How LLMs are transforming computational humor, an AI subfield that uses computers to create jokes, as some artists begin using AI chatbots for improv comedy (Gillian Tett/Financial Times)

Gillian Tett / Financial Times:
How LLMs are transforming computational humor, an AI subfield that uses computers to create jokes, as some artists begin using AI chatbots for improv comedy  —  Machines are getting better at making us laugh — and challenging our notions of humanity in the process

A look at the ethical and legal issues around generative AI, as it makes practical at a massive scale things that were previously only possible on a small scale (Benedict Evans)

Benedict Evans:
A look at the ethical and legal issues around generative AI, as it makes practical at a massive scale things that were previously only possible on a small scale  —  We've been talking about intellectual property in one way or another for at least the last five hundred years …

Sources: Apple's new iPad Pro, due in 2024, will get its first major overhaul since 2018, including an M3 chip, OLED displays, and a revamped Magic Keyboard (Mark Gurman/Bloomberg)

Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple's new iPad Pro, due in 2024, will get its first major overhaul since 2018, including an M3 chip, OLED displays, and a revamped Magic Keyboard  —  Apple is working on a revamped iPad Pro for next year, aiming to shake up a tablet market that's deep in the doldrums.

A look at Smart Answers, an AI chatbot trained only on Macworld, PCWorld, Tech Advisor, and TechHive content, and offered to the outlets' readers on August 1 (Mia Sato/The Verge)

Mia Sato / The Verge:
A look at Smart Answers, an AI chatbot trained only on Macworld, PCWorld, Tech Advisor, and TechHive content, and offered to the outlets' readers on August 1  —  By and large, the goal has been: can we make more pages for ads without paying more writers?  —  Now, a group of tech outlets …

A look at the UK's new DARPA-inspired Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), which has a four-year £800M budget to invest in breakthrough tech like AI (Clive Cookson/Financial Times)

Clive Cookson / Financial Times:
A look at the UK's new DARPA-inspired Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), which has a four-year £800M budget to invest in breakthrough tech like AI  —  Head of Advanced Research and Invention Agency tells FT it has appointed directors charged with selecting projects

New technology developed to transport of radio frequency (RF) through optical methods

A new prototype in the NG-PADC project could revolutionize various sectors by enabling faster digital communication, improved satellite communication, better medical imaging, and photonic radars. The prototype, developed by IIT Madras with support from the IMPRINT program, features a time-stretched photonic analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with an effective bandwidth 12 times higher than electronic ADCs. This allows for the sampling of higher bandwidth signals with lower bandwidth ADCs. The scientists behind the project have partnered with Lightmotif Automation to bring the technology to the market. https://ift.tt/eVuPqa5

Income tax department website revamped, here's all that's new

The Income Tax Department has launched a revamped website with a new user interface and additional features. The website aims to serve as a comprehensive repository of tax information and provides access to Direct Tax laws, rules, circulars, and notifications. It also includes a 'Taxpayer Services Module' with various tools to assist taxpayers in filing their returns. The website has been redesigned with a mobile-responsive layout and includes virtual tours and guided explanations of new features. The revamped website is part of the department's efforts to enhance taxpayer services and facilitate tax compliance. https://ift.tt/i1urfYZ

Government warns of action against carrying advertisements on online betting platform

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India has instructed media entities, online advertisement intermediaries, and social media platforms to stop showing advertisements for betting and gambling. The ministry warns that failure to comply may result in action from the Indian government under various laws. The ministry highlights the financial and socio-economic risks associated with gambling platforms and their connection to money laundering networks. It also notes that black money is often used to pay for such advertisements. The ministry has previously issued advisories on this matter in 2022 and 2023. https://ift.tt/8z59Ggm

Edtech company Cuemath cuts jobs, read what CEO's mail to employees said

Cuemath, an online math learning platform, has laid off 100 more employees, marking its second round of job cuts this year. The company cited divergent revenue and cost trajectories, as well as the challenging macro situation around capital availability for edtech, as reasons for the layoffs. Cuemath's revenue for the fiscal year ending March 2022 grew by 63.1%, but its losses increased by 66%. The company is backed by Peak XV Partners and provides an after-school online math program for students in grades K-12. https://ift.tt/0bP3Yhw

WordPress.com debuts a 100-year domain name registration for $38K, offering managed hosting and 24/7 customer service; domains are typically capped at 10 years (Roger Montti/Search Engine Journal)

Roger Montti / Search Engine Journal:
WordPress.com debuts a 100-year domain name registration for $38K, offering managed hosting and 24/7 customer service; domains are typically capped at 10 years  —  WordPress announces the availability of 100-year domain name registrations that include 24/7 assistance and managed web hosting

A look at Smallville, a virtual village populated by AI chatbots, built by Stanford and Google researchers to create a society with "believable human behavior" (Oliver Roeder/Financial Times)

Oliver Roeder / Financial Times:
A look at Smallville, a virtual village populated by AI chatbots, built by Stanford and Google researchers to create a society with “believable human behavior”  —  Giving digital agents ‘memory streams’ produced surprising results  —  John Lin is a small-town pharmacist who takes great pride in his work.

Despite cheating and misinformation fears, some US schools that once raced to block AI chatbot access are now encouraging teachers and students to use them (Natasha Singer/New York Times)

Natasha Singer / New York Times:
Despite cheating and misinformation fears, some US schools that once raced to block AI chatbot access are now encouraging teachers and students to use them  —  Some districts that once raced to block A.I. chatbots are now trying to embrace them.  —  For decades, Walla Walla High School …

VMware unveils enhanced VMware Cloud suite with advanced features for modernization and security

VMware has announced a major upgrade to its VMware Cloud offerings, aimed at helping organizations modernize and secure their operations. The enhanced VMware Cloud integrates on-premises and public cloud software, providing a consistent environment across different cloud platforms. It is available in five editions, offering flexibility to organizations at different stages of their cloud transformation journey. Additionally, VMware has introduced NSX+, a cloud-managed service for networking, security, and developer services in multi-cloud environments, and VMware vSAN Max, a scalable and cost-effective storage solution. The company also unveiled VMware Ransomware Recovery, a cloud service for recovering from fileless ransomware attacks. https://ift.tt/dkxFMSJ

CoinGecko: Worldcoin's WLD fell 9.1% in the past 24 hours to ~$1.33, down 43.6% since its launch a month ago, after scrutiny over data collection and privacy (Timmy Shen/The Block)

Timmy Shen / The Block:
CoinGecko: Worldcoin's WLD fell 9.1% in the past 24 hours to ~$1.33, down 43.6% since its launch a month ago, after scrutiny over data collection and privacy  —  - The controversial crypto project co-created by Sam Altman saw its WLD token drop 9.1% over the past 24 hours and 43.6% over the past 30 days.

Amazon sues pirate sites for selling DVDs of the most expensive TV show ever

Amazon has filed a criminal case against 'pirates' who were selling the TV show, The Lord of The Rings: Rings of Power, online. The company is seeking financial damages and wants to take over the websites involved. Amazon has named seven websites and a Chinese man as defendants in the case. The company is also seeking a permanent injunction and wants domain registrars to transfer the domain names associated with the piracy websites to Amazon's name. Additionally, Amazon wants financial institutions to transfer any amounts arising from the defendants' unlawful activities. https://ift.tt/9w7LokU