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The world is a very busy place, and it’s hard to stay on top of everything. Infoplease has got you covered. Here are the Science & Technology news events you need to know so far for June 2023.
- More People Are Concerned About Human Extinction As AI Develops
- Microsoft In A $20 Million Suit Brawl Over Privacy Violations
- Researchers Find That Flight Turbulence Is Rising With Climate Change
- Sky Launches New Smart Camera For Television Sets
- OpenAI Opens Its First Foreign Branch In The United Kingdom
More People Are Concerned About Human Extinction As AI Develops
Photo Source: AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 – Experts, including the heads of OpenAI and Google Deepmind, have warned that artificial intelligence might lead to humanity’s extinction. Dozens of people have signed a statement on the Center for AI Safety’s website. Others, however, believe the concerns are exaggerated. Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind, and Dario Amodei of Anthropic, supported the declaration.
Many other scientists agree that fears about AI wiping out mankind are overblown and serve only to divert attention away from issues such as bias in systems that are already a problem.
Some Scientists believe that AI advancements will amplify the magnitude of automated decision-making that is prejudiced, racist, excluding, or otherwise unfair while also being incomprehensible and incontestable and that it may drive an exponential increase in the volume and spread of misinformation, fracturing reality and eroding public trust.
Source: BBC
Microsoft In A $20 Million Suit Brawl Over Privacy Violations
Tuesday, June 6, 2023 – Microsoft has agreed to pay $20 million (£16 million) to US federal officials after discovering that it improperly collected data on youngsters who opened Xbox accounts.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) negotiated an agreement with the corporation, including enhanced safeguards for children gamers. According to the FTC, Microsoft violated the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act by failing to obtain adequate parental consent and storing personal data on children under 13 for longer than necessary for accounts created before 2021.
Microsoft must also implement new kid safety safeguards, such as maintaining a system that deletes all personal data after two weeks if no parental agreement is acquired. Amazon also agreed to pay $25 million after the FTC discovered it had kept sensitive data, including child voice recordings, for years.
Source: BBC
Researchers Find That Flight Turbulence Is Rising With Climate Change
Photo Source: AP Photo/NBC Connecticut
Tuesday, June 13, 2023 – Reading University in the U.K. researched clear-air turbulence, which is more difficult for pilots to avoid. They discovered that severe turbulence had increased by 55% on a generally busy North Atlantic route between 1979 and 2020. They attribute the rise to variations in wind patterns caused by warmer air from carbon emissions at high altitudes.
Even though satellites cannot view turbulence, they can observe the jet stream’s shape and structure, enabling analysis. Storm-related turbulence can be detected by radar, but clear-air turbulence is difficult to spot and nearly invisible.
The effects of turbulence, including wear and tear on aircraft, cause the aviation sector to lose between $150 million and $500 million yearly in the US alone, according to the experts. Additionally, it has an environmental cost because pilots need more fuel to avoid it.
Source: BBC
Sky Launches New Smart Camera For Television Sets
Photo Source: Getty Images
Thursday, June 22, 2023 – Sky has introduced a smart camera for its streaming television service. It allows consumers to watch live and on-demand TV remotely with friends, make video chats using Zoom, track workouts, and play motion-controlled games.
It is an add-on service for the company’s broadband-powered TV set, and it is part of the company’s effort to maintain traditional television as the center of all home entertainment in the face of rival technologies and streaming services.
Using machine learning, the Sky Live camera can track body movement. Motion-controlled games and entertainment experiences are now possible. Some of the apps will allow children to interact with a tale directly. It also has an augmented-reality video booth where you can apply filters to your face. The motion-tracking also allows for guided workouts with a personal trainer on TV.
Source: The Guardian
OpenAI Opens Its First Foreign Branch In The United Kingdom
Photo Source: AP Photo/Alastair Grant
Thursday, June 29, 2023 – The ChatGPT U.S. startup has announced that its first international office will be in London. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described the decision as an “opportunity to attract world-class talent.” It comes after he criticized the EU’s planned artificial intelligence (AI) legislation, which would require corporations to disclose the content used to train their systems.
When ChatGPT first appeared on the market in November, its capacity to provide human-sounding responses to questions sparked considerable global interest in the latest AI-powered technologies. It also spurred a discussion about what vulnerabilities AI might bring and what regulations are needed to prevent such risks.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that AI has the potential to “positively transform humanity” and “deliver better outcomes for the British public, with emerging opportunities to improve public services in a variety of areas.”
Source: BBC
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