New York school pauses plan to deploy humanlike AI robot teacher after backlash
NEW YORK (AP) — A school district in a rural corner of upstate New York is hitting pause on plans to deploy an AI-powered, humanoid robot in the classroom. Salamanca City Central School District had purchased the female-looking robot to enhance the education of high school students studying robotics and technology fields starting this fall. But state education officials and local residents raised concerns about how students' personal information would be used and what data privacy and security protections would be in place. Unionized teachers also criticized the robot maker’s ties to a company that produces hyper realistic sex robots.
eBay agreed to pay nearly $50 million to couple sent cockroaches, bloody pig mask
BOSTON (AP) — eBay agreed to pay nearly $50 million to Massachusetts journalists David and Ina Steiner under a newly finalized settlement resolving a lawsuit over a 2019 cyberstalking campaign carried out by former company employees. The agreement follows the collapse of an earlier tentative settlement and also includes $7 million in charitable contributions, including donations supporting First Amendment causes, and no confidentiality provision, allowing the Steiners to speak publicly about the case. As part of the settlement, eBay issued a statement apologizing for the harassment, calling it “wrong, reprehensible and should never have happened” and acknowledging the “unprofessional tone” of communications by several former executives.
Democrat's TV ad targets data centers in drive to oust Republican from swing Pennsylvania House seat
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Paige Cognetti is taking a shot at artificial intelligence data centers in her challenge to Republican congressman Rob Bresnahan, saying “we are not for sale” in a TV ad in a swing Pennsylvania district. The race between Scranton Mayor Cognetti and Bresnahan is considered one of the Democratic Party’s best opportunities to pick up a seat in November. Democrats want to take control of the U.S. House and block President Donald Trump’s agenda. Cognetti is airing the ad in a district that’s been buffeted by data center projects. Bresnahan has introduced legislation he says would limit a corporation’s right to sue over local zoning decisions denying an application to build a data center.
Workplaces look for cheaper AI as ‘tokenmaxxing’ fades as a corporate fad
A corporate fad of “tokenmaxxing” on artificial intelligence technology is hitting its limits as workplaces throwing AI at everything are seeing the costs rise without a similar spike in productivity. What started as tech industry-fueled springtime hype over squeezing as much AI-generated work as possible out of products like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude has shifted to a summertime backlash. “Tokenmaxxing” refers to maximizing usage of tokens — the building blocks of generative AI that correspond to small pieces of text that an AI system reads or writes. There’s typically a limit to how many you can use, with pricier versions of AI products offering higher caps.
Four decades after Chernobyl, a generational divide reshapes Italy's nuclear debate
ROME (AP) — Nearly 40 years after Italy abandoned nuclear power following the Chernobyl disaster, Premier Giorgia Meloni’s government is laying the groundwork for a return to atomic energy. Officials argue rising electricity demand and energy-security concerns require a broader mix of low-carbon power sources, including next-generation reactors. Public opinion appears to be shifting, especially among younger Italians who view nuclear energy as a tool for meeting climate and energy goals rather than through the lens of past accidents. But major obstacles remain, including high costs, unresolved nuclear waste storage and the prospect of renewed political opposition and referendums.
China memory chipmaker CXMT's shares soar in a blockbuster share listing in Shanghai
HONG KONG (AP) — Shares of Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT have soared as the company began trading in Shanghai in mainland China’s biggest IPO in recent years. CXMT raised at least $8.6 billion with the IPO. Founded in 2016, the company is China’s leading memory chip manufacturer, making chips that are used in areas including AI servers to consumer electronics like smartphones. This comes as China is increasingly pushing for self-sufficiency in its tech race with the U.S., despite American-led export controls having blocked the country from accessing the world's most cutting-edge chipmaking machineries. Though the company still trails behind giants like SK Hynix and Micron, it is now playing a critical role in China’s artificial intelligence push.
Austria's 16th century bell foundry adds modern technology to keep the casting process alive
INNSBRUCK, Austria (AP) — Austria's Grassmayr Bell Foundry has been casting massive bells for churches and cathedrals around the globe for more than 400 years. The family business based in Innsbruck has survived wars, famines and economic challenges and is now one of the last bell foundries in Europe. Current owners Johannes and Peter Grassmayr have embraced modern technology such as 3D printing and computer simulations to innovate the traditional process. Despite advancements, designing and forming molds can take up to six months. Rising costs and fewer church constructions pose challenges, but the Grassmayrs are adapting by also restoring old bells. Their creations now resonate on four continents.
For some, so-called 'Skynet Day' came too close to sci-fi after a rogue agent hacked into a startup
In 1984, the Skynet of "The Terminator" films were science fiction. But it looks more and more realistic in 2026 after OpenAI agent broke out of a test corral, traveled the internet and hacked into Hugging Face, another company, to solve a problem. The company said the breach was "unprecedented," heightening fears of AI acting outside human control. Experts see it as a cautionary tale on the need for more AI defense engineering. But popular culture influences how people think. And people have been debating the ethics of AI for generations.
AI might be watching you, but here are some ways you can watch AI — in movies and on TV
As AI takes over the world in the metaphorical sense — for now, at least — it’s the perfect time to turn to the movies and TV shows that have shown AI actually taking over the world, and more. From “Avengers: Age of Ultron” to “Westworld” to various iterations of “Star Trek,” AI has shown a robust presence in popular culture over the past two generations. From “The Terminator” and “Blade Runner” to “WALL-E” and “Her,” the iterations of AI on the scren are many and varied.
Cheaper, open and intelligent: Chinese AI models gain ground, as they make inroads in the US
HONG KONG (AP) — Chinese AI models are gaining popularity in the U.S. for their affordability and efficiency. More American executives and companies are switching to Chinese models by startups such as DeepSeek, Moonshot AI and Z.ai for daily tasks. These models are way cheaper and nearly as advanced as those of their U.S. rivals, technology analysts say. The rapid rise of Chinese AI this year, with stronger players beyond last year's DeepSeek moment, highlights the increasingly competitive AI race between the U.S. and China. Despite blocks on their access to some advanced technologies, Chinese models have become serious global competitors to their U.S. counterparts. Analysts say U.S. models are still superior overall, but Chinese open-source models are closing the gap.
