'Careless use of AI is the real threat - not the ghost stories' Image caption, Meredith Whittaker believes science doesn't support the idea that AI will turn against humans Warning: This article contains strong language. Meredith Whittaker has little patience for the AI doom that dominates headlines - she thinks warnings of AI turning on humanity is a fear not anchored in science. The risk is very real, says the boss of the Signal Foundation, which runs the encrypted messaging app of the same name, but it's not the shiny ghost stories the wild-eyed boys are talking about. Instead, she believes the more immediate danger is the technology being used carelessly. She cites an alleged incident, reported by CNN, in which a chatbot used by US intelligence invented information about a Chinese vessel carrying nuclear material, reportedly leading the US to prepare a military response.

Modi wants India to power the AI age. Residents hold placards during a protest against Amazon's planned data center, in Thane, on the outskirts of Mumbai, India, last month. What was once a stretch of lush greenery outside his 21st-floor window is now a scar of red earth where trees were felled to make way for an Amazon facility that forms part of the tech giant's planned $21 billion investment in AI infrastructure in India by 2030. "I would not have bought the house if I had known," said the 46-year-old, lamenting a purchase made just five months ago. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.

Zelenskyy accuses U.S. of inaction as Russian strikes kill over 70 in two days One of the two passenger buses struck by projectiles in Kramatorsk, near the front line in eastern Ukraine, on Thursday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the U.S. of being unwilling to help Ukraine after a Russian bomb attack on Thursday killed at least 35 people in the east, sending the two-day death toll from Russian strikes to over 70. Hours after the strike on the embattled city of Kramatorsk tore through two buses, Zelenskyy criticized Washington's effort to pursue economic ties with Russia while also seeking to mediate the more than four-year war. City authorities reported a new drone attack in the evening that killed two people. That brought to 35 the total death toll in the city. In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever.

At least 81 US aircraft worth up to $3.3bn lost or damaged in Iran war Share At least 81 US aircraft worth up to $3.3bn lost or damaged in Iran war on social media At least 81 United States military aircraft, including fighter jets and drones, have been lost or damaged during Operation Epic Fury, the code name for Washington's military campaign against Iran launched earlier this year. The statistic comes as part of a report released on Monday by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan government agency that provides budget-related research to the legislature. The report this week highlights the growing price tag for the war, which began on February 28. A lasting ceasefire has remained out of reach as the conflict continues into its eighth month. "The asymmetries of warfare show that even small countries with small militaries can inflict damage on the world's best militaries," said Harlan Ullman, a former naval officer and chairman of the Killowen Group, a government advisory firm. He told Al Jazeera that Iran has managed to achieve a degree of success in damaging US military hardware and bases in the Middle East.

Is the war entering a new phase? Syria has called for an "independent and transparent" investigation into the sinking of a cargo ship in the Black Sea, demanding answers over the fate of the ship's 10 crew members, including nine Syrians and an Egyptian, who remain unaccounted for. The Togolese-flagged Alfa Watan, went down in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone early on Tuesday, amid a rising number of drone strikes hitting Black Sea shipping during the Russia-Ukraine war. Mazen Aloush, from the Syria's port authority asked the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Bulgarian authorities to find out why a search and rescue mission was called off, before the missing sailors were found. "Their fate is still unknown" said Aloush, adding that "the reasons that led to the suspension of search and rescue operations" had to be established.

Each year, a small group of PhD students are chosen to participate in the AAAI/SIGAI Doctoral Consortium . This initiative provides an opportunity for the students to discuss and explore their research interests and career objectives in an interdisciplinary workshop together with a panel of established researchers. During 2026, we met with some of the students to find out more about their research and the doctoral consortium experience. Xiang Fang has been conducting his PhD research at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore. Broadly speaking, his work focuses on multi-modal learning and embodied intelligence.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and other officials observe the Hyunmoo-5 missile at an undisclosed test site in South Korea on Thursday. Seoul - South Korea test-fired its first homegrown hypersonic weapon on Thursday, the presidential office said, days after Pyongyang announced the AI-assisted launch of an intermediate-range hypersonic missile. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung "observed the first test launch of a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) -- currently under research and development using domestic technology," the presidential Blue House said in a statement. Hypersonic glide vehicles are sent into the upper atmosphere via rocket boosters or on ballistic missiles, then glide towards their target at five times the speed of sound or greater. Hailing a "key strategic asset capable of changing the course of the battlefield," the South Korean statement said that the missiles' "unpredictable flight trajectories and overwhelming speed enable them to strike key strategic targets." The test was aimed at verifying "the performance of ultra-high-temperature heat-resistant materials -- a core technology for glide vehicles -- as well as guidance and control capabilities and the ability to fly irregularly at low altitudes under hypersonic flight conditions," it added.

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Yelp, who? 4 ways Google Maps can help you find your next meal - and order it Jada Jones is a journalist based outside of Atlanta, Georgia. Google reveals its first fan-favorite dining list. The list compiles trends among Maps in 10 cities. Google also highlights deeper Gemini integration with Maps. Google continues to update Google Maps for uses beyond simple navigation, with AI-powered features that help you find places to eat and even order food.

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Fast-moving artificial intelligence data-center operators are demanding hard-drive suppliers pack ever more storage into limited spaces. A bidding war for TDK's hard-disk drive parts business could determine the prospects of Japanese corporate icon Toshiba as well as who controls an increasingly lucrative artificial intelligence data-center storage market. Seagate Technology Holdings and delisted Toshiba are vying for TDK's magnetic-heads business in a deal that could be worth several billion dollars. The winning bidder would be able to expand in-house capabilities in the $23 billion hard-drive market that's been transformed by voracious AI data-center demand. Fast-moving AI data-center operators now are demanding hard-drive suppliers pack ever more storage into limited spaces. Prices are climbing and net income at Seagate and Western Digital -- which together control more than 90% of the global HDD market, according to research firm TrendForce -- has grown by multiples in recent quarters.