Month: June 2026

About 1,600 workers signed petition against tool that tracked staff keystrokes, mouse clicks and computer screen content Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta has paused a program that tracked employees’ computer activity amid data privacy concerns and a staff backlash. The owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp had introduced a tool that tracked staff keystrokes, mouse clicks and …

Meta pauses employee tracker for AI training amid privacy concerns Read More »

The writer who coined the word ‘enshittification’ tells us why AI will never deliver what it promises – and why it still appeals so much to those in power A “centaur”, in automation theory, is a person assisted by a machine, and a “reverse centaur”, hero of Cory Doctorow’s new book, The Reverse Centaur’s Guide …

‘You can’t make billions without hurting people’: Cory Doctorow on Elon Musk, the AI bubble and bosses’ cruel fantasies Read More »

China’s LineShine debuts at number one in Top500 – a list sometimes viewed as a national measure of global tech prowess A supercomputer in China now outranks its US counterparts as the world’s most powerful. It is the first time since 2017 that a Chinese computer has topped a list sometimes viewed as a measure …

Chinese supercomputer leapfrogs best US machines to be ranked world’s fastest Read More »

AI company ElevenLabs unveils its officially licensed replica of the iconic actor’s voice in a retelling of Homer’s epic poem, while director who previously recorded the star recalls real-life experience Next month, Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster version of The Odyssey is set to storm cinemas around the globe. Auguries suggest the almost three-hour drama will repeat …

You’re only supposed to blow the bloody hooves off: AI Michael Caine narrates Odyssey audiobook Read More »

While tech companies and Trump have been pushing teachers to use AI in the classroom, many argue that there is little evidence that it would actually help children In October, Kelly Clancy’s son received an assignment in sixth grade at a middle school in Brooklyn, New York, to create a science experiment and then ask …

AI in the classroom prompts tide of concern from US parents and experts Read More »

Study warns AI datacenters are vulnerable to the climate hazards that their global greenhouse gas emissions bolster Amid rising concern that the artificial intelligence boom is fueling the climate crisis, a new report has found that nearly 80% of datacenters are also exposed to extreme climate hazards, including flooding, extreme winds and wildfires. Those impacts …

Majority of datacenters are vulnerable to climate threats like floods and fires, study finds Read More »

Sarah Hanson Young’s warning comes as David Pocock urges government to prevent firms using Australian content to train AI models Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The independent senator David Pocock has challenged the Albanese government to prevent tech giants using Australian content to train AI models as cabinet considers …

Australia ‘sleepwalking’ into AI crisis and ‘tech bro free-for-all’, says Greens senator Read More »

Despite more than double the needed number of signatures to qualify for ballot, there’s uncertainty it’ll make it to voters Hi and welcome to TechScape. Nick Robins-Early and Dara Kerr here, filling in for your usual host Blake Montgomery who is out on vacation. We’ll be talking about the fight over a proposed billionaire tax …

Will California’s billionaire tax proposal make it to ballots? Read More »

Thalha Jubair and Owen Flowers, linked to the Scattered Spider hacking group, change pleas on first day of trial Two British cybercriminals from the Scattered Spider hacking group have pleaded guilty to a cyber-attack on Transport for London in 2024 that cost £39m and affected 10 million people. Thalha Jubair, 20, and Owen Flowers, 18, …

Two Britons plead guilty to £39m 2024 cyber-attack on Transport for London Read More »

Barrister who was given material produced by Garfield AI says advocacy at trial ‘remained fundamentally human’ An artificial intelligence law firm has won a case in an English court, in what is believed to be the first time a trial has been won using an AI lawyer. A freelance HR consultant, Tamires Camal Taquidir, paid …

HR consultant wins English court case using AI lawyer in apparent legal first Read More »