From Guardian Technology · 40 stories
AI Film Studio Promise Uses Generative AI for Production, Backed by Google and Disney
Promise, a new AI film studio, is utilizing generative AI models to create backgrounds, special effects, and synthetic performers for film production, exemplified by its horror film "Touch Grass." This development indicates a shift in Hollywood production methods, potentially reducing the reliance on traditional studio infrastructure and accelerating production times.
Report Supporting Australia's Teen Social Media Ban Contains AI-Generated Citation Errors
A report used to justify Australia's under-16 social media ban, which cost $3.48 million, has been found to contain multiple citation errors, some of which appear to be AI hallucinations. The UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS), which conducted the trial, admitted to using ChatGPT for editing but denied AI generated the citations. This raises concerns about the reliability of the evidence supporting the social media ban.
UK Government Launches AI Boot Camps for Unemployed Youth to Boost Job Readiness
The UK government is piloting AI boot camps for unemployed young people aged 16-21 in north-west England to equip them with AI and workplace skills. This initiative aims to address youth unemployment by preparing participants for apprenticeships with local businesses, utilizing tools from companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic.
AI-powered crypto investment scams lead to significant financial losses in Australia
A Queensland man lost over $166,000 to an AI-generated cryptocurrency investment scam, highlighting a growing trend where AI is used to create sophisticated fraudulent schemes. Australian consumers have lost over $45 million to investment scams in 2026, with AI enabling scammers to bypass traditional red flags and create hyper-realistic deception at scale.
Study finds AI's climate benefits outweighed by increased fossil fuel production
A new study indicates that AI-driven productivity gains in the fossil fuel sector lead to more planet-heating pollution than the gains from renewables avoid. Researchers modeled 64 scenarios and found that net yearly carbon pollution increased by 0.47-1.8 gigatonnes, representing 1-5% of the energy sector's annual emissions. This research is the first to quantify AI's climate impact across the entire power sector, highlighting a previously overlooked aspect of AI's environmental footprint.
Senator Bernie Sanders Calls for Pause in AI Development by Major Tech Companies
Senator Bernie Sanders has urged Meta, OpenAI, and Anthropic to halt AI development, citing risks like bioweapon creation and loss of control over models. He warned of potential Senate regulation if companies continue their current pace of deployment.
UK Manufacturers Face Rising Cyber-Attack Risk; 30% Hit Last Year
A survey by MakeUK reveals that nearly a third of British manufacturers experienced a cyber-incident in the past year, leading to production losses and increased costs. This highlights a growing risk as factories become more connected and hackers more sophisticated, with only half of affected companies having a response plan.
Moody's warns AI adoption in banking creates dependency on tech firms and systemic risks
Moody's has warned that the financial sector's rapid adoption of AI is leading to an over-reliance on a small number of Silicon Valley tech firms, creating risks such as widespread outages, price gouging, and systemic dependency. This dependency could lead to significant credit risks for financial institutions, despite potential cost savings and revenue increases from AI integration.
Emails reveal Palmer Luckey's political fundraising amid Anduril's sole-source contracts
Emails obtained by The Guardian show Palmer Luckey, co-founder of Anduril Industries, is a significant fundraiser for Republican political campaigns, including a recent "Keep the Senate" event. This activity coincides with Anduril, a defense contractor, securing large sole-source contracts from the US government, such as a $20 billion drone contract and involvement in the "Golden Dome" anti-missile project.
Uber and Wayve Receive Licenses for Self-Driving Taxis in London
Uber and autonomous technology developer Wayve have secured the first minicab licenses in London to operate self-driving taxi services with human safety drivers. This development marks London as one of the initial cities globally to host competing American and Chinese self-driving taxi firms.
American Federation of Teachers Launches AI Training Program with Big Tech Funding
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has launched a new National Academy for AI Instruction, offering training to educators on how to use AI and address its impact in classrooms. This initiative, funded by Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic with $23 million, aims to train 400,000 educators over five years, though its funding source has drawn criticism.
Palantir paid £2m UK corporation tax in 2024 despite lucrative public sector contracts
Palantir paid £2 million in UK corporation tax in 2024, an effective rate of 8% on £25 million in profits, despite holding hundreds of millions in UK public sector contracts and a 25% corporation tax rate. This low tax payment is attributed to tax breaks and practices like shifting revenues to its US parent company, raising concerns from a trade union about tax avoidance by tech giants with government contracts.
Study finds AI-generated stories rated higher quality than human-written ones by readers
A study published in the journal Judgment and Decision Making found that participants rated short stories generated by ChatGPT as more absorbing and of higher quality than human-written stories. This research indicates that AI systems can produce creative content perceived as equal to or better than human output, challenging previous assumptions about AI's creative capabilities.
Skyral wins £2bn UK MoD contract to train British soldiers in virtual environments
Skyral, a UK company, secured a £2 billion contract from the Ministry of Defence to provide advanced virtual training environments for the British Army. This initiative aims to train soldiers and tacticians on the complex, second-order consequences of military decisions in highly detailed simulated urban and national settings, moving beyond basic combat familiarization.
UK Government Investments Reports Data Breach Exposing Management Information and Official Details
UK Government Investments (UKGI) experienced a data breach where "high-level management information" and personal details of 51 government officials were publicly accessible for nearly two days. The incident was attributed to a staff member not following security policies, prompting UKGI to enhance its internal security controls and incident preparedness.
Australian Booksellers Concerned by "Destructive Scanning" of Books for AI Training
Australian secondhand booksellers are reporting unusual bulk orders, raising concerns that their inventory, including rare titles, is being acquired for "destructive scanning" to train generative AI models. This practice, where physical books are destroyed after scanning, was revealed in a US copyright lawsuit against AI company Anthropic and is now believed to be widespread.
Crime Novel Deal Collapses Amid Unconfirmed AI Authorship Concerns
A publishing deal for Jerry Falade's debut crime novel, "Call Me, I’ll Hide the Body," collapsed after the author's agent withdrew it due to unconfirmed concerns about AI involvement in its creation. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges in the publishing industry regarding the detection and authentication of AI-generated content in manuscripts.
Lloyds Banking Group plans £2bn cost cuts and £13bn tech investment, focusing on AI
Lloyds Banking Group announced a four-year strategy to cut £2 billion in costs and invest £13 billion by 2030, with a focus on AI and new technology to drive growth and efficiency. The plan includes using AI for personalized customer offers, wealth advice, and to reduce mortgage approval times, while also considering international expansion.
Shark Detect Lift-Away XL enhances corded vacuum technology with new features
The Shark Detect Lift-Away XL introduces a sensor that adjusts roller speed based on the cleaning surface. This enhancement provides a seamless cleaning experience across different floor types without manual adjustments, making the corded vacuum more versatile.
Charities warn UK government's AI age-detection system for migrants risks misclassifying child refugees
Children's charities and rights groups are warning that the British government's planned AI-powered facial age-estimation technology for screening migrants will endanger children, particularly those from conflict zones. They argue that the flawed and racialized models underpinning these systems could lead to more child refugees being wrongly identified as adults, exposing them to adult detention and removal processes.
UK Home Office Accused of Using 'AI Hallucinated' Information in Asylum Case Refusal
A UK judge suggested the Home Office might have used "AI hallucinated" information to refuse an asylum claim, citing a non-existent document. This raises concerns about the reliability of information used in critical government decisions and the potential misuse of AI in administrative processes.
AI-generated doctors on TikTok spread medical misinformation, posing public safety risk
Research by digital marketing agency Hallam found that AI-generated doctors are gaining millions of views on TikTok by spreading dubious health advice, including disproven cancer myths and promoting fake remedies. Medical experts warn this trend poses a significant danger to public safety, with platforms like TikTok urged to increase efforts against such misinformation.
Mega Datacentre Proposed for Outer Melbourne Faces Community Opposition
Syncline Energy plans to build a 350-hectare "Victorian AI hub" datacentre in Plumpton, outside Melbourne, which would be Australia's largest and consume more electricity than Victoria's largest power station. Local residents are raising concerns about environmental impact, electricity and water usage, and the scale of the development, leading to a petition for comprehensive assessment.
British Gas Owner Centrica Cuts 1,300 Call Center Jobs, Citing Customer Preference for Digital Channels
Centrica, owner of British Gas, is cutting 1,300 call center jobs, attributing the reduction to a shift in customer behavior towards digital channels and AI chatbots. This move follows a 20% reduction in customer calls and a reported increase in retail profits despite falling customer numbers for British Gas.
Experts Warn Space Datacenters Proposed by SpaceX and Blue Origin Could Be Catastrophic
Space industry experts and environmental groups have petitioned the FCC to pause new licenses for orbital datacenter projects, citing concerns that millions of proposed satellites from companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin could cause catastrophic environmental damage. The petition argues that pollution from re-entering satellites, including black soot and rare metals, could alter Earth's atmosphere, damage the ozone layer, and increase light pollution. This development matters because it highlights growing environmental scrutiny on large-scale space infrastructure projects and could impact the regulatory landscape for future orbital deployments.
Wispfire's Red Kiss: A Vampire RPG Set in Cold War Berlin
Wispfire's upcoming game Red Kiss allows players to navigate a vampire-filled, 1980s Berlin during the Cold War, focusing on tactical narrative gameplay. Players control vampire agents to interact with city factions and engage in personal missions that reveal backstories. The game aims to explore themes of justice and purpose amidst chaos, featuring hand-drawn portraits and motion-capture animation using Live2D technology.
Elon Musk's Grok Imagine to Create 'Historically Accurate' Odyssey Film
Elon Musk announced that his AI platform Grok Imagine will produce a historically accurate adaptation of Homer's Odyssey. This comes after criticism of Christopher Nolan's recent film adaptation, which has performed well at the box office despite Musk's negative comments on casting.
US allocates $5bn for AI initiatives across 15 federal agencies
The US government announced a $5bn investment in AI to address scientific challenges across 15 agencies. This initiative aims to enhance drug discovery, chronic disease research, and advanced materials development, leveraging extensive government datasets.
Historian Kim Phillips-Fein publishes new book on inequality in America
Historians Kim Phillips-Fein's book "Country of Lords" examines America's historical fight against equality, linking figures from John Adams to modern tech elite. The book highlights concerns over rising economic inequality and its implications for democracy.
Tech Workers Push for Unionization Amid AI Job Concerns
Tech employees are increasingly pursuing unionization as AI impacts workloads and job security. With rising tensions from layoffs and employee surveillance, unions may gain traction in the tech sector.
New video game 'Bub' explores themes of art and anxiety in NYC
The video game 'Bub' is created by artist Case Jernigan and coder Todd Anderson, offering a narrative that intertwines an artist's present and childhood memories. It explores themes of anxiety and health, particularly Jernigan's experiences with MS, positioning itself as a unique blend of autobiography and interactive storytelling.
AI detection tool certifies Pope Leo XIV's speeches as human-authored
An Australian AI detection company, Proudly Human, confirmed that a collection of Pope Leo XIV's speeches were human-authored. This validation comes shortly after the Pope warned against the dangers of artificial intelligence in his encyclical, emphasizing the need for technology to be accessible and human-friendly.
Google plans to release 32 million sterile mosquitoes in US to combat disease
Google’s Debug initiative seeks federal approval to release 32 million sterile male mosquitoes in California and Florida to reduce disease-carrying populations. Past trials in Australia demonstrated success with similar techniques, raising questions about safety and effectiveness in the United States.
Nine Entertainment to cut 30 jobs at The Age and SMH amid AI disruption
Nine Entertainment announced plans to cut 30 jobs at the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age due to disruption caused by AI. The company aims to transition towards digital-first roles as it faces challenges in reader revenue and competition from AI-generated news summaries.
Anker 511 Nano 3 USB charger price drops to $15.99 during seasonal sale
The price of the Anker 511 Nano 3 USB charger has dropped from $19.99 to $15.99 due to a seasonal deal. Its compact size, strong power delivery, and reliability make it an appealing budget option for consumers.
AI-Edited Bird Images Threaten Citizen Science Credibility
Concerns are rising regarding the use of AI in editing bird images, which could undermine the credibility of citizen science platforms like iNaturalist. Research shows that fake and enhanced bird photos may contaminate vital data used in tracking species distributions.
Victoria proposes ‘demasking’ powers for social media to combat online vilification
Victoria's new laws could require social media platforms to reveal anonymous accounts accused of vilification. These reforms aim to enhance protections for children and may lower legal thresholds for negligence suits linked to online harms.
UK tech advocates protest Burnham's proposed abolition of technology department
UK PM Andy Burnham's proposal to dissolve the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has sparked backlash from MPs and tech experts. Concerns center on the potential impacts on tech policy and effectiveness amidst growing importance of AI and technology in government.
ANU criticized for 'hysterical' AI cheating response amid assessment reforms
The Australian National University (ANU) faces criticism for its response to student AI use in assessments, labeled as ‘hysterical’ by some academics. The institution is consulting on ways to classify assessments as either secure or insecure to address concerns over AI cheating, raising fears about impacts on education quality and inclusivity.
Telemundo Gains Popularity Among English Speakers for World Cup Coverage
Telemundo's broadcasts of the World Cup have captured 49% of the U.S. audience, attracting many English-speaking viewers. The attraction of Telemundo's lively, uninterrupted soccer coverage contrasts with Fox Sports' politically charged broadcasts.