Spooked

A falsified photograph of an explosion near the Pentagon spread widely on social media Monday morning, briefly sending US stocks lower in possibly the first instance of an AI-generated image moving the market.Just past 10 a.m. New York time, when the photo was circulating, the S&P 500 declined by about 0.3% to a session low. As news emerged that the image was a hoax, the index quickly rebounded. The fake photo, which first appeared on Facebook, showed a large plume of smoke that a Facebook user claimed was near the…

Another change urged by lawmakers and industry witnesses alike was requiring disclosure to inform people when they’re conversing with a language model and not a human, or when AI technology makes important decisions with life-changing consequences. One example could be a disclosure requirement to reveal when a facial recognition match is the basis of an arrest or criminal accusation.The Senate hearing follows growing interest from US and European governments, and even some tech insiders, in putting new guardrails on AI to…

SYDNEY—The Reserve Bank of Australia surprised financial markets by raising interest rates a month after pausing to assess the impact of earlier tightening on the economy, illustrating how central banks are wary of declaring victory over inflation. The RBA lifted its official cash rate by a quarter of a percentage point to 3.85%, arguing that while inflation had already peaked it was still too high at 7% and could take a couple of years before it reaches the top end of a 2% to 3% target range.…

You need only hear the nauseating revelations spewing from the witness stand at the royal commission into robo-debt to understand that replacing responsible human discernment with trust in algorithms can destroy vulnerable lives, and has done so.But right now, I’m holding off judgment on ChatGPT.Long ago, between Boxing Day 1996 and the first weeks of 1997, I discovered that online technology could become useful in the most surprising ways.By happy accident, I learned that the only Fairfax computer linked to the internet…

Google has been jolted after the Indian antitrust authority sought changes to how it markets its Android system, which powers 97% of smartphones in the world's second biggest mobile market. As a January 19 deadline approaches, the USfirm has asked the Supreme Court to put on hold the directives of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), arguing that they risk stalling growth of its Android ecosystem in the country. Google licenses the system to smartphone makers, but critics say its restrictions are anti-competitive.…

Google has been jolted after the Indian antitrust authority sought changes to how it markets its Android system, which powers 97 percent of smartphones in the world's second biggest mobile market.As a January 19 deadline approaches, the US firm has asked the Supreme Court to put on hold the directives of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), arguing that they risk stalling growth of its Android ecosystem in the country.Google licenses the system to smartphone makers, but critics say its…

Smith told WIRED that Amazon keeps patient health information confidential and secure in compliance with federal law and regulations, and in line with industry standards; Amazon Clinic customer data will be protected through the use of HIPAA-compliant encryption methods. “Protecting patient information is an important part of our business; we are not in the business of selling or sharing it,” Smith wrote.Amazon’s recent efforts to break into health care raise a more fundamental question: Should Big Tech even be allowed in…

On Halloween, we bring you our HT Entertainment Desk writers' most hated (in a good way) horror movies of all time. Consider these for your watchparty tonight if you love a good spooky challenge. (Also read: Halloween: How Ramsay Brothers, India's OG kings of horror, created a genre with Veerana, Saamri and Zee Horror Show)The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) Jennifer Carpenter as the titular character in The Exorcism of Emily Rose There have been several better and more memorable horror films made around the world than…

Spirit Halloween is no stranger to being a punchline. The seasonal chain’s miraculous ability to colonize abandoned storefronts in the blink of an eye,its niche wares, and the way—every year—it disappears without a trace of glitter, fake blood, or wig hair left behind makes it ripe for internet jokes. And the trend of photoshopped costume packages has kept the Spirit meme spirit alive in recent days.Though, the seasonal retailer seems to have mixed feelings about the posts. On one hand, it’s made its own brazen attempt…

The largest supermoon appearance of 2022, identified as the Buck Moon, rises above the mountain line in Morgantown, July 13. New WVU sociological research shows people who believe in witchcraft, telekinesis and other forms of paranormal phenomenon are more likely to mistrust science and vaccines. Credit: WVU Photo/David Malecki The number 13, telekinesis and witchcraft play a part in a person's mistrust of science and…