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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Concerns over digital security have intensified after reports revealed that OpenAI’s ChatGPT has been used to generate fake identification cards.
The incident follows the recent introduction of a popular Ghibli-style feature, which led to a sharp rise in usage and viral image generation across social platforms.
Among the fakes circulating online were forged versions of India’s Aadhaar ID, created with fabricated names, photos, and even QR codes.
While the Ghibli release helped push ChatGPT past 150 million active users, the tool’s advanced capabilities have now drawn criticism.
Some users demonstrated how the AI could replicate Aadhaar and PAN cards with surprising accuracy, even using images of well-known figures like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Tesla’s Elon Musk. The ease with which these near-perfect replicas were produced has raised alarms about identity theft and fraud.
The emergence of AI-generated IDs has reignited calls for clearer AI regulation and transparency. Critics are questioning how AI systems have access to the formatting of official documents, with accusations that sensitive datasets may be feeding model development.
As generative AI continues to evolve, pressure is mounting on both developers and regulators to address the growing risk of misuse.
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The recent viral trend of AI-generated Ghibli-style images has taken the internet by storm. Using OpenAI’s GPT-4o image generator, users have been transforming photos, from historic moments to everyday scenes, into Studio Ghibli-style renditions.
A trend like this has caught the attention of notable figures, including celebrities and political personalities, sparking both excitement and controversy.
While some praise the trend for democratising art, others argue that it infringes on copyright and undermines the efforts of traditional artists. The debate intensified when Hayao Miyazaki, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli, became a focal point.
In a 2016 documentary, Miyazaki expressed his disdain for AI in animation, calling it ‘an insult to life itself’ and warning that humanity is losing faith in its creativity.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, recently addressed these concerns, acknowledging the challenges posed by AI in art but defending its role in broadening access to creative tools. Altman believes that technology empowers more people to contribute, benefiting society as a whole, even if it complicates the art world.
Miyazaki’s comments and Altman’s response highlight a growing divide in the conversation about AI and creativity. As the debate continues, the future of AI in art remains a contentious issue, balancing innovation with respect for traditional artistic practices.
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Sam Altman sparked interest among Indian users on X after praising the country’s rapid AI adoption and sharing an AI-generated image of himself playing cricket. In his 2 April post, the OpenAI CEO called India’s AI creativity an ‘explosion,’ claiming the country was outpacing the world in adoption rates.
Users questioned why Altman singled out India, with some turning to AI chatbots like Perplexity and Grok for verification. His comments followed a February visit to India, where he met IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and highlighted India as OpenAI’s second-largest market.
Altman’s remarks also came shortly after OpenAI’s GPT-4o update, which enhanced AI-generated images and illustrations. To showcase this, he shared an anime-style image of himself as a cricket player, sporting a Team India jersey.
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Bill Gates has predicted that AI will reduce work hours significantly, with two-day work weeks becoming a reality in the next decade.
His vision contrasts with views in India, where figures like Narayana Murthy and S.N. Subrahmanyan argue for longer work hours instead of reducing them, believing they are crucial for economic growth.
However, Harsh Goenka and Harish Mariwala, who focus on ambition and productivity instead of hours worked, have a different take. They stress the importance of quality instead of quantity in work hours.
Studies, such as those from Iceland and New Zealand, suggest that reduced working hours can lead to higher productivity and a better work-life balance.
In Iceland, trials reducing weekly hours from 40 to 35 saw workers feeling more energised and less stressed, while New Zealand’s Perpetual Guardian found that employees completed tasks in fewer hours, raising engagement and reducing stress.
Despite Gates’ prediction, the idea of working only two days a week seems extreme, especially considering his past work ethic.
Gates himself worked long hours instead of fewer ones during his early career, fearing mistakes could cost him his company, but he acknowledges that AI and technology have shifted the landscape.
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Joelle Pineau, the Vice President of AI research at Meta, announced she will be leaving the company by the end of May, after nearly eight years with the organisation.
Pineau, who joined Meta in 2017, has overseen key AI initiatives, including the FAIR research unit, PyTorch, and the Llama AI models.
In a LinkedIn post, Pineau reflected on her time at Meta, mentioning the creation of groundbreaking AI projects such as PyTorch, FAISS, and Roberta.
She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work alongside top AI researchers, with the aim of accelerating innovation through open-source contributions.
Pineau, also a professor at McGill University, stated that after her departure, she plans to take some time to reflect before pursuing new ventures. Her departure comes as Meta intensifies its focus on AI, including the recent launch of its Meta AI chatbot in Europe.
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Two former Meta AI executives have secured $15 million in funding for Yutori, a San Francisco-based startup focused on developing AI personal assistants.
The funding round was led by Radical Ventures, with backing from prominent investors including AI pioneer Fei-Fei Li and Google DeepMind’s Jeff Dean.
Yutori aims to create autonomous AI agents capable of executing complex online tasks without human intervention. Unlike traditional chatbots, these AI assistants will handle real-world actions, from ordering food to managing travel plans, streamlining everyday digital interactions.
The company is also advancing post-training techniques to enhance AI models’ ability to navigate the web efficiently.
With a team of experts who previously worked on Meta’s AI projects, including the development of Llama 3 and Llama 4 models, Yutori is positioning itself at the forefront of AI-driven automation.
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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday downplayed the incident in which sensitive military plans for a strike against Yemen’s Houthis were mistakenly shared in a group chat that included a journalist. Trump referred to it as ‘the only glitch in two months’ and insisted that it was ‘not a serious’ issue.
The development, which surprised him when first questioned by reporters, has sparked criticism from Democratic lawmakers accusing the administration of mishandling sensitive information.
The lapse occurred when US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz unintentionally included Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, in a group chat with 18 high-ranking officials discussing military strike plans.
Waltz admitted to the mistake and accepted full responsibility, stating that an aide had mistakenly added Goldberg’s contact to the conversation.
The incident, which took place over the Signal app, has raised concerns due to the app’s public availability and its use for discussing such sensitive matters.
While Trump continued to express support for Waltz, Democratic critics, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have voiced strong disapproval.
Clinton, commenting on the breach, highlighted the irony of the situation, given Trump’s previous criticisms of Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server for sensitive material.
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The European Commission has urged EU nations to fund Ukraine’s access to satellite internet through European commercial providers, amid growing concerns over the country’s reliance on Elon Musk’s Starlink.
The call, outlined in a newly published defence white paper, comes as Ukraine faces potential service disruptions unless it agrees to a minerals deal with the US. European satellite operators are now in talks with the EU to explore alternative solutions.
Brussels has proposed granting Kyiv access to the EU’s space programme to ensure stable connectivity for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The initiative aims to strengthen Ukraine’s resilience by diversifying its satellite-based services. Poland, which partially funds Ukraine’s Starlink access, has also backed the need for alternative providers.
Spain’s Hisdesat has confirmed plans to expand its coverage over Ukraine, while other European satellite firms, such as Eutelsat and SES, have been approached for potential involvement.
The move reflects Europe’s broader strategy to secure independent infrastructure for Ukraine and reduce dependence on private or non-EU providers.
The Commission’s proposal, if implemented, could mark a significant shift in how Kyiv maintains vital communications during the ongoing conflict.
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SpaceX has called on the US government to address trade barriers that impact its global operations, particularly its Starlink satellite service.
The company claims it faces higher costs than foreign competitors due to import duties, regulatory fees, and the need to pay foreign governments for access to spectrum.
These challenges are seen as non-tariff trade barriers that inflate operating expenses and slow the rollout of its service in many countries.
Starlink, which operates in over 120 markets worldwide, has to navigate additional hurdles in some regions, including coordination with domestic satellite operators for spectrum sharing.
SpaceX has argued that such requirements are deliberately designed to protect local competitors, making it harder for the company to offer its lower-cost, high-quality services abroad.
The call for action comes amid wider discussions about trade barriers affecting American businesses. Companies like Tesla, also owned by Elon Musk, have warned of the risks posed by retaliatory tariffs resulting from trade tensions, particularly with countries like China, Canada, and the EU.
Musk has long been involved in efforts to streamline government regulations and advocate for freer trade policies.
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