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'Sycophantic' AI chatbots tell users what they want to hear, study shows

The Guardian

Stanford University researchers found that AI chatbots reinforced existing beliefs, assumptions and decisions. Stanford University researchers found that AI chatbots reinforced existing beliefs, assumptions and decisions. 'Sycophantic' AI chatbots tell users what they want to hear, study shows Scientists warn of'insidious risks' of increasingly popular technology that affirms even harmful behaviour Turning to AI chatbots for personal advice poses "insidious risks", according to a study showing the technology consistently affirms a user's actions and opinions even when harmful. Scientists said the findings raised urgent concerns over the power of chatbots to distort people's self-perceptions and make them less willing to patch things up after a row. With chatbots becoming a major source of advice on relationships and other personal issues, they could "reshape social interactions at scale", the researchers added, calling on developers to address this risk.


Storm Melissa to explode into Category 5 hurricane as models reveal its 'life-threatening' path to the US

Daily Mail - Science & tech

Billionaire Illinois Democrat governor caught in lie live on Fox News while trying to downplay Chicago's murder capital status Storm Melissa to explode into Category 5 hurricane as models reveal its'life-threatening' path to the US JAN MOIR: The Queen was blindly devoted to Prince Andrew... she raised a monster. The final hours of chess grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky - friends' desperate attempts to save him, warnings in final monologue and how he was haunted by sinister figure in hidden underworld. My wife won't get a job and I feel broken trying to provide for our family. Hold on, says DEAR CAROLINE... that's bad enough but your letter raises a MUCH bigger red flag Wild resurfaced Gilbert Arenas'snitching' claim goes viral in the wake of NBA mafia gambling scandal Inside the nondescript Virginia warehouse that wiped out the internet with one outage... and the neighbors who warn the next one is just a matter of time Fury as'insane' GM kills much-loved feature from upcoming cars as rival Ford doubles down I know all the secrets of the NBA legends' betting scandal. I think I've discovered Meghan's secret plan for if - or when - William strips away the Sussexes' royal titles: SHARON HUNT Disney fans left devastated after theme park dramatically'scales back' on its villains Doctor's $1M show of loyalty for murderer husband after he let adorable daughter, 2, die in roasting car as he watched adult videos Storm Melissa to explode into Category 5 hurricane as models reveal its'life-threatening' path to the US Tropical Storm Melissa is expected to strengthen into a life-threatening Category 5 hurricane that could swerve into the northeastern US in just days.


Armed police in US handcuff teen after AI mistakes crisp packet for gun

BBC News

A US teenager was handcuffed by armed police after an artificial intelligence (AI) system mistakenly said he was carrying a gun - when really he was holding a packet of crisps. Police showed up, like eight cop cars, and then they all came out with guns pointed at me talking about getting on the ground, 16-year-old Baltimore pupil Taki Allen told local outlet WMAR-2 News . Baltimore County Police Department said their officers responded appropriately and proportionally based on the information provided at the time. It said the AI alert was sent to human reviewers who found no threat - but the principal missed this and contacted the school's safety team, who ultimately called the police. But the incident has prompted calls by some for the schools' procedures around the use of such technology to be reviewed.



There's a Literacy Crisis. One Classroom Solution Should Be Obvious.

Slate

You can't get better at reading until you care about a text. We are English professors who stumbled into a debate about high school pedagogy. We wrote a book to help college instructors teach close reading, the fundamental skill of literary studies. And then, well before it was published, we started hearing from education scholars training high school teachers, and high school teachers themselves, who had caught wind of the book through advance essays and word of mouth. They were interested in how we describe close reading, the tools we provide for teaching it, and the claim we make for its importance.


Ancient Roman mass grave shows its army's ethnic diversity

Popular Science

Science Archaeology Ancient Roman mass grave shows its army's ethnic diversity Part of the empire's strength was drawn from its different populations. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Among its many feats, Rome featured one of history's most organized and successful military forces . Its organization and deployment helped solidify the empire's centuries-long reign across the Mediterranean, Western Asia, North Africa, and Europe. In Croatia, archaeologists have discovered a mass grave dating back to the third century CE that indicates another key to Roman military strength: the diversity of its soldiers.


Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon kill two in latest truce violation

Al Jazeera

Why is Israel still in southern Lebanon? A war to shape Lebanon's future An Israeli drone strike has killed two people in southern Lebanon, according to the country's Ministry of Public Health, a day after Israeli warplanes launched a series of deadly strikes on the country's eastern mountain range and south. It's the latest in near-daily Israeli violations of the United States-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah that began in November. It did not provide details on their condition. A security source told Al Jazeera that the drone fired a missile at a car, directly hitting the vehicle and causing it to catch fire.


Dems lagging behind GOP on Asian American outreach could make or break blue state election, DNC leader warns

FOX News

New Jersey's one million Asian American residents could determine the gubernatorial outcome as Democrats increase community outreach efforts.


The Download: carbon removal's future, and measuring pain using an app

MIT Technology Review

Plus: Meta's lawyers advised staff to remove parts of their research After years of growth that spawned hundreds of startups, the nascent carbon removal sector appears to be facing a reckoning. Running Tide, a promising aquaculture company, shut down its operations last summer, and a handful of other companies have shuttered, downsized, or pivoted in recent months as well. And the collective industry hasn't made a whole lot more progress toward Running Tide's ambitious plans to sequester a billion tons of carbon dioxide by this year. The hype phase is over and the sector is sliding into the turbulent business trough that follows, experts warn. And the open question is: If the carbon removal sector is heading into a painful if inevitable clearing-out cycle, where will it go from there? This story is part of MIT Technology Review's What's Next series, which looks across industries, trends, and technologies to give you a first look at the future.


Ukraine's Zelenskyy to meet European leaders in London over military aid

Al Jazeera

Is Trump losing patience with Putin? Will sanctions against Russian oil giants hurt Putin? How much of Europe's oil still comes from Russia? Ukraine's Zelenskyy to meet European leaders in London over military aid Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due to meet European leaders in the United Kingdom for talks on military aid to stave off future Russian aggression if a ceasefire stops the war now in its fourth year. Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to be joined at the Foreign Office in London on Friday by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof.