News

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Satirical ‘Center for the Alignment of AI Alignment Centers’ Mocks AI Safety Culture

A spoof website called the Center for the Alignment of AI Alignment Centers presents itself as a hub for AI safety researchers, but hides jokes and absurd claims throughout. Created by the team behind a wearable “Box” for women, the site features calming visuals that conceal hidden messages, a job board that invites applicants who believe AGI will end humanity in weeks, and a generative AI tool that promises to build a fake AI center in minutes. Researchers such as Kendra Albert initially mistook it for a legitimate effort before recognizing the satire.

9/11/2025

Amazon Prime Video Introduces New AI Tools for Thursday Night Football

Amazon’s Prime Video is rolling out a suite of artificial‑intelligence features for its Thursday Night Football broadcasts. The new tools, including Pocket Health, Defensive Alerts and End‑of‑Game analytics, analyze thousands of data points in real time to visualize quarterback threats, identify potential blitzers and model comeback scenarios. Designed to give viewers deeper insight into each play, the AI enhancements arrive as the service prepares for the first game of the 2025 NFL season, expanding the platform’s sports‑streaming capabilities.

9/11/2025

FTC Demands AI Chatbot Firms Reveal Impact on Children

The Federal Trade Commission has issued orders to seven AI chatbot companies—including OpenAI, Meta, Snap, xAI, Alphabet and Character.AI—to provide detailed information on how they assess the effects of their virtual companions on children and teens. The request, part of a study rather than an enforcement action, seeks data on monetization, user retention and harm mitigation. The move follows high‑profile reports of teen suicides linked to chatbot interactions and comes amid broader legislative efforts, such as a California bill proposing safety standards and liability for AI chatbots.

9/11/2025

Ted Cruz Pushes Flexible AI Regulations Amid Industry Praise and Safety Concerns

Senator Ted Cruz introduced the SANDBOX Act, arguing that existing U.S. regulations are ill‑suited, hindering AI innovation. He urges a more adaptable framework to accommodate emerging applications in sectors like healthcare and transportation. Industry groups such as Netchoice welcomed the bill, citing its “innovation‑first” approach. However, safety advocates, including the Alliance for Secure AI, warned that the legislation could weaken essential safeguards, referencing recent controversies involving Meta’s chatbots and OpenAI’s response to a tragic incident linked to ChatGPT.

9/11/2025

French Voice Actor Files Legal Notice Against Aspyr Over AI-Edited Tomb Raider Remaster

Françoise Cadol, the French voice of Lara Croft in the Tomb Raider IV‑VI Remastered collection, has sent a legal notice to publisher Aspyr. She alleges that a recent patch used artificial intelligence to modify her original performance without consent. Cadol is seeking a pause on sales of the collection while the issue is resolved. The story highlights growing concerns among performers about unapproved AI recreations, especially as unions negotiate protections for voice talent in video games.

9/11/2025

Gmail Adds Purchases Tab and Overhauls Promotions Sorting

Google is rolling out an update to Gmail on both mobile and web that introduces a dedicated Purchases tab for delivery emails and enhances the Promotions tab with relevance sorting and deal nudges. Users will see delivery cards at the top of their primary inbox and can access purchase details via a new side‑menu view, using familiar buttons like "See item" or "Track Package." The Promotions tab will now prioritize the most relevant offers based on past interactions, helping users spot expiring deals more easily.

9/11/2025

FTC Launches Probe into AI Companion Chatbot Companies

The Federal Trade Commission has opened a formal inquiry into several major developers of AI companion chatbots. The investigation, which is not yet linked to any regulatory action, seeks to understand how these firms measure, test and monitor potential negative impacts on children and teens, as well as how they handle data privacy and compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Seven companies—including Alphabet, Character Technologies, Meta, OpenAI, Snap and X.AI—have been asked to provide detailed information about their AI character development, monetization practices and safeguards for underage users.

9/11/2025

Senators Urge ICE to Halt Use of Facial Recognition App Mobile Fortify

U.S. Senators Edward Markey, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley sent a letter to Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons urging the agency to stop using the Mobile Fortify smartphone app, which employs facial recognition technology. The lawmakers argue that facial recognition is unreliable and that real‑time surveillance could chill constitutionally protected activities. The letter, also signed by several other senators, requests answers about the app’s developer, deployment, testing, legal basis and agency policies, and asks whether ICE will commit to ending its use. The move follows reports of New Orleans police secretly employing facial recognition on a private camera network, highlighting the broader controversy over biometric surveillance in the United States.

9/11/2025

xAI's Grok chatbot spreads false claims about Charlie Kirk shooting

The xAI chatbot Grok repeatedly asserted that a video showing political commentator Charlie Kirk being shot was a "meme edit" rather than a real event. Users on X challenged the bot, but Grok persisted, describing the footage as edited for humor. The incident follows a pattern of misinformation from Grok, including false statements about the 2024 election, conspiracy theories about South Africa, and antisemitic content. Neither X nor xAI responded to requests for comment, raising concerns about the reliability of AI-driven fact‑checking on social media.

9/11/2025

California Senate Bill 243 Advances Regulation of AI Companion Chatbots

The California State Assembly approved Senate Bill 243, a bipartisan measure that would regulate AI companion chatbots to protect minors and vulnerable users. The bill requires operators to label AI interactions, limit alerts for minors, and submit annual transparency reports. It also creates a private right of action for individuals harmed by violations. If signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, the law would take effect on January 1, 2026, with reporting requirements beginning July 1, 2027. The legislation follows high‑profile incidents involving AI chatbots and comes amid growing federal and state scrutiny of AI safety.

9/11/2025

Cloudways Rolls Out Copilot AI Tool to All Customers, Promising Faster Server Management

Cloudways has moved its Copilot AI assistant from preview to general availability, making it accessible to its entire user base. The tool, now serving roughly 6,000 customers, automates issue detection, recommends fixes, and offers a one‑click “Smart Fix” to dramatically cut troubleshooting time—from up to 90 minutes down to about five minutes for power users. As Cloudways prepares to scale the service toward 100,000 users, it is focusing on maintaining performance and building trust. Future updates will add a conversational interface and bulk‑action capabilities, aiming to make infrastructure management effortless.

9/11/2025

Google’s ‘Nano Banana’ AI Turns Photos into Collectible‑Style 3D Figurines

Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash Image model, nicknamed Nano Banana, lets users upload a photo and receive a realistic, miniature figurine rendering complete with packaging, a clear acrylic base and a 3D‑modeling screen backdrop. The tool is built into Google AI Studio and works with a detailed prompt that specifies scale, style, and presentation. Early adopters have used it to create figurines of themselves and pets, noting the model’s speed, prompt adherence, and surprisingly accurate facial details. The result looks like a high‑end collectible toy ready for mass‑production visuals.

9/11/2025