The Hong Kong branch of a multinational company has lost $25.6 million (HK$200 million) after scammers using deepfake technology posed as the firm’s chief financial officer (CFO) in a video conference call and ordered money transfers, according to the police, in what is being highlighted as first of its kind cases in the city.&nbsp;

<h2>First of its kind in Hong Kong</h2>

The money transaction was ordered during a meeting where it was found that everyone present on the video call&nbsp;except the victim were deepfakes of real people, said the Hong Kong police, on Friday (Feb 2).&nbsp;

The police highlighted this case as being the first of its kind in Hong Kong which also involved a large amount of money. However, they did not reveal the identity of the employee or the company.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/deepfake-india-gives-social-media-platforms-seven-day-deadline-to-address-issue-662402">Deepfake: India gives social media platforms seven-day deadline to address issue</a>

Acting senior superintendent Baron Chan Shun-ching said that in previous cases the scam victims were tricked by one-on-one video calls.&nbsp;

“This time, in a multi-person video conference, it turns out that everyone you see is fake,” said the Hong Kong police official, as quoted by the South China Morning Post (SCMP).&nbsp;

Scammers in this case used deepfake technology to turn publicly available video and other footage of staff members into convincing meeting participants.

<h2>What we know about the case</h2>

According to Chan, the worker involved had been suspicious since he received the message purportedly from the company’s United Kingdom-based CFO and first dismissed it as a phishing email back in January. However, the talks of the need for a secret transaction continued.&nbsp;

The worker, according to Chan, dismissed the doubts after the video call because other people in attendance had looked and sounded just like colleagues and some others he recognised.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/us-brings-new-bill-to-tackle-deepfakes-post-taylor-swift-ai-nudes-scandal-685494">US brings new bill to tackle deepfakes post Taylor Swift AI nudes scandal</a>

The police official also said that scammers asked the victim to introduce himself but did not actually interact with the person during the meeting. Additionally, the fake images on the screen mainly gave orders before the call ended abruptly.&nbsp;

The employee then followed the instructions and made 15 transfers totalling $25.6 million to five Hong Kong bank accounts.&nbsp;

The entire episode lasted a week before the worker involved made an inquiry with the company’s headquarters.

<h2>Six people arrested</h2>

Amid a number of such incidents, Chan said the police have arrested six people so far. He also spoke about eight stolen Hong Kong identity cards involved in scams.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-imposes-90-day-ban-on-deepfake-political-campaign-videos-685152">South Korea imposes 90-day ban on deepfake political campaign videos</a> 
 
According to the police, there have been at least 20 such incidents where AI deepfakes have been used to trick facial recognition programmes into making 90 loan applications and 54 bank account registrations, by imitating the people pictured on the identity cards, between July and September last year.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Hong Kong branch of a multinational company has lost $25.6 million (HK$200 million) after scammers using deepfake technology posed as the firm’s chief financial officer (CFO) in a video conference call and ordered money transfers, according to the police, in what is being highlighted as first of its kind cases in the city.

The Hong Kong branch of a multinational company has lost $25.6 million (HK$200 million) after scammers using deepfake technology posed as the firm’s chief financial officer (CFO) in a video conference call and ordered money transfers, according to the police, in what is being highlighted as first of its kind cases in the city. First of its kind in Hong Kong The money transaction was ordered during a meeting where it was found that everyone present on the video call except the victim were deepfakes of real people, said the Hong Kong police, on Friday (Feb 2). The police highlighted this case as being the first of its kind in Hong Kong which also involved a large amount of money. However, they did not reveal the identity of the employee or the company. ALSO READ | Deepfake: India gives social media platforms seven-day deadline to address issue Acting senior superintendent Baron Chan Shun-ching said that in previous cases the scam victims were tricked by one-on-one video calls. “This time, in a multi-person video conference, it turns out that everyone you see is fake,” said the Hong Kong police official, as quoted by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). Scammers in this case used deepfake technology to turn publicly available video and other footage of staff members into convincing meeting participants. What we know about the case According to Chan, the worker involved had been suspicious since he received the message purportedly from the company’s United Kingdom-based CFO and first dismissed it as a phishing email back in January. However, the talks of the need for a secret transaction continued. The worker, according to Chan, dismissed the doubts after the video call because other people in attendance had looked and sounded just like colleagues and some others he recognised. ALSO READ | US brings new bill to tackle deepfakes post Taylor Swift AI nudes scandal The police official also said that scammers asked the victim to introduce himself but did not actually interact with the person during the meeting. Additionally, the fake images on the screen mainly gave orders before the call ended abruptly. The employee then followed the instructions and made 15 transfers totalling $25.6 million to five Hong Kong bank accounts. The entire episode lasted a week before the worker involved made an inquiry with the company’s headquarters. Six people arrested Amid a number of such incidents, Chan said the police have arrested six people so far. He also spoke about eight stolen Hong Kong identity cards involved in scams. ALSO READ | South Korea imposes 90-day ban on deepfake political campaign videos According to the police, there have been at least 20 such incidents where AI deepfakes have been used to trick facial recognition programmes into making 90 loan applications and 54 bank account registrations, by imitating the people pictured on the identity cards, between July and September last year. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong firm loses over $25mn after employee’s video call with deepfake ‘chief financial officer’, others

In this episode of Tech It Out, we tell you how cold weather affects electric vehicles. We show you a unique supersonic jet and watch our review of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. Don't miss out – watch the full show for all the details.

Supersonic jet, Samsung's new flagship phone and more| Tech It Out: ​Ep 144 | Full Show

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is reportedly planning to implement new fees and restrictions for third-party software downloads outside its App Store in response to an upcoming European law designed to open up its closed iPhone app ecosystem.

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Technology helps owners find lost pets | Tech It Out

Chinese duplicate products are nothing new, but this one takes the cake. A Chinese company reportedly knocked off an Iranian military drone, no less, and listed it for sale on Alibaba online marketplace, according to a report on the Vice news website. 
 
The drone is similar to the one from the Shahed series and was listed without the payload, before being yanked off the site, the report said.

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🔥 on social media: a 🇨🇳 company is selling a fixed-wing drone, XHZ-50, which looks like Iran’s Shahed 136 loitering munition (suicide drone), on Alibaba for US$57,000…<a href="https://t.co/9Xdo9AKBEu">https://t.co/9Xdo9AKBEu</a> <a href="https://t.co/YFHNKp3hQP">pic.twitter.com/YFHNKp3hQP</a>
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Byron_Wan/status/1747446924867952709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

According to X user Byron Wan, a company called Sunlipo Energy Shenzen Co Limited &nbsp;"is selling a fixed-wing drone, XHZ-50, which looks like Iran’s Shahed 136 loitering munition (suicide drone), on Alibaba for US$57,000".

Wan also shared the specifications of the Iranian drone which looks a lot similar to the Chinese one.&nbsp; 
 
Watch:&nbsp;Iran attacks Pakistan with missiles and drones, Pak summons Tehran's envoy

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&nbsp;

The Iranian drone Shahed 136, according to an AFP news agency graphic, is a long-range suicide drone for hitting fixed targets. Developed by Iran's HESA in 2021, it has the capability to carry 36kg of explosives as warhead. Shahed 136 has a range of 2,500 kilometres and a maximum speed of 135 km per hour. The drone weighs 200 kg and has a length of 3.5 metres and a wingspan of 2.5 metres.&nbsp;

 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/explained-why-did-iran-attack-pakistan-what-is-jaish-al-adl-680852">Explained | Why did Iran attack Pakistan? What is Jaish al-Adl group targeted by Tehran?</a> 
 
The one that was listed on Alibaba, meanwhile, showed similar specifications.

The company called it XHZ-50 Fixed Wing UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle).

It was selling for $57,000, and the minimum order was one set. 
 
It&nbsp;had&nbsp;a weight of 150 pounds and used&nbsp;gasoline as fuel.

It's a remote-controlled drone that can be navigated from a six-mile distance.&nbsp;

Iran had sold Shahed 136, a so-called loitering munition to Russia. During the ongoing war on Ukraine, Russia reportedly used drones from the Shahed series.

Alibaba removed the listing from the website after the American publication Motherboard reached out for comment, Vice reported.

&nbsp;Reacting to the development, X user Philip Pilkington wrote: "Talk about commodification. You can now buy your Iranian suicide drones - sans payload - straight from Alibaba. Its a new world."

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Talk about commodification. You can now buy your Iranian suicide drones - sans payload - straight from Alibaba. Its a new world. 🛩️ <a href="https://t.co/X545Yglhzr">https://t.co/X545Yglhzr</a>
— Philip Pilkington (@philippilk) <a href="https://twitter.com/philippilk/status/1747512683161686072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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According to the report in Vice, Ukraine has&nbsp;claimed that Russia used&nbsp;some 3,000 Shahed suicide drones on the country over the past two years of the war. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Chinese duplicate products are nothing new, but this one takes the cake. A Chinese company reportedly knocked off an Iranian military drone, no less, and listed it for sale on Alibaba online marketplace, according to a report on the Vice news website.

Chinese duplicate products are nothing new, but this one takes the cake. A Chinese company reportedly knocked off an Iranian military drone, no less, and listed it for sale on Alibaba online marketplace, according to a report on the Vice news website. The drone is similar to the one from the Shahed series and was listed without the payload, before being yanked off the site, the report said. 🔥 on social media: a 🇨🇳 company is selling a fixed-wing drone, XHZ-50, which looks like Iran’s Shahed 136 loitering munition (suicide drone), on Alibaba for US$57,000…https://t.co/9Xdo9AKBEu pic.twitter.com/YFHNKp3hQP — Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) January 17, 2024 × According to X user Byron Wan, a company called Sunlipo Energy Shenzen Co Limited "is selling a fixed-wing drone, XHZ-50, which looks like Iran’s Shahed 136 loitering munition (suicide drone), on Alibaba for US$57,000". Wan also shared the specifications of the Iranian drone which looks a lot similar to the Chinese one. Watch: Iran attacks Pakistan with missiles and drones, Pak summons Tehran's envoy × The Iranian drone Shahed 136, according to an AFP news agency graphic, is a long-range suicide drone for hitting fixed targets. Developed by Iran's HESA in 2021, it has the capability to carry 36kg of explosives as warhead. Shahed 136 has a range of 2,500 kilometres and a maximum speed of 135 km per hour. The drone weighs 200 kg and has a length of 3.5 metres and a wingspan of 2.5 metres. Also read: Explained | Why did Iran attack Pakistan? What is Jaish al-Adl group targeted by Tehran? The one that was listed on Alibaba, meanwhile, showed similar specifications. The company called it XHZ-50 Fixed Wing UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle). It was selling for $57,000, and the minimum order was one set. It had a weight of 150 pounds and used gasoline as fuel. It's a remote-controlled drone that can be navigated from a six-mile distance. Iran had sold Shahed 136, a so-called loitering munition to Russia. During the ongoing war on Ukraine, Russia reportedly used drones from the Shahed series. Alibaba removed the listing from the website after the American publication Motherboard reached out for comment, Vice reported. Reacting to the development, X user Philip Pilkington wrote: "Talk about commodification. You can now buy your Iranian suicide drones - sans payload - straight from Alibaba. Its a new world." Talk about commodification. You can now buy your Iranian suicide drones - sans payload - straight from Alibaba. Its a new world. 🛩️ https://t.co/X545Yglhzr — Philip Pilkington (@philippilk) January 17, 2024 × According to the report in Vice, Ukraine has claimed that Russia used some 3,000 Shahed suicide drones on the country over the past two years of the war. (With inputs from agencies)

Chinese firm knocked off Iran drone, sold it on Alibaba site: Report

Your Apple Watch might just be shorn off one of its key features: the blood oxygen level display. A US court on Thursday (Jan 17) upheld a ban on the sale of Apple watches, allegedly infringing on a patent related to this medical technology. 
 
The dispute involves a smaller company which claims to have introduced the feature.

Blood oxygen levels is a key feature used by those wearing Apple Watches, particularly fitness enthusiasts, and is very useful in medical situations. 
 
On the other side&nbsp;of the patent dispute is Masimo,&nbsp;a health technology and consumer electronics company based in Irvine, California. 
 
The Cupertino, California-based giant was earlier allowed to sell Series 9 and Ultra 2&nbsp; as the patent case was continuing.

WATCH:&nbsp;Apple overtakes Samsung as world's biggest seller of smartphones

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As per the court ruling, the models facing the dispute cannot be imported from 17:00 PM local time on Thursday. 
 
 
On Thursday, Apple said it will release watches without the disputed blood oxygen feature to keep them on shelves.

 
Masimo reacted to the ruling in a press release, with its CEO sharing on X that the ruling was a "victory for American innovation."

&nbsp;

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Today marks a victory for American Innovation and hospital-grade wearables consumers can trust. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PressRelease?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PressRelease</a> <a href="https://t.co/1LlQi0Cw3I">https://t.co/1LlQi0Cw3I</a> <a href="https://t.co/h2jnxtJu1H">pic.twitter.com/h2jnxtJu1H</a>
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&nbsp;

“the Federal Circuit's decision to lift the temporary stay is a victory for the integrity of the American patent system and the safety of people relying on pulse oximetry,” said Joe Kiani, Founder and CEO of Masimo.

“It affirms that even the largest and most powerful companies must respect the intellectual rights of American inventors and must deal with the consequences when they are caught infringing others’ patents.”

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/biden-administration-allows-apple-watch-import-ban-in-us-following-tribunal-ruling-673768">Biden administration allows Apple Watch import ban in US following tribunal ruling</a>

Masimo said in its release that the company had&nbsp;earlier made available a study showing that Apple Watch’s pulse oximetry missed over 90% of potentially life-threatening events.

"The Apple Watch pulse oximeter was not cleared by the United Stated Food and Drug Administration for medical use," Masimo claimed in the release while claiming that&nbsp;the Masimo W1 health watch was recently cleared by the FDA for its indicated medical uses, including continuous pulse oximetry.

also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/apple-begins-disbursing-batterygate-settlement-payments-to-us-iphone-users-report-677832">Apple begins disbursing ‘batterygate’ settlement payments to US iPhone users: Report</a>

Masimo said in its release that its pulse oximetry technology "is used on over 200 million patients in hospitals a year."

&nbsp;

According to the company, the feature helped save babies’ eyesight in the neonatal ICU, detect critical congenital heart defects in newborns, and save the lives of patients in post-surgical wards who are taking opioids.

 
Masimo and sister company Cercacor claimed that Apple poached its key staff, and accused the tech giant of stealing its blood oxygen level detection technology.

The US trade commission had agreed to some of this claims last&nbsp;October and banned imports and sales of some of the Apple Watch models. But this ban was halted as hearings were going on Apple's appeal.

&nbsp;

Most versions of Apple's watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, have included the feature since 2020, BBC said in a report, adding some models do not have the feature.

&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Your Apple Watch might just be shorn off one of its key features: the blood oxygen level display. A US court on Thursday (Jan 17) upheld a ban on the sale of Apple watches, allegedly infringing on a patent related to this medical technology.

Your Apple Watch might just be shorn off one of its key features: the blood oxygen level display. A US court on Thursday (Jan 17) upheld a ban on the sale of Apple watches, allegedly infringing on a patent related to this medical technology. The dispute involves a smaller company which claims to have introduced the feature. Blood oxygen levels is a key feature used by those wearing Apple Watches, particularly fitness enthusiasts, and is very useful in medical situations. On the other side of the patent dispute is Masimo, a health technology and consumer electronics company based in Irvine, California. The Cupertino, California-based giant was earlier allowed to sell Series 9 and Ultra 2 as the patent case was continuing. WATCH: Apple overtakes Samsung as world's biggest seller of smartphones × As per the court ruling, the models facing the dispute cannot be imported from 17:00 PM local time on Thursday. On Thursday, Apple said it will release watches without the disputed blood oxygen feature to keep them on shelves. Masimo reacted to the ruling in a press release, with its CEO sharing on X that the ruling was a "victory for American innovation." Today marks a victory for American Innovation and hospital-grade wearables consumers can trust. #PressRelease https://t.co/1LlQi0Cw3I pic.twitter.com/h2jnxtJu1H — Joe Kiani (@JoeKiani) January 18, 2024 × “the Federal Circuit's decision to lift the temporary stay is a victory for the integrity of the American patent system and the safety of people relying on pulse oximetry,” said Joe Kiani, Founder and CEO of Masimo. “It affirms that even the largest and most powerful companies must respect the intellectual rights of American inventors and must deal with the consequences when they are caught infringing others’ patents.” Also read: Biden administration allows Apple Watch import ban in US following tribunal ruling Masimo said in its release that the company had earlier made available a study showing that Apple Watch’s pulse oximetry missed over 90% of potentially life-threatening events. "The Apple Watch pulse oximeter was not cleared by the United Stated Food and Drug Administration for medical use," Masimo claimed in the release while claiming that the Masimo W1 health watch was recently cleared by the FDA for its indicated medical uses, including continuous pulse oximetry. also read: Apple begins disbursing ‘batterygate’ settlement payments to US iPhone users: Report Masimo said in its release that its pulse oximetry technology "is used on over 200 million patients in hospitals a year." According to the company, the feature helped save babies’ eyesight in the neonatal ICU, detect critical congenital heart defects in newborns, and save the lives of patients in post-surgical wards who are taking opioids. Masimo and sister company Cercacor claimed that Apple poached its key staff, and accused the tech giant of stealing its blood oxygen level detection technology. The US trade commission had agreed to some of this claims last October and banned imports and sales of some of the Apple Watch models. But this ban was halted as hearings were going on Apple's appeal. Most versions of Apple's watches, including the Series 9 and Ultra 2, have included the feature since 2020, BBC said in a report, adding some models do not have the feature. (With inputs from agencies)

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Tesla introduces a cutting-edge humanoid robot, while Meta grapples with a legal dispute over unauthorized use of copyrighted books. Catch all the latest tech buzz in our weekly Tech Wrap.

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Intelligence in Technology is reshaping human lives. Dr. Lovneesh Chanana, Senior Vice-President and head of government affairs for Asia Pacific and Japan region spoke to WION about the ways in which industries and government are working together for advancement of AI.

How intelligence in technology is reshaping our lives

At a quiet cemetery in eastern China, bereaved father Seakoo Wu pulls out his phone, places it on a gravestone and plays a recording of his son.

They are words that the late student never spoke, but brought into being with artificial intelligence.

"I know you're in great pain every day because of me, and feel guilty and helpless," intones Xuanmo in a slightly robotic voice.

"Even though I can't be by your side ever again, my soul is still in this world, accompanying you through life."

Stricken by grief, Wu and his wife have joined a growing number of Chinese people turning to AI technology to create lifelike avatars of their departed.

WATCH |&nbsp;Chinese mourners use AI to make digital versions of the deceased

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Ultimately Wu wants to build a fully realistic replica that behaves just like his dead son but dwells in virtual reality.

"Once we synchronise reality and the metaverse, I'll have my son with me again," Wu said.

"I can train him... so that when he sees me, he knows I'm his father."

Some Chinese firms claim to have created thousands of "digital people" from as little as 30 seconds of audiovisual material of the deceased.

Experts say they can offer much-needed comfort for people devastated by the loss of loved ones.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ai-dominates-conversations-in-2023-named-word-of-the-year-by-collins-dictionary-653747">Artificial Intelligence dominates conversations in 2023, named 'Word of the Year' by Collins Dictionary</a>

But they also evoke an unsettling theme from the British sci-fi series "Black Mirror" in which people rely on advanced AI for bereavement support.

<h2>- 'Needs are growing' -&nbsp;</h2>

Wu and his wife were devastated when Xuanmo, their only child, died of a sudden stroke last year at the age of 22 while attending Exeter University in Britain.

The accounting and finance student, keen sportsman and posthumous organ donor "had such a rich and varied life", said Wu.

"He always carried in him this desire to help people and a sense of right and wrong," he told AFP.

Following a boom in deep learning technologies like ChatGPT in China, Wu began researching ways to resurrect him.

He gathered photos, videos and audio recordings of his son, and spent thousands of dollars hiring AI firms that cloned Xuanmo's face and voice.

The results so far are rudimentary, but he has also set up a work team to create a database containing vast amounts of information on his son.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worlds-first-ai-powered-campaign-caller-ashley-deployed-ahead-of-2024-elections-in-us-669250">World’s first AI-powered campaign caller ‘Ashley’ deployed ahead of 2024 elections in US</a>

Wu hopes to feed it into powerful algorithms to create an avatar capable of copying his son's thinking and speech patterns with extreme precision.

Several companies specialising in so-called "ghost bots" have emerged in the United States in recent years.

But the industry is booming in China, according to Zhang Zewei, the founder of the AI firm Super Brain and a former collaborator with Wu.

"On AI technology, China is in the highest class worldwide," said Zhang from a workspace in the eastern city of Jingjiang.

"And there are so many people in China, many with emotional needs, which gives us an advantage when it comes to market demand."

Super Brain charges between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan ($1,400-$2,800) to create a basic avatar within about 20 days, said Zhang.

They range from those who have died to living parents unable to spend time with their children and -- controversially -- a heartbroken woman's ex-boyfriend.

Clients can even hold video calls with a staff member whose face and voice are digitally overlaid with those of the person they have lost.

"The significance for... the whole world is huge," Zhang said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-to-ban-use-of-ai-biometric-surveillance-by-police-without-judicial-authorisation-report-668888">EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report</a> 
 
"A digital version of someone (can) exist forever, even after their body has been lost."

<h2>- 'New humanism' -&nbsp;</h2>

Sima Huapeng, who founded Nanjing-based Silicon Intelligence, said the technology would "bring about a new kind of humanism".

He likened it to portraiture and photography, which helped people commemorate the dead in revolutionary ways.

Tal Morse, a visiting research fellow at the Centre for Death and Society at Britain's University of Bath, said ghost bots may offer comfort.

But he cautioned that more research was needed to understand their psychological and ethical implications.

"A key question here is... how 'loyal' are the ghost bots to the personality they were designed to mimic," Morse told AFP.

"What happens if they do things that will 'contaminate' the memory of the person they are supposed to represent?"

Another quandary arises from the inability of dead people to consent, experts said.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/chinese-scientists-let-ai-control-satellite-it-takes-closer-look-at-india-japanese-regions-582686">Chinese scientists let AI control satellite, it takes ‘closer look’ at specific spots in India, Japan</a>

While permission was probably unnecessary to mimic speech or behaviour, it might be needed to "do certain other things with that simulacrum", said Nate Sharadin, a philosopher at the University of Hong Kong specialising in AI and its social effects.

For Super Brain's Zhang, all new technology is "a double-edged sword".&nbsp;

"As long as we're helping those who need it, I see no problem".

He doesn't work with those for whom it could have negative impacts, he said, citing a woman who had attempted suicide after her daughter's death.

Bereaved father Wu said Xuanmo "probably would have been willing" to be digitally revived.

"One day, son, we will all reunite in the metaverse," he said as his wife dissolved into tears before his grave.

"The technology is getting better every day... it's just a matter of time."

At a quiet cemetery in eastern China, bereaved father Seakoo Wu pulls out his phone, places it on a gravestone and plays a recording of his son. They are words that the late student never spoke, but brought into being with artificial intelligence.

At a quiet cemetery in eastern China, bereaved father Seakoo Wu pulls out his phone, places it on a gravestone and plays a recording of his son. They are words that the late student never spoke, but brought into being with artificial intelligence. "I know you're in great pain every day because of me, and feel guilty and helpless," intones Xuanmo in a slightly robotic voice. "Even though I can't be by your side ever again, my soul is still in this world, accompanying you through life." Stricken by grief, Wu and his wife have joined a growing number of Chinese people turning to AI technology to create lifelike avatars of their departed. WATCH | Chinese mourners use AI to make digital versions of the deceased Ultimately Wu wants to build a fully realistic replica that behaves just like his dead son but dwells in virtual reality. "Once we synchronise reality and the metaverse, I'll have my son with me again," Wu said. "I can train him... so that when he sees me, he knows I'm his father." Some Chinese firms claim to have created thousands of "digital people" from as little as 30 seconds of audiovisual material of the deceased. Experts say they can offer much-needed comfort for people devastated by the loss of loved ones. ALSO READ | Artificial Intelligence dominates conversations in 2023, named 'Word of the Year' by Collins Dictionary But they also evoke an unsettling theme from the British sci-fi series "Black Mirror" in which people rely on advanced AI for bereavement support. - 'Needs are growing' - Wu and his wife were devastated when Xuanmo, their only child, died of a sudden stroke last year at the age of 22 while attending Exeter University in Britain. The accounting and finance student, keen sportsman and posthumous organ donor "had such a rich and varied life", said Wu. "He always carried in him this desire to help people and a sense of right and wrong," he told AFP. Following a boom in deep learning technologies like ChatGPT in China, Wu began researching ways to resurrect him. He gathered photos, videos and audio recordings of his son, and spent thousands of dollars hiring AI firms that cloned Xuanmo's face and voice. The results so far are rudimentary, but he has also set up a work team to create a database containing vast amounts of information on his son. ALSO READ | World’s first AI-powered campaign caller ‘Ashley’ deployed ahead of 2024 elections in US Wu hopes to feed it into powerful algorithms to create an avatar capable of copying his son's thinking and speech patterns with extreme precision. Several companies specialising in so-called "ghost bots" have emerged in the United States in recent years. But the industry is booming in China, according to Zhang Zewei, the founder of the AI firm Super Brain and a former collaborator with Wu. "On AI technology, China is in the highest class worldwide," said Zhang from a workspace in the eastern city of Jingjiang. "And there are so many people in China, many with emotional needs, which gives us an advantage when it comes to market demand." Super Brain charges between 10,000 and 20,000 yuan ($1,400-$2,800) to create a basic avatar within about 20 days, said Zhang. They range from those who have died to living parents unable to spend time with their children and -- controversially -- a heartbroken woman's ex-boyfriend. Clients can even hold video calls with a staff member whose face and voice are digitally overlaid with those of the person they have lost. "The significance for... the whole world is huge," Zhang said. ALSO READ | EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report "A digital version of someone (can) exist forever, even after their body has been lost." - 'New humanism' - Sima Huapeng, who founded Nanjing-based Silicon Intelligence, said the technology would "bring about a new kind of humanism". He likened it to portraiture and photography, which helped people commemorate the dead in revolutionary ways. Tal Morse, a visiting research fellow at the Centre for Death and Society at Britain's University of Bath, said ghost bots may offer comfort. But he cautioned that more research was needed to understand their psychological and ethical implications. "A key question here is... how 'loyal' are the ghost bots to the personality they were designed to mimic," Morse told AFP. "What happens if they do things that will 'contaminate' the memory of the person they are supposed to represent?" Another quandary arises from the inability of dead people to consent, experts said. ALSO READ | Chinese scientists let AI control satellite, it takes ‘closer look’ at specific spots in India, Japan While permission was probably unnecessary to mimic speech or behaviour, it might be needed to "do certain other things with that simulacrum", said Nate Sharadin, a philosopher at the University of Hong Kong specialising in AI and its social effects. For Super Brain's Zhang, all new technology is "a double-edged sword". "As long as we're helping those who need it, I see no problem". He doesn't work with those for whom it could have negative impacts, he said, citing a woman who had attempted suicide after her daughter's death. Bereaved father Wu said Xuanmo "probably would have been willing" to be digitally revived. "One day, son, we will all reunite in the metaverse," he said as his wife dissolved into tears before his grave. "The technology is getting better every day... it's just a matter of time."

Chinese mourners use AI to digitally resurrect the dead

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Chinese scientists develop therapy to reverse ageing

Across the world people are trying out different things with AI. Tech enthusiast are using AI tools to craft life like avatars. Chinese mourners use AI to make digital versions of the deceased.

Chinese mourners use AI to make digital versions of the deceased

The European Union as a part of its historic agreement between the European Parliament and 27 member states will soon ban police and national security bodies in the EU from using real-time biometric data driven by artificial intelligence (AI) in most situations without judicial authorisation, reported The Guardian citing an official with knowledge of the text.

The landmark deal was signed following three days of negotiations, on Friday (Dec 8), but the officials, as per the British media report only revealed the operational details on Monday (Dec 11) since the final text is yet to be published.&nbsp;

<h2>Possible ban on&nbsp;AI biometric surveillance</h2>

The ban on surveillance will apply to public and private places, including parks and sports grounds, but in the event of specified serious crimes, a terrorist threat or urgent searches for victims will be exempted, reported The Guardian. However, the police will require prior approval from a judge or independent administrative authority.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;EU achieves agreement on landmark AI rules, becomes first major power to enact AI laws

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According to the report, it is only under most exceptional circumstances like a live terrorist threat that the police will be able to deploy the AI biometric tools without prior approval.&nbsp;

But they must still obtain authorisation within 24 hours and notify the authorities – including the relevant market surveillance authority and the data protection authority – with a “prior fundamental rights impact assessment,” reported The Guardian citing an EU official.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-member-states-and-lawmakers-strike-deal-on-landmark-ai-law-667785">EU member states strike landmark deal on first-ever laws to regulate AI</a>

If approval by a judge or authority is not given, according to the report, the AI tool should be turned off immediately and all data extracted on a suspect or suspects deleted immediately. The EU and members of the European Parliament (MEP) have reportedly agreed on a specific list of 16 types of serious crimes which may be exempted from the ban.&nbsp;

<h2>Averting ‘predictive policing’</h2>

EU officials believe that these safeguards would avert the risk of what they have called “predictive policing” which according to the MEPs if used alongside racial profiling could discriminate against individuals.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/elon-musk-may-take-x-out-of-europe-to-dodge-anti-fake-news-eu-regulation-report-648596">Elon Musk may take X out of Europe to dodge anti-fake news EU regulation: Report</a>

Notably, the use of AI in biometric surveillance had pitted policymakers who wanted to use it for national security, defence and military purposes against EU lawmakers who wanted to bar those uses because of concerns related to privacy.

The agreement signed last week has made the EU the first continent in the world to set clear rules for the use of AI.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The European Union as a part of its historic agreement between the European Parliament and 27 member states will soon ban police and national security bodies in the EU from using real-time biometric data driven by artificial intelligence (AI) in most situations without judicial authorisation, reported The Guardian citing an official with knowledge of the text.

The European Union as a part of its historic agreement between the European Parliament and 27 member states will soon ban police and national security bodies in the EU from using real-time biometric data driven by artificial intelligence (AI) in most situations without judicial authorisation, reported The Guardian citing an official with knowledge of the text. The landmark deal was signed following three days of negotiations, on Friday (Dec 8), but the officials, as per the British media report only revealed the operational details on Monday (Dec 11) since the final text is yet to be published. Possible ban on AI biometric surveillance The ban on surveillance will apply to public and private places, including parks and sports grounds, but in the event of specified serious crimes, a terrorist threat or urgent searches for victims will be exempted, reported The Guardian. However, the police will require prior approval from a judge or independent administrative authority. ALSO WATCH | EU achieves agreement on landmark AI rules, becomes first major power to enact AI laws According to the report, it is only under most exceptional circumstances like a live terrorist threat that the police will be able to deploy the AI biometric tools without prior approval. But they must still obtain authorisation within 24 hours and notify the authorities – including the relevant market surveillance authority and the data protection authority – with a “prior fundamental rights impact assessment,” reported The Guardian citing an EU official. ALSO READ | EU member states strike landmark deal on first-ever laws to regulate AI If approval by a judge or authority is not given, according to the report, the AI tool should be turned off immediately and all data extracted on a suspect or suspects deleted immediately. The EU and members of the European Parliament (MEP) have reportedly agreed on a specific list of 16 types of serious crimes which may be exempted from the ban. Averting ‘predictive policing’ EU officials believe that these safeguards would avert the risk of what they have called “predictive policing” which according to the MEPs if used alongside racial profiling could discriminate against individuals. ALSO READ | Elon Musk may take X out of Europe to dodge anti-fake news EU regulation: Report Notably, the use of AI in biometric surveillance had pitted policymakers who wanted to use it for national security, defence and military purposes against EU lawmakers who wanted to bar those uses because of concerns related to privacy. The agreement signed last week has made the EU the first continent in the world to set clear rules for the use of AI. (With inputs from agencies)

EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report

Tech giant Apple has set its eyes on India. The country will play a big role in Apple's plans to reduce its dependency on China.

Decoding India's rise as Apple's go-to consumer market

Thought leaders from the technology world come together to discuss different aspects of artificial intelligence. The panel focuses on the benefits of AI, the risks posed by the emerging technology, and its future.

Future of AI: Benefits & Challenges

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms will now start fully encrypting messages on its social media platforms by default.

Announcing the launch, Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger on the Meta website said, "We take our responsibility to protect your messages seriously, and we’re thrilled that after years of investment and testing, we’re able to launch a safer, more secure and private service."

<h2>Here's what to expect from Meta's new update</h2>

From this week onwards, the social media giant&nbsp;will begin automatically shifting Facebook users to end-to-end encryption for their messages. The global rollout, she said, will "take a number of months to complete".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ancestry-website-23andme-confirms-recent-data-breach-affected-69-million-users-666347">Ancestry website 23andMe confirms recent data breach affected 6.9 million users&nbsp;</a>

Facebook Messenger had the option for users to turn on end-to-end encryption since 2016. However, now this will be the default setting for both calls and messages.

On Instagram, too, users will be shifted to Meta's new end-to-end encryption by default.

<h2>What is end-to-end encryption?</h2>

The encryption feature secures communication, making it so that messages etc. can only be read by the sender and the recipient. This can help keep users safe from hackers, fraudsters, and criminals.

Users will be prompted to set up a PIN for the recovery of the encrypted messages in case they lose, change or add a device.

Meta's product WhatsApp, another popular instant messaging app, introduced the feature back in 2014, completing the rollout in April 2016.

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Crisan says that Meta "has taken years to deliver because we've taken our time to get this right."

"Our engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts and product managers have worked tirelessly to rebuild Messenger features from the ground up. We’ve introduced new privacy, safety and control features along the way like delivery controls that let people choose who can message them, as well as app lock, alongside existing safety features like report, block and message requests," she added.

The change means that Facebook and Instagram users would not have to turn on the encryption feature, which allows a message to be read only by the sender and its recipients.

<h2>What other features have been introduced?</h2>

Messenger users can now edit their messages for up to 15 minutes after sending them. Disappearing messages on the application will now last for 24 hours.

Furthermore, to increase privacy controls, Messenger will now allow users to control their read receipts. Additionally, there is an upgrade to the quality of images users can share, along with the introduction of "added fun layouts".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-launches-gemini-its-most-advanced-ai-model-that-powers-bard-intensifying-competition-with-openai-666952">Google launches Gemini, its most advanced AI model that powers Bard, intensifying competition with OpenAI</a>

Another feature similar to that available in WhatsApp is that voice messages can now be sped up to 1.5x and 2x speeds.&nbsp;

End-to-end encryption has been a bone of contention between companies and governments. The British government had urged Meta back in September not to roll out encryption on Instagram and Facebook Messenger without safety measures to protect children from sexual abuse.

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms will now start fully encrypting messages on its social media platforms by default. Announcing the launch, Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger on the Meta website said, "We take our responsibility to protect your messages seriously, and we’re thrilled that after years of investment and testing, we’re able to launch a safer, more secure and private service.

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta Platforms will now start fully encrypting messages on its social media platforms by default. Announcing the launch, Loredana Crisan, Head of Messenger on the Meta website said, "We take our responsibility to protect your messages seriously, and we’re thrilled that after years of investment and testing, we’re able to launch a safer, more secure and private service." Here's what to expect from Meta's new update From this week onwards, the social media giant will begin automatically shifting Facebook users to end-to-end encryption for their messages. The global rollout, she said, will "take a number of months to complete". Also read | Ancestry website 23andMe confirms recent data breach affected 6.9 million users Facebook Messenger had the option for users to turn on end-to-end encryption since 2016. However, now this will be the default setting for both calls and messages. On Instagram, too, users will be shifted to Meta's new end-to-end encryption by default. What is end-to-end encryption? The encryption feature secures communication, making it so that messages etc. can only be read by the sender and the recipient. This can help keep users safe from hackers, fraudsters, and criminals. Users will be prompted to set up a PIN for the recovery of the encrypted messages in case they lose, change or add a device. Meta's product WhatsApp, another popular instant messaging app, introduced the feature back in 2014, completing the rollout in April 2016. Also read | Landmark Stability AI vs Getty Images copyright lawsuit to move ahead to trial Crisan says that Meta "has taken years to deliver because we've taken our time to get this right." "Our engineers, cryptographers, designers, policy experts and product managers have worked tirelessly to rebuild Messenger features from the ground up. We’ve introduced new privacy, safety and control features along the way like delivery controls that let people choose who can message them, as well as app lock, alongside existing safety features like report, block and message requests," she added. The change means that Facebook and Instagram users would not have to turn on the encryption feature, which allows a message to be read only by the sender and its recipients. What other features have been introduced? Messenger users can now edit their messages for up to 15 minutes after sending them. Disappearing messages on the application will now last for 24 hours. Furthermore, to increase privacy controls, Messenger will now allow users to control their read receipts. Additionally, there is an upgrade to the quality of images users can share, along with the introduction of "added fun layouts". Also read | Google launches Gemini, its most advanced AI model that powers Bard, intensifying competition with OpenAI Another feature similar to that available in WhatsApp is that voice messages can now be sped up to 1.5x and 2x speeds. End-to-end encryption has been a bone of contention between companies and governments. The British government had urged Meta back in September not to roll out encryption on Instagram and Facebook Messenger without safety measures to protect children from sexual abuse.

'Taken our time to get this right': Meta to roll out end-to-end encryption for Facebook & Instagram

Drug start-up LambdaVision is in the midst of developing the world’s first protein-based artificial retina for patients with genetic blindness, but the unique&nbsp;part of the process? It is being developed in space! The company plans to use microgravity to manufacture the retina, the process of which was hard to get right on Earth.&nbsp;

<h2>World’s first artificial retina</h2>

LambdaVision is developing the first protein-based artificial retina to restore “meaningful vision” for people “who are blind or have lost significant sight due to advanced retinal degenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD),” said the company on their website.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/can-a-rogue-star-save-earth-from-its-destined-extinction-scientists-say-666807">Can a rogue star save Earth from its destined extinction? Scientists say...</a>

The drug company was founded in 2009 with the mission to develop a protein-based artificial retina for patients with RP, a genetic cause of blindness and AMD, a leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55, reported Bloomberg.&nbsp;

However, the manufacturing process of this retina which involves placing 200 paper-thin layers of a light-sensitive protein in a polymer mesh, that has to be perfectly even for it to work properly, is complicated, to say the least, and difficult to execute on Earth.&nbsp;

In late 2018, the company turned to the International Space Station in the hopes that the microgravity there could help, reported Bloomberg. LambdaVision has been working with the ISS, NASA, and Space Tango to explore how microgravity could improve their complex manufacturing process.&nbsp;

<h2>What are the difficulties?</h2>

Earth’s gravity has proven to be an obstacle in LambdaVision’s manufacturing process of the retina. This is because the gravity on Earth can cause particles to settle or liquids to evaporate, leading to imperfections and increasing the instability of the artificial retina.&nbsp;

According to a report by Bloomberg, the company has sent eight experiments to the ISS and so far, the quality of production has dramatically improved.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/us-doctors-identify-new-syndrome-in-newborns-exposed-to-fentanyl-study-666770">Cleft palate, fused toes: Fentanyl likely causing certain birth defects in newborns</a>

In space, “you get nice even layers” of the protein with less wasted material, Nicole Wagner, LambdaVision’s chief executive officer told Bloomberg. “The goal is to be one of the first products manufactured in space that would be used here on Earth,” she added.&nbsp;

The protein-based artificial retina would mimic the light-absorbing properties of human photoreceptors and replace the function of the damaged cells in the retinas of blind patients, said LambdaVision, on its website.&nbsp;

LambdaVision’s artificial retina is lightweight and only as big as a paper hole punch, reported Bloomberg, and if everything goes according to plan, it will be ready for human testing in three to four years.

(With inputs from agencies)

Drug start-up LambdaVision is in the midst of developing the world’s first protein-based artificial retina for patients with genetic blindness, but the unique part of the process?

Drug start-up LambdaVision is in the midst of developing the world’s first protein-based artificial retina for patients with genetic blindness, but the unique part of the process? It is being developed in space! The company plans to use microgravity to manufacture the retina, the process of which was hard to get right on Earth. World’s first artificial retina LambdaVision is developing the first protein-based artificial retina to restore “meaningful vision” for people “who are blind or have lost significant sight due to advanced retinal degenerative diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD),” said the company on their website. ALSO READ | Can a rogue star save Earth from its destined extinction? Scientists say... The drug company was founded in 2009 with the mission to develop a protein-based artificial retina for patients with RP, a genetic cause of blindness and AMD, a leading cause of blindness in people over the age of 55, reported Bloomberg. However, the manufacturing process of this retina which involves placing 200 paper-thin layers of a light-sensitive protein in a polymer mesh, that has to be perfectly even for it to work properly, is complicated, to say the least, and difficult to execute on Earth. In late 2018, the company turned to the International Space Station in the hopes that the microgravity there could help, reported Bloomberg. LambdaVision has been working with the ISS, NASA, and Space Tango to explore how microgravity could improve their complex manufacturing process. What are the difficulties? Earth’s gravity has proven to be an obstacle in LambdaVision’s manufacturing process of the retina. This is because the gravity on Earth can cause particles to settle or liquids to evaporate, leading to imperfections and increasing the instability of the artificial retina. According to a report by Bloomberg, the company has sent eight experiments to the ISS and so far, the quality of production has dramatically improved. ALSO READ | Cleft palate, fused toes: Fentanyl likely causing certain birth defects in newborns In space, “you get nice even layers” of the protein with less wasted material, Nicole Wagner, LambdaVision’s chief executive officer told Bloomberg. “The goal is to be one of the first products manufactured in space that would be used here on Earth,” she added. The protein-based artificial retina would mimic the light-absorbing properties of human photoreceptors and replace the function of the damaged cells in the retinas of blind patients, said LambdaVision, on its website. LambdaVision’s artificial retina is lightweight and only as big as a paper hole punch, reported Bloomberg, and if everything goes according to plan, it will be ready for human testing in three to four years. (With inputs from agencies)

A cure for blindness developed in space? That might soon become true

You can now easily create fake images and videos due to the advancement of AI. The rise in deepfakes on the internet is becoming problematic and is directly attacking women. We get you more details in this story.

Can deepfakes be stopped?

Bitcoin transactions are not only guzzling electricity, but are also thirsty for so much water that the amount used for one transaction would be enough to fill “a backyard swimming pool,” a recent analysis found.

Billions of people across the world are struggling with shortages of fresh water, and with climate change and extreme weather events the situation may worsen in the coming decades.

<h2>How much water is too much water?</h2>

The study based on the analysis done by Alex de Vries of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam says that Bitcoin’s water footprint has rapidly increased in recent years.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Bitcoin's growing enviornmental problems, every bitcoin payment 'uses a swimming pool of water'

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As of 2023, Bitcoin’s annual water footprint may cross 2,200 billion litres or gigaliters (GL), according to the study in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability. According to de Vries, that is over six million times more water than a credit card swipe.&nbsp;

Between 2020 and 2021, the water footprint of Bitcoin increased by as much as 166 per cent, from 591.2 to 1,573 GL, said the study.&nbsp;

<h2>What is this water being used for?</h2>

Bitcoin uses such large amounts of water for its enormous amount of computing and with that, it burns through a lot of energy. Therefore, the systems use a great deal of water in their cooling systems to keep the bitcoin mining machines from overheating.

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In fact, Bitcoin is so power-hungry that, according to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), it consumes only a little less electricity than the entire country of Poland, which is home to around 38 million people.&nbsp;

In his study, de Vries noted how most of the research about the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining has been focused on its energy consumption, carbon footprint, and the electronic waste it generates but given the shortage of water and the estimated use of it in the Bitcoin network it is crucial to understand the water footprint of the cryptocurrency usage.

As the amount of water that Bitcoin uses, not only can it potentially impact different countries’ climate goals, but also potentially poses an additional stress to water resources in drought-prone areas.&nbsp;

Notably, the numbers are based on the assumption that Bitcoin mines run on water-dependent cooling systems but some data centres and crypto mines also use a different system which not only keeps the computers cool but also cuts down water consumption by immersing them in a non-conductive liquid, reported The Verge.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/wall-street-awaits-100-bn-crypto-boom-with-bitcoin-etfs-report-661050">Wall Street awaits $100 bn crypto boom with Bitcoin ETFs: Report</a>

The author of the study also argues that Bitcoin does not actually need this much water and it is a process of “mining” the cryptocurrency which requires an enormous amount of water since miners compete against each other and the same transaction is being worked on several times by multiple power-hungry computers.&nbsp;

“All of these machines combined are generating 500 quintillion guesses every second of the day, non stop – that is 500 with 18 zeros behind it,” de Vries told the BBC.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Bitcoin transactions are not only guzzling electricity, but are also thirsty for so much water that the amount used for one transaction would be enough to fill “a backyard swimming pool,” a recent analysis found.

Bitcoin transactions are not only guzzling electricity, but are also thirsty for so much water that the amount used for one transaction would be enough to fill “a backyard swimming pool,” a recent analysis found. Billions of people across the world are struggling with shortages of fresh water, and with climate change and extreme weather events the situation may worsen in the coming decades. How much water is too much water? The study based on the analysis done by Alex de Vries of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam says that Bitcoin’s water footprint has rapidly increased in recent years. ALSO WATCH | Bitcoin's growing enviornmental problems, every bitcoin payment 'uses a swimming pool of water' As of 2023, Bitcoin’s annual water footprint may cross 2,200 billion litres or gigaliters (GL), according to the study in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability. According to de Vries, that is over six million times more water than a credit card swipe. Between 2020 and 2021, the water footprint of Bitcoin increased by as much as 166 per cent, from 591.2 to 1,573 GL, said the study. What is this water being used for? Bitcoin uses such large amounts of water for its enormous amount of computing and with that, it burns through a lot of energy. Therefore, the systems use a great deal of water in their cooling systems to keep the bitcoin mining machines from overheating. ALSO READ | Here's how much you'd be worth if you had invested in Bitcoin on day 1 In fact, Bitcoin is so power-hungry that, according to the Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance (CCAF), it consumes only a little less electricity than the entire country of Poland, which is home to around 38 million people. In his study, de Vries noted how most of the research about the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining has been focused on its energy consumption, carbon footprint, and the electronic waste it generates but given the shortage of water and the estimated use of it in the Bitcoin network it is crucial to understand the water footprint of the cryptocurrency usage. As the amount of water that Bitcoin uses, not only can it potentially impact different countries’ climate goals, but also potentially poses an additional stress to water resources in drought-prone areas. Notably, the numbers are based on the assumption that Bitcoin mines run on water-dependent cooling systems but some data centres and crypto mines also use a different system which not only keeps the computers cool but also cuts down water consumption by immersing them in a non-conductive liquid, reported The Verge. ALSO READ | Wall Street awaits $100 bn crypto boom with Bitcoin ETFs: Report The author of the study also argues that Bitcoin does not actually need this much water and it is a process of “mining” the cryptocurrency which requires an enormous amount of water since miners compete against each other and the same transaction is being worked on several times by multiple power-hungry computers. “All of these machines combined are generating 500 quintillion guesses every second of the day, non stop – that is 500 with 18 zeros behind it,” de Vries told the BBC. (With inputs from agencies)

Bitcoin transactions not only guzzle electricity, but also need ‘swimming pools’ worth of water

If the voice of virtual voice assistants like Alexa or Siri is similar to yours, then you are more likely to be convinced by their recommendations, new research has found.&nbsp;

The similarity in voice could be in terms of the pitch or speed of the voice as well. For instance, if you speak fast and Alexa's speaking abilities are also synced with how fast you speak as an individual, then you are more likely to be convinced by their recommendations.&nbsp;

The researchers found that increasing personality similarity by automatically matching user and VA voice profiles encouraged users to be less rational about veracity of information presented, such as misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.&nbsp;

Also watch |&nbsp;AI breakthrough triggered Sam Altman's initial ouster: Report | World Business Watch

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In the study, 38 per cent of the unvaccinated individuals changed their minds about vaccination after listening to vaccine misinformation shared by a virtual assistant.

<h2>Why was the study conducted?</h2>

The study by the Pennsylvania State University was aimed at finding ways to increase user resistance to misinformation. The findings were published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies.

"Our study shows that when users interact with a voice assistant that is similar to their personality, they think more highly of the service provided by it," S&nbsp; Shyam Sundar, study co-author and the James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects at Penn State, said in an official statement.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/artificial-intelligence-could-help-in-implementation-of-four-day-week-work-culture-in-near-future-661127">Artificial Intelligence could help implement a four-day week work culture in near future</a>

"This tendency to equate perceived similarity to credibility was more pronounced among those who customised their experience by choosing a preferred voice for the assistant," Sundar said.

The lead author said that the study had an unexpected finding.

"The greater number of unvaccinated individuals paired with matching VA personalities changing their mind about vaccination was a counterintuitive finding," said lead author Eugene C Snyder, assistant professor of humanities and social sciences at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

"People often show resistance to persuasive attempts by information sources, like pundits or social media influencers. For the unvaccinated study participants, being faced with misinformation from a VA similar to themselves may have created a kind of resistance. However, further work is needed to clarify this reaction since unvaccinated individuals were a minority in our sample, accounting for 27 per cent of study participants."

<h2>What is the bottom-line?&nbsp;</h2>

The finding speaks to the nature of how humans process information and that when you hear information from a voice assistant that is similar to yourself, you are likely to process the message more carefully. This&nbsp;exact careful processing, according to the authors, is what makes you realise the persuasive angle of the messaging and this is why are resistant to it.

(With inputs from agencies)

If the voice of virtual voice assistants like Alexa or Siri is similar to yours, then you are more likely to be convinced by their recommendations, new research has found.

If the voice of virtual voice assistants like Alexa or Siri is similar to yours, then you are more likely to be convinced by their recommendations, new research has found. The similarity in voice could be in terms of the pitch or speed of the voice as well. For instance, if you speak fast and Alexa's speaking abilities are also synced with how fast you speak as an individual, then you are more likely to be convinced by their recommendations. The researchers found that increasing personality similarity by automatically matching user and VA voice profiles encouraged users to be less rational about veracity of information presented, such as misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. Also watch | AI breakthrough triggered Sam Altman's initial ouster: Report | World Business Watch × In the study, 38 per cent of the unvaccinated individuals changed their minds about vaccination after listening to vaccine misinformation shared by a virtual assistant. Why was the study conducted? The study by the Pennsylvania State University was aimed at finding ways to increase user resistance to misinformation. The findings were published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies. "Our study shows that when users interact with a voice assistant that is similar to their personality, they think more highly of the service provided by it," S Shyam Sundar, study co-author and the James P. Jimirro Professor of Media Effects at Penn State, said in an official statement. Also read | Artificial Intelligence could help implement a four-day week work culture in near future "This tendency to equate perceived similarity to credibility was more pronounced among those who customised their experience by choosing a preferred voice for the assistant," Sundar said. The lead author said that the study had an unexpected finding. "The greater number of unvaccinated individuals paired with matching VA personalities changing their mind about vaccination was a counterintuitive finding," said lead author Eugene C Snyder, assistant professor of humanities and social sciences at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. "People often show resistance to persuasive attempts by information sources, like pundits or social media influencers. For the unvaccinated study participants, being faced with misinformation from a VA similar to themselves may have created a kind of resistance. However, further work is needed to clarify this reaction since unvaccinated individuals were a minority in our sample, accounting for 27 per cent of study participants." What is the bottom-line? The finding speaks to the nature of how humans process information and that when you hear information from a voice assistant that is similar to yourself, you are likely to process the message more carefully. This exact careful processing, according to the authors, is what makes you realise the persuasive angle of the messaging and this is why are resistant to it. (With inputs from agencies)

If virtual assistants Alexa or Siri sound like you, then you'll love them more: Study

Dyson has released their first wearable device. Watch this story to find out if Dyson Zone, the world's first headphone with an air purifier is worth the hype.

Dyson Zone headphones: Worth your money?

The previous verdict in Apple's favor now faces potential reexamination. A recent recommendation by an adviser to the European Union tribunal has cast a shadow of doubt over Apple's $14 billion tax order.

EU court adviser challenges Apple's $14 billion tax victory

Meta Platforms on Wednesday said come 2024, advertisers will have to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) or other digital methods are used to alter or create political, social or election related advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta, the world's second-biggest platform for digital ads, said in a blog post it would require advertisers to disclose if their altered or created ads portray real people as doing or saying something that they did not, or if they digitally produce a real-looking person that does not exist.

The company would also ask advertisers to disclose if these ads show events that did not take place, alter footage of a real event, or even depict a real event without the true image, video, or audio recording of the actual event.

ALSO READ |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/meta-teases-ai-features-into-facebook-instagram-whatsapp-for-billions-of-users-602535">&nbsp;Meta teases AI features in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp for billions of users</a>

The policy updates, including Meta's earlier announcement on barring political advertisers from using generative AI ads tools, come a month after the Facebook-owner said it was starting to expand advertisers' access to AI-powered advertising tools that can instantly create backgrounds, image adjustments and variations of ad copy in response to simple text prompt.

Alphabet's Google, the biggest digital advertising company, announced the launch of similar image-customizing generative AI ads tools last week and said it planned to keep politics out of its products by blocking a list of "political keywords" from being used as prompts.

Lawmakers in the US&nbsp;have been concerned about the use of AI to create content that falsely depicts candidates in political advertisements to influence federal elections, with a slew of new "generative AI" tools making it cheap and easy to create convincing deepfakes.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/users-say-facebooks-new-ai-generated-stickers-are-problematic-643111">Users say Facebook's new AI-generated stickers are problematic</a>

Meta has already been blocking its user-facing Meta AI virtual assistant from creating photo-realistic images of public figures, and its top policy executive, Nick Clegg, said last month that the use of generative AI in political advertising was "clearly an area where we need to update our rules."

The company's new policy will not require disclosures when the digital content is "inconsequential or immaterial to the claim, assertion, or issue raised in the ad," including image size adjusting, cropping an image, colour correction, or image sharpening, it said.&nbsp;

Meta Platforms on Wednesday said come 2024, advertisers will have to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) or other digital methods are used to alter or create political, social or election related advertisements on Facebook and Instagram.

Meta Platforms on Wednesday said come 2024, advertisers will have to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) or other digital methods are used to alter or create political, social or election related advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. Meta, the world's second-biggest platform for digital ads, said in a blog post it would require advertisers to disclose if their altered or created ads portray real people as doing or saying something that they did not, or if they digitally produce a real-looking person that does not exist. The company would also ask advertisers to disclose if these ads show events that did not take place, alter footage of a real event, or even depict a real event without the true image, video, or audio recording of the actual event. ALSO READ | Meta teases AI features in Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp for billions of users The policy updates, including Meta's earlier announcement on barring political advertisers from using generative AI ads tools, come a month after the Facebook-owner said it was starting to expand advertisers' access to AI-powered advertising tools that can instantly create backgrounds, image adjustments and variations of ad copy in response to simple text prompt. Alphabet's Google, the biggest digital advertising company, announced the launch of similar image-customizing generative AI ads tools last week and said it planned to keep politics out of its products by blocking a list of "political keywords" from being used as prompts. Lawmakers in the US have been concerned about the use of AI to create content that falsely depicts candidates in political advertisements to influence federal elections, with a slew of new "generative AI" tools making it cheap and easy to create convincing deepfakes. ALSO READ | Users say Facebook's new AI-generated stickers are problematic Meta has already been blocking its user-facing Meta AI virtual assistant from creating photo-realistic images of public figures, and its top policy executive, Nick Clegg, said last month that the use of generative AI in political advertising was "clearly an area where we need to update our rules." The company's new policy will not require disclosures when the digital content is "inconsequential or immaterial to the claim, assertion, or issue raised in the ad," including image size adjusting, cropping an image, colour correction, or image sharpening, it said.

Meta to require disclosures for AI-created, altered political ads

In a rarely-heard accident, a robot crushed a man to death in South Korea after it was not able to differentiate him from the food boxes it was handling, stated media reports. 
 
The incident took place when the man,&nbsp;an employee in a robotics company and in his 40s, was carrying out the inspection of the robot.

<h2>Robot confused man with a box of vegetables</h2>

The robotic arm took the man for a box of vegetables and grabbed him mistakenly. It then pushed him over the conveyor belt which led to his face and chest getting crushed by the machine, stated South Korean news agency Yonhap. 
 
The man was rushed to the hospital, however, he later succumbed to his injuries.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/humanoid-robots-to-shape-future-of-chinese-economy-ministry-hints-so-654841">Humanoid robots to shape future of Chinese economy? Ministry hints so</a>

As reported by Yonhap, the robot was given the responsibility of picking boxes of peppers and shifting them onto pallets. 
 
The man was checking the sensor operations of the robot before its test run at the pepper sorting plant located in South Gyeongsang province which was to be held on Wednesday (Nov 8), stated the agency while quoting police. 
 
Originally, the test had to be carried out on November 6 but was postponed to two days because of problems with the sensor of the robot.

WATCH |&nbsp;Dark side of Artificial Intelligence

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/dark-side-of-artificial-intelligence-648560/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The man, who worked in a company which manufactured the robotic arm, was running checks on various machines late into the night on Wednesday when the robot malfunctioned. 
 
After the incident, an official from the Donggoseong Export Agricultural Complex, in a statement, said that there is a need to establish a "precise and safe" system. 
 
The Donggoseong Export Agricultural Complex is the owner of the plant. In March, a South Korean man, who was in his 50s, was seriously injured after a robot trapped him when he was working at an automobile parts manufacturing plant.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a rarely-heard accident, a robot crushed a man to death in South Korea after it was not able to differentiate him from the food boxes it was handling, stated media reports.

In a rarely-heard accident, a robot crushed a man to death in South Korea after it was not able to differentiate him from the food boxes it was handling, stated media reports. The incident took place when the man, an employee in a robotics company and in his 40s, was carrying out the inspection of the robot. Robot confused man with a box of vegetables The robotic arm took the man for a box of vegetables and grabbed him mistakenly. It then pushed him over the conveyor belt which led to his face and chest getting crushed by the machine, stated South Korean news agency Yonhap. The man was rushed to the hospital, however, he later succumbed to his injuries. ALSO READ | Humanoid robots to shape future of Chinese economy? Ministry hints so As reported by Yonhap, the robot was given the responsibility of picking boxes of peppers and shifting them onto pallets. The man was checking the sensor operations of the robot before its test run at the pepper sorting plant located in South Gyeongsang province which was to be held on Wednesday (Nov 8), stated the agency while quoting police. Originally, the test had to be carried out on November 6 but was postponed to two days because of problems with the sensor of the robot. WATCH | Dark side of Artificial Intelligence The man, who worked in a company which manufactured the robotic arm, was running checks on various machines late into the night on Wednesday when the robot malfunctioned. After the incident, an official from the Donggoseong Export Agricultural Complex, in a statement, said that there is a need to establish a "precise and safe" system. The Donggoseong Export Agricultural Complex is the owner of the plant. In March, a South Korean man, who was in his 50s, was seriously injured after a robot trapped him when he was working at an automobile parts manufacturing plant. (With inputs from agencies)

Technology devouring humans? Robot crushes man to death in South Korea

India's Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has announced the country's ambitious plans for digital transformation.&nbsp;

Speaking at the recently-concluded global AI summit in London, Chandrasekhar highlighted India's significant progress in digitising its economy over the past eight years, from 4.5 per cent to about 20 per cent of total GDP by 2025-26.&nbsp;

As of now, 11 per cent of India's GDP is digitised. "The digital economy and the innovation economy are growing 2.5 or three times faster than the non-digital part of the GDP," ANI quoted Chandrasekhar as saying.&nbsp;

International digital ministers, technology leaders, esteemed academics, and representatives from civil society gathered for the two-day summit. They discussed the shared risks arising from emergent AI technology and potential mitigation strategies.&nbsp;

Chandrasekhar emphasised the importance of international collaboration and dialogues between countries, asserting their crucial role in shaping the future of technology.&nbsp;

"The future of tech, whether it be innovation, partnerships, or institutional framework for regulating technology, should be driven by a coalition of nations rather than just one or two countries," media reports quoted him as saying. &nbsp;

Chandrasekhar also stressed the significance of digital advancements as real objectives and described artificial intelligence as a catalyst that can accelerate growth, governance, and the digital economy.

(With inputs from agencies)

India's Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has announced the country's ambitious plans for digital transformation.

India's Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has announced the country's ambitious plans for digital transformation. Speaking at the recently-concluded global AI summit in London, Chandrasekhar highlighted India's significant progress in digitising its economy over the past eight years, from 4.5 per cent to about 20 per cent of total GDP by 2025-26. As of now, 11 per cent of India's GDP is digitised. "The digital economy and the innovation economy are growing 2.5 or three times faster than the non-digital part of the GDP," ANI quoted Chandrasekhar as saying. International digital ministers, technology leaders, esteemed academics, and representatives from civil society gathered for the two-day summit. They discussed the shared risks arising from emergent AI technology and potential mitigation strategies. Chandrasekhar emphasised the importance of international collaboration and dialogues between countries, asserting their crucial role in shaping the future of technology. "The future of tech, whether it be innovation, partnerships, or institutional framework for regulating technology, should be driven by a coalition of nations rather than just one or two countries," media reports quoted him as saying. Chandrasekhar also stressed the significance of digital advancements as real objectives and described artificial intelligence as a catalyst that can accelerate growth, governance, and the digital economy. (With inputs from agencies)

India aims to digitise 20 per cent of GDP by 2025-26: Rajeev Chandrasekhar 

United States President Joe Biden, on Monday (Oct 30) signed an ambitious executive order amid a rise in concerns about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) which has sought to reduce the risks which the technology poses to consumers, workers, minority groups and national security.

The executive order signed at the White House requires developers of AI systems that pose risks to the country’s national security, public health or safety and economy to share the results of the safety tests and other information with the US government, in line with the Defense Production Act, before launching it to the public.&nbsp;

<h2>AI is all around us: Biden</h2>

Prior to signing the order, the US president said, “AI is all around us,” and that the technology is driving change at “warp speed”. He also noted AI carries tremendous potential as well as perils and to “realize the promise of AI and avoid the risk, we need to govern this technology.”

He added, “In the wrong hands AI can make it easier for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the software that makes our society run.”

In line with the new order, the country’s Commerce Department will “develop guidance for content authentication and watermarking” for labelling items that are generated by AI, said the White House.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is tasked with creating standards to ensure AI tools are safe and secure before they are released to the public.&nbsp;

The government agencies, in line with the order signed, have also been asked to set standards for AI-related testing and address related chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cybersecurity risks.&nbsp;

Notably, the new order also goes beyond the voluntary commitments made by tech giants and AI companies, including OpenAI, Alphabet, and Meta, which promised to watermark AI-generated content to make the technology safer.

<h2>An ‘urgent issue’</h2>

“We can’t move at a normal government pace,” White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients recalled the US president giving his staff a directive while formulating the executive order and asking them to move with urgency. He added, “We have to move as fast, if not faster, than the technology itself.”&nbsp;

Biden believes that the government was late to address the risks of social media and now American youth are grappling with mental issues related it to, reported the Associated Press.&nbsp;

Therefore, while AI has the positive ability to accelerate cancer research, help us understand the impacts of climate change and more, it could also warp basic notions of truth with fake images, and worsen racial and social inequalities.&nbsp;

The guidance within the order is to be implemented and fulfilled over the range of 90 days to 365 days.&nbsp;

Previously, US officials have warned that AI can heighten the risk of bias and civil rights violations.&nbsp;

Therefore, Biden’s executive order has also sought to call for guidance to landlords, federal benefits programs and federal contractors “to keep AI algorithms from being used to exacerbate discrimination,” said the White House.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
 
&nbsp;

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United States President Joe Biden, on Monday (Oct 30) signed an ambitious executive order amid a rise in concerns about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) which has sought to reduce the risks which the technology poses to consumers, workers, minority groups and national security.

United States President Joe Biden, on Monday (Oct 30) signed an ambitious executive order amid a rise in concerns about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) which has sought to reduce the risks which the technology poses to consumers, workers, minority groups and national security. The executive order signed at the White House requires developers of AI systems that pose risks to the country’s national security, public health or safety and economy to share the results of the safety tests and other information with the US government, in line with the Defense Production Act, before launching it to the public. AI is all around us: Biden Prior to signing the order, the US president said, “AI is all around us,” and that the technology is driving change at “warp speed”. He also noted AI carries tremendous potential as well as perils and to “realize the promise of AI and avoid the risk, we need to govern this technology.” He added, “In the wrong hands AI can make it easier for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in the software that makes our society run.” In line with the new order, the country’s Commerce Department will “develop guidance for content authentication and watermarking” for labelling items that are generated by AI, said the White House. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Standards and Technology is tasked with creating standards to ensure AI tools are safe and secure before they are released to the public. The government agencies, in line with the order signed, have also been asked to set standards for AI-related testing and address related chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and cybersecurity risks. Notably, the new order also goes beyond the voluntary commitments made by tech giants and AI companies, including OpenAI, Alphabet, and Meta, which promised to watermark AI-generated content to make the technology safer. An ‘urgent issue’ “We can’t move at a normal government pace,” White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients recalled the US president giving his staff a directive while formulating the executive order and asking them to move with urgency. He added, “We have to move as fast, if not faster, than the technology itself.” Biden believes that the government was late to address the risks of social media and now American youth are grappling with mental issues related it to, reported the Associated Press. Therefore, while AI has the positive ability to accelerate cancer research, help us understand the impacts of climate change and more, it could also warp basic notions of truth with fake images, and worsen racial and social inequalities. The guidance within the order is to be implemented and fulfilled over the range of 90 days to 365 days. Previously, US officials have warned that AI can heighten the risk of bias and civil rights violations. Therefore, Biden’s executive order has also sought to call for guidance to landlords, federal benefits programs and federal contractors “to keep AI algorithms from being used to exacerbate discrimination,” said the White House. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US President Biden signs sweeping executive order to regulate AI

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