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Apple's new Audio Intelligence features for the Apple Watch Series 12 are drawing privacy concerns because they can process nearby conversations without explicit consent from everyone involved. "Live Rewind lets you instantly see the last 15 seconds of a conversation as text," Apple explains in its technical summary (PDF). "Siri Recap summarizes conversations throughout your day and produces high-level Apple Intelligence-generated notes so you can stay present in the moment and catch up later." The Register reports: The latest Apple Watch comes with Audio Intelligence, a set of AI audio processing capabilities tuned for the company's S11 chip. Its features include: Sound Recognition, Music Recognition with Shazam, Live Rewind, and Siri Recap. [...] With the double-press of the Digital Crown -- as Apple grandly refers to the button on its Watch -- Live Rewind takes in an audio stream from the Watch microphone, processes it in a Secure Exclave on the S11 chip, and routes the data to the user's nearby iPhone, which runs a speech-to-text algorithm on the 15-second audio segment. The resulting text is saved and the audio is discarded.
The wearer's Watch emits an audible tone, even in silent mode, to alert those in the vicinity and provides a visual cue for those able to see the face of the device. Nonetheless, bystanders alerted to the recording -- to the extent they recognize the meaning of the tone -- have not consented to being recorded, which is a legal requirement in 11 US states that have all-party consent laws.
Apple characterizes its implementation of brief eavesdropping as respectful of personal privacy. It makes that claim in a section titled, "How Live Rewind respects those around you," citing the audible chime and visual on-screen animation. Siri Recap, meanwhile, "summarizes conversations throughout your day and produces high-level Apple Intelligence-generated notes so you can stay present in the moment and catch up later."
This too, Apple describes as an act of respect. "By design, Siri Recap does not create a recording, does not produce a verbatim transcript, and does not identify and attribute speakers," Apple's technical documentation explains. "The output is a brief, high-level summary, comparable to notes a person might write after a conversation. There is no audible signal because no raw audio is retained, and there is no way to reconstruct the original audio from a Siri Recap or share raw audio with anyone."
The wearer's Watch emits an audible tone, even in silent mode, to alert those in the vicinity and provides a visual cue for those able to see the face of the device. Nonetheless, bystanders alerted to the recording -- to the extent they recognize the meaning of the tone -- have not consented to being recorded, which is a legal requirement in 11 US states that have all-party consent laws.
Apple characterizes its implementation of brief eavesdropping as respectful of personal privacy. It makes that claim in a section titled, "How Live Rewind respects those around you," citing the audible chime and visual on-screen animation. Siri Recap, meanwhile, "summarizes conversations throughout your day and produces high-level Apple Intelligence-generated notes so you can stay present in the moment and catch up later."
This too, Apple describes as an act of respect. "By design, Siri Recap does not create a recording, does not produce a verbatim transcript, and does not identify and attribute speakers," Apple's technical documentation explains. "The output is a brief, high-level summary, comparable to notes a person might write after a conversation. There is no audible signal because no raw audio is retained, and there is no way to reconstruct the original audio from a Siri Recap or share raw audio with anyone."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Anthropic says it has disrupted several cases this year in which scientists used Claude for biological research that could potentially aid bioweapons development. "In a report describing misuses of its A.I. models, Anthropic said it could not determine whether the research served a legitimate or nefarious purpose because valid biological inquiry -- the kind that can lead to breakthroughs like vaccines -- can also help engineer dangerous pathogens," reports The New York Times. "In the face of that uncertainty, Anthropic said it erred on the side of caution because the consequences of missing malicious activity could be severe." From the report: The potential for cutting-edge A.I. models to facilitate the development of known or entirely new biological pathogens is among the gravest concerns experts have about a technology that is developing so rapidly that even its leading architects doubt whether humans will be able to fully control it. Andrew Weber, a senior fellow on the Council on Strategic Risks who reviewed Anthropic's report before its release, said the findings were "chilling examples of state-sponsored biological weapons developers tapping into the rapidly advancing capabilities" of leading A.I. models.
The lengthy report Anthropic published on Thursday cataloged a litany of misuses of its A.I. models, including the chatbot Claude, over the past eight months. Some examples were similar to past disclosures from Anthropic and other A.I. labs, including suspected Chinese and Iranian government-linked actors targeting dissident and diaspora communities for surveillance.
The report also highlighted cases of Russian state media using Claude to generate online propaganda masquerading as independent reporting, including fabricated claims about an election in Moldova. Anthropic documented another genre of abuse it said was new: attempts to use Claude to develop software for conventional weapons design and development, including firearms, missiles, armed drones and bombs. It detailed three cases in China, two in Russia and one in Yemen. The report does not identify by name which parties were involved in the Yemeni case, but the context makes clear that it is referring to the Iran-backed Houthi militia.
The lengthy report Anthropic published on Thursday cataloged a litany of misuses of its A.I. models, including the chatbot Claude, over the past eight months. Some examples were similar to past disclosures from Anthropic and other A.I. labs, including suspected Chinese and Iranian government-linked actors targeting dissident and diaspora communities for surveillance.
The report also highlighted cases of Russian state media using Claude to generate online propaganda masquerading as independent reporting, including fabricated claims about an election in Moldova. Anthropic documented another genre of abuse it said was new: attempts to use Claude to develop software for conventional weapons design and development, including firearms, missiles, armed drones and bombs. It detailed three cases in China, two in Russia and one in Yemen. The report does not identify by name which parties were involved in the Yemeni case, but the context makes clear that it is referring to the Iran-backed Houthi militia.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
At the beginning of a clip from this podcast episode of Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend with Matt Groening, Conan talks about one of his favorite things they did on The Simpsons:
It’s a phenomenon that the Simpsons did so beautifully, which is — and we did this with Homer a lot — but Homer is not the smartest guy in the world, but if it’s funny for him to have a certain knowledge of something or turn a phrase, suddenly he has it.
And one of my favorites of that is he’s sitting around the table and Lisa’s despondent. Something didn’t go well for her and she doesn’t think she’s going to get to go to a good school now. And she’s sitting at the table and she said, “Oh no, now I’ll never get to go to an Ivy League school. I’ll have to go to Vasser.” Which is just this like — by the way, my wife went to Vasser, it’s a very good school. But it was just this thing where in Lisa’s little world, oh my god, I’ve been I’ve been ruined. I’ll have to go to Vasser. And Homer like slams a table and says, “There’ll be no Vasser bashing in this house.”
I loved this about the show too. And it was part of a general thing the writers did where sometimes characters would play against type. So Marge became reckless, Homer was smart/sensitive, Bart was organized, and Lisa was a giggly little girl. Those moments helped make the show and when, after the epic run in the early-to-mid 90s, the show became almost exclusively about how dumb & crass Homer was, it was much less rich and entertaining. (thx, mark)
Tags: Conan O'Brien · Matt Groening · podcasts · The Simpsons · TV · video
“Gimme is a dazzling ever-growing type family of multi-chromatic and variable display typefaces…” This is bonkers…letters made from Battleship pieces, Connect Four boards, playing cards, wooden railroad tracks, etc.
NEW YORK (ANP) - Aryna Sabalenka heeft voor de vierde keer op rij de finale bereikt van de US Open. De 28-jarige tennisster uit Belarus versloeg de Amerikaanse Jessica Pegula in de halve finale van het grandslamtoernooi in New York in twee sets: 7-5 6-2. Sabalenka is de nummer 1 van de wereld en de titelverdedigster. Ze kan zondag voor de derde achtereenvolgende keer de US Open winnen.
Sabalenka stond in 2023 voor het eerst in de finale op Flushing Meadows. Toen werd ze verslagen door de Amerikaanse Coco Gauff, die later in de nacht van donderdag op vrijdag in de andere halve finale aantreedt tegen de Kazachse Elena Rybakina. In 2024 won Sabalenka van Pegula en vorig jaar troefde ze de Amerikaanse Amanda Anisimova af.
Voor de 32-jarige Pegula was het de derde keer op rij dat ze in de halve finale stond.
BERN (ANP) - De Zwitserse president Guy Parmelin is "diep geschokt en ontdaan" door het ongeluk met een Nederlandse touringcar donderdag. De Zwitserse autoriteiten zullen volgens hem een uitgebreid en grondig onderzoek doen naar de omstandigheden rond het ongeluk.
Een bus van een Oad-excursie raakte donderdag in de buurt van de Zwitserse plaats Susch van de weg. Daarbij zijn volgens de politie meerdere doden en gewonden gevallen. In de bus zaten 49 Nederlanders, onder wie de buschauffeur.
"Mijn gedachten gaan uit naar de slachtoffers en hun nabestaanden", zegt Parmelin in een bericht op X. "Ik betuig mijn oprechte medeleven aan de families van de overledenen." De president bedankt in zijn post ook de hulpverleners voor hun inzet na het ongeluk.
UTRECHT (ANP) - Vakbond CNV zet in op een loonsverhoging van 3 tot 5,5 procent bij de nieuwe cao-onderhandelingen. Deze looneis is vergelijkbaar met de eis uit het cao-seizoen vorig jaar, toen de vakbond ging voor een verhoging van 3,5 tot 5 procent. Daarnaast wil CNV de reiskostenvergoeding verhogen naar 25 cent per kilometer in alle cao's.
De nieuwe loonvraag is berekend op de verwachte inflatie van 2,8 procent en een stijging van de arbeidsproductiviteit van 2,5 procent, legt CNV-voorzitter Hans Van den Heuvel uit.
"De inflatie loopt op en de werkdruk is hoog. Daarom gaat onze loonvraag omhoog. Werkenden mogen niet opnieuw de rekening betalen. Zeker niet in een tijd waarin het kabinet hen al zo zwaar treft", stelt de voorzitter. "Als werknemers bijdragen aan een hogere productiviteit en groei, moeten ze daar ook van meeprofiteren."
De vakbond wil onder meer vanwege de hoge brandstofprijzen dat de reiskostenvergoeding in alle cao's stijgt. Het kabinet verhoogde de onbelaste reiskostenvergoeding eerder dit jaar van 23 cent naar 25 cent als steunmaatregel vanwege de gestegen brandstofprijzen. "Slechts 5 procent van de werkenden krijgt nu 25 cent per kilometer. Dat is veel te weinig. Wij willen dat de nieuwe onbelaste vergoeding van 25 cent ook daadwerkelijk de norm wordt in cao's", stelt Van den Heuvel. "Je gaat naar je werk om geld te verdienen, niet om geld te betalen."
Ook zet CNV in op afspraken over de combinatie van werk, privé en zorgtaken. "Steeds meer mensen jongleren tussen een hoge werkdruk en zorgtaken voor jonge kinderen en oudere ouders. Dat is voor veel werkenden nauwelijks meer vol te houden en dat zien we ook in de hoge verzuimcijfers", aldus Van den Heuvel.
De vakbond wil daarom goede afspraken over mantelzorg, 100 procent doorbetaald ouderschapsverlof en maatwerk voor werknemers die in de knel komen.
Vakbond FNV komt maandag met zijn looneis.
UTRECHT (ANP) - Vakbond CNV zet in op een loonsverhoging van 3 tot 5,5 procent bij de nieuwe cao-onderhandelingen. Deze looneis is vergelijkbaar met de eis uit het cao-seizoen vorig jaar, toen de vakbond ging voor een verhoging van 3,5 tot 5 procent. Daarnaast wil CNV de reiskostenvergoeding verhogen naar 25 cent per kilometer in alle cao's.
De nieuwe loonvraag is berekend op de verwachte inflatie van 2,8 procent en een stijging van de arbeidsproductiviteit van 2,5 procent, legt CNV-voorzitter Hans Van den Heuvel uit.
"De inflatie loopt op en de werkdruk is hoog. Daarom gaat onze loonvraag omhoog. Werkenden mogen niet opnieuw de rekening betalen. Zeker niet in een tijd waarin het kabinet hen al zo zwaar treft", stelt de voorzitter. "Als werknemers bijdragen aan een hogere productiviteit en groei, moeten ze daar ook van meeprofiteren."
De vakbond wil onder meer vanwege de hoge brandstofprijzen dat de reiskostenvergoeding in alle cao's stijgt. Het kabinet verhoogde de onbelaste reiskostenvergoeding eerder dit jaar van 23 cent naar 25 cent als steunmaatregel vanwege de gestegen brandstofprijzen. "Slechts 5 procent van de werkenden krijgt nu 25 cent per kilometer. Dat is veel te weinig. Wij willen dat de nieuwe onbelaste vergoeding van 25 cent ook daadwerkelijk de norm wordt in cao's", stelt Van den Heuvel. "Je gaat naar je werk om geld te verdienen, niet om geld te betalen."
Ook zet CNV in op afspraken over de combinatie van werk, privé en zorgtaken. "Steeds meer mensen jongleren tussen een hoge werkdruk en zorgtaken voor jonge kinderen en oudere ouders. Dat is voor veel werkenden nauwelijks meer vol te houden en dat zien we ook in de hoge verzuimcijfers", aldus Van den Heuvel.
De vakbond wil daarom goede afspraken over mantelzorg, 100 procent doorbetaald ouderschapsverlof en maatwerk voor werknemers die in de knel komen.
Vakbond FNV komt maandag met zijn looneis.
Russian president is due to meet his Iranian counterpart during visit, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping also set to attend summit
Vladimir Putin has arrived in India’s capital of Delhi ahead of an 11-member Brics summit set to be dominated by wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as economic challenges.
The Russian president and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, were due to hold talks with India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, while Chinese leader Xi Jinping was also expected to attend the two-day meeting.
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Sergiy Galyonkin has added a photo to the pool:
Two people walk through a covered passage in Aomori, Japan, with sunlight falling across the floor.
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