The must-reads
I’ve combed the internet to find you today’s most fun/important/scary/fascinating stories about technology.
1 Anthropic has refused the Pentagon’s AI demands
It’s holding firm on its stance: no mass surveillance of Americans, and no lethal autonomous weapons. (The Verge)
+ Anthropic said “virtually no progress” had been made during recent talks. (The Hill)
+ Here’s how relations between the US government and the company started to dissolve. (Vox)
2 Instagram will alert parents if teens repeatedly search for suicide material
But campaigners fear the measure could do more harm than good. (BBC)
+ Instagram is working on a similar alert feature for its AI tools. (Engadget)
+ Poland is weighing up banning under-15s from accessing social media. (Bloomberg $)
3 ChatGPT Health regularly fails to recognize medical emergencies
In more than half of serious cases, it advised users to delay seeking treatment. (The Guardian)
+ “Dr. Google” had its issues. Can ChatGPT Health do better? (MIT Technology Review)
4 The Islamic State’s online warriors are posting beyond the grave
The group is using AI to resurrect dead leaders and port them to new platforms. (404 Media)
5 Vegetarians are at lower risk from five types of cancer
It suggests that avoiding meat could help to avoid certain cancers, including breast and pancreatic. (FT $)
+ Interestingly, the same doesn’t apply for vegans. (Bloomberg $)
+ RFK Jr. follows a carnivore diet. That doesn’t mean you should. (MIT Technology Review)
6 Activists combating online abuse have been barred from America
Authorities accused HateAid of participating in a “global censorship-industrial complex.” (NYT $)
+ What it’s like to be banned from the US for fighting online hate. (MIT Technology Review)
7 Russians are looking for missing soldiers on Google Maps
They’re posting reviews pleading for information about missing loved ones. (New Yorker $)
+ Google Maps has finally gained approval to operate in South Korea. (FT $)
+ It’s hellbent on closing its final few global gaps. (Economist $)
8 Burger King’s new AI assistant will evaluate workers’ friendliness
It’ll check interactions to make sure they’re saying please and thank you. (The Verge)
+ Perplexity’s bossy new AI agent assigns work to fellow agents. (Ars Technica)
9 NASA still hasn’t made it back to the moon
The mission has been dogged by delays and issues. (WP $)
10 Are you Chinamaxxing yet?
Everyone on TikTok is, c’mon. (Insider $)
Quote of the day
“This is as much of a political fight as a military use issue.”