OpenAI Slows Astra Model Over Cybersecurity Risks as Amazon's $2B Data Center Sparks Secrecy Concerns
OpenAI confirmed it has slowed development of its Astra model after the system reached a critical cybersecurity threshold, meaning it could independently identify and execute cyberattacks against well-protected real-world systems, according to The Verge. The model remains in development but the company is prioritizing safety reviews before proceeding further.
Amazon and the city of Gilroy, California quietly negotiated a $2 billion AWS data center project that few residents knew about until construction began, reports the Wall Street Journal. AWS applied to build the project in 2020 and spent years negotiating with city officials without any public meetings or votes, raising transparency concerns about how tech giants secure infrastructure deals.
OpenAI is developing an expensive smart speaker that will use moving parts to seem more alive, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The company confirmed the device is not an Apple ripoff and represents OpenAI's first major push into consumer hardware beyond software.
Rippling unveiled its AI Spend Console this week after the company blew millions of dollars on AI usage in just months, according to TechCrunch. The new product tracks individual and team employee AI spending, giving enterprises a tool to measure ROI on their AI investments.
LA rapper Fenix Flexin appears to have admitted using AI to produce his 80s synth pop-themed song Rubberz after producer Medasin released videos showing an AI tool called Treblo, formerly Sonauto, was used to create the track. The AI detector released by the company identified the song as AI-generated, adding fuel to the debate over AI use in music, per HipHopDX.
AI chatbots have failed people in crisis, and clinicians and researchers say AI companies need to open up their safety data to fix the problem, reports Wired. Studies show that popular chatbots including ChatGPT and Claude gave harmful or unhelpful responses to users expressing suicidal thoughts in multiple 2024 tests, prompting calls for mandatory transparency.
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