Amazon Is Making an AI-Animated TV Show. The company licensed the character for a new Amazon series--made with AI--without her consent. Author and illustrator Loryn Brantz never imagined that a popular cartoon character she created almost a decade ago would one day be the subject of an intellectual property dispute involving BuzzFeed, Amazon's video streaming service, and generative artificial intelligence. But that's exactly the situation she finds herself in today. "Nothing said in good faith by managers and executives was followed through with," Brantz says of BuzzFeed, her former employer.

Amazon launched its new Fire TV Stick HD featuring 30% faster performance, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, and a slimmer design that powers directly from TV USB ports. PCWorld reports the device runs on Linux-based Vega OS instead of Android-based Fire OS, providing better security but limiting USB storage compatibility. Currently available for $21.99 during a limited-time offer, the streaming device supports 1080p content with HDR10 and HDR10+ capabilities.

The tech giant says a breakthrough in data-center networking has dramatically accelerated the flow of information through its massive cloud infrastructure. Amazon says it recently achieved a major breakthrough in networking design--and has been quietly deploying the new technology in its data centers since late last year. The company claims it has significantly increased data speeds while reducing energy use, potentially giving the tech giant an edge as companies race to build ever-faster systems in the cloud. The new technology hinges on a "quasi-random" design that combines elements of traditional, structured data networks with the performance advantages of more random architectures. Researchers have explored random networks for decades, but the technology has never been successfully scaled.

It's part of Amazon's efforts to reach net-zero carbon across its operations in the coming years. Amazon Japan has started using the country's iconic bullet trains to move packages between facilities across different regions. The company said teaming up with Japan Railway is part of its efforts to cut both delivery times and carbon dioxide emissions. Japan's Shinkansen can reach speeds of up to 200 mph and can cut down travel times, say, from Tokyo to Osaka from around 8 hours to two-and-a-half hours. They also run on electricity delivered by an overhead electrical system. Back in 2019, the company launched an initiative that aims for net zero carbon emissions for deliveries.

Pillay is an editorial fellow at TIME. America's healthcare system is notoriously reactive. Could AI shift it from a system that treats illness to one that prevents it? The question framed a panel discussion at the inaugural TIME100 AI Leadership Forum on May 27, which featured Dr. Omar Lateef, the president and CEO of Rush University System for Health; Arianna Huffington, the founder and CEO of Thrive Global; and Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services (Amazon One Medical, an Amazon health service, was an event sponsor). The conversation was moderated by TIME senior health correspondent Alice Park.

Lots of our most-recommended headphones, power banks, and other gadgets are on sale for Memorial Day. When you think of Memorial Day sales, you probably think of mattresses and other home goods. And while those items are definitely discounted, now is also a good time to purchase tech. Personally, I'm not buying anything right now unless it's discounted--and fortunately many of our top picks are. Whether you're shopping for a power bank, a new pair of headphones, or some other gadget, I've rounded up the best Memorial Day deals for your perusal.

Don't miss these vacuum deals happening over the holiday weekend. Shopping for a Dyson vacuum is an experience. There are many models to navigate and serious price tags on most of them. As someone who tests vacuums for a living, I have to admit that a Dyson blows most other vacuums away. There are a few cheaper models I'll still grab (check out my full guide to cordless and robot vacuums for more recommendations), but if you're dreaming of a Dyson, this weekend is a great time to buy.

Memorial Day isn't until Monday, but sales on our favorite gear are going on all weekend. I've been covering deals since 2013, and I still think Memorial Day sales are worth checking out. There are so many made-up shopping holidays these days that it can be difficult to ascertain when items are actually cheaper than usual. Now is one of those times. To help you out, I've scoured through our buying guides full of hand-tested items to find gadgets and gizmos that are discounted--and worth buying.

The boss of Standard Chartered has apologised after describing employees whose jobs are vulnerable to being replaced by Artificial Intelligence (AI) as lower value human capital. Discussing how automation was likely to lead to thousands of job cuts at the bank at a recent conference, Bill Winters said it wasn't about cost cutting but replacing, in some cases, lower value, human capital, with the financial capital and the investment capital that we're putting in. He later sought to contextualise the remarks via LinkedIn and said he was sorry for his wording, which had caused upset to some colleagues. He said he was committed to helping staff cope with the accelerating pace of change. The rise of AI tools has led to predictions of huge job losses, particularly for tech workers and graduates.

Looking for all our top recommended vacuums? Here are our favorites in every style WIRED has tested, from cordless models to robot vacuums. Every kind of vacuum, from robot vacuums to cheap stick vacs, is sent to my doorstep to find the best vacuum cleaner. You can find me vacuuming near daily with powerful Dysons, automated robot vacuums, and even vacuums made for car cleaning as a toddler mom plagued by sand and snacks. And I'm not alone in this quest; you can find many of the WIRED staffers testing vacuums in their homes too, to help find the best of the best. If you're looking for one place to find all of our vacuum cleaner recommendations, this is it.