Tokyo's threatened Jingu Gaien park placed on 'Heritage Alert' list by conservancy body
Tokyo’s Jingu Gaien park area has been placed on a “Heritage Alert” list by a conservancy body that assesses international monuments and historic sites
2023-09-07 15:53
Head of Japan's top pop agency resigns after admitting late founder sexually abused minors for decades
The head of Japan's top pop agency Johnny & Associates stepped down Thursday after admitting that her uncle, the company's late founder, had sexually abused minors for years, following months of international scrutiny and an independent investigation.
2023-09-07 15:53
UK has not backed down in tech encryption row, minister says
LONDON (Reuters) -Britain will require social media companies to take action to stop child abuse on their platforms, and if
2023-09-07 15:52
Three in hospital after car hits people outside pub
Two women and a man, aged in their 50s and 60s, have been taken to Letterkenny University Hospital.
2023-09-07 15:51
'Selling the OC' Season 2 cast: Netflix reality show returns with intense drama and a new agent
Netflix renewed the show for Seasons two and three back in January
2023-09-07 15:50
AI can help generate synthetic viruses and spark pandemics, warns former Google executive
Synthetic viruses could be generated through the misuse of artificial intelligence and potentially spark pandemics, a former Google executive and AI expert has warned. Google DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman expressed concern that the use of AI to engineer pathogens to cause more harm may lead to a scenario like a pandemic. “The darkest scenario is that people will experiment with pathogens, engineered synthetic pathogens that might end up accidentally or intentionally being more transmissible or more lethal,” he said in a recent episode of a podcast. Similar to how there are restrictions in place to prevent people from easily accessing pathogenic microbes like anthrax, Mr Suleyman has called for the means to restrict access to advanced AI technology and software that runs such models. “That’s where we need containment. We have to limit access to the tools and the know-how to carry out that kind of experimentation,” he said in The Diary of a CEO podcast. “We can’t let just anyone have access to them. We need to limit who can use the AI software, the cloud systems, and even some of the biological material,” the Google DeepMind co-founder said. “And of course on the biology side it means restricting access to some of the substances,” he said, adding that AI development needs to be approached with a “precautionary principle”. Mr Suleyman’s statements echo concerns raised in a recent study that even undergraduates with no relevant background in biology can detail suggestions for bio-weapons from AI systems. Researchers, including those from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, found chatbots can suggest “four potential pandemic pathogens” within an hour and explain how they can be generated from synthetic DNA. The research found chatbots also “supplied the names of DNA synthesis companies unlikely to screen orders, identified detailed protocols and how to troubleshoot them, and recommended that anyone lacking the skills to perform reverse genetics engage a core facility or contract research organization”. Such large language models (LLMs), like ChatGPT, “will make pandemic-class agents widely accessible as soon as they are credibly identified, even to people with little or no laboratory training,” the study said. The study, whose authors included MIT bio risk expert Kevin Esvelt, called for “non-proliferation measures”. Such measures could include “pre-release evaluations of LLMs by third parties, curating training datasets to remove harmful concepts, and verifiably screening all DNA generated by synthesis providers or used by contract research organizations and robotic ‘cloud laboratories’ to engineer organisms or viruses”. Read More China’s ‘government-approved’ AI chatbot says Taiwan invasion is likely Government urged to address AI ‘risks’ to avoid ‘spooking’ public Scientists give verdict on Harvard professor’s claim of finding materials in sea from outside Solar System Google boss says he wants to make people ‘shrug’ Why is Elon Musk obsessed with the letter X? Elon Musk ‘borrowed $1bn from SpaceX’ at same time as Twitter acquisition
2023-09-07 15:50
Germany's wind power expansion stalls on the roads
By Riham Alkousaa BERLIN Germany's wind power expansion is facing an unexpected roadblock: builders need permits to transport
2023-09-07 15:49
China's top chipmaker may be in hot water as US lawmakers call for further sanctions after Huawei 'breakthrough'
Shares in SMIC, China's largest contract chipmaker, plunged on Thursday, after two US congressmen called on the White House to further restrict export sales to the company.
2023-09-07 15:49
'Wheel of Fortune’ letter-turner Vanna White debuts her stunning first look ahead of Pat Sajak’s last season
Vanna White and Pat Sajak joined forces for the first photo call of their last season of 'Wheel of Fortune' together
2023-09-07 15:47
US wary of German pride ahead of Basketball World Cup semi
Austin Reaves warned his United States team-mates on Thursday that national pride will transform Germany's players when they meet in...
2023-09-07 15:45
Blink-182 tease new music with cryptic posters and website
'All The Small Things' rockers Blink-182 are teasing their new album with a series of posters and a mystery website.
2023-09-07 15:29
3 sailors reach land safely after sharks nearly sink their catamaran in the Coral Sea
Three round-the-world sailors have reached land safely after sharks nearly sank their catamaran in the Coral Sea
2023-09-07 15:28
