- Yes AI or No AI, That Is the Question [gabrielweinberg.com]
AI is everywhere. Did anyone give you a choice? Many people want to opt out of AI features right now, but most tech companies are ignoring them. At DuckDuckGo, our approach to AI is to only make AI features that are useful, private, and — importantly! — optional. Whether you are Yes AI or No AI, or somewhere in between, we think you deserve a product that gives you the option of whether or not to use AI features.
This week, we officially launched VoteYesOrNoAi.com, where you can personally weigh in on this question via a live public vote, tallied anonymously by country and U.S. state.
Where do you stand? Read more from our founder here.
In the news...
- A.I. Has Arrived in Gmail. Here’s What to Know. [nytimes.com]
Brian X. Chen says two years after Google "force-fed" AI into their search results, Google is now on a "similar track" with Google Mail. They're "rolling out a suite of new tools relying on generative A.I., the technology driving chatbots, to help users manage their bloated inboxes and speed up the process of writing email."
"All of this, of course, has implications for privacy. To make the new features work, Gemini, Google’s A.I. assistant, needs access to a user’s entire inbox. The company insists that while Gemini systems analyze our emails, there are protections in place so that its employees do not read them."
- Hundreds of Millions of Audio Devices Need a Patch to Prevent Wireless Hacking and Tracking [wired.com]
Security researchers have uncovered a critical flaw in Google's Fast Pair protocol that lets hackers silently hijack hundreds of millions of wireless earbuds and headphones from major brands in under 15 seconds. Attackers within Bluetooth range can eavesdrop through your microphones, blast audio into your ears, or track your location—even if you're an iPhone user.
"Researchers urge all users to update their vulnerable accessories, and they point users to a website they created that provides a searchable list of devices affected by WhisperPair."
- The FTC’s Data-Sharing Order Against GM Is Finally Settled [techcrunch.com]
Last week, "the Federal Trade Commission said... it has finalized an order that bans General Motors and its OnStar telematics service from sharing certain consumer data with consumer reporting agencies. The finalized order, which comes a year after the agency reached a proposed settlement with GM, also requires the automaker to be more transparent with its consumers and obtain their explicit consent on certain data collection." Kirsten Korosec reports.
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