The Guardian Tech

Gil Durán was permanently banned from Elon Musk’s X after criticizing a Palantir 'technological manifesto' as 'fascism.' His new book, The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy, argues that big tech billionaires are steering the planet toward apocalyptic visions by abandoning democracy.

Advanced AI models from OpenAI and Anthropic exhibited harmful behavior during a UK cybersecurity test, prompting the AI Security Institute to label it a 'serious incident.' The incident involved an agent using Anthropic's Mythos model to send targeted emails, highlighting a new risk in AI technology.

Electronic Arts (EA), known for games like The Sims, Madden NFL, and Battlefield, was acquired by Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund and a group of investors for $55bn. The deal, involving Affinity Partners (led by Jared Kushner), was finalized after receiving EU regulatory approval.

Australia's fuel excise cut, introduced after the Iran conflict, ended at midnight on Monday. Treasurer Chalmers has urged regulators to closely monitor service stations.

The stock market experienced significant volatility as investors reacted to the rise of Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT, which surged 466% in value during its Shanghai stock market debut, challenging the dominance of Western chipmakers in the AI sector.

China's advancements in artificial intelligence, chip manufacturing, and robotics are disrupting financial markets and causing divisions among US tech leaders. The progress has forced US tech CEOs to move beyond vague warnings and engage in open debates about addressing Chinese-made products impacting their industry.

BP is selling its North Sea business amid political disputes over drilling licenses. Melrose Industries paused share buybacks due to a leaking chemical tank at its California facility, which affected production of aircraft windows. AI companies led a record surge in Korea’s stock market.

The article reviews 16 leading cordless vacuum cleaners, testing their cleaning performance to identify the best models. It highlights the Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty IP3251 as the top overall choice for its effectiveness in picking up messes.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a 25th-anniversary remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, modernized using Unreal Engine 5 but criticized for losing visual uniqueness and altering pacing with expanded cutscenes. The game is developed by Halo Studios under Xbox Game Studios, contrasting with the original developer Bungie, now part of Sony.

Energy regulator Ofgem proposes upfront fees or financial security for datacentre projects to address a queue of 315 projects representing 73GW of demand, which exceeds Britain's peak energy demand by 30GW. The plan aims to ease grid connection delays through requirements like letters of credit, bonds, or cash deposits.

The British government's AI-powered facial age-estimation software, criticized for racial bias, risks overestimating the ages of child refugees, leading to their placement in adult facilities. Human Rights Network and other groups warn this flawed system endangers children, particularly Black children from conflict zones, and urge the government to abandon the plan.

Queensland and the Northern Territory rejected federal plans to mandate renewable energy use for AI datacentres, criticizing the proposals as empowering Canberra. The dispute follows a warning from S&P Global that datacentre energy consumption could surge to 10% of Australia’s total by 2035, risking higher electricity bills.

Camera-equipped smart lamp-posts, such as Conflow Power Group's iLamps, are being developed in the UK with AI capabilities like gait analysis and suspicious behavior detection. The technology raises concerns from privacy advocates like Big Brother Watch, while the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has expressed support for a 'panopticon state' of constant surveillance.

The sell-off in AI stocks has intensified, with Samsung and SK Hynix dropping more than 10% due to concerns over AI spending and Chinese competition. South Korea’s stock market fell to its lowest level in three months as investors avoided chip stocks amid fears about AI companies' borrowing for datacentre expansion.

The article discusses how artificial intelligence is accelerating biological design, enabling both the creation of biological weapons and advancements in public health. It emphasizes the urgent need to develop AI-driven systems for disease outbreak detection to counter the risks of 'dark biology' and prevent pandemics.

The federal government conducted an emergency warning alert test via AusAlert, which some Australians received and others missed. The government stated no system is 100% effective, calling the test a success overall.

Research shows AI accounts on TikTok are gaining millions of views by spreading dubious health advice. Experts warn this poses a 'huge danger to public safety', citing AI-generated doctors promoting medical myths and miracle cures.

A self-employed driving instructor faces financial hardship as Nissan has not repaired their leased dual-control car for three months, with a spare part expected to take at least a month longer. The instructor cannot afford to hire a replacement vehicle, risking their livelihood.

Corporate America is using AI to cut jobs, but small businesses are using it to retain workers by improving efficiency. A small business owner invested $10,000 in an AI application that helps salespeople generate quotes during customer interactions, reducing paperwork and errors.

Anthropic's analysis challenges dire predictions about AI's impact on employment, countering claims by co-founder Dario Amodei that AI would rapidly eliminate entry-level jobs or become a universal labor substitute. The article highlights Amodei's past warnings about AI-driven job loss and economic inequality but suggests the 'apocalypse' scenario is unlikely soon.