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Daily Archives: February 21, 2023

Twitter Just Weakened Account Security For Almost 368 Million Users

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Forbes: “The latest twist in the Twitter tale since Elon Musk bought the company is one of the most worrying to date. In a truly bizarre move, which appears to put penny-pinching before account security, Twitter has announced it will limit the use of SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA) to Twitter Blue subscribers from March 20. Twitter disables SMS 2FA for the majority of users – In a notice posted to the Twitter help center’s two-factor authentication pages, Twitter states that “Effective 20 March 2023, we will no longer support two-factor authentication using text messages for non-Twitter Blue subscribers.” With as many as 368 million active monthly users, of which less than 300,000 are thought to subscribe to Twitter Blue, that leaves a huge number of people with potentially weakened account security. Indeed, even if you are a Twitter Blue subscriber, that doesn’t mean you will necessarily still be able to use SMS-based 2FA. The announcement notice added that “the availability of text message 2FA for Twitter Blue may vary by country and carrier.”

See also Wired – How to Protect Yourself From Twitter’s 2FA Crackdown. “Twitter is disabling SMS-based two-factor authentication. Switch to these alternatives to keep your account safe.”

ChatGPT launches boom in AI-written e-books on Amazon

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Reuters: “…There were over 200 e-books in Amazon’s Kindle store as of mid-February listing ChatGPT as an author or co-author, including “How to Write and Create Content Using ChatGPT,” “The Power of Homework” and poetry collection “Echoes of the Universe.” And the number is rising daily. There is even a new sub-genre on Amazon: Books… Continue Reading

Salesforce offers 5 guidelines to reduce AI bias

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Tech Republic: “Salesforce, which last year introduced its Einstein AI framework behind its Customer 360 platform, has published what it says is the industry’s first Guidelines for Trusted Generative AI. Written by Paula Goldman, chief ethical and humane use officer, and Kathy Baxter, principal architect of ethical AI at the company, the guidelines are meant… Continue Reading

Global internet connectivity at risk from climate disasters

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E&E News ClimateWire: “The flow of digital information through fiber-optic cables lining the sea floor could be compromised by climate change. That’s according to new research published in the journal Earth-Science Reviews by scientists from the United Kingdom’s National Oceanography Centre and the University of Central Florida. They found that ocean and nearshore disturbances caused… Continue Reading

Most expect ChatGPT will be used for cheating

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“We’ve heard about it. We use it. But we are not necessarily comfortable with what the future holds. The Monmouth University Poll finds awareness of AI developments has increased over the past decade, but opinion about its potential impact remains largely unchanged, with a few exceptions. Most Americans express concern about the impact of new… Continue Reading

Commentary Early thoughts on regulating generative AI like ChatGPT

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Brookings, Alex Engler: “With OpenAI’s ChatGPT now a constant presence both on social media and in the news, generative artificial intelligence (AI) models have taken hold of the public’s imagination. Policymakers have taken note too, with statements from Members addressing risks and AI-generated text read on the floor of the House of Representatives. While they… Continue Reading

Marginalia Uncovered in Leonardo’s Famous Codex Arundel Suggests the Renaissance Polymath Theorized Gravity Before Galileo

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ArtNet: “Physicists studying Leonardo da Vinci’s Codex Arundel have made the remarkable discovery that the Italian Renaissance man may have beaten Galileo and Isaac Newton to theorizing gravity. Leonardo’s groundbreaking scientific investigations have continued to amaze modern-day researchers as new findings come to light. The latest discovery, published in the journal Leonardo, is a new… Continue Reading

We pitted ChatGPT against tools for detecting AI-written text, and the results are troubling

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The Conversation: “As the “chatbot wars” rage in Silicon Valley, the growing proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools specifically designed to generate human-like text has left many baffled. Educators in particular are scrambling to adjust to the availability of software that can produce a moderately competent essay on any topic at a moment’s notice. Should… Continue Reading

Audit finds New York City agencies need AI usage policies

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Statescoop – “Agencies in New York City need better policies and guidance for using AI technology, according to a state auditor’s report: “An audit by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli found that the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation needs to create better artificial intelligence usage policies for city agencies. In examining… Continue Reading