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Poor Passwords Tattle on AI Hiring Bot Maker Paradox.ai

Security researchers recently revealed that the personal information of millions of people who applied for jobs at McDonald’s was exposed after they guessed the password (“123456”) for the fast food chain’s account at Paradox.ai, a company that makes artificial intelligence based hiring chatbots used by many Fortune 500 firms. Paradox.ai said the security oversight was an isolated incident that did not affect its other customers, but recent security breaches involving its employees in Vietnam te

Too many open browser tabs? This is still my favorite solution - and has been for years

NoSystem images/Getty Images How many browser tabs do you have open right now? If you're like most people who spend their workday in front of a PC or Mac, the answer is probably "too many to count," and you're staring at a row of icons that offer only the faintest clue of what's on the tab associated with each one. Good luck remembering what's on each page when all you can see are favicons for each tab Screenshot by Ed Bott/ZDNET When tab overload strikes, the usual cure is to declare tab ban

Extending That XOR Trick to Billions of Rows

Can we extend the XOR trick for finding one or two missing numbers in a list to finding thousands of missing IDs in a billion-row table? Yes, we can! This is possible using a data structure called an Invertible Bloom Filter (IBF) that compares two sets with space complexity based only on the size of the difference. Using a generalization of the XOR trick [1], all the values that are identical cancel out, so the size of this data structure depends only on the size of the difference. Most explan

Fanfic study challenges leading cultural evolution theory

It's widely accepted conventional wisdom that when it comes to creative works—TV shows, films, music, books—consumers crave an optimal balance between novelty and familiarity. What we choose to consume and share with others, in turn, drives cultural evolution. But what if that conventional wisdom is wrong? An analysis based on data from a massive online fan fiction (fanfic) archive contradicts this so-called "balance theory," according to a paper published in the journal Humanities and Social S

Mistral’s Le Chat adds deep research agent and voice mode to challenge OpenAI’s enterprise dominance

Want smarter insights in your inbox? Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get only what matters to enterprise AI, data, and security leaders. Subscribe Now Since OpenAI introduced Deep Research, an AI agent that can conduct research for users and generate a comprehensive report, many other companies have released their own versions of this capability, all named Deep Research. Deep Research, as a feature and product, can be accessed through various platforms, including Google’s Gemini, AlphaSe

Topics: ai chat le research users

Adam Mosseri steps back from Threads, app to be overseen by Meta’s AI lead

After two years under Instagram head Adam Mosseri, Meta is officially handing off Threads to a new leader. Here’s what the change could mean for the app’s future. As first reported by Axios, Meta is naming longtime executive Connor Hayes, formerly head of generative AI product, as the new head of Threads starting in September. The move marks the first time someone outside Instagram will take the reins of the text-based social app, in yet another sign that Meta seems to be finally getting serio

Don't Fall for AI: Reasons for Writers to Reject Slop

Indie writers can be under great pressure to write quickly, so it’s no surprise that a few have resorted to using generative AI software such as ChatGPT. Other writers may look to AI as a quick fix when they hit a roadblock. Plus, publishing on a budget can be tough, so AI-generated images and audio may seem like a good solution. Big tech companies with loads of advertising cash would like you to think that generative AI is the inevitable future of writing. So would some influencers who are pro

Topics: ai don indie people use

Does Your Favorite Emoji Crack the List of CNET's Top Picks?

Every July 17, the internet comes together and celebrates World Emoji Day. The date was chosen because it's displayed on the 📅 calendar emoji, but it's a day to appreciate all emoji, even the more obscure ones, like the 🫙jar. In honor of the internet holiday, I asked my colleagues at CNET what their favorite and most used emoji are. The rules for voting were simple: You could only vote once for your favorite emoji and once for your most-used emoji. There was more variety in the category of favo

Meal Kits Have Gotten Cheap, but Are They Cheaper Than Groceries?

Bloated costs on everything from eggs to olive oil have folks looking for ways to cut costs. Meal kits -- once considered a splurge -- may not have caused a blip on your thrifty radar. While supermarkets seemingly jack prices up at will, meal kit companies have been more careful when raising consumer costs, since retaining subscribers is key to their survival. Meal kit services such as EveryPlate, Blue Apron or HelloFresh are known for helping busy people save time and eat better, but I crunche

Topics: 50 cost meal oz serving

Netflix says it’s streamed 95 billion hours in 2025, and a lot of ads too

is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. Netflix says it’s on track to “double” its advertising revenue this year as the company continues ot build out its ad tech platform. The streaming giant shared the news as part of its second-quarter earnings results released on Thursday, which revealed that Netflix raked in $11.08 billion in revenue over the past few months, marking a 16 percent yea

ChatGPT can now browse and perform web-based tasks for you

In a quick live stream today, OpenAI announced ChatGPT agent, which improves on its promising, but limited Operator feature announced a few months ago. Here’s how it works Operator meets Deep Research What OpenAI did was combine Operator, which already had agentic browsing capabilities, and Deep Research, which can quickly consume, understand, and infer on website content. The result is an agent that gets spun up on a virtual machine when you assign it a task, and then it just… goes. It can

3D-printed living lung tissue

UBC Okanagan researchers have developed a 3D bio-printed model that closely mimics the complexity of natural lung tissue, an innovation that could transform how scientists study lung disease and develop new treatments. Dr. Emmanuel Osei, Assistant Professor in the Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, says the model produces tissue that closely resembles the complexity of a human lung, enabling improved testing of respiratory diseases and drug development. “To conduct our research and the testi

Anthropic tightens usage limits for Claude Code without telling users

Since Monday morning, Claude Code users have been hit with unexpectedly restrictive usage limits. The problems, many of which have been aired on Claude Code’s GitHub page, seem to be concentrated among heavy users of the service, many of whom are on the $200-a-month Max plan. Users are only told “Claude usage limit reached,” and given a time (typically within a matter of hours) when the limit will reset. But with no explicit announcement of a change in limits, many users have concluded that the

The Big EV Tax Credit Mystery

If you’re thinking about buying an electric vehicle, brace yourself: the federal tax credits that offer up to $7,500 off new EVs and $4,000 off used ones could change as soon as September 30. But here’s the real issue: Nobody knows for sure what happens next. Carmakers, consumers, and even some dealerships have been operating under the belief that a signed contract before September 30 locks in the credit. But now, some automakers are quietly admitting that the IRS has not finalized that rule.

You can once again buy the AirPods 4 for less than $90

We saw a ton of great Apple deals during Prime Day, most of which have disappeared. It’s okay if you missed out, though, as some of our favorite deals like the M2 MacBook Air have either stuck around or have returned, like the low price on Apple’s entry-level AirPods 4. Right now, you can pick up a pair for just $89.99 ($40 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart, which is $1 shy of their all-time best price. Alternatively, you can buy the model with active noise cancellation for $119.99 ($60 off)

Anthropic tightens usage limits for Claude Code – without telling users

Since Monday morning, Claude Code users have been hit with unexpectedly restrictive usage limits. The problems, many of which have been aired on Claude Code’s GitHub page, seem to be concentrated among heavy users of the service, many of whom are on the $200-a-month Max plan. Users are only told “Claude usage limit reached,” and given a time (typically within a matter of hours) when the limit will reset. But with no explicit announcement of a change in limits, many users have concluded that the

Nintendo Switch 2 account bans continue: warning after buying old copy of Bayo 3

A Switch 2 owner has had their console “restricted by Nintendo” after installing a Switch game they bought on the used market. Quinn Nelson, the creator behind popular YouTube channel Snazzy Labs, fell foul to the long arm of Nintendo law, and now assumes the “old copy of Bayo 3 on eBay” they bought must have been dumped/ripped by its previous owner and got flagged by big N’s anti-piracy servers. PSA: be EXTREMELY careful buying used Nintendo Switch games. Bought an old copy of Bayo 3 on eBay a

Stone blocks from the Lighthouse of Alexandria recovered from seafloor

After centuries underwater, 22 huge stone blocks of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, have been recovered from the Mediterranean seabed, a breakthrough in an ambitious digital reconstruction effort. Restoration is part of the ongoing “PHAROS” project, led by archaeologist and architect Isabelle Hairy of France’s National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), along with Egypt’s Centre d’Études Alexandrines (CEAlex) under the authority of Egypt’

Archaeologists discover tomb of first king of Caracol

Caana, the central architectural complex at Caracol, Belize, uncovered by Diane and Arlen Chase in the 1980s Archaeologists from the University of Houston working at Caracol in Belize, Central America have uncovered the tomb of Te K’ab Chaak, the first ruler of this ancient Maya city and the founder of its royal dynasty. Now in ruins, this metropolis was a major political player in Maya history, dominating the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula from 560 through 680 AD before its abandonment

All AI models might be the same

Project CETI is a large-scale effort to decode whale speech. If AI models do learn a universal language, we might be able to use it to talk to whales. Growing up, I sometimes played a game with my friends called “Mussolini or Bread.” It’s a guessing game, kind of like Twenty Questions. The funny name comes from the idea that, in the space of everything, ‘Mussolini’ and ‘bread’ are about as far away from each other as you can get. One round might go like this: Is it closer to Mussolini or bre

‘Arcane’ Season 2 Gets a Lavish Home Release, Just in Time for Emmy Season

With Emmy season in full swing and a lot of eyes on whether Riot Games and Fortiche’s League of Legends studio will sweep an already steep competitive lineup of animated shows, GKids has announced a slew of home release pre-order editions for Arcane season two, freeing it from the confines of streaming. In a press release, GKids announced that the home release of Arcane season two will feature a limited-run Collector’s Edition. This will include SteelBook Editions in both 4K UHD and Blu-ray for

Netflix Green-Lights 'Assassin's Creed' TV Series Adaptation

You can now add Assassin's Creed to the Netflix game-to-show adaptation portfolio. The streamer has green-lit a new TV series based on the game franchise from Ubisoft. Netflix was sparse on details regarding the story itself but said the live-action adaptation, five years in the making, will include the "rich storytelling" that players of the games would expect. Assassin's Creed is a historical action-adventure game that spans multiple time periods and has players assuming the role of multiple

Best Internet Providers in Louisville, Kentucky

CNET's pick for the best internet provider in Louisville, Kentucky, is AT&T Fiber. It's not hard to see why. It offers the fastest average speeds in the Louisville area and it can go as high as 5 Gig for $245. With its speedy plans, you'll have little trouble doing most things, whether streaming your favorite show on Netflix or working remotely. However, other solid providers exist for those who can't get AT&T Fiber at their home address or area. According to Ookla, Louisville is 19th among the

Karl Urban is a wise-cracking Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II

Karl Urban takes a break from The Boys to play a washed-up Johnny Cage in the trailer for Mortal Kombat II, a sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat reboot and the fourth live-action film in the franchise based on the 1990s video game series. It comes one day after Warner Bros. released a (very entertaining) fake trailer for a new in-universe, faux 1990s Johnny Cage movie, Uncaged Fury. (Cage's prior fake film credits apparently include Cool Hand Cage, Hard to Cage, and Rebel Without a Cage.) The first

OpenAI unveils ‘ChatGPT agent’ that gives ChatGPT its own computer to autonomously use your email and web apps, download and create files for you

Want smarter insights in your inbox? Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get only what matters to enterprise AI, data, and security leaders. Subscribe Now OpenAI isn’t letting the delay of its open source AI model slow it down on shipping other features. Today, the company is unveiling ChatGPT agent, a feature that allows its AI chatbot to autonomously browse the web, conduct extensive research, download and create new files for its human users using its own virtual computer. Come again? Ch

Finding value from AI agents from day one

From assuming oversight for complex workflows, such as procurement or recruitment, to carrying out proactive cybersecurity checks or automating support, enterprises are abuzz at the potential use cases for agentic AI. According to one Capgemini survey, 50% of business executives are set to invest in and implement AI agents in their organizations in 2025, up from just 10% currently. Gartner has also forecast that 33% of enterprise software applications will incorporate agentic AI by 2028. For co

Best email hosting services 2025: My top picks for personal and business use

Reliable, trustworthy personal and business email hosting is in demand more than ever. Free, basic email addresses are useful, but if you want a professional, custom email address or more control over business-related communication, you'll want to sign up with a dedicated email hosting provider. These services can also provide better security, more storage, and even AI tools to improve your communication channels. I've found the best email hosting services for individuals, small businesses, an

All AI Models Might be The Same

Project CETI is a large-scale effort to decode whale speech. If AI models do learn a universal language, we might be able to use it to talk to whales. Growing up, I sometimes played a game with my friends called “Mussolini or Bread.” It’s a guessing game, kind of like Twenty Questions. The funny name comes from the idea that, in the space of everything, ‘Mussolini’ and ‘bread’ are about as far away from each other as you can get. One round might go like this: Is it closer to Mussolini or bre

HBO Max: The 28 Absolute Best TV Shows to Watch

Browsing HBO Max for a new show to watch? The service that delivers HBO to the streaming masses is notorious for its name changes, but it seems to have finally settled on a moniker. HBO Max is home to popular shows like The Last of Us, The White Lotus, Hacks and The Pitt. There's no shortage of exceptional fare to stream. Here are the highly rated series you shouldn't wait to watch on HBO Max, plus this month's new releases. What's new on HBO Max in July Note: These descriptions are taken fr