178460128
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Motorola Solutions is trying something new with its AI-powered security tools. The company is introducing what it calls âoeAI nutrition labels,â designed to help users understand how artificial intelligence is being used inside its products. Itâ(TM)s a bit like the labels on food boxes, but instead of calories and sugar, youâ(TM)re getting insight into algorithms, data handling, and human oversight.
Each label will outline the type of AI being used, what it does, who owns the data, and whether there are any human checks in place. Motorola says itâ(TM)s doing this to improve transparency and build trust with customers who rely on its technology for public safety and enterprise security.
178458714
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Koske is a new Linux malware strain likely crafted with AI tools. It hides inside panda images, installs stealthy rootkits, and mines crypto across up to 18 currencies.
178450966
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Brave just made it even clearer that it puts privacy first, and I’m here for it. Starting with version 1.81 on Windows, the browser will now block Microsoft Recall from logging your activity. That means no sneaky screenshots of your browsing sessions will end up in Recall’s controversial database.
Microsoft’s Recall feature has faced heavy criticism since it was first introduced in 2024. The tool automatically captured full-screen images every few seconds and stored them locally in plaintext. It didn’t take long for privacy experts to sound the alarm. With such a setup, any malware or person with access to your machine could sift through your digital life with ease.
178438644
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
This might not come as surprise if you are currently in the workforce, but supervising Gen Z workers often feels more like babysitting than managing. Thatâ(TM)s according to a new report from ResumeTemplates.com. Based on survey responses from 1,000 U.S. managers, it paints a scary picture of frustration, hand-holding, and mismatched expectations in todayâ(TM)s multigenerational workplace.
The numbers are hard to ignore. Sixty-eight percent of surveyed managers said overseeing Gen Z employees feels more like parenting than actual leadership. More than half, 54 percent, went further and likened it to babysitting. Many managers say they spend their time walking younger workers through basic tasks, checking in multiple times a day, and explaining what older employees would already know how to do.
A full 61 percent of managers reported that their Gen Z staff require frequent guidance to complete their work. Over half say these workers often struggle with following simple instructions. One out of every three managers said they find themselves checking in four or more times a day with their youngest employees.
178437318
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Apple has officially brought its retail operation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, launching the Apple Store online and the Apple Store app with full Arabic language support. This marks the companyâ(TM)s first direct retail presence in the country, and it comes with the usual Apple polish: personalized shopping, AppleCare+, Arabic engraving, and promises of flagship physical stores starting in 2026.
But while Apple is highlighting customization and convenience, critics are pointing to something else. The optics of cozying up to a regime accused of human rights abuses, digital repression, and lingering questions about its connection to the 9/11 terror attacks.
178434380
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Open source software runs pretty much everything these days, but with that popularity comes risk. Hackers have figured out they can slip malicious code into popular packages and infect thousands of systems in one shot. Now Google is stepping in with a new initiative called OSS Rebuild, and it could be a game changer for developers and security teams alike.
Matthew Suozzo from Googleâ(TM)s Open Source Security Team introduced OSS Rebuild as a way to âoestrengthen trust in open source package ecosystems by reproducing upstream artifacts.â That means rebuilding packages like those on PyPI, npm, and Crates.io, and making sure they match the original source code. If they donâ(TM)t, it could be a sign that somethingâ(TM)s wrong.
âoeOSS Rebuild gives security teams powerful data to avoid compromise without burden on upstream maintainers,â Suozzo said. Thatâ(TM)s a key point. The tool works behind the scenes, without putting extra work on the people who publish and maintain open source packages. It automatically generates build definitions, creates provenance metadata following the SLSA Build Level 3 standard, and flags anything suspicious.
This kind of system might have caught incidents like the backdoor in xz-utils or the shady code injection in solana/webjs. OSS Rebuild looks for several types of supply chain threats, including stealthy backdoors, build environment compromises, and packages that include code not found in the public source repository. It even monitors for suspicious behavior during the build process, something thatâ(TM)s almost impossible to catch with manual review.
178419558
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
If someone wanted to destroy America, they might not need missiles or boots on the ground. Just let us build our world around AI. Let us become fully dependent on machine learning and automation. Let us give up our skills and instincts in exchange for convenience. Then wait. When the moment is right, pull the plug.
178414206
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Arch Linux just reminded us all of an uncomfortable truth: Linux isnâ(TM)t bulletproof when it comes to malware.
Earlier this week, three malicious AUR packages slipped into the ecosystem. The names might look familiar: firefox-patch-bin, librewolf-fix-bin, and zen-browser-patched-bin. Each one was quietly laced with a script that fetched a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) from a GitHub repository.
The packages were uploaded by the same user and lingered on the AUR for roughly two days. Arch acted quickly once the issue came to light. As of today, the bad packages have been fully removed from the AUR. But if you installed any of them, the damage might already be done.
178414088
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Intel has quietly pulled the plug on Clear Linux OS, officially ending support for the once-promising Linux distribution that it had backed for nearly a decade. Effective immediately, the company says it will no longer provide any updates, security patches, or maintenance for the operating system. In a final blow, the Clear Linux OS GitHub repository is now archived in read-only mode.
The move was announced with little fanfare, and for users still relying on Clear Linux OS, thereâ(TM)s no sugarcoating it⦠you need to move on. Intel is urging everyone to migrate to an actively maintained Linux distribution as soon as possible to avoid running unpatched software.
178401796
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
A new report reveals employees are feeding sensitive company data into Chinese GenAI tools like DeepSeek, leaking everything from code to financial documents.
178393238
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Meta partnered with Amrize and the University of Illinois to develop an AI-optimized concrete mix that cuts carbon by 35 percent for its new data center.
178392260
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Canonical and ESWIN Computing have teamed up to launch the EBC77 Series SBC, a developer-friendly RISC-V board that ships with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS out of the box.
Itâ(TM)s powered by a quad-core 64-bit RISC-V CPU (1.8GHz), 20TOPS NPU, LPDDR5 at 6400Mbps, and supports PCIe Gen3, USB 3.2, HDMI, Wi-Fi, and more. Canonical is clearly doubling down on RISC-V, and this board looks like a solid platform for embedded devs, educators, and Linux tinkerers.
178383990
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Blender 4.5 LTS is here with Vulkan support, faster subdivision, new nodes, and major deprecations ahead of version 5.
178380418
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
Westinghouse is diving headfirst into artificial intelligence. The company has announced a new collaboration with Google Cloud to bring powerful AI tools into nuclear construction and operations.
The goal is to streamline the process of building nuclear reactors and make plant operations more efficient. Itâ(TM)s a bold move, but it makes sense. Nuclear energy is back in focus as countries scramble to meet clean energy goals, and AI might be the missing piece to speed things up.
At the center of this effort are two Westinghouse-developed AI systems called HiVE and bertha. These tools are built on more than 75 years of Westinghouseâ(TM)s proprietary nuclear data. Now, theyâ(TM)re being enhanced by Google Cloud technologies, including Gemini, Vertex AI, and BigQuery.
âoeAs the only fully licensed, construction ready modular reactor available today, our AP1000 technology is the quickest way to add new sources of affordable and abundant nuclear energy to the U.S. grid,â said Dan Sumner, Interim CEO of Westinghouse Electric Company.
âoeBy partnering with Google Cloud to enhance our HiVE and bertha technology, and backed by 75 years of our proprietary nuclear data, we can accelerate the deployment of new AP1000 units while implementing powerful AI technologies that will optimize the construction and operations of nuclear power plants,â Sumner added.
The AP1000 modular reactor is the centerpiece of this effort. Itâ(TM)s designed for faster, repeatable construction and Westinghouse believes that AI is the key to unlocking its full potential.
Google Cloudâ(TM)s Kyle Jessen said the company is looking to demonstrate how AI can create real change.
âoeThis partnership with Westinghouse combines Google Cloudâ(TM)s AI technologies and expertise with Westinghouseâ(TM)s century-long expertise in nuclear innovation to chart a new path towards a smarter and safer future,â said Jessen.
He continued, âoeArtificial intelligence is not merely a tool; it can give companies a critical competitive advantage. Westinghouse is demonstrating whatâ(TM)s possible.â
The two companies say theyâ(TM)ve already completed a proof of concept. By combining Westinghouseâ(TM)s WNEXUS digital design platform with its HiVE AI and Googleâ(TM)s cloud tools, they claim to have autonomously generated and optimized construction work packages for AP1000 builds.
That may sound technical, but the idea is pretty straightforward. AI can automate complex tasks, reduce human error, and help standardize the building process. Nuclear plants are expensive and time-consuming. Mistakes are costly. This partnership could bring much-needed consistency to the industry.
HiVE and bertha were both introduced in September 2024. Westinghouse says they were built to optimize the deployment of its AP1000, AP300 small modular reactors, and eVinci microreactors. These AI systems are supported by real nuclear engineers, and are already being tested for real-world use.
Westinghouse is no stranger to innovation. The company built the first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957. Its tech is used in nearly half of the worldâ(TM)s active nuclear plants. Now, with over 135 years in the energy business, itâ(TM)s trying to bring nuclear into the AI age.
The idea isnâ(TM)t to replace workers. Itâ(TM)s to assist them. AI could help generate more accurate plans, avoid delays, and even spot potential problems before they happen.
Westinghouse says its AI tools are already capable of supporting current nuclear operations. That includes optimizing how electricity is delivered to homes and businesses in a more cost-effective way.
No word yet on how much these new AI-enhanced tools will cost or what the price tag looks like for utilities that want in. But if this system can reduce construction times and improve reliability, the economics could make sense.
Whether or not the rest of the nuclear industry follows is another story. But if Westinghouse and Google Cloud can deliver on this vision, we may be witnessing the start of a very different future for clean energy.
178378468
submission
BrianFagioli writes:
A new report reveals that Americans are increasingly turning to AI for emotional support, and not necessarily by choice. You see, with the cost of therapy rising and access to licensed professionals limited in many parts of the country, artificial intelligence is stepping in to fill the void.
According to a new study from Ubie Health, states like California, Texas, and New York are leading the charge in using AI companions. Tools like ChatGPT and other AI-powered apps are being used to cope with stress, anxiety, and loneliness. While that might sound like a tech-forward evolution of mental health care, the data tells a more uncomfortable story.
California ranks first in the United States for interest in AI companionship, with nearly 452,000 monthly searches for “ChatGPT” and 396 searches per 100,000 residents for “AI companion.” That is despite the state having one of the highest numbers of licensed psychologists. So why are Californians avoiding traditional therapy?
Sadly, it largely comes down to access and affordability. Therapy in California costs between $90 and $135 per session, and only 11.99 percent of adults with mental illness there actually use mental health services. The problem isn’t awareness. It’s economics.
Texas ranks second in the report, but with a very different healthcare landscape. The Lone Star State has less than half the number of psychologists compared to California and the lowest usage of mental health services in the country at just 11.74 percent. Yet Texans still log 442 monthly searches for “AI companion” per 100,000 residents. That suggests digital support is being used as a workaround rather than a preference.
New York places third, with the highest volume of ChatGPT searches overall, nearly 494,000 per month. The state leads in the number of licensed psychologists and has a slightly higher therapy usage rate of 14.55 percent. But therapy costs remain steep, ranging from $90 to $134 per session.
The study calculated a composite score using six data points, including therapy costs, psychologist availability, mental illness rates, and AI-related search interest. The resulting top ten list highlights a troubling national trend. The higher the barriers to care, the more people turn to AI.
Washington, Utah, and New Jersey all show similar patterns. In Utah, 29.19 percent of adults report mental illness, the highest among the top ten. Only 19.46 percent receive treatment. Louisiana logs the highest number of searches for AI companionship, despite having just 13.2 psychologists per 100,000 residents.
The underlying issue isn’t just about technological optimism. People are frustratingly stuck. AI isn’t replacing therapy because it is better. It is replacing therapy because, for many, it is all that is available.
Mental health parity laws were supposed to guarantee equal insurance coverage for mental and physical healthcare. However, enforcement has been weakened. The Trump administration paused key regulations, leaving millions of Americans navigating emotional distress without affordable or accessible help.
Kota Kubo, CEO of Ubie Health, put it bluntly: “People are increasingly using AI companions to fill emotional support gaps, especially where therapy is expensive or harder to access.”
That might sound like a win for technology. But when the alternative is a broken system, it is not really a choice.
As AI tools become more humanlike and easier to access, they may become a permanent fixture in emotional support. That is true even if they were never meant to replace professional care. While some users may find comfort in digital empathy, the growing reliance on these tools raises big questions about privacy, ethics, and what society is willing to accept as “good enough” when it comes to mental health.
