Economic Archives | Page 238 of 684 | Digital Watch Observatory

Travellers claim ChatGPT helps cut flight costs by hundreds of pounds

ChatGPT is increasingly used as a travel assistant, with some travellers claiming it can save hundreds of pounds on flights. Finance influencer Casper Opala shares cost-saving tips online and said the AI tool helped him secure a flight for £70 that initially cost more than £700.

Opala shared a series of prompts that allow ChatGPT to identify hidden routes, budget airlines not listed on major platforms, and potential savings through alternative airports or separate bookings. He also suggested using the tool to monitor prices for several days or compare one-way fares with return tickets.

While many money-saving tricks have existed for years, ChatGPT condenses the process, collecting results in seconds. Opala says this efficiency is a strong starting point for cheaper travel deals.

Experts, however, warn that ChatGPT is not connected to live flight booking systems. TravelBook’s Laura Pomer noted that the AI can sometimes present inaccurate or outdated fares, meaning users should always verify results before booking.

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NFL adds Microsoft Copilot to sidelines

The NFL has begun deploying Microsoft Copilot across all 32 clubs to support faster and more intelligent decision-making during games. Over 2,500 Surface Copilot+ devices have been distributed to coaches, analysts and staff for use on the sidelines and in the booth.

Teams now have access to AI-powered tools like a GitHub Copilot filter that quickly pulls key moments, such as penalties or fumbles, reducing the need to scrub through footage manually. Microsoft 365 Copilot also supports analysts with real-time trend spotting in Excel dashboards during matches.

To ensure reliability, Microsoft has provided hard-wired carts for connectivity even when Wi-Fi drops. These systems are linked to secure Windows servers managed by the NFL, safeguarding critical game data under various stadium conditions.

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said the team has embraced the changes, calling Copilot ‘a valuable tool’ for navigating the pressure of real-time decisions. NFL leadership echoed his optimism, framing AI as essential to the future of the sport.

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Brave uncovers vulnerability in Perplexity’s Comet that risked sensitive user data

Perplexity’s AI-powered browser, Comet, was found to have a serious vulnerability that could have exposed sensitive user data through indirect prompt injection, according to researchers at Brave, a rival browser company.

The flaw stemmed from how Comet handled webpage-summarisation requests. By embedding hidden instructions on websites, attackers could trick the browser’s large language model into executing unintended actions, such as extracting personal emails or accessing saved passwords.

Brave researchers demonstrated how the exploit could bypass traditional protections, such as the same-origin policy, showing scenarios where attackers gained access to Gmail or banking data by manipulating Comet into following malicious cues.

Brave disclosed the vulnerability to Perplexity on 11 August, but stated that it remained unfixed when they published their findings on 20 August. Perplexity later confirmed to CNET that the flaw had been patched, and Brave was credited for working with them to resolve it.

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Jetson AGX Thor brings Blackwell-powered compute to robots and autonomous vehicles

Nvidia has introduced Jetson AGX Thor, its Blackwell-powered robotics platform that succeeds the 2022 Jetson Orin. Designed for autonomous driving, factory robots, and humanoid machines, it comes in multiple models, with a DRIVE OS kit for vehicles scheduled for release in September.

Thor delivers 7.5 times more AI compute, 3.1 times greater CPU performance, and double the memory of Orin. The flagship Thor T5000 offers up to 2,070 teraflops of AI compute, paired with 128 GB of memory, enabling the execution of generative AI models and robotics workloads at the edge.

The platform supports Nvidia’s Isaac, Metropolis, and Holoscan systems, and features multi-instance GPU capabilities that enable the simultaneous execution of multiple AI models. It is compatible with Hugging Face, PyTorch, and leading AI models from OpenAI, Google, and other sources.

Adoption has begun, with Boston Dynamics utilising Thor for Atlas and firms such as Volvo, Aurora, and Gatik deploying DRIVE AGX Thor in their vehicles. Nvidia stresses it supports robot-makers rather than building robots, with robotics still a small but growing part of its business.

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Silicon Valley moves to influence AI policy

Silicon Valley insiders are preparing to pour over $100 million into next year’s US midterm elections to influence AI policy. The super-PAC Leading the Future, backed by Andreessen Horowitz and Greg Brockman, seeks to impact AI policy and limit strict regulation.

Leading the Future targets battleground states such as California, New York, Illinois, and Ohio. The PAC intends to fund campaigns, run extensive social media ads, and focus on politicians who support innovation-friendly ‘guardrails’ rather than heavy-handed regulation.

The initiative draws inspiration from the crypto industry’s political playbook, which successfully backed candidates aligned with its interests.

The group’s structure combines federal and state PACs with a 501(c)(4) organisation, offering flexibility and influence over both major parties. High-profile backers include Marc Andreessen, Greg Brockman, Joe Lonsdale, and Ron Conway.

Their collective goal is to ensure AI development continues without regulatory barriers that could slow American innovation and job creation.

Silicon Valley’s strategy highlights the increasing role of tech money in politics, reflecting a shift in donor priorities. The PAC’s influence may become a decisive factor in shaping AI legislation, with potential implications for the industry and broader US policy debates.

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YouTube under fire for AI video edits without creator consent

Anger grows as YouTube secretly alters some uploaded videos using machine learning. The company admitted that it had been experimenting with automated edits, which sharpen images, smooth skin, and enhance clarity, without notifying creators.

Although tools like ChatGPT or Gemini did not generate these changes, they still relied on AI.

The issue has sparked concern among creators, who argue that the lack of consent undermines trust.

YouTuber Rhett Shull publicly criticised the platform, prompting YouTube liaison Rene Ritchie to clarify that the edits were simply efforts to ‘unblur and denoise’ footage, similar to smartphone processing.

However, creators emphasise that the difference lies in transparency, since phone users know when enhancements are applied, whereas YouTube users were unaware.

Consent remains central to debates around AI adoption, especially as regulation lags and governments push companies to expand their use of the technology.

Critics warn that even minor, automatic edits can treat user videos as training material without permission, raising broader concerns about control and ownership on digital platforms.

YouTube has not confirmed whether the experiment will expand or when it might end.

For now, viewers noticing oddly upscaled Shorts may be seeing the outcome of these hidden edits, which have only fuelled anger about how AI is being introduced into creative spaces.

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CZ outlines vision for crypto and AI integration

Binance founder Changpeng ‘CZ’ Zhao shared his vision for crypto’s future, connecting digital assets with AI and recent policy changes. At WebX in Tokyo, CZ praised US crypto policy under Trump, highlighting stablecoin legislation and the Genius Act while opposing central bank digital currencies.

He argued that embracing innovation is crucial to remaining competitive globally.

CZ predicted that crypto will become the natural medium of exchange for AI, bypassing traditional fiat, banks, and credit cards. He envisaged hundreds or thousands of AI agents per person, generating a surge of microtransactions via programmable blockchain networks.

According to CZ, blockchains’ APIs are better suited than banks for interfacing with AI-driven economic activity.

Since stepping down from Binance, CZ has focused on education and advisory work. His Giggle Academy already serves 50,000 children, aiming to digitise 18 years of schooling at a fraction of government costs.

He advises at least 12 governments on crypto regulation and adoption. He also plans to mentor founders and back early-stage projects through his investment firm EZ Labs, emphasising ethical practices and long-term value creation.

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AI chatbots found unreliable in suicide-related responses, according to a new study

A new study by the RAND Corporation has raised concerns about the ability of AI chatbots to answer questions related to suicide and self-harm safely.

Researchers tested ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini with 30 different suicide-related questions, repeating each one 100 times. Clinicians assessed the queries on a scale from low to high risk, ranging from general information-seeking to dangerous requests about methods of self-harm.

The study revealed that ChatGPT and Claude were more reliable at handling low-risk and high-risk questions, avoiding harmful instructions in dangerous scenarios. Gemini, however, produced more variable results.

While all three ΑΙ chatbots sometimes responded appropriately to medium-risk questions, such as offering supportive resources, they often failed to respond altogether, leaving potentially vulnerable users without guidance.

Experts warn that millions of people now use large language models as conversational partners instead of trained professionals, which raises serious risks when the subject matter involves mental health. Instances have already been reported where AI appeared to encourage self-harm or generate suicide notes.

The RAND team stressed that safeguards are urgently needed to prevent such tools from producing harmful content in response to sensitive queries.

The study also noted troubling inconsistencies. ChatGPT and Claude occasionally gave inappropriate details when asked about hazardous methods, while Gemini refused even basic factual queries about suicide statistics.

Researchers further observed that ChatGPT showed reluctance to recommend therapeutic resources, often avoiding direct mention of safe support channels.

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xAI accuses Apple and OpenAI of blocking competition in AI

Elon Musk’s xAI has filed a lawsuit in Texas accusing Apple and OpenAI of colluding to stifle competition in the AI sector.

The case alleges that both companies locked up markets to maintain monopolies, making it harder for rivals like X and xAI to compete.

The dispute follows Apple’s 2024 deal with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri and other apps on its devices. According to the lawsuit, Apple’s exclusive partnership with OpenAI has prevented fair treatment of Musk’s products within the App Store, including the X app and xAI’s Grok app.

Musk previously threatened legal action against Apple over antitrust concerns, citing the company’s alleged preference for ChatGPT.

Musk, who acquired his social media platform X in a $45 billion all-stock deal earlier in the year, is seeking billions of dollars in damages and a jury trial. The legal action highlights Musk’s ongoing feud with OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman.

Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI who left in 2018 after disagreements with Altman, has repeatedly criticised the company’s shift to a profit-driven model. He is also pursuing separate litigation against OpenAI and Altman over that transition in California.

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Bitcoin price drops after whale sell-off while Ethereum holds

Bitcoin price weakened sharply after a $2.7 billion whale sell-off sparked automated liquidations, pushing the cryptocurrency toward key support near $110,500. Over $846 million in liquidations doubled the total crypto capitalisation to about $3.83 trillion.

Indicators suggest short-term volatility and choppy price action.

Technical metrics highlight the divergence between Bitcoin and Ethereum. Bitcoin’s ADX at 16 and RSI near 42 signal low trend conviction and growing selling pressure, while the Squeeze Momentum Indicator points to potential volatility ahead.

Ethereum remains comparatively resilient, with an ADX around 41, a bullish 50–200 EMA spread, and RSI near 59, supporting continued positive momentum.

Traders are advised to emphasise risk management amid elevated uncertainty. Key Bitcoin support levels sit at $110,500 and $107,000–$107,600, with resistance at $116,000 and $120,000. Ethereum support ranges from $4,194 to $4,400, while immediate resistance reaches $4,954.

Tightening stop-losses, reducing leverage, and waiting for confirmed volatility resolution are recommended before initiating new positions.

The recent whale-induced volatility demonstrates how a large order can swiftly impact market dynamics. While Bitcoin shows fragile trend conditions, Ethereum’s technical strength provides a measure of stability.

Monitoring indicators and key levels remains essential for navigating the current environment.

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