FCC taking steps that would allow US prisons to jam prisoners' cellphone signals
CHAPIN, S.C. (AP) — Federal officials are moving a step closer to allowing state and federal prisons to jam cellphone signals from devices smuggled to inmates. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr on Friday announced the agency's plan to vote on September 30th to lift a restriction that currently prohibits signal jamming in prisons. Officials argue that smuggled phones enable prisoners to plot violence and run criminal enterprises. The debate has been ongoing for years, with prison directors saying the smuggled devices are dangerous because they allow inmates to continue committing crimes from behind bars.
Anthropic to pay authors $1.5 billion to settle lawsuit over pirated books used to train AI chatbots
NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence company Anthropic has agreed to pay $1.5 billion to settle a class-action lawsuit by book authors who say the company took pirated copies of their works to train its chatbot. The landmark settlement, if approved by a judge as soon as Monday, could mark a turning point in legal battles between AI companies and the writers, visual artists and other creative professionals who accuse them of copyright infringement. The company has agreed to pay authors or publishers about $3,000 for each of an estimated 500,000 books covered by the settlement.
Warner Bros. sues Midjourney for AI-generated images of Superman, Bugs Bunny and other characters
Warner Bros. is suing the AI company Midjourney for copyright infringement. The lawsuit claims Midjourney allows users to create AI-generated images and videos of copyrighted characters like Superman and Bugs Bunny. This is the third lawsuit against Midjourney by a major Hollywood studio, following Disney and Universal's joint lawsuit in June. The lawsuit alleges Midjourney trained its AI on illegal copies of Warner Bros. works and misleads users into thinking the generated content is authorized. Midjourney has not responded to the lawsuit. The company's CEO previously compared the service to a search engine, suggesting AI learning is similar to human creativity.
Google hit with $3.5 billion fine from European Union in ad-tech antitrust case
European Union regulators on Friday hit Google with a $3.5 billion fine for breaching the bloc’s competition rules by favoring its own digital advertising services. This marks the fourth antitrust penalty for the company from Brussels. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, also ordered Google to end its self-preferencing practices and address conflicts of interest in the advertising technology supply chain. Google plans to appeal, calling the decision “wrong” and claiming it will harm European businesses. The decision angered U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration has lashed out at the bloc over digital regulations and taxes imposed on U.S. tech companies.
Attorneys general warn OpenAI and other tech companies to improve chatbot safety
The attorneys general of California and Delaware have expressed serious concerns about the safety of OpenAI's chatbot, ChatGPT, especially for children and teens. They sent a letter to OpenAI after a meeting with its legal team earlier this week. The officials have been reviewing OpenAI's plans to restructure its business, focusing on safety oversight. They say they are alarmed by reports of dangerous interactions between chatbots and users, including a suicide and a murder-suicide linked to OpenAI's chatbot. The two officials have oversight over OpenAI's plans to restructure its nonprofit origins, but want better safety measures.
Don't look now, but there's an AI-generated Italian teacup on your child's phone. What does it mean?
Ballerina Cappuccina, an AI-generated cartoon ballerina with a cappuccino teacup for a head, has become a viral sensation on TikTok. Her videos have garnered over 55 million views and 4 million likes, mostly from tweens. She's part of the "Italian Brain Rot" trend, which features absurd characters like Tralalero Tralala, a shark with sneakers, and Bombardino Crocodilo, a crocodile-headed airplane. These characters have captivated young audiences with their nonsensical charm. Experts say this trend reflects the younger generation's desire to escape the pressures of self-optimization. Despite concerns that it is pointless, some believe it's a harmless way to unwind.
Trillion dollar man: New pay package could make Musk that much richer if Tesla thrives
Tesla is asking its investors to approve a proposed compensation package for CEO Elon Musk that could be worth almost $1 trillion and is based on the electric vehicle maker hitting certain ambitious milestones over the next decade. The company, which is also leaning heavily into robotics and AI, said in a regulatory filing on Friday that the package includes a dozen share tranches that will be given to Musk if it hits certain targets over the 10-year period. To achieve the initial amount in the compensation plan, Tesla would need to hit a market cap of $2 trillion, double its current valuation.
A wildly popular 15-year-old computer whiz is becoming the Catholic Church's first millennial saint
CHICAGO (AP) — Pope Leo XIV will preside over his first canonization ceremony Sunday to create the first millennial saint. Carlo Acutis has shot to near rock star-like fame among many young Catholics. Much of that popularity is thanks to a concerted campaign by the Vatican to give the next generation of faithful a relatable and modern-day role model. Acutis used his technological talents to spread the faith. His admirers consider Acutis as the “saint next door” and an ordinary kid who did extraordinary things. Acutis died at age 15 of acute leukemia in 2006.
Google facing $425.7 million in damages for nearly a decade of improper smartphone snooping
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal jury has ordered Google to pay $425.7 million for improperly snooping on people’s smartphones during a nearly decade-long period of intrusions. The verdict reached Wednesday in San Francisco federal court followed a more than two-week trial in a class-action case covering about 98 million smartphones operating in the United States between July 1, 2016, through Sept. 23, 2024. Google had denied that it was improperly tracking the online activity of people who thought they had shielded themselves on privacy controls and says it will now appeal the jury's verdict.
Trump hosts tech titans — but not Musk — at White House
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has hosted tech executives at the White House, showcasing AI research and investments. Thursday's event highlights major financial commitments from companies like Meta, Apple, and Google. Notably absent was Elon Musk, replaced by OpenAI's Sam Altman. The dinner, moved indoors due to rain, follows a meeting of the White House's new AI education task force, chaired by Melania Trump. She emphasizes both the potential and risks of AI. Trump, despite criticizing AI, frequently shares AI-generated content online. The event underscores shifting alliances and ongoing debates about AI's role and regulation.
