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From demons to mega behemoths: How 'monstrous' scam networks are growing
New research led by the University of Portsmouth uncovers how scammers operate worldwide, dividing them into five "monstrous" categories. Published in the International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice, the study explores how the size of scam groups, specialized roles, and involvement of corrupt actors help scams work more effectively.... Read more -
Amazon offers 1-hour and 3-hour deliveries for US customers willing to pay an extra charge
Amazon said Tuesday that it has started offering faster U.S. deliveries of selected products for a fee, including pantry staples, clothing, over-the-counter medications, cleaning supplies and electronics.... Read more -
Digital transport apps conceal layers of technical, financial and policy complexity
Digital transport technology is catching on, from apps that let you buy train tickets with a single swipe to sophisticated car-sharing systems. They may be easy to use, but such transport services often mask an array of complex technical, financial, and public-policy decisions.... Read more -
Tech companies are blaming massive layoffs on AI. What's really going on?
In the past few months, a wave of tech corporations have announced significant staff cuts and attributed them to efficiency gains driven by artificial intelligence (AI).... Read more -
Why harmful content keeps reaching children online, and what advertising has to do with it
Children today can encounter harmful material online with alarming ease, including violent, sexual and self-harm content. While this is often treated as a moderation failure, the deeper cause is economic.... Read more -
Cargo ships willing to travel farther reach greater efficiency, tanker tracking shows
In shipping, efficiency is everything. Take the shortest (safe) route between two points. Offload cargo as quickly as possible to the person who will pay you the most. Pick up your next load as fast as you can and start it all over. But the effective management of these shipping... Read more -
Who covers AI business blunders? Some insurers cautiously step up
As more businesses trust artificial intelligence "agents" to independently grow their revenues, some insurance firms are stepping in to cover any mistakes—while others are steering clear.... Read more -
Robots that learn everyday tasks can free humans from repetitive work
A robot task AI capable of learning and performing everyday repetitive tasks in a human-like manner has been developed. The AI learns tasks through human demonstrations and executes complex tasks step by step based on a hierarchical task execution framework. The technology is expected to contribute to the automation of... Read more -
Reluctance to rely on China for green technology could slow climate action
New research suggests that concerns about relying too heavily on Chinese manufacturing are shaping climate policy—and could even delay the adoption of green technologies around the world. The study by Dr. James Jackson from The University of Manchester, working alongside Dr. Mathias Larsen from the London School of Economics, examined... Read more -
Meta to acquire Moltbook, the social network for AI agents
Meta said Tuesday it is acquiring Moltbook, a social network built exclusively for artificial intelligence agents to make posts and interact with each other.... Read more -
EU parliament urges new rules to protect copyrighted work
The European Parliament on Tuesday called for new EU-wide rules to protect copyrighted content in the bloc from generative AI use.... Read more -
Europe's low-carbon fuel bet: Pipelines could reshape costs from Spain to North Africa
In a new study, researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) compare the production costs of 21 different low-carbon fuel technologies across the globe. Their analysis shows that location-specific factors, including both resource availability and financing conditions, will be decisive for the future success of a given technology.... Read more -
Anthropic supply chain risk designation could chill innovation, experts say
The Pentagon's designation of the industry-leading AI company Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" suggests that the U.S. government may be using its supply chain authority as leverage in negotiations with U.S. businesses, according to a Northeastern University expert.... Read more -
Americans don't just fear driverless cars will crash—they fear mass job losses
While much of the public debate about self-driving cars focuses on safety, a new national study from the University of California San Diego reveals Americans' doubts about driverless cars aren't just about the fear of a crash. Many Americans also fear the technology's economic ripple effects—especially job losses in driving... Read more -
'AI slop' hurts consumers and creators, but high-quality AI could help both
Wading through a sea of low-quality, AI-generated content on platforms like YouTube, Reddit, or TikTok can turn off consumers while making it hard for professional artists, writers, and other content creators to stand out. That's according to a new study outlining the market effects of unleashing AI on creative endeavors,... Read more -
Power outages cost US electricity customers billions
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have provided the first comprehensive analysis of the specific costs of power outages to local customers across the nation. It found that the average yearly cost of major outages topped $67 billion over the past seven years.... Read more -
Hardware for humanoid robots: New perspectives for industrial value creation in Europe
Humanoid robots are currently developing at a rapid pace. The predicted growth potential is enormous. They are set to replace and even surpass the automotive industry in terms of market potential. And in the media and at trade fairs, they are the prime example of "embodied AI," i.e., the complete... Read more -
Power producers have financial incentives to block market integration despite cost savings, says study
Renewable energy is lowering electricity costs in some parts of the country, but those benefits aren't being seen by consumers everywhere because they're typically placed far away from demand centers. Better integrating electricity transmission networks across regions could significantly reduce generation costs, new research from the University of Michigan shows—at... Read more -
Green hydrogen drive could backfire without supply chain overhaul, study says
Green hydrogen—the cornerstone of net zero strategies around the world—could fail in becoming a truly sustainable fuel unless countries rapidly decarbonize their energy grids, according to research led by the University of Sheffield. In a study published in the journal Communications Sustainability, researchers have highlighted the decisive role that national... Read more -
When will the price be right for green hydrogen in New Zealand?
Green hydrogen could help cut New Zealand's industrial emissions, but University of Auckland modeling suggests it's unlikely to make a dent by 2050, with electrification doing most of the heavy lifting. This is mainly due to costs, infrastructure, policy and behavioral factors, according to research led by Business School masters... Read more -
How China is betting cheap AI will get the world hooked on its tech
Artificial intelligence (AI) is at a very Chinese time in its life. Recent moves from Chinese AI labs are throwing the dominance of American "frontier labs" such as Google and OpenAI into question.... Read more -
What is causing the RAM shortage? Chip and supply chain experts explain
Pay any attention to the computer market these days and one thing becomes abundantly clear: RAM—or Random-Access Memory—has gotten pretty expensive. Memory prices have already surged approximately 90% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the fourth quarter of 2025, according to research firm Counterpoint Technology Market Research.... Read more -
Michael Caine's voice is iconic: Why would he sell that to AI?
Few actors are imitated as often as Michael Caine. Even Michael Caine has imitated Michael Caine. His voice has been used in birthday card greetings and been the source of jokes in various comedy sketches. It is synonymous with a certain type of Britishness.... Read more -
Understanding the data center building boom
As artificial intelligence (AI) drives explosive growth in data centers, communities across the U.S. are facing rising electricity costs, new industrial development, and mounting strain on an aging power grid.... Read more -
Local water supply crucial to success of hydrogen initiative in Europe, study shows
Green hydrogen is considered to be an important part of the global climate transition, especially as a fuel and energy carrier for heavy transport and industry. However, large-scale green hydrogen production requires sustainable ways of managing water resources to avoid giving rise to water shortages and conflicts with agriculture over... Read more -
Unlocking the 'urban mine': A path to US mineral sovereignty through e-waste
Inside America's junk drawers sits an untapped fortune, and a national and economic security solution. As the global race for critical minerals intensifies, University of Houston researchers have unveiled a breakthrough supply chain model designed to transform e-waste from a mounting environmental hazard into a stable, domestic engine for the... Read more -
YouTube exec says goal was viewer value not addiction
A landmark social media addiction trial resumed Monday with a YouTube executive insisting that the Google-owned company's aim was to give people value, not hook them on harmful binge-viewing.... Read more -
Social media can be addictive even for adults, but there are ways to cut back
Social media addiction has been compared to casinos, opioids and cigarettes.... Read more -
Will you notice this ad? New AI model predicts attention from content context
Researchers at the University of Maryland and Tilburg University in the Netherlands have produced an AI-driven innovation to reshape how marketers place digital ads. AdGazer, a predictive tool, evaluates both an advertisement and the media environment around it to forecast how much attention viewers will give. The result, they say,... Read more -
Nvidia nears deal for scaled-down investment in OpenAI: Report
Nvidia is on the cusp of investing $30 billion in OpenAI, scaling back a plan to pump $100 billion into the ChatGPT maker, the Financial Times reported Thursday.... Read more -
Google Gemini, Apple add music-focused generative AI features
Alphabet Inc.'s Google and Apple Inc. are adding music-focused generative artificial intelligence features to their core consumer apps, underscoring how advanced AI tools are moving into mainstream use.... Read more -
Cyber-attacks could disrupt smart factories by targeting time itself
A cyber-attack does not always need to steal data or shut systems down to cause damage. Sometimes it only needs to shift the clock. Researchers at the University of East London (UEL), in collaboration with industry, have identified a critical weakness in the timing systems that keep modern automated industries... Read more -
OpenAI blocked from using Cameo name for its AI video features
OpenAI has been temporarily blocked from using the word "Cameo" in a product that allows people to generate videos based on prompts amid a trademark dispute.... Read more -
Can Europe be climate-neutral by 2050? New monitor tracks the pace of the energy transition
The EU is expected to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. How far along is it? "At its core, we simply don't know. We have a good picture of the supply side—how quickly wind turbines are being erected, grids expanded, and storage capacity increased. But there are no official figures on... Read more -
Augmented reality menus may help restaurants attract more customers, improve brand perceptions
Restaurants looking for new ways to engage and inform customers may benefit from incorporating augmented reality (AR) technology into their menus, according to new research from Washington State University. The study, published in the International Journal of Hospitality Management, finds that AR menus can significantly increase customers' interest in visiting... Read more -
US tech giants announce India deals at AI summit
Google said it would build new subsea cables from India and chip titan Nvidia unveiled tie-ups with computing firms on Wednesday as tech giants rushed to announce deals and investments at a global AI conference in New Delhi.... Read more -
How AI can cause businesses to lose their knowledge
Over time, the loss of human expertise caused by AI use can impair the quality of that very AI—in the worst case, insidiously and unnoticed. This is the finding of a new study by researchers from the University of Passau and Arizona State University, which was recently published in the... Read more -
Digital monitoring is growing in South Africa's public service—regulation needs to catch up
Government departments across South Africa are increasingly relying on digital tools to evaluate public programs and monitor performance. This is part of broader public-sector reforms. Their aims are to improve accountability, respond to audit pressure and manage large-scale programs with limited staff and budgets.... Read more -
AI governance is not just top-down in China, research finds
China watchers arguing that Beijing's artificial intelligence controls are dependent on its authoritarian government are peddling a "stereotypical narrative," according to new research. Xuechen Chen, associate professor in politics and international relations at Northeastern University in London, has co-written a paper that explores how traditional Chinese values and commercial interests... Read more -
ByteDance vows to boost safeguards after AI model infringement claims
Chinese tech giant ByteDance said it was taking steps to "strengthen current safeguards" after Hollywood heavyweights accused its new AI video model of copyright infringement.... Read more -
All-in on AI: What TikTok creator ByteDance did next
After soaring to global attention with its hugely popular TikTok app, Chinese tech giant ByteDance is now positioning itself as a major player in the fast-evolving AI arena.... Read more -
Research shows companies can gain advantage by prioritizing customer privacy
For many companies, customer privacy is often seen as a regulatory burden that limits data use and personalization rather than as a business opportunity. Research by Natalie Chisam at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln reveals companies that handle customer data with transparency, care, and clear communication can gain a measurable competitive... Read more -
Study argues online clicks and scrolls are 'thin labor' powering AI
The approximately 5 billion people who use the internet daily leave traces of their activity behind. Companies use these data to learn user interests, purchase history, and other browsing habits, and benefit through sales, advertising, or researching user behaviors.... Read more -
Unlocking the full potential of sodium- and potassium-ion batteries
As the world is moving toward more sustainable energy solutions, the emergence of next-generation batteries is a crucial and indispensable milestone. One such next-generation battery is the lithium-ion battery (LIB), which is currently dominating the energy solutions sector.... Read more -
AI could mark the end of young people learning on the job—with terrible results
For a long time, the deal for a wide range of careers has been simple enough. Entry-level workers carried out routine tasks in return for mentorship, skill development and a clear path toward expertise. The arrangement meant that employers had affordable labor, while employees received training and a clear career... Read more -
AI could rebalance power between people and the services they use
Artificial intelligence could help people who feel overwhelmed, excluded or disadvantaged when dealing with everyday tasks like paying energy bills or booking health care appointments, according to a new study involving researchers from The University of Manchester.... Read more -
xAI sees key staff exits, Musk promises moon factories
Half of the original founding team at Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI has now departed after two co-founders resigned in rapid succession this week, raising fresh questions about talent retention ahead of an expected initial public offering.... Read more -
Scaling-up global solar panel manufacturing sustainably
As solar energy rapidly expands to meet urgent climate targets and increasing demand for electricity, the key challenge is to ensure that this transition is not just scalable but sustainable. Pioneering research led by Northumbria University shows how the renewable energy sector can scale up the production of solar energy... Read more -
Google turns to century-long debt to build AI
Google-parent Alphabet will issue bonds maturing in 100 years as it continues to invest massively in infrastructure for artificial intelligence, according to data published Tuesday by Bloomberg.... Read more -
India ramps up AI rules for social media platforms
India tightened rules regulating artificial intelligence on Tuesday, requiring social media platforms to clearly label AI content and comply with takedown requests by authorities within three hours.... Read more