Hacked hospitals, hidden spyware: Iran conflict shows how digital fight is ingrained in warfare
WASHINGTON (AP) — Iran has turned to its cyber operations to make up for its military disadvantages in its conflict with Israel and the U.S. Since the war began last month, hackers supporting Iran have launched thousands of cyberattacks on companies and organizations in both the U.S. and Israel, seeking to undermine the war effort and critical supply chains. Hospitals and health care organizations have been targeted, as well as data centers. Iran is also using artificial intelligence to generate bogus images of the war. These operations haven't yet had a huge impact, but they demonstrate how disinformation, AI and hacking are now ingrained in modern warfare.
Having a conversation and creating best practices for your child's social media use
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Earlier this week a jury in California this found both Meta and YouTube liable for mental health harms to kids using their services. Child behavioral experts say this news provides a renewed opportunity for parents to have conversations with their kids about social media and figure out the best practices to protect them. Here is guidance from experts on how to approach the topic.
In the wake of US social media verdicts, a look at what limits other countries have imposed for kids
Dual jury verdicts this week have validated longstanding concerns about the dangers of social media for young people. But the U.S. lacks federal regulation that meaningfully addresses these harms. Other countries, meanwhile, have implemented a bevy of restrictions on children’s online activities, ranging from outright social media bans to to requiring younger teens to link their accounts to a parent’s. In 2024, Australia became the first country to kick kids under 16 off social media and other countries have followed suit.
Indonesia starts implementing social media restrictions for children under 16
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia has begun implementing a new government regulation approved earlier this month that bans children younger than 16 from access to digital platforms that could expose them to pornography, cyberbullying, online scams and addiction. Indonesia has said the measure will be implemented gradually, starting on Saturday. The move makes it the first country in Southeast Asia to ban children under 16 from having accounts on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live and Roblox. It follows measures that Australia took last year in a world-first social media ban for children as part of a push for families to take back power from tech giants and protect their teens.
Yahoo turns to AI-powered answer engine Scout to lead it back to its roots in online search
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Internet trailblazer Yahoo is exploring technology’s next frontier with Scout, an answer engine powered by artificial intelligence. Scout seems insightful, based on its response to a question posed by The Associated Press about why one of Silicon Valley’s brightest stars faded away a decade ago. “Yahoo’s journey illustrates how a company with an early advantage can disappear without continuous innovation,” Scout explained. Scout eventually may see things differently if Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone can leverage AI to expand upon a worldwide audience of 700 million users that have stuck with the company’s services, despite a history of folly that nearly destroyed a brand once synonymous with the internet.
AI's arrival complicates Big Tech climate goals, and some worry it's locking in more fossil fuels
Tech companies set ambitious climate goals at the start of the decade, promising to slash emissoins that contribute to global warming. Instead, companies' greenhouse gas emissions are spiking as they race to deploy artificial intelligence, building sprawling data centers that use more power than entire cities. They're also using more natural gas, a fossil fuel that in 2024 accounted for more than 40% of electricity powering U.S. data centers. A backlog of projects waiting to connect to power grids, plus the Trump administration's war on renewable energy also are complicating efforts while threatening to prolong the reliance on fossil fuels.
Microsoft takes over a Texas AI data center expansion after OpenAI backs away
Microsoft is taking over a data center construction project in Texas after OpenAI declined to pursue it, in a move that will make the two companies neighbors at one of the nation’s largest complexes for running artificial intelligence. Data center developer Crusoe said Friday it is working with Microsoft to build two new “AI factory” buildings and an on-site power plant in Abilene, Texas, right next to where Crusoe has been building an even larger computing campus for OpenAI and Oracle. OpenAI’s existing project, the flagship of a broader initiative called Stargate, is so massive that President Donald Trump was first to officially announce it just after his inauguration last year.
Federal judge temporarily blocks the Pentagon from branding AI firm Anthropic a supply chain risk
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has ruled in favor of artificial intelligence company Anthropic in temporarily blocking the Pentagon from labeling the company as a supply chain risk. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin on Thursday said she was also blocking enforcement of President Donald Trump’s social media directive ordering all federal agencies to stop using Anthropic and its chatbot Claude. Lin said the “broad punitive measures” taken against the AI company by the Trump administration and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared arbitrary, capricious and could “cripple Anthropic,” particularly Hegseth’s use of a rare military authority that’s previously been directed at foreign adversaries.
Another PlayStation price hike means the gaming console will cost 30% more than it did last year
The price of a PlayStation is going up by another $100, the second time in less than a year that Sony has upped the price tag on its popular gaming console. Global trade has been upended by U.S. tariffs imposed on all of the nation’s trading partners and Sony bumped up the price for the PlayStation by $50 just last August. The war in Iran has created a massive bottleneck of energy and manufacturing supplies, creating more price pressures for everyday goods, including electronics. By the end of next week, the cost of a Sony PlayStation will be about about 30% more than it was at this time last year.
One Tech Tip: Here's how AI can (and can't) help you in your job hunt
Finding a job feels harder than ever. Technology is disrupting the recruitment process, as automation makes it easier to apply to more jobs, but harder for employers to sift through applications. Experts outlined how job seekers should, and shouldn't, use AI to help their job search. Don't use AI in a generic way to update your resume, but do use it to personalize your approach to a company. Don't try hiding keywords in your CV. Go beyond your resume and show off practical AI skills. Use AI to research the company you're applying to and practice interview questions. Avoid using AI “cheat” tools in interviews and watch out for AI-powered job scams.
