Technology
'I didn't cheat.' California DMV's test fraud claims spark frustration, anger
Things to Do in L.A. Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. California DMV's test fraud claims spark frustration, anger People wait in line to enter the DMV office off Waterman Avenue in San Bernardino on Wednesday. The agency says some drivers are suspected of using "various cheating methods" on the written portion of the license test. This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here .
California employer health premiums will cost as much as a new car in 2027
Things to Do in L.A. Seen through a magazine, Christin Evans is photographed at her bookstore, the Booksmith, in San Francisco. Evans says health insurance costs have leaped 17% this year, forcing her to cut staff hours. This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here . See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search.
The A.I. Gender Gap Meets the Parenting Gender Gap
Women use A.I. less than men and do more of the cognitive work at home. The A.I. "family assistant" promises to bridge both divides. In a promotional video for Ollie, an A.I. family assistant, one of the company's founders, Bill Lennon, is about to announce his new venture in front of a camera crew when his phone starts pinging. "THE BABY JUST ON THE CARPET / like A LOT / WHILE I WAS ON ZOOM W AN INVESTOR." Then, a somewhat anticlimactic follow-up: "My sister coming for dinner btw did I tell you???" Lennon does not respond directly to these messages, which are presumably from his wife.
US launches new attacks on Iran as Tehran targets Gulf sites
What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain? The United States military says it has launched another wave of strikes on Iran, while Tehran says it retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US military assets in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, said it concluded an evening wave of strikes against Iran at 9pm ET on Wednesday (01:00 GMT on Thursday), targeting "Iranian command centres, air defence sites, missile and drone capabilities, and coastal surveillance facilities" in an effort to reduce Iran's ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian air defences were activated over the capital, Tehran, as state media reported attacks across much of the country. Explosions were reported in Bandar Abbas and on nearby Qeshm island in the south, as well as in the southeastern coastal towns of Sirik, Chabahar and Konarak. Iranian media also reported attacks further inland in Rask, Khondab, Khorramabad and Semnan.
xAI sues Grok user for generating nonconsensual sexualized deepfakes
The defendant used Grok to create sexualized images of adults and children, xAI says. SpaceXAI (as xAI) has filed a lawsuit against Terry Wayne Harwood, a 67-year-old man from South Carolina whom the company has accused of using Grok to generate sexual images of real people without their consent. In the complaint that xAI filed in Texas, it said that the defendant uploaded non-sexual images of numerous adults and minors to his two xAI accounts from December 8, 2025 until February 18, 2026. He then asked Grok to alter the photos or to create new images and videos depicting the adults and children in them in a pornographic manner or otherwise sexualizing them. The company said that Grok refused to follow his prompts on numerous occasions but that he repeatedly submitted edited prompts to circumvent the AI's safeguards. In one example mentioned in the filing, xAI said Harwood uploaded the photo of a fully dressed girl around 10 to 11 years old and then asked Grok to remove all of her clothing and make her do a Playboy model impression as she laid in bed.
Robots, AI and drones: how the Dutch navy is using tech to transform its sea defences
Uncrewed systems are the future for armed forces and the Netherlands is leading the way'to keep people out of danger zones' O n each side of the target ship, a black vessel keeps a watchful distance. Defender 1 and Defender 2 are the eyes and ears of the navy - but they have nobody onboard, and their paths are controlled by a computer system. This is the future of the Royal Netherlands Navy, according to Capt Sjoerd Feenstra, head of the expertise centre for unmanned systems. He is leading a five-week mission, off the coast of Den Helder in the north of the country, to test the limits of systems that operate without the human touch. "For the last year and a half we've been working to change our organisation," he says. "In about 10 years there will be crewed platforms surrounded by a ring of uncrewed systems operating as autonomously as possible."
Japan revises AI policy guidelines to bolster cybersecurity
The Cabinet has adopted revised guidelines for artificial intelligence-related policies to bolster cybersecurity measures. The government has revised its guidelines for artificial intelligence-related policies, calling for constantly strengthening measures against cyberattacks in light of serious risks posed by cutting-edge AI models. The original AI policy guidelines were compiled only last December. The revision comes amid rapid technological innovation, including the launch of U.S. startup Anthropic's Claude Mythos. The revised guidelines, adopted at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, note the growing threat of cyberattacks against the backdrop of advancing AI capabilities, and call for collaborating with foreign government agencies and AI development companies to significantly strengthen the capabilities of Japan's AI Safety Institute. The guidelines also highlight the need to avoid excessive reliance on specific countries or companies for AI, and express the government's intention to develop domestic AI that addresses challenges facing Japan.
Facial recognition gates introduced at Ikebukuro Station
A facial recognition system has been introduced at ticket gates at Ikebukuro Station on the Tobu Tojo Line in Tokyo. Hitachi and Tobu Railway on Wednesday introduced a facial recognition system at ticket gates at Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo's Toshima Ward. Passengers can pass through the ticket gates hands-free if they register their facial data and commuter pass information in advance. The companies hope to encourage other railway operators to adopt the system, which can be installed by simply adding cameras and other equipment to existing ticket gates. The system was jointly developed in cooperation with three ticket gate manufacturers, including Toshiba. This is the first time that the system has been installed at a major terminal station in Tokyo.