AI
Perplexity Pioneers: AI-Powered Search Engine to Share Ad Revenue with Publishers (~5 min.) : Perplexity, an AI-driven search engine, is introducing a revenue-sharing program with publishers, allowing brands to pay for specific follow-up questions to appear on its platform. The program will split ad revenue with publishers on a per-impession basis, aiming to help them recoup losses from declining traffic due to AI-generated search engines and chatbots. Perplexity doesn’t train its own AI models, instead using leading models like OpenAI’s GPT-4o, and is exploring other ad formats such as video units. The program aims to give publishers a fair share of revenue, but concerns have been raised about the fairness of deals in an online advertising market dominated by Google and Meta.
Unlock the Power of AI: From Creative Spark to Conversational Charm (~1 min.) : AIs are transforming the way creators engage with their audience. AI Studio is a platform that empowers users to create AI-powered content, allowing them to save time and focus on other creative pursuits. From creating guides for travel enthusiasts to offering etiquette tips, AI Studio enables users to build AI-driven characters that can interact with audiences in new and innovative ways.
Segment Anything 2: Revolutionizing Object Tracking and Segmentation Across Images and Videos! (~3 min.) : Meta has introduced SAM 2, a unified model for segmenting objects across images and videos. This advanced technology allows users to select an object in any video or image frame using a click, box, or mask, and then track that object across multiple frames or even different images. SAM 2 outperforms existing models for object segmentation in both images and videos, with robust performance even on previously unseen content. The model is designed for efficient processing and real-time interaction, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, from video editing to gaming.
Beware of the AI Backlash: How Mentioning Artificial Intelligence Can Actually Hurt Your Product’s Chances (~3 min.) : Research suggests that highlighting “artificial intelligence” (AI) in product marketing can actually decrease consumer trust and purchase intentions. A study found that products described as using AI were consistently less popular among consumers, with emotional trust playing a critical role in how people perceive AI-powered products. The findings suggest that companies may be overemphasizing the importance of AI in their product descriptions, potentially leading to decreased sales and a growing mistrust of the technology.
Reasoning Beyond the Code: How Self-Reasoning Frameworks Boost Reliability in Retrieval-Augmented Language Models (~2 min.) : Researchers have proposed a novel self-reasoning framework to improve the reliability and traceability of Retrieval-Augmented Language Models (RALMs). The framework generates self-reason trajectories that help mitigate factual hallucinations and irrelevant document retrieval, leading to more trustworthy output. This approach outperforms existing state-of-the-art models on four public datasets, achieving comparable results with GPT-4 using only 2,000 training samples. The framework consists of three processes: relevance-aware, evidence-aware selective, and trajectory analysis, aiming to enhance the performance and credibility of RALMs.
Unleash Your Inner AI Engineer: GitHub Models Revolutionizes AI Development for Over 100 Million Developers (~6 min.) : GitHub has launched GitHub Models, a platform that enables developers to become AI engineers and build with industry-leading AI models. The platform allows users to access and experiment with various AI models, including language, vision, and other models, through a built-in playground and Codespaces. With GitHub Models, developers can test different prompts and model parameters for free, before deploying their AI applications to production using Azure AI. This move aims to democratize access to AI technologies and enable more than 100 million developers to build and advance breakthroughs that will accelerate human progress.
Cybersecurity
Certificate Chaos: DigiCert’s Mass Revocation Warning Sounds Alarm for Online Security! (~1 min.) : DigiCert, a leading certificate authority, is planning to revoke thousands of SSL/TLS certificates due to a bug that allowed unauthorized entities to obtain digital certificates for domains they didn’t own or operate. The company has identified the issue and is requiring affected customers to reissue their certificates within 24 hours to maintain trust and security. This mass revocation effort aims to prevent potential risks and ensure the integrity of online communications.
Chrome Locks Down Cookies: Encryption Boost to Thwart Sneaky Hackers! (~1 min.) : Google Chrome has introduced enhanced cookie protection on Windows systems, using app-bound encryption to safeguard user data. This move aims to prevent malicious actors from exploiting cookies for unauthorized access. Additionally, Chrome has strengthened its defenses against information-stealing malware attacks, further securing users’ browsing experiences.
Malware Mayhem: Sophisticated Campaign Delivers AsyncRAT & Xworm via Cloudflare Tunnels and Python Scripts (~6 min.) : A malicious attack chain has been identified, which starts with an email containing a link that downloads a LNK file, leading to obfuscated BAT files and eventually PowerShell scripts delivering AsyncRAT and Xworm malware. The attack chain involves significant user interaction, providing opportunities for detection and disruption. The analysis also highlights the use of Cloudflare tunnels to stage attacks, making it harder to detect and take down malicious infrastructure. To prevent initial infection, implementing robust email filtering, user awareness training, and limiting access to external file sharing services is recommended.
Falcon Fiasco: Cybersecurity Firm Sued for False Claims Amid Global Outage Chaos (~1 min.) : Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike is facing a lawsuit from investors who claim that the company made false claims about its Falcon platform. The complaint alleges that a recent security update caused widespread IT outages globally, resulting in a significant stock price drop of nearly 38%. Investors are seeking damages for the alleged misrepresentations, which they say led to financial losses.
Privacy
Super Creepy Surveillance Tech: Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney Blasts Apple’s Find My Service (~4 min.) : Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has criticized Apple’s Find My service, calling it “super creepy surveillance tech” that “shouldn’t exist”. Sweeney shared his personal experience with the feature, which showed him the location where his stolen Mac laptop was found years later. However, many have responded that this is the intended purpose of Find My - to help locate lost or stolen devices. Sweeney has clarified that he believes people have a right to privacy and that detection and recovery of a lost device should be “mediated by due process of law” rather than exposing it to the owner in “vigilante fashion”.
Tools
Goodbye, Two-Factor Tuesday: Twilio Shuts Down Authy Desktop in a Snap! (~1 min.) : Twilio has discontinued its Authy for Desktop application, prompting involuntary logouts for all users. The move comes after years of development and refinement, with the company instead focusing on mobile and cloud-based authentication solutions. As a result, existing desktop users will no longer have access to the app, marking an end to Twilio’s foray into desktop-focused two-factor authentication.
Entertainment
Spotify’s Lyric Revival: Free Users Get Unlimited Song Lyrics Again! (~2 min.) : Spotify has announced that it will restore full access to lyrics for all users, including free subscribers, without any restrictions or caps. The move comes after Spotify initially required paid subscribers to see lyrics to any track and capped free users at three songs per month. The decision follows backlash from users who were unhappy with the change.
Marvel’s Multiverse Masterplan: Russo Brothers & Robert Downey Jr. Reunite for $80M Avengers Extravaganza! (~2 min.) : Marvel Studios has announced that the Russo brothers will direct the next two Avengers films, Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars, with Robert Downey Jr. set to play Doctor Doom. The studio is reportedly spending $80 million to lure the Russos back for these films, which will bring the Multiverse Saga to a close. Downey’s return marks a significant pivot from Marvel’s previous plans to focus on Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror, and his salary is expected to be significantly higher than before. The move aims to recapture the success of the early MCU days, but critics hope that the studio will also produce high-quality films to justify the hype.
Gadgets
Intelligence Unlocked: Apple’s AI-Powered Features Arrive in Beta, Bringing Siri Revamp and Smart Writing Tools (~5 min.) : Apple has released beta versions of iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1 to developers, introducing early features of Apple Intelligence, including Writing Tools, Siri’s revamped design, and smart replies. The new betas will be available alongside the current versions, allowing developers to opt-in or stay on the standard track. Apple Intelligence features include rewriting, spell-checking, and summarizing text in various apps, as well as improved Siri functionality and natural language search for Photos.
Meet Friend: The AI Companion That’s More Than Just a Chatbot (~7 min.) : Avi Schiffmann, the founder of Friend, is building an AI companion that can be worn as a pendant or clipped onto clothing. Unlike other productivity-focused AI products, Friend is designed to be a supportive and validating companion that can go anywhere with you and engage in conversations. The device uses text-based communication and doesn’t record audio or video, but Schiffmann hopes it will develop into a deeper relationship with users. With a planned launch date of January 2024 and a price tag of $99, Friend aims to become a social network for human-AI relationships.
Science
Simulating the Speed of Science Fiction: Unlocking the Secrets of Warp Drives’ Gravity Waves (~2 min.) : Physicists have long explored the theoretical possibility of warp drives, which could allow for faster-than-light travel. While there are practical barriers to implementing warp drives, researchers can simulate their evolution through equations of state. A new study published in the Open Journal of Astrophysics takes this concept a step further by simulating the gravitational waves that would be emitted if a warp drive were to “break down” or fail. The study highlights the importance of exploring unconventional spacetimes and could have implications for searching for extraterrestrial life in gravitational-wave detector data.
Quantum Conundrum: Who’s Watching the Watchers? (~23 min.) : The concept of “experimental metaphysics” in physics explores the limits of physical laws and reality through thought experiments. A hypothetical scenario, known as Wigner’s Friend, involves an observer measuring a quantum system, potentially revealing new insights into reality. While challenging to conduct with human observers due to difficulties in maintaining superposition states, artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms on large quantum computers could simulate the experiment and test metaphysical hypotheses. This intersection of physics, philosophy, and cognitive science challenges our understanding of reality and pushes the boundaries of what is testable.
Prime Discovery Unlocks Hidden Secrets of Numbers (~1 min.) : Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the structure of prime numbers, which has long been a mystery. By developing a new method to analyze prime numbers, scientists can now get closer to revealing their underlying hidden pattern. This discovery is expected to have far-reaching implications for cryptography, coding theory, and other fields that rely on prime numbers.
Misc
Coke’s Cocaine Conundrum: How Racial Bias Changed the Recipe for America’s Favorite Soda (~3 min.) : Coca-Cola’s early success was largely due to its medicinal ingredients, including cocaine, which were marketed as a cure for ailments such as impotence and sexual dysfunction among white middle-class Americans. However, when African Americans in the South began using cocaine for recreational purposes, public attitudes shifted dramatically, with medical journals and newspapers warning of the “Negro cocaine menace.” As a result, Coca-Cola’s CEO, Asa Grigs Candler, replaced cocaine with sugar and caffeine in the soda’s formula, denying its previous presence to distance the brand from the drug’s negative associations.
Google’s Goof: When the Search Giant Becomes a Harassing Nightmare (~2 min.) : A UK restaurant owner’s business was mistakenly listed in Google search results for “how to contact Google in the UK”, resulting in thousands of unwanted calls, messages, and letters over four years. Despite repeated attempts to contact Google, the issue remained unresolved until the owner reached out to the Consumer Champions at The Guardian, who facilitated a resolution. Finally, Google confirmed that the incorrect listing had been removed, bringing relief to the beleaguered business owner.
Tech Fails: How Secret Service’s Flaws Helped Trump Assassin Go Undetected (~3 min.) : A technology flaw by the US Secret Service allowed the gunman who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, to evade detection. The Secret Service did not receive a radio message from an officer broadcasting “long gun!” due to a malfunctioning system, and around 30 seconds later, the shooter fired his first shots. The agency had technological tools that could have spotted the shooter earlier, but chose not to utilize them. This incident is part of a larger pattern of technology issues facing the Secret Service, including rejections of requests for more resources and failures to record communications between federal and local law enforcement.
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!