Geek News

New Instagram Feature Allows You Control Over Your Reels Algorithm

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

Instagram has quietly begun rolling out a new “Your Algorithm,” control panel for Reels that allows users to utilizes an AI based interface to control which topics and subjects show up most often in their reels — and lets you tweak them in real time.

When you’re watching Reels, look for the icon in the upper right corner (two lines with hearts). Tap it to open Your Algorithm. You can see what topics we think you’re interested in, tell us which topics you want to see more or less of, and your recommendations will adapt.

See your top interests: View a summary of the topics Instagram thinks you care about most, right at the top.
Tune your preferences: Type in the topics you want to see more or less of, and your Reels will reflect your choices.
Share your algorithm: If you’d like, you can share your interests to your Story, so friends and followers can see what you’re into.

After a few weeks of testing on our @TechSweepstakes page I'll say I haven't noticed much difference. However, our content consumption on that page is rather limited and restricted to mostly tech related content anyways. Still the feature is nice to have as it learns I'm assuming it will become more intuitive and will allow me to restrict some content that I simply don't care to see!

Robotics Trends To Watch In 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000

2025 has been a breakout year in robotics and we expect that growth to be even stronger in 2026!

China leads a massive robotic surge with growth expected to reach new levels in 2026. More than 82% of the 300+ global robotics investment deals in the first half of 2025 occurred in China, with total financing topping at least 20B yuan (~$2.7 B). State-backed funds have earmarked some 70B yuan (about $9.7B) for humanoids and robot initiatives, while pushing robotics into public spaces. Companies like Unitree (eyeing a $7B IPO), Agibot, and EngineAI closed massive rounds, with Unitree slashing prices to $5,900 for its R1 humanoid. Even Elon Musk has warned that in humanoids “positions two through ten could all be Chinese companies.” China now produces 70–80% of global planetary roller screws — the critical actuator component that Tesla, Figure, and 1X all depend on.

Humanoid bots go mainstream - will you see one in your house in 2026?

Big industrial customers began running serious pilots, testing humanoids on warehouse lines, with 1X’s Neo moving into homes (but with a major caveat).
Tesla, Figure, Agility, Apptronik, and 1X shifted focus from viral clips to reliability, safety, and per-hour economics in real customer environments. Tesla is set to begin mass production of their Tesla Optimus by the end of next year
Tooling, components, and software platforms around humanoids matured, from actuators and battery packs to “generalist” control and vision models.
China turned humanoids into industrial policy, dangling pilots to push domestic players toward large-scale deployment by the end of the decade.
Analysts are estimating the market will be worth more than $5 trillion by 2050

Robotaxis hit real streets with mixed results! 2026 we expect fewer Uber and Lyft drivers and more driverless cars.

Waymo began weaving freeway driving into routes across Phoenix, San Francisco, and LA, stretching its service to San Jose with 24/7 airport pickup.
Amazon’s robotaxi subsidiary Zoox launched its custom vehicles in Las Vegas — no steering wheel, no pedals, just two rows of seats for 4 passengers.
Tesla just started testing empty robotaxis on Austin streets this past weekend, with no safety monitor in the passenger seat.
China’s Baidu and Uber announced plans to deploy thousands of Apollo Go vehicles on Uber’s platform, while Pony AI rolled out 1K robotaxis in Shenzhen.
Uber's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said robotaxis are a "trillion-dollar-plus" industry and expects to see the company to have cars 10-plus markets by next year.

The rise of the warehouse bot saw Warehouse bots becoming the main characters of robotics in 2025.

Amazon blew past 1M deployed robots marking the shift from simple mobile robots to integrated AI-powered workcells.
Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) now account for 45% of warehouse deployments, with e-commerce driving half of new installations through 2030.
Beijing went all in, openly targeting hundreds of thousands of deployed units by 2030 while running 1.8M industrial robots on factory floors.
Agility’s Digit moved 100K totes at a GXO facility while humanoids from Apptronik and others tackled “last-meter” tasks that wheeled bots can't handle.

Industry Diversification: Robotics adoption is expanding beyond traditional automotive and electronics manufacturing into sectors facing labor shortages or high-risk conditions.

Construction: Robots are increasingly used for surveying, inspection, demolition, and precise tasks like drilling and bricklaying, reducing human exposure to hazardous conditions.
Healthcare and Pharma: Automation is used for logistics, dispensing medications, performing minimally invasive surgeries, and assisting with patient rehabilitation through soft exoskeletons.
Retail and Hospitality: Robots are appearing as shelf-scanning inventory managers, automated baristas, and hotel assistants.

In 2026, the emphasis is going to be on human-robot collaboration and the integration of robots into daily life as intelligent partners rather than mere replacements. Growth and expansion of AI and the integration it is already making into everyday life will be key. So to will regulations and governmental guidelines and oversight. We've already seen some drawback on autonomous cars with state legislators weighing in on regulations for autonomous vehicles. We fully expect more regulations and safety nets related to bots taking over the workforce and/or entering our daily lives.

U.S. DOE Expands Genesis Mission With New Partnerships

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000

The U.S. Dept. of Energy just announced partnerships with 24 organizations to power the Trump administration’s Genesis Mission effort to accelerate scientific research with AI — including OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Nvidia.

The details:

The initiative unites 17 national labs with 40K researchers, targeting breakthroughs in nuclear energy, quantum computing, and manufacturing. Google DeepMind will grant lab scientists early access to tools, including its AI co-scientist agent, AlphaEvolve coding system, and AlphaGenome DNA model. AWS pledged up to $50B in government AI infrastructure, with OAI already deploying models on Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Venado supercomputer. Additional signatories include xAI, Microsoft, Palantir, AMD, Oracle, Cerebras, and CoreWeave.

“Today’s announcement of 24 new research partnerships is only the beginning, as we deliver on President Trump’s mandate to bring the entire scientific community, including companies, universities, non-profits, and Federal agencies, into the Genesis Mission,” said Assistant to the President and OSTP Director Michael Kratsios. “Harnessing cutting-edge AI for science will dramatically increase the productivity of American scientists and researchers. The Genesis Mission will help America’s scientists automate experiment design, accelerate simulations, and generate predictive models that will lead to breakthroughs in energy, manufacturing, drug discovery, and beyond.”

The full list of organizations include: Accenture AMD Anthropic Armada Amazon Web Services Cerebras CoreWeave Dell DrivenData Google Groq Hewlett Packard Enterprise IBM Intel Microsoft NVIDIA OpenAI Oracle Periodic Labs Palantir Project Prometheus Radical AI xAI XPRIZE

Review: JLab Go Lux ANC Bluetooth Wireless Headphones

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Over the years I've had the opportunity to test and own a wide variety of mid-range headphones with a select few of the lower end of the high-end. Most of those have ranged from the $100-150 price levels. Because of that I've tended to avoid entry level offerings when possible and my budget (or test products) could manage it! Generally the sound quality just isn't there for me and with some hearing issues I find this even more so apparent! That being said I needed to replace my current OneAudio A2 budget headphones with something budget friendly.

Thanks to some well timed Lenovo Rewards I was able to chose from a few selections on their site that would be relatively free. So I landed on the JLab Go Lux ANC Bluetooth Wireless Headphones. These were a basic entry level offering that purport active noise cancellation, long-lasting battery time and an advertised 30ft BT range. I've managed to put them through some standard testing and and offer my opinions below!

Key Details:

Noise cancellation - The Lux ANC headphones feature Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling technology that reduces unwanted ambient sounds, enabling clearer audio playback.
Robust battery life - With a 600 mAh lithium polymer battery, the headphones provide a run time of up to 40hrs and a standby time of 400 hours, ensuring long-lasting use whether at work or on the go.
Comfortable design - Crafted with faux leather ear-pads, these on-ear headphones offer comfort during extended wear, suitable for daily commutes and long listening sessions.
Versatile connectivity - The headphones are compatible with a variety of devices, including iPhone, Android phones, Mac, and Windows, providing flexibility for users across different platforms.
Advanced Bluetooth features - Bluetooth profiles like Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Hands-Free Profile (HFP) ensure high-quality audio and convenient hands-free calls.

Sound Quality: When You Don't Expect Much!

Sound reproduction is low end to the point I have earbuds that do better! Dynamic range and response are flat. The highs are just ok, with decent mid range, and the lows aren't there. My main point was decent music and some conference calls. The "Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling" doesn't seem to work at ALL in my experience. So listening to voices for calls or videos a bit rough at best!

Comfort Fit Styling: When You Go Wrong

I'm not a person that worries about style. I'm a function over form person. These are the opposite. They have great sleek black minimalist styling. . Id give them an A+ on that aspect. The ear cups are too small for me and just feel uncomfortable. The head band has minimal padding and no matter the overall fit seems to want to press on the top of your head.

The conclusion is, if you need something on a $25-75 budget is go elsewhere. Sorry JLab these things just aren't worth it!! Thank you to Lenovo Rewards though for me not wasting money on this buy!

Zoom Introduces a New AI Companion Tool

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Sun, 21 Sep 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Earlier this month Zoom introduced the Zoom AI Companion 3.0 which the company has promised will be an all in one sort of solution with a Custom AI Companion add-on that will empower users with easy creation and deployment of custom AI agents and tailored AI solutions.

The goal is to offer lifelike AI avatars for meetings, live translations, the ability to generate clips from presentations, and proactive agentic AI that can help users free up their time, show up prepared, keep meetings on track, and create rich content based on meeting conversations and more.

“Around the world, millions of people are using Zoom to connect with their colleagues and customers, but they could be getting so much more out of those conversations with the help of AI,” said Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom. “AI Companion 3.0 will provide deeper insights from their conversations to help them get more done at work and drive better business outcomes, regardless of whether they’re working in Zoom Workplace, in person, or across compatible apps and integrations.”

Included in the new companies will be features like photorealistic avatars in Zoom Meetings, Real-time voice translation for Meetings that will allow participants to hear meeting speech in their preferred language, apps in Team Chat to help them more easily manage and discover Zoom Apps, and a personal favorite generative collaborative whiteboards.

Hyundai Plans Major US Based Robotics Investments

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 16:00:00 +0000

The Hyundai Motors groups isn't all about cars! The company has been a major tech investor and has recently made several big moves in the robotics field including their acquisition and partnership with Boston Dynamics. Earlier this year, Hyundai Motor Group announced it will invest $21 billion in the U.S., including a $6 billion investment to drive innovation and expand strategic partnerships with U.S. companies. As part of this new investment, the Group will purchase tens of thousands of Boston Dynamics robots

Doubling down on that commitment Hyundai late last month announced they will expand that investment to $26 billion in the U.S. from 2025 to 2028. The additional $5 billion will be dedicated to advancing the Group’s strategic initiatives in automotive, steel, and more specially robotics. The major investment will allow the group to build a new state-of-the-art robotics facility with an annual capacity of 30,000 units, serving as a U.S. Robotics Innovation Hub for design, manufacturing, testing, and deployment. This initiative will position Hyundai Motor Group at the forefront of the global robotics ecosystem and a major leader in the US robotics market!

Through these initiatives, Hyundai Motor Group expects to create around 25,000 new direct jobs in the United States over the next four years. The Group is also accelerating technology commercialization through its U.S.-based tech affiliate Motional for autonomous driving — while expanding collaboration with leading American companies in future technologies, including AI, robotics, autonomous driving.

Read more:

Netflix Offers More Netflix House Details

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Are you ready to see your favorite Netflix shows brough to life? Netflix this week offered up some new details on the company's new immersive fan based experience that does just that! The two colossal complexes set to open later this year in Philadelphia and Dallas, with Las Vegas slated for 2027, transforms over 100K square feet of former department store space into interactive experiences based on Netflix's most popular content.

Dive into the world of your favorite Netflix shows at Netflix House, where entry is completely free! Once inside, you can choose from a mix of free and paid activities to immerse yourself in the fun. ake selfies with beloved characters like Queen Charlotte, enjoy screenings of hit movies like KPop Demon Hunters, have a meal and a cocktail at NETFLIX BITES, or embark on an adventure with friends, channeling the ONE PIECE crew.

According to Netflix guests will be able to experience interactive sets from most of their most popular shows including Wednesday, Squid Game, ONE PIECE, Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters, Love Is Blind, and A Knives Out Mystery franchise Since each Netflix House regularly updates its offerings, you may have an entirely different adventure the next time you return.

For full details

New Smart Glasses May Help the Hard of Hearing

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Sun, 24 Aug 2025 21:30:00 +0000

Smart glasses have been looking better and better these days with advances in technology and improvements with AI, Now a new tech company is launching a pair of “always-on” AI-powered smart glasses that listen to, record, and transcribe every conversation and then display relevant information to the wearer in real time. Halo, the startup that’s developing the technology says their "goal is to make glasses that make you super intelligent the moment you put them on.”

“The AI listens to every conversation you have and uses that knowledge to tell you what to say … kinda like IRL Cluely,” Ardayfio told TechCrunch during their interview. “If somebody says a complex word or asks you a question, like, ‘What’s 37 to the third power?’ or something like that, then it’ll pop up on the glasses,” Ardayfio added.

While the goal of Halo and the company's founders isn't specially to augment hearing for the hearing impaired it is easy to see how the new devices and their ability to hear what you [should] hear and automatically feed you insights on the display could be beneficial to deaf and hard of hearing users. Halo would give you the ability to not just instantly understand your conversations more clearly, it could also translate for you, have recall of previous conversations and/or help you accurately answer questions you may not have fully understood!

For now, Halo X glasses only have a display and a microphone, but no camera, although the developers are exploring the possibility of adding it to a future models. Users will still need to have their smartphones handy as the glasses are tethered to an accompanying appt. So you'll need your phone to help power the glasses and get “real time info prompts and answers to questions,” per Nguyen. Under the hood, the smart glasses use Google’s Gemini and Perplexity as its chatbot engine, according to the two co-founders. Gemini is better for math and reasoning, whereas they use Perplexity to scrape the internet, they said.

The Halo X is available for -pre-order for $249 now with no details on exact shipping dates.

Why Reddit is Blocking the Internet Archive for AI Scraping (and its $200M Plan)

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 03:36:00 +0000

Reddit is now restricting the Internet Archive (IA) from indexing its popular threads, a move prompted by Reddit's discovery that some AI companies were circumventing its scraping policies. Instead of scraping Reddit directly, these firms were allegedly pulling data from the IA's archived content. In response, Reddit is now limiting the Wayback Machine to only archive screenshots of its homepage. This means the archive will no longer be a comprehensive record of deleted posts, user activity, or various subreddit cultures. This restriction significantly reduces the IA's utility as a resource for documenting and preserving Reddit's vast content.

Reddit's spokesperson, Tim Rathschmidt, suggested that the Internet Archive could take steps to better protect against AI scraping. Rathschmidt also cited privacy concerns, stating that the Wayback Machine problematically archives content that users have deleted. He noted that until the IA can better "respect user privacy" and comply with Reddit's policies regarding deleted content, the restrictions would remain in place. Although some Redditors previously used the Wayback Machine to find deleted comments, many others have pointed out that several alternative tools exist for this purpose.

It's probable that Reddit's decision is also financially motivated. The company has recently made lucrative licensing deals with AI companies like OpenAI and Google, with the Google deal reportedly worth $60 million over three years. Reddit expects to earn over $200 million from similar licensing agreements in the next three years. By limiting the Internet Archive's access, Reddit may be aiming to force AI firms to strike similar deals directly with them, rather than getting their data for free from the Wayback Machine.

Conclusion

This situation highlights a growing tension between content platforms, AI companies, and digital archivists. While Reddit claims its primary concern is user privacy and protecting against policy violations, the financial incentives from licensing deals with AI firms are a significant factor. For the Internet Archive, this presents a challenge to its mission of preserving the open web, as a major source of online discourse is now largely inaccessible for archiving. The ongoing discussions between Reddit and the Internet Archive will likely determine the future of how Reddit's content is preserved and accessed outside of its platform.

You can learn more about this topic by visiting these articles from The Verge and Ars Technica.

Note this content was summarized by Google Gemini

Return Fraud Becomes a $100 Billion Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 20:45:00 +0000

We might love those easy one click and no questioned asked return policies, but with that ease of use comes some major drawbacks for retailers. U.S. retailers are grappling with a steep rise in return fraud — those coming from customers who have chosen to stretch the limits on return windows, wear or use an item and send it back, or sometimes just return a different item entirely! The value of fraudulent returns reached a new high of $103 billion in 2024, according to research compiled by Appriss Retail and Deloitte Business Consulting.

In 2024, the total value of returned goods in the US was estimated at a total of $685bn. According to a recent article by Business Insider and estimated 15% or over $103 billion was paid back in the form of fraudulent returns. This staggering figure represents a serious challenge for the retail industry. This trend is fueled by a combination of factors, including the explosion of e-commerce, the increasing sophistication of fraudsters (both individuals and organized retail crime groups), and the ongoing challenges retailers face in balancing customer convenience with robust fraud prevention measures.

When it comes to trying to pull a fast one on Amazon or Wal-Mart many dismiss the overall negative impacts. All of which are eventually felts directly by other consumers.. 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 & 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 (𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐬𝐞𝐭). Sellers have to bear the costs associated with:

Customer Service
Packaging
Logistics
Processing

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 can 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐨 $𝟐𝟎-$𝟔𝟎 𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐭𝐞m𝐦:

15% of returns are fraudulent (write off).
A portion of returns are lost in transit.
Returned items sell for cents in the dollar.
Seller fees are incurred (for a second time).

Many categories often see return rates of 10-30%, with buyers’ remorse (no fault of the seller). It doesn’t matter how efficiently you reprocess and remarket returns, there is a major sustainability issue here - stemming from returns policies themselves. Many retailers are drawing back on their very lenient polices and updating their return policies, with a trend towards shorter return windows and stricter rules, particularly when it comes to select item categories. In may cases theyare placig strict controls over their once favoravble 'no recipet' returns and even limited the numbers of returns a single customer can make in a given time frame!

Your Next Uber Might Be A Lucid Robotaxi

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 19:20:00 +0000

Uber is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in EV maker Lucid and autonomous driving startup Nuro in a massive deal that will see 20K robotaxis in the U.S. over the next six years starting with the first city in 2026.

The details:

Piloting this ambitious plan is Lucid’s upcoming Gravity SUV, a luxury SUV starting at $79K, outfitted with Nuro’s Level 4 autonomy suite.
Nuro’s fleet of vehicles currently operates in California and Texas, with 1M autonomous miles traveled without any major safety incidents.
The robotaxi experience will be exclusive to Uber’s app, leveraging its routing and delivery infrastructure, with the ride-hailing giant investing $300M in Lucid.
Fleet ownership falls to Uber, and Las Vegas is ground zero for prototype testing, with the first public deployment city set to be revealed in 2026.

The fleet will be owned by Uber or a third-party fleet management partner and the first vehicles will launch in as-yet-to-be-determined US city in 2026.

“This is a very, very big deal,” Dave Ferguson, co-founder and president of Nuro, said in an interview. “In terms of the scale and the hard commitments and the meat behind it, it is by far the biggest partnership deal that Uber has announced or done.” Uber is investing $300 million in Lucid, a spokesperson for the automaker, Nick Twork, confirmed. The investment in Nuro will be “significantly more than that,” Ferguson said, though he declined to share an exact figure. As part of the deal, Uber will take a seat on Nuro’s board of directors.

“Autonomous vehicles have enormous potential to transform our cities for the better,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. “We’re thrilled to partner with Nuro and Lucid on this new robotaxi program, purpose-built just for the Uber platform, to safely bring the magic of autonomous driving to more people across the world.”

Google Begins Using AI to Scan Websites In Real-time For Scams

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Mon, 12 May 2025 20:30:00 +0000

Google is now utilizing a new version of the company's Gemini AI model to check websites in real-time for scams and potential hazards. The new on-device model, called Gemini Nano, runs directly from within Chrome on your desktop to protects users’ privacy and data by scanning web pages and on-site ads for 'scammy' language and code to warn users of potentially unsafe sites.

As with Chrome’s existing safe browsing mode, if a user attempts to access a potentially unsafe site, they’ll see a warning before being given the option to continue to the page. Dubbed Enhanced Protection mode, Google says the new tool offers the highest level of protection, to keep users twice as safe from phishing and other scams versus their Standard Protection mode. The on-device approach provides instant insight on risky websites and allows Chrome to offer protection, even against scams that haven't been seen before.

In their update Google states that Gemini Nano's LLM is perfect for this use because of its ability to distill the varied, complex nature of websites, helping then to adapt to new scam tactics more quickly. Although Google has long used machine learning to protect its services, newer AI advancements have led to improved language understanding and pattern recognition, enabling the tech to identify scams faster and more effectively.

Alongside the updates to the desktop version of Chrome is also launching new AI-powered warnings for Chrome on Android meant to help users in fighting scams, spam and unwanted notifications. When Chrome’s on-device machine learning model flags a notification, you’ll receive a warning with the option to either unsubscribe or view the content that was blocked. And if you decide the warning was shown incorrectly, you can choose to allow future notifications from that website.

For more details read Google's update here.

How Covid Fueled Trump's Tariffs Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 19:00:00 +0000

Even before the unprecedented supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, the United States was grappling with growing uncertainty surrounding the supply of semiconductor chips and other critical tech manufacturing components. These issues had significant negative consequences for numerous sectors of the American economy, particularly the automotive industry. By 2018, increasing dependence on foreign chip manufacturers had already raised concerns about potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

COVID-19 and Global Shortage:

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these concerns. Demand for semiconductors surged for various consumer electronics and industrial applications, while production faced bottlenecks due to factory shutdowns and logistical challenges. In a culmination of negative variables, the chip shortage grew, showing American manufactures that changes needed to be implemented to maintain a readily available supply of not just semiconductors, but raw materials and other components needed to maintain our economy and ecosystems. As COVID gripped the world shutdowns placed a stranglehold on sourcing almost all goods. Raw materials shortages continued to intensify due to capacity restraints, unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the unforeseen events that struck chipmakers globally.

Impact on Automotive:

Despite the grip that COVID held over the nation The automotive industry saw a rather unexperienced surge in demand as purchasing behavior shifted as consumers avoided public transportation due to the pandemic and developed an increased desire for new vehicles. With that increased demand came increased supply challenges and the on-going global chip shortage carried a severe impact on the automotive industry. Many car manufacturers had to reduce production, delay model launches, and even shut down assembly lines due to the inability to secure sufficient chip supplies.

2018 US–China Trade War Escalates:

Starting in 2018, the US–China trade war began to unfolded in five phases which were carried out through 2021. The first wave of tariffs that directly impacted chipmaking hit Chinese imports in 2018. It targeted raw materials for chips, such as silicon and reactor tubes and holders designed for semiconductor wafer production. In August 2019, the trade war escalated as Beijing announced it would apply $75 billion in tariffs on US goods. The last phase of US tariffs in September 2019 targeted $120 billion worth of Chinese goods. In 2019, the US and China made an agreement that included structural reforms and changes to China’s economic and trade regime. The hope was that when this agreement later went into effect, it would reduce the back-and-forth tariff increases on imports.

These agreements didn't hold and and tension between the US and China further escalated which resulted in wafer supply hoarding when the US later blacklisted China’s biggest chipmaker, SMIC, in 2020. With many vital parts of the supply chain impacted, US industries reliant on semiconductors feared that restrictions on Chinese imports would lead China to create their own semiconductor ecosystem.

America's Answer to Chinese Chip Manufacturing Dominance:

International governments have also joined the push to increase chip capacity. In July 2022, the United States Senate and House of Representatives passed the CHIPS Act, which includes about $52 billion in government subsidies for research and production of semiconductors in the U.S. The bill also provides chip plants with tax credits worth about $24 billion, with the goal of spurring U.S. chip manufacturing to alleviate some of the supply chain issues hampering the country's automotive and consumer electronics industries, among others.

In 2024, then President Joe Biden, looked to "Protect American Workers and Businesses from China’s Unfair Trade Practices" by increasing tariffs on more than $18 billion of imports from China. At that time President Biden stated, "American workers and businesses can outcompete anyone—as long as they have fair competition. But for too long, China’s government has used unfair, non-market practices." In 2025 President Trump reiterated those concerns and moved to protect our nations workers, national and economic security by impose a 10% tariff on all countries.

Looking to further shrink the gaps between US and Chinese semiconductor manufacturing President Trump announced even more significant tariffs against China and electronics manufactured there. The president believes that tariffs are necessary to ensure fair trade, protect American workers, and reduce the trade deficit that he believes has undermined critical supply chains; and rendered our defense-industrial base dependent on foreign adversaries.

US Manufactures Respond With $4 Trillion In Promised Investments:

While many have raised questions and concerns over the costs associated with a trade-war and the overall impact and potential negatives associated with a raising costs of materials. US based semiconductor and electronics manufactures have responded by promising investments into infrastructure and programs that will help boost domestic production and manufacturing. Apple, has announced its largest-ever spend commitment, with plans to spend and invest more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years.

TSMC is expanding its manufacturing presence in the United States, with a major focus on a large facility in Phoenix, Arizona. The company plans to invest $165 billion in total, including an additional $100 billion, to build multiple fabs, including the first which began production in late 2024. This expansion aims to strengthen the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem and reduce reliance on foreign chip production.

It is not just tech companies that are responding to the call to repatriate manufacturing. Pharmaceutical companies have as well. Novartis has committed $23 billion to US manufacturing, while Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lilly have announced combined investments of nearly $85 billion in manufacturing and R&D over the next four years

Clearly trade and the trade imbalance was on the mind of President Trump before the interruption of his presidency. It was a concern that was by and large shared by both parties as seen by President Biden's actions. The use of tariffs has positives and negatives both ways we look at it, and while an all out trade war isn't particularly ideal. It certainly seem to be needed. If these companies and promises play out as planned. The US might be on track to see a manufacturing boom like it hasn't seen since WWII!

The IT Skills Glitch: Level Up or Lag Behind

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 12:00:00 +0000

You've probably noticed it. That frantic search for tech talent – the data scientists, the AI whisperers, the cloud gurus, the cyber defenders. It feels like finding a needle in a haystack, right? The IT skills shortage isn't just a buzzword; it's a real headache impacting projects, innovation, and bottom lines. Around 70% of companies are feeling this pinch.

But while we often point fingers at hyper-speed tech evolution (looking at you, AI!) and education systems struggling to keep pace, there's another crucial piece of the puzzle flying under the radar: Where did all the Gen X tech workers go?

Decoding the Glitch: More Than Just New Tech

Sure, the tech landscape is morphing faster than ever. AI is rewriting job descriptions, cloud platforms are constantly evolving, and cybersecurity threats demand ever-sharper skills. Keeping up requires relentless learning, and yeah, sometimes formal training lags behind what the industry needs right now.

But add this to the mix: a significant number of experienced Generation X professionals (those born roughly between 1965 and 1980) seem to be quietly exiting the tech workforce. Why?

The Burnout Factor: Years in high-pressure roles, coupled with the 'great resignation' ripples and the constant demand to do more with less, are taking a toll. Burnout is real – reports show around 65% of employees still feel it – and experienced pros might decide enough is enough.
Career Plateaus & Upskilling Gaps: Maybe the upskilling opportunities aren't aligning with their career stage, or they feel overlooked for new, exciting projects in favour of younger hires. If growth stagnates, experienced talent looks elsewhere, sometimes outside tech altogether.
Seeking Different Priorities: After decades in the industry, some Gen Xers might be looking for better work-life balance, passion projects, early retirement, or roles with less relentless pressure.
The Experience Drain: When these seasoned pros walk out the door, they take decades of invaluable experience, problem-solving intuition, and often mentorship potential with them. This isn't just a skills gap; it's an experience gap.

Help Wanted: Today's Tech Wishlist (and Yesterday's Know-How)

The demand is fierce for skills in:

AI & Machine Learning: From prompt engineering to algorithm training.
Data Science & Analytics: Making sense of the data deluge.
Cloud Computing: Expertise across AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.
Cybersecurity: Protecting against ever-evolving threats.
Software Development: Building and maintaining the digital world.

And let's not forget crucial soft skills: problem-solving, adaptability, critical thinking, communication. Ironically, many departing Gen Xers possess deep foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills that are the bedrock for mastering these newer specializations.

When Talent Tanks: The Ripple Effect

The impact of this combined tech evolution and experience drain is clear:

Stalled Projects & Innovation: Teams lack the bandwidth or expertise.
Increased Costs: Hiring is expensive (replacing someone can cost 50-200% of their salary!), and reliance on contractors mounts.
Team Strain & Burnout: Remaining employees pick up the slack, leading to more stress and potential turnover.
Loss of Mentorship: Junior team members miss out on learning from seasoned veterans.

Fixing the Glitch: It's Time to Adapt

So, how do we tackle this multi-faceted skills glitch? It requires a mix of strategies:

Embrace Continuous Learning (Seriously): Companies must invest heavily in upskilling and reskilling their entire workforce. With estimates suggesting 40% of workers will need reskilling due to AI alone in the next few years, this isn't optional. Provide accessible training, workshops, and career paths.
Value Experience & Combat Ageism: Don't let seasoned Gen X talent feel overlooked. Offer them meaningful projects, leadership opportunities, and targeted upskilling that respects their existing knowledge base. Ensure hiring and promotion practices are age-inclusive.
Rethink Flexibility & Retention: Can roles be adapted for better work-life balance? Are benefits competitive? Sometimes retaining experienced talent means adjusting the environment to meet their changing needs.
Smarter Recruitment: Use better tools (even AI!) to find talent, partner with educational institutions to shape relevant curricula, and broaden the net to diverse talent pools, including those looking to re-enter the workforce.
Knowledge Transfer: If experienced workers are planning to leave or retire, implement robust knowledge transfer and mentorship programs before they walk out the door.

Level Up or Lag Behind?

The IT skills shortage is complex, fueled by rapid technological shifts and significant demographic changes, including the departure of experienced Gen Xers. Ignoring either part of the equation won't solve it. For companies, it's about investing in their people – all of them. For individuals (Gen X included!), it's about embracing lifelong learning. The future of tech depends on bridging this gap, valuing experience, and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to level up.

Will AI Be The Death of Tech Innovation?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 21:00:00 +0000

As a Gen X'er I got to experience the heart of the tech evolution. One thing I was being one of the biggest drivers in innovation was the curiosity we collectively had to understand how things worked, how we could make them better, or how me could make them our own. We didn't settle for white box PCs, we didn't settle for the every day version of Windows or settle for mediocre Apps. Not matter what it was we were always tinkering with settings, making changes to styles, or ripping things apart and upgrading them.

With today's modern user friendly, or dumbed down, technology that "just works" I often wonder how or where new innovation will come from. That curiosity and drive to explore or tweak things seems to have faded away. In cases like operating system such as Windows 11 and macOS (even iOS) the drive to make them as user friendly as possible also meant hiding or restricting easy access to many settings and tweaks most of us geeks loved to tinker with. That lack of control has seemingly meant many of the younger generation have given in to the dumbed down user experience and don't bother learning the things we took for granted.

AI Takes The User Out of The Experience

With AI infiltrating almost every aspect of our lives. It feels like we are taking the user out of the equation. We are taking the fundamentals of our tech experience for granted and unlearning many of the things we once had to do on our own. We are essentially trading ease of use over practical and applicable knowledge. So with that I now ask myself is are we killing off the curiosity and drive that once pushed newer generations to create truly innovative products?

AI is on the cusp of taking over the day to day activities and instead of learning how it works, why or how it accomplishes the things it does, we have generations just willing to accept that it is "just working" or that it did what they wanted well enough that they don't need to learn how to get more out of! So again instead of the user interacting and building their own better experience or being curious to see if they can find a better way. We see them being complacent and settling for what they have. So what does that mean for the future of tech innovation if we are willing to simply settle?

Tech Innovation Has Become Stagnant and Stale

If we look at a few markets collectively - TVs, Cell Phones, PCs - where we once made fairly big leaps we are now stagnant in any actual innovation. TVs have certainly gotten bigger and the quality of their image or resolution has grown. We've certainly seen a transformation in how we use our TVs, but is there really an innovation there? You are now basically using them as a replacement for a PC. Cell Phones again, we are almost 20yrs into the smartphone market and short of foldable displays (tech specs and those details aside) what real innovation have we seen?

The iPhone or Samsung Galaxy phones today truthfully don't do much more than the original devices released all those years ago. They have of course increased in size and increased in capability, maybe added a few more sensors, but that is about it. PCs have shared a similar trajectory. We were supposed to see great innovation in lower heat/power consumption, better overall performance and at lower costs. We've of course seen some major leaps in raw power (with massive increases in power consumption) but when compared to the 20yrs before we haven't seen anything earth shattering.

The question begs to be asked. Where will tech head from here and who will be the driving force to move it forward? If users are becoming complacent and not demanding true innovation and just accepting the minor upgrades we see now. The what inceptives do tech companies like Apple, Google and Samsung have to push out their truly mind blowing tech?

Workers Clearly Hate RTO Mandates

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 23:15:00 +0000

It should come as no surprise that today's workforce dislikes having a boss or manager constantly looking over their shoulder or micromanaging their day-to-day activities. Combined with work-life balance concerns, the desire for a quieter and less stressful environment, and cost savings on commuting and childcare, many employees are resisting the return-to-office (RTO) demands of their companies. In fact, a survey of 1,000 U.S. workers revealed that one in six employees (16%) would quit if forced back to the office, while 40% believe returning would reduce their job satisfaction.

The pushback against RTO policies has taken various forms. Some workers are outright quitting, others are "quiet quitting," and still others are "coffee badging," a practice where employees make it appear as though they’ve met their in-office requirements.

According to the survey, a large portion of the younger generation would either ignore RTO requests entirely or leave their jobs rather than return to the office. Two in five employees feel that a return to the office would decrease their job satisfaction. Of those willing to return, 96% have stated they would seek carefully selected incentives to make the transition worthwhile.

The debate between remote workers and management teams has been ongoing for some time. Remote workers argue that they are just as productive and capable of completing their tasks efficiently. In contrast, management teams claim that distractions at home negatively impact the quality of work, as well as the availability and focus of remote workers. At least one recent study seems to support management's concerns.

Fortune Magazine recently reported that nearly half of Gen Z workers oppose returning to the office because it would prevent them from binge-watching their favorite TV shows during work hours. According to the article, 84% of Gen Z workers admitted to streaming shows and movies while working from home, and 53% confessed to delaying work to finish a show they were binge-watching. These findings are based on a survey of 2,502 adults who stream videos at least one hour per week.

Concerns about productivity hold some merit. Additional studies indicate that millennials and Gen Z workers are the most likely generations to engage in “fauxductivity”—a term describing fake activity to appear busy. Over 30% of respondents from these generations admitted to faking productivity, according to a 2024 survey of 3,000 full-time employees in the U.S., U.K., and Ireland.

Does this justify the distrust employers feel when they can’t closely monitor workers outside the office? Perhaps not. Many believe these trends stem from deeper workplace issues, such as professional and personal stressors, burnout, overwork, and disengagement.

What Is Amazon's All New AI Powered Alexa+ and Who Can Use It?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 15:00:00 +0000

You may have heard that Amazon just unveiled Alexa+. The company's much anticipated next-generation digital assistant completely rebuilt with generative AI technology. What does that mean you may ask, and what does it mean for current Amazon Alexa device owners? We'll try to break that down for you below!

The basic details:

Alexa+ can connect and leverage multiple LLMs, including Amazon's Nova and Anthropic's Claude, choosing the best model for each task at hand.
The revamped assistant can perform complex agentic tasks like booking reservations, ordering groceries, purchasing concert tickets, and more.
Other features include document analysis, remembering user preferences, maintaining conversation context, and integration with hundreds of services.
It will cost $19.99 monthly but comes free with Amazon Prime membership, with early access rolling out in the U.S. next month.

Amazon is rethinking the way Alexa works with what they are calling “experts”—groups of systems, capabilities, APIs, and instructions that accomplish specific types of tasks for customers along several different connected devices. For instance, Alexa+ expands on the way you can control your smart home with products from Philips Hue, Roborock, and more. Voice controls for things like smart lighting, thermostats and other devices are said to be more natural. So, if you’re speaking in half-formed thoughts, using colloquial expressions, or exploring complex ideas, Alexa+ will reportedly understand what you mean, and respond with a natural vibe and feeling sort of like you are interacting with a person rather than Alexa's computerized response system.

Amazon said Alexa+ is designed to take action and is able to orchestrate across tens of thousands of services and devices. You'll be able to use your favorite apps to do things more directly like make reservations or appointments with OpenTable and Vagaro; explore discographies and play music from providers including Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and iHeartRadio; order groceries from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market, or delivery from Grubhub and Uber Eats. You'll even get reminders for things like tickets going on sale on Ticketmaster; or alerts from Ring and other security devices if someone is approaching your house.

The new Alexa+ is designed to be highly personalized and adaptable to your life. Alexa learns from your shopping, listening, and viewing habits, as well as your shipping and payment information. But Alexa's capabilities extend beyond this: you can enhance her usefulness by providing personal details. Teach her family recipes, important dates, facts, and dietary preferences, and she can apply that information to better assist you. Imagine planning a family meal; Alexa can remember that you love pizza, your daughter is vegetarian, and your partner requires gluten-free food, and use that knowledge to recommend appropriate recipes or dining options.

What devices can customers use Alexa+ on and when can we get it?

According to their release statement Amazon has said Alexa+ will start rolling out in the U.S. in the next few weeks during an early access period, and subsequently in waves over the coming months. Priority will be given to Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 device owners in the early access period. Unfortunately for those of us with older generation Echo devices like Echo Dot 1st Gen, Echo 1st Gen, Echo Plus 1st Gen, Amazon Tap, Echo Show 1st Gen, Echo Show 2nd Gen, and Echo Spot 1st Gen, we won't be seeing the upgrade at this time and will be limited to the original Alexa. You'll also be able to try Alexa+ on your web browser, the Alexa app, compatible Fire TVs, and Fire tablets. You can check-out the new Alexa+ page for more details and to sign-up to be notified when Alexa+ is available for you.

CES 2025 Is Here With AI In Everything!

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 21:00:00 +0000

CES 2025 has officially kicked off this week with all the biggest names in tech showcasing their newest tech offerings. As expected AI is at the forefront of just about every single major announcement. With NVIDIA, Intel, AMD and Qualcomm all showcasing the latest in AI centric chips. While others such as LG Google, Hisense and TCL show off some of the newest in AI powered TVs and home theater gizmos. Not to take a back seat major auto manufactures have showed in force this year with Toyota, Volvo, BMW and others highlighting new AI integration and manufacturing advancements.

As many expected AI has found its way into almost every device from the outrageous new personal robots. To the most mundane of children's toys. Just about everywhere you look someone is introducing a new AI powered gadget or gizmo of some sort!

Among the major announcements made was NVIDIA's CES keynote highlighting their newest RTX 50 series flagship GPUs as well as a very interesting new addition dubbed Project Digits. NVIDIA Project DIGITS, a personal AI supercomputer that provides AI researchers, data scientists and students worldwide with access to the power of the NVIDIA Grace Blackwell platform. With Project DIGITS, users can develop and run inference on models using their own desktop system, then seamlessly deploy the models on accelerated cloud or data center infrastructure.

As previously mentioned TV and display manufactures are looking to put AI to use in more ways than one. Google has announced they adding a slew of Gemini features to Google TV. With Gemini Google promises your interaction with your Google TV powered devices will be more natural and intuitive. Offering things like summarized results, better search, and more total control over your connected devices. Google plans to release these new Gemini capabilities for new and existing Google TV devices toward the end of 2025.

In the auto arena Toyota took the wraps of some very ambitious projects including a move into space travel, autonomous vehicles and a very intriguing idea dubbed Toyota Woven City. This new 'Smart City" project is promised to be a hub for innovation, blending autonomous vehicles, AI and robotics

The concept of Toyota’s radical Woven City – which the Japanese automaker describes as a “test course for mobility” – was initially revealed in 2020. Now, five years later, the company says the first phase of construction is complete and ready for launch later this year.

It wouldn't be CES of course without the addition of tons of other gadgets. And it looks like there are plenty of those to choose from. The folks at ZDNET found everything from smart rings, to door locks. And did we mention the robots? It seems as though there is a robot for just about everything these days!

AI Use Increases in Healthcare

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 23:00:00 +0000

AI: The Doctor Will See You Now (Virtually)

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

We're living in an age where technology is rapidly changing every aspect of our lives, and healthcare is no exception. Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic fantasy; it's actively reshaping the medical landscape, offering innovative solutions to age-old challenges. From diagnosing diseases to developing new drugs, AI is proving to be a powerful tool in the hands of healthcare professionals.

How is AI Transforming Healthcare?

Early and Accurate Diagnosis: AI algorithms can analyze medical images (like X-rays and MRIs) with incredible accuracy, often detecting subtle anomalies that might be missed by the human eye. This leads to earlier diagnoses, faster treatment, and improved patient outcomes.
Personalized Treatment Plans: AI can sift through vast amounts of patient data, including medical history, genetic information, and lifestyle factors, to create tailored treatment plans. This personalized approach ensures that patients receive the most effective care possible.
Drug Discovery and Development: AI is accelerating the process of drug discovery by analyzing complex biological data and identifying potential drug candidates. This not only speeds up the development of new medications but also reduces the costs associated with research.
Robotic Surgery: AI-powered robots are assisting surgeons in performing complex procedures with greater precision and minimally invasive techniques. This leads to faster recovery times, reduced complications, and improved patient satisfaction.
Virtual Assistants and Chatbots: AI-powered virtual assistants and chatbots are being used to provide patients with 24/7 access to medical information, schedule appointments, and even offer basic medical advice. This improves patient engagement and reduces the burden on healthcare providers.

The Future of AI in Healthcare

The potential of AI in healthcare is truly vast. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative applications emerge. AI could play a crucial role in:

Predictive Healthcare: AI algorithms could analyze patient data to predict future health risks, allowing for proactive interventions and preventive care.
Remote Patient Monitoring: AI-powered devices could monitor patients' vital signs and health conditions remotely, providing real-time data to healthcare providers and enabling early detection of potential problems.
Mental Health Support: AI-powered chatbots and virtual therapists could provide mental health support and counseling to individuals who may not have access to traditional therapy.

Challenges and Ethical Considerations

While the benefits of AI in healthcare are undeniable, there are also challenges and ethical considerations that need to be addressed. These include:

Data Privacy and Security: Ensuring the privacy and security of patient data is paramount. Robust security measures must be in place to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Bias and Fairness: AI algorithms are only as good as the data they are trained on. It's crucial to ensure that these algorithms are free from bias and that they provide fair and equitable healthcare to all patients.
Job Displacement: The automation of certain tasks may lead to job displacement in the healthcare sector. It's important to address these concerns and ensure that healthcare professionals are adequately trained to work alongside AI systems.

Conclusion

AI is revolutionizing healthcare in ways we could only have imagined a few years ago. By embracing this technology responsibly and addressing the associated challenges, we can unlock its full potential to improve patient care, accelerate medical advancements, and create a healthier future for all.

FBI Issues New Warning Over Rise In AI Generated Scams

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 22:40:00 +0000

The FBI Warns: AI is the New Weapon in a Scammer's Arsenal

We've all heard the warnings about online scams, but the game is changing. According to the newest warnings issued by the FBI criminals are now using cutting-edge generative AI to supercharge their efforts, making their schemes even more convincing and harder to spot.

The FBI has issued a public warning about this growing threat, highlighting how AI is being used to create incredibly realistic but completely fake content. Think:

AI-Generated Text: Forget clunky emails full of typos. Scammers are using AI to write perfect messages, crafting believable stories for romance scams, investment fraud, and phishing attacks. They can even use AI to create fake social media profiles and websites that look totally legitimate.
AI-Generated Images: Need a profile picture for that fake dating profile? No problem! AI can generate realistic images of people who don't even exist. It can also be used to create fake IDs and even manipulate images to use in sextortion schemes.
AI-Generated Audio and Video: Imagine getting a call from a loved one in distress, begging for money. Except, it's not actually them. AI can clone voices and create realistic videos, making it incredibly difficult to tell what's real and what's not.

So, how can you protect yourself in this new era of AI-powered scams?

Be extra vigilant: Don't trust anything at face value. Double-check everything, especially if it involves sending money or sharing personal information.
Look for imperfections: AI-generated content can be incredibly realistic, but it's not perfect. Look for subtle clues like distorted features in images or unnatural pauses in audio.
Establish a "secret word" with loved ones: This will help you verify their identity if they contact you in a crisis.
Limit your online footprint: The less information you share online, the harder it is for scammers to use AI to create convincing fakes.
If in doubt, verify: Hang up the phone and call back using a verified number. Don't click on links from unknown sources.

The bottom line is: stay informed, stay alert, and don't be afraid to question anything that seems suspicious. And if you do fall victim to a scam, report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.

Google's AI-powered Theft Detection For Android Phones Is Here

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 19:15:00 +0000

Back in May 2024, Google teased a new Theft Detection Lock tool for Android phones, that promised to keep your device and data safe in the event some swipes your phone and takes off with all your personal info in tow! Starting this month, these advanced theft protection features will be available to users around the world through Android 15 and a Google Play Services update available to Android 10+ devices

These new theft detection tools use the devices on board sensors coupled with powerful AI to proactively protect you and your phone at the moment of a theft attempt. By using your phone's gyroscope and accelerometer and on-device machine learning, Theft Detection Lock is able to analyze various device signals to detect potential theft attempts. If the algorithm detects a potential theft attempt on your unlocked device, it locks your screen to keep thieves out.

The anti-theft detection tool is one of several security additions Google announced earlier this year to protect your data "before, during and after a theft," including:

Making it more difficult to factory reset a phone and set it up under a new account
Private spaces to hide sensitive apps
The ability to mark your phone as lost on Find My Device for easier tracking
Automatic lock for excessive failed authentication
The ability to lock your phone if it's offline
Remote lock, which lets you lock your phone's screen using just your number and a quick security challenge

One new featured added to Remote Lock many will find useful is the ability to quickly lock and secure your phone even if you can’t remember your Google account credentials in the moment of theft. Now you can use any device to visit Android.com/lock and lock your phone with just a verified phone number. Remote Lock then secures your device while you regain access through Android’s Find My Device – which lets you secure, locate or remotely wipe your device. As a security best practice, we always recommend backing up your device on a continuous basis, so remotely wiping your device is not an issue.

Turn on Theft Detection Lock right now

To enable theft protection features, you’ll have to perform the following steps:

Set a password for your screen. It’s the only way to lock the phone if it gets stolen.
Then Go to Settings
Tap Google
Tap All Services
Select Theft Protection
Turn on Theft Detection Lock once it’s available on your device

** Note on my Samsung phone it is under Security and Privacy > More Security Settings > Theft Protection

Hollywood Suddenly Embraces AI

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 19:30:00 +0000

In a complete 180-degree U-Turn from everything that Hollywood has said they oppose about AI and everything they spent years on strike fighting against, one studio (at least) is now fully embracing AI systems and programs.

Lionsgate, the studio behind blockbusters like "John Wick" and "The Hunger Games," is taking a giant leap into the world of AI-powered filmmaking. They've partnered with Runway, an AI research company, to develop a custom AI model trained on Lionsgate's massive library of films and TV shows.

What will this AI do, you may ask? Imagine a tool that can generate cinematic video, helping filmmakers visualize scenes and experiment with different creative options. This AI model will do just that, assisting with everything from pre-production (think storyboarding and concept art) to post-production (enhancing visual effects and more).

Why is this a big deal?

Aside from being a fundamental shift from everything Hollywood has said they were against, as well as being a fundamental shift in the creative process, the move will position Lionsgate at the front of a new era. Whether we like it or not, GenAI is going to be forced on us, and the creative process is going to be changed. This new partnership marks the first time a major Hollywood studio has teamed up with an AI company in this way. While it may be the first, I'm sure there will be plenty more, and I'm sure it signals a potential shift in how movies are made, with AI playing a larger role in the creative process.

Just a few short months ago Hollywood was trying to convince us that "Generative AI Won’t Be on the Big Screen Any Time Soon!" It looks like that has changed and changed rather abruptly! Music and movie studios have already shown they are willing to use a singer or actors voice and their likeness through overlays or 'de-aged' characters. With this move we may see a major shift!

What Comes Next For Studios and AI?

Lionsgate is distancing itself from using these new tools to fully re-create actors or generate new characters. The company has said it believes these tools will help filmmakers and other creatives “augment their work” to deliver “capital-efficient content creation opportunities.” AI, in other words, could help cobble together more movies and shows with lower investment costs for highly expense things like explosions or other background effects. This according to statements made by Lionsgate founder Vice Chairman Michael Burns during an interview with The Wall Street Journal,

So for now iIt looks like this particular model will steer clear of generating AI “clones” or replicas of actors. They want us to believe it will primarily be used as a tool to enhance and augment existing projects. I guess we'll have to wait and see how quickly that position changes!

Securing the AI Revolution: A Collaborative Effort

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 18:00:00 +0000

The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) presents exciting possibilities but also demands a strong focus on security. At Intel, the decided to take these challenges head on teaming with developers and adopters in safeguarding AI technology while navigating a complex landscape of guidelines and standards. Intel, along with other industry giants, believe in the power of collective action to address these challenges and ensure that security remains a top priority.

Intel Joins Forces with the Coalition for Secure AI (CoSAI)

Intel's CEO, Pat Gelsinger, recently unveiled a strategy for open and scalable AI systems at Intel Vision 2024. To further this vision, Intel joined the Coalition for Secure AI (CoSAI) as a founding member. CoSAI aims to equip practitioners and developers with the tools and guidance needed to build secure AI systems from the ground up.

This collaboration is a significant step for the industry, uniting leaders from diverse fields to develop and share comprehensive approaches, best practices, and methodologies for secure AI development and deployment. CoSAI's initial focus will be on software supply chain security, preparing defenders for evolving cybersecurity threats, and establishing AI security governance frameworks.

Prioritizing Security and User Protection in the AI Boom

The demand for AI is skyrocketing, and so are the security risks. As we have seen this week with the CrowdStrike outage cybersecurity is still evolving to keep up. It would seem with the widespread impact of thi outage that demand is far outpacing the current capabilities of some vendors and cybersecurity systems and experts. CoSAI hopes that with a focus on protecting AI systems from attacks, ensuring their transparency, and building trust with users they will be able to prevent future situations like we have today.

Unfortunately, we are already seeing hackers utilizing AI systems in taking advantage of the CrowdStrike outage chaos. They are setting up AI generated websites and portals, using realistic AI generated email for spear-phishing attacks and as CrowdStrike itself warned on their own blog post hackers are even impersonating CrowdStrike employees in scam emails and phone calls, even selling bogus software purporting to fix the glitch.

As AI systems evolve and become even more prevalent, we are going to need groups like the CoSAI working with teams from Intel, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Google and others to do their due diligence!

Will AI Finally Bring About the Automation Revolution

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Wed, 03 Jul 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Growing up during early ages of the tech evolution of the 80's and 90's all we heard was the concern that technology and automation was going displace jobs and replace workers. Faster forward a few decades later and what we see today is that technology has been used more as tool to accompany workers and increase their productivity rather than as a replacement. The same can largely be said about robotics and full-scale automation.

With the rise of AI however, we are once again hearing the alarm bells sounded, with more people believing that AI will soon replate many workers and many jobs will be lost to this newest technology. So is the newest threat to jobs actually going to replace everyone or will we see the same happen that we have seen over the past 30-40 yrs with the technology being an accompaniment rather than an all out replacement?

AI vs. Previous Tech Waves: Is This Time Different?

The fear surrounding AI isn't unfounded. Unlike past technologies, AI systems are designed to learn and improve, potentially taking on tasks that were once considered the exclusive domain of human intelligence. This includes everything from writing creative content to analyzing complex data, even diagnosing medical conditions.

But it's crucial to remember that history often rhymes, if not repeats. When personal computers first hit the scene, many predicted mass unemployment for secretaries and typists. Yet, these roles evolved. Instead of simply typing, administrative assistants took on more complex tasks, leveraging technology to increase their efficiency.

The Potential for Augmentation

A similar scenario may unfold with AI. Rather than replacing workers entirely, AI could augment their abilities. Imagine a doctor using AI to analyze medical scans, freeing up time for more patient interaction. Or a marketer using AI to generate initial drafts of content, leaving them to focus on strategy and refinement.

This shift towards augmentation could create new opportunities for workers who embrace AI as a tool. Those who adapt and learn to work alongside AI systems will likely find themselves in high demand.

The Challenge of Adaptation

Of course, this rosy picture of AI-powered augmentation isn't guaranteed. The transition will undoubtedly be disruptive, and some jobs may indeed disappear. The key is to focus on adaptability.

Governments, businesses, and individuals need to invest in education and training to equip workers with the skills needed to thrive in an AI-powered world. This includes not just technical skills, but also critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity – the very skills that AI currently struggles to replicate.

A Cautious Optimism

The question of whether AI will usher in an automation revolution or simply augment the workforce is still up for debate. However, by drawing lessons from the past and focusing on adaptation, we can navigate this new technological wave with cautious optimism.

AI has the potential to be a powerful tool for progress, not just a threat to jobs. By embracing its possibilities and preparing for its challenges, we can ensure that AI serves to enhance human potential, rather than diminish it.

In Conclusion...

The future of work in the age of AI is uncertain, but it's far from bleak. The alarm bells are ringing, but they may be a call to action rather than a death knell. By learning from history, investing in adaptation, and fostering a mindset of collaboration, we can shape a future where humans and AI work together to create a more prosperous and equitable world.

**Note Ironically portions of this post were edited and augmented with Google Gemini AI

Are External AI Accelerators Coming Soon?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard M.) — Thu, 30 May 2024 20:40:00 +0000

A couple years ago several companies introduced external GPUs. Portable boxes that held a top end GPU that could run the latest games on your small form factor PC or your otherwise under-equipped none gaming PC. They could be used on just about any PC to add in gaming or graphics power without the need for a new build or major upgrade. With the need for today's computers to keep up with the draw of AI computing will we soon see add-on or scalable external AI Accelerator Box becoming the new thing?

The fundamentals of on-device AI computing are easy enough to understand. You put an NPU, AI ready GPU ect into a device and you are reasonably set. Most new laptops and desktops will come with these chip integrated. However, the need to add AI computing power to older machines, without a large scale upgrade, might be the next big draw. Much like add-on GPUs having a stand-alone AI Accelerator NPU might be a great solution.

Think of it this way, you own a PC or laptop that is a few years old and instead of buying something brand new you add on an external NPU or even GPU box the size of a standard portable hard drive. You instantly boost your computing power and/or graphics power. Now add to that you could potentially be running them in tandem and multiply your base computing power exponentially based on whatever configurations you have! You become your own distributed computing system running everything from one machine. You can then take those same devices and run the same level of computing from your laptop, work PC or possibly even your phone!

Unlike a normal PC with an AI Accelerator Box you won't have to continuously upgrade. Rather you scale your computing power based on each new AI Box you add or swap out. Your base footprint would still be less than a single high end desktop, but with exponentially more compute power!

We do have a few solutions similar to what I'm suggesting today. ADLINK Tech has a portable NVIDIA RTX GPU and companies like Zotac still have their external GPUs. However, none of these offer the true scalability and raw AI processing power that I'm talking about. Eventually I believe well see some true standalone Intel or AMD based AI accelerator chips in external boxes setup for running as a daisy chained system.