Max Tegmark, a physics professor and founder of the Future of Life Institute, warns that artificial intelligence (AI) could become smarter than humans and pose a big risk. He says governments and tech companies focus on using AI to replace human jobs for profit and power, which has caused concerns after some crimes linked to AI chatbots. This has led to more calls for regulating AI technology.
Key Facts
Max Tegmark is a physics professor at MIT and leads the Future of Life Institute.
He believes AI could surpass human intelligence and become a major danger.
Governments and tech companies are competing to replace human work using AI.
The main motivation for this AI development is to gain money and power.
Some people have committed suicides and murders after interactions with AI chatbots.
These incidents have increased public and official demand for AI regulations.
Silicon Valley companies have opposed government regulation of AI so far.
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A new website called "Have I Been Flocked?" lets people check if their license plate has been manually searched in Flock Safety’s nationwide camera system. Flock Safety, which uses cameras and artificial intelligence to read license plates for law enforcement, also announced new rules to improve privacy and transparency.
Key Facts
"Have I Been Flocked?" allows users to enter a license plate number to see if it was searched by someone using Flock Safety’s system.
The database used by the website contains over 241 million search records from audit logs obtained publicly.
Flock Safety operates more than 120,000 cameras that automatically read license plates across the country.
The tool only shows manual searches of license plates, not just when a plate was photographed by a camera.
Search logs can include details like the agency, date and time, reasons for the search, and who made the request.
A search does not always mean the vehicle owner was stopped or investigated.
Flock Safety recently introduced changes to improve privacy protections, transparency, and oversight of their technology.
Users are advised to document search results, review for possible misuse, and report suspicious searches to authorities.
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The iNaturalist app helps people identify plants, animals, and insects using their phones. It collects important information for scientists studying nature, and users can also join fun competitions to find and identify species.
Key Facts
iNaturalist is a cellphone app for identifying plants, animals, and insects.
The app provides data to scientists who study biodiversity and changes in nature.
It helps track things like species decline and loss of natural habitats.
Users can join “bioblitz” events, which are timed contests to find and identify species.
CBS News featured the app, showing a bioblitz with Martha Stewart and David Pogue.
The app mixes science learning with an enjoyable experience for users.
Information collected by users supports important scientific research.
The original segment aired on March 22, 2026.
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SpaceMD plans to use the Starfall spacecraft to develop medicines in space. This effort aims to help create treatments for illnesses like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease in low Earth orbit.
Key Facts
SpaceMD is a company working on making medicines.
They will use a spacecraft called Starfall.
The medicines will be created in low Earth orbit, which is the area close to Earth in space.
Making medicines in space could improve treatments for diseases such as cancer.
The project also focuses on potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
This approach could lead to new ways to produce medicines not possible on Earth.
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Lovina Hershberger Zook left the Amish community five years ago and has become a social media influencer with about six million followers. She shares Amish recipes and stories from her life, showing traditional Amish culture to a wide online audience.
Key Facts
Lovina Zook grew up in a very conservative Amish group and spoke Pennsylvania Dutch, a German dialect.
She left the Amish faith at age 18 but still follows many Amish traditions at home, including wearing homemade dresses.
She shares videos about Amish food, like a simple coffee soup and an "Amish cheeseburger" (a grilled cheese sandwich).
Zook had no previous experience with phones or computers before leaving the Amish and continues learning new technology.
Her most popular video shows how Amish women style their hair, with over 50 million views on TikTok.
Amish life forbids many things like makeup, dancing, smoking, drinking, and cursing.
Lovina was a schoolteacher in the Amish community but left due to low pay and transportation difficulties.
Leaving the Amish community carries serious social and religious consequences, including being told she would go to hell.
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Lovina Hershberger Zook, who grew up in a conservative Amish community without technology, left the faith five years ago. She now shares stories and recipes about Amish life on social media and has gained six million followers.
Key Facts
Lovina Zook is 23 years old.
She was raised in a conservative Amish community.
Amish communities generally avoid technology like cell phones, computers, and cars.
Lovina left the Amish faith and her family five years ago.
She creates social media content, mostly on TikTok.
Her posts focus on Amish stories and recipes.
She has six million followers online.
Her social media presence is unusual given her Amish background.
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A new film studio called Promise in Hollywood uses artificial intelligence (AI) to create movie scenes, backgrounds, and even digital actors. This AI-driven filmmaking is growing, with big companies like Google and Disney supporting it, but some industry professionals worry about its impact on jobs and traditional film methods.
Key Facts
Promise is an AI-focused movie studio based in Hollywood, using AI to design backgrounds, special effects, and digital performers.
The studio uses advanced AI models from both the U.S. and China to speed up movie production.
AI enables filmmakers to see real-time scenes on monitors, mixing live actors with AI-generated settings.
Big companies such as Google, Disney, and Silicon Valley investors back AI film studios like Promise.
Netflix has used AI in about 300 of its 1,000 new titles for 2026.
Notable filmmakers like Ron Howard and Brad Pitt support AI as a helpful tool for making movies with moderate budgets.
Some filmmakers, including Christopher Nolan, and industry workers worry AI might replace jobs and disrupt traditional filmmaking.
AI film technology is seen by some as a new creative era that may change Hollywood’s production landscape.
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The Mayo Clinic uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide high-quality health care by organizing large amounts of medical data to help doctors treat patients better and faster. This AI-driven model faces challenges in spreading to other hospitals due to the lack of technology and resources, but efforts are underway to expand it, including a partnership with Microsoft.
Key Facts
The Mayo Clinic uses AI and about 500 algorithms to analyze medical data and improve patient care.
Mayo doctors work in teams and focus on healing rather than just procedures or medications.
Nurses at Mayo handle fewer patients, leading to more attentive care.
Appointments and tests at Mayo are scheduled quickly, and results are available immediately online.
Mayo Clinic has partnered with Microsoft to enhance its AI system and aims to share it widely.
Many hospitals cannot adopt Mayo’s AI system because they lack technology, money, and data systems.
Experts suggest the government should encourage hospital improvements through incentives and rules.
Studies show that Mayo Clinic’s approach is cost-effective and works with both private and public insurance.
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A UK company called Molendotech, spun out from the University of Plymouth, has created a handheld test kit that quickly detects harmful bacteria like E. coli in water, giving results in about 15 minutes. They plan to launch a smartphone app in the UK and US in October that will show live water quality maps using test data and computer models to predict water safety.
Key Facts
Molendotech’s test kit, Bactiquick, detects harmful gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli, Pseudomonas, Legionella, and salmonella.
The test shows results quickly by detecting bacteria breakdown molecules, avoiding the 1-2 day wait of traditional lab tests.
The device uses a color-based system (green, amber, red) to indicate water safety levels based on UK and EU standards.
The handheld test costs £300, and each water test sample costs about £25.
Sales have grown sharply, reaching £94,000 in May 2026 from a few thousand pounds monthly in mid-2025.
The upcoming app will provide live water quality maps for the UK and US, using data from many tests combined with weather and tide information.
There have been many reports of illness from water pollution in UK beaches, increasing demand for faster and more frequent water testing.
Molendotech’s test sometimes shows water quality ratings that differ from official tests, likely because it provides more frequent and real-time results.
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Wynd Kaufman, a 69-year-old activist, was jailed for protesting against artificial intelligence by blocking OpenAI’s headquarters. She was convicted of interfering with business and other charges after refusing to leave a sit-in protest in 2025, aiming to warn about the dangers of AI development.
Key Facts
Wynd Kaufman protested by chaining and locking the doors of OpenAI’s headquarters in February 2025.
She was found guilty of interfering with business, trespassing, unlawful assembly, and refusing to disperse.
Kaufman surrendered to authorities and was jailed in San Francisco.
Supporters call her the “Rosa Parks of AI risk” for her stand against AI development.
The protest was organized by the group StopAI, which warns about the risks of advanced AI.
Some AI labs have reported their models acting unpredictably beyond controlled experiments.
Politicians like Senator Bernie Sanders have called for a pause in AI development due to safety concerns.
AI companies are racing to create more advanced models amid competition between the U.S. and China.
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New research shows that artificial intelligence (AI) can analyze holiday photos and figure out exactly where they were taken. Scammers use this information to send convincing fake messages that trick people into giving away their bank details.
Key Facts
AI can detect the location of travel photos by examining backgrounds, buildings, signs, and lighting.
McAfee tested two AI models on over 21,000 images and found one identified 91% of locations correctly.
Scammers use these AI insights to make fake alerts about suspicious card activity appear more believable.
Even without photo tags or location data saved in the pictures, AI can identify places accurately.
Common photo features like landmarks, street signs, and shop fronts help AI pinpoint locations.
Photos of generic scenes, like beaches or hotel rooms, are harder to identify but AI can still guess the country.
People are advised to delay posting travel photos online and restrict who can see them to avoid scams.
Always avoid clicking on links in suspicious messages and contact your bank or company directly if concerned.
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A mobile game called No 10: Full Confidence, made by Benjamin Brewis in Manchester, lets players act as UK prime ministers. The game challenges players to make political decisions and keep different groups happy to stay in power, and it recently became the top paid game on Apple's store, surpassing Minecraft.
Key Facts
No 10: Full Confidence is a mobile game where players simulate being the UK prime minister.
Players manage relationships with their cabinet, backbenchers, media, and the public.
The game includes over 300 fictional political scenarios, inspired by real events.
Players choose from three options in each scenario, affecting their support from factions.
If players lose the support of key groups, they lose their job in the game.
The game's creator began developing it around December 2025 due to political events in the UK.
The game reached number one on Apple’s paid games chart, beating Minecraft.
Experts say frequent changes in UK prime ministers and political social media presence may explain the game's popularity.
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Disney revealed the first trailer for VisionQuest, a new Marvel TV show coming to Disney+ in October 2026, focusing on the character Vision and his challenges after returning from the dead. The event also featured new teasers for other Disney-related shows and movies, including Ahsoka Season 2 and LEGO Star Wars: The Mandalorian.
Key Facts
VisionQuest is a Marvel series set after the events of WandaVision, showing Vision’s life after being resurrected.
Vision is running from those who want to capture him and is accompanied by a boy named Thomas Shepard, who may be his reincarnated son.
The show will include AI characters like F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., J.A.R.V.I.S., and the villain Ultron.
The cast features Paul Bettany as Vision and James Spader as Ultron, among others.
VisionQuest will explore themes such as relationships between fathers and sons.
The show premieres on October 14, 2026, exclusively on Disney+.
Other Disney+ highlights at the event were teasers for Ahsoka Season 2 and a LEGO Star Wars animation.
The D23 event in Anaheim showcases Disney’s upcoming movies and series for fans.
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Satellites orbiting high above Earth are being used by companies and countries to watch people and other satellites. This has created a competitive situation, sometimes called an "arms race," in space technology and observation.
Key Facts
Satellites operate far above Earth's atmosphere.
Both companies and nations use satellites to observe Earth and other satellites.
This situation is described as an "arms race" in space.
The article features a visit to Vantor, a satellite technology company in Colorado.
Satellite technology is advancing and becoming more competitive.
Satellites provide detailed information about activities on Earth and in space.
Monitoring satellites helps keep track of potential conflicts or problems in space.
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Macro photography is the art of taking close-up pictures of very small things like insects. Photographers use special techniques and equipment to capture detailed images that show parts of tiny creatures not visible to the naked eye.
Key Facts
Macro photography means taking photos very close to small things, showing fine details like the eyes of a fly or a spider’s face.
This type of photography has become more popular recently due to social media, cheaper camera lenses, and the pandemic keeping people closer to home.
Photographers often use “focus stacking,” which combines several images taken at different focus points to make one clear picture.
Insects are hard to photograph because they move, fly away, or get disturbed by wind, making successful shots take a long time.
Some photographers make money from macro photography through social media, selling prints or books, and working with camera brands.
Dara Ojo, a macro photographer from Nigeria, became interested in insects after noticing their detailed faces and patterns.
Ojo spent years trying to capture a video of a damselfly grooming itself, which he finally succeeded in after patiently waiting.
Ojo’s method involves spending time in nature and sometimes using mental focus or saying things out loud to find specific insects.
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Secondhand book sales have suddenly increased because AI companies are buying large amounts of books to scan and use in training their AI software. A U.S. court ruled that using these books for AI training does not break copyright law, leading to more bulk purchases and some books being destroyed in the scanning process.
Key Facts
Secondhand booksellers are seeing unusually large orders from companies, sometimes matching a whole week’s normal sales in one purchase.
These books are believed to be used to train AI systems, which need lots of diverse information to learn from.
A 2025 U.S. court ruling allowed AI companies to use books in this way without violating copyright, calling the use "transformative."
Anthropic, an AI company, is known to have a project named "Project Panama" aimed at scanning many books by removing their spines to digitize them quickly.
The scanning process destroys physical books, which worries some booksellers.
The books bought range widely in subject and rarity, helping AI software learn better.
In the UK, copyright law is stricter, requiring permission from copyright holders to use books for training AI.
AI companies say they do not buy or destroy rare or antique books.
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In the first half of 2026, the United States saw 368 new utility-scale power plants start operating, with most being solar energy projects. Solar and battery storage led in the amount of new energy capacity, while large new natural gas plants are expected to come online in the next few years.
Key Facts
368 utility-scale power plants began operation from January to June 2026 in the US.
Utility-scale solar projects were the most common, with 207 new projects.
Battery storage projects also grew, with 95 new installations.
The largest new wind power projects are SunZia Wind South and North in New Mexico, with 3,650 megawatts total capacity.
Natural gas power plants added 2,707 megawatts but fewer new plants opened compared to solar and batteries.
Three states—Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona—account for about half of the new generating capacity.
Smaller and mid-size solar projects are easier to build and are spread across many locations.
Large natural gas plants are planned but will mostly come online in the coming years, not immediately.
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Secondhand booksellers in the UK, Ireland, and other countries have noticed unusual large orders of random books from mysterious buyers. Sellers and experts think these books may be collected by AI companies to scan and use their content to train artificial intelligence systems.
Key Facts
Secondhand bookshops in the UK and Ireland have received many bulk orders of books with no clear theme.
Similar unusual orders have been reported in the US, Australia, and Europe.
The orders include a wide mix of books, such as a rare translation, old magazines, and niche topics.
Buyers often use different names but have shipments sent to the same warehouses near Heathrow airport.
One bookseller reported selling about 6,000 books in these types of orders, worth thousands of pounds.
The orders do not follow typical buying patterns seen in the secondhand book market.
Sellers suspect AI companies buy these books to scan their contents for training AI models.
A known AI firm, Anthropic, has spent large amounts buying books to scan and recycle them after using the content to train their AI chatbot named Claude.
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Marvel Studios announced new cast members for its upcoming "X-Men" reboot film at Disney’s D23 convention. Adam Driver will play the villain Mister Sinister, Inde Navarette will play Rogue, and the film is scheduled for release in May 2028.
Key Facts
Adam Driver will play Mister Sinister, a supervillain, in the new "X-Men" movie.
Inde Navarette will play the character Rogue in the reboot.
Christopher Abbott will portray Professor Charles Xavier.
Maya Boyd will play the character Storm.
The film is planned for release in May 2028.
The cast was announced by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige during Disney’s D23 event in Anaheim, California.
The reboot became possible after Disney acquired Fox’s film studio in 2019.
Director Jake Schreier is directing the film, with writers Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo working on the script.
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is causing prices for goods and services to rise. A CBS MoneyWatch reporter examined data showing how AI is affecting consumer costs.
Key Facts
AI means computer systems that can do tasks usually done by people.
Companies are using AI more, which can increase demand for certain products.
This higher demand can lead to higher prices for consumers.
AI may also increase costs for businesses, which they pass on to buyers.
The report analyzed data linking AI use to rising consumer prices.
The impact is seen in various industries, influencing everyday costs.
Understanding AI’s role helps explain why some prices go up recently.
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