technology

Entertainment For a crucial decade in print media’s transition to the internet, HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones was a boon in traffic… for everyone. But what happened when every publication started chasing the same thing? By Kevin Nguyen, a features editor at The Verge, where he publishes award-winning stories about labor, business, and policing. Previously, he was a senior editor at GQ. In the summer of 2017, I was brought on to be the third host of a weekly Game of Thrones recap show that streamed on Facebook Live. At the time, I was an editor at GQ, and I found the assignment beneath me. I was supposed to be squirreling away at the dark art of turning shoddy copy into less shoddy copy; I never wanted to be on camera. Also, I barely knew anything about Game of Thrones. I watched it ...

/ A version of Alexa revamped with new generative AI tech could ‘learn’ from your routines and fulfill more advanced requests, according to Reuters. a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>Amazon launched its new Alexa-enabled Echo Hub in February.

/ In its lawsuit challenging the TikTok ‘ban’ law, the company provided the court with hundreds of pages of communications with the US government, including slide decks and presentations on plans to mitigate national security risks. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo from Getty Images TikTok says that the government didn’t adequately consider viable alternative options before charging ahead with a law that could ban the platform in the US. TikTok, whose parent company ByteDance is based in China, claims that it provided the US governm...

/ Goodbye, blobs. a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>The rumored Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 (left) vs. Apple’s AirPods Pro (right).

/ The platform is cracking down on subscriptions where the signup country doesn’t match users’ locations. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Illustration: Alex Castro / The Verge If you used a virtual private network (VPN) to purchase a YouTube Premium in a country where it’s cheaper, your subscription might be on the chopping block. Over the past few days, several people who’ve used this trick reported having their subscriptions automatically canceled, as reported earlier by Android Police. The workaround involves using a VPN to change your location to a country where YouTube Premiu...

/ The company says it doesn’t want to replace developers with AI. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Crystal Dynamics Embracer Group, the gaming giant that has the rights to big franchises like The Lord of the Rings and Tomb Raider, detailed how it’s thinking about the use of artificial intelligence for game development in its latest annual report. The conglomerate, which recently split into three separate companies, has adopted a “Group AI Policy” that it says is based on the notion of “empowerment.” While the report doesn’t include the text of the policy, there’s a chunk of ...

/ Guest host Alex Heath sits down with reporter Kylie Robison to discuss what it’s like to be fully immersed in the AI industry every day.

/ There are four tweeters and four woofers in the new Lenovo Tab Plus, which can double as a Bluetooth speaker. a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>“Four matrix tweeters and four force-balanced woofers” on the Lenovo Tab Plus deliver 26W of sound.a:hover]:text-black [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-e9 dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray-63 [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-13 dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63″>Lenovo has decided we should expect more from how our tablets sound.

/ Snapchat’s upcoming on-device AI model could transform your background — and your clothing — in real time. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Image: Snapchat Snapchat offered an early look at its upcoming on-device AI model capable of transforming a user’s surroundings with augmented reality (AR). The new model will eventually let creators turn a text prompt into a custom lens — potentially opening the door for some wild looks to try on and send to friends. You can see how this might look in the GIF below, which shows a person’s clothing and background transforming in real-time bas...

/ The vulnerability could let hackers gain access to your PC on public Wi-Fi networks. a]:text-gray-13″>If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

/ Ilya Sutskever is launching Safe Superintelligence Inc., an AI startup that will prioritize safety over ‘commercial pressures.’ a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s co-founder and former chief scientist, is starting a new AI company focused on safety. In a post on Wednesday, Sutskever revealed Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI), a startup with “one goal and one product:” creating a safe and powerful AI system. The announcement describes SSI as a startup that “approaches safety and capabilities in tandem,” letting the com...

/ The bill, which could speed the development of next-generation reactors, heads to Biden’s desk for a sign off. a:hover]:text-gray-63 [&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a:hover]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-underline-gray [&>a]:shadow-underline-gray-63 dark:[&>a]:text-gray-bd dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-gray”>Laura Dickinson/San Luis Obsipo Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images Congress has passed a bill aimed at giving nuclear energy a boost in the US. The Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act is now waiting for President Joe Biden’s signature to become law. The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday, after the House of Representatives passed a similar bill in February. The bill is ...