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TechCrunch Mobility: The battle over robotaxi rules
A political and lobbying battle is unfolding in Washington, D.C. over a proposed bill that would allow autonomous vehicles to operate in the city, with Uber and Waymo now firmly on opposing sides. Uber opposes the bill, arguing it would displace human for-hire drivers and effectively hand Waymo a monopoly, and is instead pushing for…
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Connecting AI agents to outside services explodes the risk radius
A study by AI security firm PromptArmor has found that “connectors” – integrations letting AI agents like ChatGPT and Claude interact with third-party services such as Gmail, Slack or Dropbox – are changing so rapidly and unpredictably that they undermine any security assumptions made when they were first approved. This matters because connectors already carry…
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‘Odyssey’ director Christopher Nolan calls AI an obvious ‘Trojan horse’
Christopher Nolan, director of the new film adaptation of “The Odyssey,” has described artificial intelligence as a “Trojan horse” whose dangers are so obvious that the public isn’t being fooled by it. Speaking to YouTube interviewer Hugo Travers, Nolan said he finds it “pretty encouraging” that scepticism towards AI, particularly among young people, remains so…
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Nonprofit Current AI is racing to build the World Wide Web of AI, free for all
Current AI, a nonprofit founded in February 2025, is building open, publicly available artificial intelligence infrastructure to serve as an alternative to systems controlled by major private technology companies. Chief executive Ayah Bdeir, who joined in January after leading Mozilla’s AI strategy, argues that a transformative technology such as AI needs a free public option,…
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Government use of automated AI decision-making to be curbed under new Australian rules
The Australian government is preparing tough new rules to govern how federal departments and agencies use artificial intelligence in automated decision-making, as part of a broader national AI plan covering consumer protections, workplace safety and privacy. The move comes amid rapid growth in AI use and datacentre construction, with ministers seeking to build in fairness,…
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Could AI be conscious?
The article, an opinion piece, argues that AI consciousness is no longer a purely speculative question and that society urgently needs a framework for addressing its ethical implications. It notes that Anthropic’s own updated “constitution” for its Claude model, along with comments from CEO Dario Amodei and philosopher David Chalmers, suggest experts increasingly view the…
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Using AI makes people less likely to admit they don’t know something
Researchers from French and Italian universities have found that giving people access to AI advice makes them far less willing to admit they don’t know an answer, even when the AI’s advice is wrong. The study, led by Valerio Capraro of the University of Milano-Bicocca, warns that AI is eroding critical thinking and judgment, as…
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Victoria announces new social media ‘demasking’ powers for accounts accused of vilification
New laws would give Vcat power to force social and AI platforms to identify anonymous users in move premier says will protect children Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Social media companies could be forced to identify anonymous accounts accused of online vilification, under new laws being proposed in Victoria.…
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‘Mexodus’ Review: The Underground Railroad Runs South to Mexico in a Pasadena Playhouse Musical That Feels as Spirited as a Two-Man ‘Hamilton’
“Mexodus,” now playing at Pasadena Playhouse, is a two-person musical that reimagines the Underground Railroad’s escape route running south into Mexico rather than north. Written by and starring Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, the show blends hip-hop and traditional Tex-Mex balladry, drawing comparisons to “Hamilton” for its anachronistic rap-driven storytelling set in a historical…
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Dave Eggers told OpenAI staff that ChatGPT was ‘silencing an entire generation’
Author Dave Eggers used a talk hosted by OpenAI, at Sam Altman’s invitation, to sharply criticise the company over ChatGPT’s impact on education and young people’s writing abilities. Rather than offering career advice to the roughly 200 staff present, Eggers reportedly accused the company of making teachers’ lives “infinitely more difficult” and of enabling students…