AI ‘nudify’ websites are reportedly making millions
People continue to seek out ‘nudify’ websites to create explicit AI images without a person’s consent. A recent analysis of 85 such platforms revealed that, collectively, they could be making up to $36 million annually. We’ve been writing about nonconsensual deepfakes for well over seven years now, and the problem...
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US government strikes $200m Grok deal to modernise Defense Department
A week after Grok’s ‘MechaHitler’ debacle, the US government has announced a $200m contract with the AI platform to modernise the Defense Department. The chaotic relationship between Donald Trump and Elon Musk is throwing out some ridiculous headlines, and this is just the latest. If you’re chronically online, like me, you’ll...
How a ban on smartphones is transforming Dutch schools
As global leaders become more concerned about the impact of smartphones on children’s development, many have moved to ban their use in schools. Nearly two years into its own ban, the Dutch government is measuring the results. It’s no secret that smartphones are addictive, even to adults. The constant buzz...
Jack Dorsey’s launches Bluetooth messaging app Bitchat
Bitchat is a decentralised and encrypted chat service able to send and receive messages through Bluetooth signal – and without WiFi or phone service. Will it become an instant hit? Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey has just launched a new peer-to-peer massaging app that works without WiFi or phone service. Bitchat...
Zuckerberg school closures reflect wider shift among US billionaires
The quiet decision to retract funding for a US primary school has caused the institution to shutter – leaving disadvantaged kids in the crossfire. By all accounts, The Primary School in East Palo Alto, California, was designed to be an ambitious experiment in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. Founded...
Terrorists are leveraging AI and it’s becoming harder to stay ahead
Staying one step ahead of terrorist outfits is proving increasingly difficult with the rapid proliferation of open source platforms and artificial intelligence. Monday marked the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 terror attacks in London, and with the grim events of that week once again at the forefront of the public’s...
New study suggests ChatGPT use linked to lower brain activity
Fresh research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab suggests that frequent use of ChatGPT to write essays might be linked to cognitive decline. It turns out that using ChatGPT every day to write essays and perform literary tasks may be having a negative impact on our brains. New research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab involved measuring the electrical activity of three different groups of people. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogcSQ-cFRVM& All three...
The Oakley Meta smart glasses reek of surveillance capitalism
Billed as a wearable device to optimise physical performance, the Oakley Meta smart glasses may just be a catalyst for 24-7 surveillance and targeted advertising on an unprecedented level. Meta loves itself a hefty privacy scandal, and this could be another in the making. By now you’ve probably seen ads featuring Kylian Mbappe and Patrik Mahomes for the Oakley Meta ‘Performance AI glasses’. Taking a colossal dump on the second-gen...
Is virality ruining everything?
As more of us turn to social media for recommendations, is the joy of a hidden gem at risk of extinction? I used to have a thing for secrecy, at least when it came to food. I revelled in the smug satisfaction of knowing about a low-lit bar that only opens two days a week, or the ramen place tucked behind a dry cleaners that doesn’t accept card. I believed...
Donald Trump launches new gold phone and service network
US President Donald Trump has unveiled a new gold smartphone and nationwide service network, fittingly titled ‘Trump Mobile.’ The business initiative raises questions about conflict of interest. The Trump Organisation has just announced ‘Trump Mobile,’ a new smartphone line and monthly network plan that is set to cost $499 USD upfront with a $47.75 USD monthly charge on top. Each ‘Trump Mobile’ phone is cased in a gold material, and...
