Microsoft Corp. said its chief product officer is leaving, a significant departure for the company’s hardware division. Panos

Meta Platforms on Thursday said it would release an artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to assist in writing

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 19, 2023--

Lack of data protection laws in the UK could see an increasing problem of AI “ghostbots” made from people’s digital footprints, new research from Queen’s University Belfast has suggested. “Ghostbot” is a term used to describe what happens when artificial intelligence is used to create digital reincarnations of the dead. The technology used to create this includes chatbots, deepfakes or holographs that can replicate the voice, face and even personality of a dead person using data from social media. 'Ghostbots' lie at the intersection of many different areas of law, such as privacy and property, and yet there remains a lack of protection for the deceased’s personality, privacy, or dignity after death Dr Marisa McVey, Queen’s University Belfast As the concept of digital reincarnation moves into the mainstream, celebrities are beginning to showcase the capabilities of such technology, for example, a hologram of the late Robert Kardashian created using deepfake technology was gifted to Kim Kardashian by Kanye West in 2020, which used her father’s likeness and spoke in his voice. A research study titled Governing Ghostbots from Queen’s University Belfast, Aston Law School and Newcastle University Law School, has suggested that greater societal awareness of “ghostbots” and a “do not bot me” clause in wills and other contracts could prevent people from being digitally reincarnated without permission. The research looked at potential legal avenues to protect privacy (including post-mortem privacy), property, personal data, and reputation. Dr Marisa McVey from the School of Law at Queen’s University Belfast said there was a lack of protection for people’s privacy or dignity after death. Currently, in the absence of specific legislation in the UK and further afield, it’s unclear who might have the power to bring back our digital persona after we die Dr Marisa McVey, Queen’s University Belfast “’Ghostbots’ lie at the intersection of many different areas of law, such as privacy and property, and yet there remains a lack of protection for the deceased’s personality, privacy, or dignity after death,” she said. “Furthermore, in the UK, privacy and data protection laws do not extend to heirs after death,” she said. “While it is not thought that ‘ghostbots’ could cause physical harm, the likelihood is that they could cause emotional distress and economic harm, particularly impacting upon the deceased’s loved ones and heirs. “Currently, in the absence of specific legislation in the UK and further afield, it’s unclear who might have the power to bring back our digital persona after we die.” In the US and EU there is increasing momentum to legislate on who has ownership over a person’s digital identity, for example the EU AI Act which requires greater transparency for deepfakes and chatbots. In the absence of legislation in the UK, one way to protect our post-mortem selves might be through the drafting of a legally binding ‘do not bot me’ clause that could be inserted into wills and other contracts while people are still alive Dr Marisa McVey, Queen’s University Belfast Dr McVey has suggested that in addition to more formal legislation, an increased understanding of the phenomenon of “ghostbots” could help people to protect their data. “In the absence of legislation in the UK, one way to protect our post-mortem selves might be through the drafting of a legally binding ‘do not bot me’ clause that could be inserted into wills and other contracts while people are still alive,” she said. “This, combined with a global searchable database of such requests, may prove a useful solution to some of the concerns raised by ‘ghostbots’. “We also suggest that in addition to legal protections, greater societal awareness of the phenomenon of ‘ghostbots’, education on digital legacies and cohesive protection across different jurisdictions is crucial to ensure that this does not happen without our permission.” The research was a part of the Leverhulme Trust-funded project Modern Technologies, Privacy Law And The Dead. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Banking app feature allows economic abuse survivors to mute malicious messages Augmented reality headset Vision Pro is ‘most advanced device ever’ – Apple Revealed: The delivery apps charging you double for your food shop

A UFO hunter claims there is a huge spaceship hidden beneath one of the world’s major landmarks because it is “too big to move”. Ross Coulthart, an investigative journalist and UFO expert, said a “non-human” spacecraft is being stashed beneath a purpose-built structure – though he won't tell us where it is. Speaking in an interview, he said: “Some of these objects are not capable of being moved because they’re too bloody big.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “I know exactly where it is. I thought it was b*****ks when I heard it, too.” Coulthart was previously a reporter on the news and current affairs program 60 Minutes on Channel Nine in Australia and has since gone on to write a number of books including In Plain Sight: An investigation into UFOs and Impossible Science. The UFO hunter community’s response to his claims has been a mixture of disbelief and desperation to find out where the landmark is. Some people seem to think it’s in South Korea, while others think it’s likely to be in an air defence military base. Coulthart has already made headlines this year after interviewing a whistleblower, who claimed that the US military had several crashed spacecraft in its possession, along with alien bodies. The Pentagon has said it hasn't discovered any information to substantiate this claim – but Congress is taking it seriously. In a twist that would have made even fans of The X Files raise an eyebrow, the Congressional House Oversight Committee is to hold a hearing on the issue next week after Republican congressmen and women promised to look deeper into the issue. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was asked on Monday if he believes in aliens, in light of the hearing. "I will continue to see," McCarthy said. "But I think if we had found a UFO, I think the Department of Defense would tell us because they would probably want to request more money." "I'd love to see whatever facts and information we have," McCarthy added. "I'm very supportive of letting the American people see what we have, where we go." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Toyota has revealed plans for a next-generation electric vehicle battery capable of delivering close to 1,500 kilometres (932 miles) of range. The Japanese automotive giant said it aims to produce the commercial solid-state battery by 2027, claiming that it will have a charge time of just 10 minutes. “With the evolution of the vehicle’s operating system, the next-generation battery EV will also enable customization of the ‘driving feel,’ with a focus on acceleration, turning and stopping,” the company said in a technology briefing. The company said that several recent breakthroughs with battery technology meant it was ready to move from the research stage to production of solid-state batteries, which offer a number of advantages over lithium-ion batteries that are currently used in commercial electric cars. Despite range and charging limitations of lithium-ion batteries, they have been favoured over solid-state batteries due to cost and durability issues. Toyota claimed that a “technological breakthrough” had overcome these issues, though did not specify which. The company said it would continue to push forward development of lithium-ion batteries, with plans for a more efficient battery capable of 1,000km of range – nearly double that of the long-range version of Tesla’s Model Y. Lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries will also be developed as a lower cost alternative to lithium-ion and solid-state batteries, Toyota said. Other innovations unrelated to batteries that were detailed in the briefing included aerodynamic technology “based on rocket hypersonic aerodynamics”, as well as manufacturing upgrades designed to reduce costs. Among these is a production process called Giga casting, which was pioneered by Tesla in order to streamline the manufacturing of electric vehicles. Toyota President Koji Sato has previously said that the company had fallen behind in the EV sector and was forced to play catchup. The latest announcement saw Toyota’s share price jump to its highest level since last August. Read More Solar trees offer unique solution to charging electric cars Electric car drives for 100 hours non-stop on futuristic road Three and Vodafone are merging. Here’s what that means for your phone EU makes major statement on the future of Google Reddit’s blackout protest is set to continue indefinitely

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OpenAI is making it even easier for many to access ChatGPT.

DETROIT & BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 13, 2023--

What should you do when the air outside contains dangerous levels of pollution? Stay indoors if you can.

The 2017 video game ‘Home Sweet Home’ is being adapted into a film by directing duo Kiesl and Hacker.