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AI-Powered Scam Tricks Google User

2025-08-18

AI-Powered Scam Tricks Google User

Alex Rivlin, a Las Vegas real estate executive, fell victim to a sophisticated AI-powered scam while booking a cruise shuttle. He used a Google search result, an AI-generated overview, to find a customer service number that turned out to be fraudulent. The scammer, posing as Royal Caribbean customer service, obtained his credit card information and charged him $768. Experts warn that this is a new twist on old scams, leveraging AI to spread misinformation and trick users. Google's AI Overviews and even ChatGPT were found to be displaying the fraudulent number, highlighting the vulnerability of these AI tools to manipulation. The incident serves as a stark warning about the evolving nature of online scams and the need for increased vigilance.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech AI scam

Kiwi Exodus: Record Number of New Zealanders Emigrating Amidst Economic Downturn

2025-08-16

Kiwi Exodus: Record Number of New Zealanders Emigrating Amidst Economic Downturn

New Zealand is experiencing its highest level of emigration in 13 years, with over a third of those leaving being under 30. High unemployment and sluggish economic growth are driving the exodus. Data shows 71,800 New Zealand citizens departed in the year to June 2025, a 13-year high. Analysts blame the downturn on low productivity and policy failures. While the Reserve Bank has cut interest rates, unemployment remains high, and the cost of living is pushing many to seek opportunities elsewhere. Australia, among other countries, is actively recruiting skilled New Zealanders.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech New Zealand emigration population outflow

California's Record-Breaking VPP Test: 100,000 Homes Power the Grid

2025-08-10

California's Record-Breaking VPP Test: 100,000 Homes Power the Grid

California's largest electric utilities, in partnership with Tesla and a leading solar installer, conducted a groundbreaking test of virtual power plant (VPP) technology. Over 100,000 homes contributed power from their residential batteries, delivering 535 megawatts to the state grid during peak demand—equivalent to a large hydroelectric dam. This success demonstrates the potential of VPPs to address the challenges of data center growth, heatwave blackouts, and reliance on fossil fuels. While enrollment complexities remain, VPPs are poised for rapid expansion, offering a cost-effective and cleaner energy solution for California and beyond.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech virtual power plant home batteries

Blue Pig Meat: A Warning of Rodenticide Contamination in California

2025-08-10

Blue Pig Meat: A Warning of Rodenticide Contamination in California

A trapper in Salinas, California, discovered blue-tinged meat in wild pigs he'd caught, raising concerns about rodenticide contamination. Investigation revealed the pigs had ingested diphacinone, an anticoagulant rodenticide often dyed blue. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife warns against consuming meat from animals exhibiting blue discoloration, as the poison can cause secondary poisoning, even after cooking. This incident highlights the dangers of rodenticide to wildlife and underscores the need for stricter regulations.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech Rodenticide Contamination Wildlife Poisoning

China's AI Playbook: Prioritizing Applications, Driven by the State

2025-08-03

China's AI Playbook: Prioritizing Applications, Driven by the State

In its AI competition with the US, China is aggressively pushing for widespread AI adoption, deploying the technology across factories, hospitals, and government offices. While facing chip restrictions, China is focusing on application rather than solely pursuing cutting-edge models. The World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai showcased this strategy, attracting international figures. China announced an international AI regulatory organization and a 13-point plan for global cooperation, emphasizing public sector leadership and open-source models. However, economic slowdown and inherent limitations of AI technology, like 'hallucinations,' pose challenges to China's rapid AI development.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech government support

Marvel's Next 7 Years: A Course Correction After Superhero Saturation

2025-07-21

Marvel's Next 7 Years: A Course Correction After Superhero Saturation

Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige revealed a glimpse into the studio's next seven years of movies, reflecting on recent underperformance. He acknowledged overexpansion post-Endgame, leading to content fatigue and viewer burnout. To address this, Marvel will reduce output, cut budgets, and focus on self-contained stories requiring less prior knowledge. Feige discussed the underperformance of *Thunderbolts*, shifts in future plans including Kang's diminished role, and the postponement of a live-action Miles Morales. The studio emphasizes a return to quality over quantity.

(www.yahoo.com)

Game Superheroes

Stunning First Images from Chile's Revolutionary New Space Telescope

2025-06-23

Stunning First Images from Chile's Revolutionary New Space Telescope

Perched high in the Andes Mountains of Chile, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory has released its first images of the cosmos, revealing unprecedented detail. Equipped with a giant telescope and the world's largest digital camera, the observatory will create a high-definition 'movie' of the southern sky over the next 10 years, capturing images every three nights. These images will allow scientists to study the evolution of the universe, detecting millions of changing objects and even galaxies billions of light-years away. Initial images showcase the Lagoon and Trifid Nebulae, and the Virgo Cluster, highlighting galactic mergers and other cosmic phenomena. The sheer volume of data generated will require sophisticated algorithms for analysis, promising breakthroughs in our understanding of dark matter and dark energy.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech space telescope astronomical images

AI Job Apocalypse? CEOs Warn of Imminent Disruption

2025-06-21

AI Job Apocalypse? CEOs Warn of Imminent Disruption

Top executives at major US companies like Amazon, IBM, Salesforce, and JPMorgan Chase are warning employees that AI poses a significant threat to their jobs. While widespread AI-driven layoffs haven't materialized yet, the technology is transforming roles in programming, marketing, and customer service. CEOs are under pressure to demonstrate AI adoption, leading to potentially alarmist predictions that create uncertainty for workers. Some CEOs fear job losses if they don't deliver AI-driven business gains within two years. Economists see limited evidence of widespread job displacement, but the increasing use of AI tools is undeniable, raising concerns about future impacts on the job market.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

Austria to Monitor Encrypted Messaging to Thwart Terror Attacks

2025-06-18

Austria to Monitor Encrypted Messaging to Thwart Terror Attacks

Austria's government approved a plan allowing police to monitor suspects' encrypted messaging, addressing a critical security gap. Previously reliant on allies for intelligence, Austria will now have a legal framework for monitoring services like WhatsApp. The system requires approval from a three-judge panel and is projected to monitor only 25-30 individuals annually. This measure aims to enhance national security and is slated for implementation in 2027.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech counter-terrorism

17-Year-Old Revolutionizes Drone Design, Wins $23,000 in Prizes

2025-06-15

17-Year-Old Revolutionizes Drone Design, Wins $23,000 in Prizes

Seventeen-year-old Cooper Taylor is revolutionizing the drone industry with his innovative motor-tilting mechanism, which significantly reduces manufacturing costs and improves efficiency. His design combines the best of helicopter and airplane drone technology, enabling vertical takeoff and landing with extended flight times. The modular design allows for easy customization and maintenance, with a cost only one-fifth that of comparable drones. This innovation has earned him $23,000 in scholarships and praise from a senior roboticist at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory. Taylor's story highlights the ingenuity and potential of young people in STEM and opens up new possibilities for the drone industry.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

AI Bots Are Replacing Google Search: A New Kind of Web Traffic

2025-06-14

AI Bots Are Replacing Google Search: A New Kind of Web Traffic

AI tools like ChatGPT are replacing Google search, creating a massive shift in web traffic. Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic are deploying bots to summarize web content in real-time, feeding far more data into AI models than any human could. Data from TollBit reveals a 49% surge in retrieval bot traffic in Q1 2025 compared to Q4 2024, an exponential growth. While AI tools decrease human website traffic, overall content access explodes. Websites must adapt to AI visitors, but negotiating payment for content scraped by AI companies will be challenging, amidst ongoing copyright debates. The modern internet, optimized for Google and social media, needs restructuring to accommodate the rise of AI answers.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech Web Traffic

Gene Drives: Should We Eradicate Mosquitoes?

2025-06-08

Gene Drives: Should We Eradicate Mosquitoes?

Scientists have developed powerful gene drive technology with the potential to eradicate mosquitoes and other pests, preventing immense suffering from diseases like malaria. Target Malaria aims to use gene editing to render Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes infertile, controlling malaria transmission. However, this raises profound ethical questions: Do we have the right to intentionally drive a species to extinction? Experts warn that while mosquitoes are annoying, their role in ecosystems is unclear, and eradication could have unpredictable consequences. The article explores the potential and risks of gene drive technology, balancing human welfare with species conservation, particularly in malaria-ravaged Africa. Ultimately, it suggests prioritizing targeting the malaria parasite itself, rather than the mosquito, to minimize risks and achieve more effective results.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech mosquito eradication

Trump's Secret $21 Billion Cryptocurrency Reserves

2025-05-31

Trump's Secret $21 Billion Cryptocurrency Reserves

A March executive order from the Trump administration secretly established two national cryptocurrency reserves: a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis estimates their combined value exceeds $21 billion, primarily from crypto assets seized by the government. This move sparked debate in the crypto industry, with some praising it for boosting crypto's reputation and others expressing concerns about government intervention contradicting crypto's decentralized nature. The US government is improving its processes for managing and securing these reserves, but uncertainty remains about their precise composition and future direction.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech national reserves

Google Funds Short Films to Reframe AI's On-Screen Image

2025-05-26

Google Funds Short Films to Reframe AI's On-Screen Image

Hollywood has long portrayed AI as a villainous killing machine, a trope seen in films from "The Terminator" to "Ex Machina." To counter this, Google's "AI on Screen" initiative, a partnership with Range Media Partners, is funding short films depicting AI in a more positive light. Projects include a story about reconnecting with a deceased loved one through an AI hologram and another about a couple escaping reality through shared dreams. This move aims to address mixed public perceptions of AI and promote its positive potential, especially given the intensifying competition in the AI field and the potential negative impact of public skepticism.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

Copyright Showdown: Big Tech's AI Training Data Faces Legal Scrutiny

2025-05-12

Copyright Showdown: Big Tech's AI Training Data Faces Legal Scrutiny

Big Tech companies are facing a copyright battle over their use of others' content to train AI models. A new report from the US Copyright Office suggests that using copyrighted material for AI training may constitute infringement. The report distinguishes between AI models used for research and commercial purposes, stating that commercial AI models using vast amounts of copyrighted works for training, especially without authorization, may exceed fair use boundaries. The firing of the Copyright Office director shortly after the report's release has fueled speculation of a connection, highlighting the intensifying conflict between tech giants and the government.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

Kraken Foils North Korean Hacker's Job Application

2025-05-10

Kraken Foils North Korean Hacker's Job Application

Kraken, a US-based cryptocurrency exchange, uncovered a North Korean operative masquerading as "Steven Smith" who applied for a software engineering position. Smith fabricated a resume with impressive credentials, including a prestigious university degree and extensive experience. Suspicions arose during the interview process where Smith demonstrated a profound lack of knowledge about basic American culture and even his supposed place of residence. This incident highlights a growing threat of North Korean hackers infiltrating foreign companies to steal funds, funding their weapons programs through multiple jobs and internal access. The incident underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and thorough background checks.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

Disneyland's 70th Anniversary: A Hyperrealistic Walt Disney Animatronic

2025-05-04

Disneyland's 70th Anniversary: A Hyperrealistic Walt Disney Animatronic

To celebrate Disneyland's 70th anniversary, a new attraction, "Walt Disney — A Magical Life," will debut, featuring a hyperrealistic animatronic Walt Disney. This technologically advanced figure aims to recreate Disney's presence and mannerisms, sparking debate about ethical considerations and the respect for the deceased. While some family members voiced concerns, Disney maintains support from others and emphasizes the project's goal: showcasing Walt Disney's life to new generations, beyond the company's branding.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech Animatronic Theme Park

Lufthansa Flight Diverted Due to iPad Jammed in Seat, Lithium Battery Concerns

2025-04-27

Lufthansa Flight Diverted Due to iPad Jammed in Seat, Lithium Battery Concerns

A Lufthansa Airbus A380 flight from Los Angeles to Munich diverted to Boston after a passenger's iPad became jammed in a business-class seat, raising concerns about a potential lithium battery overheat. The three-hour delay was a precautionary measure taken by the crew and air traffic control to mitigate the risk of a fire or explosion. The damaged iPad was safely removed in Boston before the flight continued to Munich.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech emergency landing

Google's Search Monopoly: A Bribery Experiment Reveals Habit's Weakness

2025-04-26

Google's Search Monopoly: A Bribery Experiment Reveals Habit's Weakness

Research suggests Google's dominance stems partly from a perceived, rather than actual, superiority. An experiment paid participants to use Bing for two weeks. While most reverted to Google after payments ceased, a significant portion continued using Bing, suggesting habit change is achievable. This finding influenced antitrust lawsuits against Google. Governments may fund campaigns and offer incentives to encourage users to try alternatives, challenging Google's monopoly. Google argues that forcing users to switch would negatively impact user experience, but the experiment showed that a carefully designed nudge can make a difference.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

North Korean Hackers Infiltrate Fortune 500 Companies

2025-04-08

North Korean Hackers Infiltrate Fortune 500 Companies

Thousands of North Korean citizens, posing as American software engineers using stolen or fake identities, have infiltrated Fortune 500 companies. They funnel their salaries to Kim Jong Un's regime, funding prohibited weapons programs. The scam has generated hundreds of millions annually since 2018. Harrison Leggio, founder of a crypto startup, estimates 95% of applicants are North Korean imposters. He now asks candidates to speak negatively about Kim Jong Un to weed out the fakes. Experts warn AI is making the scheme more sophisticated, with predicted expansion into Europe and Asia in 2025. The US government is fighting back, but the threat remains significant, jeopardizing national and corporate security.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech Identity Fraud

$92M Wildlife Crossing: Soil Laid, Entering New Phase of Ecological Restoration

2025-04-05

$92M Wildlife Crossing: Soil Laid, Entering New Phase of Ecological Restoration

Nearly three years and $92 million later, the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing project reached a critical milestone: soil placement. Designed to address habitat fragmentation caused by the 101 Freeway in Los Angeles, the crossing will provide a safe passage for animals, including endangered mountain lions. 6,000 cubic yards of specially formulated soil, rich in native microbes, were added to restore the local ecosystem. The project is divided into two phases: Phase 1, involving seeding and planting native plants, is expected to finish this summer; Phase 2, connecting the structure to surrounding hills, is slated for completion by the end of 2026. This project showcases human ingenuity in ecological restoration and provides valuable experience for similar endeavors.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

Fatal Xiaomi SU7 Self-Driving Accident: Police Obtain Data from Xiaomi

2025-04-01

Fatal Xiaomi SU7 Self-Driving Accident: Police Obtain Data from Xiaomi

A fatal accident involving a Xiaomi SU7 electric vehicle on March 29 resulted in three deaths. Xiaomi stated it's cooperating with the police investigation, providing driving and system data. The vehicle was in "Navigate on Autopilot" intelligent assisted driving mode at 116 kph when the accident occurred. Despite a system warning, the driver's intervention resulted in a collision, leading to the fatalities. The incident may impact Xiaomi's stock price and the development of self-driving technology.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech traffic accident

NASA Adds SpaceX's Starship to Launch Services Contract Despite Setbacks

2025-03-29

NASA Adds SpaceX's Starship to Launch Services Contract Despite Setbacks

Despite recent major setbacks in Starship's past two flights, NASA has added SpaceX's still-experimental rocket to its launch services contract. This opens the door for Starship to potentially carry future NASA science missions, pending a successful orbital flight. The contract, which already includes Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, features an on-ramp provision for new providers. While Starship's reliability remains a concern, this decision offers NASA a potential crewed lunar lander for Artemis III in 2024 and an option for its planned 2026 uncrewed Mars mission.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

Signal CEO Defends App After US Gov't Messaging Blunder

2025-03-25

Signal CEO Defends App After US Gov't Messaging Blunder

Signal President Meredith Whittaker defended the messaging app's security after a US government mishap involving a journalist in a private chat about military action. She highlighted Signal's open-source, non-profit nature and its end-to-end encryption as key differentiators, positioning it as a superior alternative to WhatsApp, which collects significantly more user data. Download numbers in the US are rising, reflecting increased user preference for a privacy-focused platform.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

Trump Admin Halts Coordinated Effort Against Russian Hybrid Warfare

2025-03-23

Trump Admin Halts Coordinated Effort Against Russian Hybrid Warfare

The Biden administration established cross-agency working groups to counter Russia's hybrid warfare campaign, collaborating with European allies. However, following Trump's inauguration, this effort largely ceased. This raises concerns that the Trump administration is de-prioritizing the threat, leaving the US vulnerable to future attacks and potentially emboldening Russia. The pause coincides with a significant shift in US-Europe relations and potentially has profound implications for the Ukraine conflict.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech intelligence cooperation

Huawei Linked to EU Parliament Bribery Scandal: Five Charged

2025-03-19

Huawei Linked to EU Parliament Bribery Scandal: Five Charged

Belgian prosecutors announced on Tuesday that five individuals have been charged in connection with a bribery investigation at the European Parliament allegedly linked to China's Huawei. Five were detained last week; four have been arrested and charged with active corruption and involvement in a criminal organization, while a fifth faces money laundering charges and has been conditionally released. Prosecutors did not disclose names but said new searches took place Monday at European Parliament offices. The alleged corruption, prosecutors say, occurred "very discreetly" since 2021 under the guise of commercial lobbying, involving payments for political stances or excessive gifts like food, travel, and football tickets. Huawei responded, stating it takes the allegations seriously and maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech Huawei EU Parliament Bribery

Netherlands Parliament Votes to Curb Reliance on US Tech Firms

2025-03-18

Netherlands Parliament Votes to Curb Reliance on US Tech Firms

The Dutch parliament passed motions urging the government to reduce dependence on US software companies, aiming to create a domestically controlled cloud platform. This follows concerns about changing US-Netherlands relations and anxieties over US tech giants' control of data. The motions also call for a reassessment of Amazon Web Services' role and preferential treatment for European firms in public tenders. While viable European alternatives remain scarce, this marks a crucial first step towards reducing reliance on US tech, prompting greater transparency regarding risks associated with using US cloud services.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech tech security

Court Affirms: AI-Generated Art Can't Be Copyrighted

2025-03-18

Court Affirms: AI-Generated Art Can't Be Copyrighted

A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., has upheld the U.S. Copyright Office's decision that AI-generated artwork without human input cannot be copyrighted. The ruling rejects Stephen Thaler's claim that his AI system, DABUS, independently created a copyrightable image. The court affirmed that human authorship is a fundamental requirement for copyright protection under U.S. law. This decision follows similar rulings and reflects the ongoing struggle to define copyright in the rapidly evolving field of generative AI. Thaler plans to appeal, while the Copyright Office maintains the court's decision is correct.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech

Waymo's Self-Driving Cars Rack Up Hundreds of Parking Tickets in San Francisco

2025-03-15

Waymo's Self-Driving Cars Rack Up Hundreds of Parking Tickets in San Francisco

Waymo's autonomous vehicles in San Francisco received 589 parking tickets in 2024, totaling $65,065 in fines. Violations included obstructing traffic, ignoring street cleaning rules, and parking in prohibited zones. Waymo stated that many citations occurred during the few minutes of picking up or dropping off passengers, while the cars searched for safe parking. While the company claims it's improving its system to avoid future tickets, the incident highlights the challenges autonomous vehicles face in navigating urban environments and adhering to traffic regulations.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech parking violations

Apple AirPods to Get Real-Time Translation

2025-03-14

Apple AirPods to Get Real-Time Translation

Apple is planning to add real-time translation to its AirPods, Bloomberg News reported Thursday. The feature will arrive as part of a software update later this year, tied to the iOS 19 update. This will allow AirPods to translate conversations on the fly. Competitors like Google's Pixel Buds have offered this for years. Apple last year announced AirPods Pro 2 could become personalized hearing aids via software updates. Apple is also planning a major software overhaul later this year, changing the look of its operating systems across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

(www.yahoo.com)

Tech Real-time Translation

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