SCIENCE HEADLINES

Court orders Ohio restrictions on kids’ use of social media restored

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge has extended his block on enforcement of an Ohio law that would require children under 16 to get parental consent to use social media apps while a legal challenge proceeds. U.S. District Court Judge Algenon Marbley’s grant of a preliminary injunction Monday came in a lawsuit filed by NetChoice. That is a trade group representing TikTok, Snapchat, Meta and other major tech companies. Their complaint argues that the law unconstitutionally impedes free speech and is overly broad and vague. The state contends the law is justified as a way to protect children from the harms of social media.

A city’s push for facial recognition on public buses ignites debate over security and privacy

Kansas City, Missouri, plans to boost security by installing facial recognition cameras on buses. However, the rollout has been delayed by technical and financial issues. Officials hoped the cameras would be ready for the World Cup matches the city began hosting this week. Privacy concerns have also played a role in the delay. The state backed out of providing funds but the program is moving forward with federal and local money. SafeSpace Global, the company behind the project, believes the technology will enhance safety. Critics worry about privacy and potential misuse. Meanwhile, extra officers are on patrol during the World Cup to ensure safety.

Federal regulators order grid operators to speed power to energy-hungry AI data centers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators have ordered regional grid operators to help large energy users connect more quickly to the nation’s inefficient and aging electric transmission system. They’re saying it’s a step needed to accommodate surging demand from power-hungry artificial intelligence data centers. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said its order leaves states in control of retail electric rates, terms and conditions. The commission’s actions come as a backlash grows against data centers over concerns about the massive amounts of energy and water they use and fears about noise and air pollution, water shortages and a loss of open space or farmland.

Fans are fuming after World Cup tickets they bought through resale sites fall through

ATLANTA (AP) — The World Cup has been delivering thrills on the pitch, but fans have flooded social media with complaints about tickets that never arrived, orders canceled at the last minute and hours spent trying to sort out problems between FIFA’s ticketing system and outside resale platforms. Many complaints seem to be about industry titan StubHub, but people have also reported problems when buying through competitors such as SeatGeek and Vivid Seats. Interviews with fans and industry experts show some cases stem from technical glitches, while others could involve sellers who never had tickets in the first place. FIFA says sales through its official site are guaranteed to go through.

AP Exclusive: Bernie Sanders unveils plan to give the public direct ownership of AI companies

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Bernie Sanders is proposing a plan to give Americans ownership stakes in the country’s largest artificial intelligence companies. The legislation shown first to The Associated Press would impose a one-time 50% tax on the stock of major AI companies and place those shares into a sovereign wealth fund overseen by an independent commission. Sanders estimates the fund would be worth roughly $7 trillion and provide annual payments to Americans. While the idea of public ownership of AI companies has been backed by President Donald Trump and AI executives, Sanders’ proposal goes far beyond that, with the public have decision-making power in the companies.

A New York House primary has become an AI industry family feud with millions in corporate spending

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Democratic Assemblyman Alex Bores is running for Congress, and the tech industry is deeply involved. A political group funded by OpenAI investors has spent more than $7 million on ads against Bores. The group opposes Bores’ AI regulation efforts. However, another group backed by Anthropic is supporting Bores with more than $10 million. This race has become a proxy battle over how the government should regulate AI. Bores’ RAISE Act is a major AI safety law and is at the center of the debate. The Manhattan-based district is traditionally liberal, adding complexity to the tech industry’s involvement in the race.

AP Exclusive: Nvidia’s Jensen Huang says society needs ‘new social norms’ in the age of AI

SHERMAN, Texas (AP) — Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang — whose work helped propel artificial intelligence — is stressing in an Associated Press interview that society has no choice but to change in the advent of AI. Huang has been optimistic about the technology’s potential to rapidly change society, creating faster economic growth and more scientific breakthroughs. But as the head of a computer chip company now developing AI systems, Huang has felt obligated to respond to critics who warn of job losses and threats to humanity itself. “We need to create new social norms,” Huang said in an interview Tuesday. “I would advocate that everybody use AI. Just go engage it.”

Nvidia’s Huang pledges AI will boost manufacturing jobs. A test will come in Texas

SHERMAN, Texas (AP) — Nvidia is betting on artificial intelligence to revive U.S. manufacturing. The Silicon Valley company has unveiled a major AI infrastructure upgrade as part of a $2 billion partnership with Coherent. This involves a Texas factory producing materials for lasers that enhance chip efficiency. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes AI can create jobs rather than replace them. Nvidia is shifting from chip development to entire AI systems, with production focused in the U.S. The factory is expected to create 1,000 jobs. The AI industry is seen as crucial for economic growth and national security, with bipartisan government support.

Man who died in Texas plane crash was a key figure in seeding Austin’s technology boom

The man who died in this week’s crash of a small jet in Texas was a well-known entrepreneur named Joshua Baer who was a successful investor in technology startup companies. Baer’s LinkedIn page shows him wearing a black T-shirt and pointing at the message reading, “I help people quit jobs.” Baer was the founder of an Austin-based venture capital firm that supported a wide range of tech startup companies from robots to autonomous ships. Baer was aboard a business jet that crashed Tuesday on a highway in Laredo, Texas, after the pilots reported mechanical problems and requested to make an emergency landing at an airport.

French president urges US to share cutting-edge AI and democracies to cooperate on regulation

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is urging the U.S. not to keep cutting-edge AI to itself, calling for global cooperation on AI regulation. Speaking at a high-level meeting in France, Macron criticized the U.S. for restricting foreign access to advanced AI models. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman echoed this sentiment at the G7 summit, emphasizing the need for an international forum to establish AI safety standards. The White House’s recent directive against Anthropic’s AI models has fueled European distrust of U.S. tech dominance. Macron warns that restricting access could harm U.S. firms and pledges increased funding for France’s AI sector.

Brought to you by www.srnnews.com

Click here to read the full article