The Download: how people really use AI, and Flock's design choices Plus: a child privacy trial starting today could change Meta forever. We still don't know how people are really using AI AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI regularly publish reports on how people are using their products. But they only release the data they want us to see, AI researchers say, and there's no independent source to corroborate it. A new research project called the AI Observatory aims to fill in the gap. Its analysis shows many more sensitive behaviors than are captured in reports from major AI companies, which focus more on work than on personal use. The researchers also found significant differences between models.

OpenAI makes ChatGPT less'human' for teens in new safety update The maker of ChatGPT is rolling out a range of new safety features today for under-18s who use the AI chatbot. Those with new teen accounts will be able to switch off the human voice response, in order to minimise the tech's ability to appear like a person. OpenAI is also introducing regular reminders for young people to take a break from using the tool, reminding them ChatGPT is AI, and saying it can wait. The firm insisted this was not in response to a particular issue with children believing ChatGPT to be alive - but there are growing concerns about people becoming convinced that the AI tools they interact with are sentient . Last year Mustafa Suleyman, the head of AI at rival firm Microsoft, said seemingly conscious AI products kept him awake at night because he was so worried about their impact on society .

Last September, after it was sued for allegedly enabling the tragic death of 16-year-old Adam Raine, OpenAI announced it was working on a system that would automatically identify teens and restrict their usage of ChatGPT. Nearly a year later, the company is putting that system to work as part of a new user experience it calls ChatGPT for Teens. "There's no need for a teen to create a new account or change anything; if we predict you're under 18, or you've told us so, this becomes your default experience," says Lauren Jonas, OpenAI's head of youth and families. ChatGPT for Teens is broadly built around two pillars: learning and safety. Starting with the former, it brings together a selection of features OpenAI has released over the last year to make ChatGPT a better teacher.

AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI regularly publish reports on how people are using products like Claude and ChatGPT, but they only release the data they want us to see, AI researchers say. "There is no independent source to corroborate it," says Anka Reuel, a computer science PhD candidate at the Stanford Trustworthy AI Research (STAIR) Lab. Reuel is co-lead of a new research project, called the AI Observatory, that aims to fill the gap. It's a public platform that aggregated and analyzed real AI conversations with popular models like Claude and Gemini that were collected with users' consent through seven existing datasets. The intent is to provide independent sources of information that can help researchers and policymakers assess how people are using generative AI. Highly consequential decisions about AI's benefits and risks are currently being made on the basis of very limited data, says Reuel.

Z.ai's latest AI model release could help companies secure their systems--or find its way into the hands of hackers. Last Friday, the Chinese AI company Z.ai announced a powerful open-weight model that it says is capable of automating cutting-edge coding and cybersecurity tasks almost as well as the best publicly available models from Anthropic and OpenAI . The new model, GLM 5.3, could be a gift for companies looking to secure their systems against attacks, providing a cheaper way to scan for hidden bugs and other weaknesses. Open-weight--or free-to-download--models can be run on one's own hardware and are often significantly less costly than closed models like Claude and GPT. Alongside the new model, Z.ai released OpenVuln, a service for scanning code repositories for vulnerabilities using GLM 5.3.

Rogue Studios, a new cinematic adult AI-generator, is betting big on the future of "sophisticated" spicy content. Demand for artificially generated smut is surging . But the quality of the visual content being created and shared--like on companion apps, where adult performers are selling their likeness to give fans a 24/7 experience, WIRED reported in March--isn't exactly movie-level caliber. Rogue Studio, a cinematic AI-generator platform built around adult visual storytelling, is trying to change that. Launching today, the studio, which bills itself as a "playground for creative ethical mischief," plans to deliver industry-level video production without creative and sexual restrictions.

Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Say More Safety Net Creator Hub Versus Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Mashable Selects Switch Off Trending Now In My Bag VidCon with Mashable All Series What Claude's AI text watermark actually does Anthropic says the new feature won't change how Claude's responses read, its cost to run, or reveal anything about who's using it. Chance Townsend is the General Assignments Editor at Mashable, covering tech, video games, dating apps, digital culture, and whatever else comes his way. He has a Master's in Journalism from the University of North Texas and is a proud orange cat father. His writing has also appeared in PC Mag and . Anthropic has begun building a watermark into text generated by future Claude models, a change the company says is meant to help identify whether a given piece of writing was likely produced by its AI.

Look Up Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Say More Safety Net Creator Hub Versus Gift Ideas For Everyone On Your List Mashable Selects Switch Off Trending Now In My Bag VidCon with Mashable All Series Google's Pixel 11 lineup brings bold new camera features and a surprising approach to its camera hardware. Watch: CNET's Patrick Holland tests the Trump Phone and answers your questions live 36:59 This speaker is where it starts. Google Gemini is making its way into your car. Google's Pixel 11 lineup brings Magic Capture, Instant Night Sight, and one genuinely surprising choice: the cheapest and priciest models share a main camera. We tried Magic Capture ourselves and asked Google why the Fold's camera is different.

I wore the world's first HDR10 smart glasses TCL's new E Ink tablet beats the Remarkable and Kindle Anker's new charger is one of the most unique I've ever seen I wore the world's first HDR10 smart glasses TCL's new E Ink tablet beats the Remarkable and Kindle Anker's new charger is one of the most unique I've ever seen In Google Workspace, Gemini has access to Gmail, Docs, Calendar, Chat, and more by default. Here's why it matters, and how administrators can disable it today. Internal AI access can create compliance and privacy risks. Workspace admins can turn off intelligence sources. Google gives Gemini access to Workspace data by default.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by LSEG . Trump puts brakes on OpenAI's newest AI model NASA's Chandra telescope reveals Milky Way's outer reaches may stretch farther than previously known'Milestone': Scientists claim to build synthetic cell, raising concerns in step toward artificial life Archaeological discovery offers stunning support for Scripture, says Dinesh D'Souza Bible skeptics face decisive archaeological evidence, author Dinesh D'Souza says Pentagon releases UAP files showing'cold orbs,' 'triangular objects' Jesse Watters: Whatever these are, they keep showing up where they shouldn't Family of boy rescued from California monster surf says teen hero became'extended family' Ancient manuscript unlocks lost sermons from one of Christianity's founding thinkers Security'The Odyssey' streaming scam could steal your bank info Fake streaming sites are using Christopher Nolan's blockbuster to steal payment details, passwords and personal information Fans scramble to see'The Odyssey' in IMAX 70mm The race is on to find tickets for deluxe showings of Christopher Nolan's epic new movie.