The author of Californias SB 1047, the nations most controversial AI safety bill of 2024, is back with a new AI bill that could shake up Silicon Valley.California state Senator Scott Wiener introduced a new bill on Friday that would protect employees at leading AI labs, allowing them to speak out if they think their companys AI systems could be a critical risk to society. The new bill, SB 53, would also create a public cloud computing cluster, called CalCompute, to give researchers and startups the necessary computing resources to develop AI that benefits the public.Wieners last AI bill, Californias SB 1047, sparked a lively debate across the country around how to handle massive AI systems that could cause disasters. SB 1047 aimed to prevent the possibility of very large AI models creating catastrophic events, such as causing loss of life or cyberattacks costing more than $500 million in damages. However, Governor Gavin Newsom ultimately vetoed the bill in September, saying SB 1047 was not the best approach.But the debate over SB 1047 quickly turned ugly. Some Silicon Valley leaders said SB 1047 would hurt Americas competitive edge in the global AI race, and claimed the bill was inspired by unrealistic fears that AI systems could bring about science fiction-like doomsday scenarios. Meanwhile, Senator Wiener alleged that some venture capitalists engaged in a propaganda campaign against his bill, pointing in part to Y Combinators claim that SB 1047 would send startup founders to jail, a claim experts argued was misleading.SB 53 essentially takes the least controversial parts of SB 1047 such as whistleblower protections and the establishment of a CalCompute cluster and repackages them into a new AI bill.Notably, Wiener is not shying away from existential AI risk in SB 53. The new bill specifically protects whistleblowers who believe their employers are creating AI systems that pose a critical risk. The bill defines critical risk as a foreseeable or material risk that a developers development, storage, or deployment of a foundation model, as defined, will result in the death of, or serious injury to, more than 100 people, or more than $1 billion in damage to rights in money or property.SB 53 limits frontier AI model developers likely including OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, among others from retaliating against employees who disclose concerning information to Californias Attorney General, federal authorities, or other employees. Under the bill, these developers would be required to report back to whistleblowers on certain internal processes the whistleblowers find concerning.As for CalCompute, SB 53 would establish a group to build out a public cloud computing cluster. The group would consist of University of California representatives, as well as other public and private researchers. It would make recommendations for how to build CalCompute, how large the cluster should be, and which users and organizations should have access to it.Of course, its very early in the legislative process for SB 53. The bill needs to be reviewed and passed by Californias legislative bodies before it reaches Governor Newsoms desk. State lawmakers will surely be waiting for Silicon Valleys reaction to SB 53.However, 2025 may be a tougher year to pass AI safety bills compared to 2024. California passed 18 AI-related bills in 2024, but now it seems as if the AI doom movement has lost ground.Vice President J.D. Vance signaled at the Paris AI Action Summit that America is not interested in AI safety, but rather prioritizes AI innovation. While the CalCompute cluster established by SB 53 could surely be seen as advancing AI progress, its unclear how legislative efforts around existential AI risk will fare in 2025.

The ethos of this unusually discreet starchitect, one half of French practice Lacaton & Vassal, is both frugal and generous, a shining light in the climate emergencyAnne Lacaton is the recipient of the Jane Drew Prize for Architecture 2025, part of the 2025 W Awards. Read the full announcementIt is a warm and empty space overlooking the North Sea. In the distance, the cranes of the citys industrial harbour look like toys, and container ships as long as the Eiffel Tower fit within the palms of childrens hands. On the covered terrrace at the top of the FRAC Grand Large, the regional collection of contemporary art for the North of France, there is no work on display; no curation; no programming. Yet this is the museums most popular space. Visitors often locals loiter after a demanding meander through highbrow conceptual art in whitecubestyle temperaturecontrolled rooms. They watch the fastchanging shades of the landscape, the steelworks torch, the beach vanishing on the horizon. Nested under the buildings pitched roof, this vast, alltransparent hall makes an impression on visitors but does not crush them. It is welcoming, accessible and playful. Serving no obvious purpose, it is redundant and therefore luxurious. Like most of the work of Anne Lacaton and JeanPhilippe Vassal, this extra space at Dunkirks FRAC makes sense of oxymoronic associations: cheap and deluxe, visionary and downtoearth, modest and ambitious.The couple is a unit both in work and life. In no way can I speak only for myself, starts Lacaton. Its a joint effort. In France, we simply refer to lacatonvassal, fusing their names to form a mythical architectural figure. Shedding light on one half of a tightknit pair is perilous.Originally from the south-west of France, Anne Lacaton moved to Paris with her partner Jean-Philippe Vassal when they began working on the Palais de Tokyo. Their office is now just outside the Priphrique, in MontreuilCredit:Bruno LevyBorn in 1955 in SaintPardouxlaRivire, a town of little more than a thousand souls in rural Dordogne, Lacaton graduated from ENSAP Bordeaux, the nearest school of architecture, in 1980. She continued with a postgraduate degree in urban planning and, in 1987, cofounded Lacaton & Vassal with her partner, a year her senior, whom she had met while studying. That is it. Upbringing? Life story? Family? Favourite colour? Lacaton does not even have a page on French Wikipedia; neither does Vassal. When they won the Pritzker Prize in 2021, the Guardian called them an unflashy French duo. While most prominent (male) architects in France produce countless books, speak for hours on end on national radio about how they became architects, their relationship to wine, fame and their genitals (Rudy Ricciotti), there is impeccable dignity in Lacatons public presence. Not everything, says Lacaton, needs to be shared and explained. Both in their architecture and in their public personae, Lacaton and Vassal are modest yet courageous and innovative.Their first built project was Maison Latapie, in Floirac, a suburban town adjacent to Bordeaux. Delivered in 1993, it was not what the Latapie family had in mind when they reached out to the young practice. They had initially envisioned constructing a standard catalogue home of 6570m2, based on their budget. Since the plot of land they had bought did not fit the standard home, they needed an architect to adapt it. Lacaton and Vassal quickly opened new horizons, away from standardisation. We tried to understand their dreams, how they wanted to live, says Lacaton. The client had a camper van which they would drive south, to the beaches near Seville. They said the best moment was when they parked the vehicle and took out the table, served lunch or dinner at the seaside or slept under a starry sky. It was a beautiful understanding of living, and reminded the architects of the nomadic way of life they had discovered during travels in Africa.The 2004 manifesto Plus, articulates the idea of doing more with less: never demolishing, removing or replacing, butalways adding, transforming and reusingCredit:Druot, Lacaton & VassalLacaton and Vassal have a longstanding interest in the greenhouses that dot the landscapes of the countryside around Bordeaux, but also in the architecture of hot climates beyond France. After their studies, Lacaton regularly visited Vassal in Niger, where he worked at the urban planning department of Niamey in lieu of national service. Design elements from the nomadic architecture they admired came to influence their work and way of thinking: a striving for construction that is lightweight, modular and economical. When the Latapie family reached out for help, the duo easily convinced them to throw away the catalogue home and embark on an unconventional journey that would end up doubling the surface area of the house while remaining within their modest budget, equivalent to 55,000 today.The family home is based on a very simple twostorey rectangular volume, made from a metal frame and wood panelling. To the west, the street facade is opaque, clad in sheeting of fibre cement. To the back, another volume of the same size but made of transparent polycarbonate extends into the garden, effectively doubling the liveable surface area at 185m2, the home is three times larger than the clients original request. Like the top floor of Dunkirks FRAC, this winter garden is an extra space, a room that was not part of the initial programme and that becomes a playful space of freedom for both designers and client. As it faces east, the winter garden receives the first beams of sun in the morning and remains a warm, inhabitable space throughout the day, but its large openings can be closed or left ajar by inhabitants. The materials are modest and the overall construction low cost, but the design feels seamless and the space generous. We came to think that the ideal would be a 1:1 proportion between the extra and the programmed, Lacaton reflects. Since then, in every project weve done, weve included additional space in roughly this proportion.Transparent polycarbonate sheeting would become one of Lacaton & Vassals signature materials and critics have pointed to the poor recycling potential of this plastic polymer. Lacaton does not dodge the question: Theres still a lot of work to be done to improve the sustainability of any material we might use. With less than a millimetre of thickness, polycarbonate represents only a small quantity of what goes into a structure, and its lifespan is much longer than that of many insulated claddings, which often degrade rapidly. When he put the property on the market recently (asking price 580,000), the Latapie house owner decided to replace the polycarbonate sheets because they had lost their transparency but they were not structurally degraded.Seven years later, Lacaton and Vassal left Bordeaux for Paris national newspaper Le Monde compared them at the time to two sturgeons who had swum up to the capital city and temporarily relocated their office inside one of their largest projects to date: the retrofitting of the Palais de Tokyo. Despite its location in one of the poshest and sleepiest neighbourhoods of the city, the Palais de Tokyo quickly became one of the most hyped art centres in Paris. Lacaton & Vassals work came in two phases: 7,800m2 at the turn of the millennium and another 16,500m2 a decade later. Before their interventions, the 1937 art deco building was in the process of being redeveloped into a centre dedicated to film; the project collapsed and, overnight, all construction workers vacated the site, leaving behind what Lacaton remembers as a ruin. Having won the competition for a new contemporary art centre, Lacaton & Vassal inherited the abandoned construction site.The 16 million budget of the Palais de Tokyo might seem a far cry from the modest Latapie family house, and yet the essence remains the same: an economy of means and an effort to work with what is already there while leaving room for the unprogrammed. Designwise, they limited retrofitting to a minimum: they secured the structure and fluidified circulation by building a new staircase, for example, but left the walls in the rough state they had found them. They approached the site as a void to be repeatedly filled and emptied in Lacatons words, to leave maximum freedom to the artistic practices that would temporarily occupy it. The architects regret that todays management tries to fill these voids too much with permanent programming restaurants, a bookshop and polished white walls as if they were scared by undefined spaces, says Lacaton. But luckily, adds Vassal, the Palais de Tokyo is too big to be totally filled. Designers lamenting their clients decisions is classic of (st)architecture, but here it feels different; they regret the lack of ambition, and would prefer to see the idea that created meaning for the project being upheld.Lacaton and Vassal went from delivering private houses to flagship cultural buildings in Paris, Dunkirk and Lille, as well as university campuses in Bordeaux and Grenoble. In Nantes, they designed a large and luminous architecture school, with open concrete floors that can be appropriated by the students, teachers and staff according to their needs. It was a competition they won while camping in the Palais de Tokyo: The intimate, physical experience of that space shifted our approach to architecture into another dimension. Inside the Palais de Tokyo, we couldnt think small, says Vassal.Yet the practice truly made its mark on the global scene with the radical retrofitting of social housing blocks in Paris and Bordeaux. Highrises and their horizontal counterparts, the barres, that were built cheaply and in haste to address the severe housing shortage after the Second World War, are the most unloved typologies of French architecture. The Tour BoislePrtre, which stands by the ring road on the edge of Paris, is one of them. The City under a new Socialist mayor had decided against demolishing the tower, originally designed by Raymond Lopez in 1961, to instead fund an ambitious renovation of its 96 units. In collaboration with Frdric Druot, with whom they had published their Plus manifesto in 2004, Lacaton and Vassal won the competition with a radical proposal. The cladding put up in the 80s was removed and replaced by glazed sliding doors that open onto 2mdeep winter gardens encased in polycarbonate, and additional 1mdeep balconies around the tower perimeter. The combination of large openings with sunblocking and thermal curtains helps regulate temperature, warming or cooling the interior according to season and time of day. The winter gardens added 3,560m2 to the existing 8,900m2, increasing the size of each apartment by an average 36m2 while giving the tower a fresh and appealing look.Despite the current preference among architects to avoid demolition in favour of rehabilitation, Lacaton is cautious, if not pessimistic. Progress is too slow. Statistics on destruction remain appalling and what is lost is lost forever, she laments. We know we can do it. Its not that difficult, it doesnt cost more, and were running out of time. Lacaton does not conceal the initial struggle to make clients, partners and publicsector backers believe in the viability, affordability and longterm thermal performance of their designs. Tour BoislePrtre and projects like it have vindicated their approach. But they have also recently published a largescale appraisal of their building technique in Its Nice Today an unusual move for starchitects.If you want an encapsulation of Lacaton and Vassals approach, it remains the Lon Aucoc square in Bordeaux. In 1996, the City commissioned the duo to upgrade a public square. The design they submitted? Do nothing. Prune the trees, redo the gravel, clean more often. Voil. The square, argued Lacaton and Vassal, is perfect as it is.In Dunkirks harbour, Lacaton & Vassal left theoriginal boat shed AP2 untouched, to preserve its exceptional volume and potential for uses, and created itsmodern and lightweight twin (left). Asapair, they became theFRAC Grand Large in2015. While most of thenew volume is clad in polycarbonate panels, the architects used air-filled cushions in ETFE sheeting for the top floor, which offers striking views over the harbourCredit:Philippe Ruault

Delivering a feature-rich KDE Plasma desktop, this specialized version of ArcoLinux lets you install and customize it every which way.

Spotify is developing premium-tier AI music creation tools that could transform passive listeners ... [+] into active creators while generating higher revenue streams.Adobe StockSpotify has a long history of bringing AI-powered features and functionality to users. This has helped it to grow from a startup to a household name in the face of some big competitors like Amazon, Apple and Google.When news leaked of a new Music Pro tier, a feature reports zeroed in on was the upcoming "AI-powered music tool."The Swedish company is open about its commitment to delivering new listening experiences through AI, so its natural that theres speculation this could be a step towards letting users create personalized versions of their favorite songs.Its also further evidence that platform owners are increasingly seeing AI as an opportunity to add premium-tier features that can be used to drive higher revenue.Some background: Artists, record companies and streaming service providers are currently negotiating a major shake-up of the industry with the intention of kickstarting Streaming 2.0.So, what could this mean for the platform that popularized streaming music and the future of how we listen to music?Spotify And AISpotify is a success story when it comes to engaging users with AI.From the early days, features like its New Music and Discover playlists have been built around machine-learning algorithms that match listeners with tunes.Newer features have let users create blended playlists of songs that match two users' tastes and offer suggestions for fleshing out user-generated playlists.Behind the scenes, it uses AI to automate the tagging of tracks to allow them to be categorized by content or mood.And AI insights are also used to power the Wrapped personalized annual summaries of what users have been listening to.Newer initiatives include the AI DJ launched in 2023, which uses AI-generated voice to join tracks like a radio DJ.And most recently, AI Playlists let music fans use a ChatGPT-like language interface to describe the playlists they want.I tried this one recently, asking for background music for reading Lord Of The Rings, which gave me songs that were mostly from the movie soundtrack, and Music for a road trip through mountains," which gave me a stirring mix of opera, heavy metal and video game soundtracks.This all shows that Spotify has a history of looking beyond simple recommendation engines to create AI tools focused on generating user interaction and engagement. And it doesnt look like theyre going to stop anytime soon.Personalized Music Remixes?We dont know much about Spotifys upcoming AI remix tools, but by studying their past form, we can make some educated guesses.Personalized music remixing has been something promised by advocates for AI in the future of streaming services for a while.There are some pretty big hurdles, most prominently the question of rights. Are artists and record companies happy with the idea that a million personalized remixes of their treasured IP could suddenly explode into existence?It's been speculated that this might be why Spotify isnt yet ready to publicly announce a launch date for the new premium tier service.But its a pretty enticing idea. Imagine having the tools to change tempos, reimagine songs in different genres or with different instruments, or replace vocals with entirely different ones at your fingertips.Its about offering ways for listeners to become active rather than passive consumers of music. Although much of this is speculation at the moment, I think we can expect to see Spotify and other streaming services take this direction as they build new user experiences.The Premium-Priced Future Of Music StreamingSpotify serves as a great example of a web and AI-native business with a mature AI strategy, to the point it can create entirely new tools and services for its customers.This is a significant step ahead of those stuck at the stage of simply adding chatbots to the list of ways of doing things we can already do.Perhaps the other insight we can take is that AI features are increasingly being used to differentiate between standard and premium subscription tiers.Weve seen this already, with Google adding Gemini access to its premium-tier Google One subscriptions and X (Twitter) giving paid-up users unlimited access to Grok.I think its fairly clear this will strategy will grow in popularity as AI service providers look to recoup their investment in training AI models and hiring human talent.It can be argued that Spotify has already done a lot to change the way we listen to music by popularizing legal streaming services. And it looks like it still has some new tricks up its sleeve.How will this prepare it for a future where the only certainty is that the way we consume music and other media will continue to evolve? Time will tell.

You are being trackedand it cant be stoppedgettyUpdated on March 4th with Googles response to the new tracking warning.Google Chrome is about to make a huge tracking change. We await a global prompt to say no to cookies within the worlds most popular browser albeit we will need to use private browsing for some of the new protections. But while all thats going on, heres a nasty new surprise for Android users who it seems will be tracked anyway.A new Trinity College, Dublin study warns Google starts tracking your phone as soon as its powered on, through cookies, identifiers and other data that Google silently stores on Android handsets, through the default apps that are pre-installed. The researchers warn no consent is sought for storing any of this data and there is no opt out. They also claim this study is the first to cast light on the cookies etc stored by pre-installed Google apps.This tracking starts even if you dont open the apps, and the report claims no opt outs which clashes with the direction being taken with Chromes tracking cookies. The default apps in question include Googles Play Store and Play Services, which is particularly timely given the furor around the SafetyCore photo scanning app that has been secretly installed on all almost all Android phone in the last few months. This issue is the same transparency.The bad news here is that unlike SafetyCore, according to the researchers theres no way to stop this. I have reached out to Google and will update with their comments on the reports fin dings and on their advice on any way to opt out. Otherwise you might need to switch OS to kill this kind of data leakage.The Trinity study caught cookies counting ad views and clicks alongside the Android ID which is as a persistent device and user identifier albeit plenty of warnings say reset or disable this, plus usual tracking cookies. The team says no consent is sought or given for storing any of these cookies and other data, the purposes are not stated and there is no opt out from this data storage. Most of this data is stored even when the device is idle following a factory reset and no Google apps have ever been opened by the user i.e. they are not set in response to services explicitly requested by the user.Its important not to overplay these findings. I have warned for years that our phones are designed to track almost everything we do, and we need to change settings to add a modicum of privacy. The issue here is awareness. Theres also a question around how we restrict tracking from the OS itself and its core services, not just third-party apps.The universitys Professor Doug Leith told Irish Tech News that we all know that our consent is needed before a website stores advertising and tracking cookies when we visit it, but that cookies stored by apps have received far less attention than web cookies, partly because they are harder to detect, and a closer look at them is long overdue.This report comes just days after Googles controversial decision to allow device fingerprinting again, after vanquishing the practice in 2019. At that time, Google said that developers have found ways to use tiny bits of information that vary between users, such as what device they have or what fonts they have installed to generate a unique identifier which can then be used to match a user across websites. Unlike cookies, users cannot clear their fingerprint, and therefore cannot control how their information is collected. We think this subverts user choice and is wrong.Its hard to see this, with its lack of control, as being much different surely then it must be equally wrong. Googles return to fingerprinting was justified based on new privacy preserving technologies that give us more optionality as to what our phones can and cannot do. Its critical that we know what to restrict, of course.The Trinity study delves into the murky waters of data legislation and regulations, albeit the report is a technical study, not a legal one, and [they] are not legally qualified. Nevertheless, it says, the data storage that we observe by Google raises obvious questions regarding the EU e-Privacy Directive and perhaps also the GDPR data protection regulations. This stems from the fact that all data measurements were carried out in Ireland, which falls under those protections.The e-Privacy Directive, the report notes, is sometimes referred to as the cookie law. It recognizes that the devices of users of electronic communications networks and any information stored on their devices are part of their private sphere and that they require protection, which restricts storage of data on a handset, stating that a person shall not use an electronic communications network to store information, or to gain access to information already stored in the terminal equipment of a subscriber or user, unless (a) the subscriber or user has given his or her consent to that use, and (b) the subscriber or user has been provided with clear and comprehensive information in accordance with the Data Protection Acts which (i) is both prominently displayed and easily accessible, and (ii) includes, without limitation, the purposes of the processing of the information. Exceptions are allowed when the storage is for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network or strictly necessary in order to provide an information society service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user.In response to this, Google told me this report identifies a number of Google technologies and tools that underpin how we bring helpful products and services to our users. The researcher acknowledges in the report that they are not legally qualified, and we do not agree with their legal analysis. User privacy is a top priority for Android and we are committed to complying with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.This isnt the first time Trinity and Leith have reported on Googles data practices. In 2022, they warned that data sent to Google by the Google Messages and Google Dialer apps [tells] Google when message/phone calls are made/ received The data sent by Google Dialer includes the call time and duration, again allowing linking of the two handsets engaged in a phone call. Phone numbers are also sent to Google.And in 2021, the team studied the telemetry traffic sent by modern iOS and Android devices back to Apple and Google servers and found that Google collects around 20 times more telemetry data from Android devices than Apple from iOS. Somewhat alarmingly, as reported by The Record at the time, both iOS and Google Android transmit telemetry, despite the user explicitly opting out of this [option]."In the study, Leith notes that the Google Play Services and Google Play store apps studied here are in active use by hundreds of millions of people. We informed Google of our findings, and delayed publication to allow them to respond. They gave a brief response, stating that they would not comment on the legal aspects (they were not asked to comment on these). They did not point out any errors or mis-statements (which they were asked to comment on). They did not respond to our question about whether they planned to make any changes to the cookies etc stored by their software.This is a tricky time for Google on the tracking front, and the latest report will highlight some of whats going on below the surface on the devices and platforms we all use. As Ive commented multiple times recently, its critical that Google and the other mainstream platform providers increase the levels of transparency as the balance is currently pivoting back in the wrong direction. We had been making good privacy strides, but that seems to have started to wobble, and not just for Google.According to Leith, this latest research is a wake-up call for data regulators to start properly protecting users of Android phones. Google Play Services and the Google Play store are pre-installed on almost every Android phone. This study shows that they silently store advertising and other tracking cookies and data on peoples phones. No consent for this is sought by Google, and there is no way to block these cookies.

Key TakeawaysGoogle has launched a free version of Gemini Code Assist, an AI-powered coding tool that helps developers generate, debug, and optimize code across multiple programming languages with nearly unlimited capacity.Gemini Code Assist supports 128,000 input tokens and allows up to 180,000 code completions per month, enabling developers to analyze large code segments, detect errors, and improve efficiency.AI is enhancing coding but not replacing human coders yet, as Google still requires human review for AI-generated code due to an increase in bugs when relying solely on AI coding assistants.Coding is a demanding job, and with the additional time needed to find errors and fix bugs, it becomes even more stressful. This is where advanced tech like AI, which has been gaining momentum (and utility), comes into play.After giving Gemini a memory, Googles latest announcement has the potential to completely change how developers look at coding.Unpacking Googles Free Coding GeminiGoogle has launched a free Gemini version, which will allow users to code for free. Powered by Googles Gemini 2.0 AI model, Gemini Code Assist is equipped with tools to carry out coding-related tasks. It will do so by analyzing and validating a large number of real-world coding use cases.You can use this tool to generate code in any programming language, be it Python, JavaScript, C++, or anything else.The best part, if you ask me, is that it understands regular, everyday languages, too. So, you dont really need to know the subtle ins and outs of coding to have a code generated. Of course, implementing the code after getting it is a different ball game, so you might need expert assistance if youre a non-coder.Getting the first step done for absolutely free is huge nonetheless and can potentially change the entire web development industry. While there are several free coding assistants on the market, this one has an almost unlimited capacity.You get 180,000 code completions per month on the Gemini Code Assist a limit thats almost impossible to reach. Additionally, Google said that the AI supports over 128,000 input tokens, meaning its also capable of processing substantial code segments.In addition to generating codes, you can also use it to understand why your code isnt working. A simple prompt like Explain what this Python code snippet does and find any errors will get you an in-depth explanation of the code. You can even ask for improvements and suggestions.The good news keeps coming, as the tool can also review existing code in both public and private depositaries. Aspiring coders can dive deep into the work they love and upskill through case studies. Plus, even if you dont want to marry the tool, delegating basic reviews to an AI agent can significantly reduce the amount of time you need on a single project.Its worth noting that the free Gemini version has been released by GitHub, a Microsoft-owned developer platform.The Future of Code with AIAI has already taken over coding, and companies have been quick in adapting and accepting the AI tools available out there. Over 25% of all new code at Google is said to be AI-generated.While Im all in for AI advancement, its also true that AI is currently far from perfect when it comes to coding. In fact, reports suggest that developers have experienced a drastic increase in bugs (up to 41%) when they rely on AI coding assistants to write codes.Even Google only accepts AI-generated codes after a human has reviewed and approved them. So, while the dystopian nightmare of AI taking over coding jobs isnt actually here yet, with the new Gemini, Id say its good to be prepared.Add Techreport to Your Google News Feed Get the latest updates, trends, and insights delivered straight to your fingertips. Subscribe now! Subscribe now Vlad is Techreport's in-house Executive Editor. With over a decade of experience in tech content, he's passionate about computer hardware, an advocate of online privacy, and strongly believes in the open-source, scarce-money nature of cryptocurrency. When hes not working, hes traveling with his partner and their cat, learning Python, or reading good books. He never owned a PC he did not build. View all articles by Vlad Melnic Our editorial processThe Tech Reporteditorial policyis centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written byreal authors.

2025-03-04T06:52:43Z Read in app Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BI This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? After a monthlong delay, Trump added new tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday.Trump added to existing China tariffs, too.Here are the goods imported into the US the most from these three countries.When evaluating how President Donald Trump's new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China could impact Americans, start by looking at the goods imported most from those countries.The biggest categories are oil, electronics, and vehicles.Trump reached a deal with the leaders of both Canada and Mexico to delay tariffs by a month in early February. But the delay was temporary, and the 25% tariffs went into effect on Tuesday through an executive order. There's one big exception: Energy imports from Canada have a 10% tariff.The president also doubled China tariffs, to 20%, as he continues to push for stronger drug policies, particularly to stop the flow of fentanyl into the US.Details surrounding the implementation of the tariffs are still unclear, including when they could end. Trump's initial order said the tariffs would continue "until the crisis is alleviated."Thereported thatFrom Canada, the top 2024 imports included over $98 billion worth of crude oil and about $28 billion in passenger cars.The US imported nearly $67 billion worth of car parts from Mexico in 2024, along with $43 billion in computers, $14 billion in medicinal equipment, and $12 billion in crude oil.China, meanwhile, is a major supplier of electronics to the US. The census data showed that in 2024, the US imported $64 billion in cell phones and other household goods from China, $34 billion in computers, and about $31 billion in games, toys, and sporting goods.Some companies have already been preparing to increase prices as a result of Trump's tariff plans on the campaign trail. Real estate consultants previously told BI that Trump's trade plans, particularly his 25% tariffs on steel, are set to make rent and condo prices more expensive.Walmart's chief financial officer, John David Rainey, told CNBC on November 19 that price hikes are likely on the horizon if Trump implements his tariffs: "We never want to raise prices. Our model is everyday low prices. But there probably will be cases where prices will go up for consumers."Additionally, Trump's plans could amplify economic strains between the US and its trading partners. China said on Tuesday that it would impose additional tariffs of 10% to 15% on some US imports starting March 10.Both Canada and Mexico threatened retaliatory tariffs in early February to push back against Trump's tariffs. Trudeau said in a statement at the time that if Trump "wants to usher in a new golden age for the United States, the better path is to partner with Canada, not to punish us."Companies and economists have said that Trump's tariff plans would increase consumer prices. BI previously reported that Trump's broad tariff proposals were likely to increase prices across the board, from clothes and footwear to computers and video games.Trump has previously denied that would be the case. "I am going to put tariffs on other countries coming into our country, and that has nothing to do with taxes to us. That is a tax on another country," Trump said in an August speech. However, he told reporters in early February that Americans will experience "some pain" as a result of the tariffs, but he said they will overall be beneficial for the country.The tariffs implemented during Trump's first term did not significantly influence inflation, but his recently announced tariffs are broader and could have a larger impact on prices.

2025-03-04T06:19:02Z Read in app Jon Stewart said on Monday night that he'd be "delighted" to have Musk on "The Daily Show" even after Musk called him a "propagandist." The Daily Show This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Jon Stewart says he would be game to have Elon Musk on "The Daily Show."The interview can go for as long as Musk likes, Stewart said in his Monday monologue.Stewart's invitation follows his criticism of Musk's Department of Government Efficiency.Jon Stewart says he'd be game to have Elon Musk on "The Daily Show" completely unedited and they can keep rolling for as long as the Tesla chief likes.The possibility of a Stewart-Musk showdown was first floated after Stewart's February 24 monologue on the Department of Government Efficiency. During that segment, Stewart criticized DOGE's cost-cutting measures and got so worked up that he smashed a ceramic mug and cut his hand."After the show, Gov. Musk tweeted or X'd, I guess that he would like to come on here and talk to me as long as the show airs unedited," Stewart said on Monday night about Musk, who is not an elected official."After thinking about his offer, I thought, 'Hey, that's actually how the in-studio interviews normally are. It's unedited," Stewart said. "So sure, we'd be delighted."Stewart said he would "sweeten the pot" and keep the cameras rolling for as long as Musk wants their dialogue to last."The interview can be 15 minutes. It can be an hour. It can be two hours, whatever," Stewart said.It would not be out of character for a Musk interview to run long. He's done hourslong podcast appearances on shows hosted by Joe Rogan and Lex Fridman.Stewart, Musk, and the DOGE of it allStewart said in his Monday night monologue that he has seen Musk's critiques of him on social media.Musk initially said on X he would be open to going on Stewart's show if the segment aired unedited."@elonmusk we'd be delighted," The Daily Show wrote on its X account in response.But in separate X posts on February 25, Musk called Stewart "too set in his ways" and "very far left."Musk followed that criticism up with another post on March 1, calling Stewart a "propagandist.""Look, Elon, I do have some criticisms about DOGE. I support, in general, the idea of efficiency and delivering better services to the American public in cheaper and more efficient ways," Stewart said on Monday."And if you want to come on and talk about it on the show, great. If you don't want to, sure," the late-night show host added. "But can we just drop the pretense that you won't do it because I don't measure up to the standards of neutral discourse that you demand and display at all times?"Musk first pitched the idea for DOGE to President Donald Trump during a livestreamed conversation on X back in August. At the time, Musk said he'd be "happy to help out" with a government-efficiency commission.Since taking office, Trump has focused on trimming the size of the federal government. In addition to offering federal workers buyout offers and limiting federal hiring, the Trump administration has also asked federal workers to provide a list of their work accomplishments every week.Musk did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside regular office hours.

By Ed Cara Published March 4, 2025 | Comments (0) | Microplastics are being found everywhere that scientists look for them, including in our brains. Daily insights via Shutterstock If the thought of having a spoonful of plastic in your noggin sounds bad to you, youre not the only one. Scientists are sounding the alarm over a recent study showing that microplastics can accumulate in the brain. Researchers from the U.S. and Canada wrote the commentary, published Tuesday in the journal Brain Medicine. In addition to discussing the recent brain study, they detail the overall science suggesting that microplastics are harming the environment and our health. While more research is needed to figure out the best ways to clear these substances from our bodies, people can already take steps to minimize their exposure, the scientists claim. Microplastics are any piece of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters. In recent years, scientists have found them just about anywhere theyve lookedfrom mountaintop clouds to our testicles to a babys poop. But a study published last month in Nature Medicine from researchers at the University of New Mexico sent off a new wave of concern. The UNM researchers not only found microplastics in deceased peoples brains, they found higher concentrations of plastic in peoples livers, kidneys, or other organs. Whats more, this accumulation seemed to be much greater in recently deceased people, suggesting that plastic exposure has only worsened as of late. They also found a higher concentration of plastics in the brains of people with dementiaperhaps signaling a connection to the fatal neurological condition. The UNM researchers estimated that peoples brains today could be carrying an entire plastic spoons worth of these tiny fragments. Nicholas Fabiano, lead author of the new commentary, published today, cautions that theres still a lot we dont know about the health impacts of microplastics. But what weve learned so far isnt exactly encouraging. Hearing that there is a spoons worth of microplastics in the brain was shocking. As a psychiatry resident, this is particularly relevant, since we currently do not know the full extent this may impact ones cognition or mental health, Fabiano, a researcher at the University of Ottawas Department of Psychiatry, told Gizmodo.In the Nature Medicine study, microplastic levels were 3-5 times higher in the brains of those with dementia, which raises alarms, however these findings are not causal in nature. Its not just the plastics themselves that could be dangerous to our bodies, but the chemicals that seep out of them. Scientists have identified over a hundred chemicals in plastic that might harm us or other animals, particularly chemicals that can mimic and then possibly disrupt the regulation of important hormones. These endocrine-disrupting chemicals have been linked to greater rates of infertility, certain cancers, and metabolic disorders like diabetes, to name a few. And there are likely other ways that plastics or their chemicals could be affecting our health for the worse.The current evidence base (largely based upon animal and cell culture studies) suggests that [microplastic] exposure can lead to adverse health impacts via oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, altered biochemical/energy metabolism, impaired cell proliferation, abnormal organ development, disrupted metabolic pathways, and carcinogenicity, the authors of the Brain Medicine commentary wrote. Many unanswered questions about microplastics remain, Fabiano notes. In addition to the unknown long-term health risks, were not even sure how these plastics are entering the brain, for instance. Theres also still little we know about how our bodies might flush microplastics away, though some research has suggested that we can literally sweat out certain plastic-associated chemicals. Despite these unknowns, Fabiano (and many other scientists) have called for governments and policymakers to take action and start reducing our collective exposure to microplastics. In the meantime, people can also do things in their personal lives to limit their intake of plastics. These include: switching from regularly drinking bottled water to filtered tap water; eating fewer foods commonly made with plastic, like certain tea bags (that said, some kinds of tea bags are better than others), or foods that are known to contain high levels of microplastics, such as seafood, alcohol, and highly processed foods in general; and storing our leftovers in glass or stainless steel containers rather than plastic ones.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Ed Cara Published March 2, 2025 By Ed Cara Published February 6, 2025 By Ed Cara Published January 16, 2025 Frida Garza, Grist Published December 22, 2024 Lylla Younes, Grist Published December 14, 2024 Sharon Lerner and Al Shaw, ProPublica Published December 8, 2024

Your Design Could Shape Tomorrow's Spaceship: Explore the Project HyperionSponsored ContentSave this picture!Courtesy of Interstellar Studies (i4is)Humanity's fascination with the unknown is a timeless impulse, rooted in curiosity and the desire to push boundaries, uncover mysteries, and open doors to new frontiers. What were once represented by voyages and the discovery of new islands and continents are now pursued in the vastness of the Universe. As we seek answers, provoke new questions, and open doors to endless possibilities, this drive continues to inspire. It has shaped countless literary and cinematic works, transforming interstellar exploration from a science fiction concept into a vision increasingly grounded in reality.One such visionary project is Project Hyperion, spearheaded by the Initiative for Interstellar Studies (i4is), which challenges humanity to develop practical solutions for interstellar travel through a design competition. By envisioning generation shipsvast, self-sustaining habitats capable of supporting multigenerational societies on journeys spanning centuriesthe project not only pushes the boundaries of technology but also sparks social innovation, stretching the limits of our collective imagination. There is still time to submit your design by March 9th, with Phase 2 starting on May 4th.The exploration of outer space, which began during the Cold War space race with milestones like the launch of Sputnik in 1957 and the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969, has driven advances in science, technology, and geopolitics. Since then, continuous efforts such as the International Space Station (ISS), launched in 1998, have provided platforms for microgravity experiments essential to research in biomedicine and physics, as well as preparation for lunar and Martian missions. Simultaneously, spacecraft have evolved from orbital missions to interplanetary exploration and, more recently, space tourism, with vehicles like SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Blue Origin's New Shepard offering unique experiences in space.Save this picture!Save this picture!However, the challenge of interstellar explorationjourneys beyond our solar system to distant starspresents far greater complexity and requires a radical reimagining of space technology. An interstellar spacecraft would not simply be a scaled-up version of today's spaceships but a structure capable of sustaining journeys lasting centuries, traversing immense distances. To endure such long voyages, these ships must be self-sustaining, with closed-loop life support systems, food production, and resource recycling, creating an environment where people are born, live, and die. Beyond technological challenges, there are also social and psychological hurdles to prolonged space travel. Such a ship must be not only a high-performance machine but also a viable habitat for living, working, and fostering a society across generations. This requires rethinking how we organize coexistence, social relationships, and power dynamics in an isolated and confined environment.This is the challenge posed by the Project Hyperion Design Competition, which is part of Project Hyperion. It invites architects, engineers, and social scientists to tackle one of the most ambitious challenges of our time: designing a hypothetical generation ship for interstellar journeys that would sustain humanity on a 250-year voyage. The spaceship must ensure survival, adaptability, and cultural continuity while traveling to the stars in a habitat accommodating 1,000 500 people. It should include advanced life support systems, Earth-like gravity, and mechanisms to preserve knowledge and culture across generations. The hypothetical destination is a rocky planet pre-seeded with an artificial ecosystem, requiring no significant biological adaptation for human survival. In addition, the ship must provide robust protection against cosmic radiation and interstellar debris, ensuring the health and safety of its inhabitants.Save this picture!Save this picture!Essential systems should provide breathable air, clean water, food, waste management, and Earth-like gravity through artificial means, along with flexible architecture to adapt to evolving needs. The society onboard must preserve cultural stability through shared values, governance, and knowledge retention, using libraries, robotics, or education to ensure essential skills for settlement. All technologies must meet a minimum technology readiness level (TRL 2) and prioritize reliability, redundancy, and mass optimization to guarantee uninterrupted operations.Participants in the Project Hyperion Design Competition must design not only the physical architecture of the spacecraft but also the society it will sustain, addressing aspects such as life support (providing essentials like food, water, breathable air, and waste management), flexibility and modularity for multigenerational needs, social structures that ensure cultural stability through ethics, education, and governance, critical knowledge retention for mission completion, and technological feasibility. For such an undertaking, multidisciplinary collaboration is essential. Each team should include at least one architectural designer, one engineer, and one social scientist, ensuring a pluralistic approach that addresses the technical, cultural, and aesthetic dimensions of long-duration space travel. This highlights the importance of balancing technical feasibility with social and architectural innovation to support life and foster resilience across generations.Save this picture!Save this picture!The Project Hyperion Design Competition pushes the boundaries of space exploration and interdisciplinary collaboration. By envisioning a spacecraft capable of sustaining human life for centuries, participants contribute to the ongoing dialogue about humanity's future in space. The competition blends a deep curiosity about the unknown with technical rigor, imagining a future where entire societies can thrive in the isolation of interstellar space. At its core, it reflects humanity's enduring dreams of survival, renewal, and hope. Like Noah's Ark, a generation spaceship represents a vessel of hope and continuitya safeguard for the future of our species against the uncertainties of existence. These visionary ideas, even as they remain in the hypothetical realm, offer tangible solutions that can directly impact our planet, influencing how we design cities, self-sustaining habitats, and more equitable and efficient social systems. Ultimately, the competition not only points to the stars but also encourages reflection on humanity's potential to build a shared, sustainable, and innovative future both on Earth and beyond.Submit your design by March 9th and be part of shaping the future with Project Hyperion!For detailed information about the Project Hyperion Design Competition, including timelines, stages, prizes, and requirements, visit the competition's official website, where guidelines and resources for participants are also available.Image gallerySee allShow lessAbout this authorEduardo SouzaAuthorCite: Eduardo Souza. "Your Design Could Shape Tomorrow's Spaceship: Explore the Project Hyperion" 04 Mar 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1025420/the-race-to-the-stars-building-the-multigenerational-interstellar-spaceship&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream