Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology may be a failure, Tesla lawyers admit -- but it's not a fraud. The electric car company is facing a class-action lawsuit from Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology customers. They claim they were ripped off, duped by statements from co-founder and CEO Elon Musk and marketing materials from Tesla over the past six years suggesting full-fledged autonomous driving was imminent. No Tesla on the road today is capable of full self driving, and yet Tesla sells what it calls a Full Self-Driving Capability for $15,000. In its defense, Tesla lawyers said that "mere failure to realize a long-term, aspirational goal is not fraud."

The Federal Trade Commission said Thursday it is suing to block Microsoft's planned $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard, saying it could suppress competitors to its Xbox game consoles and its growing games subscription business. The FTC voted 3-1 to issue the complaint after a closed-door meeting, with the three Democratic commissioners voting in favor and the sole Republican voting against. A fifth seat on the panel is vacant after another Republican left earlier this year. The FTC's complaint points to Microsoft's previous game acquisitions, especially of well-known developer Bethesda Softworks and its parent company ZeniMax, as an example of where Microsoft made some popular game titles exclusive despite assuring European regulators it had no intention to do so. "Microsoft has already shown that it can and will withhold content from its gaming rivals," said a prepared statement from Holly Vedova, director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition.

The Federal Trade Commission has filed an antitrust lawsuit in a bid to block Microsoft's planned $68.7 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard. The FTC started looking into the deal and its potential impact on the video game market soon after it was announced in January. Evidently, the agency was concerned enough to pump the brakes on the buyout. The FTC said that, were the deal to go through, it "would enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its rapidly growing subscription content and cloud-gaming business." The FTC's commissioners voted in favor of the lawsuit along party lines, with the three Democratic members approving it.

The European Council has adopted its common position ('general approach') on the Artificial Intelligence Act. Its aim is to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) systems placed on the EU market and used in the Union are safe and respect existing law on fundamental rights and Union values. The proposal follows a risk-based approach and lays down a uniform, horizontal legal framework for AI that aims to ensure legal certainty. It promotes investment and innovation in AI, enhances governance and effective enforcement of existing law on fundamental rights and safety, and facilitates the development of a single market for AI applications. It goes hand in hand with other initiatives, including the Coordinated Plan on Artificial Intelligence which aims to accelerate investment in AI in Europe. The adoption of the general approach will allow the Council to enter negotiations with the European Parliament ('trilogues') once the latter adopts its own position with a view to reaching an agreement on the proposed regulation.

Have you seen a picture of one of your friend's on social media recently where they look like a fairytale character or Renaissance painting? They may have used Lensa AI - a new app that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to generate a series of avatars using their selfies. While the'Magic Avatars' may look cool, there could be some hidden catches in the app's terms and conditions that unsuspecting users accepted without thinking. After uploading the selfies to the app, Lensa AI gets permission to'use' and'distribute' them indefinitely - and without'any additional compensation'. While the Lensa AI'Magic Avatars' may look cool, there could be some hidden catches in the app's terms and conditions, that unsuspecting users accepted without thinking.

Supervisors in San Francisco voted Tuesday to give city police the ability to use potentially lethal, remote-controlled robots in emergency situations -- following an emotionally charged debate that reflected divisions on the politically liberal board over support for law enforcement. The vote was 8-3, with the majority agreeing to grant police the option despite strong objections from civil liberties and other police oversight groups. Opponents said the authority would lead to the further militarization of a police force already too aggressive with poor and minority communities. Supervisor Connie Chan, a member of the committee that forwarded the proposal to the full board, said she understood concerns over use of force but that "according to state law, we are required to approve the use of these equipments. So here we are, and it's definitely not a easy discussion."

Artificial intelligence is becoming a critical competitive factor. Economic markets are increasingly being led by companies where artificial intelligence (AI) is calling the shots. But the race for competitive advantage is not just the domain of companies and organizations. Countries are also vying with each other for AI supremacy to strengthen their industries, protect national security, or solve societal challenges. In addition to the United States, the world leaders in AI adoption, research, and development include Asian countries such as China, Singapore, and South Korea.

Everyone should consider learning more about Artificial Intelligence Maturity and the factors that impact this development. Although AI has been around since the 1950s, it seems to be going through an accelerated growth spurt on its way to full maturity, and this transition phase appears to be making some people a little nervous. Those nerves will undoubtedly calm as specific AI technology gets closer to maturity and as additional industries become more comfortable with AI. To get there, it's important to acknowledge AI's strengths and weaknesses. For instance, there are real and valid concerns around AI's transparency and trustworthiness, but there are also undeniable benefits in the form of measurable and significant efficiency gains and valuable insights for better decision-making.

Companies are increasingly relying on automation to help screen candidates in the hiring process, a trend prompting scrutiny from local governments and regulators. Nearly one in four organizations already use automation or artificial intelligence (AI) to support hiring, according to a February 2022 survey from the Society for Human Resource Management, and usage is higher--42 percent--among large employers with 5,000 or more employees. A recent report from Recode detailed Amazon's ambitions to replace some of its recruiters with AI software that can fast-track candidates to interviews without any human involvement. Today AI technology can do more than just screen resumes. Companies may also use AI tools to monitor candidates' social media presence quickly and pick up on red flags.

The question of whether artificial intelligence (AI) can invent is nearly 200 years old, going back to the very beginning of computing. Victorian mathematician Ada Lovelace wrote what's generally considered the first computer program. As she did, she wondered about the limits of what computers could do. The Analytical Engine has no pretensions to originate anything. It can do whatever we know how to order it to perform.