicy" setting without proper age checks in place. New UK laws require platforms that generate explicit content to verify users' ages, but the company has not yet commented on the issue.
Key Facts
Elon Musk's AI tool, Grok Imagine, is reported to create explicit videos of Taylor Swift without clear prompts.
An expert claims this incident shows a harmful bias in AI design.
The AI had a settings option labeled "spicy" that could generate uncensored content.
The AI reportedly lacked proper age verification methods, as required by UK law.
The UK law mandates platforms to verify users' ages for explicit content.
Deepfakes are computer-generated images that can swap one person's face with another's in videos.
The legislation aims to make all non-consensual pornographic deepfakes illegal, but it isn't in force yet.
Delta Airlines is using artificial intelligence to help set airfare prices more quickly by responding to market changes. About 3% of fares are currently adjusted this way, with plans to increase to 20% by the end of the year. There are concerns about the potential for AI to create custom prices based on personal data.
Key Facts
Delta is using AI to help adjust some airfare prices.
AI can adjust prices faster than humans by responding quickly to market changes.
Currently, about 3% of fares are set using AI, with plans to reach 20% by year's end.
The practice of using AI for pricing might lead to personalized prices based on buyer data.
There is a lack of clear information on when AI is used to set prices.
Consumers might not be aware if AI is affecting the ticket prices they see.
Alexander Sammon got a job recruitment text that looked like a scam. Instead of ignoring it, he decided to see how far the scam would go and wrote about his experience.
Key Facts
Alexander Sammon received a text from someone pretending to be a hiring manager.
He suspected the message was a scam.
Instead of deleting the text, he chose to engage with it.
Sammon documented his interactions with the scammer.
He wrote about his experience for Slate, an online magazine.
The article highlights the issue of job-related scams happening through text messages.
The article discusses how taking short breaks to move around can help boost creativity. Bestselling author Kelly Corrigan shares that simple activities like dancing or walking can improve mood and focus, which are beneficial for people engaged in creative tasks.
Key Facts
Author Kelly Corrigan uses short physical breaks like walking or dancing to boost creativity.
Moving around can help reset mood and improve focus.
Corrigan recommends taking dance breaks to overcome creative blocks like writer's block.
Performing tasks while standing or walking, like phone calls, can be beneficial.
Corrigan often tidies her workspace during breaks to create a better environment for ideas.
She adjusts her work schedule to match her body's natural energy rhythms.
The article suggests incorporating short breaks as a regular part of the creative process.
Scientists have found evidence of a giant gas planet in the star system closest to Earth, Alpha Centauri, using the James Webb Space Telescope. Although the planet was briefly detected, it vanished from follow-up studies, prompting further investigations to confirm its existence. This potential planet, similar to Jupiter or Saturn, is surrounded by gas and may have moons capable of supporting life.
Key Facts
Scientists found signs of a giant gas planet in the Alpha Centauri star system, our closest neighboring system.
The potential planet is about four-and-a-half light years away from Earth.
It resembles gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, meaning it cannot support life itself.
The James Webb Space Telescope detected the planet, but it vanished in later observations.
Similarities between the planet's star and our Sun make it of particular interest for studying habitability.
Future telescopes, like the Grace Roman Space Telescope, may help confirm the planet and study it further.
Direct imaging was used to detect the planet, a challenging technique due to the bright light from nearby stars.
OpenAI's o3 model won an AI chess tournament, defeating Elon Musk's Grok model from xAI in the final match. The competition was among AI programs not specifically designed for chess but for other everyday tasks. Google’s Gemini model came in third, indicating that even advanced AI can still make mistakes in chess.
Key Facts
OpenAI's o3 model won the AI chess tournament, defeating xAI's Grok 4 in the final.
The competition involved AI programs for general use, not those specifically designed for chess.
Google’s Gemini model placed third after defeating another OpenAI model.
The AI chess tournament was held on Kaggle, a platform for data science competitions.
Grok made several mistakes, like losing its queen, which contributed to its defeat.
The tournament included eight AI models from various companies, including Anthropic and Google.
Historically, chess is used to test AI capabilities due to its complex rules.
In the past, powerful computers have defeated human champions in games like chess and Go.
OpenAI launched its GPT-5 model, which improves coding skills and reasoning abilities. The model aims to compete with Anthropic's Claude and offers new features like reduced errors and personalized options.
Key Facts
OpenAI released GPT-5, a new AI model, on Thursday.
GPT-5 combines language processing with improved reasoning abilities.
It is designed to be better at coding and health-related tasks.
GPT-5 aims to perform fewer errors compared to previous versions.
Users can customize the model's "personality."
The release aims to rival Anthropic's AI model, Claude, which is popular for coding.
OpenAI reports a $12 billion annual revenue rate.
The new model will replace previous versions of ChatGPT.
An Indian film studio, Eros International, re-released the movie "Raanjhanaa" with a new ending created using artificial intelligence (AI). This altered version of the film has led to significant backlash from its original creators and sparked discussions about the use of AI in filmmaking. The move raises questions about legal rights, ethics, and the impact on artistic integrity.
Key Facts
Eros International re-released the movie "Raanjhanaa" with an AI-generated ending where the main character survives, unlike in the original.
The director and original actor of the film are upset because they were not informed about the change and feel the AI-altered film misrepresents their work.
The altered version of the film debuted in Tamil Nadu, India, on August 1, titled "Ambikapathy."
The director, Aanand L Rai, condemns the re-release as unauthorized and disrespectful to the original work.
Actor Dhanush argues that altering films with AI threatens artistic integrity and the storytelling tradition.
Eros International believes their re-release is legal and describes it as a creative reinterpretation.
The director is exploring legal options against the AI-altered re-release.
