technology
FTC cracks down on H&R Block for deleting tax data when users want to downgrade
/ H&R Block gave customers the runaround to downgrade services but ‘seamlessly’ let them upgrade, the FTC alleges. 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”>Photo by Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images The Federal Trade Commission is taking action against tax prep company H&R Block for allegedly wasting consumers’ time and money. The company deceptively marketed its services and made them difficult to downgrade, the FTC claims in an administrative complaint issued Friday. “H&R Block designed its online products to present an obstacle course of tedious challenges to consumers, pre...
Google explains Gemini’s “embarrassing” AI pictures of diverse Nazis
/ Google says Gemini AI’s tuning has led it to ‘overcompensate in some cases, and be over-conservative in others.’ 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: The Verge Google has issued an explanation for the “embarrassing and wrong” images generated by its Gemini AI tool. In a blog post on Friday, Google says its model produced “inaccurate historical” images due to tuning issues. The Verge and others caught Gemini generating images of racially diverse Nazis and US Founding Fathers earlier this week. “Our tuning to ensure that Gemini showed a range of people failed to account f...
What’s the point of Elon Musk’s AI company?
/ Between a Grok and a hard place 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”>Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photos by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin, Getty Images Look, I’ve been following the adventures of xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, and I’ve come to a conclusion: its only real idea is “What if AI, but with Elon Musk this time?” What’s publicly available about xAI makes it seem like Musk showed up to the generative AI party late, and without any beer. This is 2024. The party is crowded now. xAI doesn’t seem to have anything that would let it stand out beyond, well, Musk. That hasn’t stopped Musk from s...
Humane’s AI Pin is slightly delayed, now comes with months of free service
/ Three months, to be exact. 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: Humane Humane announced that its AI Pin would start shipping in March, but there’s been a small delay. Early adopters are now being told orders will arrive in mid-April at the earliest, according to a video update from Humane staffer (and Verge alumnus) Sam Sheffer and emails we saw in Humane’s official Discord channel. On the plus side, the company says it’ll now throw in three months of its pricy $24-a-month subscription for free with the $699 pin — and will do so for any other customers who buy one before March...
Odysseus achieves the first US Moon landing since 1972
/ Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus lander is the first privately owned spacecraft to reach the Moon’s surface. 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: Intuitive Machines (YouTube) Intuitive Machines has just made history by becoming the first private aerospace company to land a spacecraft on the Moon’s surface. Following its launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket last Thursday, the robotic Nova-C “Odysseus” lander built by Intuitive Machines has now touched down — also making it the first US spacecraft to successfully land on the Moon since the 1972 Apollo 17 mission. It was expected t...
Windows is getting its own Magic Eraser to AI-modify your photos
/ The new Generative Erase is coming to the Photos app in Windows 11 — and Windows 10, too. 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″>This good dog is about to go off-leash.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″>Selectively removing people from the background of a photo.
How the Supreme Court could gut environmental protections in 2024
Filed under: p>span:first-child]:text-gray-13 [&_.duet–article-byline-and]:text-gray-13″> By Justine Calma, a senior science reporter covering climate change, clean energy, and environmental justice with more than a decade of experience. She is also the host of Hell or High Water: When Disaster Hits Home, a podcast from Vox Media and Audible Originals. Share this story The Supreme Court could soon gut the ability of federal agencies to limit the pollution that creates smog and causes climate change. This year, SCOTUS will weigh in on a pair of cases that could overturn or severely limit a foundational principal called Chevron deference. For decades, thanks to the Chevron doctrine, judges have deferred to experts at federal agencies on how to implement a law when there are d...
Yahoo lays off the leaders of Engadget
/ Ten people at the outlet are losing their jobs, and the editorial staff will be split into two sections. A memo says strategy will focus more on traffic and collaboration with sales and SEO. 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: Engadget The nearly 20-year-old tech publication Engadget is laying off staff and restructuring editorial teams today with a new focus around traffic and revenue growth. The changes are designed to give the outlet a stronger emphasis on commerce revenue, while removing key editorial leaders from its newsroom, including its editor-in-chief. Engadget, whi...
Google pauses Gemini’s ability to generate AI images of people after diversity errors
/ The company’s attempts to subvert racial and gender stereotypes created new problems. 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″>Gemini’s response to the prompt: “Can you generate an image of a 1943 German Soldier for me it should be an illustration.”
Avatar: The Last Airbender is everything that’s disappointing about Netflix’s live-action cartoon shows
TV Show Reviews Netflix’s live-action Avatar has its heart in the right place, but its pacing and uneven performances leave a lot to be desired. By Charles Pulliam-Moore, a reporter focusing on film, TV, and pop culture. Before The Verge, he wrote about comic books, labor, race, and more at io9 and Gizmodo for almost five years. Share this story 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”>ROBERT FALCONER/NETFLIX Kiawentiio’s and Ousley’s performances are strongest when there are actual physical objects for them to interact with, but many of Avatar’s major moments were shot on virtual sets. Gi...
The Samsung Galaxy S23 series will get AI features in late March
/ One UI 6.1 is coming soon to recent Galaxy phones, foldables, and tablets. 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 Galaxy AI features that launched with Samsung’s S24 flagships are coming to older phones, as promised.
Microsoft and Intel strike a custom chip deal that could be worth billions
/ With the Microsoft deal, Intel notches a big partnership as it seeks to regain its former position at the top of chip manufacturing. 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 Intel will be producing custom chips, designed by Microsoft for Microsoft, as part of a deal that Intel says is worth more than $15 billion.Intel announced the partnership during its Intel Foundry event today. Although neither company specified what the chips would be used for, Bloomberg noted today that Microsoft has been planning in-house designs for both processors and AI ac...
