Google Hits Brakes on AI Images of People; AT&T, Others Cell Outage This Morning; ARM Claims ‘Software is Driver in Deal With Nuro; Samsung Will Bring Galaxy AI Features to More Devices

Posted: February 22, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Google has pumped the brakes, disabling Gemini’s ability to generate images of people. PCMag.com reports that this came after users found that Gemini was producing historically inaccurate images in some situations. Like some extreme examples? It showed what it claimed was a Native American man and woman as an 1820s German couple…and one of the Founding Fathers as African American. It also came up with Asian members in the 1929 German military. Google put out a message saying “We are aware that Gemini is offering inaccuracies in some historical image generation depictions, and we are working to fix this immediately.” 

There were widespread cellular outages this morning starting at about 3:30 am Eastern that affected calls and even 911 service. The problems were all on  AT&T’s network. According to NPR, AT&T now says it has restored around three quarters of its cellular network. Some 73,000 customers were affected. Verizon and T-Mobile reported that their networks were ‘operating normally.’ This is more concerning than in the past, since these days, nearly 71% of adults and 82% of kids live in wireless-only households. AT&T hasn’t said what caused the outages at this point. 

Chipmaker ARM supplies most of the systems on a chip that run the world’s smartphones, and now they are diving into the world of driverless cars. Thenextweb.com says the chip maker has cut a deal with Nuro, a startup in the autonomous vehicle realm. The partnership aims to accelerate the commercialization of self-driving cars. Arm will bring its famed semiconductor IP to Nuro’s vehicles, starting with the startup’s delivery robots. In an only slightly hyped statement, ARM says ‘software is becoming the driver’ for cars! Arm is finding a nice place in the automotive segment…since 2020, they have nearly doubled their revenue in the sector. As for startup Nuro, they are shooting for level 4 autonomy, which doesn’t need a human driver under certain road conditions. They haven’t given any roadmap for how soon they think that will become a reality.

The AI push marches relentlessly on…Samsung is now going to bring its Galaxy AI features to more devices with a software update in March. The handsets affected are the Galaxy S23 series, S23 FE, Z Fold5, and Z Flip. The tablets that will get the AI include the Tab S9 Ultra, Tab S9+, and Tab 59. With this upcoming update, users will get access to Google’s “Circle to Search” feature, which lets users search from anywhere on their phone using gestures like circling, highlighting, scribbling or tapping. Another feature called Live Translate will provide voice and text translations for phone calls. Plus, users will get access to an “Interpreter” feature that generates text translations for live conversations.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now. 

Microsoft & OpenAI-Hackers Now Using ChatGPT; Waymo Updates Robotaxi Software After Crashes; Your AI ‘Girlfriend’ = Data-Harvesting Horror Show; Sarah Silverman’s Copyright Suit vs OpenAI Advances

Posted: February 14, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s both unsurprising and scary. Microsoft and OpenAI say hackers are already using ChatGPT to improve their cyberattacks. Theverge.com reports that the companies have picked up attempts by Russian, North Korean, Iranian, and Chinese-backed groups using tools like ChatGPT for research into targets, to improve scripts, and to help build social engineering techniques. Hackers are using large language models  to help with “basic scripting tasks, including file manipulation, data selection, regular expressions, and multiprocessing, to potentially automate or optimize technical operations,” according to Microsoft. Both Microsoft and OpenAI say they haven’t detected any ‘significant attacks’ so far. Microsoft is building a Security Copilot, a new AI assistant that’s designed for cybersecurity professionals to identify breaches and better understand the huge amount of signals and data that’s generated through cybersecurity tools daily.

Waymo has voluntarily recalled the software that powers its robotaxi fleet after two vehicles crashed into the same towed pickup truck in Phoenix, Arizona, in December. It’s the company’s first recall. According to techcrunch.com, Waymo said the crashes were ‘minor’ and that neither vehicle was carrying passengers at the time. There were no injuries. Waymo operates its ride-hailing service in Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. All Waymo robotaxis had been updated by January 12th. This has become much more important after competitor Cruise had to suspend operations after a couple accidents…including one in San Francisco where a Cruise car dragged a pedestrian it had hit. 

So, you are involved with an AI romance chatbot, huh? Well, you may not love this. Mozilla checked out 11 different AI romance chatbots, and they all got a ‘Privacy Not Included’ label. Gizmodo.com notes that the chatbots included popular apps such as Replika, Chai, Romantic AI, EVA AI Chat Bot & Soulmate, and CrushOn.AI. Ten of the 11 are selling or can sell your data, too! Some like CrushOn.AI collect info like sexual health, use of medication, and gender-affirming care. 90% of the apps may sell or share user data for targeted ads and other purposes, and more than half won’t let you delete the data they collect. Security was also a problem. Only one app, Genesia AI Friend & Partner, met Mozilla’s minimum security standards. Give yourself some self-love this Valentine’s Day and stay away from these data gobbling apps. 

Although stripped of a couple parts of the complaint, Sarah Silverman’s suit against OpenAI over their training AI models on her books without consent is moving forward. Engadget.com reports that the case’s primary claim that OpenAI directly infringed on copyrighted material by training LLMs on millions of books without permission survives. The court tossed causes of action for negligence, unjust enrichment, DMCA violations, and accusations of vicarious infringement. Other groups suing OpenAI for alleged copyright-related violations include The New York Times, a collection of nonfiction authors (a group that grew after the initial lawsuit) and The Author’s Guild. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now. 

GM Hires Ex-Tesla Battery Guru; Official-Google Bard AI is now Gemini; Deepfake ‘Face Swaps’ Surged 704% Last Year; FTC Accuses Microsoft of Misrepresenting Activision Blizzard Plans Post Layoffs

Posted: February 8, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

General Motors has picked up ex-Tesla executive and battery wiz Kurt Kelty to be the General’s new vice president of batteries…a brand new role at GM. Kelty’s role will likely affect the Ultium program, although his job is designed to be far broader. GM has had teams dedicated to different pieces of the battery process. However, there has never been one role that strings together every step, including sourcing raw materials and identifying and testing out new technologies. Kelty spent more than a decade as the head of Tesla’s battery team. He was there through the launch of Tesla’s first four cars: The Roadster, Model S, Model X and Model 3. He also used to work at Panasonic, Tesla’s partner in cell development at the Gigafactory in Nevada. Since leaving Tesla, Kelty was VP of commercialization at Silk Nanotechnologies, a firm that was working on a silicon based anode that can dramatically increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries. 

Google announced officially today that it is renaming its Bard chatbot to Gemini, releasing a dedicated Gemini app for Android, and even folding all its Duet AI features in Google Workspace into the Gemini brand. It also announced that Gemini Ultra 1.0 — the largest and most capable version of Google’s large language model — is being released to the public. If you download the new app on Android, it can set Gemini as your default assistant…replacing Google Assistant when you say “Hey, Google.” So far, there isn’t dedicated Gemini app for iOS, and at any rate, you couldn’t replace Siri with it on Apple devices. Most people will use the standard version which is now called Gemini Pro. For Gemini Ultra, the more powerful version, you have to drop $20 a month for the Gemini Advanced subscription…which is part of the Google One AI Premium plan. Since that plan also includes 2TB of Google Drive Storage and other features, Google says the Gemini Advanced subscription is only really $10…except you have to pay the $20 to get it!

New research from iProov, a biometric firm from the UK finds that Deepfake “face swap” attacks skyrocketed by 704% from the first to the second half of 2023. With their ability to manipulate key traits of an image or video, face swaps made with GenAI are difficult to detect. They’re also user-friendly and affordable. To create convincing face swaps, all you need is off-the-shelf software. The manipulated or synthetic output is then fed to a virtual camera. SwapFace and DeepFaceLive are the most popular tools for bad actors, according to iProov.  By using these tools, crooks can hide the evidence of virtual cameras, which makes the face swaps harder to detect. Four years after researchers highlighted deepfakes the most worrying AI crime, their anxieties are becoming reality.

A week after Microsoft laid off nearly 2,000 employees in its gaming division, the Federal Trade Commission is accusing Microsoft of contradicting its pledge to allow Activision Blizzard to operate independently post-acquisition. Engadget.com reports that the FTC has filed a complaint in federal appeals court as of yesterday, saying that last week’s downsizing, which affected employees of Activision Blizzard, “contradicts Microsoft’s representations in this proceeding.” The FTC is asking for a temporary pause of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard as it further investigates potential antitrust issues. In Wednesday’s complaint, the FTC argued that the recent layoffs also undermine its own ability to order relief for employees who were negatively affected in the acquisition.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

Toyota Drops another $1.3 Billion in US EV Plant; Apple Working on Folding Phones; Microsoft Redesigns Copilot for Web & Mobile; Ex-Tesla Honcho Leading Ford EV Skunkworks Project

Posted: February 7, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Toyota has dropped a whopping $1.3 billion into its facility in Georgetown, Kentucky. According to Arstechnica.com, that’s where Toyota will produce its upcoming three row electric SUV. Now, Toyota will also add a battery pack assembly line as well as make other changes to the plant. Toyota…and Honda as well…have largely hung back in the EV race up to now, but in 2023, the company announced plans to sell 3.5 million EVs by 2030. Still, Chairman Akin Toyoda believes that EVs may only reach 30% market share. 

While Samsung has gone through several generations of folding phones, all has been quiet about them at Apple. Well, the information reports that Apple has secretly been working on at least 2 folding phones after 5 years of research and development. Both prototype iPhones fold widthwise, like a clamshell. Sources indicate that there are no plans to mass produce them yet this year or in 2025, so the earliest we might see them would be 2026. Of course, Apple may can the whole idea if they can’t build them to their standards. The company is reportedly concerned about technical challenges and offering sufficiently appealing features on the device that would justify its high price point compared to non-foldable devices. As with Samsung and others, the pesky crease in the middle of the screen is an issue…especially when trying to use the Apple Pencil on the 8 inch screen the prototypes have. 

Microsoft is giving its Copilot a makeover, with a new, more streamlined design on the web and in mobile apps. Engadget.com says Microsoft points to  a cleaner look and feel for the chatbot’s responses, while Copilot will display a carousel of suggested prompts to highlight what it can do. The new designs drop right before the Super Bowl, and not coincidentally Redmond is running an ad in the big game for the first time in 4 years. Copilot now has more image-editing and creation options. Designer in Copilot (at least in some territories) now allows you to edit images you’ve generated without having to leave the chatbot. You can turn an image into pixel art or blur the background, for instance. Copilot Pro subscribers can resize images between landscape and square formats and regenerate them without having to exit the chat.

Ford has a ‘skunkworks’ project underway to develop a low-cost EV, and it’s being helmed by former Tesla development boss Alan Clarke. Techcrunch.com reports that the disclosure came in an earnings call. The so-called skunkworks project is being run from Irvine, CA, and has been going for a couple years. Besides Clarke, there are engineers from AMP, the EV startup Ford snapped up last Fall. The former CEO of AMP also worked previously with Clarke at Tesla. The project is focused on cost, smaller EVs and efficiency, including the battery. Whichever EV maker gets a good, reliable EV with decent range for under $30 grand first is going to really hit it big…and Ford wants it to be them. By the way, Skunkworks originally referred to Lockheed Martin’s secret Advanced Development Projects, which built the highly secret planes for the US government…notably the U-2 and SR-71 spy planes. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now. 

Rivian Smaller, Cheaper SUV Coming soon; More Efficient Solar Cell from Oxford Wizards; Google Rebranding Bard to Gemini; Underground Site Uses Neural Networks to Make Really Good Fake IDs

Posted: February 5, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Rivian is getting set to unveil its smaller, cheaper SUV dubbed the R2. The drop date is March 7th. TechCrunch.com reports that it should retail for between $40-60,000, a much lower price than the R1S SUV and the R1T pickup. The reveal will happen in Laguna Beach, CA. Rivian has been operating at a loss, despite decent sales of the present SUV and pickup, as well as the vans it makes for Amazon. They believe at this lower price point, they will be able to scale up production enough to get into the black. Rivian built some 57,000 vehicles in 2023. 

A spinoff from Oxford University called Oxford PV has now made the most efficient solar panel ever built. According to thenextweb.com, compared to the average panels out there…which can convert about 15-20% of solar energy to electricity, this new one can convert 25% of the sun’s energy it receives. It uses a material that is better at absorbing light than previous cells. The spinoff claims that the panels have a theoretical efficiency of 43%…but this has yet to be shown in a real world setting. If they can show that, it would be a gigantic leap forward for solar power.

Google is getting ready to rebrand its Bard generative AI as ‘Gemini,’ likely as early as this week. 9to5google.com reports that Google has upgraded Bard with new features and capabilities. They are also powering the AI with what they call ‘Gemini Pro.’ A Gemini Advanced tier will be available on February 7th. It is a paid product, and includes  “expanded multi-modal capabilities,” better coding support, and “the ability to upload and more deeply analyze files, documents, data, and more.” After the rebranding, Google will be putting out an Android App. The app has a distinct similarity to the current Google Assistant app available in the Play Store, and they note will only run on ‘select devices.’ Most likely that means phones like Tensor-powered Pixels and the Galaxy S24 handsets.

In a flashback to my college days, when one guy I knew made fake out-of-state IDs so his pals could buy booze, a website called OnlyFake is claiming to use “neural networks” to generate realistic looking photos of fake IDs for just $15, radically disrupting the marketplace for fake identities and cybersecurity more generally. This technology, which 404 Media has verified produces fake IDs nearly instantly, could streamline everything from bank fraud to laundering stolen funds. These guys are pikers…the guy I knew charged $25 back decades ago. Ok, inappropriate, I know. At any rate, 404Media says OnlyFake created a highly convincing California driver’s license, complete with whatever arbitrary name, biographical information, address, expiration date, and signature. 404 Media used another fake ID generated by this site to successfully step through the identity verification process on OKX. OKX is a cryptocurrency exchange that has recently appeared in multiple court records because of its use by criminals. BTW, the alleged owner of OnlyFakes goes by John Wick. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

Some Big Retailers Canning Self Check Out; Apple Moves More Phones than Samsung; Apple Watch Ban Workaround; Microsoft Prices Copilot Pro AI Assistant

Posted: January 16, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Some people love ‘em, some hate ‘em…I fall in the 2nd camp on this. What is it, pray tell? Self checkout kiosks. Now, a couple big retailers are throttling back on the tech and adding back employees. BBC.com reports that, Target, Walmart, and Dollar General in the US are moving away from the tech that was designed to add convenience and speed for shoppers…and savings for the merchants. It turns out that one swamped employee for 6 frequently malfunctioning kiosks isn’t working so great…and the things cost a chunk…a four kiosk system can burn up a 6 figure amount of cash. That’s all before another problem with them…’shrinkage,’ a nice retailer word for shoplifting and stealing merchandise. When you add it all up, they’re losing money. Target is now restricting the number of items a buyer can purchase at one time. Walmart has actually started removing the kiosks in some stores to cut theft. Dollar General is ratcheting back on using them, and adding staff…some stores only had 2 employees on duty at a time. The main thing is the theft…apparently retailers that use kiosks have double the industry average! Maybe it will be a bit longer before our AI and robot overlords hoover up all the jobs!

Apple has apparently beaten Samsung and grabbed the crown as top global smartphone manufacturer in 2023. According to macrumors.com, it’s the first time in 13 years Samsung has lost the top maker crown. In 2013, Nokia was the top dog…remember them? The data was  crunched by IDC, which shows Apple with 20.1%, and Samsung with 19.4% of the smartphone market…the other 60% is split amongst a myriad of brands. Apple was also the only company in the top 3 to have positive growth year over year, going from 226.3 million units to 234.6 million. Overall, the world smartphone market declined by 3.2%.

The US Customs Agency has decided that Apple’s redesign of the Watch 9 and Ultra 2 is good enough to circumvent infringing on two Masimo patents related to the blood oxygen sensor. 9to5mac.com says Apple can keep selling the Watch 9 and Ultra 2, but without ‘pulse oximetry features’ in the US. Existing Apple Watches will still have the features. Actually, since the big waves of initial COVID, measuring blood oxygen has probably dropped in importance enough that most buyers won’t miss the feature. There is still a Court of Appeals decision regarding staying the watch ban through all the Appeals process…that decision could come down this week..but for now, it looks like the latest Apple Watches will be back on the market very soon. 

Microsoft’s ChatGPT powered Bing Chat…rebranded as Copilot, will now get a pro version. Engadget.com reports that Copilot Pro will run $20 a month. That will get power users access to the latest ChatGPT  releases, as well as access to Copilot in Microsoft 365 apps and other new features. Additionally, the Copilot iOS and Android apps are now available to everyone, following a limited launch last month. Microsoft says that Copilot Pro users will have access to GPT-4 Turbo at peak times starting today, and eventually they’ll be able toggle between different GPT models. The subscription also grants you better AI image creation, which will be faster and deliver higher image quality, with optional landscape formatting.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ’Technified’ for now.

Microsoft Copilot Gets Own Keyboard Key; Facebook ‘Link History’; Steam Breaks Game Launch Record; ChatGPT Flunks Test on Diagnosing Child Medical Cases

Posted: January 4, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Get ready for the first real Windows PC keyboard change in 30 years. Microsoft partners will soon be shipping PCs with a new Copilot key that will provide quick access to Microsoft’s AI-powered Windows Copilot experience straight from a keyboard button press. Theverge.com reports that The new Copilot key will replace the menu key (application key) that was introduced alongside the Windows key decades ago. It will be placed next to the right-hand alt key on most keyboards, with the placement varying by OEM and across different markets.  The Copilot key simply launches the Windows Copilot that’s built into Windows 11, offering up a ChatGPT-like chatbot that can answer queries or even take actions inside Windows.

You may have already seen a popup if you clicked on a link in Facebook…asking if you want to save that link. It’s a new ‘feature’ called “Link History”…really a new way for Facebook to track the websites you visit. According to Gizmodo.com, Facebook is casting the Link History as a useful tool for consumers “with your browsing activity saved in one place,” rather than another way to keep tabs on your behavior. With the new setting you’ll “never lose a link again,” they say in the little popup. Yeah, it’s really a way to track…introduced after both Apple and Google in its Chrome browser limited Facebook’s ability to track the sites you visit, cutting their revenue. If you care to dig into the settings…and they are pretty impenetrable…you can select several increments of less than the 90 days Facebook says it keeps your link history. As the old drug awareness slogan said, “Just Say No,” when you get the popup.

For the movie fans that get all excited about movies making $60, $100, $200 million or even a billion…it may be hard to swallow, but video games bring in vast hordes of cash each year. Now, gamesradar.com says as recorded on SteamDB, the Steam platform saw the release of 14,531 game titles, blowing past last year’s record by almost 2,000 games. That adds up to over 39 games released a DAY! Valve just released the first update to the handheld Steam Deck in the fall…and even if you could play through the top ten percent of all these games…which you can’t…never fear. The new game releases continue. They pumped out 36 on New Years Day 2024!

With all the freaking out over artificial intelligence and how it is coming for many jobs, one has to pull back and take a reality check. Arstechnica.com reports that it isn’t going to displace your family doctor any time soon. ChatGPT’s chatbot was already doing a terrible job at diagnosing challenging medical cases…getting it right only 39% of the time. Now, a study just out in the JAMA Pediatrics publication says the chatbot doctor wannabe is even worse for kids…it had an accuracy rate of just 17% when diagnosing pediatric medical cases. The authors of the study put it this way….”[T]his study underscores the invaluable role that clinical experience holds.” But it also identifies the critical weaknesses that led to ChatGPT’s high error rate and ways to transform it into a useful tool in clinical care. AI’s potential for problem-solving has raised considerable interest in developing it into a helpful tool for complex diagnostics…but for at least the next few years…the doctor is still in.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

Appeals Court Pauses Apple Watch Ban; NY Times Sues OpenAI & Microsoft -Copyright Infringement; Amazon Prime Video Gets Ads in January; Get Instant $7500 EV Credit at over 7,000 Car Dealers Now

Posted: December 27, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Even though the Biden Administration didn’t intervene and stop the International Trade Commission ban on current Apple Watch model sales, a court has. Reuters.com reports that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has granted Apple’s emergency request to halt the order after Apple appealed the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (ITC) decision that it had infringed Masimo’s patents over blood oxygen monitoring. Masimo didn’t have an immediate response to the court’s move. The court is considering a longer term pause requested by Apple, and the ITC has until January 10th to respond. 

Meanwhile, in another legal move affecting tech companies, the New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement. According to theverge.com, the times claims the two companies built their AI models by “copying and using millions” of the publication’s articles and now “directly compete” with its content as a result. the Times alleges OpenAI and Microsoft’s large language models (LLMs), which power ChatGPT and Copilot, “can generate output that recites Times content verbatim, closely summarizes it, and mimics its expressive style.” The Times alleges that this damages its relationship with readers and deprives it of revenue.

We reported this in September, but just a heads up as the time approaches. Amazon Prime Video will begin showing ads alongside content unless customers pay an additional fee starting in January 2024. Amazon has supposedly sent out a reminder video to Prime Members, although I haven’t gotten one yet. At any rate, 9to5google.com notes that you will need to fork over an extra $2.99 a month to the online giant if you want to avoid betting bombarded by what Amazon calls ‘limited advertisements.’ 

Federal tax credits have been around for a while to help cut the expense of electric vehicles, but there has been that pesky catch…you had to wait for tax time to get the money. In fact, if you bought an EV last April, you could be waiting until April 2024 for the tax credit. Now, as bgr.com reports, there are some 7,000 car dealers that have signed up for a program to get you the credit immediately…right off the price of the car. It’s either $7500 for many new EVs, and $3500 for used. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

US Apple Watch Ban Stands-For Now; Microsoft Copilot AI-Dedicated Android App; AI Could Enable Human-Critter Communication; GTA 5 Source Code Leaked

Posted: December 26, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

The White House refused to ride to the rescue of Apple in its squabble with Masimo over patents the latter claims Apple has infringed upon in its Apple Watches. The International Trade Commission had banned the Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the US, effective Christmas Day. The Biden administration declined to veto the ban this morning. Apple is appealing the ITC decision, saying in a statement “We strongly disagree with the USITC decision and resulting exclusion order, and are taking all measures to return Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 to customers in the U.S. as soon as possible.” The patents revolve around blood oxygen saturation tech. Note that the ban only affects Apple stores in the US and their website…so if you really, really want a new Apple Watch, you can pick one up at Best Buy, Target, or other retailers while supplies last. Apple as of last week had been furiously pursuing a software workaround, but no word today if that has been accomplished, or if it will be enough to satisfy the ITC. Another alternative is Apple settling with Masimo. You can be sure that Cupertino will do something, as they don’t want the Watch models to be off the market for long. 

Microsoft Copilot is has its own Android app now. According to 9to5google.com, Microsoft Copilot for Android launched onto the Play Store within the past week and but not yet available on iOS. WindowsLatest, citing sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans, claims that an iOS version is “nearly ready” and will launch soon. The new app, unlike Bing, focuses solely on delivering access to Microsoft’s AI chat assistant. On downloading the app, users are able to jump right into the experience with no Microsoft login required.

A nonprofit called Earth Species Project, or ESP, is on a trajectory to talk with animals. Geekwire.com says that ESP is working with more than 40 research efforts around the globe, using machine learning and artificial intelligence to help scientists understand animal communications in pursuit of saving imperiled species. The organization recently received $1.2 million in funding from the Seattle-based Paul G. Allen Family Foundation to support its work. Allen, the Microsoft co-founder who passed away in 2018, was interested in both protecting wildlife and AI research. 

​The source code for Grand Theft Auto 5 was reportedly leaked on Christmas Eve, a little over a year after hackers hacked Rockstar games and stole corporate data. Bleepingcomputer.com reports that links to the code were shared over a number of channels, including Discord, a Telegram channel, and a dark web website. On Telegram, the channel owner known as ‘Phil’ posted links to the stolen source code, sharing a screenshot of one of the folders. The work of the Lapsus$ hackers has been successful enough against not only Rockstar, but also Uber, Microsoft, Okta, Nvidia, Mercado Libre, T-Mobile, Ubisoft, Vodafone, and Samsung, that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber Safety Review Board decided to analyze their tactics and share recommendations for preventing similar attacks in the future.

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technified’ for now.

TomTom & Microsoft In-Vehicle  AI Voice Assistant; FTC Bans Rite Aid from Facial Surveillance System; Playstation 5 Sales over 50 Million; Tesla Blamed Drivers for Parts Failures

Posted: December 20, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

TomTom has partnered with Microsoft to develop an AI voice assistant for vehicles. Thenextweb.com reports that the automotive assistant enables voice interaction with location search, infotainment, and vehicle command systems. This means that drivers can “converse” with the vehicle, ask questions about navigation directions or route stops, and use voice control to regulate the temperature, for instance, or open the windows and change radio stations. The assistant works across multiple Microsoft products, including its Azure OpenAI Service, Azure Kubernetes Services, Azure Cosmos DB, and Azure Cognitive Services. It’s already built into TomTom’s Digital Cockpit, the company’s own in-vehicle infotainment platform, but can also be integrated into other automotive infotainment systems.

The Federal Trade Commission has banned Rite Aid from using facial surveillance systems for 5 years. According to engadget.com, this comes as part of a settlement with the FTC, which had accused Rite Aid of “reckless use of facial surveillance systems.” The FTC said in its complaint that the drugstore chain deployed an artificial intelligence-powered facial recognition technology from 2012 to 2020 to identify customers who may have previously shoplifted or have engaged in problematic behavior. Apparently, the company had created a database with “tens of thousands” of customer images, along with their names, dates of birth and alleged crimes. Those photos were of poor quality, taken by its security cameras, employees’ phones and even from news stories. As a result, the system generated thousands of false-positive alerts.

Sony’s PlayStation 5 has passed a big milestone…as of today, the company has announced that it has sold over 50 million of the gaming consoles since it launched in late 2020. Theverge.com notes that as recently as last July, they had sold 40 million, so sales are really picking up. Supply chain issues had held back sales for a while, but Sony says this is the first holiday season where anyone who wants to buy a PS5 can get hold of one. Even with supply chain issues, the PS5 hit 50 million in only one week less that the PS4 did. Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch sales dipped 18% this year, and Xbox sales were off 15%. 

A Reuters review of Tesla documents has found that tens of thousands of owners have been the victims of premature failures of suspension or steering parts. Internally, Tesla engineers called part ‘flaws’ and ‘failures,’ yet the company has denied some of the suspension and steering problems in statements to U.S. regulators and the public– and, according to Tesla records, sought to shift some of the resulting repair costs to customers. The company has alleged that owners abused the cars. The automaker charged customers with out-of-warranty cars to replace parts that Tesla engineers internally called flawed or that they knew had high failure rates. Engineers ordered repeated redesigns for several parts and discussed seeking money back from suppliers because of the defects. Unsurprisingly, neither Tesla nor top executive Elon Musk responded to detailed questions for this article by Reuters. 

I’m Clark Reid and you’re ‘Technfied’ for now.

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