Cloudflare, a company that helps make the internet faster and safer, experienced an outage that affected many services like ChatGPT, New Jersey Transit, and social media site X. Cloudflare has mostly fixed the issue but continues to monitor the situation for any more problems. The outage shows how important Cloudflare's role is in how the internet works for many sites.
Key Facts
Cloudflare had an outage affecting services including ChatGPT, League of Legends, and New Jersey Transit.
Other platforms like X, Shopify, Dropbox, and Moody’s were also impacted.
Cloudflare is working to resolve remaining issues and is monitoring for any further disruptions.
Cloudflare is a "content delivery network" that helps make the internet faster and safer by sitting between users and websites.
When Cloudflare experiences problems, it can lead to widespread internet issues because 20% of the world's websites use its services.
Similar outages have occurred with other companies like Microsoft and Amazon, affecting major online services.
A song created by artificial intelligence (AI) called "Walk My Walk" by Breaking Rust hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart. This is the first time an AI-generated song has reached the top spot, raising questions about AI's impact on the music industry. The event has sparked discussions among musicians and industry leaders about the future role of AI in creating music.
Key Facts
"Walk My Walk" is a song created by AI under the name Breaking Rust.
The song reached No. 1 on Billboard's Country Digital Song Sales chart, a first for an AI-created country song.
The track gained over 3 million streams on Spotify in a month.
Breaking Rust is one of several AI-generated acts appearing on music charts recently.
Musicians, including Jason Aldean, reacted to the news, highlighting AI's inability to perform live shows.
Industry discussions are ongoing about AI's impact on music originality and the need for regulation.
Some songwriters see AI as a tool for inspiration but remain cautious about its use.
Spotify has introduced measures to protect artists from AI-related issues and plans to develop responsible AI products with major music labels.
A study by NordPass revealed the most common passwords used in the U.S., showing many are weak and easily guessed, like "admin" and "password". Cybersecurity experts warn about the risks of using simple passwords, especially after a large data breach exposed billions of logins. They suggest creating strong, unique passwords for better online protection.
Key Facts
NordPass released a list of the top 200 most common U.S. passwords, with "admin" and "password" ranking highest.
A major data breach in June exposed 16 billion passwords online.
The study found simple numeric sequences like "123456" are frequently used across all age groups.
Older users often include names in passwords, while younger generations prefer numeric combinations.
Compared to last year, more passwords now include special characters, though not always effectively.
Cybersecurity experts warn simple passwords are vulnerable to a "dictionary attack," a method of guessing passwords using common words.
62% of Americans admit to reusing passwords across different accounts.
Experts advise using strong, unique passwords of at least 20 characters with random letters, numbers, and symbols.
Cloudflare, a company that provides internet services, experienced an outage due to an unusual increase in traffic. This caused problems for several major online platforms like X and ChatGPT. Cloudflare resolved the issue and is investigating the cause of the traffic spike.
Key Facts
Cloudflare saw a spike in unusual internet traffic, which led to an outage.
The outage affected several major online services, including Truth Social, Shopify, and Dropbox.
Cloudflare is based in San Francisco, California.
The company quickly fixed the issue and restored its services.
The cause of the unusual traffic spike is still unknown.
Other major tech companies like Microsoft and Amazon have also faced similar outages recently.
President Donald Trump's platform, Truth Social, was among those impacted.
On Tuesday, several websites faced outages after Cloudflare, an internet infrastructure company, reported technical issues affecting its services. Cloudflare has identified the problem and is working on a fix. Some important websites like OpenAI, Canva, and Uber were affected.
Key Facts
Cloudflare experienced a technical problem impacting many websites.
Websites affected include OpenAI, Canva, Uber, MindBody, Politico, Axios, and others.
Some users in the UK had certain services temporarily disabled.
Cloudflare reported partial recovery for its services Access and WARP.
Additional websites experiencing issues were Shopify, Dropbox, Coinbase, online game League of Legends, Moody's, and NJ Transit.
Cloudflare provides network services worldwide to various businesses.
The situation is ongoing, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
The nominees for The Game Awards 2025 have been announced, with indie games featuring prominently in several categories. "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" leads with 12 nominations, while "Death Stranding 2: On the Beach" has 8 nominations. The awards will be announced on December 11 in Los Angeles.
Key Facts
"Clair Obscur: Expedition 33" received 12 nominations, the highest in the history of The Game Awards.
Indie games like "Hades 2" and "Hollow Knight: Silksong" are contenders for Game of the Year.
"Death Stranding 2: On the Beach" and "Ghost of Yotei" each received 8 nominations.
The event will be livestreamed globally on December 11 from Los Angeles, California.
The Game Awards recognize achievements in areas like game direction, narrative, and art direction.
Notable nominees for Game of the Year include "Donkey Kong Bananza" and "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II."
"Blue Prince" was largely overlooked despite positive reviews, receiving only one nomination.
Nominees also include categories for Best Mobile Game and Best VR/AR Game.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai warned against blindly trusting AI as the company prepares to launch its new AI product, Gemini 3.0. He expressed concerns about the rapid growth and high investments in AI, suggesting these might lead to a market correction similar to past economic bubbles.
Key Facts
Google CEO Sundar Pichai advised caution in trusting AI technology.
He highlighted potential errors in AI models and chatbots.
Pichai warned of a possible market correction in the high-investment AI sector.
Spending on AI by large tech companies is estimated at $400 billion annually.
Some believe AI investments echo past speculative bubbles like the 1990s dotcom boom.
A recent study found that AI models often misrepresent news content.
Experts are concerned that subtle inaccuracies in AI outputs could be harmful.
Pichai described this time as an "extraordinary moment" for AI development.
The article discusses the need for significant updates to data centers, energy grids, and regulations in the United States to fully utilize artificial intelligence (AI). It suggests that these updates can help the U.S. take the lead in AI technology while managing its growing energy demands. Key legislative and policy actions are required to streamline processes and improve infrastructure.
Key Facts
AI is increasingly being used to provide faster insights and smarter decisions for businesses and governments.
There is a predicted increase in data center demand, with expected occupancy rates of 95% by 2026 and a power demand rise of 165% by 2030.
Regulatory and permitting processes currently delay data center projects, often extending timelines to seven years.
The White House AI Action Plan and President Trump's AI infrastructure executive order are efforts to improve AI-related infrastructure.
The International Energy Agency predicts that data centers will consume as much electricity as Japan by 2030.
New legislative proposals aim to improve energy efficiency in AI operations, such as the Liquid Cooling for AI Act.
Bipartisan efforts seek to reduce regulatory hurdles and speed up infrastructure development, like the SPEED Act.
The article emphasizes the need for agile policies to keep up with the fast pace of AI technology advancements.
Users of social media platform X experienced problems, according to reports on the DownDetector service. Cloudflare reported that its global network had issues at the same time.
Key Facts
Users reported problems with the social media platform X.
These reports were seen early on Tuesday morning.
DownDetector is a service that shows when websites have issues.
Cloudflare, a company that helps manage website traffic, reported issues with its global network.
The exact nature of the problems with the platform X was not detailed.
This article discusses the expected release date of Spotify Wrapped 2025, a popular year-end feature showing users their music listening habits. Although Spotify has not confirmed the date, the release is expected in early December based on previous years' patterns. In 2024, Spotify changed its tracking method, extending data collection into November to give users more influence over their final stats.
Key Facts
Spotify Wrapped is an annual feature showing users their top songs, artists, and genres.
The release for Spotify Wrapped 2025 is expected in early December, usually between December 1-5.
Traditionally, Spotify Wrapped stopped tracking data on October 31, but in 2024, it extended tracking into November.
This extension allows users more time to influence their music rankings on Spotify Wrapped.
Users can access Wrapped through the Spotify app or by visiting Spotify.com/Wrapped.
Both free and premium Spotify users can access Wrapped.
Apple Music has a similar feature called Apple Music Replay, available year-round, with an annual roundup also released in early December.
A major UK project is using artificial intelligence (AI) to fight drug-resistant superbugs. The initiative, supported by the Fleming Initiative and GSK, aims to speed up the discovery of new antibiotics and tackle hard-to-treat bacteria. The effort will focus on using AI to understand and overcome bacterial defenses.
Key Facts
The UK project uses AI to address infections that are resistant to current treatments.
This is a collaboration between the Fleming Initiative and pharmaceutical company GSK.
The project will invest £45 million in researching new antibiotics.
Drug-resistant superbugs kill about one million people annually worldwide.
The research will focus on Gram-negative bacteria, which are hard to treat due to their protective barriers.
AI will help identify how to keep antibiotics inside these bacteria to make them effective.
The project also aims to predict and manage the spread of superbugs and deadly fungi using AI.
This is the largest investment in a UK antibiotic project, according to a researcher involved.
Google's CEO, Sundar Pichai, advised people not to rely solely on AI, as it can make mistakes. He emphasized that AI should be used together with other information sources. Google's new AI model, Gemini 3.0, is part of efforts to stay ahead in AI technology.
Key Facts
Google's CEO Sundar Pichai warns against trusting AI blindly due to its potential errors.
Pichai suggests using AI tools alongside other information sources for accuracy.
Google is launching Gemini 3.0, aiming to regain market share from competitors like ChatGPT.
The technology company introduced an "AI Mode" in its search tool to enhance user experience.
BBC research found AI chatbots, including Google's, sometimes provide inaccurate information.
Pichai mentions a balance is needed between rapid AI development and safety measures.
Google invests in AI security, sharing tools to identify AI-generated images.
Pichai acknowledges risks if one company dominated AI technology but believes multiple companies involved reduce such risks.
Sundar Pichai, the head of Google's parent company Alphabet, warned that if the AI industry's rapid growth comes to an abrupt end, no company would be unaffected, including Google. He highlighted the fast rise in AI investments and the risks of overvaluation. Pichai also discussed Google's strategies to manage potential challenges and their ongoing investments in AI, particularly in the UK.
Key Facts
Sundar Pichai warned that an AI market collapse would affect all companies.
Concerns exist about excessive investment in AI causing an economic bubble.
Alphabet's stock value doubled, fueled by optimism about its AI capabilities.
The company is investing heavily in creating advanced AI chips, competing with Nvidia.
Pichai noted similarities with past tech bubbles, such as the dotcom crash.
Google plans to expand AI research and development in the UK with significant investments.
He addressed the growing energy demands of AI, which used a notable percentage of global electricity last year.
The article discusses how frequently using a phone in social situations, known as "phubbing," can negatively affect relationships by making partners or family members feel ignored. To counter this, experts suggest making a simple change: be transparent about phone usage by explaining why it's necessary at the moment and then re-engage with the person you’re with.
Key Facts
"Phubbing" is when someone ignores others in favor of their phone.
This habit can harm relationships by making people feel unimportant.
Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr suggests explaining phone use to others to prevent mindless checking.
Simple actions like naming the reason for phone use can improve communication.
This practice can help avoid feelings of being ignored and maintain connection.
A study led by Dr. Claire Hart showed that feeling phubbed can worsen relationships.
Phubbing can lead to a negative cycle, where both people focus on their phones.
People react differently to phubbing based on their personality.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has received 12 nominations at the Game Awards, including Game of the Year. The Game Awards will take place on December 11 in Los Angeles and are known for featuring game trailers and awards in 29 categories. Clair Obscur was created by a small team from Sandfall Interactive in France and is praised for its storyline and performances.
Key Facts
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 leads the Game Awards with 12 nominations, including Game of the Year.
The Game Awards will happen on December 11 in Los Angeles.
The event is often called the "Oscars of gaming" and includes live musical performances and celebrity appearances.
Over 154 million streamed the Game Awards in 2024.
Other Game of the Year contenders include Death Stranding 2, Hades 2, and Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Clair Obscur was developed by Sandfall Interactive, a team of around 30 people from Montpelier, France.
Three actors from Clair Obscur are nominated for best performance.
Clair Obscur is also nominated for best narrative and best independent game.
Older Gen Z members are using artificial intelligence (AI) to choose health insurance plans. A survey shows about two-thirds of these young adults trust AI for this task instead of making the choice on their own.
Key Facts
AI is helping older Gen Z members, also known as "zillennials," pick health insurance plans.
The Justworks report, with The Harris Poll, found 62% of zillennials use AI to choose health insurance.
21% of zillennials feel unsure about choosing the right health plan.
55% of Gen Z adults lack knowledge about selecting insurance plans because they've never chosen one before.
44% of zillennials admit they do not think much about their insurance choices.
AI can simplify complex insurance information by outlining the benefits and drawbacks.
Traditional methods relied on insurance agents, while AI now serves as a modern alternative.
A British hacker named Joseph O'Connor was sentenced to repay £4.1 million after hacking over 130 high-profile Twitter accounts in 2020. O'Connor was involved in a scam that used these accounts to solicit Bitcoin, promising to double the money people sent. He was arrested in Spain and later extradited to the U.S., where he was sentenced to five years in prison for cyber crimes.
Key Facts
Joseph O'Connor hacked Twitter accounts of well-known people like Barack Obama and Elon Musk in July 2020.
The scam involved tweets from these accounts asking people to send Bitcoin, claiming they would receive double in return.
O'Connor was arrested in Spain in 2021 and extradited to the U.S. for trial.
He and other hackers gained access to Twitter's systems through social engineering, tricking employees to share login details.
O'Connor was sentenced to five years in prison and now must repay £4.1 million in Bitcoin.
The hack affected an estimated 350 million Twitter users who saw suspicious tweets.
A total of over 12.86 Bitcoin was stolen, which is now worth about $1.2 million.
The UK authorities recovered 42 Bitcoin and other digital currencies from O'Connor.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has observed comet 3I/ATLAS using a spacecraft orbiting Mars to improve predictions of its path as part of a planetary defense test. The data collection involves collaboration with NASA and marks the first submission of such measurements to the Minor Planet Center database from a spacecraft around another planet. The comet, which poses no threat, will be visible again from Earth in December.
Key Facts
The ESA used its ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter to study comet 3I/ATLAS.
The observations help improve the accuracy of predicting the comet's path.
The comet passed 29 million km from Mars on its closest approach.
The ESA coordinated with NASA for this planetary defense test.
This is the first time measurements from a Mars-orbiting spacecraft have entered the Minor Planet Center database.
The comet will become visible from Earth again in December.
The data collection is part of an effort to prepare for potential future threats from space objects.
Scientists in China have discovered that a fern species, Blechnum orientale, naturally forms tiny crystals containing rare earth elements. This finding could lead to a more environmentally-friendly way to extract these valuable metals. This method, called phytomining, relies on plants to absorb metals from the soil.
Key Facts
The fern Blechnum orientale is known to absorb high levels of metals from the soil and water.
Researchers found that this fern naturally forms tiny crystals of rare earth elements (REEs).
Rare earth elements are important for technologies like clean energy and electronics but are hard to extract without harming the environment.
The discovery could make a plant-based extraction process, called phytomining, more sustainable.
This method of extraction could help with low global supplies of certain rare earth elements.
Monazite, the mineral found in the fern, is a key source of rare earth elements.
The process allows plants to be continually harvested and regrown, ensuring ongoing extraction.
A new report shows that top jobs in artificial intelligence (AI) are no longer limited to Silicon Valley. States like Montana, Alaska, New York, and Massachusetts now offer high salaries in AI, driven by factors like lower taxes and the growth of remote work.
Key Facts
Resume.ai analyzed 45,000 AI job listings on LinkedIn across the U.S.
Montana leads in AI salaries, with average pay at $223,288 per year.
Alaska offers about $148,000 annually, while New York’s average is around $141,000.
The states with the most open AI jobs are Louisiana, Wyoming, and Illinois.
Of the AI job listings, 65% are on-site, 25% are hybrid, and 10% are remote.
Top AI roles include machine learning engineers, AI research scientists, and NLP specialists.
AI job requirements often include knowledge of generative AI platforms like Claude, Cursor, and Anthropic.
Factors such as remote work and tax incentives are drawing companies to states outside Silicon Valley.
