News

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Scouting America Adds Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Merit Badges

Scouting America has expanded its merit badge program to include two new technology‑focused awards: an artificial intelligence badge and a cybersecurity badge. The new badges are designed to give scouts hands‑on experience with AI fundamentals, automation, and online safety skills. Both badges emphasize real‑world practice rather than theory. The organization also launched an AI‑powered chatbot called Scoutly, which can provide badge requirements and other assistance. With more than 130 badges already available, the additions reflect Scouting America’s effort to keep its programs relevant to modern life.

10/16/2025

Google Unveils Veo 3 AI Video Model Amid Sora Competition

Google announced the release of Veo 3, its latest AI video generator, now available to paying Gemini users through Flow, the Gemini API, and Vertex AI. The update adds features such as ingredient‑based video assembly, object insertion, and the ability to create AI‑generated transitions between still images, extending short clips to over a minute. Veo 3 follows earlier launches that integrated synchronized audio and reflects Google’s broader push into generative media, a field currently heated by OpenAI’s Sora and ongoing copyright disputes.

10/16/2025

What Makes a Song Catchy: Insights from AI, DJs and Surveys

A blend of AI analysis, museum research and veteran DJs reveals why certain songs stick in listeners' heads. ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot highlight hooks, simple melodies and tempo as key factors. A 2014 museum study ranks "Wannabe" and "Mambo No. 5" among the quickest‑recognised tracks. New Jersey DJ Mark Pomeroy and Atlanta DJ Sloan Lee stress emotional connection, beats‑per‑minute and social‑media trends. Together, these perspectives show that catchiness is a mix of musical structure, cultural moments and audience energy.

10/15/2025

Anthropic Launches Claude Haiku 4.5, a Cost‑Effective Small Model

Anthropic introduced Claude Haiku 4.5, a compact AI model designed to deliver high intelligence and speed at a fraction of the cost of its larger counterparts. Priced at $1 per million input tokens and $5 per million output tokens for API users, Haiku 4.5 undercuts Sonnet 4.5 and Opus 4.1 while matching frontier‑level performance on benchmarks such as SWE‑bench. The model targets real‑time, low‑latency tasks like chat assistants, customer service, and pair programming, and can be combined with Sonnet 4.5 in multi‑model workflows. Documentation and system cards are now available for developers.

10/15/2025

AI-Powered App Aims to End Avocado Ripeness Guesswork

Researchers at Oregon State University and Florida State University have created a smartphone‑based artificial‑intelligence tool that can predict avocado firmness with more than 90% accuracy. By analyzing subtle cues in photos, the model tells users when a Hass avocado is perfectly ripe, helping shoppers and retailers avoid the narrow 15‑second window between hard and overripe fruit. The technology targets the massive waste of avocados—estimated at nearly a third of all harvested produce—by giving consumers a reliable way to time consumption, with broader applications envisioned for other perishable foods.

10/15/2025

Google Unveils Veo 3.1 AI Video Model Amid OpenAI Sora Competition

Google announced the launch of Veo 3.1, the latest version of its AI video generator, now available to paying Gemini users through Flow, the Gemini API, and Vertex AI. The update adds asset‑combining tools, object insertion, extended clip length, and AI‑driven transitions between still images. The move comes as OpenAI promotes its Sora video model, sparking debate over deep‑fake risks and copyright challenges in generative media.

10/15/2025

VSCO Launches First AI-Powered Photo Editing Tool

VSCO, the long‑standing photo editing and sharing app known for its film‑style filters and creator community, has introduced its first AI‑driven editing feature called “Remove.” The tool lets users erase unwanted elements from images while preserving full‑resolution quality, using Black Forest Lab’s FLUX.1 Kontext model alongside VSCO’s own technology. The feature is part of a new AI Lab suite that also promises an upcoming Upscale tool. Available now for iOS users with a VSCO Pro subscription, the rollout underscores the company’s aim to support photographers with AI without compromising authenticity.

10/15/2025

Google Unveils Veo 3.1, Boosting AI-Generated Video Quality and Flexibility

Google announced Veo 3.1, the latest upgrade to its AI video model, promising stronger prompt adherence, higher realism, and improved audio. The new version expands format support to include both landscape and portrait 16:9 video, addressing the surge in vertical content on platforms like YouTube Shorts and TikTok. A "Fast" variant aims to reduce compute costs, and the model will be integrated across Google’s ecosystem, including the Flow filmmaking tool. While the upgrade raises concerns about distinguishing real from synthetic media, it positions Google more competitively against rivals such as OpenAI's Sora.

10/15/2025

$OpenAI Plans to Offer Verified Adult Users Access to Erotic ChatGPT Conversations$

OpenAI Plans to Offer Verified Adult Users Access to Erotic ChatGPT Conversations

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company will allow verified adult users to engage in erotic conversations with ChatGPT starting in December. The move reflects a shift toward a more permissive content model after a period of tighter restrictions aimed at mental‑health safety. Altman said new detection tools will help balance adult freedom with user protection, and developers will also be able to create mature‑content applications once appropriate age‑verification processes are in place.

10/15/2025

Japan Requests OpenAI to Halt Use of Manga and Anime Images

Japan’s government has formally asked OpenAI to stop using Japanese manga and anime artwork in its AI models, citing concerns over copyright infringement. The request follows backlash against OpenAI’s video app Sora, which quickly became populated with AI‑generated content that the Cabinet Office says violates the country’s cultural treasures. Officials, including Minoru Kiuchi, warned that manga and anime are “irreplaceable treasures,” and the Cabinet Office has demanded OpenAI cease the infringing behavior. OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged the company’s debt to Japan’s creative output, while the firm faces criticism over its previous opt‑out policy for copyright holders.

10/15/2025

Apple Introduces M5‑Powered iPad Pro, Emphasizing AI Capabilities

Apple unveiled a new iPad Pro equipped with its latest M5 Apple Silicon chip, highlighting a strong focus on artificial‑intelligence performance. While the tablet retains the same ultra‑thin design and Ultra Retina XDR display, the M5 promises significantly faster processing, a larger Neural Engine, and upgraded connectivity including Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. Pricing starts at $999 for the 11‑inch Wi‑Fi model and $1,299 for the 13‑inch Wi‑Fi model, with storage options up to 2 TB. Pre‑orders are open with shipments slated to begin shortly after the announcement.

10/15/2025

Symbolic Mindsets Render Fact-Checking Ineffective

Research shows that for people who prioritize symbolic signaling over factual accuracy, factual corrections often backfire. When a public figure makes an obviously false claim, such as a former president alleging record crime rates, debunkers are perceived as reacting weakly, while the original statement is seen as a display of strength. This mindset encourages the spread of outlandish or disproven statements, links to authoritarian preferences, and reduces the impact of traditional fact‑checking efforts.

10/15/2025