Do A.I. chatbots packaged inside cute-looking plushies offer a viable alternative to screen time for kids? That’s how the companies selling these A.I.-powered kiddie companions are marketing them, but The New York Times’ Amanda Hess has some reservations. She recounts a demonstration in which Grem, one of the offerings from startup Curio, tried to bond…
If you’ve ever juggled a phone, a smartwatch, and a pair of wireless earbuds, you know the struggle of keeping them all charged. Rather than go through the process of charging them one by one, a quality charging station can help you manage the chaos and reduce cable clutter. The Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station…
Like the typewriter, the PC, and then the smartphone, AI is poised to radically change the office environment. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman isn’t shy about discussing the future of AI. As the CEO of a market leading company, his predictions carry plenty of weight, such as his worry that AI could make things go “horribly…
A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into left-leaning advocacy group Media Matters. Back in 2023, Media Matters published research showing ads from major companies had appeared alongside antisemitic and other offensive content on Elon Musk-owned X. When major advertisers subsequently pulled back from the platform, X sued…
At the end of July, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) convened a three-day public hearing to investigate January’s mid-air collision over Washington, DC that killed 67 people. After the hearing, two conclusions were inescapable. First, the disaster should have been prevented by existing safety rules. And second, the government regulators responsible for air safety…
How to close the loop between user behavior and LLM performance, and why human-in-the-loop systems are still essential in the age of gen AI.Read More
A new survey of U.S. employees shows many are turning to additional employment because they’re under financial strain. Employers who sense rising levels of anxiety and signs of disengagement or displeasure in their workplace now have survey data to explain the sources of that unsettling vibe. But those insights also suggest managers need to address…
Anthropic has announced new capabilities that will allow some of its newest, largest models to end conversations in what the company describes as “rare, extreme cases of persistently harmful or abusive user interactions.” Strikingly, Anthropic says it’s doing this not to protect the human user, but rather the AI model itself. To be clear, the…
Some people like to stay on the cutting edge of technology. If that’s you, you already know that Google is going to officially unveil its Pixel 10 phones (including a new Fold) during its August 20th event. But if you’re someone who prefers to use these opportunities to save on last-gen tech, you’ve been rewarded…
Eleven Madison Park, Sweetgreen, and Impossible: They brought bravado to eating mostly plants, but as MAHA rules, they’re backpedaling. This fall, for the first time in four years, meat will be back on the menu at New York City’s legendary Eleven Madison Park restaurant. It’s a notable about-face for chef Daniel Humm, who had famously…
