AI-enhanced search engines from Google, Microsoft, and Perplexity have been surfacing debunked and racist research claiming genetic superiority of white people over other racial groups, according to Wired. This trend, revealed through investigative work by Hope Not Hate, a UK-based anti-racism organization, has added to concerns about racial bias and radicalization in AI-powered search. AI Search Results Show Discredited Research Patrik Hermansson, a researcher with anti-racism group Hope Not Hate, was investigating the resurgence of scientific racism when he found that AI-driven search engines often promote discredited “race science.” When
This week on Techish, Michael and TechCrunch’s Dominic-Madori dive into how new technologies are affecting privacy, Apple’s take on AI limits, and new media’s role in politics with elections around the corner. They also chat about how consumer habits are shaking up companies like Starbucks and wrap up with a look at the reparations debate. Doxing Strangers With Meta’s Smart Glasses (00:00) Apple Dunks on Large Language Models (06:50) The Podcast Election: How New Media Is Shaping the Trump-Harris Election (11:05) Starbucks is struggling (23:35) UK Prime Minister Says No
Megan Garcia has filed a lawsuit against Character.AI following the death of her 14-year-old son, Sewell Setzer III. Sewell, an Orlando, Florida, teen, reportedly grew attached to a chatbot he named “Dany,” modeled after Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones. Garcia alleges that her son’s obsessive use of the chatbot, coupled with the app’s addictive design, contributed to his mental health struggles, ultimately leading to his suicide. AI Chatbot “Daenerys” Became Son’s Closest Confidant Character.AI, an interactive chatbot platform, lets users design or select lifelike personas with which to communicate.
Thousands of creatives, including figures like author Malorie Blackman, a British author who is famous for her award winning Noughts & Crosses series, actresses Rosario Dawson and Liza Colón-Zayas and Suits actor, Wendell Pierce have united to oppose the use of their artistic works for training AI systems without permission. The statement, signed by over 11,500 artists, musicians, authors, and actors, calls for stronger protections against the unauthorized use of copyrighted content by AI developers. Signatories also include major record labels—Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group—along
Four-time GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Timbaland has joined Suno, a leading AI music creation platform, as a strategic advisor. This collaboration comes after months of Timbaland actively using Suno. Love Again Remix Contest To mark the beginning of this partnership, Timbaland previewed his latest single, “Love Again,” exclusively on Suno, inviting artists from around the world to participate in a remix contest. The contest, launching 24 hours after the announcement, will offer over $100,000 in prizes, with Timbaland himself providing feedback on submissions. The top two remixes will then be released on major streaming platforms,
Meta is reintroducing facial recognition technology across Facebook and Instagram to fight against scammers who use celebrity images in fraudulent ads. This move comes after the company abandoned facial recognition in 2021 amid to privacy, accuracy, and racial bias concerns. A Return to Controversial Technology In its latest effort to combat fraudulent ads, Meta’s facial recognition system will compare flagged images with the profile pictures of celebrities on Facebook and Instagram. If a match is found, the ad will be automatically removed. Meta’s initial rollout focuses on 50,000 high-profile public
In this episode of the Techish podcast, Michael and Abadesi dive into all the drama around OpenAI’s move from a nonprofit to a for-profit company. They discuss the impact on the company’s integrity, the motivations behind the move, ethical concerns about AI, and share their own startup experiences while exploring AI’s broader effects on society. OpenAI’s Transition from Nonprofit to For-Profit (01:00) Integrity and Ethical Considerations in AI (03:09) Sam Altman Is Extremely Good at Becoming Powerful (06:22) Listen to the episode You can find the Techish podcast on Spotify, Apple,
Pamela Maynard, the newly appointed Chief AI Transformation Officer at Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions, has been named the 2024 Black British Business Person of the Year. Maynard received the award at the 11th annual Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards), which celebrates the achievements of Black professionals and entrepreneurs across the UK. Pamela Maynard Pamela Maynard, formerly CEO of Avanade, a Microsoft-Accenture joint venture, led the company to significant growth and secured its 18th Microsoft Partner of the Year title. During her acceptance speech, Maynard emphasized the ongoing work to break down
Career Karma, best known for helping people transition into tech careers, has launched OutRival, a new AI platform designed to transform customer experience across industries. OutRival empowers customer experience teams to build AI-driven conversational agents without using a single line of code. Building on Career Karma’s Success Career Karma’s journey began in 2018 with a focus on workforce development and educational tools. After announcing its Series B funding in 2022, CEO Ruben Harris and his team saw an even bigger opportunity in AI technology. “When Career Karma announced our Series
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is exploring technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning to detect and combat tax evasion. This move is part of KRA’s broader strategy to enhance revenue collection through improved efficiency and compliance. AI and Machine Learning to Transform Tax Collection “AI and machine learning will analyze vast data sets to identify tax evasion patterns, optimize resource allocation, and predict future revenue streams,” Humphrey Wattanga, the KRA Commissioner General said according to Kenyan Wall Street. “Integrating these technologies will not only boost tax collection but
