With less than a year to go before one of the most consequential elections in US history, Microsoft’s AI chatbot is responding to political queries with conspiracies, misinformation, and out-of-date or incorrect information.
When WIRED asked the chatbot, initially called Bing Chat and recently renamed Microsoft Copilot, about polling locations for the 2024 US election, the bot referenced in-person voting by linking to an article about Russian president Vladimir Putin running for reelection next year. When asked about electoral candidates, it listed numerous GOP candidates who have already pulled out of the race.
A marketing team within media giant Cox Media Group (CMG) claims it has the capability to listen to ambient conversations of consumers through embedded microphones in smartphones, smart TVs, and other devices to gather data and use it to target ads, according to a review of CMG marketing materials by 404 Media and details from a pitch given to an outside marketing professional. Called “Active Listening,” CMG claims the capability can identify potential customers “based on casual conversations in real time.”
Among the health data illegally downloaded from genetic testing company Asper Biogene's database were details related to paternity and fertility tests. Some of the data is easily understandable and can be directly connected to specific individuals, Pille Lehis, director general of the Data Protection Inspectorate, said on ETV morning show "Terevisioon.".
Ukraine's biggest mobile network operator was hit on Tuesday by what appeared to be the largest cyberattack of the war with Russia so far, knocking out mobile and internet services for millions and the air raid alert system in parts of Kyiv region.