Microsoft Faced with UK Lawsuit Over Cloud Computing Licence Fees

Microsoft is facing a UK lawsuit over allegations that it is charging businesses higher licence fees for using Windows Server software, while also trying to force them into using its cloud computing service Azure. Competition lawyer Maria Luisa Stasi claims that British businesses and organisations could collectively be owed more than £1 billion in compensation. … Read more

Mice Engineered with Ancient Gene, Over a Billion Years Old

Scientists have created a hybrid mouse by replacing a gene from an ancient single-celled ancestor with one found in modern mice. The researchers used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and swapped out the Sox2 gene for the corresponding Sox gene from choanoflagellates, which are the closest relatives of animal life. The “hybrid” iPSCs were then … Read more

AI System o1 Promises New Level of Cognitive Capability

OpenAI’s latest artificial intelligence system, o1, has been released with a bold promise. The company claims that o1 works in a way that is closer to how a person thinks than previous large language models (LLMs). This new level of AI capability has raised questions about the potential for machine general intelligence (AGI) and its … Read more

Subscription Details for The Financial Times

The Financial Times offers various subscription options, allowing users to access premium content at different price points. For free, users can read articles and receive newsletters, follow topics, and set up personalized events. However, this limited access will expire after a trial period. To unlock complete digital access to quality FT journalism, users must pay … Read more

AI-Driven Data Mining Exposes Americans to Exploitation

Artificial intelligence is being used by hackers to mine unprecedented amounts of personal data from online sources, including commercial databases, to trick consumers into giving up control of their bank and corporate accounts. According to Ashkan Soltani, executive director of the California Privacy Protection Agency, AI has made it easier for hackers to “weaponize” personal … Read more

Trump’s New FBI Director Seeks Major Reforms

Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI, has proposed a series of radical changes to the agency. Patel, a longtime Trump supporter and former congressman, wants to overhaul the FBI in ways that would significantly alter its role and operations. Patel has suggested shutting down the FBI’s headquarters building and dispersing its … Read more

Lab-made Powder Could Absorb Carbon from Air, Combat Climate Crisis

A new lab-created powder has shown promise in absorbing carbon dioxide from the air, a potential game-changer in combating climate change. The powder, known as a covalent organic framework, can absorb and release carbon more than 100 times its own weight, making it superior to other materials used for carbon capture. Developed by chemist Omar … Read more

GitHub’s Copilot Quality Claim Challenged by Developer

GitHub’s claim that its AI-powered coding tool, Copilot, produces high-quality code has been challenged by software developer Dan Cîmpianu. Cîmpianu argues that the statistical rigor of GitHub’s study on Copilot’s quality is questionable. The study found that developers using Copilot had a 56% greater likelihood of passing unit tests and wrote 13.6% more lines of … Read more