News/Privacy
Navigating the ethical minefield of AI-powered customer segmentation
The rapid evolution of AI-powered customer segmentation has transformed how companies analyze and utilize customer data, bringing both enhanced capabilities and significant ethical challenges that must be carefully balanced. The evolution of customer segmentation: Traditional demographic-based customer segmentation has evolved into sophisticated AI-driven analysis, enabling companies to identify complex patterns and trends in vast amounts of customer data. Customer segmentation has progressed from basic demographic analysis to include detailed online behavior, interests, and preferences The emergence of e-commerce has significantly expanded the depth and breadth of available customer data AI algorithms now enable companies to process and analyze customer data...
read Nov 14, 2024Fintech in the EU: Balancing innovation and consumer rights in the AI era
The intersection of financial technology and artificial intelligence is reshaping Europe's banking and lending landscape, while raising important questions about automated decision-making and consumer protection. The fintech revolution: Financial technology companies are transforming traditional banking services through AI-powered solutions like automated loans, peer-to-peer lending, and investment management. Fintech startups represented 22% of European unicorns in 2022, raising $22.2 billion The sector experienced a significant downturn in 2023, with funding dropping to €4.6 billion from €15.3 billion Market tightening has led companies to seek cost-effective solutions, particularly in credit assessment Alternative credit scoring transformation: Financial institutions are increasingly adopting AI-driven alternative...
read Nov 12, 2024How to protect yourself against AI-powered deepfake porn
The rise of artificial intelligence has created unprecedented challenges in combating nonconsensual deepfake pornography, which can victimize anyone regardless of whether they've ever taken intimate photos. Current threat landscape: AI technology has dramatically lowered the barriers to creating and distributing synthetic sexual imagery, putting everyone from celebrities to students at risk of being targeted. Deepfake pornography can be generated using ordinary photos, making even those who've never taken intimate pictures vulnerable to exploitation The technology allows malicious actors to create highly convincing fake intimate content without requiring any actual nude images High school students have increasingly become targets, highlighting how...
read Nov 11, 2024Researchers use AI to uncover how attackers track our web activity
The complex interplay between machine learning and cybersecurity vulnerabilities has revealed surprising insights about how 'system interrupts' can leak sensitive user information. System interrupts are signals that temporarily pause a computer's current task so it can handle an urgent event (like a keystroke or mouse click) before returning to what it was doing. Initial discovery and research context: A team of researchers set out to investigate website fingerprinting attacks that leverage side-channel information to identify which websites users are visiting. Website fingerprinting attacks allow attackers to figure out which websites someone is visiting by analyzing patterns in their network traffic...
read Nov 4, 2024How Boulder schools balance AI innovation with student data protection
AI integration in education: Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts are implementing strategies to leverage artificial intelligence in classrooms while prioritizing student data protection and ethical use. Both districts opted not to block ChatGPT when it launched in November 2022, instead focusing on its potential benefits and necessary precautions. Conversations within the districts centered around data privacy, teaching students ethical AI use, and helping teachers utilize AI to streamline time-consuming tasks. Boulder Valley Superintendent Rob Anderson highlighted AI's potential to give teachers more time to reinvest in students by automating routine tasks. Teacher training initiatives: St. Vrain Valley...
read Nov 3, 2024What Franz Kafka’s teachings imply for privacy in the age of AI
AI and privacy: A Kafkaesque dilemma: The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is posing significant challenges to traditional notions of privacy and individual control over personal data. Boston University School of Law professor Woodrow Hartzog and George Washington University Law School's Daniel Solove have authored a paper exploring the relevance of Franz Kafka's worldview to privacy regulation in the AI era. The authors argue that current privacy-as-control models, which rely heavily on individual consent and choice, are inadequate in the face of complex digital ecosystems and AI systems. Kafka's literary works serve as a metaphorical lens to examine...
read Nov 1, 2024Microsoft postpones AI-powered Recall feature launch… again
Microsoft's AI-powered Recall feature faces further delays: The company has postponed the rollout of its controversial screen activity tracking tool for Windows, citing the need for additional refinement and security measures. Timeline of delays and adjustments: Microsoft initially announced Recall in May 2024 as an exclusive feature for Copilot+ PCs The feature faced immediate backlash due to privacy concerns, leading to a series of delays and modifications In June, Microsoft put Recall on hold and sent the entire codebase back for a major overhaul The company later changed its plans, shifting from a broad preview to a limited release within...
read Oct 31, 2024Cisco survey reveals American’s increasing focus on privacy in the AI era
Privacy as a driving force in consumer behavior: The 2024 Cisco Consumer Privacy Survey reveals that privacy has evolved from a regulatory requirement to a critical factor influencing customer trust, loyalty, and purchasing decisions. The survey, now in its sixth year, collected insights from over 2,600 consumers across 12 countries, highlighting the growing importance of data transparency and ethical AI practices. 75% of respondents indicated that trust in a company's data practices influences their buying choices, demonstrating the direct impact of data ethics on business competitiveness. Harvey Jang, Cisco's chief privacy officer, emphasized that privacy has transitioned from a compliance...
read Oct 23, 2024How this online gifting site protects customer privacy with Meta’s AI tools
Innovative privacy protection in AI-driven gift recommendations: Untukmu.AI, an Indonesian personalized gift recommendation platform, has developed a unique approach to safeguarding customer data privacy using Llama on edge devices. The company has created a semi-decentralized personal assistant that prevents direct access to customer data while still providing personalized recommendations. This innovative solution addresses growing concerns about data privacy and the protection of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) in the post-cookie era. Technical implementation of split inference: Untukmu.AI's Senior ML Engineer, Puja Romulus, devised a split inference approach to balance privacy concerns with computational feasibility. Customer data is stored only on edge...
read Oct 22, 2024X users revolt over new terms that allow AI training on posts
X's new terms of service spark controversy: The social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has updated its terms of service, granting itself broad rights to use user-generated content for AI training, raising concerns among users and privacy advocates. Key changes to data usage: X's updated terms, effective November 15, 2024, allow the platform to use all user-submitted content for various purposes, including training machine learning and AI models. Users automatically grant X a "worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license" to make their content available globally by continuing to use the platform. The new terms explicitly mention the use of user...
read Oct 22, 2024Samsung’s hidden setting disables all cloud AI features
Samsung's hidden AI privacy setting: Samsung has introduced a discreet yet powerful feature allowing users to restrict Galaxy AI processes to run exclusively on their devices, enhancing data privacy and control. The setting, found under Advanced features > Advanced intelligence, enables users to "Process data only on device," preventing any data from being sent to Samsung's servers for AI processing. This option provides users with greater control over their personal information, addressing growing concerns about data privacy in the age of widespread AI integration. Impact on Galaxy AI features: Enabling the on-device only processing option affects various Galaxy AI features...
read Oct 20, 2024Inside Sam Altman’s plan to scan everyone’s eyeballs
Revolutionary biometric verification system sparks global debate: Sam Altman's startup, World (formerly Worldcoin), has unveiled a new version of its eye-scanning orb technology, aiming to differentiate humans from AI in the digital realm. The big picture: World's ambitious goal is to scan the eyes of one billion people within the next few years, raising questions about privacy, data protection, and the future of digital identity verification. The company has already scanned 15 million people's eyes, with significant uptake in economically disadvantaged countries and cities like Santiago, Lisbon, and Buenos Aires. World's technology is designed to create a "new layer of...
read Oct 18, 2024X’s new terms: Your tweets will train Grok AI
X's new terms of service: Major changes and implications: X is set to implement significant updates to its terms of service on November 15, 2024, which will have far-reaching consequences for user data, AI training, and platform interactions. The most notable change allows X to utilize users' public posts as training data for its Grok chatbot and other AI systems, with users required to agree that X can "analyze text and other information you provide" for AI model training purposes. It remains unclear whether the current opt-out option for Grok AI scraping will continue to be available under the new...
read Oct 15, 2024People may be cloning you as a chatbot on Character.AI
The rise of unauthorized AI impersonation: Character.AI, an artificial intelligence platform, has sparked controversy by allowing users to create chatbots that impersonate real individuals without their consent, raising significant ethical and legal concerns. Drew Crecente discovered an AI chatbot on Character.AI that impersonated his deceased daughter Jennifer, created without his knowledge or permission. WIRED's investigation uncovered multiple instances of AI personas being generated on the platform without consent, with some cases involving women already experiencing online harassment. The process of creating chatbots on Character.AI is quick and straightforward, with minimal safeguards in place to prevent impersonation. Legal challenges and lack...
read Oct 15, 2024Defense attorneys challenge AI-powered crime-fighting tool
The Rise of Controversial AI-Powered Crime-Fighting Tool: Cybercheck, an artificial intelligence system developed by Canadian company Global Intelligence, claims to geolocate individuals in real-time or the past using only open-source data and algorithms, raising significant concerns about its accuracy and ethical implications. Widespread adoption and bold claims: Cybercheck has gained traction among law enforcement agencies, with over 345 departments in the United States utilizing the tool for approximately 24,000 searches since 2017. Adam Mosher, the founder of Global Intelligence, asserts that Cybercheck operates as a fully automated system requiring no human intervention. The company markets Cybercheck as a powerful investigative...
read Oct 15, 2024AI ‘nudify’ bots are abusing millions on Telegram
The rise of AI-powered 'nudify' bots on Telegram: A disturbing trend has emerged on the messaging platform Telegram, where millions of users are accessing bots that claim to create explicit deepfake photos or videos of individuals without their consent. A WIRED investigation uncovered at least 50 Telegram bots advertising the ability to generate nude or sexually explicit images of people using AI technology. These bots collectively boast over 4 million monthly users according to Telegram's own statistics, with two bots claiming more than 400,000 monthly users each and 14 others exceeding 100,000. At least 25 associated Telegram channels were identified,...
read Oct 14, 2024ChatGPT’s memory feature and how to find out what it really knows about you
ChatGPT's evolving memory capabilities: OpenAI's ChatGPT has introduced a memory feature that allows the AI to retain key information about users for more personalized interactions. The memory function enables ChatGPT to remember specific details shared by users, such as their favorite foods, hairstyles, or pet names. This feature aims to make future interactions more tailored and efficient by reducing the need for users to repeatedly provide the same information. The memory capability is separate from ChatGPT's conversation history, as each chat thread typically functions as an isolated entity. Exploring ChatGPT's memory: A novel prompt discovered by Tom Morgan, founder of...
read Oct 11, 2024What to know about Apple Intelligence privacy features
Apple Intelligence: A New Era of AI with Privacy at its Core: Apple's upcoming AI feature set, Apple Intelligence, is set to launch this month, bringing advanced capabilities to iPhones, iPads, and Macs while prioritizing user privacy through innovative approaches. On-Device Processing as the Primary Strategy: Apple continues its commitment to user privacy by emphasizing on-device processing for Apple Intelligence features. This approach allows for faster processing times as it doesn't rely on external servers. User data remains localized on the physical device, maximizing privacy and security. The majority of Apple Intelligence functions will run entirely on the device, preventing...
read Oct 10, 2024Amazon’s AI-powered Ring is raising privacy concerns
The evolution of Ring security cameras: Amazon's Ring has become a ubiquitous presence in home security, with over 10 million devices installed across urban and suburban landscapes, despite controversies surrounding privacy and law enforcement partnerships. Ring, founded 11 years ago, has grown into a popular brand of video doorbells and security cameras. Amazon acquired the company and has guided it through various controversies, including privacy concerns, security breaches, and incidents of vigilantism. The brand's relationship with law enforcement has also been a point of contention. AI-powered enhancements: Ring is introducing artificial intelligence capabilities to help users more effectively manage and...
read Oct 9, 2024How San Jose is pioneering responsible AI in city services
AI leadership in local government: San Jose, California, under the guidance of CIO Khaled Tawfik, is spearheading efforts to implement safe and responsible artificial intelligence in municipal services. The city council has approved the first budget allocation specifically dedicated to advancing AI use in improving city services. Tawfik leads the GovAI Coalition, a collaborative effort to help cities implement safe and responsible AI solutions based on robust policies. San Jose is focusing on testing AI to enhance micromobility safety, including detecting potholes, trash, and road safety conditions. The ultimate goal is to use AI for detecting and mitigating obstacles for...
read Oct 7, 2024Harvard undergrads use AI to reveal personal info from strangers’ photos
AI-powered facial recognition raises privacy concerns: Harvard undergraduates have developed a tool that can reveal personal information from a stranger's photo, highlighting the growing privacy risks associated with artificial intelligence and facial recognition technologies. AnhPhu Nguyen and Caine Ardayfio, juniors at Harvard, created I-XRAY, an AI tool that combines smart eyeglasses and online databases to obtain sensitive information about individuals. The system can potentially identify a person's name, address, and other personal details in about 90 seconds, using only a photograph of their face. I-XRAY demonstrates how existing privacy threats can be amplified by advancements in AI technology. How I-XRAY...
read Oct 7, 2024New report details massive surveillance network being built by streaming services
Streaming TV's surveillance surge: The Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) has released a comprehensive report detailing the extensive tracking and targeting practices employed by the connected TV (CTV) industry, raising significant privacy and consumer protection concerns. The 48-page report, titled "How TV Watches Us: Commercial Surveillance in the Streaming Era," argues that streaming services and hardware companies have developed an unprecedented "surveillance system" that undermines viewer privacy. The CDD claims that the CTV industry's practices pose severe risks to consumer privacy and protection, going beyond traditional data collection methods. The report highlights how streaming platforms and device manufacturers are leveraging...
read Oct 7, 2024This Chinese vacuum records video and audio to train its AI
Smart home privacy concerns: The popular Ecovacs Deebot robot vacuums are collecting sensitive user data, including photos, videos, and audio recordings from inside homes, to train the company's AI models. Ecovacs, a Chinese home robotics company, offers a "product improvement program" through its smartphone app, which users can opt into without clear information about the data being collected. The company's privacy policy allows for broad collection of user data, including 2D or 3D maps of homes, voice recordings, and photos or videos captured by the device. Even when users delete recordings, photos, or videos through the app, Ecovacs may continue...
read Oct 7, 2024Meta AI gains edge from Ray-Ban smart glasses photos
Meta's AI training practices raise privacy concerns: Meta has confirmed that it may use visual and audio inputs from Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses to train its AI assistant, sparking discussions about data privacy and user consent. Meta's policy communications manager Emil Vazquez stated that images and videos shared with Meta AI might be used to improve the technology, as per their Privacy Policy. This practice specifically applies to content shared through features like Look and Ask, which uses images to contextualize user requests. Users outside the US and Canada, or those who don't interact with the glasses' AI analysis tools,...
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