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Massive US Govt Layoffs: AI-Driven Restructuring at GSA

2025-02-13
Massive US Govt Layoffs: AI-Driven Restructuring at GSA

Dozens of employees at the US General Services Administration's (GSA) Technology Transformation Services (TTS) were abruptly fired Wednesday afternoon, primarily probationary and short-term staff, including those from the Presidential Innovation Fellowship program. The layoffs are linked to GSA's transformation into a 'startup software company,' focusing on AI, automation, and data centralization. New GSA leadership aims to launch 'GSAi,' a custom generative AI chatbot, in the coming weeks and plans to sell over 500 federal buildings to cut costs. The move sparks debate on AI in government, workforce downsizing, and shifting workplace culture.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech Government Layoffs AI Implementation Organizational Restructuring

Thomson Reuters Wins Major AI Copyright Case: A Blow to Generative AI

2025-02-11
Thomson Reuters Wins Major AI Copyright Case: A Blow to Generative AI

Thomson Reuters has won a landmark AI copyright lawsuit against Ross Intelligence, a legal AI startup. The court rejected Ross's fair use defense, finding its intent was to compete with Westlaw. This ruling is a significant setback for generative AI companies, potentially impacting future cases. Many AI tools were trained on copyrighted material, and this decision suggests that the common fair use arguments may not hold up. While Ross Intelligence shut down in 2021 due to litigation costs, financially strong companies like OpenAI and Google are better positioned to withstand prolonged legal battles.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech Legal battle

US Halts $5 Billion Electric Vehicle Charging Station Program

2025-02-07
US Halts $5 Billion Electric Vehicle Charging Station Program

The US Department of Transportation has ordered states to halt their plans for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, a $5 billion initiative to fund the construction of electric vehicle charging stations. This decision, which may be illegal, could impact charging stations already under construction and harm businesses that have invested in the program. Tesla has also received $31 million in awards from the program. The move appears to contradict court orders and the Administrative Procedures Act.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech charging stations

NOAA Halts International Collaboration: Political Interference or Something More?

2025-02-06
NOAA Halts International Collaboration: Political Interference or Something More?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has ordered its employees to temporarily cease all communication with foreign nationals, including those working directly with the US government. The move has sparked concern, with the motives unclear but potentially linked to the Trump administration's stance on renewable energy and political pressure on NOAA. The ban impacts international collaborations, data sharing, and personnel exchange, potentially severely impacting climate research, ocean conservation, and disaster warning systems. Sources suggest this is connected to internal personnel changes and political vetting within NOAA.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech international collaboration

USPS Halts Packages from Hong Kong and China Amid Trade War Escalation

2025-02-05
USPS Halts Packages from Hong Kong and China Amid Trade War Escalation

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has abruptly stopped accepting packages from Hong Kong and China, a direct consequence of escalating trade tensions between the US and China. Following retaliatory tariffs imposed by China in response to increased US tariffs, US Customs and Border Protection is rigorously scrutinizing packages from China, turning away numerous trucks at the border. This impacts e-commerce platforms and consumers reliant on goods from China, highlighting the complexities of the US-China trade dispute.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech Customs scrutiny E-commerce

TED Founder Chris Anderson to Give Up Control of the Nonprofit

2025-02-04
TED Founder Chris Anderson to Give Up Control of the Nonprofit

After 25 years at the helm, TED founder Chris Anderson is stepping down and giving away control of the nonprofit organization. He's seeking someone or an entity with a compelling vision and the resources to take TED to the next level. While financially sound with substantial cash reserves, Anderson believes relinquishing control will unleash new creativity and energy. Potential successors include universities, philanthropic organizations, media companies, tech firms, or even a decentralized autonomous organization. This bold move promises significant changes for TED, sparking considerable speculation about its future direction.

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(www.wired.com)
Startup

My Last Name Is 'Null,' and It's Breaking the Internet

2025-02-03
My Last Name Is 'Null,' and It's Breaking the Internet

The author's last name is "Null," a reserved word in many programming languages. This seemingly innocuous detail causes significant problems, from website form submissions failing to email addresses being rejected. Even when systems accept "Null," unexpected errors arise. Workarounds, like adding a period or using aliases, are temporary fixes. This humorous tale highlights common software development issues and the helplessness of large corporations in addressing them effectively. The author's struggles with Bank of America's email system, which consistently fails to handle his name, serve as a prime example.

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(www.wired.com)
Development

Musk's Young Guns Infiltrate US Government Agencies

2025-02-03
Musk's Young Guns Infiltrate US Government Agencies

WIRED reports that several young employees with ties to Elon Musk, including interns and recent graduates from companies like Neuralink, SpaceX, and xAI, are holding significant positions within US government agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the General Services Administration (GSA). Their qualifications and experience have raised concerns about their competence and potential conflicts of interest. Some are even directly involved in code review and decision-making, prompting questions from within the government. This incident highlights the risks of tech elites entering government and potential vulnerabilities in agency security vetting and hiring practices.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech Government Agencies

Musk's DOGE Initiative Leaves Federal Workers in the Dark on 'Deferred Resignation' Plan

2025-02-02
Musk's DOGE Initiative Leaves Federal Workers in the Dark on 'Deferred Resignation' Plan

A recent meeting between staff from Elon Musk's DOGE (formerly the US Digital Service) and their new HR representative, Stephanie Holmes, shed little light on a controversial "deferred resignation" plan. The plan, mirroring a similar tactic used at Twitter, offers employees a delayed resignation but carries the risk of later job cuts. Holmes failed to answer crucial employee questions about project futures, remote work policies, and the details of the agreement, only stressing its legality and the benefits of avoiding layoffs and return-to-office mandates. This lack of clarity leaves employees facing a looming deadline with significant uncertainty about the plan's fairness and true implications.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech

Musk's DOGE: A New Tool for Government Surveillance?

2025-01-25
Musk's DOGE: A New Tool for Government Surveillance?

The Trump administration renamed the US Digital Service (USDS) to "US DOGE Service," headed by Elon Musk. This has raised concerns as DOGE will gain access to unclassified data across all government agencies, potentially used for surveillance or targeting political opponents. While officially aimed at improving efficiency, this move bypasses the Federal Advisory Committee Act, lacks transparency, and may lead to conflicts of interest and regulatory capture. DOGE's dual structure—a permanent and a temporary organization—further fuels these concerns, with the temporary one able to hire special government employees bypassing rigorous scrutiny.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech Government Surveillance

Game Devs Revolt Against Boss's AI Schemes

2025-01-21
Game Devs Revolt Against Boss's AI Schemes

A survey reveals growing unease among game developers concerning AI's impact on the industry. Nearly half of the 3,000 respondents expressed concern about AI's negative effects, with 30% voicing outright negativity. While AI offers potential benefits in coding, art, and 3D modeling, many developers see limited practical applications and report increased workloads and job insecurity. Long hours and layoffs are rampant, leading to widespread frustration. Developers attribute these problems to post-pandemic overexpansion, unrealistic expectations, and poor management.

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(www.wired.com)
Game Industry Crisis

RedNote Scrambles for English Moderators Amid TikTok Exodus

2025-01-19
RedNote Scrambles for English Moderators Amid TikTok Exodus

An influx of American users fleeing a potential TikTok ban has overwhelmed RedNote's English content moderation capabilities. Numerous job postings on Chinese recruitment sites reveal a desperate search for English-speaking moderators to handle the surge in English-language videos and posts. Some listings even highlight the urgency, offering short-term contracts. The high demand underscores the challenges faced by Chinese social media platforms in balancing rapid user growth with strict content moderation requirements imposed by the Chinese government. The situation highlights the difficulty of quickly scaling content moderation, particularly for nuanced language understanding beyond simple translation.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech

Biden's Last-Minute Cybersecurity EO: AI, Microsoft, and More

2025-01-16
Biden's Last-Minute Cybersecurity EO: AI, Microsoft, and More

In a parting shot, President Biden issued a sweeping cybersecurity executive order aimed at bolstering federal cybersecurity, regulating government AI use, and subtly targeting Microsoft's dominance. The 40-page order mandates improvements in government network monitoring, software procurement, AI implementation, and the punishment of foreign hackers. It seeks to leverage AI's benefits, introduce digital identities for US citizens, and close vulnerabilities exploited by adversaries like China and Russia. Key provisions include requiring software vendors to prove secure development practices, enhancing cloud authentication key protection (in response to incidents like the Microsoft server breach), and boosting CISA's network monitoring capabilities. The order also promotes AI research for cybersecurity and aims to streamline citizen services through digital identity documents.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech executive order

HTML: The Underrated Programming Language

2025-01-10
HTML: The Underrated Programming Language

This article argues that HTML, often dismissed as mere markup, is actually a profoundly significant programming language, arguably the most important ever developed. It's not just the foundation of the modern web; its adaptability, interactivity, and global reach are unmatched. The author uses personal anecdotes and the example of a creatively broken website, the 'Embroidery Troubleshooting Guide,' to illustrate HTML's power and artistic potential. The accessibility and democratic nature of HTML are highlighted, emphasizing that anyone can create and innovate with it.

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(www.wired.com)
Development

Thousands of Apps Hijacked to Spy on Your Location

2025-01-10
Thousands of Apps Hijacked to Spy on Your Location

A hack of location data company Gravy Analytics reveals thousands of popular apps, including Candy Crush, Tinder, and MyFitnessPal, are being used to harvest sensitive location data at a massive scale. This data collection, largely occurring through the real-time bidding (RTB) advertising ecosystem, likely happens without users' or developers' knowledge. Gravy Analytics and its subsidiary Venntel have previously sold global location data to US law enforcement, raising serious privacy concerns.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech location tracking advertising ecosystem

Lenovo's CES 2025 Stunners: Rollable Laptop & SteamOS Handheld

2025-01-07
Lenovo's CES 2025 Stunners: Rollable Laptop & SteamOS Handheld

Lenovo made a splash at CES 2025 with several impressive new devices. The standout is the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6, a rollable AI PC with a 14-inch OLED screen that expands to 16.7 inches, dramatically increasing screen real estate. Also unveiled was the Legion Go S, a dual-version handheld gaming console offering both Windows and SteamOS (the first officially licensed SteamOS handheld). Finally, the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 all-in-one features Lenovo Focus Sound, a directional audio technology for enhanced privacy. While innovative, these devices come with a hefty price tag.

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(www.wired.com)
Hardware rollable screen

Boring Cities Are Making You Sick

2025-01-02
Boring Cities Are Making You Sick

New research reveals that dull, unstimulating urban design isn't just an eyesore; it's actively harming residents' health. The article highlights the mismatch between human needs and 20th-century city planning, leading to increased rates of depression, cancer, and diabetes. Advances in neuroscience and neuroarchitectural research, using wearable technology to measure responses to environments, are providing concrete evidence of this link. Progressive cities are now incorporating well-being into economic strategies, and the construction industry is starting to incorporate these neuroscientific findings into building design, prioritizing human health alongside structural and energy considerations. This shift promises a future of more joyful and engaging urban spaces.

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(www.wired.com)
Design neuroarchitecture

The Demise of the Paper Passport: The Rise of Digital Travel Documents

2024-12-27
The Demise of the Paper Passport: The Rise of Digital Travel Documents

The paper passport is on its way out, thanks to the rise of facial recognition technology and smartphones. Airports and governments worldwide are actively testing and deploying passport-free travel systems, leveraging facial recognition and digital identity verification to streamline the travel process. While this improves efficiency and reduces airport wait times, concerns about data privacy and security, such as data breaches and increased surveillance, are also being raised. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is pushing for the adoption of Digital Travel Credentials (DTCs), which digitize passport information stored on a phone and cryptographically link it to the physical passport. Despite challenges like 'look-alike fraud' and system failures, the trend towards digital travel documents is irreversible; your face may soon be your new passport.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech facial recognition digital travel credential passportless travel digital travel

Electric Car Batteries Outlast Expectations, Potentially Lasting 20+ Years

2024-12-24
Electric Car Batteries Outlast Expectations, Potentially Lasting 20+ Years

Studies of thousands of electric vehicles reveal that EV batteries are lasting far longer than anticipated, potentially exceeding 20 years. Contrary to the common belief that EV batteries require expensive replacements after a few years, research shows they can retain 87% of their original capacity even after 300,000 kilometers. This is largely attributed to less frequent charging and improvements in battery management systems. While rapid charging and hot climates accelerate battery degradation, the overall trend is positive, with some models showing an annual degradation rate of just 1.8%. This could significantly disrupt the automotive industry, as EVs offer lower maintenance costs and longer lifespans, potentially revolutionizing the traditional 15-year car lifespan.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech electric vehicles battery lifespan battery management systems

Harvard Releases Massive Free AI Training Dataset

2024-12-18
Harvard Releases Massive Free AI Training Dataset

Harvard University, in collaboration with Microsoft and OpenAI, has released a massive AI training dataset comprising nearly 1 million public domain books. Created by Harvard's Institutional Data Initiative, this dataset aims to 'level the playing field' by providing smaller players and individual researchers access to high-quality training data previously only available to large tech companies. Similar to the impact of Linux, this resource, spanning various genres, decades, and languages, will fuel AI model development. However, companies will still need additional licensed data to differentiate their models.

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(www.wired.com)
AI AI training dataset public domain books level playing field

UK's Illegal Cybertruck Faces Uphill Battle for Legalization

2024-12-15
UK's Illegal Cybertruck Faces Uphill Battle for Legalization

Yianni Charalambous, a UK car customizer, is attempting to register a Tesla Cybertruck for road use in the UK, following a similar success in the Czech Republic. However, the Cybertruck's sharp design clashes with UK and EU pedestrian safety regulations, posing significant challenges. Its unique steer-by-wire system, reliance on OTA updates unavailable in the UK, and incompatibility with EU recall systems further complicate matters. Experts deem its chances of passing the UK's IVA test extremely slim.

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(www.wired.com)
Tech Tesla Cybertruck Car Modification Safety Regulations
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