All Technology
- FocusIn race to dominate AI, US researchers debate collaboration with China
More oversight is needed over boundary-crossing research on artificial intelligence, experts say. But collaboration on beneficial AI is essential too.
- First LookWalmart tests in-store AI with cameras and sensors
The retailer is experimenting with digitization in one of its New York stores to manage it more efficiently, improve the shopping experience, and compete with Amazon.
- First LookMusk plans to roll out fully self-driving Tesla next year
Tesla CEO Elon Musk appears confident he can beat more than 60 other U.S. companies to put fully self-driving cars on the road. But critics say Mr. Musk is shirking public safety to boost company stocks and car sales.
- First LookAfter Easter bombings, Sri Lanka blocks social media
Sri Lanka has blocked Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram after Sunday's attacks left hundreds dead. The government fears the spread of inflammatory "false news reports" online could spur more violence.
- Why Wendell Berry is still not going to buy a computer
In 1988, Wendell Berry shocked the world by declaring that he was not going to buy a computer. Three decades later, he hasn’t looked back.
- First LookIndia's Election Commission wrestles with fake information
Fake political news is proliferating on social media ahead of India's election. Several platforms agreed to adhere to a voluntary code of ethics to curb the menace. Facebook says it has already removed 687 pages or accounts linked to one party.
- First LookFacebook ban on hate speech to include 'white nationalists' and 'white separatists'
Facebook has concluded after months of discussions that white nationalism and separatism cannot be meaningfully separated from white supremacy and organized hate groups. How the company will define white nationalist content and enforce the policy remain unclear.
- First LookArtificial intelligence pioneers awarded tech's 'Nobel Prize'
A trio of computer scientists won the Turing Award, one of the tech industry's highest honors. They were lauded for their breakthroughs in AI, a field of study that teaches machines how to learn like humans. AI was once dismissed as "nonsense."
- First LookRugged Iditarod race gains high-tech support
This year the off-the-grid sled dog race takes on a virtual dimension. Thanks to tech additions like GPS, mushers in the mountains connect to support teams that ensure no dog is left behind. And, for a fee, fans can cheer on their favorites in real time online.
- First LookZuckerberg promises privacy-friendly Facebook, critics still wary
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the company will introduce new encrypted security for its messaging service. Facebook's announcement follows revelations about its leaky privacy controls.
- First LookElon Musk firm pitched to build tunnel transit system in Las Vegas
The divisive billionaire has dreamed up underground transit projects for other cities, but local pushback has stalled those plans. If the Las Vegas project gets green-lit, and the city's tourism agency remains optimistic, Elon Musk’s vision could materialize by 2021.
- First LookUS likely exaggerated Huawei threat, security experts say
Despite a vigorous campaign against the Chinese telecom giant, US security experts report state-sponsored hackers show no preference for any particular manufacturer's technology, and the Chinese don't need secret access to Huawei routers to infiltrate global networks.
- First LookGeopolitics overshadow Huawei's new 5G folding phone at tech show
Allegations by the United States that Chinese technologies pose a cybersecurity risk have cast a pall over the world’s biggest mobile industry trade fair happening this week in Barcelona, Spain.
- Can old-fashioned journalism combat fake news?
News-rating start-up NewsGuard hopes to take a traditional approach against online misinformation, by using actual humans, not algorithms, to create 'nutrition labels' for news outlets and other websites.
- First LookGermany rules against Facebook in data-mining case
German authorities ruled Thursday that Facebook can no longer use a person's data from other sites to inform their advertisements while on Facebook, a move that – should Facebook lose its popular appeal – could have wide-ranging implications for the platform in Europe.
- A China-controlled internet? Why tech giant Huawei roils Western fears.
The next generation of wireless networks will help power the 'internet of things,' with links to everything from home thermostats to critical national infrastructure. That sets up a tussle over who should be trusted to build it.
- First LookApple to fix FaceTime bug that permits eavesdropping
Apple is tackling a FaceTime glitch just as the company stresses its commitment to user privacy. The company has already disabled the troublesome group-chat function, and is expected to produce a software update later this week.
- An old-school solution to identity theft
The digital age has opened doors for consumers – and identity thieves. A group of financial security experts wants to empower users to guard their identity by honing an existing tool: the Social Security number.
- First LookIn rural America, state laws warp high-speed internet access
Mississippi relies heavily on electric cooperatives, which aim to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban America with millions of new federal dollars meant to expand high-speed internet. But a 77-year-old law could block access to broadband for one of the poorest states.
- ‘It’s complicated’: Facebook users’ fraught relationship with social giant
Social media was supposed to bring people together. But amid a steady stream of allegations against Facebook and calls to quit the platform, many users are finding themselves more trapped than connected.