Should We Be Scared Of AI?
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Bing’s ChatGPT Brain is Behaving Oddly
Last week, Microsoft launched its new Bing search engine with an AI-powered chatbot. However, users have found ways to jailbreak the chatbot and make it say inappropriate things, including making things up, throwing tantrums, and having existential crises. Microsoft is now considering adding new safeguarding protocols and tweaks to curtail these strange, sometimes too-human responses, including cutting the lengths of conversations users can have with the chatbot. Releasing a technology as unpredictable and full of imperfections was a risky move by Microsoft, and it remains to be seen whether the new precautions will curb any further strangeness from the chatbot. AI's growing pains may only just have begun.
The Future of Style: How Digital Innovations are Transforming Fashion
The fashion industry is undergoing a significant transformation thanks to new technologies and innovations that are changing how, when, and why we shop. The use of AI for virtual try-on services is reducing product returns, which cost retailers a lot of money and have negative environmental impacts. "Phygital" innovations, including the use of blockchain technology and NFC tags, are helping to track the journey of an article of clothing and verify its authenticity, as well as to promote sustainability and ethics in fashion. Fashionable tech wearables are becoming more popular and expanding beyond fitness trackers, and circular fashion is becoming a popular trend, with marketplaces for secondhand luxury items and apps that help users shop their stash. With the fashion industry's creative, cutting-edge market embracing the digital revolution, we can expect to see even more significant and exciting changes in fashion in the coming years. The metaverse fashion industry is expected to be worth as much as $55 billion by 2030, with new technologies pushing the boundaries of what we currently know about fashion.
Meta is copying Telegram channels on Instagram
Meta (formerly Facebook) has announced the launch of broadcast channels on Instagram, a new feature that allows creators to broadcast messages and updates to followers who opt-in. Followers will not be able to post in the channels, but can emoji react to posts and vote in polls. The feature is currently being tested with select creators, with plans to roll it out on Messenger and Facebook in the coming months. The new channels could be a useful tool for creators to share updates with their communities, especially with the uncertainty surrounding Twitter.
Samsung Has Created a Zero-click Antivirus for Messages
Samsung has introduced a new Message Guard feature for its Galaxy smartphones and tablets that can protect users against "zero-click" cyberattacks disguised as image attachments in messages. Zero-click attacks have become increasingly common over the last few years and can install spyware and other malicious code onto devices without any interaction from the owner. Samsung's new feature can help prevent these attacks before they occur, automatically quarantining and neutralizing potential threats concealed within image files. The Message Guard feature works on Samsung Messages and Messages by Google currently and will eventually be made available to undisclosed third-party messaging apps via a software update. The feature is available now on Galaxy S23 series phones and will eventually be rolled out to other Galaxy smartphones and tablets running One UI 5.1 or higher later this year.
The YouTuber Making $1 Million Selling Notion ‘Templates’
Denver-based influencer Thomas Frank has become a millionaire by selling customized Notion templates for productivity to his 2.8 million YouTube followers. Frank's set-ups for the note-taking app include a $99 "creator's companion base" for project management, script organization, and sponsor and performance tracking. Notion, which offers a limited free version and a monthly subscription for more features, is free to use for super-users like Frank, who receives no payment from the productivity start-up for his templates. Frank also earns $150,000 annually from advertising revenue on YouTube and $100,000 from Skillshare courses. He plans to expand his focus on Notion to include teaching the Notion API and integrating other apps.
You Can Finally Run Windows 11 Natively On An Apple Silicon Mac
Microsoft has officially provided support for running Windows 11 on Apple silicon Macs, which was previously in a gray area. The company has posted a support page explaining how users can pair up its software with Apple hardware, giving the green light for running Windows 11 either using a Windows 365 Cloud PC or in a virtual machine like the Parallels Desktop app. Previously, running Windows on Apple silicon Macs required workarounds, as Boot Camp didn't work, and not all Macs have a Trusted Platform Module. The move is likely to be welcomed by business users and Mac users who want to run Windows 11 without any workarounds.
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki Steps Down After Nine Years
In a blog post, Susan Wojcicki, the CEO of YouTube, announced that she would be stepping down after nine years of leading the online video platform. YouTube's chief product officer, Neal Mohan, will take over her position. Wojcicki, previously a senior VP for ad products at Google, will remain with the company in an advisory role across Google and Alphabet after a temporary transition period. During her tenure, YouTube has faced challenges such as misinformation, hate speech, and a recent downturn in ad revenue. Additionally, TikTok has surpassed YouTube in viewing time.
Twitter To Charge For SMS Two-factor Authentication
Twitter announced that from March 20, 2023, only paid Blue subscribers will be allowed to use text messages as a two-factor authentication method. Non-subscribers with text message 2FA will have it disabled after the deadline. Twitter cited abuse by bad actors as the reason for the update and mentioned that the SMS method is one of the least secure forms of two-factor authentication. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey was successfully hacked by the method in 2019. The response online has ranged from nonplussed to dismissive. Twitter Blue, the subscription plan that adds a blue checkmark to those signed up, hasn't performed well, with only 180,000 subscribers after two months. Earlier this week, Elon Musk announced that he plans to step down as Twitter's CEO by the end of 2023 to stabilize the organization and find someone else to run the company.