News June 04, 2024
AI Is Your Coworker Now. Can You Trust It?
As generative AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot continue to evolve at a rapid pace, concerns are mounting about the potential risks they pose to workplace security and employee privacy. The ability of these tools to screenshot sensitive data has raised red flags among regulators and experts alike. For instance, Microsoft’s Recall feature has been deemed a “privacy nightmare” by some, while OpenAI’s ChatGPT has demonstrated screenshotting abilities that could result in the capture of sensitive information. Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives has banned the use of Copilot among staff members due to concerns about data leakage and exposure. As AI systems become increasingly sophisticated, there is a growing risk of hackers targeting these tools to gain access to sensitive data or spread malware. Furthermore, proprietary AI offerings like Copilot could potentially be used to monitor employees’ activities, raising concerns about privacy infringement.
Inside the Biggest FBI Sting Operation in History
As the clock struck midnight on May 26, 2020, a sleek black-and-white speedboat sliced through the waves off Sweden’s coast, its two occupants armed with navigation gear and night vision goggles. Their mission was to intercept a cargo ship, the Donousa, which had made an unauthorized stop in the North Sea to dump 400 kilograms of cocaine into the water. The plan was for the speedboat crew to reel in the nets and transport the drugs to Swedish docks, but things didn’t go according to script. The courier, stationed onshore, received frantic messages from his bosses as the operation began to unravel. The pilot docked in the wrong place, and the packages of cocaine were too big to fit into the van. When the courier finally verified the shipment at the warehouse, he discovered that about 70 kilograms were missing - a revelation that sent tensions soaring.
Russians Love YouTube. That’s a Problem for the Kremlin
As Vladimir Putin held his annual press conference in December 2020, he touted Russia’s economic resilience amidst the pandemic, allocating 350 billion rubles to social benefits. Meanwhile, opposition leader Alexei Navalny unveiled “Putin’s palace,” a lavish Black Sea dacha worth over $1 billion, funded by allegedly embezzled state funds that could have been used for social welfare programs. The video went viral, garnering nearly 100 million views and cementing the Anti-Corruption Foundation’s popularity on YouTube. Navalny’s investigative work, including exposing a failed assassination plot against him, had already gained international attention. As his media apparatus grew in influence, Navalny became more than just an opposition figure, but a symbol of resistance against Putin’s regime.
China will be the first to retrieve soil samples from the far side of the Moon
China’s Chang’e 6 spacecraft has successfully lifted off from the lunar surface, carrying with it the first-ever samples taken from the far side of the Moon. The spacecraft had landed on the South Pole-Aitken Basin just two days prior, where its lander collected geologic samples using cameras, a soil structure detector, and a mineral spectrometer. The mission aims to explore the possibility of using lunar minerals for long-term missions on the Moon’s surface. Scientists are also eager to study the samples to gain insights into the formation of the Solar System and the Moon itself, which is estimated to be around 4.5 billion years old. Chang’e 6’s ascender launched from the back of the Moon, using its lander as a temporary tower and relying on its own sensors and the Queqiao-2 satellite for autonomous positioning. The mission marks a significant milestone in China’s lunar exploration program, following the successful landing of Chang’e 4 on the far side of the Moon in 2019.
Samsung leak reveals a cheaper Galaxy Watch
According to recent leaks, Samsung is reportedly cooking up a more affordable version of its Galaxy Watch, dubbed the FE edition. The rumored 40mm device has been spotted in blue, black, and pink hues, courtesy of leaked renders shared by @Sudhanshu14 on X. Under the hood, it’s said to pack a 1.2-inch OLED display, a 30-hour battery life, and a similar Exynos W920 chip found in the Galaxy Watch 4. Additionally, the watch is expected to come with 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, as well as Samsung’s One UI Watch 5 system. If true, this budget-friendly smartwatch could hit shelves for around €199 or $199 in the US, making it a more accessible option than the pricier Galaxy Watch 6.