Face-Recognition & Personal Data Concerns

Two Harvard students have developed a program which (when used with Meta’s smart glasses) can identify people without their knowledge, thereby highlighting a potentially serious privacy risk. Why? In their report about their research, the two Harvard students, AnhPhu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio, said their goal was “to demonstrate the current capabilities of smart glasses, face…

What was Revealed By The “We, Robot” Event?

Following Tesla’s “We, Robot” event on October 10 at the Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, we look at the big reveals, the reactions to them, plus some of the key comments made and opinions given. A Showcase of Futuristic Visions Tesla’s long-anticipated “We, Robot” event, which captured the attention of millions worldwide, was CEO Elon…

Google Breakup Proposed

Following a recent US ruling that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly on its online search and the associated advertising, the US government has now proposed forcing Google to sell off parts of its business, potentially leading to the breakup of one of the world’s leading tech companies. Antitrust Remedies – Structural Relief Suggested …

Ryanair Third-Party Data Protection Inquiry

What happens to data gathered as part of Ryanair’s extra ID verification requirement (from customers who don’t book directly through its website), has led to an inquiry being launched by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC). Why ID Verification? For travellers booking flights through third-party websites or online travel agents (OTA), rather than directly through Ryanair,…

Apple in Workers’ Rights Dispute

The U.S. National Labour Relations Board (NLRB) has accused Apple of restricting employees’ rights to advocate for better conditions by limiting their use of social media and Slack and retaliating against those who raised concerns. The NLRB’s allegations, filed this month, focus on Apple’s work rules regarding Slack and social media use. Apple, which introduced…

AI-Designed Bacteria Creates Rubber Alternative

Paris-based biotech startup BaCta, which has just secured €3.3 million in funding, produces natural rubber using genetically engineered bacteria, thereby offering a sustainable alternative to traditional rubber sources and synthetic, petroleum-based versions. What’s The Problem With How We Get Rubber Now? The current methods of rubber production present several significant environmental and sustainability issues. Synthetic rubber,…

AI Safety-Bill Killed (Well, Blocked)

Following California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoing a landmark AI safety bill aimed at regulating the development and deployment of advanced AI systems, we look at the reasons why it was blocked and the implications of doing so. What Bill? US Senate ‘Bill 1047’ relates to regulating AI systems with the focus specifically around frontier AI…

New Ways To Search

Search technology has transformed significantly from text-based queries back in the nineties to now, where there’s a wide range of interactive methods like voice, visual, and AI-driven tools. Here, we look at how these advancements are reshaping the way we search, with a focus on the latest innovations and trends in the search landscape. The…

Ebay : Fees Scrapped For UK Private Sellers

Online marketplace eBay has announced that starting Tuesday 1 October 2024, private sellers will not pay transaction fees when they sell items on eBay.co.uk. Like Germany In its online announcement of the change, eBay highlighted how it recently launched a similar free-to-sell programme in Germany, with the result reportedly being that many new customers joined…

OpenAI : Powerful Voice Building Updates

ChatGPT’s creator and Microsoft-backed start-up OpenAI has announced the introduction of its new (beta) Realtime API tool which enables developers to create AI voice applications using a single set of instructions. Multiple Steps Now Reduced To One Step The ‘Realtime API’ tool simplifies the process of creating AI-driven voice applications by integrating what used to…