Tech
Billionaire space race – Blue Origin lifts off
Billionaire Jeff Bezos has made his first journey to space, in the first crewed flight of his rocket ship, New Shepard.
Bezos was accompanied by his younger brother Mark as well as Wally Funk, an 82-year-old pioneer of the space race, and a student.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS
They travelled in a capsule with the biggest windows flown in space, offering stunning views of the Earth.
New Shepard is built by Bezos’ company Blue Origin and is designed to serve the burgeoning market for space tourism.
Once the rocket reached space, it was time to return to earth.
The capsule touched back down after a 10-minute and 10-second flight.
Rescue crews followed the capsule as it returned to earth under three parachutes.
The crew was then brought out of the capsule and back to land after the short flight to space.
Jeff Bezos told NBC News it was his “Best day ever!”
“THERE ARE NO WORDS”
But Mr Bezos, and other participants in the “billionaire space race”, have been criticised for offering what some regard as mere joy rides for the super-wealthy.
Mr Bezos insists his underlying rationale is an environmental one: “We need to take all heavy industry, all polluting industry and move it into space, and keep Earth as this beautiful gem of a planet that it is,” he told MSNBC.
Still, the flight received praise from his competitor Richard Branson, who tweeted:
Blue Origin’s flight comes a week after Richard Branson blasted into space on board Virgin Galactic.
Tech
OpenAI limits deepfakes after Bryan Cranston’s concerns
OpenAI protects against deepfakes on Sora 2 after Bryan Cranston and SAG-AFTRA raise concerns over unauthorized AI-generated content
OpenAI protects against deepfakes on Sora 2 after Bryan Cranston and SAG-AFTRA raise concerns over unauthorised AI-generated content
– OpenAI partners with Bryan Cranston and unions to combat deepfakes on its Sora app.
– The app now includes options for people to control their likenesses and voices.
The partnership aims to enhance protections against unauthorized AI content. The Creative Artists Agency and United Talent Agency had previously criticized OpenAI, citing risks to their clients’ intellectual property.
Last week, OpenAI blocked disrespectful videos of Martin Luther King Jr. at the request of his estate, following similar pressures. Zelda Williams also requested the public refrain from sending her AI-generated clips of her late father, Robin Williams.
Policy Changes
Following tensions post-launch, CEO Sam Altman revised Sora’s policy to give rights holders greater control of their likenesses.
The app now allows individuals to opt-out, reflecting OpenAI’s commitment to respond quickly to concerns from performers.
OpenAI backs the NO FAKES Act, supporting legislation that aims to protect individuals from unauthorized AI-generated representations.
OpenAI is focused on ensuring performers’ rights are respected regarding the misuse of their voices and likenesses. Altman reiterated the company’s dedication to these protections.
Tech
Major apps down as AWS experiences global outage
AWS outage disrupts Fortnite, Snapchat and multiple services globally
AWS outage disrupts Fortnite, Snapchat and multiple services globally
– AWS outage on Monday disrupted major apps like Fortnite, Snapchat, and affected several global companies.
– UK companies including Lloyds Bank and Vodafone reported issues due to the AWS outage.
Amazon’s AWS experienced a significant outage on Monday, impacting major apps including Fortnite and Snapchat. The disruption affected connectivity for numerous companies globally.AWS reported increased error rates and latencies across multiple services and is attempting to recover quickly.
The outage marks the first significant internet disruption since a previous incident last year that impacted essential technology systems globally. AWS offers on-demand computing and storage services and is vital for many websites and platforms.
Multiple companies reported disruptions, including AI startup Perplexity, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, and trading app Robinhood. Perplexity’s CEO confirmed on X that the outages were linked to AWS issues.
Amazon’s shopping site, Prime Video, and Alexa services also faced difficulties, according to Downdetector. Other affected platforms included popular gaming applications like Clash Royale and financial services such as Venmo and Chime.
Uber competitor Lyft’s app was reported down for numerous users in the U.S. Messaging platform Signal also acknowledged connection problems stemming from the AWS outage.
British Companies
In the UK, Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, and telecom services provider Vodafone were notably affected. The HMRC’s website also encountered issues during this outage.
Elon Musk stated that his platform, X, remained operational despite the widespread disruptions.
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