Google’s X “moonshot factory” this week announced its latest graduate. Heritable Agriculture is a data- and machine learning-driven startup aiming to improve how crops are grown. As the firm noted in an announcement post published Tuesday, plants are incredibly efficient and impressive systems. “Plants are solar powered, carbon negative, self-assembling machines that feed on sunlight and water,” Heritable wrote. Yet agriculture puts a massive strain on the planet and its resources, accounting for around 25% of anthropogenic greenhouse emissions. It’s the planet’s largest consumer of groundwater and can lead to soil erosion and water pollution via pesticides, fertilizers, and other…
Author: Olsi
As of Sunday in the European Union, the bloc’s regulators can ban the use of AI systems they deem to pose “unacceptable risk” or harm. February 2 is the first compliance deadline for the EU’s AI Act, the comprehensive AI regulatory framework that the European Parliament finally approved last March after years of development. The act officially went into force August 1; what’s now following is the first of the compliance deadlines. The specifics are set out in Article 5, but broadly, the Act is designed to cover a myriad of use cases where AI might appear and interact with…
X is now suing more advertisers in an antitrust lawsuit focusing on what the company’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino, has claimed is a “systematic illegal boycott.” The company formerly known as Twitter first filed the lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers and its brand safety initiative, the Global Alliance of Responsible Media, in August 2024. Shortly afterwards, the WFA discontinued GARM, writing that “recent allegations that unfortunately misconstrue its purpose and activities have caused a distraction and significantly drained its resources and finances.” At the same time, the organization’s CEO reportedly told members that it would fight the lawsuit and…
Hackers are exploiting outdated versions of WordPress and plugins to alter thousands of websites in an attempt to trick visitors to download and install malware, security researchers have found. The hacking campaign is still “very much live,” Simon Wijckmans, the founder and CEO of web security company c/side, which discovered the attacks, told The TechSpot on Tuesday. The hackers’ goal is to spread malware capable of stealing passwords and other personal information from both Windows and Mac users. Some of the hacked websites are ranked among the most popular sites on the internet, according to c/side. “This is a widespread…
The AI industry is abuzz with chatter about a new large language model that is taking the fight to the industry’s top dogs like OpenAI and Anthropic. But not without its generous share of surprises. The name is DeepSeek. It comes out of China. It is open source. Most importantly, it is said to have been developed at a fraction of the cost compared to what current industry leaders from OpenAI, Meta, and Google have burned. “Affordability opens the door for smaller companies and startups to leverage advanced AI technology that was previously inaccessible,” Mel Morris, chief of an AI-driven…
For great iPad deals, Amazon is generally an excellent place to head. That’s certainly the case today, as it has reduced the price of the latest Apple iPad mini to its lowest ever level. The tablet was only released a matter of months ago and usually costs $649. Right now though, it’s down to $549 for a limited time and it has never gone that low before. This is easily one of the tablet deals you should pay attention to as it’s a great device at an equally great price. If you still need to know more, read on while…
If you’ve been indulging in the best gaming PC deals around, then you need a great gaming monitor to truly reap the benefits. One monitor that you really don’t want to miss out on is the LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor. It normally costs $1,297, but B&H Photo Video has cut the price by a huge $500 for a limited time. That means you pay $797, which is still expensive but much better value for what you’re getting. Let’s take a look at one of the best monitor deals out there. LG 34-inch UltraGear OLED Curved Gaming Monitor…
Last year, Wizards of the Coast and Resolution Games announced an exciting development: Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), the popular tabletop role-playing game (RPG), is being adapted for virtual reality. Until now, specific details about the new game have been kept closely under wraps. However, on Wednesday, the companies finally unveiled the official title and more information, bringing players one step closer to experiencing a VR D&D experience. The upcoming game, titled Battlemarked, leverages Resolution Games’ Demeo system, which emphasizes a virtual tabletop environment and features gameplay similar to D&D with turn-based combat. Demeo also incorporates an action point system that…
After MoviePass’s historic implosion, subscribers to the “Netflix for movie theaters” were already cautious around the company’s 2023 relaunch. These moviegoers may grow even more skeptical after MoviePass sent out an email blast on Wednesday, which surveyed customers about their interest in web3. “Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain technologies are transforming the business landscape at an unprecedented pace,” the email says. “As a community-driven company, we’d love to understand your interest and knowledge in the blockchain space.” The survey asks basic questions about the respondent’s familiarity with web3, like if they own any assets like NFTs, or if they have a digital…
Exploring the thousands of titles on Netflix can be both exciting and overwhelming. Content of all types abounds, from dramas and comedies to reality shows and documentaries. It’s a good thing there’s a list to help narrow your decision by letting you see the most popular Netflix shows. That’s right, every week, Netflix releases its list of the 11 most-watched TV shows over a recent seven-day period. One of the most popular shows on Netflix, The Night Agent, returns for season 2. Peter Sutherland finds himself in the middle of another mysterious and action-packed mission that keeps you guessing until the…
