Artificial Intelligence
EU AI Act: The Countdown Begins - August 1 Marks the Start of Sweeping Regulations for Artificial Intelligence (~2 min.) : The European Union has published its AI Act, a sweeping regulation aimed at governing the development and use of artificial intelligence across the EU. The law will come into force on August 1, with some provisions taking effect immediately and others implemented within two years. Key measures include bans on prohibited AI applications, such as social credit ranking systems and real-time emotion recognition in schools and workplaces, as well as transparency requirements for makers of general-purpose AI models like ChatGPT. The EU AI Act also includes rules governing generative AI, manipulated media, copyright laws, and text data mining for scientific research purposes.
Peering into the Black Box: Large Language Models’ Limitations Revealed in Counterfactual Scenarios (~4 min.) : Researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have found that large language models (LLMs) often overestimate their reasoning abilities. In reality, these models excel in familiar scenarios but struggle when confronted with unfamiliar or counterfactual situations. The study showed that LLMs’ performance drops significantly when presented with tasks that deviate from their training data, indicating a lack of generalizable skills and reliance on memorization rather than true understanding. This insight highlights the need for more robust and adaptable language models to effectively handle diverse scenarios in real-world applications.
Generative AI Obsession: Is AWS Abandoning Its Roots? (~5 min.) : The author, an AWS Serverless Hero, feels that Amazon Web Services (AWS) has become obsessed with Generative AI (GenAI) and is neglecting its core business and customers as a result. They argue that GenAI only adds value to existing businesses, and that AWS should not abandon its roots in providing infrastructure, scalable solutions, and maintainable applications for developers. Instead, the author suggests that AWS should focus on both GenAI and its traditional strengths, rather than implying that GenAI is the only thing that matters. They urge AWS to remember its customers’ needs and pain points, and to prioritize educating them on fundamental infrastructure principles like performance, reliability, and security.
AI’s Dirty Secret: Tech Giants Train Models on Stolen YouTube Data (~3 min.) : A recent investigation by Proof News has revealed that several major tech companies, including Apple, NVIDIA, and Anthropic, trained their AI models on a dataset containing transcripts from over 173,000 YouTube videos without permission. The dataset was created by nonprofit company EleutherAI and includes subtitles from popular channels such as Marques Brownlee’s and MrBeast’s, as well as news outlets like The New York Times and BBC. While the companies involved did not respond to requests for comment, this discovery highlights AI’s reliance on data scraped from creators without their consent or compensation.
Cybersecurity
Breach Alert: AT&T Customer Data Compromised in Massive Cloud Heist (~2 min.) : AT&T has confirmed that unauthorized access to its customer data on a third-party cloud platform occurred between May 2022 and October 2022, as well as on January 3, 2023. The compromised data includes phone call and text message records for nearly all AT&T cellular customers during this period, including interactions with landline customers. While the data does not include sensitive information like Social Security numbers or dates of birth, it can still be used to identify phone numbers associated with customers.
Slack Attack: Hacktivist Group NullBulge Allegedly Breaches Disney, Leaks 1.1 TB of Internal Data (~3 min.) : Hacktivist group NullBulge claims to have breached Disney’s internal Slack infrastructure, leaking 1.1 TiB of data including messages, files, code, and more. The alleged breach allegedly includes unreleased projects, raw images, and logins, among other sensitive information. This comes amid a series of high-profile breaches affecting companies like AT&T and Ticketmaster. NullBulge’s motives are unclear, but the group claims to be seeking to protect artists’ rights and ensure fair compensation for their work, citing Disney’s history of controversy over royalty payments.
Alphabet’s $23B Bet: Google’s Largest Acquisition Yet to Boost Cybersecurity? (~3 min.) : Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is reportedly close to acquiring Wiz, a cloud-based cybersecurity startup, for around $23 billion. Wiz uses artificial intelligence to identify and respond to threats in real-time and has partnered with 40% of Fortune 100 companies. The acquisition would be Alphabet’s largest purchase to date, surpassing its previous largest deal, the $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility in 2012.
Kaspersky’s American Dream Deflated: Shutdown Looms as US Operations Come to a Close : Kaspersky Lab, a Russian-based cybersecurity company, will begin winding down its US operations by July 20, effectively closing its American business. The move comes after concerns over potential ties to the Russian government and data security risks led to Kaspersky’s removal from US government agencies’ approved vendor lists. This marks the end of the company’s 13-year presence in the US market.
Trello’s Treasure Trove of Trouble: 15M Email Addresses Exposed! : A security breach has compromised the privacy of millions of Trello users, as a threat actor has leaked over 15 million email addresses linked to Trello accounts. The compromised data was gathered from an unsecured API in January, which was not properly secured by Trello at the time. This significant data leak puts affected individuals at risk of targeted phishing attacks and other cyber threats.
Privacy
Rabbit R1’s AI Assistant Exposed: Software Update Brings Privacy Boost (~2 min.) : The Rabbit R1 AI assistant device has been storing users’ chat logs on-device without a way to erase them. A software update addresses this issue by introducing a Factory Reset option, which fully deletes local user data. Additionally, the update fixes another security concern where stored pairing data could potentially read and share users’ saved requests, photos, and more. Rabbit promises to improve security practices and conduct a full review of device logging practices to prevent similar issues in the future.
Google’s Gemini AI Spills Private Drive Secrets Without Permission: Control Lost in the Cloud (~3 min.) : Google’s AI service, Gemini, has been reading private Drive documents without user permission, according to a report by Kevin Bankston on Twitter. The issue appears to be caused by Google Drive’s privacy settings not being openly available, leading to the AI “hallucinating” or malfunctioning. Bankston discovered that the issue is specific to Google Workspace Labs users and can be triggered by enabling certain features. This raises concerns about user consent and privacy in the age of AI-powered services.
AI-Generated Content Under Fire: YouTube Rolls Out New Policy for AI-Simulated Faces and Voices (~4 min.) : YouTube has introduced a new policy change that allows users to request the removal of AI-generated content that simulates their face or voice, expanding its approach to responsible AI. Under this policy, users can submit a complaint for takedown under YouTube’s privacy request process, which will be reviewed based on various factors such as disclosure, parody, and public interest. The company emphasizes that it won’t penalize original content creators with strikes, but may take action against repeated violations.
Tools
Pause and Reflect: Your Movie Break Buddy! : A moviegoer created a free app to help others find the best time to take a bathroom break without missing important parts of a film. The app allows users to start a timer that updates even when their phone is locked, and it also provides information on current movies playing in theaters (although this data may not be 100% accurate).
Play Classic Games & Software on Your iPhone: Apple Approves PC Emulator UTM SE for iOS (~2 min.) : Apple has approved UTM SE, a PC emulator that allows users to run classic software and old-school games from Windows, Mac OS 9, and Linux on their iPhone. The app was initially rejected by Apple in June, but after some tweaks, it is now available for free download on the App Store. UTM SE doesn’t include any virtual machines, instead helping users find them or create their own configurations from scratch using QEMU, a powerful emulator. This means that users can run pre-built virtual machines or emulate different architectures to play classic games and use vintage software.
Proton Mail’s AI-Powered Writing Assistant: Securely Scribing Your Way to Better Emails (~2 min.) : Proton Mail, a privacy-focused email service provider, has introduced Proton Scribe, an AI-powered writing assistant designed to help users compose and clean up their drafts while maintaining zero-access encryption. The tool can be run locally or on Proton’s no-log servers and is powered by open-source models and code, allowing independent researchers to conduct audits. With Scribe, users can generate drafts, shorten and proofread them, and even adjust the tone of their emails with a single button click.
Google URL Shortener Countdown: Last Chance to Transition Your Links! (~3 min.) : Google URL Shortener (goo.gl) will be shutting down its serving portion on August 25, 2025. Starting August 23, 2024, users will see an interstitial page for some links, warning them that the link will no longer be supported after the shutdown date. This change affects developers using goo.gl links, which will stop returning responses and start displaying a 404 error on the shutdown date. To avoid disruptions, it’s recommended to transition affected links as soon as possible.
Entertainment
Captain America’s New Era Unfolds: Witness Sam Wilson’s Reluctant Rise to Lead in ‘Brave New World’ (~2 min.) : The new trailer for Captain America: Brave New World suggests that viewers will need to revisit The Falcon and The Winter Soldier to understand the context of the film. The trailer introduces Sam Wilson as the new Captain America, struggling with President Thaddeus Ross’s plans to revive the Captain America program in response to mysterious threats. The movie appears to follow a similar tone to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, delving into political intrigue and building upon the new normal established in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Terminator Zero: Blast from the Past - Resistance Fighter Takes on Robo-Ruckus in ‘97 (~2 min.) : Netflix has released the first trailer for “Terminator Zero”, an animated series that reimagines the classic sci-fi franchise. The show follows a resistance fighter sent back to 1997 to protect a scientist developing AI that could rival Skynet. With a voice cast including André Holland, Rosario Dawson, and Timothy Olyphant as the Terminator, the trailer hints at intense action and explosive sequences. “Terminator Zero” is set to start streaming on August 29th.
Halo’s Live-Action TV Series Canned: The Battle for Master Chief’s Future Has Begun (~2 min.) : The live-action Halo TV series, which premiered on Paramount+ in 2022 after being in development for over a decade, has been canceled after just two seasons. The show’s creators plan to shop the project around and find a new home for the series, but its cancellation marks a setback for fans of the UNSC universe. This news comes amid reports of layoffs at Microsoft, including at 343 Industries, which had previously restarted development on the next chapter of the Halo series.
Gadgets
Apple’s Vision Pro Spatial Computing Headset Lands Internationally: New Markets Hoped to Revive Slowing Sales (~5 min.) : Apple’s Vision Pro spatial computing headset has expanded its availability to five new countries - UK, Canada, France, Germany, and Australia. The $3,499 device was previously available in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, mainland China, and the US. Despite consumer interest slowing down at home, Apple hopes the international rollout will boost sales, which have been sluggish since its February launch.
Capturing Perfection: Canon EOS R1 Delivers on Resolution, Speed, and Low-Light Magic! (~8 min.) : Canon has unveiled its new flagship camera, the EOS R1, which features a 24-megapixel sensor with a unique “in-camera upscaling” feature that can quadruple image size to 96 megapixels after shooting. The camera also excels in low-light conditions, delivering decent image quality at high ISOs. In terms of video capabilities, it can record 6K Canon RAW footage at 60fps and offers various other options, including fully oversampled 4K at 60fps. While the EOS R1 has its strengths, its relatively low resolution may be a drawback for some users.
Snap, Crackle, Tweet: The Bird Buddy’s High-Tech Feeding Frenzy! (~14 min.) : The Bird Buddy is a smart bird feeder that connects to an iPhone via Bluetooth, sending notifications and photos of visiting birds through an app. The device features high-resolution imaging, daily postcard recaps, and AI-powered bird identification. While it offers engaging entertainment and education for nature lovers, its $239 price tag may be prohibitive for some, and limited customization options may restrict its appeal. Overall, the Bird Buddy is a unique and enjoyable device, but not suitable for everyone due to its cost and limitations.
Misc
CrowdStrike Strikes the Crowd: Global IT Chaos (~15 min.) : A software defect in a Crowdstrike update has caused a global IT outage, impacting Windows operating systems. Nearly 1,400 flights were canceled, and disruptions affected banking, healthcare, and retail sectors. Crowdstrike has deployed a fix but warns full recovery could take time. The incident led to the “Blue Screen of Death” on numerous PCs, affecting services from GP surgeries in the UK to major airlines and financial institutions worldwide.
Bangladesh Goes Dark: Internet Shutdown Amid Student Protests and Political Unrest (~3 min.) : Bangladesh has experienced a near-total internet shutdown amid widespread student protests that have resulted in at least 32 deaths. The protests are centered around the country’s quota system, which requires a third of government jobs to be reserved for relatives of veterans who fought for Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971. To control the situation, authorities shut down internet and phone access throughout the country, a common practice in South Asia to prevent the spread of rumors and misinformation. This is not an isolated incident, as Bangladesh has frequently blacked out the internet to crack down on political opposition and activists.
Thank you for joining me in this week’s exploration of the tech universe. Amidst the endless stream of information, I strive to bring you news that is not only relevant but also thought-provoking. Your thoughts and feedback are always welcome. Don’t forget to spread the word about the Friday Tech Focus Newsletter and stay tuned for more curated insights next week!