Tech
NASA back in touch with Voyager 2 after 'interstellar shout'
NASA has succeeded in re-establishing full contact with Voyager 2 by using its highest-power transmitter to send an "interstellar shout" that righted the distant probe's antenna orientation, the space agency said. Launched in 1977 to explore the outer planets and serve as a beacon of humanity to the wider universe,… Read
AI anxiety: Workers fret over uncertain future
The tidal wave of artificial intelligence (AI) barrelling toward many professions has generated deep anxiety among workers fearful that their jobs will be swept away -- and the mental health impact is rising. The launch in November 2022 of ChatGPT, the generative AI platform capable of handling complex tasks on… Read
Fujitsu deploys AI customer service solution for field trials at supermarket chain in Japan
Fujitsu Ltd says it has developed a new AI module for retailers that generates AI avatars and customized promotional content on digital signage based on in-store behavior data of consumers. With the support of the Retail AI Institute, Fujitsu said it will begin verifying the technology in actual stores at… Read
Less power, lower emissions: Improving AC technology
With air conditioner demand surging, scientists are looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of cooling systems and limit damaging emissions that accelerate global warming. Improve efficiency Innovation is focused on three major fronts, with much of the attention on energy consumption. Air conditioning units account for six percent… Read
Apple's earnings top analysts' forecasts, but year-over-year sales drop for a third time
Apple’s eked out a slightly higher profit last quarter even though sales dipped during the period, a time during which the iPhone maker became the first publicly held company in the U.S. to be valued at $3 trillion. The results released Thursday covered April through June, the third consecutive quarter… Read
X, the former Twitter, lets users hide once-vaunted blue check
Users on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, will now be allowed to hide their once-prized blue check marks, the company says. A coveted status symbol at Twitter before Elon Musk bought the company, the blue checks have been mocked by some as a sign that the… Read
Chatbots sometimes make things up. Not everyone thinks AI's hallucination problem is fixable
Spend enough time with ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots and it doesn't take long for them to spout falsehoods. Described as hallucination, confabulation or just plain making things up, it's now a problem for every business, organization and high school student trying to get a generative AI system to… Read
China imposes export curbs on critical metals, drones
Chinese controls on exports of two metals critical to making semiconductors came into force on Tuesday, a day after Beijing imposed curbs on the foreign sales of some drones. The Biden administration has in recent months stepped up measures to restrict Chinese companies' access to the most advanced semiconductors. China,… Read
NASA hears 'heartbeat' from Voyager 2 after inadvertant blackout
NASA's distant Voyager 2 probe has sent a "heartbeat" signal to Earth after mission control mistakenly cut contact, the U.S. space agency said Tuesday. Launched in 1977 to explore the outer planets and serve as a beacon of humanity to the wider universe, it is currently more than 12.3 billion… Read
Musk's social media company sues nonprofit highlighting site's hate speech
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has sued a group of researchers — alleging their work highlighting an increase in hate speech on the platform cost the company millions of dollars of advertising revenue. The suit, filed late Monday night in U.S. District Court in the Northern… Read
