Artificial intelligence Archives | Page 469 of 694

New AI tool helps spot cataracts in babies

A groundbreaking medical device designed to detect cataracts in newborns is being enhanced with the help of AI. The Neocam, a handheld digital imaging tool created by Addenbrooke’s eye surgeon, Dr Louise Allen, allows midwives to take photos of a baby’s eyes to spot congenital cataracts — the leading cause of preventable childhood blindness.

A new AI feature under development will instantly assess whether a photo is clear enough for diagnosis, streamlining the process and reducing the need for retakes. The improvements are being developed by Cambridgeshire-based consultancy 42 Technology (42T), whose software engineers train a machine-learning model using a vast dataset of 46,000 anonymised images.

The AI project is backed by an innovation grant from Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) to make Neocam more accurate and accessible, especially in areas with limited specialist care. Neocam is currently being trialled in maternity units across the UK as part of a large-scale study called DIvO, where over 140,000 babies will have their eyes screened using both traditional methods and the new device.

Although the final results are not expected until 2027, early findings suggest Neocam has already identified rare visual conditions that would have otherwise gone undetected. Dr Allen emphasised the importance of collaboration and public support for the project, saying that the AI-enhanced Neocam could make early detection of eye conditions more reliable worldwide.

Why does it matter?

With growing support from institutions like the National Institute for Health and Care Research and ACT, this innovation could significantly improve childhood eye care across both urban and remote settings.

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Benchmark backlash hits Meta’s Maverick model

Meta’s latest open-source language model, Llama 4 Maverick, has ranked poorly on a widely used AI benchmark after the company was criticised for initially using a heavily modified, unreleased version to boost its results.

LM Arena, the platform where the performance was measured, has since updated its rules and retested Meta’s vanilla version.

The plain Maverick model, officially named ‘Llama-4-Maverick-17B-128E-Instruct,’ placed behind older competitors such as OpenAI’s GPT-4o, Anthropic’s Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and Google’s Gemini 1.5 Pro.

Meta admitted that the stronger-performing variant used earlier had been ‘optimised for conversationality,’ which likely gave it an unfair advantage in LM Arena’s human-rated comparisons.

Although LM Arena’s reliability as a performance gauge has been questioned, the controversy has raised concerns over transparency and benchmarking practices in the AI industry.

Meta has since released its open-source model to developers, encouraging them to customise it for real-world use and provide feedback.

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AI voice hacks put fake Musk and Zuckerberg at crosswalks

Crosswalk buttons in several Californian cities have been hacked to play AI-generated voices impersonating tech moguls Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, delivering bizarre and satirical messages to pedestrians.

The spoof messages, which mock the CEOs with lines like ‘Can we be friends?’ and ‘Cooking our grandparents’ brains with AI slop,’ have been heard in Palo Alto, Redwood City, and Menlo Park.

US Palo Alto officials confirmed that 12 intersections were affected and the audio systems have since been disabled.

While the crosswalk signals themselves remain operational, authorities are investigating how the hack was carried out. Similar issues are being addressed in nearby cities, with local governments moving quickly to secure the compromised systems.

The prank, which uses AI voice cloning, appears to layer these spoofed messages on top of the usual accessibility features rather than replacing them entirely.

Though clearly comedic in intent, the incident has raised concerns about the growing ease with which public systems can be manipulated using generative technologies.

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Microsoft users at risk from tax-themed cyberattack

As the US tax filing deadline of April 15 approaches, cybercriminals are ramping up phishing attacks designed to exploit the urgency many feel during this stressful period.

Windows users are particularly at risk, as attackers are targeting Microsoft account credentials by distributing emails disguised as tax-related reminders.

These emails include a PDF attachment titled ‘urgent reminder,’ which contains a malicious QR code. Once scanned, it leads users through fake bot protection and CAPTCHA checks before prompting them to enter their Microsoft login details, details that are then sent to a server controlled by criminals.

Security researchers, including Peter Arntz from Malwarebytes, warn that the email addresses in these fake login pages are already pre-filled, making it easier for unsuspecting victims to fall into the trap.

Entering your password at this stage could hand your credentials to malicious actors, possibly operating from Russia, who may exploit your account for maximum profit.

The form of attack takes advantage of both the ticking tax clock and the stress many feel trying to meet the deadline, encouraging impulsive and risky clicks.

Importantly, this threat is not limited to Windows users or those filing taxes by the April 15 deadline. As phishing techniques become more advanced through the use of AI and automated smartphone farms, similar scams are expected to persist well beyond tax season.

The IRS rarely contacts individuals via email and never to request sensitive information through links or attachments, so any such message should be treated with suspicion instead of trust.

To stay safe, users are urged to remain vigilant and avoid clicking on links or scanning codes from unsolicited emails. Instead of relying on emails for tax updates or returns, go directly to official websites.

The IRS offers resources to help recognise and report scams, and reviewing this guidance could be an essential step in protecting your personal information, not just today, but in the months ahead.

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ChatGPT hits 800 million users after viral surge

ChatGPT’s user base has doubled in recent weeks, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman estimating up to 800 million people now use the platform weekly.

Speaking at TED 2025, Altman confirmed the surge during an on-stage conversation, acknowledging the figure after being pressed by TED curator Chris Anderson. He suggested the user growth was accelerating rapidly, describing the adoption as covering around 10% of the global population.

The platform’s popularity has soared thanks to viral new features, including a March update that introduced Ghibli mode—an image and video generator inspired by the animation style of Studio Ghibli.

Altman noted that this single feature drew in a million users within an hour of launch. When asked about artist compensation, he said OpenAI may eventually offer automatic payments to creators whose styles are used in prompts, though safeguards remain in place to avoid generating copyrighted material.

Other major updates include the rollout of a memory function that allows ChatGPT to remember user interactions indefinitely, making it a more personalised assistant over time. Altman also spoke about the development of autonomous AI agents capable of acting on users’ behalf, framed with safety guardrails.

While acknowledging fears of AI replacing human jobs, he encouraged a view of AI as a tool to unlock greater capabilities rather than a threat to livelihoods.

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Creators get AI-made background music on YouTube

YouTube has introduced a new AI-powered tool that creates free background music for video creators, helping them avoid copyright issues. The feature, known as Music Assistant, was showcased on YouTube’s Creator Insider channel and is designed to match music to a video’s tone using simple text prompts.

Users can enter descriptions such as ‘uplifting and motivational music for a workout montage’, and the tool will generate several suitable tracks for review and download. Music Assistant is currently available within YouTube’s Creator Music beta section and is being rolled out gradually to those with access.

YouTube’s move follows broader industry trends, with companies like Stability AI and Meta also developing similar music-generating technologies.

The platform has already been experimenting with AI music through features like Dream Track and a music remixer for Shorts, allowing further creative flexibility for users.

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AI could be Geneva’s lifeline in times of crisis

International Geneva is at a crossroads. With mounting budget cuts, declining trust in multilateralism, and growing geopolitical tensions, the city’s role as a hub for global cooperation is under threat.

In his thought-provoking blog, ‘Don’t waste the crisis: How AI can help reinvent International Geneva’, Jovan Kurbalija, Executive Director of Diplo, argues that AI could offer a way forward—not as a mere technological upgrade but as a strategic tool for transforming the city’s institutions and reviving its humanitarian spirit. Kurbalija envisions AI as a means to re-skill Geneva’s workforce, modernise its organisations, and preserve its vast yet fragmented knowledge base.

With professions such as translators, lawyers, and social scientists potentially playing pivotal roles in shaping AI tools, the city can harness its multilingual, highly educated population for a new kind of innovation. A bottom-up approach is key: practical steps like AI apprenticeships, micro-learning platforms, and ‘AI sandboxes’ would help institutions adapt at their own pace while avoiding the pitfalls of top-down tech imposition.

Organisations must also rethink how they operate. AI offers the chance to cut red tape, lighten the administrative burden on NGOs, and flatten outdated hierarchies in favour of more agile, data-driven decision-making.

At the same time, Geneva can lead by example in ethical AI governance—by ensuring accountability, protecting human rights and knowledge, and defending what Kurbalija calls our ‘right to imperfection’ in an increasingly optimised world. Ultimately, Geneva’s challenge is not technological—it’s organisational.

As AI tools become cheaper and more accessible, the real work lies in how institutions and communities embrace change. Kurbalija proposes a dedicated Geneva AI Fund to support apprenticeships, ethical projects, and local initiatives. He argues that this crisis could be Geneva’s opportunity to reinvent itself for survival and to inspire a global model of human-centred AI governance.

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Mood-based AI search tool tested by Netflix

Netflix is testing a new AI-powered search tool that could transform how users discover content on the platform.

Developed in collaboration with OpenAI, the feature goes beyond traditional search methods by allowing subscribers to use natural language queries based on mood, themes or descriptions rather than just titles or actors.

Currently, the tool is available only to a limited number of users in Australia and New Zealand using iOS devices, with opt-in access required. Netflix plans to expand the test to more regions, including the United States, in the near future.

The move highlights the streaming giant’s growing investment in AI, which it already uses for personalised recommendations.

Despite embracing AI, Netflix has stated it does not intend to replace creatives with technology. The company has publicly acknowledged concerns from the film and television industry, promising that writers, actors, and filmmakers remain central to its content creation strategy.

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ChatGPT gets infinite memory upgrade

OpenAI is introducing a major upgrade to ChatGPT’s memory capabilities, allowing the AI to retain all previous conversations indefinitely. CEO Sam Altman described the development as a step toward making ChatGPT a more personalised assistant that better adapts to users over time.

Previous versions of the AI could only remember chats from the past few weeks, which helped with ongoing projects and stylistic consistency.

The new update goes much further, enabling ChatGPT to recall details from all prior conversations and use them to offer more tailored support, such as giving lifestyle advice or acting as a personal coach.

The feature will initially roll out to ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers, with broader availability likely in the future. However, the move has sparked some concerns around privacy, as the AI’s enhanced recall could allow anyone with account access to uncover personal details with a simple prompt.

Users may wish to take precautions, such as setting up custom instructions to limit the disclosure of sensitive information.

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UAE experts warn on AI privacy risks in art apps

A surge in AI applications transforming selfies into Studio Ghibli-style artwork has captivated social media, but UAE cybersecurity experts are raising concerns over privacy and data misuse.

Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government, warned that engaging with unofficial apps could lead to breaches or leaks of personal data. He emphasised that while AI’s benefits are clear, users must understand how their personal data is handled by these platforms.

He called for strong cybersecurity standards across all digital platforms, urging individuals to be more cautious with their data.

Media professionals are also sounding alarms. Adel Al-Rashed, an Emirati journalist, cautioned that free apps often mimic trusted platforms but could exploit user data. He advised users to stick to verified applications, noting that paid services, like ChatGPT’s Pro edition, offer stronger privacy protections.

While acknowledging the risks, social media influencer Ibrahim Al-Thahli highlighted the excitement AI brings to creative expression. He urged users to focus on education and safe engagement with the technology, underscoring the UAE’s goal to build a resilient digital economy.

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