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Showing posts from September, 2024

A tiny town just got slammed by Helene. It could massively disrupt the tech industry

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A tiny town just got slammed by Helene. It could massively disrupt the tech industry https://ift.tt/eB3tzin Spruce Pine is a major global supplier of high-purity quartz. It’s an essential ingredient for microchips and solar panels. (Image credit: Spencer Bost)

California Gov. Newsom vetoes AI bill, considered strictest in nation

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California Gov. Newsom vetoes AI bill, considered strictest in nation https://ift.tt/I3J76yb The measure, known as SB 1047, was one of the nation’s most far-reaching regulations on the booming AI industry. It would have held AI companies legally liable for harms caused by AI and enabled a "kill switch" if systems went rogue. (Image credit: Rich Pedroncelli/AP)

LinkedIn is rolling back its use of artificial intelligence

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LinkedIn is rolling back its use of artificial intelligence https://ift.tt/1xDHQhe NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Christopher Zara of Fast Company, who has been following the company's forays into artificial intelligence.

Trying to stay safe in a wildfire? There's an app that can help

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Trying to stay safe in a wildfire? There's an app that can help https://ift.tt/zif5YIH Watch Duty, a free app for tracking wildfires, has taken off in the Western U.S. as more of the region experiences destructive wildfires and the overwhelming task of staying informed. (Image credit: Gina Ferazzi)

'Echoes of Wisdom' review: Zelda leads a worthwhile remix, not a revolution

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'Echoes of Wisdom' review: Zelda leads a worthwhile remix, not a revolution https://ift.tt/NwRgiyr Nintendo's latest game is the first to truly star Zelda in the series that has borne her name since 1986. It boasts innovative mechanics but is still a little too linked to the past. (Image credit: Nintendo)

Human reviewers can't keep up with all the police body cam videos. Now they're giving the job to AI

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Human reviewers can't keep up with all the police body cam videos. Now they're giving the job to AI https://ift.tt/SZmv7iW Police produce way too many body camera videos for humans to review. Enter the AI's (Image credit: Courtesy of Truleo)

U.S. officials say Russia is embracing AI for its election influence efforts

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U.S. officials say Russia is embracing AI for its election influence efforts https://ift.tt/JZMoujG The cutting-edge technology makes it easier for Russia as well as Iran to quickly and more convincingly tailor polarizing content aimed at swaying American voters, intelligence officials said. (Image credit: Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images)

AI can generate recipes that can be deadly. Food bloggers are not happy

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AI can generate recipes that can be deadly. Food bloggers are not happy https://ift.tt/YKe8Ipz Apple, Google and Samsung are all working to integrate AI that can generate recipes into their virtual assistants, like Siri. People who work to develop recipes respond. (Image credit: Christine Han)

The need for AI in the U.S. military

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The need for AI in the U.S. military https://ift.tt/0HWzJtL NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with retired Adm. Gary Roughead about a recent op-ed he wrote about the importance of artificial intelligence in the future of warfare.

How to save 10,000 fingers

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How to save 10,000 fingers https://ift.tt/upeqnCj Table saws are extremely dangerous. The government estimates that injuries from table saws send something like 30,000 people to the emergency room every year. 3,000 of those end in amputations. The costs of those injuries are enormous. Are they also avoidable? In 1999, inventor Steve Gass had a realization: Humans conduct electricity pretty well; Wood does not. Could he develop a saw that could tell the difference between the two? Steve invented a saw that can detect a finger and stop the blade in milliseconds. Then, he tried to license it to the big tool companies. He thought it was a slam dunk proposition: It would dramatically reduce the injuries, and the cost of medical treatments and lost wages associated with them. On today's episode: What does it take to make table saws safer? When someone gets hurt by a power tool, there are tons of costs, tons of externalities. We all bear the cost of the injury, in some way. So, it ...

Three Mile Island nuclear plant will reopen to power Microsoft data centers

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Three Mile Island nuclear plant will reopen to power Microsoft data centers https://ift.tt/OsuU2Cg Three Mile Island, the Pennsylvania power plant that was the scene of the worst commercial nuclear accident in American history, will reopen and sell power to Microsoft. (Image credit: Jeff Fusco)

Tracking the exploding pagers used in apparent Israeli attack on Hezbollah

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Tracking the exploding pagers used in apparent Israeli attack on Hezbollah https://ift.tt/XMJrGbz Gold Apollo denied all involvement with the explosive pagers, telling NPR outside its offices in Taiwan that it was a Budapest-based company called BAC Consulting which manufactured the devices. (Image credit: Emily Feng)

After years of criticism, Instagram features aim to boost child safety

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After years of criticism, Instagram features aim to boost child safety https://ift.tt/xSZqXCz Meta introduces rules for how teens use Instagram as the company faces scrutiny over child safety on its platforms. The company is rolling out teen accounts, which it says will be guided by parents.

New Instagram features aim to boost child safety after years of criticism

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New Instagram features aim to boost child safety after years of criticism https://ift.tt/yu462Me Meta has announced sweeping changes to how kids and teens use Instagram. The company today unveiled “Teen Accounts,” a series of new features aimed at boosting child safety.

Microsoft says Russia’s election interference efforts have pivoted to Harris and Walz

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Microsoft says Russia’s election interference efforts have pivoted to Harris and Walz https://ift.tt/1IK2G8n The company identified a number of recent Russia-linked campaigns that have shifted focus to Harris, relying on videos to spread conspiracy theories and falsehoods about the Democratic nominee. (Image credit: Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)

Instagram makes all teen accounts private, in a highly scrutinized push for child safety

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Instagram makes all teen accounts private, in a highly scrutinized push for child safety https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/1920x1279+0+0/resize/1920x1279!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F2e%2Fac%2Fa290e8b44b559802c37a8121e126%2Fadditional-supervision-features.png The social media app unveiled a new product for young users of the app that is intended to make the service safer for teenagers. The tools include making all teen accounts private and allowing parents to supervise activity. (Image credit: Provided by Meta)

TikTok argued against its U.S. ban in court today. Here's what happened

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TikTok argued against its U.S. ban in court today. Here's what happened https://ift.tt/SYfsZ2n TikTok’s survival in the U.S. is riding on the outcome of the hearing. Federal judges peppered both the Justice Department and TikTok with skeptical questions about the ban, which takes effect in January. (Image credit: Matt Slocum/AP)

How microchips became a political matter

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How microchips became a political matter https://ift.tt/3IHRiZF NPR's Ayesha Rascoe asks Chris Miller of Tufts University why semiconductors have become a political issue. He is author of "Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology."

FDA approves some Apple AirPods to be used as hearing aids

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FDA approves some Apple AirPods to be used as hearing aids https://ift.tt/Mgl4Z0i An upcoming Apple software update will allow some AirPods to double as over-the-counter hearing aids. Only 1 in 6 American adults with hearing loss wears hearing aids. (Image credit: Juliana Yamada)

NASA prepares to head back to the moon.

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NASA prepares to head back to the moon. https://ift.tt/PR1ucXp This time next year, if everything stays on schedule, NASA will send its first crewed mission to the moon, since the end of the Apollo program. Artemis II will be the first flight around the moon in more than 50 years. Its goal will be to test out the Orion capsule and all the other equipment, so that by 2026, Artemis III can put astronauts back ON the moon. The Artemis program is aimed to kickstart a new, more enduring era of space travel that leads to Mars.It's also intentionally more representative than Apollo was. The Artemis program will eventually put the first woman on the moon, as well as the first person of color. It's all as historic and high stakes as it gets, and also pretty daunting. NPR's Scott Detrow goes behind the scenes at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to see how the team is preparing. For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for C onsider This+ via Apple Podcasts...

Estonia joins 9 other nations in exposing Russia’s cyber tactics

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Estonia joins 9 other nations in exposing Russia’s cyber tactics https://ift.tt/W1sKdvI Ten nations are exposing Russian hacking tactics against Ukraine and its allies. For Estonia, one of those nations, it's a major milestone.

Estonia joins nine other nations in exposing Russia’s cyber tactics

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Estonia joins nine other nations in exposing Russia’s cyber tactics https://ift.tt/W1sKdvI Ten nations are exposing Russian hacking tactics against Ukraine and its allies. For Estonia, one of those nations, it's a major milestone.

Is AI overrated or underrated?

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Is AI overrated or underrated? https://ift.tt/hmfaQkM Are the promises made by AI boosters all hype, or are we actually under-appreciating the transformative potential of AI? Can artificial intelligence make humans more productive, unlock hidden potential and remake work as we know it? Or, should it not even be called intelligence at all, artificial or otherwise. On today's episode, we take sides. Two reporters flip a coin to see who argues which point: is AI overrated or underrated? They bring research, real world examples, expert opinions and warm blooded human insight. You decide who makes the best case. If you're interested in learning more, check out Greg's article 10 reasons why AI is overrated . It includes all sorts of reporting we couldn't fit into the episode. And while you're there, subscribe to the Planet Money newsletter . Today's episode was hosted by Darian Woods and Greg Rosalsky. These episodes of the Indicator were originally produced...

What Musk's Twitter takeover could tell us about a possible government appointment

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What Musk's Twitter takeover could tell us about a possible government appointment https://ift.tt/DBUVPOq After buying Twitter in 2022, Elon Musk instituted sweeping changes — including rebranding the social media platform as "X." Authors Kate Conger and Ryan Mac recount the takeover in Character Limit. (Image credit: Alain Jocard)

How Memphis became a battleground over Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer

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How Memphis became a battleground over Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer https://ift.tt/09g86Ym A massive project headed by Elon Musk in Memphis, Tenn., to power AI has moved at breakneck speed. But it's stirring controversy around pollution emissions. The EPA says it’s looking into it. (Image credit: Houston Cofield)

The Polaris Dawn spacewalk is SpaceX’s ‘risky adventure’

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The Polaris Dawn spacewalk is SpaceX’s ‘risky adventure’ https://ift.tt/SsUHIwO New spacesuits, untested astronauts, and a lot that can go wrong make this five-day mission unusually complex, but with a potentially great reward. (Image credit: John Kraus)

With artificial intelligence part of mix, Apple unveils the iPhone 16

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With artificial intelligence part of mix, Apple unveils the iPhone 16 https://ift.tt/29x5d0v Apple has unveiled a new generation of its flagship product the iPhone. The launch marks the company’s boldest step toward integrating generative AI into their phones.

Everything to know about the new iPhone 16, AirPods and Apple's AI features

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Everything to know about the new iPhone 16, AirPods and Apple's AI features https://ift.tt/2kdxYNE Apple unveiled new models of its iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch — most of which will be available in stores later this month. (Image credit: Juliana Yamada)

Body Electric: How AI is changing our relationships

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Body Electric: How AI is changing our relationships https://ift.tt/hviPC4K Hey, Short Wavers! Today, we have a special present for all of you: An episode from our good friends at NPR's Body Electric podcast all a bout artificial intimacy! Thanks to advances in AI, chatbots can act as personalized therapists, companions and romantic partners. The apps offering these services have been downloaded millions of times. If these relationships relieve stress and make us feel better, does it matter that they're not "real"? On this episode of Body Electric, host Manoush Zomorodi talks to MIT sociologist and psychologist Sherry Turkle about her new research into what she calls "artificial intimacy" and its impact on our mental and physical health. Binge the whole Body Electric series here . Plus, sign up for the Body Electric Challenge and our newsletter here .