With pandemic state of emergency over, the government programs tied to COVID-19 have either ended or are winding down. But if you have a small business in Los Angeles that was affected by the pandemic -- and which ones weren't? The city of Los Angeles is offering up to $15,000 to qualified small businesses in the city that missed rent payments during the pandemic. Applications for those funds are due by the end of the day Wednesday. The county Department of Economic Opportunity, meanwhile, is offering Economic Opportunity Grants that small businesses and nonprofits affected by the pandemic can use for such things as operational expenses and pandemic-related costs.

A suspected AI-generated image claiming to show an explosion near the Pentagon went viral on Twitter Monday, sending markets crashing. Dozens of verified accounts - including national news organizations - reshared what shows black smoke billowing up from the ground next to a white building. The image appears so realistic that people became frantic as it circulated the platform around 10 am ET, which caused the S&P 500 to drop 10 points in five minutes as the image went viral. The Arlington Fire Department swiftly debunked the event, stating that'there is no explosion or incident taking place at or near the Pentagon reservation.' It comes as fears about the power of artificial technology in spreading misinformation, particularly in the build-up to the 2024 Presidential Election.

Some apps can be used with your local library to access different books, movies, etc. CyberGuy explains which apps are best. If you're old enough, you might remember when going through airports was a breeze compared to today's enhanced passenger and baggage screening procedures. Back then, you didn't have to worry about full-body scanners, passenger and carry-on luggage checks, or the other airport security protocols that are now in place. It's way different from how things are now. CLICK TO GET KURT'S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH QUICK TIPS, TECH REVIEWS, SECURITY ALERTS AND EASY HOW-TO'S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER Get ready for possibly even more security upgrades in the future if the TSA has its way.

Everyone from tech company CEOs to US senators and leaders at the G7 meeting has in recent weeks called for international standards and stronger guardrails for AI technology. Policymakers don't have to start from scratch. We've analyzed six different international attempts to regulate artificial intelligence, set out the pros and cons of each, and given them a rough score indicating how influential we think they are. The Council of Europe, a human rights organization that counts 46 countries as its members, is finalizing a legally binding treaty for artificial intelligence. The treaty requires signatories to take steps to ensure that AI is designed, developed, and applied in a way that protects human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.

Gary Marcus delivered these remarks to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law on May 16. I am profoundly grateful to be here. I come as a scientist, as someone who has founded AI companies, and as someone who genuinely loves AI -- but who is increasingly worried. There are benefits; we don't yet know whether they will outweigh the risks. Fundamentally, these new systems are going to be destabilizing.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has appointed a veteran commander with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as the country's new security chief. Ali Akbar Ahmadian, 62, was named on Monday as the new secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), replacing Ali Shamkhani, who held the post for close to a decade. Ahmadian takes the reins of the SNSC at a time of rapidly accelerating diplomatic regional efforts facilitated by his predecessor, including the re-establishment of ties with rival Saudi Arabia after a China-brokered agreement in March. Iran's relations with the West, however, remain sour. A landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers remains in limbo, while Iran has been accused of supplying Russia with armed drones for the war in Ukraine and tensions have steadily risen following nationwide protests that erupted across the country in September last year.

Lebanon's Hezbollah movement has carried out military exercises near the country's southern border with Israel in a show of its military power. About 200 Hezbollah fighters used live ammunition and an attack drone to take part in the exercises on Sunday in Aaramta, 20km (12 miles) north of the Israeli border. The drills took place ahead of the anniversary of Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon on May 25, 2000. It was the largest demonstration of Hezbollah's military might in years. Hezbollah fighters carried out simulated raids involving sniper and drone attacks against Israeli targets as part of the exercise.

OUT OF POCKET - Debt ceiling showdown could result in crucial win for GOP - or McCarthy losing the speakership. DEATH ON THE LINE - Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger arraignment sets stage for high-stakes countdown. TRAVEL ADVISORY - NAACP says DeSantis' Florida is'openly hostile' to Black Americans, LGBTQ. BACKPEDALING - Attorney alleges racism in viral video, immediately threatened with a lawsuit. DEEP CUT – AI-powered'Lifesaving Radio' helps surgeons operate with greater efficiency and accuracy.

The famous first image of a black hole just got two times sharper. A research team used artificial intelligence to dramatically improve upon its first image from 2019, which now shows the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy as darker and bigger than the first image depicted. I'm an astronomer who studies and has written about cosmology, black holes and exoplanets. Astronomers have been using AI for decades. In fact, in 1990, astronomers from the University of Arizona, where I am a professor, were among the first to use a type of AI called a neural network to study the shapes of galaxies.

CEO says OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said language and cultural inclusivity is "very important" to his company's mission as it builds and trains powerful artificial intelligence systems. On Tuesday, May 16, Mr. Altman went to Washington. And today, the world feels a little scarier. There's rarely a day when we don't hear some new report about the groundbreaking impact – and potential danger – of this technology. Large learning models like ChatGPT have caught the world by surprise based on the speed of their learning and what they are now able to do.