In an exclusive investigation, Reuters uncovered that Meta has been using the names and likenesses of celebrities without their consent to power AI chatbots that frequently made flirtatious advances toward users. The report found these bots scattered across Meta-owned platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. While many were created by users, at least three originated…
This fan was a great companion during a late summer parade, providing some airflow without much noise. I appreciate that the fan blades are soft, and they stop automatically if they hit something—it’s the type of fan you could hand off to a kid without much worry. It can also stand up on a table,…
Henrik Fisker, the founder of failed EV startup Fisker Inc., and his wife Geeta quietly wound down a private charitable foundation established in late 2021 that was supposed to “incubate innovation in healthcare, education, sustainability, mobility, and all causes that help support the planet and improve and further the lives of people and animals.” A…
Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of ContentsDo I need a self-emptying robot vacuum?What is a smart mapping robot vacuum?What robot vacuum works best on hardwood floors?Can robot vacuums go from hardwood to carpet?Do I need a robot vacuum that mops?What robot vacuums work well on carpet?What is good suction power for a robot…
The team members went through a process of incrementally determining what elements and molecules the bacterial strain could grow on. They already knew it could use oxygen, so they tested other combinations in the lab. When oxygen was absent, RSW1 could process hydrogen gas and elemental sulfur—chemicals it would find spewing from a volcanic vent—and…
Decentralized social network Mastodon says it can’t comply with Mississippi’s age verification law — the same law that saw rival Bluesky pull out of the state — because it doesn’t have the means to do so. The social nonprofit explains that Mastodon doesn’t track its users, which makes it difficult to enforce such legislation. Nor…
We’re in a new moon phase tonight, meaning the moon is around half lit up. The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon’s visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst…
As students returned to school this week, WIRED spoke to a self-proclaimed leader of a violent online group known as “Purgatory” about a rash of swattings at universities across the US in recent days. The group claims to have ties to the loose cybercriminal network known as The Com, and the alleged Purgatory leader claimed…
Meta says it’s changing the way it trains AI chatbots to prioritize teen safety, a spokesperson exclusively told TechCrunch, following an investigative report on the company’s lack of AI safeguards for minors. The company says it will now train chatbots to no longer engage with teenage users on self-harm, suicide, disordered eating, or potentially inappropriate…
Depending on what time of year you’re reading this, it’s either starting to get a little chillier during the nights or it’s just downright cold. All of which means it’s time to get warm and snuggly. But here’s the problem: Nothing is getting any cheaper. On the contrary, in fact. Everyone’s been hit by energy…
