AWS is driving the use of generative AI tools deeper into the Amazon Q Developer code assistant.AWSCode tools have broadened. Software application development code assistants in the decade before now worked at the level of what we could call smart autocomplete tools. Developers would tap into automations and sometimes interact with chat functions inside the integrated development environment of their choice and get code snippets to insert into their programming activities. This was good, but the tooling here was singularly centralized upon code generation because - after all - thats the meat in the sandwich and that was (and still is) the core requirement.All of which functionality was great, but it probably couldnt be called an end-to-end technology proposition i.e. software programming inside a total development pipeline and lifecycle that starts from initial application requirements analysis, progresses to forming algorithmic logic, moves through testing and debugging, looks upstream to creation of the user interface and then also extends to live deployment execution and ongoing maintenance, or extensions for scaling and updates.In the modern era of AI, with generative intelligence and agentic AI "workers now starting to actually become members of the workforce, any notion of code assistants just working to provide code is starting to almost sound archaic. This is the tipping point that AWS is now looking to capitalize upon with its latest updates to Amazon Q Developer, a generative AI conversational assistant that developers can use for coding, testing, upgrading, troubleshooting and security scanning.But why is all this happening now?The Road To AI CodeWere at a really transformative moment in software development where new technologies will create a profound shift in the way developers work due to the rise of AI coding assistants in the generative space, enthused Adam Seligman, VP of developer experience at AWS. Now that we can build and create code assistant functions so much more accurately through technologies like retrieval augmented generation [to align AI more tightly to an organizations specific business logic and data] and other fine-tuning mechanisms, we can remove so much more of the laborsome elements of the software application development lifecycle and leave developers to work on the creative elements of core application innovation.MORE FROMFORBES VETTEDSeligman reminds us that coding assistants used to function solely on what he calls the middle section of the programming task i.e. the code. But with the latest updates to Amazon Q Developer, the technology is capable of providing end-to-end assistance starting from understanding application requirements, right through to creating logic functions and onward to testing and deployment. How big a change is this? Perhaps as fundamental as the birth of the IBM PC, the creation of Linux, or (for the more technically minded) the arrival of compilers that converted low-level software like machine code and assembly language into executable programs.But again, why is all this happening now and what are the tasks that software developers need AI to shoulder for them?In any real world IT team, software developers spend a whole lot of time working on things that are essentially not coding and these are key tasks that Amazon Q Developer is capable of performing with automated accuracy and efficiency, said Deepak Singh, VP of next-generation developer experience at AWS. These are jobs such as configuration, generating unit tests [to analyze whether any given piece of code does what it is supposed to do], looking after upgrades/maintenance and - importantly - creating code documentation so that other programmers who might access code repositories (in the current time frame, or much later on when members have left a team) know what they are looking at.While code assistants vary massively in their form and function, in general, Singh points out that developers have had to leave the flow of their work inside their integrated development environment and step out of the IDE to get the answers they need. Amazon Q Developer has been engineered to address that disconnect and its latest updates centralize around providing in-flow assistance with an emphasis on large-scale transformation of legacy workloads.Undifferentiated Heavy-LiftingAWS says it has built Amazon Q Developer to take the undifferentiated heavy-lifting out of complex and time-consuming application migration and modernization projects. It is positioned as the first generative AI-powered assistant for large-scale migration and modernization of Windows .NET, VMware and mainframe workloads. Its core new capabilities mean that it can modernize Windows .NET applications to Linux at what is claimed to be up to four times faster and reduce licensing costs by up to 40%. It can transform VMware workloads to cloud-native architectures, converting on-premises network configurations into AWS equivalents in hours. It can also accelerate mainframe modernization by streamlining labor-intensive work like code analysis, documentation, planning and refactoring applications.Thats an arguably quite neat triumvirate of modernization tools i.e. shifting Microsoft .NET to Linux (now that Microsoft loves Linux) falls in line with the general trend towards enterprise open source; VMware migrations (in the wake of the companys unsettling-for-some acquisition by Broadcom) are very of the moment; and mainframe modernization remains an imperative for some installations as it has done for the last quarter century. In more detail here for additional validation, organizations often want to modernize from the Windows .NET Framework to cross-platform Windows .NET on Linux for reduced licensing costs, enhanced security and optimized performance.We are combining Amazon Q Developer with our nearly two decades of experience helping organizations migrate and modernize their legacy workloads on AWS to accelerate and simplify large-scale transformations, said Mai-Lan Tomsen Bukovec, vice president of technology, at AWS. This is a game-changer for customers and partners looking to move off of Windows .NET, VMware and mainframes. Now, Amazon Q significantly speeds up application transformation projects with agents that can autonomously complete some of the most labor-intensive tasks, such as analyzing, planning, code generation and testing, saving customers time and money, and helping them realize the full value of the cloud.Leaving Legacy LethargyLooking at the state of migration today (and lets remember that AWS is a cloud computing company, so it always wants to extol the virtues of moving to public cloud resources and getting organizations to embrace virtualization) AWS says that many organizations have a large number of legacy applications that often require specialized expertise to operate and are expensive and time-consuming to maintain.While firms running these legacy applications and data services may want to move onwards, modernization can take months (or years) of work. This does mean that projects often get postponed and, arguably, this does impact an organizations ability to start embracing news-age IT functions with generative AI obviously among the usual suspects here. To make these projects easier, AWS says that Amazon Q Developer provides transformation capabilities that use AI-powered agents to automate the heavy-lifting tasks involved in upgrading and modernizing.What constitutes heavy lifting? Thats tasks like analyzing source code, generating new code, testing it and executing the change once its approved.Earlier this year, Amazon integrated the Java transformation capability of Amazon Q Developer into its internal systems to migrate tens of thousands of production applications from older versions of Java to Java 17. If you havent been tracking Java release versions, the current Java version with long term support is Java 21, so LTS on Java 17 would be an appealing move forward for many users. The company says that this effort saved more than 4,500 years of development work.To start a transformation, a developer simply selects Transform under the AWS Toolkit section in their integrated development environment to confirm the specific file they want to modernize. Amazon Q then uses agents to automatically identify the components that need to be upgraded, create a transformation plan, fix any build errors and execute the plan. This includes upgrading existing code and configuration files, generating any new files it needs and fixing any issues identified with failed builds before presenting a summary to the developer, details AWS, in a technical product update.Digging through the Amazon Q mainframe modernization functions in more detail, this tool handles code analysis, planning and application refactoring. Starting with IBM z/OS mainframes, software engineers can use Amazon Q to assist with a range of modernization tasks, including automatically generating documentation for COBOL code and decomposing monolithic applications into components so that they can be moved and deployed on modern cloud platforms - in this case, AWS, obviously.We started this story by saying that code assistant technologies have broadened. In the case of Amazon Q Developer, the tool uses AI agent functions to automatically identify software application code dependencies (elements of one applications code base that need to feed from another application, API or other data source or library etc. in order to exist and work) and create a plan to modernize workloads in waves. Also capable of understanding software application syntax, Q (which may have been named as it works as a shortening of quick, which is also reflected in the AWS QuickSight business intelligence product) is evolving fairly quickly given that AWS only announced this tool at this time last year.Do developers like code assistants?Only one question really remains i.e. do developers like code assistants?In the case of Amazon Q Developer, AWS VP Singh has said that it scores a 55% acceptance rating on the SWE Bench benchmark (an industry-accepted benchmark that evaluates AI models' ability to solve real-world software issues), which is actually a good state-of-the-art score. Although these are early days, the progression here is moving fast and the broadening of these tools will surely have a positive impact on the way programmers work when developing software.Will code assistants put developers out of a job next year, or even next decade?No, not at all and a thousand times no, this is all about elevating the developer discipline upwards from the non-code tasks associated with project administration, documentation creation, code deployment effectiveness analysis and security and, equally, at the command line coding level, to also support developers with smarter code completion to make applications more performant, more efficient and actually more functionally complete.

In a nutshell: The original MSI Claw introduced Intel chips to the emerging handheld PC market but suffered from disappointing performance. Less than a year later, MSI revised the device with Intel's latest mobile architecture, improved battery life, and made other changes. New leaks also indicate that Lenovo is preparing a budget-friendly variant of the Legion Go. Pre-orders are now open for MSI's Claw 7 AI+ and 8 AI+. The successors of the handheld gaming PC the company released in March are equipped with Intel's new Core Ultra 7 258V SoC. The Verge notes that the devices begin shipping on Christmas Day, starting at $799.MSI's first handheld gaming PC, using Intel's Core Ultra 7 155H, ran games poorly compared to AMD Ryzen-based competitors like the Asus ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go, although subsequent driver updates brought substantial improvements. In contrast, early benchmarks indicate that the 258V might turn the tables on the ROG Ally and AMD's new Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, expected to power a new generation of handhelds.Click to enlargeThe Claw AI+ devices may also experience longer battery life due to new batteries and improved energy efficiency. While the Claw 7's 54.5Whr battery closely resembles its predecessor, the Claw 8's is rated at 80Whr.The Claw 8 also sports a slightly larger screen and better resolution. The Claw 7 retains the original handheld's 7-inch 1080p 120Hz panel with added VRR support, while the Claw 8 expands to 8 inches at 1,920 x 1,200 to evoke the Steam Deck's 16:10 aspect ratio. Both variants also add a second Thunderbolt 4 port. // Related StoriesClick to enlargeMeanwhile, details regarding Lenovo's upcoming handheld revisions continue to leak. Prior reports indicated that the company intends to launch three new Legion Go models, likely featuring the three planned tiers of AMD's upcoming Ryzen Z2 chip, one of which is based on the HX 370.Last month, a leaked Lenovo BIOS update mentioned Rembrandt, the mature RDNA2-based APU architecture expected to power the most affordable Z2 chip and the upcoming budget Legion Go variant. Furthermore, sources recently provided Windows Central with an official render of the budget-focused machine.Closely resembling the Asus ROG Ally, it features fewer back paddles and ditches the original Legion Go's Nintendo Switch-inspired features, such as the kickstand and detachable Joy-Con-like controllers. Pricing and release details remain unclear.

Facepalm: Another cloud service provider just left VMware for an open-source competitor over its outrageous price hikes. The firm was a sizable client with tens of thousands of virtual machines. While it still runs a few VMware machines, most of the migration is complete, leaving Broadcom with another big hole in its customer base. Private server provider Beeks Group, headquartered in the UK, offers virtual and physical servers to companies in the financial sector. The Register notes that the firm has over 20 data centers supporting "20,000-plus" virtual machines and about 3,000 bare metal servers. It recently migrated its VMs provided by VMware to open-source provider OpenNebula, leaving just a handful of virtual servers that proved more problematic to move.Matthew Cretney, Beeks Group's head of production management, said that the migration was triggered when the company received a licensing invoice from VMware parent company Broadcom that was 10 times the previously billed amount. The massive rate hike is not unprecedented.Recently, AT&T filed a breach of contract lawsuit saying that Broadcom refused to honor VMware's existing licensing agreement. Instead, Broadcom wanted to switch the telecom with over 75,000 VMs to a licensing subscription that cost 1,050 percent more. Of course, AT&T said, "We'll see you in court."Before that, an Australian firm dumped VMware after Broadcom hit it with a rate hike 10-15 times higher than it had previously paid. That company switched its 24,000 VMs to VMware competitor Nutanix.If you're keeping score, Broadcom has lost at least 45,000 VMs to competitors due to unreasonable price hikes, presumably chasing a quick ROI in a $61 billion investment. Meanwhile, AT&T's 75,000 VMs stand in limbo pending the lawsuit's outcome. Even if the judge rules that Broadcom must honor the previous agreement, the telecom plans to bail after running out that contract. // Related StoriesAlso, consider that these are only the companies that have publicly complained. The number of firms that have quietly left Broadcom over rate hikes is undisclosed.The method to Broadcom's madness is that it knows that the cost of migrating is often more than paying the expensive rate hike, especially for small to mid-sized businesses with less capital. AT&T said its migration of 75,000 VMs will cost between $40 million and $50 million. Smaller companies don't have that kind of money in the budget.It will be interesting to see if Broadcom continues sticking it to its VMware client base. There has to be a tipping point, but I don't think we're there yet.Image credit: Chad Scott

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsPlans and pricesContentChannelsDevice supportConclusionIf youve made the decision to cut the cord and move to a streaming service, you have access to more options than ever before. The most popular streaming services have put in the time to deliver giant libraries of content just waiting for you to find them. Meanwhile the best live streaming services ensure you never miss an episode of your favorite show. So lets take a look at two of the best live streaming options out there: Fubo and YouTube TV.Fubo delivers a great combination of live sporting events, a huge slate of channels, and an integrated DVR feature to make it easy to record your favorite shows or programs. YouTube TV delivers both live streaming, and VOD content, along with access to NFL RedZone, and streaming events in 4K. Theres a lot to love about both services, but this is all about finding the service thats right for you.Lets dig in.Recommended VideosPhil Nickinson / Digital TrendsFubo delivers four different tiers of subscriptions. All of them come with an initial one-month discount on price, before jumping to the actual monthly subscription rate.RelatedThe Pro plan will run you $80 each month, and includes 197 channels, unlimited cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on 10 screens at once. Elite with Sports Plus is $100 per month, has access to 290 channels, includes 4K video, and adds Sports Plus with NFL RedZone. The Deluxe plan is $110 monthly, has 302 channels, and adds MGM+ and International Sports Plus. Fubo also has a Latino plan, available for $33 per month, which includes 62 channels, unlimited cloud DVR and watching on two screens.Fubo also has a competitive slate of add-on options. These vary from premium channels like Starz, and Paramount+, to channel bundles for sports or news. There are also several different add-ons for content in other languages like French, Spanish, or Portuguese.Alternatively, YouTube TV has one track and one price to get everything it has to offer. For $73 per month, you get access to over 110 channels.YouTube TV also has access to a variety of add-ons. These include options like the 4K add-on, premium channels like Max, and options like CuriosityStream, Zee Family and more. The add-ons are also where you can find the Spanish plan, and several other add-ons in languages like Hindi, Tagalog, and Spanish. YouTube TV is also the exclusive home of NFL Sunday Ticket.When it comes to choosing a streaming service, the most important thing to consider is whats available to watch. After all, if a streaming service doesnt have the programs youre interested in watching, its not worth subscribing to, is it?Phil Nickinson / Digital TrendsFubo comes out the gates strong, giving access on up to 300-plus channels, depending on which tier of service you sign up with. Their basic subscription tier includes access to 200-plus channels, but its worth taking a look at what channels are actually there, since it includes eight different beIN Sports channels, and 11 from TUDN. Fubo does include access to local networks, but what you get depends on where you are.YouTube TV has over 100 channels for you to check out, with a combination of networks you make recognize and some lesser-known options as well. It includes the likes of ABC, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and plenty more to check out. You should also have access to local broadcast channels when turning on YouTube TV.Phil Nickinson / Digital TrendsWith so many channels being offered, its worth knowing exactly what youre going to get. With that in mind we have the current channel lineup for both, as of Autumn 2024. You can also expect both YouTube TV and Fubo to have access to local broadcasting.YouTube TVs channel lineupABC, ABC News Live, ACC Network, Adult Swim, All Reality We TV, American Crimes, AMC, AMC Thrillers, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC World News, BET, BET Her, Bounce, Bravo, BTN, Cartoon Network, CBS, CBS Sports, Charge!, Cheddar News, CMT, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, Comedy Central, Comedy.TV, Comet TV, Court TV, Cozi, Dabl, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Docurama, Dove Channel, E!, ESPN, ESPN in 4K, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, Food Network, Fox, Fox Business, Fox News, Fox Soul, Fox Sports 4K, Fox Sports Plus 4K, Fox Weather, Freeform, FS1, FS2, FX, FXM, FXX,Galavision, Game Show Network, GetTV, Golf Channel, Hallmark Channel, Family, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, HLN, HSN, ID, IFC, ION, JusticeCentral.TV, Law & Crime, LiveNOW, Local Now, Localish, Magnolia Network, MotorTrend, MSNBC, MTV, MTV Classic, MTV2, My TV, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, NBA TV, NBA TV in 4K, NBC, NBC News Now, NBC Sports 4K, NBCLX, Neon, NewsNation, NFL Network, Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Nicktoons, Orlando City, OWN, Oxygen True Crime, Paramount, PBS, PBS Kids, PCMAG.com, Pop, IFC Portlandia, QVC, Recipe.TV, Scripps News, SEC Network, Smithsonian Channel, Start TV, Sundance TV, Stories by AMC, SYFY, T2, Tastemade, TBD TV, TBS, TeenNick, Telemundo, Telehit, Telemundo, The CW, The Great Courses, TLC, the Weather Channel, TNT, Travel Channel, truTV, TUDN, Turner Classic Movies, TV Land, TYT Network, UniMas, Universal Kids, Univision, USA, VH1, WE tv.Phil Nickinson / Digital TrendsFubos channel lineupFubo is a bit more complicated since it has several tracks, but we still have the channels you can expect. The starter plan begins with: ABC, ABC News Live, ABC Localish, AXS TV Now, ACL Cornhole, Always Funny, Accuweather, beIN SPORTS 4, beIN SPORTS 5, beIN SPORTS 6, beIN SPORTS 7, beIN SPORTS 8, beIN SPORTS en Espanol, Bravo, Big Network, Bloomberg television, Bleav Football, Bounce, Boxing TV, Billiard TV, Bare Knuckle Fighting, BET, Big Ten Network, CBS Sports Network, 2, CLEO TV, Curiosity, Comedy Dynamics, Court TV, Court TV Legendary Trials, Craftsy TV, CMT, Comedy Central, CBS News 24/7, Comet, CNBC, Charge, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney Jr, Dabl, Dove Channel, Dark Matter TV, EarthX TV, E!, ESPN, ESPN 2, Estrella TV,FS1 4k, FS2, Fox News, Freeform, FX, FXX, Fox Business, Fox Weather, Fox LiveNow, Fox Sports, Fox Soul, FailArmy, Free Movies, Family Time, Fubo Radio 1, Fubo Radio 2, Fubo Radio 3, Fubo Radio 4, Fubo Radio 6, Fubo Radio 7, Fubo Radio 8, Fubo Radio 9, Fubo Radio 10, Forensic Files, FloRacing, FeTV, Filmrise Unsolved Mysteries, FMC, Fubo Movies, Fubo Sports, Fubo Sports 2, Fubo Sports 3, Fubo Sports 4, Fubo Sports 5, Fubo Sports 6, Fubo Sports 7, Fubo Sports 9, Gusto TV, Great American Family, Grit, Glory, Game Show Central, Galavision, Get TV, Hallmark, Hallmark Mystery, Hallmark Family, InFast, Ion Mystery, Ion, Ion Plus, JTV, Kitchen Nightmares, LSN, Law & Crime, Locked On Sports Los Angeles, Live Tennis, Locked On Sports Today, LX TV, Local Now,Marquee, MASN, MASN, MSNBC, Maximum Effort Channel, Man Cave Movies, MTV, NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBC Sports 4k, NBC Golf, NFL Network, NBC News Now, National Geographic, NitroCircus TV, NewsMax, NewsMax2, News12 New York, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr, NBC Universo, News Nation, Oxygen True Crime, Origin Sports, Power Sports World, Professional Football League, PBTV, Powder, Paramount, Pop TV, QVC, QVCs Big Dish Channel, OZ TV, RealMadrid TV, SyFy, Sport Stak, Scripp News, Speed Vision, Start.tv, Swerve Combat, Salem News, Shop LC, Speed Sport, Surfer, Smithsonian Channel,TasteMade Food & More, TasteMade Travel, The First, The Pet Collective, The Design Network, The Bob Ross Channel, Tastemade home, Team Liquid, The Boat Show, True Crime, Telemundo, TV Land, The Weather Channel, TBD, The Nest, TUDN, TUDNXtra 1, TUDNXtra 10, TUDNXtra 11, TUDNXtra 2, TUDNXtra 3, TUDNXtra 4, TUDNXtra 5, TUDNXtra 6, TUDNXtra 7, TUDNXtra 8, TUDNXtra 9,USA, Univision, Universal Kids, Unimas, VH1, WSN, Willow, and XOXO.The additional Fubo channels available with the Elite & Deluxe plans are: Africa News English, ACCN ESPN, Alien Nation, At Home Family Handyman, Bloomberg Originals, BET Jams, BET Soul, BET Her, Buzzr, Baywatch, Cheddar News, CNBC World, CL Sports, Court Sports Network, Circle Country, Classic TV, Cheaters, Chess TV, Crime and Punishment, Curiosity Now,Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, Documentary Plus, Euro News, ESPN U, ESPN News, ESports Television, Fight Network, Fuel TV, FXM, Family Feud, Game Plus Network, Great American Faith & Living, Great American Adventures,Horse & Country, Hello Inspo, i24 News, InWonder, InTravel, Justice Central TV, Judge Nosy, Lego, MLB Network, MLB Strike Zone, MTV2, MTV U, MTV Live, MTV Classic, Mystery Science Theater 3000, Mysteria, NFL RedZone, NBA TV, NHL Network, Next Level Sports & Entertainment, NickToons, NickMusic, Nat Geo Wild, Nosey, Non-Stop 90s, Outside TV, Pickle TV, Poker GO, People are Awesome, Revry News, ROI, Racing America, Revry, Retro Crush, Rig TV, Stadium, SEC ESPN Network, Sports Grid, Strongman Champions League, Sony Movie Channel, Shout TV, Sensical Makers, Supermarket Sweep, Sensical Gaming, Sensical Jr, The Washington Post Television, TYT, Tennis Channel, TNA Wrestling, Teen Nick, True Crime Now, Weather Spy, Whoa That Was Wild, Western, The Jami Oliver Channel, Unbeaten, WPT, Worlds Wildest Police Videos, and Zona Futbol.Phil Nickinson / Digital TrendsWhile choosing a streaming service can be tricky, finding the devices supported by those services isnt. You should be able to watch both Fubo and YouTube TV without issue while using a smartphone, a tablet, a home computer, a video game console, or any of the best streaming devices on the market. Both services are fairly popular, and theyre widely supported by most (if not all) video-playing devices.While you shouldnt run into any issues unless your hardware is extremely old or out of date, you can still check before signing up. You can check to see if your hardware is supported by Fubo or YouTube TV online without an issue.Phil Nickinson / Digital TrendsWhen it comes to choosing between Fubo and YouTube TV, it really comes down to what you want from your streaming service. Both of these streamers deliver tons of live sports, and have a competitive slate of channels that include local broadcasting.YouTube TV does have fewer channels than Fubo, but its also a bit cheaper. So if YouTube TV has the channels youre hoping to watch, its a perfect pick. Since its easy to add on, you can also tweak whats available to watch through YouTube TV that way.Alternatively, if youre interested in international sports, or you want as many channels as possible, then Fubo is going to be the better option. The Deluxe plan delivers more than 300 channels, along with a slate of extras including NFL RedZone and MGM+.Editors Recommendations

ChatGPT was already a threat to Google Search, but ChatGPT Search was supposed to clench its victory, along with being an answer to Perplexity AI. But according to a newly released study by Columbias Tow Center for Digital Journalism, ChatGPT Search struggles with providing accurate answers to its users queries.The researchers selected 20 publications from each of three categories: Those partnered with OpenAI to use their content in ChatGPT Search results, those involved in lawsuits against OpenAI, and unaffiliated publishers who have either allowed or blocked ChatGPTs crawler.Recommended VideosFrom each publisher, we selected 10 articles and extracted specific quotes, the researchers wrote. These quotes were chosen because, when entered into search engines like Google or Bing, they reliably returned the source article among the top three results. We then evaluated whether ChatGPTs new search tool accurately identified the original source for each quote. Forty of the quotes were taken from publications that are currently using OpenAI and have not allowed their content to be scraped. But that didnt stop ChatGPT Search from confidently hallucinating an answer anyway.RelatedIn total, ChatGPT returned partially or entirely incorrect responses on a hundred and fifty-three occasions, though it only acknowledged an inability to accurately respond to a query seven times, the study found. Only in those seven outputs did the chatbot use qualifying words and phrases like appears, its possible, or might, or statements like I couldnt locate the exact article.'ChatGPT Searchs cavalier attitude toward telling the truth could harm not just its own reputation but also the reputations of the publishers it cites. In one test during the study, the AI misattributed a Time story as being written by the Orlando Sentinel. In another, the AI didnt link directly to a New York Times piece, but rather to a third-party website that had copied the news article wholesale.OpenAI, unsurprisingly, argued that the studys results were due to Columbia doing the tests wrong.Misattribution is hard to address without the data and methodology that the Tow Center withheld, OpenAI told the Columbia Journalism Reviewin its defense, and the study represents an atypical test of our product.The company promises to keep enhancing search results.Editors Recommendations

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Gross Splash pads really are fountains of fecal material; CDC reports 10K illnesses A big problem is leaky swim diapers and kids sucking up recirculated water. Beth Mole Dec 3, 2024 5:09 pm | 35 A 2-year-old enjoys the spray of water in a splash pad in Los Angeles on June 20, 2022. Credit: Getty | Al Seib A 2-year-old enjoys the spray of water in a splash pad in Los Angeles on June 20, 2022. Credit: Getty | Al Seib Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThere's nothing quite like a deep dive into the shallow, vomitous puddles of children's splash pads. Even toeing the edge is enough to have one longing for the unsettling warmth of a kiddie pool. But the brave souls at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have done it, wading into 25 years' worth of records on gastrointestinal outbreaks linked to the wellsprings of fecal pathogens. And they unsurprisingly found enough retch-inducing results to make any modern-day John Snows want to start removing some water handles.Between 1997 and 2022, splash pads across the country were linked to at least 60 outbreaks, with the largest sickening over 2,000 water frolickers in one go. In all, the outbreaks led to at least 10,611 illnesses, 152 hospitalizations, and 99 emergency department visits. People, mostly children, were sickened with pathogens including Cryptosporidium, Camplyobacter jejuni, Giardia duodenalis, Salmonella, Shigella, and norovirus, according to the analysis, published Tuesday in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The tallies of outbreaks and illnesses are likely undercounts, given reporting delays and missed connections.Though previous outbreak-based studies have provided bursts of data, the new analysis is the first to provide a comprehensive catalog of all the documented outbreaks since splash pads erupted in the 1990s. Together, they provide a clear, stomach-churning explanation of how the outbreaks keep happening. Basically, small children go into the watery playgrounds while they're sick and spread their germs.Specifically, some will vomit or poop directly into the water, while others become super spreaders simply because they haven't mastered toilet skills yet. The CDC notes that small children can have up to 10 grams of stool stuck to their butts at any point, according to some crack scientific modeling. That's about 10 standard paperclips worth of excrement. And small children tend to stand directly over jets, allowing any fecal matter stuck on their bums to wash out of their swim diaperswhich do not trap poop. Some splash pads recirculate water. And among the kids who aren't standing on the jets, there are others putting their open mouths over them.Once infectious material gets into the water, disinfection systems that aren't working properly or are inadequate can allow pathogens to gush from every nozzle. Splash pads aren't unique in having to handle sick children in poopy swim diapersbut they are unique in how they are regulated. That is, in some places, they're not regulated at all. Splash pads are designed to not have standing water, therefore reducing the risk of young children drowning. But, because they lack standing water, they are sometimes deemed exempt from local health regulations. Before 2000, only 13 states regulated splash pads. Though many states have since added regulations, some did so only after splash pad-linked outbreaks were reported.Downpour of diseaseThe primary method for keeping recreational water free of infectious viruses and bacteria is chlorinating it. However, maintaining germ-killing chlorine concentration is especially difficult for splash pads because the jets and sprays aerosolize chlorine, lowering the concentration.Still, in most splash-pad linked outbreaks, standard chlorine concentrations aren't enough anyway. The most common pathogen to cause an outbreak at splash pads is the parasite Cryptosporidium, aka Crypto. The parasite's hardy spores, called oocysts, are extremely tolerant of chlorine, surviving in water with the standard chlorine concentration (1 ppm free chlorine) for over seven days. (Other germs die in minutes.) In splash pads that might not even have that standard chlorine concentration, Crypto flourishes and can cause massive outbreaks.In 2023, the CDC recommended new health codes that call for "secondary disinfection" methods to keep Crypto at bay, including disinfection systems using ozone or ultraviolet light. Another possible solution is to have "single-pass" splash pads that don't recirculate water.In all, to keep splash pads from being geysers of gastrointestinal parasites and pathogens, various changes have to happen, the CDC experts say."Prevention of waterborne disease outbreaks at splash pads requires changes in user behavior; recreational venue code updates; and improved venue design, construction, operation, and management of facilities," they conclude. But it should all start with keeping kids from sitting on jets and drinking the water.Beth MoleSenior Health ReporterBeth MoleSenior Health Reporter Beth is Ars Technicas Senior Health Reporter. Beth has a Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and attended the Science Communication program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She specializes in covering infectious diseases, public health, and microbes. 35 Comments Prev story