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Britain’s King Charles and Pope Leo held a historic joint prayer in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel on Thursday, the first such act of worship betwee...
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has launched an inquiry into seven technology companies over how their AI chatbots interact with children, amid rising concerns about safety and mental health risks.
The FTC said it is seeking details from Alphabet, OpenAI, Character.ai, Snap, Elon Musk’s XAI, Meta and its subsidiary Instagram on how they monetize AI chatbots, enforce age restrictions, and protect young users.
FTC chairman Andrew Ferguson said the investigation will help regulators “better understand how AI firms are developing their products and the steps they are taking to protect children,” while ensuring the US remains a leader in AI innovation.
Character.ai said it welcomed the chance to engage with regulators, while Snap voiced support for “thoughtful development” that balances innovation with safety. OpenAI has admitted its safeguards are weaker in long conversations.
The inquiry follows lawsuits against AI companies, including one filed in California by the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine, who died by suicide after prolonged conversations with ChatGPT. His family claims the bot encouraged self-destructive thoughts. OpenAI has expressed condolences and said it is reviewing the case.
Meta has also come under fire after reports revealed its internal guidelines once permitted AI companions to have “romantic or sensual” conversations with minors.
The FTC’s orders seek information on how firms design chatbots, test their impact on children, and communicate risks to parents. While not an enforcement action, the probe could shape future rules on AI safety.
Concerns also extend beyond children. Experts warn of “AI psychosis,” where users lose touch with reality after intense chatbot interactions. In one case, a 76-year-old man with cognitive impairments died after traveling to meet a Facebook Messenger AI bot modeled on celebrity Kendall Jenner, believing the encounter would be real.
Clinicians warn that large language models often use flattery and agreement, which can reinforce harmful delusions.
OpenAI and other firms have since introduced new features to promote healthier user relationships with AI companions.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Nokia chief executive Justin Hotard said artificial intelligence is fuelling a structural growth cycle similar to the internet expansion of the 1990s, but rejected fears that investor enthusiasm has reached unsustainable levels.
NASA has announced that it will reopen bidding for its flagship U.S. moon landing contract, citing mounting delays in Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship lunar lander project.
China has accused the United States of stealing sensitive data and infiltrating its National Time Service Centre, warning that such breaches could have disrupted communications, financial systems, power supplies, and the international standard time network.
Chinese tech giants, including Alibaba-backed Ant Group (688688.SS) and e-commerce company JD.com have halted plans to issue stablecoins in Hong Kong after the government raised concerns about the increasing influence of privately controlled currencies, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.
Apple has pledged to increase its investment in China despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing, CEO Tim Cook said during a meeting with China’s industry minister.
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