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Starmer tells Apple and Google to ban nude images on children's phones

Firms will be expected to activate built-in features to stop children accessing sexually explicit images.

Starmer gives tech firms ultimatum to block explicit images on children’s phones

Companies such as Apple and Google have until September to install software or face legislation, says PM UK politics live – latest updates Apple and Google have been given until September to install software that blocks explicit images on children’s mobile phones or face legislation enforcing its requirement, Keir Starmer said on Monday. The prime minister said tech companies must activate nudity-detection algorithms or other technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to prevent users taking photos or sharing images of genitalia unless they are verified as adults. Continue reading...

The Register

Brit maritime agency heralds fresh global rules for crewless cargo ships

If you thought driverless cars were bad, imagine a 200,000 ton container ship

‘A driver of political violence’: how the breakneck AI boom is fueling anti-tech extremism

Backlash against AI is taking an extremist turn, following in the footsteps of earlier techno-pessimist militants Sign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email When a 20-year-old man from Texas was arrested earlier this year for allegedly trying to burn down OpenAI’s headquarters and Sam Altman’s house, authorities found an anti-AI manifesto alongside his lighter and a jug of kerosene. It was one of a spate of attacks that has caused alarm among researchers, the tech industry and law enforcement about the rise of anti-tech extremism. In April, an Italian “nature pilled” Instagram influencer was arrested in Rome and charged with plotting a series of anti-tech attacks that took inspiration from Ted “The Unabomber” Kaczynski. Two self-described “ecofascists” that carried out a deadly anti-Muslim attack on a mosque in San Diego last month also cited “AI slop” and JD Vance’s ties to Palantir as motivations for their violence in their manifesto. An Indianapolis city councilor woke up earlier this year to gunshots being fired into his home before finding a note that read “NO DATA CENTERS”. Continue reading...

MAIL ON SUNDAY COMMENT: If he wants to be PM, Burnham must stand up for free speech

This country has become shockingly unfree. But this attack on liberty has been very hard to oppose because it is usually so misty and shapeless.

Suit filed against controversial planned Stratos datacenter project in Utah

Plan backed by Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary had footprint reduced but concerns remain over its health impacts Utah residents have teamed up with a progressive non-profit organization to sue over an under-development AI datacenter backed by celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary, claiming the planned Stratos project facility “irrevocably” cuts off citizens’ rights by not allowing sufficient public input. Filed by the Alliance for a Better Utah and five unnamed residents of the Box Elder county area where the center is being developed, the lawsuit comes as Shark Tank co-host O’Leary agreed to scale back the physical footprint for the project. Continue reading...

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Empty rhetoric will not keep Britain safe

Keeping powerful enemies at bay requires planning and preparedness, enough fighting soldiers and materiel, warships, jets, tanks, missiles and, increasingly, attack drones.

The Register

The ISS has a major air leak, forcing NASA crew to take shelter in Dragon capsule

Business is back to normal in the orbital station, but one of two newly discovered leaks is still unrepaired

Anthropic urges ‘temporary pause’ on AI development to discuss risks

Announcement that ‘policymakers’ need to be convened by US firm viewed as marketing ploy by some experts Anthropic has floated the idea of a worldwide “temporary pause” on AI development – and said it was going to convene “policymakers” to discuss the dangers of advanced AI – in its latest release touting the capabilities of its products. In a long post on Thursday, Anthropic detailed the progress of its AI model, Claude, towards “recursive self improvement” – that is, being able to make better and more powerful versions of itself. Recursive self-improvement is a bugbear of AI safety researchers, viewed as the key step for AI to become superintelligent and therefore unleash widespread consequences on humanity. Continue reading...

New claimants seek to sue Elon Musk’s xAI after Labour MP’s test case

Jess Asato’s lawyer says others want to take action over demeaning sexualised material created by Grok AI tool New claimants have come forward to take legal action against Elon Musk’s company xAI after the Labour MP Jess Asato launched a test case against the firm over demeaning sexualised material created by its Grok AI tool. A handful of complainants contacted Asato’s lawyer on Thursday in response to coverage of the MP’s decision to sue Musk’s company for damages over its creation and circulation of fake images of her in a bikini and an AI-created video that she said showed her “being chloroformed and prepared for a sexual assault”. Continue reading...

A uni professor admitted using AI to write an opinion piece. Here’s what it revealed about trust in the technology

Without disclosing that work has been generated using the technology, faith in existing industries will continue to be undermined Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcas When a university vice-chancellor this week admitted to using AI in writing an opinion piece for a major Australian masthead, but did not disclose that use prior to publication, it highlighted the growing gap between people’s use of AI and trust in the technology. Data from Roy Morgan this week showed 13.6m or 58% of the population older than 14 now use AI each month, with ChatGPT being the most popular, followed by Google’s Gemini and Microsoft Copilot. Continue reading...

BBC News

Single 20-somethings need AI to make first move on dating apps - Hinge boss

Jackie Jantos says loneliness and lack of confidence were challenges for young adults looking for relationships.

VANESSA TAIT: Why this picture of sweet 'hippy child' Lilibet with her bare feet and hair flowing free makes my heart break for George, Charlotte and Louis. Maybe Meghan got it right after all...

Lilibet has turned five, and her doting parents Harry and Meghan have posted a couple of photos to mark the happy day. Nothing wrong with that, you'd think.

STEPHEN DAISLEY: It was an obnoxious, disruptive display by the Mouth from Aberdeen South...

I don't know who's been giving Stephen Flynn E-numbers but John Swinney 's would-be successor was hyperactive yesterday.

Academic is caught using AI to write article telling students 'don't use AI'

Professor Cath Ellis, Western Sydney University's pro vice chancellor for quality and integrity, had her piece published in the Sydney Morning Herald last month.

Labour MP Jess Asato sues Elon Musk's xAI for damages saying its Grok chatbot tool was used to create fake bikini pictures of her

Jess Asato (pictured), the MP for Lowestoft in Suffolk, previously said it was 'violating' to see the tech billionaire's AI chatbot used to create images of her without consent.

Rachel Reeves is about to make the same mistake as Blair and Brown. It'll hammer YOU as a taxpayer, and increase debt... and all to fund uncontrolled suburban sprawl: PROFESSOR STEPHEN SMITH

Life rarely offers us a straightforward choice between the right and wrong ways of doing things. But Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing just such a choice this week.

BBC News