Now AI claims it can spot edible mushrooms. Should you use it?

For the love of God, no.

Tatum Hunter on the latest AI danger: mushrooms

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NEW: The Biden administration’s AI safety plan hinges on a crumbling federal lab, where employees are dealing with power blackouts, shaky internet and a snake.

Sources say NIST’s funding challenges could jeopardize the White House’s plans to evaluate AI risks:…

Time to talk about #AI accountability at Microsoft.

Today, whistleblower Shane Jones went to Lina Khan about how Microsoft's AI Image Creator goes off the rails by making extremely disturbing pictures: cnbc.com/2024/03/06/mic…

In December, I reported The Washington Post that…

Chatbot advice offered by popular tax services is frequently unhelpful or wrong, writes Geoffrey A. Fowler. It’s clear that 'we can’t necessarily trust companies experimenting with AI to make the right decisions to protect our interests.' washingtonpost.com/technology/202…

On Tuesday, Mar. 5 at 11:00 a.m. ET: Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen will join Geoffrey A. Fowler to discuss AI, the company’s work to tackle misinformation and the balance between innovation and risk amid the advent of new technologies.

Sign up to watch: ow.ly/AHWA50QL4PB

'Unfortunately, a recent software update was not successful. Your vehicle cannot be driven. Please call customer support:'

In 2020, a Meta VP emailed executives asking to remove Instagram filters that mimicked plastic surgery after concerns were raised by mental health experts.

The proposal received unanimous support, but a meeting with Zuckerberg was set who then canceled and vetoed the proposal.

A wide 85% of U.S. citizens said they were “very” or “somewhat” concerned about the spread of misleading AI video and audio, in an August survey by YouGov. And 78% were concerned about AI contributing to the spread of political propaganda. Geoffrey A. Fowler washingtonpost.com/technology/202…

Wowza.

41 states sue Meta, claiming Instagram, Facebook are addictive, harm kids

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The backstory of the recent string of coups in Africa is Russian disinformation. This never-told spy vs. spy tale- w/wild deets like getting people to play avatars in the real world - reveals how it happens. Been working on this for two years! 

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Apple cancelled Jon Stewart's show, which was looking into a segment on AI and China. Very admirable Stewart walked rather than 'align' with Apple's views and demand for control—but it's yet another reflection of big tech's power to control what we see.

theverge.com/2023/10/19/239…

Why is 'influencer' such a dirty word to many?

Great interview with TaylorLorenz.Substack.com in today's The Washington Post Tech Friend newsletter from Shira Ovide: washingtonpost.com/technology/202…

And check out Taylor's new book EXTREMELY ONLINE, out today! extremelyonlinebook.com

Hands on with the new Quest 3: More MEH-taverse

The price is way better than Apple, but there are no new ideas here about why we'd want to wear a face computer:
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Meta just announced new #AI image generators, stickers and filters for Instagram and chat.

Where did Zuckerberg get the data to create this? Your old IG posts, in part:
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History in the making: The U.S. and 17 states are suing Amazon for being an illegal monopoly
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Said FTC chair Lina Khan 'Amazon is a monopolist, and it is exploiting its monopolies in ways that leave shoppers and sellers paying more for worse services.”

Uh-oh, #Alexa . Here's what Amazon's new 'conversational' #AI did when we asked it about the smoke in San Francisco ... and the new covid vaccine: washingtonpost.com/technology/202…

A Saudi court has sentenced a man to death based solely on his Twitter& YouTube activity.

Repression has reached a terrifying new stage when a court can hand down the death penalty for nothing more than tweets. Saudi authorities should quash the verdict.

hrw.org/news/2023/08/2…

Come for the hilarious descriptions of AI gone haywire — like an elaborate invention of the time Justin Bieber killed Selena Gomez.

Stay for the clear Will Oremus explanation about what AI 'red teams' do — and why they're critical to making AI safe: washingtonpost.com/technology/202…

New The Washington Post:

Last week, I told OpenAI, Google, Snap, Stability AI and Midjourney about ways their #AI adopted sick ideas about dieting — and could be fueling eating disorders.

Their responses show they don't take AI safety particularly seriously: wapo.st/3OMNAeD

Apple: Do not use AirTags on kids.
Parents: Oh cool, Apple made $29 kid trackers.

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