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2025-05-13 19:42:29 ·

How corrupt is Trump&#8217;s plan to accept a Qatari plane?
The Qatari royal family has proposed gifting President Donald Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 plane to use as a temporary Air Force One during his remaining time in the White House.
The aircraft would then be donated to his presidential foundation after he leaves office, opening up the possibility of Trump using it for personal travel.
(While the New York Times reported that a Qatari official said the proposal is still being discussed, Trump plans to accept the gift — though he told reporters on Monday that he would not use the plane once his presidency ends.)The plane is estimated to cost around $400 million, and Democrats have criticized the idea of the president receiving such an expensive gift.
“This is not normal.
This is blatant corruption,” Sen.
Ed Markey of Massachusetts wrote on X.
“Trump First, America Last.”Trump defended the plan, saying he would be a “stupid person” if he declined the gesture.
“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”But it’s not just Democrats who are worried about the transaction.
Some Republican senators have also raised security and legal concerns, with Sen.
Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia saying that the White House would “need to look at the constitutionality” of the gift.It’s true that part of the job of being president of the United States is to engage in diplomacy, and that very often includes exchanging gifts with foreign dignitaries and governments.
Many of these gifts are symbolic gestures, like the pair of pandas China presented to President Richard Nixon in 1972.
Other gifts are luxurious and intended to impress, like the $20,000, 7.5-carat diamond India presented to former first lady Jill Biden in 2023.
Presidents have also received gifts in the form of 300 pounds of raw lamb, a puppy, oriental rugs, a gold mechanical bird, swords, and a Burberry coat.
So what’s different this time? And why should we care about what other countries give to the president? How presidents are supposed to accept giftsAs past administrations have shown, it’s typical for presidents to accept gifts.
But there are still laws in place to ensure that governments, be they foreign or domestic, can’t curry favor with presidents this way.
In 1966, Congress passed a law — the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act — to cap the monetary value of a gift the president is allowed to personally accept.
As of 2023, that amount is $480.
This means that the president can accept gifts of any amount on behalf of the country but, after leaving office, they can only keep the gifts that are worth less than $480.
If they want to hold on to a more expensive gift, they have to buy it themselves from the government at the estimated market rate.
Otherwise, these gifts are typically sent to the National Archives, ultimately transferring ownership to the American people, not any specific individual.
That’s why the Bidens didn’t take home the diamond from India and instead left it behind in the East Wing for official use.
And the puppy was given to a family in Maryland because, per Axios, it “couldn’t be archived.” And it’s probably safe to say that no president has ever accepted a gift worth $400 million.
In addition to the Foreign Gifts and Declarations Act, the US Constitution also has two emoluments clauses.
These bar presidents from receiving money or gifts from foreign governments, as well as other branches of the US government, to prevent special interests from having undue influence over the president’s decision-making.
So before the 1966 reforms, per the Constitution, Congress had to approve every gift that a president received if they were to keep it personally — something that became harder and harder to do as the United States’ influence grew and gifts became more commonplace.
Trump was sued for violating the emoluments during his first term, though the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the cases in 2021.Why this mattersThe first and perhaps most important question you should ask about the whole plane gifting controversy is this: Why would a foreign government even want to give the president a gift worth $400 million? Sure, it might be intended as a good gesture, but a gesture that pricey almost certainly comes with the expectation that the president will give Qatar something in return.
There doesn’t need to be an explicit quid pro quo to assume that the gift might be more of an investment — just like those looking to buy influence in the Trump White House might flock to buy stock in his media company or some of his meme coins.
The fact that this proposed gift comes at the heels of the Trump Organization striking a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar should also raise eyebrows.But while the plan to gift Trump the plane is not finalized and might not happen, the fact that Trump considered and defended the idea is still concerning, even if his past history shows that it’s entirely unsurprising.
After all, in his first term, foreign governments spent millions of dollars on his private businesses.
Last year, his media company went public, making his conflicts of interest even worse by allowing anyone to buy shares in his business.
And just last month, he offered to host a dinner for the top investors in his crypto meme coin — which he launched days before the start of his second term — calling it “the most EXCLUSIVE INVITATION in the World.” That Trump is not only open to receiving a $400 million plane but also argues that it’s a prudent move clearly shows that the US president is more than willing to accept extravagant gifts.
That’s a problem in and of itself because it encourages other foreign governments to offer similar gifts in the hopes of currying favor with Trump or generating goodwill.
This will only add to the many conflicts of interest Trump already has, making it even harder to understand where his loyalties stand and whom he might be beholden to.It’s likely that Trump will run into a legal headache trying to accept this particular gift, especially because of his desire to transfer it over to his presidential library.
House Democrats are already seeking a probe into the potential jet, and some have argued that it’s outright unconstitutional.
“A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a gift (and a grift),” Rep.
Jamie Raskin of Maryland wrote on X.In theory, if the president accepts the plane and the government maintains ownership of it — be it through the National Archives or keeping it operational for future presidents or some other official use — then it wouldn’t necessarily violate any ethics laws.But even if Trump can find a technical legal argument for why he can accept the gift, the question is whether he should given the conflicts of interest it raises.
And it would be hard to find an ethics expert who would not raise concerns.
See More:
Source: https://www.vox.com/politics/412901/trump-qatar-plane-gift-air-force-one" style="color: #0066cc;">https://www.vox.com/politics/412901/trump-qatar-plane-gift-air-force-one
#how #corrupt #trumpampamp8217s #plan #accept #qatari #plane

How corrupt is Trump&#8217;s plan to accept a Qatari plane?
The Qatari royal family has proposed gifting President Donald Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 plane to use as a temporary Air Force One during his remaining time in the White House. The aircraft would then be donated to his presidential foundation after he leaves office, opening up the possibility of Trump using it for personal travel. (While the New York Times reported that a Qatari official said the proposal is still being discussed, Trump plans to accept the gift — though he told reporters on Monday that he would not use the plane once his presidency ends.)The plane is estimated to cost around $400 million, and Democrats have criticized the idea of the president receiving such an expensive gift. “This is not normal. This is blatant corruption,” Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts wrote on X. “Trump First, America Last.”Trump defended the plan, saying he would be a “stupid person” if he declined the gesture. “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”But it’s not just Democrats who are worried about the transaction. Some Republican senators have also raised security and legal concerns, with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia saying that the White House would “need to look at the constitutionality” of the gift.It’s true that part of the job of being president of the United States is to engage in diplomacy, and that very often includes exchanging gifts with foreign dignitaries and governments. Many of these gifts are symbolic gestures, like the pair of pandas China presented to President Richard Nixon in 1972. Other gifts are luxurious and intended to impress, like the $20,000, 7.5-carat diamond India presented to former first lady Jill Biden in 2023. Presidents have also received gifts in the form of 300 pounds of raw lamb, a puppy, oriental rugs, a gold mechanical bird, swords, and a Burberry coat. So what’s different this time? And why should we care about what other countries give to the president? How presidents are supposed to accept giftsAs past administrations have shown, it’s typical for presidents to accept gifts. But there are still laws in place to ensure that governments, be they foreign or domestic, can’t curry favor with presidents this way. In 1966, Congress passed a law — the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act — to cap the monetary value of a gift the president is allowed to personally accept. As of 2023, that amount is $480. This means that the president can accept gifts of any amount on behalf of the country but, after leaving office, they can only keep the gifts that are worth less than $480. If they want to hold on to a more expensive gift, they have to buy it themselves from the government at the estimated market rate. Otherwise, these gifts are typically sent to the National Archives, ultimately transferring ownership to the American people, not any specific individual. That’s why the Bidens didn’t take home the diamond from India and instead left it behind in the East Wing for official use. And the puppy was given to a family in Maryland because, per Axios, it “couldn’t be archived.” And it’s probably safe to say that no president has ever accepted a gift worth $400 million. In addition to the Foreign Gifts and Declarations Act, the US Constitution also has two emoluments clauses. These bar presidents from receiving money or gifts from foreign governments, as well as other branches of the US government, to prevent special interests from having undue influence over the president’s decision-making. So before the 1966 reforms, per the Constitution, Congress had to approve every gift that a president received if they were to keep it personally — something that became harder and harder to do as the United States’ influence grew and gifts became more commonplace. Trump was sued for violating the emoluments during his first term, though the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the cases in 2021.Why this mattersThe first and perhaps most important question you should ask about the whole plane gifting controversy is this: Why would a foreign government even want to give the president a gift worth $400 million? Sure, it might be intended as a good gesture, but a gesture that pricey almost certainly comes with the expectation that the president will give Qatar something in return. There doesn’t need to be an explicit quid pro quo to assume that the gift might be more of an investment — just like those looking to buy influence in the Trump White House might flock to buy stock in his media company or some of his meme coins. The fact that this proposed gift comes at the heels of the Trump Organization striking a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar should also raise eyebrows.But while the plan to gift Trump the plane is not finalized and might not happen, the fact that Trump considered and defended the idea is still concerning, even if his past history shows that it’s entirely unsurprising. After all, in his first term, foreign governments spent millions of dollars on his private businesses. Last year, his media company went public, making his conflicts of interest even worse by allowing anyone to buy shares in his business. And just last month, he offered to host a dinner for the top investors in his crypto meme coin — which he launched days before the start of his second term — calling it “the most EXCLUSIVE INVITATION in the World.” That Trump is not only open to receiving a $400 million plane but also argues that it’s a prudent move clearly shows that the US president is more than willing to accept extravagant gifts. That’s a problem in and of itself because it encourages other foreign governments to offer similar gifts in the hopes of currying favor with Trump or generating goodwill. This will only add to the many conflicts of interest Trump already has, making it even harder to understand where his loyalties stand and whom he might be beholden to.It’s likely that Trump will run into a legal headache trying to accept this particular gift, especially because of his desire to transfer it over to his presidential library. House Democrats are already seeking a probe into the potential jet, and some have argued that it’s outright unconstitutional. “A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a gift (and a grift),” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland wrote on X.In theory, if the president accepts the plane and the government maintains ownership of it — be it through the National Archives or keeping it operational for future presidents or some other official use — then it wouldn’t necessarily violate any ethics laws.But even if Trump can find a technical legal argument for why he can accept the gift, the question is whether he should given the conflicts of interest it raises. And it would be hard to find an ethics expert who would not raise concerns. See More: Source: https://www.vox.com/politics/412901/trump-qatar-plane-gift-air-force-one #how #corrupt #trumpampamp8217s #plan #accept #qatari #plane

WWW.VOX.COM

How corrupt is Trump&#8217;s plan to accept a Qatari plane?

The Qatari royal family has proposed gifting President Donald Trump a luxury Boeing 747-8 plane to use as a temporary Air Force One during his remaining time in the White House. The aircraft would then be donated to his presidential foundation after he leaves office, opening up the possibility of Trump using it for personal travel. (While the New York Times reported that a Qatari official said the proposal is still being discussed, Trump plans to accept the gift — though he told reporters on Monday that he would not use the plane once his presidency ends.)The plane is estimated to cost around $400 million, and Democrats have criticized the idea of the president receiving such an expensive gift. “This is not normal. This is blatant corruption,” Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts wrote on X. “Trump First, America Last.”Trump defended the plan, saying he would be a “stupid person” if he declined the gesture. “So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump wrote in a social media post. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”But it’s not just Democrats who are worried about the transaction. Some Republican senators have also raised security and legal concerns, with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia saying that the White House would “need to look at the constitutionality” of the gift.It’s true that part of the job of being president of the United States is to engage in diplomacy, and that very often includes exchanging gifts with foreign dignitaries and governments. Many of these gifts are symbolic gestures, like the pair of pandas China presented to President Richard Nixon in 1972. Other gifts are luxurious and intended to impress, like the $20,000, 7.5-carat diamond India presented to former first lady Jill Biden in 2023. Presidents have also received gifts in the form of 300 pounds of raw lamb, a puppy, oriental rugs, a gold mechanical bird, swords, and a Burberry coat. So what’s different this time? And why should we care about what other countries give to the president? How presidents are supposed to accept giftsAs past administrations have shown, it’s typical for presidents to accept gifts. But there are still laws in place to ensure that governments, be they foreign or domestic, can’t curry favor with presidents this way. In 1966, Congress passed a law — the Foreign Gifts and Decorations Act — to cap the monetary value of a gift the president is allowed to personally accept. As of 2023, that amount is $480. This means that the president can accept gifts of any amount on behalf of the country but, after leaving office, they can only keep the gifts that are worth less than $480. If they want to hold on to a more expensive gift, they have to buy it themselves from the government at the estimated market rate. Otherwise, these gifts are typically sent to the National Archives, ultimately transferring ownership to the American people, not any specific individual. That’s why the Bidens didn’t take home the diamond from India and instead left it behind in the East Wing for official use. And the puppy was given to a family in Maryland because, per Axios, it “couldn’t be archived.” And it’s probably safe to say that no president has ever accepted a gift worth $400 million. In addition to the Foreign Gifts and Declarations Act, the US Constitution also has two emoluments clauses. These bar presidents from receiving money or gifts from foreign governments, as well as other branches of the US government, to prevent special interests from having undue influence over the president’s decision-making. So before the 1966 reforms, per the Constitution, Congress had to approve every gift that a president received if they were to keep it personally — something that became harder and harder to do as the United States’ influence grew and gifts became more commonplace. Trump was sued for violating the emoluments during his first term, though the Supreme Court ultimately dismissed the cases in 2021.Why this mattersThe first and perhaps most important question you should ask about the whole plane gifting controversy is this: Why would a foreign government even want to give the president a gift worth $400 million? Sure, it might be intended as a good gesture, but a gesture that pricey almost certainly comes with the expectation that the president will give Qatar something in return. There doesn’t need to be an explicit quid pro quo to assume that the gift might be more of an investment — just like those looking to buy influence in the Trump White House might flock to buy stock in his media company or some of his meme coins. The fact that this proposed gift comes at the heels of the Trump Organization striking a deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar should also raise eyebrows.But while the plan to gift Trump the plane is not finalized and might not happen, the fact that Trump considered and defended the idea is still concerning, even if his past history shows that it’s entirely unsurprising. After all, in his first term, foreign governments spent millions of dollars on his private businesses. Last year, his media company went public, making his conflicts of interest even worse by allowing anyone to buy shares in his business. And just last month, he offered to host a dinner for the top investors in his crypto meme coin — which he launched days before the start of his second term — calling it “the most EXCLUSIVE INVITATION in the World.” That Trump is not only open to receiving a $400 million plane but also argues that it’s a prudent move clearly shows that the US president is more than willing to accept extravagant gifts. That’s a problem in and of itself because it encourages other foreign governments to offer similar gifts in the hopes of currying favor with Trump or generating goodwill. This will only add to the many conflicts of interest Trump already has, making it even harder to understand where his loyalties stand and whom he might be beholden to.It’s likely that Trump will run into a legal headache trying to accept this particular gift, especially because of his desire to transfer it over to his presidential library. House Democrats are already seeking a probe into the potential jet, and some have argued that it’s outright unconstitutional. “A gift you use for four years and then deposit in your library is still a gift (and a grift),” Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland wrote on X.In theory, if the president accepts the plane and the government maintains ownership of it — be it through the National Archives or keeping it operational for future presidents or some other official use — then it wouldn’t necessarily violate any ethics laws.But even if Trump can find a technical legal argument for why he can accept the gift, the question is whether he should given the conflicts of interest it raises. And it would be hard to find an ethics expert who would not raise concerns. See More:

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Reddit partage un lien

2025-05-13 19:31:14 ·

GOP sneaks decade-long AI regulation ban into spending bill | Sweeping provision would halt all local oversight of AI by US states.

Artificial regulation

GOP sneaks decade-long AI regulation ban into spending bill

Sweeping provision would halt all local oversight of AI by US states.

Benj Edwards

–

May 13, 2025 10:58 am

|
51

Credit:

Getty Images

Credit:

Getty Images

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Size
Small
Standard
Large
Width
*
Standard
Wide
Links
Standard
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* Subscribers only
  Learn more
On Sunday night, House Republicans added language to the Budget Reconciliation bill that would block all state and local governments from regulating AI for 10 years, 404 Media reports.
The provision, introduced by Representative Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, states that "no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act."
The broad wording of the proposal would prevent states from enforcing both existing and proposed laws designed to protect citizens from AI systems.
For example, California's recent law requiring health care providers to disclose when they use generative AI to communicate with patients would potentially become unenforceable.
New York's 2021 law mandating bias audits for AI tools used in hiring decisions would also be affected, 404 Media notes.
The measure would also halt legislation set to take effect in 2026 in California that requires AI developers to publicly document the data used to train their models.
The ban could also restrict how states allocate federal funding for AI programs.
States currently control how they use federal dollars and can direct funding toward AI initiatives that may conflict with the administration's technology priorities.
The Education Department's AI programs represent one example where states might pursue different approaches than those favored by the White House and its tech industry allies.
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Guthrie, scheduled consideration of the text during the budget reconciliation markup on May 13.
The language defines AI systems broadly enough to encompass both newer generative AI tools and older automated decision-making technologies.
The reconciliation bill primarily focuses on cuts to Medicaid access and increased health care fees for millions of Americans.
The AI provision appears as an addition to these broader health care changes, potentially limiting debate on the technology's policy implications.
The move is already inspiring backlash.
On Monday, tech safety groups and at least one Democrat criticized the proposal, reports The Hill.
Rep.
Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), the ranking member on the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, called the proposal a "giant gift to Big Tech," while nonprofit groups like the Tech Oversight Project and Consumer Reports warned it would leave consumers unprotected from AI harms like deepfakes and bias.
Big Tech’s White House connections
President Trump has already reversed several Biden-era executive orders on AI safety and risk mitigation.
The push to prevent state-level AI regulation represents an escalation in the administration's industry-friendly approach to AI policy.
Perhaps it's no surprise, as the AI industry has cultivated close ties with the Trump administration since before the president took office.
For example, Tesla CEO Elon Musk serves in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), while entrepreneur David Sacks acts as "AI czar," and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen reportedly advises the administration.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appeared with Trump in an AI datacenter development plan announcement in January.
By limiting states' authority over AI regulation, the provision could prevent state governments from using federal funds to develop AI oversight programs or support initiatives that diverge from the administration's deregulatory stance.
This restriction would extend beyond enforcement to potentially affect how states design and fund their own AI governance frameworks.
Benj Edwards
Senior AI Reporter
Benj Edwards
Senior AI Reporter
Benj Edwards is Ars Technica's Senior AI Reporter and founder of the site's dedicated AI beat in 2022.
He's also a tech historian with almost two decades of experience.
In his free time, he writes and records music, collects vintage computers, and enjoys nature.
He lives in Raleigh, NC.

51 Comments

Source: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/05/gop-sneaks-decade-long-ai-regulation-ban-into-spending-bill/" style="color: #0066cc;">https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/05/gop-sneaks-decade-long-ai-regulation-ban-into-spending-bill/
#gop #sneaks #decadelong #regulation #ban #into #spending #bill #sweeping #provision #would #halt #all #local #oversight #states

GOP sneaks decade-long AI regulation ban into spending bill | Sweeping provision would halt all local oversight of AI by US states.
Artificial regulation GOP sneaks decade-long AI regulation ban into spending bill Sweeping provision would halt all local oversight of AI by US states. Benj Edwards – May 13, 2025 10:58 am | 51 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more On Sunday night, House Republicans added language to the Budget Reconciliation bill that would block all state and local governments from regulating AI for 10 years, 404 Media reports. The provision, introduced by Representative Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, states that "no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act." The broad wording of the proposal would prevent states from enforcing both existing and proposed laws designed to protect citizens from AI systems. For example, California's recent law requiring health care providers to disclose when they use generative AI to communicate with patients would potentially become unenforceable. New York's 2021 law mandating bias audits for AI tools used in hiring decisions would also be affected, 404 Media notes. The measure would also halt legislation set to take effect in 2026 in California that requires AI developers to publicly document the data used to train their models. The ban could also restrict how states allocate federal funding for AI programs. States currently control how they use federal dollars and can direct funding toward AI initiatives that may conflict with the administration's technology priorities. The Education Department's AI programs represent one example where states might pursue different approaches than those favored by the White House and its tech industry allies. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Guthrie, scheduled consideration of the text during the budget reconciliation markup on May 13. The language defines AI systems broadly enough to encompass both newer generative AI tools and older automated decision-making technologies. The reconciliation bill primarily focuses on cuts to Medicaid access and increased health care fees for millions of Americans. The AI provision appears as an addition to these broader health care changes, potentially limiting debate on the technology's policy implications. The move is already inspiring backlash. On Monday, tech safety groups and at least one Democrat criticized the proposal, reports The Hill. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), the ranking member on the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, called the proposal a "giant gift to Big Tech," while nonprofit groups like the Tech Oversight Project and Consumer Reports warned it would leave consumers unprotected from AI harms like deepfakes and bias. Big Tech’s White House connections President Trump has already reversed several Biden-era executive orders on AI safety and risk mitigation. The push to prevent state-level AI regulation represents an escalation in the administration's industry-friendly approach to AI policy. Perhaps it's no surprise, as the AI industry has cultivated close ties with the Trump administration since before the president took office. For example, Tesla CEO Elon Musk serves in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), while entrepreneur David Sacks acts as "AI czar," and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen reportedly advises the administration. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appeared with Trump in an AI datacenter development plan announcement in January. By limiting states' authority over AI regulation, the provision could prevent state governments from using federal funds to develop AI oversight programs or support initiatives that diverge from the administration's deregulatory stance. This restriction would extend beyond enforcement to potentially affect how states design and fund their own AI governance frameworks. Benj Edwards Senior AI Reporter Benj Edwards Senior AI Reporter Benj Edwards is Ars Technica's Senior AI Reporter and founder of the site's dedicated AI beat in 2022. He's also a tech historian with almost two decades of experience. In his free time, he writes and records music, collects vintage computers, and enjoys nature. He lives in Raleigh, NC. 51 Comments Source: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/05/gop-sneaks-decade-long-ai-regulation-ban-into-spending-bill/ #gop #sneaks #decadelong #regulation #ban #into #spending #bill #sweeping #provision #would #halt #all #local #oversight #states

ARSTECHNICA.COM

GOP sneaks decade-long AI regulation ban into spending bill | Sweeping provision would halt all local oversight of AI by US states.

Artificial regulation GOP sneaks decade-long AI regulation ban into spending bill Sweeping provision would halt all local oversight of AI by US states. Benj Edwards – May 13, 2025 10:58 am | 51 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more On Sunday night, House Republicans added language to the Budget Reconciliation bill that would block all state and local governments from regulating AI for 10 years, 404 Media reports. The provision, introduced by Representative Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, states that "no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act." The broad wording of the proposal would prevent states from enforcing both existing and proposed laws designed to protect citizens from AI systems. For example, California's recent law requiring health care providers to disclose when they use generative AI to communicate with patients would potentially become unenforceable. New York's 2021 law mandating bias audits for AI tools used in hiring decisions would also be affected, 404 Media notes. The measure would also halt legislation set to take effect in 2026 in California that requires AI developers to publicly document the data used to train their models. The ban could also restrict how states allocate federal funding for AI programs. States currently control how they use federal dollars and can direct funding toward AI initiatives that may conflict with the administration's technology priorities. The Education Department's AI programs represent one example where states might pursue different approaches than those favored by the White House and its tech industry allies. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce, chaired by Guthrie, scheduled consideration of the text during the budget reconciliation markup on May 13. The language defines AI systems broadly enough to encompass both newer generative AI tools and older automated decision-making technologies. The reconciliation bill primarily focuses on cuts to Medicaid access and increased health care fees for millions of Americans. The AI provision appears as an addition to these broader health care changes, potentially limiting debate on the technology's policy implications. The move is already inspiring backlash. On Monday, tech safety groups and at least one Democrat criticized the proposal, reports The Hill. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), the ranking member on the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, called the proposal a "giant gift to Big Tech," while nonprofit groups like the Tech Oversight Project and Consumer Reports warned it would leave consumers unprotected from AI harms like deepfakes and bias. Big Tech’s White House connections President Trump has already reversed several Biden-era executive orders on AI safety and risk mitigation. The push to prevent state-level AI regulation represents an escalation in the administration's industry-friendly approach to AI policy. Perhaps it's no surprise, as the AI industry has cultivated close ties with the Trump administration since before the president took office. For example, Tesla CEO Elon Musk serves in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), while entrepreneur David Sacks acts as "AI czar," and venture capitalist Marc Andreessen reportedly advises the administration. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman appeared with Trump in an AI datacenter development plan announcement in January. By limiting states' authority over AI regulation, the provision could prevent state governments from using federal funds to develop AI oversight programs or support initiatives that diverge from the administration's deregulatory stance. This restriction would extend beyond enforcement to potentially affect how states design and fund their own AI governance frameworks. Benj Edwards Senior AI Reporter Benj Edwards Senior AI Reporter Benj Edwards is Ars Technica's Senior AI Reporter and founder of the site's dedicated AI beat in 2022. He's also a tech historian with almost two decades of experience. In his free time, he writes and records music, collects vintage computers, and enjoys nature. He lives in Raleigh, NC. 51 Comments

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Gaming – Polygon partage un lien

2025-05-13 18:23:55 ·

Former Call of Duty dev wonders if the franchise has &#8216;run out of ideas&#8217;
A former Call of Duty developer is wondering the same thing you are: if the franchise — which has released 21 mainline installments since 2003 — has run out of ideas.“It’s almost like The Simpsons — it’s been around so long that it feels like they’ve run out of ideas at times.
It kind of wandered into left field,” Chance Glasco told an Oklahoma news station on Monday.
Glasco is one of the founders of Infinity Ward and helped co-create the franchise with 2003’s Call of Duty.There’s a chance Glasco worked on your favorite COD game; Infinity Ward was responsible for series standouts like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2.
“I wouldn’t say it peaked at Modern Warfare 2, but that was probably the best game we made,” Glasco said.While the series may or may not have peaked with MW2 (though anyone who misses running around with a silenced UMP45 might say it did — *raises hand*), there’s no arguing the Call of Duty of today is massively different than the Call of Duty of prior hardware generations.
You may look at Squid Game and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossovers and think they’re cool, but longtime players might see them as signs the annual franchise is running out of steam in the “fresh gameplay ideas and innovation” department.
Glasco clearly shares some of that sentiment.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the latest entry in the franchise, and it being the sixth BLOPS should tell you all you need to know about whether Call of Duty is running out of ideas or if that even matters.
Consider: the game had the best launch for the series, and was, of course, the best-selling game of 2024.Perhaps the most innovative Call of Duty has been is with the free-to-play Call of Duty: Warzone.
The battle-royale gameplay was a slight shift from the series’ classic multiplayer gameplay, and launching in March 2020 certainly helped boost its popularity.
And yet.
“These days, I don’t play much outside of Warzone,” Glasco said.
You and plenty others, Glasco.Just like people are still going to watch The Simpsons, regardless of its varying levels of quality, people are still going to play whatever Call of Duty launches this fall.
Regardless of its quality — or innovative ideas.See More:
Source: https://www.polygon.com/gaming/598920/former-call-of-duty-dev-wonders-if-the-franchise-has-run-out-of-ideas" style="color: #0066cc;">https://www.polygon.com/gaming/598920/former-call-of-duty-dev-wonders-if-the-franchise-has-run-out-of-ideas
#former #call #duty #dev #wonders #the #franchise #has #ampamp8216run #out #ideasampamp8217

Former Call of Duty dev wonders if the franchise has &#8216;run out of ideas&#8217;
A former Call of Duty developer is wondering the same thing you are: if the franchise — which has released 21 mainline installments since 2003 — has run out of ideas.“It’s almost like The Simpsons — it’s been around so long that it feels like they’ve run out of ideas at times. It kind of wandered into left field,” Chance Glasco told an Oklahoma news station on Monday. Glasco is one of the founders of Infinity Ward and helped co-create the franchise with 2003’s Call of Duty.There’s a chance Glasco worked on your favorite COD game; Infinity Ward was responsible for series standouts like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2. “I wouldn’t say it peaked at Modern Warfare 2, but that was probably the best game we made,” Glasco said.While the series may or may not have peaked with MW2 (though anyone who misses running around with a silenced UMP45 might say it did — *raises hand*), there’s no arguing the Call of Duty of today is massively different than the Call of Duty of prior hardware generations. You may look at Squid Game and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossovers and think they’re cool, but longtime players might see them as signs the annual franchise is running out of steam in the “fresh gameplay ideas and innovation” department. Glasco clearly shares some of that sentiment.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the latest entry in the franchise, and it being the sixth BLOPS should tell you all you need to know about whether Call of Duty is running out of ideas or if that even matters. Consider: the game had the best launch for the series, and was, of course, the best-selling game of 2024.Perhaps the most innovative Call of Duty has been is with the free-to-play Call of Duty: Warzone. The battle-royale gameplay was a slight shift from the series’ classic multiplayer gameplay, and launching in March 2020 certainly helped boost its popularity. And yet. “These days, I don’t play much outside of Warzone,” Glasco said. You and plenty others, Glasco.Just like people are still going to watch The Simpsons, regardless of its varying levels of quality, people are still going to play whatever Call of Duty launches this fall. Regardless of its quality — or innovative ideas.See More: Source: https://www.polygon.com/gaming/598920/former-call-of-duty-dev-wonders-if-the-franchise-has-run-out-of-ideas #former #call #duty #dev #wonders #the #franchise #has #ampamp8216run #out #ideasampamp8217

WWW.POLYGON.COM

Former Call of Duty dev wonders if the franchise has &#8216;run out of ideas&#8217;

A former Call of Duty developer is wondering the same thing you are: if the franchise — which has released 21 mainline installments since 2003 — has run out of ideas.“It’s almost like The Simpsons — it’s been around so long that it feels like they’ve run out of ideas at times. It kind of wandered into left field,” Chance Glasco told an Oklahoma news station on Monday. Glasco is one of the founders of Infinity Ward and helped co-create the franchise with 2003’s Call of Duty.There’s a chance Glasco worked on your favorite COD game; Infinity Ward was responsible for series standouts like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2. “I wouldn’t say it peaked at Modern Warfare 2, but that was probably the best game we made,” Glasco said.While the series may or may not have peaked with MW2 (though anyone who misses running around with a silenced UMP45 might say it did — *raises hand*), there’s no arguing the Call of Duty of today is massively different than the Call of Duty of prior hardware generations. You may look at Squid Game and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossovers and think they’re cool, but longtime players might see them as signs the annual franchise is running out of steam in the “fresh gameplay ideas and innovation” department. Glasco clearly shares some of that sentiment.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the latest entry in the franchise, and it being the sixth BLOPS should tell you all you need to know about whether Call of Duty is running out of ideas or if that even matters. Consider: the game had the best launch for the series, and was, of course, the best-selling game of 2024.Perhaps the most innovative Call of Duty has been is with the free-to-play Call of Duty: Warzone. The battle-royale gameplay was a slight shift from the series’ classic multiplayer gameplay, and launching in March 2020 certainly helped boost its popularity. And yet. “These days, I don’t play much outside of Warzone,” Glasco said. You and plenty others, Glasco.Just like people are still going to watch The Simpsons, regardless of its varying levels of quality, people are still going to play whatever Call of Duty launches this fall. Regardless of its quality — or innovative ideas.See More:

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2025-05-13 16:44:32 ·

ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot

ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm since its launch in November 2022.
What started as a tool to supercharge productivity through writing essays and code with short text prompts has evolved into a behemoth with 300 million weekly active users.
2024 was a big year for OpenAI, from its partnership with Apple for its generative AI offering, Apple Intelligence, the release of GPT-4o with voice capabilities, and the highly-anticipated launch of its text-to-video model Sora.
OpenAI also faced its share of internal drama, including the notable exits of high-level execs like co-founder and longtime chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati.
OpenAI has also been hit with lawsuits from Alden Global Capital-owned newspapers alleging copyright infringement, as well as an injunction from Elon Musk to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit.

In 2025, OpenAI is battling the perception that it’s ceding ground in the AI race to Chinese rivals like DeepSeek.
The company has been trying to shore up its relationship with Washington as it simultaneously pursues an ambitious data center project, and as it reportedly lays the groundwork for one of the largest funding rounds in history.
Below, you’ll find a timeline of ChatGPT product updates and releases, starting with the latest, which we’ve been updating throughout the year.
If you have any other questions, check out our ChatGPT FAQ here.
To see a list of 2024 updates, go here.
Timeline of the most recent ChatGPT updates

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May 2025
OpenAI has launched a new feature for ChatGPT deep research to analyze code repositories on GitHub.
The ChatGPT deep research feature is in beta and lets developers connect with GitHub to ask questions about codebases and engineering documents.
The connector will soon be available for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team users, with support for Enterprise and Education coming shortly, per an OpenAI spokesperson.
OpenAI launches a new data residency program in Asia
After introducing a data residency program in Europe in February, OpenAI has now launched a similar program in Asian countries including India, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea.
The new program will be accessible to users of ChatGPT Enterprise, ChatGPT Edu, and API.
It will help organizations in Asia meet their local data sovereignty requirements when using OpenAI’s products.
OpenAI to introduce a program to grow AI infrastructure
OpenAI is unveiling a program called OpenAI for Countries, which aims to develop the necessary local infrastructure to serve international AI clients better.
The AI startup will work with governments to assist with increasing data center capacity and customizing OpenAI’s products to meet specific language and local needs.
OpenAI for Countries is part of efforts to support the company’s expansion of its AI data center Project Stargate to new locations outside the U.S., per Bloomberg.
OpenAI promises to make changes to prevent future ChatGPT sycophancy
OpenAI has announced its plan to make changes to its procedures for updating the AI models that power ChatGPT, following an update that caused the platform to become overly sycophantic for many users.
April 2025
OpenAI clarifies the reason ChatGPT became overly flattering and agreeable
OpenAI has released a post on the recent sycophancy issues with the default AI model powering ChatGPT, GPT-4o, leading the company to revert an update to the model released last week.
CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the issue on Sunday and confirmed two days later that the GPT-4o update was being rolled back.
OpenAI is working on “additional fixes” to the model’s personality.
Over the weekend, users on social media criticized the new model for making ChatGPT too validating and agreeable.
It became a popular meme fast.
OpenAI is working to fix a “bug” that let minors engage in inappropriate conversations
An issue within OpenAI’s ChatGPT enabled the chatbot to create graphic erotic content for accounts registered by users under the age of 18, as demonstrated by TechCrunch’s testing, a fact later confirmed by OpenAI.
“Protecting younger users is a top priority, and our Model Spec, which guides model behavior, clearly restricts sensitive content like erotica to narrow contexts such as scientific, historical, or news reporting,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch via email.
“In this case, a bug allowed responses outside those guidelines, and we are actively deploying a fix to limit these generations.”
OpenAI has added a few features to its ChatGPT search, its web search tool in ChatGPT, to give users an improved online shopping experience.
The company says people can ask super-specific questions using natural language and receive customized results.
The chatbot provides recommendations, images, and reviews of products in various categories such as fashion, beauty, home goods, and electronics.
OpenAI wants its AI model to access cloud models for assistance
OpenAI leaders have been talking about allowing the open model to link up with OpenAI’s cloud-hosted models to improve its ability to respond to intricate questions, two sources familiar with the situation told TechCrunch.
OpenAI aims to make its new “open” AI model the best on the market
OpenAI is preparing to launch an AI system that will be openly accessible, allowing users to download it for free without any API restrictions.
Aidan Clark, OpenAI’s VP of research, is spearheading the development of the open model, which is in the very early stages, sources familiar with the situation told TechCrunch.
OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 may be less aligned than earlier models
OpenAI released a new AI model called GPT-4.1 in mid-April.
However, multiple independent tests indicate that the model is less reliable than previous OpenAI releases.
The company skipped that step — sending safety cards for GPT-4.1 — claiming in a statement to TechCrunch that “GPT-4.1 is not a frontier model, so there won’t be a separate system card released for it.”
OpenAI’s o3 AI model scored lower than expected on a benchmark
Questions have been raised regarding OpenAI’s transparency and procedures for testing models after a difference in benchmark outcomes was detected by first- and third-party benchmark results for the o3 AI model.
OpenAI introduced o3 in December, stating that the model could solve approximately 25% of questions on FrontierMath, a difficult math problem set.
Epoch AI, the research institute behind FrontierMath, discovered that o3 achieved a score of approximately 10%, which was significantly lower than OpenAI’s top-reported score.
OpenAI unveils Flex processing for cheaper, slower AI tasks
OpenAI has launched a new API feature called Flex processing that allows users to use AI models at a lower cost but with slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
Flex processing is available in beta on the o3 and o4-mini reasoning models for non-production tasks like model evaluations, data enrichment, and asynchronous workloads.
OpenAI’s latest AI models now have a safeguard against biorisks
OpenAI has rolled out a new system to monitor its AI reasoning models, o3 and o4 mini, for biological and chemical threats.
The system is designed to prevent models from giving advice that could potentially lead to harmful attacks, as stated in OpenAI’s safety report.
OpenAI launches its latest reasoning models, o3 and o4-mini
OpenAI has released two new reasoning models, o3 and o4 mini, just two days after launching GPT-4.1.
The company claims o3 is the most advanced reasoning model it has developed, while o4-mini is said to provide a balance of price, speed, and performance.
The new models stand out from previous reasoning models because they can use ChatGPT features like web browsing, coding, and image processing and generation.
But they hallucinate more than several of OpenAI’s previous models.
OpenAI has added a new section to ChatGPT to offer easier access to AI-generated images for all user tiers
Open AI introduced a new section called “library” to make it easier for users to create images on mobile and web platforms, per the company’s X post.
OpenAI could “adjust” its safeguards if rivals release “high-risk” AI
OpenAI said on Tuesday that it might revise its safety standards if “another frontier AI developer releases a high-risk system without comparable safeguards.” The move shows how commercial AI developers face more pressure to rapidly implement models due to the increased competition.
OpenAI is currently in the early stages of developing its own social media platform to compete with Elon Musk’s X and Mark Zuckerberg’s Instagram and Threads, according to The Verge.
It is unclear whether OpenAI intends to launch the social network as a standalone application or incorporate it into ChatGPT.
OpenAI will remove its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from the API, in July
OpenAI will discontinue its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from its API even though it was just launched in late February.
GPT-4.5 will be available in a research preview for paying customers.
Developers can use GPT-4.5 through OpenAI’s API until July 14; then, they will need to switch to GPT-4.1, which was released on April 14.
OpenAI unveils GPT-4.1 AI models that focus on coding capabilities
OpenAI has launched three members of the GPT-4.1 model — GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano — with a specific focus on coding capabilities.
It’s accessible via the OpenAI API but not ChatGPT.
In the competition to develop advanced programming models, GPT-4.1 will rival AI models such as Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro, Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet, and DeepSeek’s upgraded V3.
OpenAI will discontinue ChatGPT’s GPT-4 at the end of April
OpenAI plans to sunset GPT-4, an AI model introduced more than two years ago, and replace it with GPT-4o, the current default model, per changelog.
It will take effect on April 30.
GPT-4 will remain available via OpenAI’s API.
OpenAI could release GPT-4.1 soon
OpenAI may launch several new AI models, including GPT-4.1, soon, The Verge reported, citing anonymous sources.
GPT-4.1 would be an update of OpenAI’s GPT-4o, which was released last year.
On the list of upcoming models are GPT-4.1 and smaller versions like GPT-4.1 mini and nano, per the report.
OpenAI has updated ChatGPT to use information from your previous conversations
OpenAI started updating ChatGPT to enable the chatbot to remember previous conversations with a user and customize its responses based on that context.
This feature is rolling out to ChatGPT Pro and Plus users first, excluding those in the U.K., EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
OpenAI is working on watermarks for images made with ChatGPT
It looks like OpenAI is working on a watermarking feature for images generated using GPT-4o.
AI researcher Tibor Blaho spotted a new “ImageGen” watermark feature in the new beta of ChatGPT’s Android app.
Blaho also found mentions of other tools: “Structured Thoughts,” “Reasoning Recap,” “CoT Search Tool,” and “l1239dk1.”
OpenAI offers ChatGPT Plus for free to U.S., Canadian college students
OpenAI is offering its $20-per-month ChatGPT Plus subscription tier for free to all college students in the U.S.
and Canada through the end of May.
The offer will let millions of students use OpenAI’s premium service, which offers access to the company’s GPT-4o model, image generation, voice interaction, and research tools that are not available in the free version.
ChatGPT users have generated over 700M images so far
More than 130 million users have created over 700 million images since ChatGPT got the upgraded image generator on March 25, according to COO of OpenAI Brad Lightcap.
The image generator was made available to all ChatGPT users on March 31, and went viral for being able to create Ghibli-style photos.
OpenAI’s o3 model could cost more to run than initial estimate
The Arc Prize Foundation, which develops the AI benchmark tool ARC-AGI, has updated the estimated computing costs for OpenAI’s o3 “reasoning” model managed by ARC-AGI.
The organization originally estimated that the best-performing configuration of o3 it tested, o3 high, would cost approximately $3,000 to address a single problem.
The Foundation now thinks the cost could be much higher, possibly around $30,000 per task.
OpenAI CEO says capacity issues will cause product delays
In a series of posts on X, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company’s new image-generation tool’s popularity may cause product releases to be delayed.
“We are getting things under control, but you should expect new releases from OpenAI to be delayed, stuff to break, and for service to sometimes be slow as we deal with capacity challenges,” he wrote.

March 2025
OpenAI plans to release a new ‘open’ AI language model
OpeanAI intends to release its “first” open language model since GPT-2 “in the coming months.” The company plans to host developer events to gather feedback and eventually showcase prototypes of the model.
The first developer event is to be held in San Francisco, with sessions to follow in Europe and Asia.
OpenAI removes ChatGPT’s restrictions on image generation
OpenAI made a notable change to its content moderation policies after the success of its new image generator in ChatGPT, which went viral for being able to create Studio Ghibli-style images.
The company has updated its policies to allow ChatGPT to generate images of public figures, hateful symbols, and racial features when requested.
OpenAI had previously declined such prompts due to the potential controversy or harm they may cause.
However, the company has now “evolved” its approach, as stated in a blog post published by Joanne Jang, the lead for OpenAI’s model behavior.
OpenAI adopts Anthropic’s standard for linking AI models with data
OpenAI wants to incorporate Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (MCP) into all of its products, including the ChatGPT desktop app.
MCP, an open-source standard, helps AI models generate more accurate and suitable responses to specific queries, and lets developers create bidirectional links between data sources and AI applications like chatbots.
The protocol is currently available in the Agents SDK, and support for the ChatGPT desktop app and Responses API will be coming soon, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said.

OpenAI’s viral Studio Ghibli-style images could raise AI copyright concerns
The latest update of the image generator on OpenAI’s ChatGPT has triggered a flood of AI-generated memes in the style of Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio behind blockbuster films like “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away.” The burgeoning mass of Ghibli-esque images have sparked concerns about whether OpenAI has violated copyright laws, especially since the company is already facing legal action for using source material without authorization.

OpenAI expects revenue to triple to $12.7 billion this year
OpenAI expects its revenue to triple to $12.7 billion in 2025, fueled by the performance of its paid AI software, Bloomberg reported, citing an anonymous source.
While the startup doesn’t expect to reach positive cash flow until 2029, it expects revenue to increase significantly in 2026 to surpass $29.4 billion, the report said.

ChatGPT has upgraded its image-generation feature
OpenAI on Tuesday rolled out a major upgrade to ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities: ChatGPT can now use the GPT-4o model to generate and edit images and photos directly.
The feature went live earlier this week in ChatGPT and Sora, OpenAI’s AI video-generation tool, for subscribers of the company’s Pro plan, priced at $200 a month, and will be available soon to ChatGPT Plus subscribers and developers using the company’s API service.
The company’s CEO Sam Altman said on Wednesday, however, that the release of the image generation feature to free users would be delayed due to higher demand than the company expected.
OpenAI announces leadership updates
Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, will lead the company’s global expansion and manage corporate partnerships as CEO Sam Altman shifts his focus to research and products, according to a blog post from OpenAI.
Lightcap, who previously worked with Altman at Y Combinator, joined the Microsoft-backed startup in 2018.
OpenAI also said Mark Chen would step into the expanded role of chief research officer, and Julia Villagra will take on the role of chief people officer.
OpenAI’s AI voice assistant now has advanced feature
OpenAI has updated its AI voice assistant with improved chatting capabilities, according to a video posted on Monday (March 24) to the company’s official media channels.
The update enables real-time conversations, and the AI assistant is said to be more personable and interrupts users less often.
Users on ChatGPT’s free tier can now access the new version of Advanced Voice Mode, while paying users will receive answers that are “more direct, engaging, concise, specific, and creative,” a spokesperson from OpenAI told TechCrunch.
OpenAI and Meta have separately engaged in discussions with Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries regarding potential collaborations to enhance their AI services in the country, per a report by The Information.
One key topic being discussed is Reliance Jio distributing OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Reliance has proposed selling OpenAI’s models to businesses in India through an application programming interface (API) so they can incorporate AI into their operations.
Meta also plans to bolster its presence in India by constructing a large 3GW data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
OpenAI, Meta, and Reliance have not yet officially announced these plans.
OpenAI faces privacy complaint in Europe for chatbot’s defamatory hallucinations
Noyb, a privacy rights advocacy group, is supporting an individual in Norway who was shocked to discover that ChatGPT was providing false information about him, stating that he had been found guilty of killing two of his children and trying to harm the third.
“The GDPR is clear.
Personal data has to be accurate,” said Joakim Söderberg, data protection lawyer at Noyb, in a statement.
“If it’s not, users have the right to have it changed to reflect the truth.
Showing ChatGPT users a tiny disclaimer that the chatbot can make mistakes clearly isn’t enough.
You can’t just spread false information and in the end add a small disclaimer saying that everything you said may just not be true.”
OpenAI upgrades its transcription and voice-generating AI models
OpenAI has added new transcription and voice-generating AI models to its APIs: a text-to-speech model, “gpt-4o-mini-tts,” that delivers more nuanced and realistic sounding speech, as well as two speech-to-text models called “gpt-4o-transcribe” and “gpt-4o-mini-transcribe”.
The company claims they are improved versions of what was already there and that they hallucinate less.
OpenAI has launched o1-pro, a more powerful version of its o1
OpenAI has introduced o1-pro in its developer API.
OpenAI says its o1-pro uses more computing than its o1 “reasoning” AI model to deliver “consistently better responses.” It’s only accessible to select developers who have spent at least $5 on OpenAI API services.
OpenAI charges $150 for every million tokens (about 750,000 words) input into the model and $600 for every million tokens the model produces.
It costs twice as much as OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 for input and 10 times the price of regular o1.
Noam Brown, who heads AI reasoning research at OpenAI, thinks that certain types of AI models for “reasoning” could have been developed 20 years ago if researchers had understood the correct approach and algorithms.
OpenAI says it has trained an AI that’s “really good” at creative writing
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, in a post on X, that the company has trained a “new model” that’s “really good” at creative writing.
He posted a lengthy sample from the model given the prompt “Please write a metafictional literary short story about AI and grief.” OpenAI has not extensively explored the use of AI for writing fiction.
The company has mostly concentrated on challenges in rigid, predictable areas such as math and programming.might not be that great at creative writing at all.

OpenAI rolled out new tools designed to help developers and businesses build AI agents — automated systems that can independently accomplish tasks — using the company’s own AI models and frameworks.
The tools are part of OpenAI’s new Responses API, which enables enterprises to develop customized AI agents that can perform web searches, scan through company files, and navigate websites, similar to OpenAI’s Operator product.
The Responses API effectively replaces OpenAI’s Assistants API, which the company plans to discontinue in the first half of 2026.
OpenAI reportedly plans to charge up to $20,000 a month for specialized AI ‘agents’
OpenAI intends to release several “agent” products tailored for different applications, including sorting and ranking sales leads and software engineering, according to a report from The Information.
One, a “high-income knowledge worker” agent, will reportedly be priced at $2,000 a month.
Another, a software developer agent, is said to cost $10,000 a month.
The most expensive rumored agents, which are said to be aimed at supporting “PhD-level research,” are expected to cost $20,000 per month.
The jaw-dropping figure is indicative of how much cash OpenAI needs right now: The company lost roughly $5 billion last year after paying for costs related to running its services and other expenses.
It’s unclear when these agentic tools might launch or which customers will be eligible to buy them.
ChatGPT can directly edit your code
The latest version of the macOS ChatGPT app allows users to edit code directly in supported developer tools, including Xcode, VS Code, and JetBrains.
ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team subscribers can use the feature now, and the company plans to roll it out to more users like Enterprise, Edu, and free users.
ChatGPT’s weekly active users doubled in less than 6 months, thanks to new releases
According to a new report from VC firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), OpenAI’s AI chatbot, ChatGPT, experienced solid growth in the second half of 2024.
It took ChatGPT nine months to increase its weekly active users from 100 million in November 2023 to 200 million in August 2024, but it only took less than six months to double that number once more, according to the report.
ChatGPT’s weekly active users increased to 300 million by December 2024 and 400 million by February 2025.
ChatGPT has experienced significant growth recently due to the launch of new models and features, such as GPT-4o, with multimodal capabilities.
ChatGPT usage spiked from April to May 2024, shortly after that model’s launch.
February 2025
OpenAI cancels its o3 AI model in favor of a ‘unified’ next-gen release
OpenAI has effectively canceled the release of o3 in favor of what CEO Sam Altman is calling a “simplified” product offering.
In a post on X, Altman said that, in the coming months, OpenAI will release a model called GPT-5 that “integrates a lot of [OpenAI’s] technology,” including o3, in ChatGPT and its API.
As a result of that roadmap decision, OpenAI no longer plans to release o3 as a standalone model.
ChatGPT may not be as power-hungry as once assumed
A commonly cited stat is that ChatGPT requires around 3 watt-hours of power to answer a single question.
Using OpenAI’s latest default model for ChatGPT, GPT-4o, as a reference, nonprofit AI research institute Epoch AI found the average ChatGPT query consumes around 0.3 watt-hours.
However, the analysis doesn’t consider the additional energy costs incurred by ChatGPT with features like image generation or input processing.
OpenAI now reveals more of its o3-mini model’s thought process
In response to pressure from rivals like DeepSeek, OpenAI is changing the way its o3-mini model communicates its step-by-step “thought” process.
ChatGPT users will see an updated “chain of thought” that shows more of the model’s “reasoning” steps and how it arrived at answers to questions.
You can now use ChatGPT web search without logging in
OpenAI is now allowing anyone to use ChatGPT web search without having to log in.
While OpenAI had previously allowed users to ask ChatGPT questions without signing in, responses were restricted to the chatbot’s last training update.
This only applies through ChatGPT.com, however.
To use ChatGPT in any form through the native mobile app, you will still need to be logged in.
OpenAI unveils a new ChatGPT agent for ‘deep research’
OpenAI announced a new AI “agent” called deep research that’s designed to help people conduct in-depth, complex research using ChatGPT.
OpenAI says the “agent” is intended for instances where you don’t just want a quick answer or summary, but instead need to assiduously consider information from multiple websites and other sources.
January 2025
OpenAI used a subreddit to test AI persuasion
OpenAI used the subreddit r/ChangeMyView to measure the persuasive abilities of its AI reasoning models.
OpenAI says it collects user posts from the subreddit and asks its AI models to write replies, in a closed environment, that would change the Reddit user’s mind on a subject.
The company then shows the responses to testers, who assess how persuasive the argument is, and finally OpenAI compares the AI models’ responses to human replies for that same post.
OpenAI launches o3-mini, its latest ‘reasoning’ model
OpenAI launched a new AI “reasoning” model, o3-mini, the newest in the company’s o family of models.
OpenAI first previewed the model in December alongside a more capable system called o3.
OpenAI is pitching its new model as both “powerful” and “affordable.”
ChatGPT’s mobile users are 85% male, report says
A new report from app analytics firm Appfigures found that over half of ChatGPT’s mobile users are under age 25, with users between ages 50 and 64 making up the second largest age demographic.
The gender gap among ChatGPT users is even more significant.
Appfigures estimates that across age groups, men make up 84.5% of all users.
OpenAI launches ChatGPT plan for US government agencies
OpenAI launched ChatGPT Gov designed to provide U.S.
government agencies an additional way to access the tech.
ChatGPT Gov includes many of the capabilities found in OpenAI’s corporate-focused tier, ChatGPT Enterprise.
OpenAI says that ChatGPT Gov enables agencies to more easily manage their own security, privacy, and compliance, and could expedite internal authorization of OpenAI’s tools for the handling of non-public sensitive data.
More teens report using ChatGPT for schoolwork, despite the tech’s faults
Younger Gen Zers are embracing ChatGPT, for schoolwork, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.
In a follow-up to its 2023 poll on ChatGPT usage among young people, Pew asked ~1,400 U.S.-based teens ages 13 to 17 whether they’ve used ChatGPT for homework or other school-related assignments.
Twenty-six percent said that they had, double the number two years ago.
Just over half of teens responding to the poll said they think it’s acceptable to use ChatGPT for researching new subjects.
But considering the ways ChatGPT can fall short, the results are possibly cause for alarm.
OpenAI says it may store deleted Operator data for up to 90 days
OpenAI says that it might store chats and associated screenshots from customers who use Operator, the company’s AI “agent” tool, for up to 90 days — even after a user manually deletes them.
While OpenAI has a similar deleted data retention policy for ChatGPT, the retention period for ChatGPT is only 30 days, which is 60 days shorter than Operator’s.
OpenAI launches Operator, an AI agent that performs tasks autonomously
OpenAI is launching a research preview of Operator, a general-purpose AI agent that can take control of a web browser and independently perform certain actions.
Operator promises to automate tasks such as booking travel accommodations, making restaurant reservations, and shopping online.
Operator, OpenAI’s agent tool, could be released sooner rather than later.
Changes to ChatGPT’s code base suggest that Operator will be available as an early research preview to users on the $200 Pro subscription plan.
The changes aren’t yet publicly visible, but a user on X who goes by Choi spotted these updates in ChatGPT’s client-side code.
TechCrunch separately identified the same references to Operator on OpenAI’s website.
OpenAI tests phone number-only ChatGPT signups
OpenAI has begun testing a feature that lets new ChatGPT users sign up with only a phone number — no email required.
The feature is currently in beta in the U.S.
and India.
However, users who create an account using their number can’t upgrade to one of OpenAI’s paid plans without verifying their account via an email.
Multi-factor authentication also isn’t supported without a valid email.
ChatGPT now lets you schedule reminders and recurring tasks
ChatGPT’s new beta feature, called tasks, allows users to set simple reminders.
For example, you can ask ChatGPT to remind you when your passport expires in six months, and the AI assistant will follow up with a push notification on whatever platform you have tasks enabled.
The feature will start rolling out to ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro users around the globe this week.
New ChatGPT feature lets users assign it traits like ‘chatty’ and ‘Gen Z’
OpenAI is introducing a new way for users to customize their interactions with ChatGPT.
Some users found they can specify a preferred name or nickname and “traits” they’d like the chatbot to have.
OpenAI suggests traits like “Chatty,” “Encouraging,” and “Gen Z.” However, some users reported that the new options have disappeared, so it’s possible they went live prematurely.
FAQs:
What is ChatGPT? How does it work?
ChatGPT is a general-purpose chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to generate text after a user enters a prompt, developed by tech startup OpenAI.
The chatbot uses GPT-4, a large language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text.
When did ChatGPT get released?
November 30, 2022 is when ChatGPT was released for public use.
What is the latest version of ChatGPT?
Both the free version of ChatGPT and the paid ChatGPT Plus are regularly updated with new GPT models.
The most recent model is GPT-4o.
Can I use ChatGPT for free?
There is a free version of ChatGPT that only requires a sign-in in addition to the paid version, ChatGPT Plus.
Who uses ChatGPT?
Anyone can use ChatGPT! More and more tech companies and search engines are utilizing the chatbot to automate text or quickly answer user questions/concerns.
What companies use ChatGPT?
Multiple enterprises utilize ChatGPT, although others may limit the use of the AI-powered tool.
Most recently, Microsoft announced at its 2023 Build conference that it is integrating its ChatGPT-based Bing experience into Windows 11.
A Brooklyn-based 3D display startup Looking Glass utilizes ChatGPT to produce holograms you can communicate with by using ChatGPT. And nonprofit organization Solana officially integrated the chatbot into its network with a ChatGPT plug-in geared toward end users to help onboard into the web3 space.
What does GPT mean in ChatGPT?
GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer.
What is the difference between ChatGPT and a chatbot?
A chatbot can be any software/system that holds dialogue with you/a person but doesn’t necessarily have to be AI-powered.
For example, there are chatbots that are rules-based in the sense that they’ll give canned responses to questions.
ChatGPT is AI-powered and utilizes LLM technology to generate text after a prompt.
Can ChatGPT write essays?
Yes.
Can ChatGPT commit libel?
Due to the nature of how these models work, they don’t know or care whether something is true, only that it looks true.
That’s a problem when you’re using it to do your homework, sure, but when it accuses you of a crime you didn’t commit, that may well at this point be libel.
We will see how handling troubling statements produced by ChatGPT will play out over the next few months as tech and legal experts attempt to tackle the fastest moving target in the industry.
Does ChatGPT have an app?
Yes, there is a free ChatGPT mobile app for iOS and Android users.
What is the ChatGPT character limit?
It’s not documented anywhere that ChatGPT has a character limit.
However, users have noted that there are some character limitations after around 500 words.
Does ChatGPT have an API?
Yes, it was released March 1, 2023.
What are some sample everyday uses for ChatGPT?
Everyday examples include programming, scripts, email replies, listicles, blog ideas, summarization, etc.
What are some advanced uses for ChatGPT?
Advanced use examples include debugging code, programming languages, scientific concepts, complex problem solving, etc.
How good is ChatGPT at writing code?
It depends on the nature of the program.
While ChatGPT can write workable Python code, it can’t necessarily program an entire app’s worth of code.
That’s because ChatGPT lacks context awareness — in other words, the generated code isn’t always appropriate for the specific context in which it’s being used.
Can you save a ChatGPT chat?
Yes.
OpenAI allows users to save chats in the ChatGPT interface, stored in the sidebar of the screen.
There are no built-in sharing features yet.
Are there alternatives to ChatGPT?
Yes.
There are multiple AI-powered chatbot competitors such as Together, Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude, and developers are creating open source alternatives.
How does ChatGPT handle data privacy?
OpenAI has said that individuals in “certain jurisdictions” (such as the EU) can object to the processing of their personal information by its AI models by filling out this form.
This includes the ability to make requests for deletion of AI-generated references about you.
Although OpenAI notes it may not grant every request since it must balance privacy requests against freedom of expression “in accordance with applicable laws”.
The web form for making a deletion of data about you request is entitled “OpenAI Personal Data Removal Request”.
In its privacy policy, the ChatGPT maker makes a passing acknowledgement of the objection requirements attached to relying on “legitimate interest” (LI), pointing users towards more information about requesting an opt out — when it writes: “See here for instructions on how you can opt out of our use of your information to train our models.”
What controversies have surrounded ChatGPT?
Recently, Discord announced that it had integrated OpenAI’s technology into its bot named Clyde where two users tricked Clyde into providing them with instructions for making the illegal drug methamphetamine (meth) and the incendiary mixture napalm.
An Australian mayor has publicly announced he may sue OpenAI for defamation due to ChatGPT’s false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery.
This would be the first defamation lawsuit against the text-generating service.
CNET found itself in the midst of controversy after Futurism reported the publication was publishing articles under a mysterious byline completely generated by AI.
The private equity company that owns CNET, Red Ventures, was accused of using ChatGPT for SEO farming, even if the information was incorrect.
Several major school systems and colleges, including New York City Public Schools, have banned ChatGPT from their networks and devices.
They claim that the AI impedes the learning process by promoting plagiarism and misinformation, a claim that not every educator agrees with.
There have also been cases of ChatGPT accusing individuals of false crimes.
Where can I find examples of ChatGPT prompts?
Several marketplaces host and provide ChatGPT prompts, either for free or for a nominal fee.
One is PromptBase.
Another is ChatX.
More launch every day.
Can ChatGPT be detected?
Poorly.
Several tools claim to detect ChatGPT-generated text, but in our tests, they’re inconsistent at best.
Are ChatGPT chats public?
No.
But OpenAI recently disclosed a bug, since fixed, that exposed the titles of some users’ conversations to other people on the service.
What lawsuits are there surrounding ChatGPT?
None specifically targeting ChatGPT.
But OpenAI is involved in at least one lawsuit that has implications for AI systems trained on publicly available data, which would touch on ChatGPT.
Are there issues regarding plagiarism with ChatGPT?
Yes.
Text-generating AI models like ChatGPT have a tendency to regurgitate content from their training data.

Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/chatgpt-everything-to-know-about-the-ai-chatbot/" style="color: #0066cc;">https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/chatgpt-everything-to-know-about-the-ai-chatbot/
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ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot
ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm since its launch in November 2022. What started as a tool to supercharge productivity through writing essays and code with short text prompts has evolved into a behemoth with 300 million weekly active users. 2024 was a big year for OpenAI, from its partnership with Apple for its generative AI offering, Apple Intelligence, the release of GPT-4o with voice capabilities, and the highly-anticipated launch of its text-to-video model Sora. OpenAI also faced its share of internal drama, including the notable exits of high-level execs like co-founder and longtime chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati. OpenAI has also been hit with lawsuits from Alden Global Capital-owned newspapers alleging copyright infringement, as well as an injunction from Elon Musk to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit. In 2025, OpenAI is battling the perception that it’s ceding ground in the AI race to Chinese rivals like DeepSeek. The company has been trying to shore up its relationship with Washington as it simultaneously pursues an ambitious data center project, and as it reportedly lays the groundwork for one of the largest funding rounds in history. Below, you’ll find a timeline of ChatGPT product updates and releases, starting with the latest, which we’ve been updating throughout the year. If you have any other questions, check out our ChatGPT FAQ here. To see a list of 2024 updates, go here. Timeline of the most recent ChatGPT updates Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | June 5 REGISTER NOW May 2025 OpenAI has launched a new feature for ChatGPT deep research to analyze code repositories on GitHub. The ChatGPT deep research feature is in beta and lets developers connect with GitHub to ask questions about codebases and engineering documents. The connector will soon be available for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team users, with support for Enterprise and Education coming shortly, per an OpenAI spokesperson. OpenAI launches a new data residency program in Asia After introducing a data residency program in Europe in February, OpenAI has now launched a similar program in Asian countries including India, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. The new program will be accessible to users of ChatGPT Enterprise, ChatGPT Edu, and API. It will help organizations in Asia meet their local data sovereignty requirements when using OpenAI’s products. OpenAI to introduce a program to grow AI infrastructure OpenAI is unveiling a program called OpenAI for Countries, which aims to develop the necessary local infrastructure to serve international AI clients better. The AI startup will work with governments to assist with increasing data center capacity and customizing OpenAI’s products to meet specific language and local needs. OpenAI for Countries is part of efforts to support the company’s expansion of its AI data center Project Stargate to new locations outside the U.S., per Bloomberg. OpenAI promises to make changes to prevent future ChatGPT sycophancy OpenAI has announced its plan to make changes to its procedures for updating the AI models that power ChatGPT, following an update that caused the platform to become overly sycophantic for many users. April 2025 OpenAI clarifies the reason ChatGPT became overly flattering and agreeable OpenAI has released a post on the recent sycophancy issues with the default AI model powering ChatGPT, GPT-4o, leading the company to revert an update to the model released last week. CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the issue on Sunday and confirmed two days later that the GPT-4o update was being rolled back. OpenAI is working on “additional fixes” to the model’s personality. Over the weekend, users on social media criticized the new model for making ChatGPT too validating and agreeable. It became a popular meme fast. OpenAI is working to fix a “bug” that let minors engage in inappropriate conversations An issue within OpenAI’s ChatGPT enabled the chatbot to create graphic erotic content for accounts registered by users under the age of 18, as demonstrated by TechCrunch’s testing, a fact later confirmed by OpenAI. “Protecting younger users is a top priority, and our Model Spec, which guides model behavior, clearly restricts sensitive content like erotica to narrow contexts such as scientific, historical, or news reporting,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch via email. “In this case, a bug allowed responses outside those guidelines, and we are actively deploying a fix to limit these generations.” OpenAI has added a few features to its ChatGPT search, its web search tool in ChatGPT, to give users an improved online shopping experience. The company says people can ask super-specific questions using natural language and receive customized results. The chatbot provides recommendations, images, and reviews of products in various categories such as fashion, beauty, home goods, and electronics. OpenAI wants its AI model to access cloud models for assistance OpenAI leaders have been talking about allowing the open model to link up with OpenAI’s cloud-hosted models to improve its ability to respond to intricate questions, two sources familiar with the situation told TechCrunch. OpenAI aims to make its new “open” AI model the best on the market OpenAI is preparing to launch an AI system that will be openly accessible, allowing users to download it for free without any API restrictions. Aidan Clark, OpenAI’s VP of research, is spearheading the development of the open model, which is in the very early stages, sources familiar with the situation told TechCrunch. OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 may be less aligned than earlier models OpenAI released a new AI model called GPT-4.1 in mid-April. However, multiple independent tests indicate that the model is less reliable than previous OpenAI releases. The company skipped that step — sending safety cards for GPT-4.1 — claiming in a statement to TechCrunch that “GPT-4.1 is not a frontier model, so there won’t be a separate system card released for it.” OpenAI’s o3 AI model scored lower than expected on a benchmark Questions have been raised regarding OpenAI’s transparency and procedures for testing models after a difference in benchmark outcomes was detected by first- and third-party benchmark results for the o3 AI model. OpenAI introduced o3 in December, stating that the model could solve approximately 25% of questions on FrontierMath, a difficult math problem set. Epoch AI, the research institute behind FrontierMath, discovered that o3 achieved a score of approximately 10%, which was significantly lower than OpenAI’s top-reported score. OpenAI unveils Flex processing for cheaper, slower AI tasks OpenAI has launched a new API feature called Flex processing that allows users to use AI models at a lower cost but with slower response times and occasional resource unavailability. Flex processing is available in beta on the o3 and o4-mini reasoning models for non-production tasks like model evaluations, data enrichment, and asynchronous workloads. OpenAI’s latest AI models now have a safeguard against biorisks OpenAI has rolled out a new system to monitor its AI reasoning models, o3 and o4 mini, for biological and chemical threats. The system is designed to prevent models from giving advice that could potentially lead to harmful attacks, as stated in OpenAI’s safety report. OpenAI launches its latest reasoning models, o3 and o4-mini OpenAI has released two new reasoning models, o3 and o4 mini, just two days after launching GPT-4.1. The company claims o3 is the most advanced reasoning model it has developed, while o4-mini is said to provide a balance of price, speed, and performance. The new models stand out from previous reasoning models because they can use ChatGPT features like web browsing, coding, and image processing and generation. But they hallucinate more than several of OpenAI’s previous models. OpenAI has added a new section to ChatGPT to offer easier access to AI-generated images for all user tiers Open AI introduced a new section called “library” to make it easier for users to create images on mobile and web platforms, per the company’s X post. OpenAI could “adjust” its safeguards if rivals release “high-risk” AI OpenAI said on Tuesday that it might revise its safety standards if “another frontier AI developer releases a high-risk system without comparable safeguards.” The move shows how commercial AI developers face more pressure to rapidly implement models due to the increased competition. OpenAI is currently in the early stages of developing its own social media platform to compete with Elon Musk’s X and Mark Zuckerberg’s Instagram and Threads, according to The Verge. It is unclear whether OpenAI intends to launch the social network as a standalone application or incorporate it into ChatGPT. OpenAI will remove its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from the API, in July OpenAI will discontinue its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from its API even though it was just launched in late February. GPT-4.5 will be available in a research preview for paying customers. Developers can use GPT-4.5 through OpenAI’s API until July 14; then, they will need to switch to GPT-4.1, which was released on April 14. OpenAI unveils GPT-4.1 AI models that focus on coding capabilities OpenAI has launched three members of the GPT-4.1 model — GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano — with a specific focus on coding capabilities. It’s accessible via the OpenAI API but not ChatGPT. In the competition to develop advanced programming models, GPT-4.1 will rival AI models such as Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro, Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet, and DeepSeek’s upgraded V3. OpenAI will discontinue ChatGPT’s GPT-4 at the end of April OpenAI plans to sunset GPT-4, an AI model introduced more than two years ago, and replace it with GPT-4o, the current default model, per changelog. It will take effect on April 30. GPT-4 will remain available via OpenAI’s API. OpenAI could release GPT-4.1 soon OpenAI may launch several new AI models, including GPT-4.1, soon, The Verge reported, citing anonymous sources. GPT-4.1 would be an update of OpenAI’s GPT-4o, which was released last year. On the list of upcoming models are GPT-4.1 and smaller versions like GPT-4.1 mini and nano, per the report. OpenAI has updated ChatGPT to use information from your previous conversations OpenAI started updating ChatGPT to enable the chatbot to remember previous conversations with a user and customize its responses based on that context. This feature is rolling out to ChatGPT Pro and Plus users first, excluding those in the U.K., EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. OpenAI is working on watermarks for images made with ChatGPT It looks like OpenAI is working on a watermarking feature for images generated using GPT-4o. AI researcher Tibor Blaho spotted a new “ImageGen” watermark feature in the new beta of ChatGPT’s Android app. Blaho also found mentions of other tools: “Structured Thoughts,” “Reasoning Recap,” “CoT Search Tool,” and “l1239dk1.” OpenAI offers ChatGPT Plus for free to U.S., Canadian college students OpenAI is offering its $20-per-month ChatGPT Plus subscription tier for free to all college students in the U.S. and Canada through the end of May. The offer will let millions of students use OpenAI’s premium service, which offers access to the company’s GPT-4o model, image generation, voice interaction, and research tools that are not available in the free version. ChatGPT users have generated over 700M images so far More than 130 million users have created over 700 million images since ChatGPT got the upgraded image generator on March 25, according to COO of OpenAI Brad Lightcap. The image generator was made available to all ChatGPT users on March 31, and went viral for being able to create Ghibli-style photos. OpenAI’s o3 model could cost more to run than initial estimate The Arc Prize Foundation, which develops the AI benchmark tool ARC-AGI, has updated the estimated computing costs for OpenAI’s o3 “reasoning” model managed by ARC-AGI. The organization originally estimated that the best-performing configuration of o3 it tested, o3 high, would cost approximately $3,000 to address a single problem. The Foundation now thinks the cost could be much higher, possibly around $30,000 per task. OpenAI CEO says capacity issues will cause product delays In a series of posts on X, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company’s new image-generation tool’s popularity may cause product releases to be delayed. “We are getting things under control, but you should expect new releases from OpenAI to be delayed, stuff to break, and for service to sometimes be slow as we deal with capacity challenges,” he wrote. March 2025 OpenAI plans to release a new ‘open’ AI language model OpeanAI intends to release its “first” open language model since GPT-2 “in the coming months.” The company plans to host developer events to gather feedback and eventually showcase prototypes of the model. The first developer event is to be held in San Francisco, with sessions to follow in Europe and Asia. OpenAI removes ChatGPT’s restrictions on image generation OpenAI made a notable change to its content moderation policies after the success of its new image generator in ChatGPT, which went viral for being able to create Studio Ghibli-style images. The company has updated its policies to allow ChatGPT to generate images of public figures, hateful symbols, and racial features when requested. OpenAI had previously declined such prompts due to the potential controversy or harm they may cause. However, the company has now “evolved” its approach, as stated in a blog post published by Joanne Jang, the lead for OpenAI’s model behavior. OpenAI adopts Anthropic’s standard for linking AI models with data OpenAI wants to incorporate Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (MCP) into all of its products, including the ChatGPT desktop app. MCP, an open-source standard, helps AI models generate more accurate and suitable responses to specific queries, and lets developers create bidirectional links between data sources and AI applications like chatbots. The protocol is currently available in the Agents SDK, and support for the ChatGPT desktop app and Responses API will be coming soon, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said. OpenAI’s viral Studio Ghibli-style images could raise AI copyright concerns The latest update of the image generator on OpenAI’s ChatGPT has triggered a flood of AI-generated memes in the style of Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio behind blockbuster films like “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away.” The burgeoning mass of Ghibli-esque images have sparked concerns about whether OpenAI has violated copyright laws, especially since the company is already facing legal action for using source material without authorization. OpenAI expects revenue to triple to $12.7 billion this year OpenAI expects its revenue to triple to $12.7 billion in 2025, fueled by the performance of its paid AI software, Bloomberg reported, citing an anonymous source. While the startup doesn’t expect to reach positive cash flow until 2029, it expects revenue to increase significantly in 2026 to surpass $29.4 billion, the report said. ChatGPT has upgraded its image-generation feature OpenAI on Tuesday rolled out a major upgrade to ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities: ChatGPT can now use the GPT-4o model to generate and edit images and photos directly. The feature went live earlier this week in ChatGPT and Sora, OpenAI’s AI video-generation tool, for subscribers of the company’s Pro plan, priced at $200 a month, and will be available soon to ChatGPT Plus subscribers and developers using the company’s API service. The company’s CEO Sam Altman said on Wednesday, however, that the release of the image generation feature to free users would be delayed due to higher demand than the company expected. OpenAI announces leadership updates Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, will lead the company’s global expansion and manage corporate partnerships as CEO Sam Altman shifts his focus to research and products, according to a blog post from OpenAI. Lightcap, who previously worked with Altman at Y Combinator, joined the Microsoft-backed startup in 2018. OpenAI also said Mark Chen would step into the expanded role of chief research officer, and Julia Villagra will take on the role of chief people officer. OpenAI’s AI voice assistant now has advanced feature OpenAI has updated its AI voice assistant with improved chatting capabilities, according to a video posted on Monday (March 24) to the company’s official media channels. The update enables real-time conversations, and the AI assistant is said to be more personable and interrupts users less often. Users on ChatGPT’s free tier can now access the new version of Advanced Voice Mode, while paying users will receive answers that are “more direct, engaging, concise, specific, and creative,” a spokesperson from OpenAI told TechCrunch. OpenAI and Meta have separately engaged in discussions with Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries regarding potential collaborations to enhance their AI services in the country, per a report by The Information. One key topic being discussed is Reliance Jio distributing OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Reliance has proposed selling OpenAI’s models to businesses in India through an application programming interface (API) so they can incorporate AI into their operations. Meta also plans to bolster its presence in India by constructing a large 3GW data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat. OpenAI, Meta, and Reliance have not yet officially announced these plans. OpenAI faces privacy complaint in Europe for chatbot’s defamatory hallucinations Noyb, a privacy rights advocacy group, is supporting an individual in Norway who was shocked to discover that ChatGPT was providing false information about him, stating that he had been found guilty of killing two of his children and trying to harm the third. “The GDPR is clear. Personal data has to be accurate,” said Joakim Söderberg, data protection lawyer at Noyb, in a statement. “If it’s not, users have the right to have it changed to reflect the truth. Showing ChatGPT users a tiny disclaimer that the chatbot can make mistakes clearly isn’t enough. You can’t just spread false information and in the end add a small disclaimer saying that everything you said may just not be true.” OpenAI upgrades its transcription and voice-generating AI models OpenAI has added new transcription and voice-generating AI models to its APIs: a text-to-speech model, “gpt-4o-mini-tts,” that delivers more nuanced and realistic sounding speech, as well as two speech-to-text models called “gpt-4o-transcribe” and “gpt-4o-mini-transcribe”. The company claims they are improved versions of what was already there and that they hallucinate less. OpenAI has launched o1-pro, a more powerful version of its o1 OpenAI has introduced o1-pro in its developer API. OpenAI says its o1-pro uses more computing than its o1 “reasoning” AI model to deliver “consistently better responses.” It’s only accessible to select developers who have spent at least $5 on OpenAI API services. OpenAI charges $150 for every million tokens (about 750,000 words) input into the model and $600 for every million tokens the model produces. It costs twice as much as OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 for input and 10 times the price of regular o1. Noam Brown, who heads AI reasoning research at OpenAI, thinks that certain types of AI models for “reasoning” could have been developed 20 years ago if researchers had understood the correct approach and algorithms. OpenAI says it has trained an AI that’s “really good” at creative writing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, in a post on X, that the company has trained a “new model” that’s “really good” at creative writing. He posted a lengthy sample from the model given the prompt “Please write a metafictional literary short story about AI and grief.” OpenAI has not extensively explored the use of AI for writing fiction. The company has mostly concentrated on challenges in rigid, predictable areas such as math and programming.might not be that great at creative writing at all. OpenAI rolled out new tools designed to help developers and businesses build AI agents — automated systems that can independently accomplish tasks — using the company’s own AI models and frameworks. The tools are part of OpenAI’s new Responses API, which enables enterprises to develop customized AI agents that can perform web searches, scan through company files, and navigate websites, similar to OpenAI’s Operator product. The Responses API effectively replaces OpenAI’s Assistants API, which the company plans to discontinue in the first half of 2026. OpenAI reportedly plans to charge up to $20,000 a month for specialized AI ‘agents’ OpenAI intends to release several “agent” products tailored for different applications, including sorting and ranking sales leads and software engineering, according to a report from The Information. One, a “high-income knowledge worker” agent, will reportedly be priced at $2,000 a month. Another, a software developer agent, is said to cost $10,000 a month. The most expensive rumored agents, which are said to be aimed at supporting “PhD-level research,” are expected to cost $20,000 per month. The jaw-dropping figure is indicative of how much cash OpenAI needs right now: The company lost roughly $5 billion last year after paying for costs related to running its services and other expenses. It’s unclear when these agentic tools might launch or which customers will be eligible to buy them. ChatGPT can directly edit your code The latest version of the macOS ChatGPT app allows users to edit code directly in supported developer tools, including Xcode, VS Code, and JetBrains. ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team subscribers can use the feature now, and the company plans to roll it out to more users like Enterprise, Edu, and free users. ChatGPT’s weekly active users doubled in less than 6 months, thanks to new releases According to a new report from VC firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), OpenAI’s AI chatbot, ChatGPT, experienced solid growth in the second half of 2024. It took ChatGPT nine months to increase its weekly active users from 100 million in November 2023 to 200 million in August 2024, but it only took less than six months to double that number once more, according to the report. ChatGPT’s weekly active users increased to 300 million by December 2024 and 400 million by February 2025. ChatGPT has experienced significant growth recently due to the launch of new models and features, such as GPT-4o, with multimodal capabilities. ChatGPT usage spiked from April to May 2024, shortly after that model’s launch. February 2025 OpenAI cancels its o3 AI model in favor of a ‘unified’ next-gen release OpenAI has effectively canceled the release of o3 in favor of what CEO Sam Altman is calling a “simplified” product offering. In a post on X, Altman said that, in the coming months, OpenAI will release a model called GPT-5 that “integrates a lot of [OpenAI’s] technology,” including o3, in ChatGPT and its API. As a result of that roadmap decision, OpenAI no longer plans to release o3 as a standalone model. ChatGPT may not be as power-hungry as once assumed A commonly cited stat is that ChatGPT requires around 3 watt-hours of power to answer a single question. Using OpenAI’s latest default model for ChatGPT, GPT-4o, as a reference, nonprofit AI research institute Epoch AI found the average ChatGPT query consumes around 0.3 watt-hours. However, the analysis doesn’t consider the additional energy costs incurred by ChatGPT with features like image generation or input processing. OpenAI now reveals more of its o3-mini model’s thought process In response to pressure from rivals like DeepSeek, OpenAI is changing the way its o3-mini model communicates its step-by-step “thought” process. ChatGPT users will see an updated “chain of thought” that shows more of the model’s “reasoning” steps and how it arrived at answers to questions. You can now use ChatGPT web search without logging in OpenAI is now allowing anyone to use ChatGPT web search without having to log in. While OpenAI had previously allowed users to ask ChatGPT questions without signing in, responses were restricted to the chatbot’s last training update. This only applies through ChatGPT.com, however. To use ChatGPT in any form through the native mobile app, you will still need to be logged in. OpenAI unveils a new ChatGPT agent for ‘deep research’ OpenAI announced a new AI “agent” called deep research that’s designed to help people conduct in-depth, complex research using ChatGPT. OpenAI says the “agent” is intended for instances where you don’t just want a quick answer or summary, but instead need to assiduously consider information from multiple websites and other sources. January 2025 OpenAI used a subreddit to test AI persuasion OpenAI used the subreddit r/ChangeMyView to measure the persuasive abilities of its AI reasoning models. OpenAI says it collects user posts from the subreddit and asks its AI models to write replies, in a closed environment, that would change the Reddit user’s mind on a subject. The company then shows the responses to testers, who assess how persuasive the argument is, and finally OpenAI compares the AI models’ responses to human replies for that same post. OpenAI launches o3-mini, its latest ‘reasoning’ model OpenAI launched a new AI “reasoning” model, o3-mini, the newest in the company’s o family of models. OpenAI first previewed the model in December alongside a more capable system called o3. OpenAI is pitching its new model as both “powerful” and “affordable.” ChatGPT’s mobile users are 85% male, report says A new report from app analytics firm Appfigures found that over half of ChatGPT’s mobile users are under age 25, with users between ages 50 and 64 making up the second largest age demographic. The gender gap among ChatGPT users is even more significant. Appfigures estimates that across age groups, men make up 84.5% of all users. OpenAI launches ChatGPT plan for US government agencies OpenAI launched ChatGPT Gov designed to provide U.S. government agencies an additional way to access the tech. ChatGPT Gov includes many of the capabilities found in OpenAI’s corporate-focused tier, ChatGPT Enterprise. OpenAI says that ChatGPT Gov enables agencies to more easily manage their own security, privacy, and compliance, and could expedite internal authorization of OpenAI’s tools for the handling of non-public sensitive data. More teens report using ChatGPT for schoolwork, despite the tech’s faults Younger Gen Zers are embracing ChatGPT, for schoolwork, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. In a follow-up to its 2023 poll on ChatGPT usage among young people, Pew asked ~1,400 U.S.-based teens ages 13 to 17 whether they’ve used ChatGPT for homework or other school-related assignments. Twenty-six percent said that they had, double the number two years ago. Just over half of teens responding to the poll said they think it’s acceptable to use ChatGPT for researching new subjects. But considering the ways ChatGPT can fall short, the results are possibly cause for alarm. OpenAI says it may store deleted Operator data for up to 90 days OpenAI says that it might store chats and associated screenshots from customers who use Operator, the company’s AI “agent” tool, for up to 90 days — even after a user manually deletes them. While OpenAI has a similar deleted data retention policy for ChatGPT, the retention period for ChatGPT is only 30 days, which is 60 days shorter than Operator’s. OpenAI launches Operator, an AI agent that performs tasks autonomously OpenAI is launching a research preview of Operator, a general-purpose AI agent that can take control of a web browser and independently perform certain actions. Operator promises to automate tasks such as booking travel accommodations, making restaurant reservations, and shopping online. Operator, OpenAI’s agent tool, could be released sooner rather than later. Changes to ChatGPT’s code base suggest that Operator will be available as an early research preview to users on the $200 Pro subscription plan. The changes aren’t yet publicly visible, but a user on X who goes by Choi spotted these updates in ChatGPT’s client-side code. TechCrunch separately identified the same references to Operator on OpenAI’s website. OpenAI tests phone number-only ChatGPT signups OpenAI has begun testing a feature that lets new ChatGPT users sign up with only a phone number — no email required. The feature is currently in beta in the U.S. and India. However, users who create an account using their number can’t upgrade to one of OpenAI’s paid plans without verifying their account via an email. Multi-factor authentication also isn’t supported without a valid email. ChatGPT now lets you schedule reminders and recurring tasks ChatGPT’s new beta feature, called tasks, allows users to set simple reminders. For example, you can ask ChatGPT to remind you when your passport expires in six months, and the AI assistant will follow up with a push notification on whatever platform you have tasks enabled. The feature will start rolling out to ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro users around the globe this week. New ChatGPT feature lets users assign it traits like ‘chatty’ and ‘Gen Z’ OpenAI is introducing a new way for users to customize their interactions with ChatGPT. Some users found they can specify a preferred name or nickname and “traits” they’d like the chatbot to have. OpenAI suggests traits like “Chatty,” “Encouraging,” and “Gen Z.” However, some users reported that the new options have disappeared, so it’s possible they went live prematurely. FAQs: What is ChatGPT? How does it work? ChatGPT is a general-purpose chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to generate text after a user enters a prompt, developed by tech startup OpenAI. The chatbot uses GPT-4, a large language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text. When did ChatGPT get released? November 30, 2022 is when ChatGPT was released for public use. What is the latest version of ChatGPT? Both the free version of ChatGPT and the paid ChatGPT Plus are regularly updated with new GPT models. The most recent model is GPT-4o. Can I use ChatGPT for free? There is a free version of ChatGPT that only requires a sign-in in addition to the paid version, ChatGPT Plus. Who uses ChatGPT? Anyone can use ChatGPT! More and more tech companies and search engines are utilizing the chatbot to automate text or quickly answer user questions/concerns. What companies use ChatGPT? Multiple enterprises utilize ChatGPT, although others may limit the use of the AI-powered tool. Most recently, Microsoft announced at its 2023 Build conference that it is integrating its ChatGPT-based Bing experience into Windows 11. A Brooklyn-based 3D display startup Looking Glass utilizes ChatGPT to produce holograms you can communicate with by using ChatGPT. And nonprofit organization Solana officially integrated the chatbot into its network with a ChatGPT plug-in geared toward end users to help onboard into the web3 space. What does GPT mean in ChatGPT? GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. What is the difference between ChatGPT and a chatbot? A chatbot can be any software/system that holds dialogue with you/a person but doesn’t necessarily have to be AI-powered. For example, there are chatbots that are rules-based in the sense that they’ll give canned responses to questions. ChatGPT is AI-powered and utilizes LLM technology to generate text after a prompt. Can ChatGPT write essays? Yes. Can ChatGPT commit libel? Due to the nature of how these models work, they don’t know or care whether something is true, only that it looks true. That’s a problem when you’re using it to do your homework, sure, but when it accuses you of a crime you didn’t commit, that may well at this point be libel. We will see how handling troubling statements produced by ChatGPT will play out over the next few months as tech and legal experts attempt to tackle the fastest moving target in the industry. Does ChatGPT have an app? Yes, there is a free ChatGPT mobile app for iOS and Android users. What is the ChatGPT character limit? It’s not documented anywhere that ChatGPT has a character limit. However, users have noted that there are some character limitations after around 500 words. Does ChatGPT have an API? Yes, it was released March 1, 2023. What are some sample everyday uses for ChatGPT? Everyday examples include programming, scripts, email replies, listicles, blog ideas, summarization, etc. What are some advanced uses for ChatGPT? Advanced use examples include debugging code, programming languages, scientific concepts, complex problem solving, etc. How good is ChatGPT at writing code? It depends on the nature of the program. While ChatGPT can write workable Python code, it can’t necessarily program an entire app’s worth of code. That’s because ChatGPT lacks context awareness — in other words, the generated code isn’t always appropriate for the specific context in which it’s being used. Can you save a ChatGPT chat? Yes. OpenAI allows users to save chats in the ChatGPT interface, stored in the sidebar of the screen. There are no built-in sharing features yet. Are there alternatives to ChatGPT? Yes. There are multiple AI-powered chatbot competitors such as Together, Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude, and developers are creating open source alternatives. How does ChatGPT handle data privacy? OpenAI has said that individuals in “certain jurisdictions” (such as the EU) can object to the processing of their personal information by its AI models by filling out this form. This includes the ability to make requests for deletion of AI-generated references about you. Although OpenAI notes it may not grant every request since it must balance privacy requests against freedom of expression “in accordance with applicable laws”. The web form for making a deletion of data about you request is entitled “OpenAI Personal Data Removal Request”. In its privacy policy, the ChatGPT maker makes a passing acknowledgement of the objection requirements attached to relying on “legitimate interest” (LI), pointing users towards more information about requesting an opt out — when it writes: “See here for instructions on how you can opt out of our use of your information to train our models.” What controversies have surrounded ChatGPT? Recently, Discord announced that it had integrated OpenAI’s technology into its bot named Clyde where two users tricked Clyde into providing them with instructions for making the illegal drug methamphetamine (meth) and the incendiary mixture napalm. An Australian mayor has publicly announced he may sue OpenAI for defamation due to ChatGPT’s false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery. This would be the first defamation lawsuit against the text-generating service. CNET found itself in the midst of controversy after Futurism reported the publication was publishing articles under a mysterious byline completely generated by AI. The private equity company that owns CNET, Red Ventures, was accused of using ChatGPT for SEO farming, even if the information was incorrect. Several major school systems and colleges, including New York City Public Schools, have banned ChatGPT from their networks and devices. They claim that the AI impedes the learning process by promoting plagiarism and misinformation, a claim that not every educator agrees with. There have also been cases of ChatGPT accusing individuals of false crimes. Where can I find examples of ChatGPT prompts? Several marketplaces host and provide ChatGPT prompts, either for free or for a nominal fee. One is PromptBase. Another is ChatX. More launch every day. Can ChatGPT be detected? Poorly. Several tools claim to detect ChatGPT-generated text, but in our tests, they’re inconsistent at best. Are ChatGPT chats public? No. But OpenAI recently disclosed a bug, since fixed, that exposed the titles of some users’ conversations to other people on the service. What lawsuits are there surrounding ChatGPT? None specifically targeting ChatGPT. But OpenAI is involved in at least one lawsuit that has implications for AI systems trained on publicly available data, which would touch on ChatGPT. Are there issues regarding plagiarism with ChatGPT? Yes. Text-generating AI models like ChatGPT have a tendency to regurgitate content from their training data. Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/13/chatgpt-everything-to-know-about-the-ai-chatbot/ #chatgpt #everything #you #need #know #about #the #aipowered #chatbot

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ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot

ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm since its launch in November 2022. What started as a tool to supercharge productivity through writing essays and code with short text prompts has evolved into a behemoth with 300 million weekly active users. 2024 was a big year for OpenAI, from its partnership with Apple for its generative AI offering, Apple Intelligence, the release of GPT-4o with voice capabilities, and the highly-anticipated launch of its text-to-video model Sora. OpenAI also faced its share of internal drama, including the notable exits of high-level execs like co-founder and longtime chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati. OpenAI has also been hit with lawsuits from Alden Global Capital-owned newspapers alleging copyright infringement, as well as an injunction from Elon Musk to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit. In 2025, OpenAI is battling the perception that it’s ceding ground in the AI race to Chinese rivals like DeepSeek. The company has been trying to shore up its relationship with Washington as it simultaneously pursues an ambitious data center project, and as it reportedly lays the groundwork for one of the largest funding rounds in history. Below, you’ll find a timeline of ChatGPT product updates and releases, starting with the latest, which we’ve been updating throughout the year. If you have any other questions, check out our ChatGPT FAQ here. To see a list of 2024 updates, go here. Timeline of the most recent ChatGPT updates Techcrunch event Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot for our leading AI industry event with speakers from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Cohere. For a limited time, tickets are just $292 for an entire day of expert talks, workshops, and potent networking. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you’ve built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | June 5 REGISTER NOW May 2025 OpenAI has launched a new feature for ChatGPT deep research to analyze code repositories on GitHub. The ChatGPT deep research feature is in beta and lets developers connect with GitHub to ask questions about codebases and engineering documents. The connector will soon be available for ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team users, with support for Enterprise and Education coming shortly, per an OpenAI spokesperson. OpenAI launches a new data residency program in Asia After introducing a data residency program in Europe in February, OpenAI has now launched a similar program in Asian countries including India, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. The new program will be accessible to users of ChatGPT Enterprise, ChatGPT Edu, and API. It will help organizations in Asia meet their local data sovereignty requirements when using OpenAI’s products. OpenAI to introduce a program to grow AI infrastructure OpenAI is unveiling a program called OpenAI for Countries, which aims to develop the necessary local infrastructure to serve international AI clients better. The AI startup will work with governments to assist with increasing data center capacity and customizing OpenAI’s products to meet specific language and local needs. OpenAI for Countries is part of efforts to support the company’s expansion of its AI data center Project Stargate to new locations outside the U.S., per Bloomberg. OpenAI promises to make changes to prevent future ChatGPT sycophancy OpenAI has announced its plan to make changes to its procedures for updating the AI models that power ChatGPT, following an update that caused the platform to become overly sycophantic for many users. April 2025 OpenAI clarifies the reason ChatGPT became overly flattering and agreeable OpenAI has released a post on the recent sycophancy issues with the default AI model powering ChatGPT, GPT-4o, leading the company to revert an update to the model released last week. CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the issue on Sunday and confirmed two days later that the GPT-4o update was being rolled back. OpenAI is working on “additional fixes” to the model’s personality. Over the weekend, users on social media criticized the new model for making ChatGPT too validating and agreeable. It became a popular meme fast. OpenAI is working to fix a “bug” that let minors engage in inappropriate conversations An issue within OpenAI’s ChatGPT enabled the chatbot to create graphic erotic content for accounts registered by users under the age of 18, as demonstrated by TechCrunch’s testing, a fact later confirmed by OpenAI. “Protecting younger users is a top priority, and our Model Spec, which guides model behavior, clearly restricts sensitive content like erotica to narrow contexts such as scientific, historical, or news reporting,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch via email. “In this case, a bug allowed responses outside those guidelines, and we are actively deploying a fix to limit these generations.” OpenAI has added a few features to its ChatGPT search, its web search tool in ChatGPT, to give users an improved online shopping experience. The company says people can ask super-specific questions using natural language and receive customized results. The chatbot provides recommendations, images, and reviews of products in various categories such as fashion, beauty, home goods, and electronics. OpenAI wants its AI model to access cloud models for assistance OpenAI leaders have been talking about allowing the open model to link up with OpenAI’s cloud-hosted models to improve its ability to respond to intricate questions, two sources familiar with the situation told TechCrunch. OpenAI aims to make its new “open” AI model the best on the market OpenAI is preparing to launch an AI system that will be openly accessible, allowing users to download it for free without any API restrictions. Aidan Clark, OpenAI’s VP of research, is spearheading the development of the open model, which is in the very early stages, sources familiar with the situation told TechCrunch. OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 may be less aligned than earlier models OpenAI released a new AI model called GPT-4.1 in mid-April. However, multiple independent tests indicate that the model is less reliable than previous OpenAI releases. The company skipped that step — sending safety cards for GPT-4.1 — claiming in a statement to TechCrunch that “GPT-4.1 is not a frontier model, so there won’t be a separate system card released for it.” OpenAI’s o3 AI model scored lower than expected on a benchmark Questions have been raised regarding OpenAI’s transparency and procedures for testing models after a difference in benchmark outcomes was detected by first- and third-party benchmark results for the o3 AI model. OpenAI introduced o3 in December, stating that the model could solve approximately 25% of questions on FrontierMath, a difficult math problem set. Epoch AI, the research institute behind FrontierMath, discovered that o3 achieved a score of approximately 10%, which was significantly lower than OpenAI’s top-reported score. OpenAI unveils Flex processing for cheaper, slower AI tasks OpenAI has launched a new API feature called Flex processing that allows users to use AI models at a lower cost but with slower response times and occasional resource unavailability. Flex processing is available in beta on the o3 and o4-mini reasoning models for non-production tasks like model evaluations, data enrichment, and asynchronous workloads. OpenAI’s latest AI models now have a safeguard against biorisks OpenAI has rolled out a new system to monitor its AI reasoning models, o3 and o4 mini, for biological and chemical threats. The system is designed to prevent models from giving advice that could potentially lead to harmful attacks, as stated in OpenAI’s safety report. OpenAI launches its latest reasoning models, o3 and o4-mini OpenAI has released two new reasoning models, o3 and o4 mini, just two days after launching GPT-4.1. The company claims o3 is the most advanced reasoning model it has developed, while o4-mini is said to provide a balance of price, speed, and performance. The new models stand out from previous reasoning models because they can use ChatGPT features like web browsing, coding, and image processing and generation. But they hallucinate more than several of OpenAI’s previous models. OpenAI has added a new section to ChatGPT to offer easier access to AI-generated images for all user tiers Open AI introduced a new section called “library” to make it easier for users to create images on mobile and web platforms, per the company’s X post. OpenAI could “adjust” its safeguards if rivals release “high-risk” AI OpenAI said on Tuesday that it might revise its safety standards if “another frontier AI developer releases a high-risk system without comparable safeguards.” The move shows how commercial AI developers face more pressure to rapidly implement models due to the increased competition. OpenAI is currently in the early stages of developing its own social media platform to compete with Elon Musk’s X and Mark Zuckerberg’s Instagram and Threads, according to The Verge. It is unclear whether OpenAI intends to launch the social network as a standalone application or incorporate it into ChatGPT. OpenAI will remove its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from the API, in July OpenAI will discontinue its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from its API even though it was just launched in late February. GPT-4.5 will be available in a research preview for paying customers. Developers can use GPT-4.5 through OpenAI’s API until July 14; then, they will need to switch to GPT-4.1, which was released on April 14. OpenAI unveils GPT-4.1 AI models that focus on coding capabilities OpenAI has launched three members of the GPT-4.1 model — GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano — with a specific focus on coding capabilities. It’s accessible via the OpenAI API but not ChatGPT. In the competition to develop advanced programming models, GPT-4.1 will rival AI models such as Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro, Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet, and DeepSeek’s upgraded V3. OpenAI will discontinue ChatGPT’s GPT-4 at the end of April OpenAI plans to sunset GPT-4, an AI model introduced more than two years ago, and replace it with GPT-4o, the current default model, per changelog. It will take effect on April 30. GPT-4 will remain available via OpenAI’s API. OpenAI could release GPT-4.1 soon OpenAI may launch several new AI models, including GPT-4.1, soon, The Verge reported, citing anonymous sources. GPT-4.1 would be an update of OpenAI’s GPT-4o, which was released last year. On the list of upcoming models are GPT-4.1 and smaller versions like GPT-4.1 mini and nano, per the report. OpenAI has updated ChatGPT to use information from your previous conversations OpenAI started updating ChatGPT to enable the chatbot to remember previous conversations with a user and customize its responses based on that context. This feature is rolling out to ChatGPT Pro and Plus users first, excluding those in the U.K., EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. OpenAI is working on watermarks for images made with ChatGPT It looks like OpenAI is working on a watermarking feature for images generated using GPT-4o. AI researcher Tibor Blaho spotted a new “ImageGen” watermark feature in the new beta of ChatGPT’s Android app. Blaho also found mentions of other tools: “Structured Thoughts,” “Reasoning Recap,” “CoT Search Tool,” and “l1239dk1.” OpenAI offers ChatGPT Plus for free to U.S., Canadian college students OpenAI is offering its $20-per-month ChatGPT Plus subscription tier for free to all college students in the U.S. and Canada through the end of May. The offer will let millions of students use OpenAI’s premium service, which offers access to the company’s GPT-4o model, image generation, voice interaction, and research tools that are not available in the free version. ChatGPT users have generated over 700M images so far More than 130 million users have created over 700 million images since ChatGPT got the upgraded image generator on March 25, according to COO of OpenAI Brad Lightcap. The image generator was made available to all ChatGPT users on March 31, and went viral for being able to create Ghibli-style photos. OpenAI’s o3 model could cost more to run than initial estimate The Arc Prize Foundation, which develops the AI benchmark tool ARC-AGI, has updated the estimated computing costs for OpenAI’s o3 “reasoning” model managed by ARC-AGI. The organization originally estimated that the best-performing configuration of o3 it tested, o3 high, would cost approximately $3,000 to address a single problem. The Foundation now thinks the cost could be much higher, possibly around $30,000 per task. OpenAI CEO says capacity issues will cause product delays In a series of posts on X, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company’s new image-generation tool’s popularity may cause product releases to be delayed. “We are getting things under control, but you should expect new releases from OpenAI to be delayed, stuff to break, and for service to sometimes be slow as we deal with capacity challenges,” he wrote. March 2025 OpenAI plans to release a new ‘open’ AI language model OpeanAI intends to release its “first” open language model since GPT-2 “in the coming months.” The company plans to host developer events to gather feedback and eventually showcase prototypes of the model. The first developer event is to be held in San Francisco, with sessions to follow in Europe and Asia. OpenAI removes ChatGPT’s restrictions on image generation OpenAI made a notable change to its content moderation policies after the success of its new image generator in ChatGPT, which went viral for being able to create Studio Ghibli-style images. The company has updated its policies to allow ChatGPT to generate images of public figures, hateful symbols, and racial features when requested. OpenAI had previously declined such prompts due to the potential controversy or harm they may cause. However, the company has now “evolved” its approach, as stated in a blog post published by Joanne Jang, the lead for OpenAI’s model behavior. OpenAI adopts Anthropic’s standard for linking AI models with data OpenAI wants to incorporate Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (MCP) into all of its products, including the ChatGPT desktop app. MCP, an open-source standard, helps AI models generate more accurate and suitable responses to specific queries, and lets developers create bidirectional links between data sources and AI applications like chatbots. The protocol is currently available in the Agents SDK, and support for the ChatGPT desktop app and Responses API will be coming soon, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said. OpenAI’s viral Studio Ghibli-style images could raise AI copyright concerns The latest update of the image generator on OpenAI’s ChatGPT has triggered a flood of AI-generated memes in the style of Studio Ghibli, the Japanese animation studio behind blockbuster films like “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away.” The burgeoning mass of Ghibli-esque images have sparked concerns about whether OpenAI has violated copyright laws, especially since the company is already facing legal action for using source material without authorization. OpenAI expects revenue to triple to $12.7 billion this year OpenAI expects its revenue to triple to $12.7 billion in 2025, fueled by the performance of its paid AI software, Bloomberg reported, citing an anonymous source. While the startup doesn’t expect to reach positive cash flow until 2029, it expects revenue to increase significantly in 2026 to surpass $29.4 billion, the report said. ChatGPT has upgraded its image-generation feature OpenAI on Tuesday rolled out a major upgrade to ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities: ChatGPT can now use the GPT-4o model to generate and edit images and photos directly. The feature went live earlier this week in ChatGPT and Sora, OpenAI’s AI video-generation tool, for subscribers of the company’s Pro plan, priced at $200 a month, and will be available soon to ChatGPT Plus subscribers and developers using the company’s API service. The company’s CEO Sam Altman said on Wednesday, however, that the release of the image generation feature to free users would be delayed due to higher demand than the company expected. OpenAI announces leadership updates Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, will lead the company’s global expansion and manage corporate partnerships as CEO Sam Altman shifts his focus to research and products, according to a blog post from OpenAI. Lightcap, who previously worked with Altman at Y Combinator, joined the Microsoft-backed startup in 2018. OpenAI also said Mark Chen would step into the expanded role of chief research officer, and Julia Villagra will take on the role of chief people officer. OpenAI’s AI voice assistant now has advanced feature OpenAI has updated its AI voice assistant with improved chatting capabilities, according to a video posted on Monday (March 24) to the company’s official media channels. The update enables real-time conversations, and the AI assistant is said to be more personable and interrupts users less often. Users on ChatGPT’s free tier can now access the new version of Advanced Voice Mode, while paying users will receive answers that are “more direct, engaging, concise, specific, and creative,” a spokesperson from OpenAI told TechCrunch. OpenAI and Meta have separately engaged in discussions with Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries regarding potential collaborations to enhance their AI services in the country, per a report by The Information. One key topic being discussed is Reliance Jio distributing OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Reliance has proposed selling OpenAI’s models to businesses in India through an application programming interface (API) so they can incorporate AI into their operations. Meta also plans to bolster its presence in India by constructing a large 3GW data center in Jamnagar, Gujarat. OpenAI, Meta, and Reliance have not yet officially announced these plans. OpenAI faces privacy complaint in Europe for chatbot’s defamatory hallucinations Noyb, a privacy rights advocacy group, is supporting an individual in Norway who was shocked to discover that ChatGPT was providing false information about him, stating that he had been found guilty of killing two of his children and trying to harm the third. “The GDPR is clear. Personal data has to be accurate,” said Joakim Söderberg, data protection lawyer at Noyb, in a statement. “If it’s not, users have the right to have it changed to reflect the truth. Showing ChatGPT users a tiny disclaimer that the chatbot can make mistakes clearly isn’t enough. You can’t just spread false information and in the end add a small disclaimer saying that everything you said may just not be true.” OpenAI upgrades its transcription and voice-generating AI models OpenAI has added new transcription and voice-generating AI models to its APIs: a text-to-speech model, “gpt-4o-mini-tts,” that delivers more nuanced and realistic sounding speech, as well as two speech-to-text models called “gpt-4o-transcribe” and “gpt-4o-mini-transcribe”. The company claims they are improved versions of what was already there and that they hallucinate less. OpenAI has launched o1-pro, a more powerful version of its o1 OpenAI has introduced o1-pro in its developer API. OpenAI says its o1-pro uses more computing than its o1 “reasoning” AI model to deliver “consistently better responses.” It’s only accessible to select developers who have spent at least $5 on OpenAI API services. OpenAI charges $150 for every million tokens (about 750,000 words) input into the model and $600 for every million tokens the model produces. It costs twice as much as OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 for input and 10 times the price of regular o1. Noam Brown, who heads AI reasoning research at OpenAI, thinks that certain types of AI models for “reasoning” could have been developed 20 years ago if researchers had understood the correct approach and algorithms. OpenAI says it has trained an AI that’s “really good” at creative writing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, in a post on X, that the company has trained a “new model” that’s “really good” at creative writing. He posted a lengthy sample from the model given the prompt “Please write a metafictional literary short story about AI and grief.” OpenAI has not extensively explored the use of AI for writing fiction. The company has mostly concentrated on challenges in rigid, predictable areas such as math and programming.might not be that great at creative writing at all. OpenAI rolled out new tools designed to help developers and businesses build AI agents — automated systems that can independently accomplish tasks — using the company’s own AI models and frameworks. The tools are part of OpenAI’s new Responses API, which enables enterprises to develop customized AI agents that can perform web searches, scan through company files, and navigate websites, similar to OpenAI’s Operator product. The Responses API effectively replaces OpenAI’s Assistants API, which the company plans to discontinue in the first half of 2026. OpenAI reportedly plans to charge up to $20,000 a month for specialized AI ‘agents’ OpenAI intends to release several “agent” products tailored for different applications, including sorting and ranking sales leads and software engineering, according to a report from The Information. One, a “high-income knowledge worker” agent, will reportedly be priced at $2,000 a month. Another, a software developer agent, is said to cost $10,000 a month. The most expensive rumored agents, which are said to be aimed at supporting “PhD-level research,” are expected to cost $20,000 per month. The jaw-dropping figure is indicative of how much cash OpenAI needs right now: The company lost roughly $5 billion last year after paying for costs related to running its services and other expenses. It’s unclear when these agentic tools might launch or which customers will be eligible to buy them. ChatGPT can directly edit your code The latest version of the macOS ChatGPT app allows users to edit code directly in supported developer tools, including Xcode, VS Code, and JetBrains. ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team subscribers can use the feature now, and the company plans to roll it out to more users like Enterprise, Edu, and free users. ChatGPT’s weekly active users doubled in less than 6 months, thanks to new releases According to a new report from VC firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), OpenAI’s AI chatbot, ChatGPT, experienced solid growth in the second half of 2024. It took ChatGPT nine months to increase its weekly active users from 100 million in November 2023 to 200 million in August 2024, but it only took less than six months to double that number once more, according to the report. ChatGPT’s weekly active users increased to 300 million by December 2024 and 400 million by February 2025. ChatGPT has experienced significant growth recently due to the launch of new models and features, such as GPT-4o, with multimodal capabilities. ChatGPT usage spiked from April to May 2024, shortly after that model’s launch. February 2025 OpenAI cancels its o3 AI model in favor of a ‘unified’ next-gen release OpenAI has effectively canceled the release of o3 in favor of what CEO Sam Altman is calling a “simplified” product offering. In a post on X, Altman said that, in the coming months, OpenAI will release a model called GPT-5 that “integrates a lot of [OpenAI’s] technology,” including o3, in ChatGPT and its API. As a result of that roadmap decision, OpenAI no longer plans to release o3 as a standalone model. ChatGPT may not be as power-hungry as once assumed A commonly cited stat is that ChatGPT requires around 3 watt-hours of power to answer a single question. Using OpenAI’s latest default model for ChatGPT, GPT-4o, as a reference, nonprofit AI research institute Epoch AI found the average ChatGPT query consumes around 0.3 watt-hours. However, the analysis doesn’t consider the additional energy costs incurred by ChatGPT with features like image generation or input processing. OpenAI now reveals more of its o3-mini model’s thought process In response to pressure from rivals like DeepSeek, OpenAI is changing the way its o3-mini model communicates its step-by-step “thought” process. ChatGPT users will see an updated “chain of thought” that shows more of the model’s “reasoning” steps and how it arrived at answers to questions. You can now use ChatGPT web search without logging in OpenAI is now allowing anyone to use ChatGPT web search without having to log in. While OpenAI had previously allowed users to ask ChatGPT questions without signing in, responses were restricted to the chatbot’s last training update. This only applies through ChatGPT.com, however. To use ChatGPT in any form through the native mobile app, you will still need to be logged in. OpenAI unveils a new ChatGPT agent for ‘deep research’ OpenAI announced a new AI “agent” called deep research that’s designed to help people conduct in-depth, complex research using ChatGPT. OpenAI says the “agent” is intended for instances where you don’t just want a quick answer or summary, but instead need to assiduously consider information from multiple websites and other sources. January 2025 OpenAI used a subreddit to test AI persuasion OpenAI used the subreddit r/ChangeMyView to measure the persuasive abilities of its AI reasoning models. OpenAI says it collects user posts from the subreddit and asks its AI models to write replies, in a closed environment, that would change the Reddit user’s mind on a subject. The company then shows the responses to testers, who assess how persuasive the argument is, and finally OpenAI compares the AI models’ responses to human replies for that same post. OpenAI launches o3-mini, its latest ‘reasoning’ model OpenAI launched a new AI “reasoning” model, o3-mini, the newest in the company’s o family of models. OpenAI first previewed the model in December alongside a more capable system called o3. OpenAI is pitching its new model as both “powerful” and “affordable.” ChatGPT’s mobile users are 85% male, report says A new report from app analytics firm Appfigures found that over half of ChatGPT’s mobile users are under age 25, with users between ages 50 and 64 making up the second largest age demographic. The gender gap among ChatGPT users is even more significant. Appfigures estimates that across age groups, men make up 84.5% of all users. OpenAI launches ChatGPT plan for US government agencies OpenAI launched ChatGPT Gov designed to provide U.S. government agencies an additional way to access the tech. ChatGPT Gov includes many of the capabilities found in OpenAI’s corporate-focused tier, ChatGPT Enterprise. OpenAI says that ChatGPT Gov enables agencies to more easily manage their own security, privacy, and compliance, and could expedite internal authorization of OpenAI’s tools for the handling of non-public sensitive data. More teens report using ChatGPT for schoolwork, despite the tech’s faults Younger Gen Zers are embracing ChatGPT, for schoolwork, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. In a follow-up to its 2023 poll on ChatGPT usage among young people, Pew asked ~1,400 U.S.-based teens ages 13 to 17 whether they’ve used ChatGPT for homework or other school-related assignments. Twenty-six percent said that they had, double the number two years ago. Just over half of teens responding to the poll said they think it’s acceptable to use ChatGPT for researching new subjects. But considering the ways ChatGPT can fall short, the results are possibly cause for alarm. OpenAI says it may store deleted Operator data for up to 90 days OpenAI says that it might store chats and associated screenshots from customers who use Operator, the company’s AI “agent” tool, for up to 90 days — even after a user manually deletes them. While OpenAI has a similar deleted data retention policy for ChatGPT, the retention period for ChatGPT is only 30 days, which is 60 days shorter than Operator’s. OpenAI launches Operator, an AI agent that performs tasks autonomously OpenAI is launching a research preview of Operator, a general-purpose AI agent that can take control of a web browser and independently perform certain actions. Operator promises to automate tasks such as booking travel accommodations, making restaurant reservations, and shopping online. Operator, OpenAI’s agent tool, could be released sooner rather than later. Changes to ChatGPT’s code base suggest that Operator will be available as an early research preview to users on the $200 Pro subscription plan. The changes aren’t yet publicly visible, but a user on X who goes by Choi spotted these updates in ChatGPT’s client-side code. TechCrunch separately identified the same references to Operator on OpenAI’s website. OpenAI tests phone number-only ChatGPT signups OpenAI has begun testing a feature that lets new ChatGPT users sign up with only a phone number — no email required. The feature is currently in beta in the U.S. and India. However, users who create an account using their number can’t upgrade to one of OpenAI’s paid plans without verifying their account via an email. Multi-factor authentication also isn’t supported without a valid email. ChatGPT now lets you schedule reminders and recurring tasks ChatGPT’s new beta feature, called tasks, allows users to set simple reminders. For example, you can ask ChatGPT to remind you when your passport expires in six months, and the AI assistant will follow up with a push notification on whatever platform you have tasks enabled. The feature will start rolling out to ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro users around the globe this week. New ChatGPT feature lets users assign it traits like ‘chatty’ and ‘Gen Z’ OpenAI is introducing a new way for users to customize their interactions with ChatGPT. Some users found they can specify a preferred name or nickname and “traits” they’d like the chatbot to have. OpenAI suggests traits like “Chatty,” “Encouraging,” and “Gen Z.” However, some users reported that the new options have disappeared, so it’s possible they went live prematurely. FAQs: What is ChatGPT? How does it work? ChatGPT is a general-purpose chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to generate text after a user enters a prompt, developed by tech startup OpenAI. The chatbot uses GPT-4, a large language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text. When did ChatGPT get released? November 30, 2022 is when ChatGPT was released for public use. What is the latest version of ChatGPT? Both the free version of ChatGPT and the paid ChatGPT Plus are regularly updated with new GPT models. The most recent model is GPT-4o. Can I use ChatGPT for free? There is a free version of ChatGPT that only requires a sign-in in addition to the paid version, ChatGPT Plus. Who uses ChatGPT? Anyone can use ChatGPT! More and more tech companies and search engines are utilizing the chatbot to automate text or quickly answer user questions/concerns. What companies use ChatGPT? Multiple enterprises utilize ChatGPT, although others may limit the use of the AI-powered tool. Most recently, Microsoft announced at its 2023 Build conference that it is integrating its ChatGPT-based Bing experience into Windows 11. A Brooklyn-based 3D display startup Looking Glass utilizes ChatGPT to produce holograms you can communicate with by using ChatGPT. And nonprofit organization Solana officially integrated the chatbot into its network with a ChatGPT plug-in geared toward end users to help onboard into the web3 space. What does GPT mean in ChatGPT? GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer. What is the difference between ChatGPT and a chatbot? A chatbot can be any software/system that holds dialogue with you/a person but doesn’t necessarily have to be AI-powered. For example, there are chatbots that are rules-based in the sense that they’ll give canned responses to questions. ChatGPT is AI-powered and utilizes LLM technology to generate text after a prompt. Can ChatGPT write essays? Yes. Can ChatGPT commit libel? Due to the nature of how these models work, they don’t know or care whether something is true, only that it looks true. That’s a problem when you’re using it to do your homework, sure, but when it accuses you of a crime you didn’t commit, that may well at this point be libel. We will see how handling troubling statements produced by ChatGPT will play out over the next few months as tech and legal experts attempt to tackle the fastest moving target in the industry. Does ChatGPT have an app? Yes, there is a free ChatGPT mobile app for iOS and Android users. What is the ChatGPT character limit? It’s not documented anywhere that ChatGPT has a character limit. However, users have noted that there are some character limitations after around 500 words. Does ChatGPT have an API? Yes, it was released March 1, 2023. What are some sample everyday uses for ChatGPT? Everyday examples include programming, scripts, email replies, listicles, blog ideas, summarization, etc. What are some advanced uses for ChatGPT? Advanced use examples include debugging code, programming languages, scientific concepts, complex problem solving, etc. How good is ChatGPT at writing code? It depends on the nature of the program. While ChatGPT can write workable Python code, it can’t necessarily program an entire app’s worth of code. That’s because ChatGPT lacks context awareness — in other words, the generated code isn’t always appropriate for the specific context in which it’s being used. Can you save a ChatGPT chat? Yes. OpenAI allows users to save chats in the ChatGPT interface, stored in the sidebar of the screen. There are no built-in sharing features yet. Are there alternatives to ChatGPT? Yes. There are multiple AI-powered chatbot competitors such as Together, Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude, and developers are creating open source alternatives. How does ChatGPT handle data privacy? OpenAI has said that individuals in “certain jurisdictions” (such as the EU) can object to the processing of their personal information by its AI models by filling out this form. This includes the ability to make requests for deletion of AI-generated references about you. Although OpenAI notes it may not grant every request since it must balance privacy requests against freedom of expression “in accordance with applicable laws”. The web form for making a deletion of data about you request is entitled “OpenAI Personal Data Removal Request”. In its privacy policy, the ChatGPT maker makes a passing acknowledgement of the objection requirements attached to relying on “legitimate interest” (LI), pointing users towards more information about requesting an opt out — when it writes: “See here for instructions on how you can opt out of our use of your information to train our models.” What controversies have surrounded ChatGPT? Recently, Discord announced that it had integrated OpenAI’s technology into its bot named Clyde where two users tricked Clyde into providing them with instructions for making the illegal drug methamphetamine (meth) and the incendiary mixture napalm. An Australian mayor has publicly announced he may sue OpenAI for defamation due to ChatGPT’s false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery. This would be the first defamation lawsuit against the text-generating service. CNET found itself in the midst of controversy after Futurism reported the publication was publishing articles under a mysterious byline completely generated by AI. The private equity company that owns CNET, Red Ventures, was accused of using ChatGPT for SEO farming, even if the information was incorrect. Several major school systems and colleges, including New York City Public Schools, have banned ChatGPT from their networks and devices. They claim that the AI impedes the learning process by promoting plagiarism and misinformation, a claim that not every educator agrees with. There have also been cases of ChatGPT accusing individuals of false crimes. Where can I find examples of ChatGPT prompts? Several marketplaces host and provide ChatGPT prompts, either for free or for a nominal fee. One is PromptBase. Another is ChatX. More launch every day. Can ChatGPT be detected? Poorly. Several tools claim to detect ChatGPT-generated text, but in our tests, they’re inconsistent at best. Are ChatGPT chats public? No. But OpenAI recently disclosed a bug, since fixed, that exposed the titles of some users’ conversations to other people on the service. What lawsuits are there surrounding ChatGPT? None specifically targeting ChatGPT. But OpenAI is involved in at least one lawsuit that has implications for AI systems trained on publicly available data, which would touch on ChatGPT. Are there issues regarding plagiarism with ChatGPT? Yes. Text-generating AI models like ChatGPT have a tendency to regurgitate content from their training data.

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2025-05-13 16:23:48 ·

NYCxDESIGN 2025: A Curated Schedule of What To See and When To Go
The Extended Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, February 21st.
Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.
NYCxDESIGN returns this year, running from May 15 to 23.
As ever, the schedule is broad and ambitious.
More than 280 events, exhibitions, product launches, gallery shows, open studios, guided tours and more will unfold across the city over the course of the week.
Usually, NYCxDESIGN is an event revered for spectacle and scale; however, this year, the exhibitors have taken a considered approach.
Among the ambitious schedule, brands, designers, artists and studios are opening their spaces and sharing work in a way that is far less ostentatious display and more inhabitation of design.
Some exhibits invite visitors into studios, kitchens, or furnished interiors.
Others walk guests through the production and process of their pieces.
In many cases, the materials and mechanisms are on show to be used and experienced.
The idea has become not to simply view design, but to step inside it.
Ilene Shaw, Executive Director of NYCxDESIGN said of the 2025 production, “This year’s NYCxDESIGN Festival feels especially energetic — full of new ways to connect, learn, and meet first-time participants.
We’ll experience parks, revitalization and new infrastructure projects, and connect with the great minds that actually shaped them.
You can walk through MADE’s Building A with nARCHITECTS and see adaptive reuse in action.
Go behind the scenes at the transformed Davis Center at Harlem Meer in Central Park.
Tour the stunning public art program at the new Grand Central Madison Terminal — 17 stories below ground.
One of the most meaningful experiences we have organized is a high school student tour to the end-of-year design school exhibitions at a number of NYC design schools.  Throughout the city, the festival opens doors — quite literally— inviting you into studios, exhibitions, tours and installations that celebrate the full spectrum of New York’s creative energy.
It’s design up close, in context, and in conversation.”
The shift feels timely.
While design culture and discourse are dominated by hyper-realistic rendered imagery and immaculately staged press photography, the type of intimate encounter offered at NYCxDESIGN is something tangible and explicitly needed.
It prioritizes access over image and tactility over narrative.
For architects and designers, it provides the chance to experience work as it is intended to be used, alongside the opportunity to speak directly with the minds behind the work.
Architizer is proud to celebrate the creative forces shaping this year’s festival, and the following selection highlights just a few of the many events we think are worth taking the time to visit.
Each invites a kind of closeness and intimacy, not as a concept, nor as a curated atmosphere, but as a way to showcase something real and meaningful.
Tour of Building A at the MADE Bush Terminal Campus
MADE Bush Terminal, 13 42nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Saturday, May 17, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Free with registration via Eventbrite
Hosted by nArchitects and the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), this exclusive tour explores the newly completed Building A and sections of the public campus at the adaptive-reuse MADE Bush Terminal waterfront site in Sunset Park.
The tour highlights modern manufacturing, artisan workshops and entrepreneurial spaces within one of New York City’s most ambitious industrial transformations.
Espasso presents: Take A Seat by Carlos Motta
Espasso New York, 38 N Moore Street
Opening: Thursday, May 15, 2025, 6:00 – 9:00 PM (cocktail and book launch)
Exhibition: May 15 – June 9, Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Espasso hosts a major retrospective on Brazilian designer and master woodworker Carlos Motta, tracing four decades of his work in furniture and architecture.
The show centres on Motta’s celebrated seating designs — including the Rio Manso, CJ and Asturias collections — and launches a new edition of the Asturias chair, now with armrests.
Grand Central Madison – A New Landmark and Cultural Corridor
Grand Central Madison LIRR Terminal,Madison Avenue from 42nd to 48th Streets,New York,
Tour date and time: May 18, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Spanning five city blocks beneath Midtown, Grand Central Madison is the largest transit terminal built in the U.S.
in decades.
Beyond its scale, it serves as a cultural corridor featuring permanent works by Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith, large-scale digital commissions, and public poetry displays.
This guided tour with MTA Arts & Design offers insight into how art and architecture converge in one of the city’s most complex public spaces.
Design Pavilion by Lexus at Hudson Yards
Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens, 11th Avenue and Hudson Blvd East
May 10–19, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily
Returning to NYCxDesign for the first time in years, Design Pavilion presents “Lexus Ambiance,” an interactive installation by artist Nick Thomm.
Set beside the Vessel, the piece invites visitors to shape a personalized light environment through movement and presence, offering a glimpse into future modes of responsive, experience-led design.
Davis Center at the Harlem Meer Tour
Central Park, enter at 110th Street and Lenox Avenue
Tour date and time: May 16, 3:00 – 4:30 PM
Designed by the Central Park Conservancy with Susan T.
Rodriguez Architecture · Design and Mitchell Giurgola, the Davis Center redefines the northern edge of Central Park as both civic landmark and ecological restoration.
This guided tour offers an early look at the new year-round facility, green roof, and reconnected watercourse, exploring how architecture and landscape come together to support access, biodiversity and public use.
Design Legacy: The Poul Kjærholm Collection
Fritz Hansen New York Showroom, 22 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10013
May 15–21, 2025, Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Free, open to the public
Fritz Hansen presents a focused survey of Poul Kjærholm’s work, marking the first exhibition in the Americas dedicated to the Danish modernist’s legacy.
Known for refining cabinetmaking traditions through steel and precision joinery, Kjærholm’s designs are positioned here not just as furniture, but as studies in proportion, restraint, and material structure.
HUNDŌ by Emily Thurman Studio
86 Walker Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10013
Opening Reception: May 14, 2025, 7:00 – 10:00 PM
On view May 15–21, by appointment, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Salt Lake City–based Emily Thurman presents HUNDŌ, her debut furniture and lighting collection, in a multi-sensory installation at 86 Walker Street.
The show features works made in collaboration with StudioDanielK, Alexis Mazin, and Camille Tan, using cast bronze, glass, stone, and salvaged wood, all framed within an environment of scenography and sound.
TM Italia NYC Showroom First Look
20 West 20th Street, Floor 5, Suite 502, New York, NY 10011
Opening: Friday, May 16, 2025, 5:30 – 8:30 PM (by invitation only)
Open Hours: May 17–18, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
TM Italia’s first New York showroom invites guests into a fully realized domestic interior, where each zone is designed around a different style of kitchen use.
From a compact working setup to a larger family configuration, the layout reflects the brand’s approach to bespoke cabinetry as both spatial system and crafted object.
Materials, finishes and functional elements are on full display, offering an unusually tactile insight into how the Italian atelier works at 1:1 scale.
Known Work
Multiple locations including Love House, ZAROLAT, Host on Howard, Luisaviaroma, and Simple Flair Apartment
May 9–30, 2025 (dates vary by venue)
Design studio Known Work presents new and site-specific pieces across five exhibitions citywide, from Dimes Square to Dumbo.
With new editions from its Perceptions Collection, designed by Parts and Labour founders Danu Kennedy and Jeremy Levitt.
At Love House, the studio debuts The Mother, a dramatic metal mesh pendant that reframes the domestic light fixture as an heirloom.
Other showings include sculptural seating at Host on Howard, a capsule at Luisaviaroma, and immersive staging at Simple Flair Apartment.
Each show places collectable furniture and lighting in context-rich, spatially intimate settings.
Oui Design! Festival 2025
Various locations across New York City
Pop-up at Payne Whitney Mansion
May 15, 11 AM – 5 PM (Registration via villa-albertine.org)
Similarly, Villa Albertine’s annual festival of French craftsmanship returns with open studios, exhibitions, and talks across the city.
The programme begins with a daylong pop-up at the Payne Whitney Mansion, featuring live craft demonstrations and immersive scenography by Aurore Vullierme.
Visitors can engage directly with master artisans working in ceramics, featherwork, jewellery and painted marble.
This year’s edition expands spatial access across dozens of venues, from heritage galleries to contemporary showrooms.
Birth of the Polar at Royère Gallery
315 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013
On view: May 7–30, 2025
Open House: Friday, May 16, 2:00 – 5:00 PM (as part of Oui Design!)
Jean Royère’s Ours Polaire sofa is so familiar that it’s easy to forget how strange it once must have been when it first launched— all curves and no corners.
This exhibition puts the piece back in context, not as an icon but as an object.
The original frame, shaped like a boat hull and built in solid beech, is still assembled by hand in Lyon using the same layered construction Royère specified in the 1940s.
Visitors are invited into the process to witness the immense craftsmanship of the famous piece.
Cornell Tech and FDR Four Freedoms State Park
Bloomberg Center Lobby, Cornell Tech, 2 West Loop Road, Roosevelt Island
Tour date and time: May 20, 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Cornell Tech, photograph by Max Touhey.
This two-part walking tour explores the architectural and civic ambitions of Roosevelt Island, beginning with Cornell Tech’s high-performance campus and concluding at Louis Kahn’s Four Freedoms Park.
Highlights include the Bloomberg Center, the Tata Innovation Hub and The House — one of the world’s largest Passive House residential buildings — followed by a guided discussion of Kahn’s axial granite memorial and its role as a site of political reflection and urban poise.
School of Constructed Environments: End of Year Exhibition 2025
Parsons, The New School, Starr Foundation Hall, 63 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Opening: Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
On view through May 19, 2025
Parsons’ School of Constructed Environments presents its annual graduate showcase across architecture, interior, lighting and product design.
The exhibition offers a direct look at how the next generation is responding to contemporary spatial challenges through new formats, tools and ways of thinking — all displayed in one collective environment.
The Extended Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, February 21st.
Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.
The post NYCxDESIGN 2025: A Curated Schedule of What To See and When To Go appeared first on Journal.
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#nycxdesign #curated #schedule #what #see #and #when

NYCxDESIGN 2025: A Curated Schedule of What To See and When To Go
The Extended Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, February 21st. Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today. NYCxDESIGN returns this year, running from May 15 to 23. As ever, the schedule is broad and ambitious. More than 280 events, exhibitions, product launches, gallery shows, open studios, guided tours and more will unfold across the city over the course of the week. Usually, NYCxDESIGN is an event revered for spectacle and scale; however, this year, the exhibitors have taken a considered approach. Among the ambitious schedule, brands, designers, artists and studios are opening their spaces and sharing work in a way that is far less ostentatious display and more inhabitation of design. Some exhibits invite visitors into studios, kitchens, or furnished interiors. Others walk guests through the production and process of their pieces. In many cases, the materials and mechanisms are on show to be used and experienced. The idea has become not to simply view design, but to step inside it. Ilene Shaw, Executive Director of NYCxDESIGN said of the 2025 production, “This year’s NYCxDESIGN Festival feels especially energetic — full of new ways to connect, learn, and meet first-time participants. We’ll experience parks, revitalization and new infrastructure projects, and connect with the great minds that actually shaped them. You can walk through MADE’s Building A with nARCHITECTS and see adaptive reuse in action. Go behind the scenes at the transformed Davis Center at Harlem Meer in Central Park. Tour the stunning public art program at the new Grand Central Madison Terminal — 17 stories below ground. One of the most meaningful experiences we have organized is a high school student tour to the end-of-year design school exhibitions at a number of NYC design schools.  Throughout the city, the festival opens doors — quite literally— inviting you into studios, exhibitions, tours and installations that celebrate the full spectrum of New York’s creative energy. It’s design up close, in context, and in conversation.” The shift feels timely. While design culture and discourse are dominated by hyper-realistic rendered imagery and immaculately staged press photography, the type of intimate encounter offered at NYCxDESIGN is something tangible and explicitly needed. It prioritizes access over image and tactility over narrative. For architects and designers, it provides the chance to experience work as it is intended to be used, alongside the opportunity to speak directly with the minds behind the work. Architizer is proud to celebrate the creative forces shaping this year’s festival, and the following selection highlights just a few of the many events we think are worth taking the time to visit. Each invites a kind of closeness and intimacy, not as a concept, nor as a curated atmosphere, but as a way to showcase something real and meaningful. Tour of Building A at the MADE Bush Terminal Campus MADE Bush Terminal, 13 42nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232 Saturday, May 17, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Free with registration via Eventbrite Hosted by nArchitects and the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), this exclusive tour explores the newly completed Building A and sections of the public campus at the adaptive-reuse MADE Bush Terminal waterfront site in Sunset Park. The tour highlights modern manufacturing, artisan workshops and entrepreneurial spaces within one of New York City’s most ambitious industrial transformations. Espasso presents: Take A Seat by Carlos Motta Espasso New York, 38 N Moore Street Opening: Thursday, May 15, 2025, 6:00 – 9:00 PM (cocktail and book launch) Exhibition: May 15 – June 9, Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Espasso hosts a major retrospective on Brazilian designer and master woodworker Carlos Motta, tracing four decades of his work in furniture and architecture. The show centres on Motta’s celebrated seating designs — including the Rio Manso, CJ and Asturias collections — and launches a new edition of the Asturias chair, now with armrests. Grand Central Madison – A New Landmark and Cultural Corridor Grand Central Madison LIRR Terminal,Madison Avenue from 42nd to 48th Streets,New York, Tour date and time: May 18, 1:00 – 3:00 PM Spanning five city blocks beneath Midtown, Grand Central Madison is the largest transit terminal built in the U.S. in decades. Beyond its scale, it serves as a cultural corridor featuring permanent works by Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith, large-scale digital commissions, and public poetry displays. This guided tour with MTA Arts & Design offers insight into how art and architecture converge in one of the city’s most complex public spaces. Design Pavilion by Lexus at Hudson Yards Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens, 11th Avenue and Hudson Blvd East May 10–19, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily Returning to NYCxDesign for the first time in years, Design Pavilion presents “Lexus Ambiance,” an interactive installation by artist Nick Thomm. Set beside the Vessel, the piece invites visitors to shape a personalized light environment through movement and presence, offering a glimpse into future modes of responsive, experience-led design. Davis Center at the Harlem Meer Tour Central Park, enter at 110th Street and Lenox Avenue Tour date and time: May 16, 3:00 – 4:30 PM Designed by the Central Park Conservancy with Susan T. Rodriguez Architecture · Design and Mitchell Giurgola, the Davis Center redefines the northern edge of Central Park as both civic landmark and ecological restoration. This guided tour offers an early look at the new year-round facility, green roof, and reconnected watercourse, exploring how architecture and landscape come together to support access, biodiversity and public use. Design Legacy: The Poul Kjærholm Collection Fritz Hansen New York Showroom, 22 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10013 May 15–21, 2025, Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Free, open to the public Fritz Hansen presents a focused survey of Poul Kjærholm’s work, marking the first exhibition in the Americas dedicated to the Danish modernist’s legacy. Known for refining cabinetmaking traditions through steel and precision joinery, Kjærholm’s designs are positioned here not just as furniture, but as studies in proportion, restraint, and material structure. HUNDŌ by Emily Thurman Studio 86 Walker Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10013 Opening Reception: May 14, 2025, 7:00 – 10:00 PM On view May 15–21, by appointment, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Salt Lake City–based Emily Thurman presents HUNDŌ, her debut furniture and lighting collection, in a multi-sensory installation at 86 Walker Street. The show features works made in collaboration with StudioDanielK, Alexis Mazin, and Camille Tan, using cast bronze, glass, stone, and salvaged wood, all framed within an environment of scenography and sound. TM Italia NYC Showroom First Look 20 West 20th Street, Floor 5, Suite 502, New York, NY 10011 Opening: Friday, May 16, 2025, 5:30 – 8:30 PM (by invitation only) Open Hours: May 17–18, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM TM Italia’s first New York showroom invites guests into a fully realized domestic interior, where each zone is designed around a different style of kitchen use. From a compact working setup to a larger family configuration, the layout reflects the brand’s approach to bespoke cabinetry as both spatial system and crafted object. Materials, finishes and functional elements are on full display, offering an unusually tactile insight into how the Italian atelier works at 1:1 scale. Known Work Multiple locations including Love House, ZAROLAT, Host on Howard, Luisaviaroma, and Simple Flair Apartment May 9–30, 2025 (dates vary by venue) Design studio Known Work presents new and site-specific pieces across five exhibitions citywide, from Dimes Square to Dumbo. With new editions from its Perceptions Collection, designed by Parts and Labour founders Danu Kennedy and Jeremy Levitt. At Love House, the studio debuts The Mother, a dramatic metal mesh pendant that reframes the domestic light fixture as an heirloom. Other showings include sculptural seating at Host on Howard, a capsule at Luisaviaroma, and immersive staging at Simple Flair Apartment. Each show places collectable furniture and lighting in context-rich, spatially intimate settings. Oui Design! Festival 2025 Various locations across New York City Pop-up at Payne Whitney Mansion May 15, 11 AM – 5 PM (Registration via villa-albertine.org) Similarly, Villa Albertine’s annual festival of French craftsmanship returns with open studios, exhibitions, and talks across the city. The programme begins with a daylong pop-up at the Payne Whitney Mansion, featuring live craft demonstrations and immersive scenography by Aurore Vullierme. Visitors can engage directly with master artisans working in ceramics, featherwork, jewellery and painted marble. This year’s edition expands spatial access across dozens of venues, from heritage galleries to contemporary showrooms. Birth of the Polar at Royère Gallery 315 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013 On view: May 7–30, 2025 Open House: Friday, May 16, 2:00 – 5:00 PM (as part of Oui Design!) Jean Royère’s Ours Polaire sofa is so familiar that it’s easy to forget how strange it once must have been when it first launched— all curves and no corners. This exhibition puts the piece back in context, not as an icon but as an object. The original frame, shaped like a boat hull and built in solid beech, is still assembled by hand in Lyon using the same layered construction Royère specified in the 1940s. Visitors are invited into the process to witness the immense craftsmanship of the famous piece. Cornell Tech and FDR Four Freedoms State Park Bloomberg Center Lobby, Cornell Tech, 2 West Loop Road, Roosevelt Island Tour date and time: May 20, 4:00 – 6:00 PM Cornell Tech, photograph by Max Touhey. This two-part walking tour explores the architectural and civic ambitions of Roosevelt Island, beginning with Cornell Tech’s high-performance campus and concluding at Louis Kahn’s Four Freedoms Park. Highlights include the Bloomberg Center, the Tata Innovation Hub and The House — one of the world’s largest Passive House residential buildings — followed by a guided discussion of Kahn’s axial granite memorial and its role as a site of political reflection and urban poise. School of Constructed Environments: End of Year Exhibition 2025 Parsons, The New School, Starr Foundation Hall, 63 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011 Opening: Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 6:00 – 9:00 PM On view through May 19, 2025 Parsons’ School of Constructed Environments presents its annual graduate showcase across architecture, interior, lighting and product design. The exhibition offers a direct look at how the next generation is responding to contemporary spatial challenges through new formats, tools and ways of thinking — all displayed in one collective environment. The Extended Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, February 21st. Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today. The post NYCxDESIGN 2025: A Curated Schedule of What To See and When To Go appeared first on Journal. Source: https://architizer.com/blog/inspiration/industry/nycxdesign-2025-schedule-what-to-see/ #nycxdesign #curated #schedule #what #see #and #when

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NYCxDESIGN 2025: A Curated Schedule of What To See and When To Go

The Extended Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, February 21st. Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today. NYCxDESIGN returns this year, running from May 15 to 23. As ever, the schedule is broad and ambitious. More than 280 events, exhibitions, product launches, gallery shows, open studios, guided tours and more will unfold across the city over the course of the week. Usually, NYCxDESIGN is an event revered for spectacle and scale; however, this year, the exhibitors have taken a considered approach. Among the ambitious schedule, brands, designers, artists and studios are opening their spaces and sharing work in a way that is far less ostentatious display and more inhabitation of design. Some exhibits invite visitors into studios, kitchens, or furnished interiors. Others walk guests through the production and process of their pieces. In many cases, the materials and mechanisms are on show to be used and experienced. The idea has become not to simply view design, but to step inside it. Ilene Shaw, Executive Director of NYCxDESIGN said of the 2025 production, “This year’s NYCxDESIGN Festival feels especially energetic — full of new ways to connect, learn, and meet first-time participants. We’ll experience parks, revitalization and new infrastructure projects, and connect with the great minds that actually shaped them. You can walk through MADE’s Building A with nARCHITECTS and see adaptive reuse in action. Go behind the scenes at the transformed Davis Center at Harlem Meer in Central Park. Tour the stunning public art program at the new Grand Central Madison Terminal — 17 stories below ground. One of the most meaningful experiences we have organized is a high school student tour to the end-of-year design school exhibitions at a number of NYC design schools.  Throughout the city, the festival opens doors — quite literally— inviting you into studios, exhibitions, tours and installations that celebrate the full spectrum of New York’s creative energy. It’s design up close, in context, and in conversation.” The shift feels timely. While design culture and discourse are dominated by hyper-realistic rendered imagery and immaculately staged press photography, the type of intimate encounter offered at NYCxDESIGN is something tangible and explicitly needed. It prioritizes access over image and tactility over narrative. For architects and designers, it provides the chance to experience work as it is intended to be used, alongside the opportunity to speak directly with the minds behind the work. Architizer is proud to celebrate the creative forces shaping this year’s festival, and the following selection highlights just a few of the many events we think are worth taking the time to visit. Each invites a kind of closeness and intimacy, not as a concept, nor as a curated atmosphere, but as a way to showcase something real and meaningful. Tour of Building A at the MADE Bush Terminal Campus MADE Bush Terminal, 13 42nd Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232 Saturday, May 17, 2025, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Free with registration via Eventbrite Hosted by nArchitects and the NYC Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), this exclusive tour explores the newly completed Building A and sections of the public campus at the adaptive-reuse MADE Bush Terminal waterfront site in Sunset Park. The tour highlights modern manufacturing, artisan workshops and entrepreneurial spaces within one of New York City’s most ambitious industrial transformations. Espasso presents: Take A Seat by Carlos Motta Espasso New York, 38 N Moore Street Opening: Thursday, May 15, 2025, 6:00 – 9:00 PM (cocktail and book launch) Exhibition: May 15 – June 9, Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Espasso hosts a major retrospective on Brazilian designer and master woodworker Carlos Motta, tracing four decades of his work in furniture and architecture. The show centres on Motta’s celebrated seating designs — including the Rio Manso, CJ and Asturias collections — and launches a new edition of the Asturias chair, now with armrests. Grand Central Madison – A New Landmark and Cultural Corridor Grand Central Madison LIRR Terminal,Madison Avenue from 42nd to 48th Streets,New York, Tour date and time: May 18, 1:00 – 3:00 PM Spanning five city blocks beneath Midtown, Grand Central Madison is the largest transit terminal built in the U.S. in decades. Beyond its scale, it serves as a cultural corridor featuring permanent works by Yayoi Kusama and Kiki Smith, large-scale digital commissions, and public poetry displays. This guided tour with MTA Arts & Design offers insight into how art and architecture converge in one of the city’s most complex public spaces. Design Pavilion by Lexus at Hudson Yards Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens, 11th Avenue and Hudson Blvd East May 10–19, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily Returning to NYCxDesign for the first time in years, Design Pavilion presents “Lexus Ambiance,” an interactive installation by artist Nick Thomm. Set beside the Vessel, the piece invites visitors to shape a personalized light environment through movement and presence, offering a glimpse into future modes of responsive, experience-led design. Davis Center at the Harlem Meer Tour Central Park, enter at 110th Street and Lenox Avenue Tour date and time: May 16, 3:00 – 4:30 PM Designed by the Central Park Conservancy with Susan T. Rodriguez Architecture · Design and Mitchell Giurgola, the Davis Center redefines the northern edge of Central Park as both civic landmark and ecological restoration. This guided tour offers an early look at the new year-round facility, green roof, and reconnected watercourse, exploring how architecture and landscape come together to support access, biodiversity and public use. Design Legacy: The Poul Kjærholm Collection Fritz Hansen New York Showroom, 22 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10013 May 15–21, 2025, Monday–Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Free, open to the public Fritz Hansen presents a focused survey of Poul Kjærholm’s work, marking the first exhibition in the Americas dedicated to the Danish modernist’s legacy. Known for refining cabinetmaking traditions through steel and precision joinery, Kjærholm’s designs are positioned here not just as furniture, but as studies in proportion, restraint, and material structure. HUNDŌ by Emily Thurman Studio 86 Walker Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10013 Opening Reception: May 14, 2025, 7:00 – 10:00 PM On view May 15–21, by appointment, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM Salt Lake City–based Emily Thurman presents HUNDŌ, her debut furniture and lighting collection, in a multi-sensory installation at 86 Walker Street. The show features works made in collaboration with StudioDanielK, Alexis Mazin, and Camille Tan, using cast bronze, glass, stone, and salvaged wood, all framed within an environment of scenography and sound. TM Italia NYC Showroom First Look 20 West 20th Street, Floor 5, Suite 502, New York, NY 10011 Opening: Friday, May 16, 2025, 5:30 – 8:30 PM (by invitation only) Open Hours: May 17–18, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM TM Italia’s first New York showroom invites guests into a fully realized domestic interior, where each zone is designed around a different style of kitchen use. From a compact working setup to a larger family configuration, the layout reflects the brand’s approach to bespoke cabinetry as both spatial system and crafted object. Materials, finishes and functional elements are on full display, offering an unusually tactile insight into how the Italian atelier works at 1:1 scale. Known Work Multiple locations including Love House, ZAROLAT, Host on Howard, Luisaviaroma, and Simple Flair Apartment May 9–30, 2025 (dates vary by venue) Design studio Known Work presents new and site-specific pieces across five exhibitions citywide, from Dimes Square to Dumbo. With new editions from its Perceptions Collection, designed by Parts and Labour founders Danu Kennedy and Jeremy Levitt. At Love House, the studio debuts The Mother, a dramatic metal mesh pendant that reframes the domestic light fixture as an heirloom. Other showings include sculptural seating at Host on Howard, a capsule at Luisaviaroma, and immersive staging at Simple Flair Apartment. Each show places collectable furniture and lighting in context-rich, spatially intimate settings. Oui Design! Festival 2025 Various locations across New York City Pop-up at Payne Whitney Mansion May 15, 11 AM – 5 PM (Registration via villa-albertine.org) Similarly, Villa Albertine’s annual festival of French craftsmanship returns with open studios, exhibitions, and talks across the city. The programme begins with a daylong pop-up at the Payne Whitney Mansion, featuring live craft demonstrations and immersive scenography by Aurore Vullierme. Visitors can engage directly with master artisans working in ceramics, featherwork, jewellery and painted marble. This year’s edition expands spatial access across dozens of venues, from heritage galleries to contemporary showrooms. Birth of the Polar at Royère Gallery 315 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013 On view: May 7–30, 2025 Open House: Friday, May 16, 2:00 – 5:00 PM (as part of Oui Design!) Jean Royère’s Ours Polaire sofa is so familiar that it’s easy to forget how strange it once must have been when it first launched— all curves and no corners. This exhibition puts the piece back in context, not as an icon but as an object. The original frame, shaped like a boat hull and built in solid beech, is still assembled by hand in Lyon using the same layered construction Royère specified in the 1940s. Visitors are invited into the process to witness the immense craftsmanship of the famous piece. Cornell Tech and FDR Four Freedoms State Park Bloomberg Center Lobby, Cornell Tech, 2 West Loop Road, Roosevelt Island Tour date and time: May 20, 4:00 – 6:00 PM Cornell Tech, photograph by Max Touhey. This two-part walking tour explores the architectural and civic ambitions of Roosevelt Island, beginning with Cornell Tech’s high-performance campus and concluding at Louis Kahn’s Four Freedoms Park. Highlights include the Bloomberg Center, the Tata Innovation Hub and The House — one of the world’s largest Passive House residential buildings — followed by a guided discussion of Kahn’s axial granite memorial and its role as a site of political reflection and urban poise. School of Constructed Environments: End of Year Exhibition 2025 Parsons, The New School, Starr Foundation Hall, 63 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011 Opening: Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 6:00 – 9:00 PM On view through May 19, 2025 Parsons’ School of Constructed Environments presents its annual graduate showcase across architecture, interior, lighting and product design. The exhibition offers a direct look at how the next generation is responding to contemporary spatial challenges through new formats, tools and ways of thinking — all displayed in one collective environment. The Extended Entry Deadline for Architizer's 2025 A+Product Awards is Friday, February 21st. Get your brand in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today. The post NYCxDESIGN 2025: A Curated Schedule of What To See and When To Go appeared first on Journal.

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2025-05-13 15:05:47 ·

Fallout renewed for season 3 but has ‘season 6 type of endpoint’
Get ready for more Wasteland adventures because Prime Video’s Fallout has already been renewed for season 3. The news arrives months before the show’s December season 2 premiere, which is set to explore New Vegas. Prime Video said in a press release on Monday, that season 2 of Fallout “will pick up in the aftermath of Season One’s epic finale and take audiences along for a journey through the wasteland of the Mojave to the post-apocalyptic city of New Vegas.” So, to all the Fallout: New Vegas purists out there — worry not, Prime Video sees you. As for season 3, no further details have been shared regarding where the story will take viewers or what characters from the video game universe will make their debut. While we wait for season 2 and pray that season 3 maintains the series’ high bar, there appear to be plans to keep this series going well beyond that. During an interview at Comic Con Liverpool, Aaron Moten, the actor who plays former Brotherhood of Steel soldier Maximus, opened up about where Lucy and friends could take us. “When I signed on to do the series, we would have a starting point and they gave me the endpoint,” Moten said. “And that endpoint hasn’t changed. But it is season 5, [season] 6 type of endpoint. We’ve always known that we were gonna take our time with the development of the characters.” Now, let’s be real, Fallout has to nail seasons 2 and 3 before we can even think about seasons 5 or 6. And while season 1 was met with critical acclaim and received multiple Emmy nominations, there could be a timeline where the show goes completely off the rails. Nonetheless, it’s promising to see that producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and Amazon MGM Studios have a plan with a clear end goal in mind. Fallout debuted on Prime Video in April 2024. The live-action adaption of the popular, post-apocalyptic video game franchise introduces fans to a new Vault Dweller named Lucy MacLean. The series follows Lucy as she embarks on a journey through the Wasteland, a new world ravaged by war and hubris, as she attempts to find her father Hank. Season 1 ended on an Easter egg cliffhanger; the final shot showed off the skyline of the iconic New Vegas settlement. As the camera pans out, viewers are treated to a shot of the Mojave Desert and a skull belonging to one of our best friends from the Fallout franchise: the Deathclaw. Yeah, season 2 is gearing up to be something special. Fallout season 2 is set to premiere in December 2025. Fallout season 1 is available now, streaming only on Prime Video. Achievement unlocked! Fallout Season 2 has wrapped production. pic.twitter.com/cbLNCvLLRB— FALLOUT⚡️ (@falloutonprime) May 8, 2025
المصدر: www.polygon.com
https://www.polygon.com/entertainment/598806/fallout-tv-season-2-premier-date-how-many-seasons">www.polygon.com
class="hashtags">#fallout #renewed #for #season #but #has #type #endpoint

Fallout renewed for season 3 but has ‘season 6 type of endpoint’
Get ready for more Wasteland adventures because Prime Video’s Fallout has already been renewed for season 3. The news arrives months before the show’s December season 2 premiere, which is set to explore New Vegas. Prime Video said in a press release on Monday, that season 2 of Fallout “will pick up in the aftermath of Season One’s epic finale and take audiences along for a journey through the wasteland of the Mojave to the post-apocalyptic city of New Vegas.” So, to all the Fallout: New Vegas purists out there — worry not, Prime Video sees you. As for season 3, no further details have been shared regarding where the story will take viewers or what characters from the video game universe will make their debut. While we wait for season 2 and pray that season 3 maintains the series’ high bar, there appear to be plans to keep this series going well beyond that. During an interview at Comic Con Liverpool, Aaron Moten, the actor who plays former Brotherhood of Steel soldier Maximus, opened up about where Lucy and friends could take us. “When I signed on to do the series, we would have a starting point and they gave me the endpoint,” Moten said. “And that endpoint hasn’t changed. But it is season 5, [season] 6 type of endpoint. We’ve always known that we were gonna take our time with the development of the characters.” Now, let’s be real, Fallout has to nail seasons 2 and 3 before we can even think about seasons 5 or 6. And while season 1 was met with critical acclaim and received multiple Emmy nominations, there could be a timeline where the show goes completely off the rails. Nonetheless, it’s promising to see that producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and Amazon MGM Studios have a plan with a clear end goal in mind. Fallout debuted on Prime Video in April 2024. The live-action adaption of the popular, post-apocalyptic video game franchise introduces fans to a new Vault Dweller named Lucy MacLean. The series follows Lucy as she embarks on a journey through the Wasteland, a new world ravaged by war and hubris, as she attempts to find her father Hank. Season 1 ended on an Easter egg cliffhanger; the final shot showed off the skyline of the iconic New Vegas settlement. As the camera pans out, viewers are treated to a shot of the Mojave Desert and a skull belonging to one of our best friends from the Fallout franchise: the Deathclaw. Yeah, season 2 is gearing up to be something special. Fallout season 2 is set to premiere in December 2025. Fallout season 1 is available now, streaming only on Prime Video. Achievement unlocked! Fallout Season 2 has wrapped production. pic.twitter.com/cbLNCvLLRB— FALLOUT⚡️ (@falloutonprime) May 8, 2025
المصدر: www.polygon.com
#fallout #renewed #for #season #but #has #type #endpoint

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Fallout renewed for season 3 but has ‘season 6 type of endpoint’

Get ready for more Wasteland adventures because Prime Video’s Fallout has already been renewed for season 3. The news arrives months before the show’s December season 2 premiere, which is set to explore New Vegas. Prime Video said in a press release on Monday, that season 2 of Fallout “will pick up in the aftermath of Season One’s epic finale and take audiences along for a journey through the wasteland of the Mojave to the post-apocalyptic city of New Vegas.” So, to all the Fallout: New Vegas purists out there — worry not, Prime Video sees you. As for season 3, no further details have been shared regarding where the story will take viewers or what characters from the video game universe will make their debut. While we wait for season 2 and pray that season 3 maintains the series’ high bar, there appear to be plans to keep this series going well beyond that. During an interview at Comic Con Liverpool, Aaron Moten, the actor who plays former Brotherhood of Steel soldier Maximus, opened up about where Lucy and friends could take us. “When I signed on to do the series, we would have a starting point and they gave me the endpoint,” Moten said. “And that endpoint hasn’t changed. But it is season 5, [season] 6 type of endpoint. We’ve always known that we were gonna take our time with the development of the characters.” Now, let’s be real, Fallout has to nail seasons 2 and 3 before we can even think about seasons 5 or 6. And while season 1 was met with critical acclaim and received multiple Emmy nominations, there could be a timeline where the show goes completely off the rails. Nonetheless, it’s promising to see that producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, and Amazon MGM Studios have a plan with a clear end goal in mind. Fallout debuted on Prime Video in April 2024. The live-action adaption of the popular, post-apocalyptic video game franchise introduces fans to a new Vault Dweller named Lucy MacLean. The series follows Lucy as she embarks on a journey through the Wasteland, a new world ravaged by war and hubris, as she attempts to find her father Hank. Season 1 ended on an Easter egg cliffhanger; the final shot showed off the skyline of the iconic New Vegas settlement. As the camera pans out, viewers are treated to a shot of the Mojave Desert and a skull belonging to one of our best friends from the Fallout franchise: the Deathclaw. Yeah, season 2 is gearing up to be something special. Fallout season 2 is set to premiere in December 2025. Fallout season 1 is available now, streaming only on Prime Video. Achievement unlocked! Fallout Season 2 has wrapped production. pic.twitter.com/cbLNCvLLRB— FALLOUT⚡️ (@falloutonprime) May 8, 2025

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2025-05-13 14:50:13 ·

These 5 small business are suing Trump over his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs

Five American small businesses will ask a U.S. court on Tuesday to halt President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, arguing the president overstepped his authority by declaring a national emergency to impose across-the-board taxes on imports from nations that sell more to the U.S. than they buy. Tuesday’s hearing before a panel of three judges at the New York-based U.S. Court of International Trade will be the first major legal test of Trump’s tariffs. The lawsuit was filed by the nonpartisan Liberty Justice Center on behalf of five small U.S. businesses that import goods from countries targeted by the tariffs. The companies, which range from a New York wine and spirits importer to a Virginia-based maker of educational kits and musical instruments, say the steep “Liberation Day” tariffs that Trump imposed on April 2 are illegal and will hurt their ability to do business. Small businesses are being harmed by the threat of increased costs, as well as “minute by minute changes” that prevent them from planning ahead, said Jeffrey Schwab, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. “Our clients have no certainty on what the tariffs are going to be at any point, and that’s exactly the problem,” Schwab said. “One person shouldn’t have unilateral authority to impose tariffs on every country at any rate, at any time that he wants.” The Liberty Justice Center’s lawsuit is one of seven court challenges to Trump’s tariff policies, and it is the first to seek a ruling that would stop the tariffs from moving forward. The Court of International Trade previously rejected the small businesses’ request to temporarily pause the tariffs while their lawsuit went forward, but then quickly scheduled Tuesday’s court hearing to decide whether to rule against the tariffs or impose a longer-term pause. Trump imposed the new tariffs on April 2, saying the U.S. trade deficit was a “national emergency” that justified a 10% across-the-board tariff on all imports, with higher tariff rates for countries with which the U.S. has the largest trade deficits, particularly China. Many of those country-specific tariffs were paused a week later, and on Monday the Trump administration said it was also temporarily slashing the steepest China tariffs while working on a longer-term trade deal with Beijing. Both countries agreed over the weekend to cut tariffs on each other for at least 90 days. Trump’s on-and-off-again tariffs have shocked U.S. markets, but he has justified them as a way to restore America’s manufacturing capability. The president’s executive order announcing the tariffs invoked laws including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which gives presidents special powers to combat unusual or extraordinary threats to the U.S. The Liberty Justice Center said the law does not give the president the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs “on any country he chooses at any rate he chooses.” The law is meant to address “unusual and extraordinary” threats, and the U.S.’ decades-long practice of buying more goods than it exports does not qualify as an emergency that would trigger IEEPA, according to the lawsuit. The U.S. Department of Justice has argued that IEEPA gives presidents broad authority to regulate imports in response to a national emergency. It has said that the plaintiffs’ lawsuit should be thrown out, because they have not been harmed by tariffs they have not yet paid, and because only Congress, and not private businesses, can challenge a national emergency declared by the President under IEEPA. The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. —Dietrich Knauth, Reuters

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#0066cc;">#these #small #business #are #suing #trump #over #his #liberation #day #tariffs

These 5 small business are suing Trump over his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs

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These 5 small business are suing Trump over his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs

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2025-05-13 14:18:27 ·

#333;">The Universe Will Fizzle Out Way Sooner Than Expected, Scientists Say

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Passant Rabie
Published May 13, 2025

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An illustration of a decaying neutron star.
Daniëlle Futselaar/artsource.nl

Around 13.8 billion years ago, a tiny but dense fireball gave birth to the vast cosmos that holds trillions of galaxies, including the Milky Way.
But our universe is dying, and it’s happening at a much faster rate than scientists previously estimated, according to new research.
The last stellar remnants of the universe will cease to exist in 10 to the power of 78 years (that’s a one with 78 zeros), according to a new estimate from a group of scientists at Radboud University in the Netherlands.
That’s still a long way off from when the universe powers down for good—but it’s a far earlier fade-to-black moment than the previous 10 to the power of 1,100 years estimate.
The new paper, published Monday in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, is a follow-up to a previous study by the same group of researchers.
In their 2023 study, black hole expert Heino Falcke, quantum physicist Michael Wondrak, and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom suggested that other objects, like neutron stars, could evaporate in much the same way as black holes.
The original theory, developed by Stephen Hawking in 1974, proposed that radiation escaping near a black hole’s event horizon would gradually erode its mass over time.
The phenomenon, known as Hawking radiation, remains one of the most surprising ideas about black holes to this day.
Building on the theory of Hawking radiation, the researchers behind the new paper suggest that the process of erosion depends on the density of the object.
They found that neutron stars and stellar black holes take roughly the same amount of time to decay, an estimated 10 to the power of 67 years.
Although black holes have a stronger gravitational field that should cause them to evaporate faster, they also have no surface so they end up reabsorbing some of their own radiation, “which inhibits the process,” Wondrak said in a statement.
The researchers then calculated how long various celestial bodies would take to evaporate via Hawking-like radiation, leading them to the abbreviated cosmic expiration date. “So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time,” Falcke said.
The study also estimates that it would take the Moon around 10 to the power of 90 years to evaporate based on Hawking radiation.
“By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one day, we unravel the mystery of Hawking radiation,” van Suijlekom said.
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#666;">المصدر: https://gizmodo.com/the-universe-will-fizzle-out-way-sooner-than-expected-scientists-say-2000601411" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;">gizmodo.com

#0066cc;">#the #universe #will #fizzle #out #way #sooner #than #expected #scientists #say #passant #rabie #published #may #comments #illustration #decaying #neutron #stardaniëlle #futselaarartsourcenl #around #billion #years #ago #tiny #but #dense #fireball #gave #birth #vast #cosmos #that #holds #trillions #galaxies #including #milky #waybut #our #dying #and #its #happening #much #faster #rate #previously #estimated #according #new #research #last #stellar #remnants #cease #exist #power #thats #one #with #zeros #estimate #from #group #radboud #university #netherlandsthats #still #long #off #when #powers #down #for #goodbut #far #earlier #fadetoblack #moment #previous #estimatethe #paper #monday #journal #cosmology #astroparticle #physics #followup #study #same #researchersin #their #black #hole #expert #heino #falcke #quantum #physicist #michael #wondrak #mathematician #walter #van #suijlekom #suggested #other #objects #like #stars #could #evaporate #holesthe #original #theory #developed #stephen #hawking #proposed #radiation #escaping #near #holes #event #horizon #would #gradually #erode #mass #over #timethe #phenomenon #known #remains #most #surprising #ideas #about #this #daybuilding #researchers #behind #suggest #process #erosion #depends #density #objectthey #found #take #roughly #amount #time #decay #yearsalthough #have #stronger #gravitational #field #should #cause #them #they #also #surface #end #reabsorbing #some #own #which #inhibits #said #statementthe #then #calculated #how #various #celestial #bodies #via #hawkinglike #leading #abbreviated #cosmic #expiration #dateso #ultimate #comes #fortunately #takes #very #saidthe #estimates #moon #based #radiationby #asking #these #kinds #questions #looking #extreme #cases #want #better #understand #perhaps #day #unravel #mystery #saiddaily #newsletteryou #isaac #schultz #march #february #margherita #bassi #january

The Universe Will Fizzle Out Way Sooner Than Expected, Scientists Say

By Passant Rabie Published May 13, 2025 | Comments (1) | An illustration of a decaying neutron star. Daniëlle Futselaar/artsource.nl Around 13.8 billion years ago, a tiny but dense fireball gave birth to the vast cosmos that holds trillions of galaxies, including the Milky Way. But our universe is dying, and it’s happening at a much faster rate than scientists previously estimated, according to new research. The last stellar remnants of the universe will cease to exist in 10 to the power of 78 years (that’s a one with 78 zeros), according to a new estimate from a group of scientists at Radboud University in the Netherlands. That’s still a long way off from when the universe powers down for good—but it’s a far earlier fade-to-black moment than the previous 10 to the power of 1,100 years estimate. The new paper, published Monday in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, is a follow-up to a previous study by the same group of researchers. In their 2023 study, black hole expert Heino Falcke, quantum physicist Michael Wondrak, and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom suggested that other objects, like neutron stars, could evaporate in much the same way as black holes. The original theory, developed by Stephen Hawking in 1974, proposed that radiation escaping near a black hole’s event horizon would gradually erode its mass over time. The phenomenon, known as Hawking radiation, remains one of the most surprising ideas about black holes to this day. Building on the theory of Hawking radiation, the researchers behind the new paper suggest that the process of erosion depends on the density of the object. They found that neutron stars and stellar black holes take roughly the same amount of time to decay, an estimated 10 to the power of 67 years. Although black holes have a stronger gravitational field that should cause them to evaporate faster, they also have no surface so they end up reabsorbing some of their own radiation, “which inhibits the process,” Wondrak said in a statement. The researchers then calculated how long various celestial bodies would take to evaporate via Hawking-like radiation, leading them to the abbreviated cosmic expiration date. “So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time,” Falcke said. The study also estimates that it would take the Moon around 10 to the power of 90 years to evaporate based on Hawking radiation. “By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one day, we unravel the mystery of Hawking radiation,” van Suijlekom said. Daily Newsletter You May Also Like By Isaac Schultz Published May 11, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 20, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published February 10, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 2, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published February 1, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published January 28, 2025

المصدر: gizmodo.com

#the #universe #will #fizzle #out #way #sooner #than #expected #scientists #say #passant #rabie #published #may #comments #illustration #decaying #neutron #stardaniëlle #futselaarartsourcenl #around #billion #years #ago #tiny #but #dense #fireball #gave #birth #vast #cosmos #that #holds #trillions #galaxies #including #milky #waybut #our #dying #and #its #happening #much #faster #rate #previously #estimated #according #new #research #last #stellar #remnants #cease #exist #power #thats #one #with #zeros #estimate #from #group #radboud #university #netherlandsthats #still #long #off #when #powers #down #for #goodbut #far #earlier #fadetoblack #moment #previous #estimatethe #paper #monday #journal #cosmology #astroparticle #physics #followup #study #same #researchersin #their #black #hole #expert #heino #falcke #quantum #physicist #michael #wondrak #mathematician #walter #van #suijlekom #suggested #other #objects #like #stars #could #evaporate #holesthe #original #theory #developed #stephen #hawking #proposed #radiation #escaping #near #holes #event #horizon #would #gradually #erode #mass #over #timethe #phenomenon #known #remains #most #surprising #ideas #about #this #daybuilding #researchers #behind #suggest #process #erosion #depends #density #objectthey #found #take #roughly #amount #time #decay #yearsalthough #have #stronger #gravitational #field #should #cause #them #they #also #surface #end #reabsorbing #some #own #which #inhibits #said #statementthe #then #calculated #how #various #celestial #bodies #via #hawkinglike #leading #abbreviated #cosmic #expiration #dateso #ultimate #comes #fortunately #takes #very #saidthe #estimates #moon #based #radiationby #asking #these #kinds #questions #looking #extreme #cases #want #better #understand #perhaps #day #unravel #mystery #saiddaily #newsletteryou #isaac #schultz #march #february #margherita #bassi #january

GIZMODO.COM

The Universe Will Fizzle Out Way Sooner Than Expected, Scientists Say

By Passant Rabie Published May 13, 2025 | Comments (1) | An illustration of a decaying neutron star. Daniëlle Futselaar/artsource.nl Around 13.8 billion years ago, a tiny but dense fireball gave birth to the vast cosmos that holds trillions of galaxies, including the Milky Way. But our universe is dying, and it’s happening at a much faster rate than scientists previously estimated, according to new research. The last stellar remnants of the universe will cease to exist in 10 to the power of 78 years (that’s a one with 78 zeros), according to a new estimate from a group of scientists at Radboud University in the Netherlands. That’s still a long way off from when the universe powers down for good—but it’s a far earlier fade-to-black moment than the previous 10 to the power of 1,100 years estimate. The new paper, published Monday in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, is a follow-up to a previous study by the same group of researchers. In their 2023 study, black hole expert Heino Falcke, quantum physicist Michael Wondrak, and mathematician Walter van Suijlekom suggested that other objects, like neutron stars, could evaporate in much the same way as black holes. The original theory, developed by Stephen Hawking in 1974, proposed that radiation escaping near a black hole’s event horizon would gradually erode its mass over time. The phenomenon, known as Hawking radiation, remains one of the most surprising ideas about black holes to this day. Building on the theory of Hawking radiation, the researchers behind the new paper suggest that the process of erosion depends on the density of the object. They found that neutron stars and stellar black holes take roughly the same amount of time to decay, an estimated 10 to the power of 67 years. Although black holes have a stronger gravitational field that should cause them to evaporate faster, they also have no surface so they end up reabsorbing some of their own radiation, “which inhibits the process,” Wondrak said in a statement. The researchers then calculated how long various celestial bodies would take to evaporate via Hawking-like radiation, leading them to the abbreviated cosmic expiration date. “So the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very long time,” Falcke said. The study also estimates that it would take the Moon around 10 to the power of 90 years to evaporate based on Hawking radiation. “By asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases, we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one day, we unravel the mystery of Hawking radiation,” van Suijlekom said. Daily Newsletter You May Also Like By Isaac Schultz Published May 11, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published March 20, 2025 By Passant Rabie Published February 10, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published February 2, 2025 By Margherita Bassi Published February 1, 2025 By Isaac Schultz Published January 28, 2025

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#333;">Qatar's luxury jet donation poses significant security risks, experts say. It poses a "counterintelligence nightmare," a former CIA field operative said.

The Trump administration's plan to accept a luxury jet donated by the Qatari government to use as Air Force One raises significant security concerns, intelligence experts and government officials say, as President Donald Trump said it would be "stupid" not to accept a free plane.Trump on Monday defended the administration's plans to receive a luxury jet donated by the Qatari government during remarks at the White House, calling the donation a "very nice gesture.""I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer.
I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.' But it was, I thought it was a great gesture," he said.MORE: Trump admin live updatesRhode Island Sen.
Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed the move, arguing that using the plane as Air Force One would "pose immense counterintelligence risks by granting a foreign nation potential access to sensitive systems and communications.""This reckless disregard for national security and diplomatic propriety signals a dangerous willingness to barter American interests for personal gain," Reed said in a statement Monday.
"It is an affront to the office of the presidency and a betrayal of the trust placed in any U.S.
leader to safeguard the nation's sovereignty."Air Force One a 'high-value target'Air Force One sits on the tarmac, May 12, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesThe primary aircraft used in the current Air Force One fleet includes two aging Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets that have been operational since 1990.
Despite flying for more than 35 years, the current pair of Air Force One jets are considered some of the safest and secure aircraft in the world.Many of the security features on the plane remain classified.
It has anti-missile defenses or countermeasure systems to protect against surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, and the communication devices can also withstand the pulse of a nuclear blast.
It is also outfitted with sophisticated communications capability to allow the president to securely run the country from the plane and protect him from cyberattacks."It's designed to transport the president in a safe way and be able to withstand physical attacks, but to also ensure that the president maintains communication with military, his cabinet, other government leaders in a safe and secure manner," said John Cohen, an ABC News contributor and former acting Homeland Security official.
"Any building or vehicle or airplane that the president is located is a high-value target for foreign intelligence services who want to gather as much information about the president."Air Force One can also remain in the air for several days due to its ability to refuel in midair.
The plane also houses a small medical facility where doctors could perform surgery if needed.All of these systems would likely need to be installed on the Boeing 747-8 that Trump would receive as a gift from Qatar.MORE: Trump defends Qatar jumbo jet offer, says it would be 'stupid' to turn away free planeA jet donated by Qatar would also be a "counterintelligence nightmare," ABC News contributor Darrell Blocker, a former CIA field operative, said."If you go back to almost anything that is given by a foreign government, there are regulations and restrictions and guidelines for ensuring that they're not being bugged, and a plane would be an absolute nightmare to be able to confirm that it's not," Blocker told ABC News Live on Monday.
"From an intelligence perspective, it's not the brightest move."Blocker cited that when the U.S.
embassy was being built in Moscow in the 1980s, the U.S.
had to "take it down to its bare bones" because the Russians "put bugs through every room, every facility.""I think the people of Troy, when they accepted that horse, regretted it after the fact also," he said.The complexity and time needed to retrofit and inspect the plane raise questions on cost and a timeline."Even under the best of circumstances, it's going to take a significant effort for the military to be satisfied that the aircraft is constructed safely, that it's not compromised from the standpoint of intelligence collection capabilities being planted on it, and that it is built in a way that it will be able to assimilate the sensitive communications and countermeasure capabilities that are that are present on any plane that's Air Force One," Cohen said.
"To be done right, it's not going to happen quickly.""In order to adequately ensure that this airplane -- which was operated by a foreign government that happens to have a relationship with Iran and China and Russia -- in order to ensure that that plane has not had collection capabilities introduced into it when it was constructed, they're gonna have to basically tear it down to the airframe," he added.White House working on 'legal details'Both the U.S.
Air Force and the Department of Defense referred questions to the White House when asked about the possible transfer of the Qatari-owned Boeing 747 to the Department of Defense."The plane will be donated to the Department of Defense, and as with any foreign gift given to the United States Government, all proper safety and security protocols will be followed," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told ABC News.House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday he would not comment on Trump preparing to receive the jet from Qatar because he hasn't seen the "details."The White House is working on the "legal details" of the Qatari government's donation to the Defense Department, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday in an appearance on Fox News."But, of course, any donation to this government is always done in full compliance with the law.
And we commit ourselves to the utmost transparency and we will continue to do that," Leavitt added.President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on his way to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 12, 2025.Manuel Balce Ceneta/APTrump said during remarks at the White House on Monday that he doesn't plan to use the plane after he leaves office.
Pressed by ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott on what he would say to people who view the luxury plane as a personal gift to him, Trump said it was not a gift to him but "a gift to the Department of Defense."Sources familiar with the proposed arrangement told ABC News that the plane would be a gift that is to be available for use by Trump as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.If a private contractor were able to complete the modifications needed to the donated plane before the end of Trump's presidency, many of the systems installed would then need to be removed should the Trump presidential library foundation take possession of the plane upon Trump leaving office due to the sensitive nature of the technology.Ultimately, Cohen said he suspects that members of the intelligence community and the military will assess the risk to national security and "the level of effort to minimize the risk to national security.""If they're doing their job, the president's national security team will explain to him the level of risk that exists if a foreign intelligence service were able to introduce collection capabilities that could intercept face-to-face communications on the plane, electronic communications coming from the plane," Cohen said.
"They should also be explaining to him the level of effort that it will involve in order for that risk to be mitigated.
And with that information, he can then make an informed decision on whether and under what conditions to accept the airplane."

#666;">المصدر: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/qatars-luxury-jet-donation-poses-significant-security-risks/story?id=121722135" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;">abcnews.go.com

#0066cc;">#qatar039s #luxury #jet #donation #poses #significant #security #risks #experts #say #quotcounterintelligence #nightmarequot #former #cia #field #operative #said #the #trump #administration039s #plan #accept #donated #qatari #government #use #air #force #one #raises #concerns #intelligence #and #officials #president #donald #would #quotstupidquot #not #free #planetrump #monday #defended #plans #receive #during #remarks #white #house #calling #quotvery #nice #gesturequotquoti #never #turn #down #that #kind #offeri #mean #could #stupid #person #039no #don039t #want #very #expensive #airplane039 #but #was #thought #great #gesturequot #saidmore #admin #live #updatesrhode #island #senjack #reed #top #democrat #senate #armed #services #committee #slammed #move #arguing #using #plane #quotpose #immense #counterintelligence #granting #foreign #nation #potential #access #sensitive #systems #communicationsquotquotthis #reckless #disregard #for #national #diplomatic #propriety #signals #dangerous #willingness #barter #american #interests #personal #gainquot #statement #mondayquotit #affront #office #presidency #betrayal #trust #placed #any #usleader #safeguard #nation039s #sovereigntyquotair #039highvalue #target039air #sits #tarmac #may #joint #base #andrews #marylandwin #mcnameegetty #imagesthe #primary #aircraft #used #current #fleet #includes #two #aging #boeing #jumbo #jets #have #been #operational #since #1990despite #flying #more #than #years #pair #are #considered #some #safest #secure #worldmany #features #remain #classifiedit #has #antimissile #defenses #countermeasure #protect #against #surfacetoair #airtoair #missiles #communication #devices #can #also #withstand #pulse #nuclear #blastit #outfitted #with #sophisticated #communications #capability #allow #securely #run #country #from #him #cyberattacksquotit039s #designed #transport #safe #way #able #physical #attacks #ensure #maintains #military #his #cabinet #other #leaders #mannerquot #john #cohen #abc #news #contributor #acting #homeland #officialquotany #building #vehicle #airplane #located #highvalue #target #who #gather #much #information #about #presidentquotair #several #days #due #its #ability #refuel #midairthe #houses #small #medical #facility #where #doctors #perform #surgery #neededall #these #likely #need #installed #gift #qatarmore #defends #qatar #offer #says #039stupid039 #away #planea #darrell #blocker #saidquotif #you #back #almost #anything #given #there #regulations #restrictions #guidelines #ensuring #they039re #being #bugged #absolute #nightmare #confirm #it039s #notquot #told #mondayquotfrom #perspective #brightest #movequotblocker #cited #when #usembassy #built #moscow #1980s #ushad #quottake #bare #bonesquot #because #russians #quotput #bugs #through #every #room #facilityquotquoti #think #people #troy #they #accepted #horse #regretted #after #fact #alsoquot #saidthe #complexity #time #needed #retrofit #inspect #raise #questions #cost #timelinequoteven #under #best #circumstances #going #take #effort #satisfied #constructed #safely #compromised #standpoint #collection #capabilities #planted #will #assimilate #present #that039s #onequot #saidquotto #done #right #happen #quicklyquotquotin #order #adequately #this #which #operated #happens #relationship #iran #china #russia #had #introduced #into #gonna #basically #tear #airframequot #addedwhite #working #039legal #details039both #usair #department #defense #referred #asked #possible #transfer #qatariowned #defensequotthe #united #states #all #proper #safety #protocols #followedquot #spokesperson #anna #kelly #newshouse #speaker #mike #johnson #comment #preparing #hasn039t #seen #quotdetailsquotthe #quotlegal #detailsquot #government039s #press #secretary #karoline #leavitt #appearance #fox #newsquotbut #course #always #full #compliance #lawand #commit #ourselves #utmost #transparency #continue #thatquot #addedpresident #boards #riyadh #saudi #arabia #2025manuel #balce #cenetaaptrump #doesn039t #leaves #officepressed #senior #political #correspondent #rachel #scott #what #view #quota #defensequotsources #familiar #proposed #arrangement #available #new #until #shortly #before #ownership #transferred #presidential #library #foundationif #private #contractor #were #complete #modifications #end #trump039s #many #then #removed #should #foundation #possession #upon #leaving #nature #technologyultimately #suspects #members #community #assess #risk #quotthe #level #minimize #securityquotquotif #doing #their #job #president039s #team #explain #exists #service #introduce #intercept #facetoface #electronic #coming #planequot #saidquotthey #explaining #involve #mitigatedand #make #informed #decision #whether #conditions #airplanequot

Qatar's luxury jet donation poses significant security risks, experts say. It poses a "counterintelligence nightmare," a former CIA field operative said.

The Trump administration's plan to accept a luxury jet donated by the Qatari government to use as Air Force One raises significant security concerns, intelligence experts and government officials say, as President Donald Trump said it would be "stupid" not to accept a free plane.Trump on Monday defended the administration's plans to receive a luxury jet donated by the Qatari government during remarks at the White House, calling the donation a "very nice gesture.""I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.' But it was, I thought it was a great gesture," he said.MORE: Trump admin live updatesRhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed the move, arguing that using the plane as Air Force One would "pose immense counterintelligence risks by granting a foreign nation potential access to sensitive systems and communications.""This reckless disregard for national security and diplomatic propriety signals a dangerous willingness to barter American interests for personal gain," Reed said in a statement Monday. "It is an affront to the office of the presidency and a betrayal of the trust placed in any U.S. leader to safeguard the nation's sovereignty."Air Force One a 'high-value target'Air Force One sits on the tarmac, May 12, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesThe primary aircraft used in the current Air Force One fleet includes two aging Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets that have been operational since 1990. Despite flying for more than 35 years, the current pair of Air Force One jets are considered some of the safest and secure aircraft in the world.Many of the security features on the plane remain classified. It has anti-missile defenses or countermeasure systems to protect against surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, and the communication devices can also withstand the pulse of a nuclear blast. It is also outfitted with sophisticated communications capability to allow the president to securely run the country from the plane and protect him from cyberattacks."It's designed to transport the president in a safe way and be able to withstand physical attacks, but to also ensure that the president maintains communication with military, his cabinet, other government leaders in a safe and secure manner," said John Cohen, an ABC News contributor and former acting Homeland Security official. "Any building or vehicle or airplane that the president is located is a high-value target for foreign intelligence services who want to gather as much information about the president."Air Force One can also remain in the air for several days due to its ability to refuel in midair. The plane also houses a small medical facility where doctors could perform surgery if needed.All of these systems would likely need to be installed on the Boeing 747-8 that Trump would receive as a gift from Qatar.MORE: Trump defends Qatar jumbo jet offer, says it would be 'stupid' to turn away free planeA jet donated by Qatar would also be a "counterintelligence nightmare," ABC News contributor Darrell Blocker, a former CIA field operative, said."If you go back to almost anything that is given by a foreign government, there are regulations and restrictions and guidelines for ensuring that they're not being bugged, and a plane would be an absolute nightmare to be able to confirm that it's not," Blocker told ABC News Live on Monday. "From an intelligence perspective, it's not the brightest move."Blocker cited that when the U.S. embassy was being built in Moscow in the 1980s, the U.S. had to "take it down to its bare bones" because the Russians "put bugs through every room, every facility.""I think the people of Troy, when they accepted that horse, regretted it after the fact also," he said.The complexity and time needed to retrofit and inspect the plane raise questions on cost and a timeline."Even under the best of circumstances, it's going to take a significant effort for the military to be satisfied that the aircraft is constructed safely, that it's not compromised from the standpoint of intelligence collection capabilities being planted on it, and that it is built in a way that it will be able to assimilate the sensitive communications and countermeasure capabilities that are that are present on any plane that's Air Force One," Cohen said. "To be done right, it's not going to happen quickly.""In order to adequately ensure that this airplane -- which was operated by a foreign government that happens to have a relationship with Iran and China and Russia -- in order to ensure that that plane has not had collection capabilities introduced into it when it was constructed, they're gonna have to basically tear it down to the airframe," he added.White House working on 'legal details'Both the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense referred questions to the White House when asked about the possible transfer of the Qatari-owned Boeing 747 to the Department of Defense."The plane will be donated to the Department of Defense, and as with any foreign gift given to the United States Government, all proper safety and security protocols will be followed," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told ABC News.House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday he would not comment on Trump preparing to receive the jet from Qatar because he hasn't seen the "details."The White House is working on the "legal details" of the Qatari government's donation to the Defense Department, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday in an appearance on Fox News."But, of course, any donation to this government is always done in full compliance with the law. And we commit ourselves to the utmost transparency and we will continue to do that," Leavitt added.President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on his way to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 12, 2025.Manuel Balce Ceneta/APTrump said during remarks at the White House on Monday that he doesn't plan to use the plane after he leaves office. Pressed by ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott on what he would say to people who view the luxury plane as a personal gift to him, Trump said it was not a gift to him but "a gift to the Department of Defense."Sources familiar with the proposed arrangement told ABC News that the plane would be a gift that is to be available for use by Trump as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.If a private contractor were able to complete the modifications needed to the donated plane before the end of Trump's presidency, many of the systems installed would then need to be removed should the Trump presidential library foundation take possession of the plane upon Trump leaving office due to the sensitive nature of the technology.Ultimately, Cohen said he suspects that members of the intelligence community and the military will assess the risk to national security and "the level of effort to minimize the risk to national security.""If they're doing their job, the president's national security team will explain to him the level of risk that exists if a foreign intelligence service were able to introduce collection capabilities that could intercept face-to-face communications on the plane, electronic communications coming from the plane," Cohen said. "They should also be explaining to him the level of effort that it will involve in order for that risk to be mitigated. And with that information, he can then make an informed decision on whether and under what conditions to accept the airplane."

المصدر: abcnews.go.com

#qatar039s #luxury #jet #donation #poses #significant #security #risks #experts #say #quotcounterintelligence #nightmarequot #former #cia #field #operative #said #the #trump #administration039s #plan #accept #donated #qatari #government #use #air #force #one #raises #concerns #intelligence #and #officials #president #donald #would #quotstupidquot #not #free #planetrump #monday #defended #plans #receive #during #remarks #white #house #calling #quotvery #nice #gesturequotquoti #never #turn #down #that #kind #offeri #mean #could #stupid #person #039no #don039t #want #very #expensive #airplane039 #but #was #thought #great #gesturequot #saidmore #admin #live #updatesrhode #island #senjack #reed #top #democrat #senate #armed #services #committee #slammed #move #arguing #using #plane #quotpose #immense #counterintelligence #granting #foreign #nation #potential #access #sensitive #systems #communicationsquotquotthis #reckless #disregard #for #national #diplomatic #propriety #signals #dangerous #willingness #barter #american #interests #personal #gainquot #statement #mondayquotit #affront #office #presidency #betrayal #trust #placed #any #usleader #safeguard #nation039s #sovereigntyquotair #039highvalue #target039air #sits #tarmac #may #joint #base #andrews #marylandwin #mcnameegetty #imagesthe #primary #aircraft #used #current #fleet #includes #two #aging #boeing #jumbo #jets #have #been #operational #since #1990despite #flying #more #than #years #pair #are #considered #some #safest #secure #worldmany #features #remain #classifiedit #has #antimissile #defenses #countermeasure #protect #against #surfacetoair #airtoair #missiles #communication #devices #can #also #withstand #pulse #nuclear #blastit #outfitted #with #sophisticated #communications #capability #allow #securely #run #country #from #him #cyberattacksquotit039s #designed #transport #safe #way #able #physical #attacks #ensure #maintains #military #his #cabinet #other #leaders #mannerquot #john #cohen #abc #news #contributor #acting #homeland #officialquotany #building #vehicle #airplane #located #highvalue #target #who #gather #much #information #about #presidentquotair #several #days #due #its #ability #refuel #midairthe #houses #small #medical #facility #where #doctors #perform #surgery #neededall #these #likely #need #installed #gift #qatarmore #defends #qatar #offer #says #039stupid039 #away #planea #darrell #blocker #saidquotif #you #back #almost #anything #given #there #regulations #restrictions #guidelines #ensuring #they039re #being #bugged #absolute #nightmare #confirm #it039s #notquot #told #mondayquotfrom #perspective #brightest #movequotblocker #cited #when #usembassy #built #moscow #1980s #ushad #quottake #bare #bonesquot #because #russians #quotput #bugs #through #every #room #facilityquotquoti #think #people #troy #they #accepted #horse #regretted #after #fact #alsoquot #saidthe #complexity #time #needed #retrofit #inspect #raise #questions #cost #timelinequoteven #under #best #circumstances #going #take #effort #satisfied #constructed #safely #compromised #standpoint #collection #capabilities #planted #will #assimilate #present #that039s #onequot #saidquotto #done #right #happen #quicklyquotquotin #order #adequately #this #which #operated #happens #relationship #iran #china #russia #had #introduced #into #gonna #basically #tear #airframequot #addedwhite #working #039legal #details039both #usair #department #defense #referred #asked #possible #transfer #qatariowned #defensequotthe #united #states #all #proper #safety #protocols #followedquot #spokesperson #anna #kelly #newshouse #speaker #mike #johnson #comment #preparing #hasn039t #seen #quotdetailsquotthe #quotlegal #detailsquot #government039s #press #secretary #karoline #leavitt #appearance #fox #newsquotbut #course #always #full #compliance #lawand #commit #ourselves #utmost #transparency #continue #thatquot #addedpresident #boards #riyadh #saudi #arabia #2025manuel #balce #cenetaaptrump #doesn039t #leaves #officepressed #senior #political #correspondent #rachel #scott #what #view #quota #defensequotsources #familiar #proposed #arrangement #available #new #until #shortly #before #ownership #transferred #presidential #library #foundationif #private #contractor #were #complete #modifications #end #trump039s #many #then #removed #should #foundation #possession #upon #leaving #nature #technologyultimately #suspects #members #community #assess #risk #quotthe #level #minimize #securityquotquotif #doing #their #job #president039s #team #explain #exists #service #introduce #intercept #facetoface #electronic #coming #planequot #saidquotthey #explaining #involve #mitigatedand #make #informed #decision #whether #conditions #airplanequot

ABCNEWS.GO.COM

Qatar's luxury jet donation poses significant security risks, experts say. It poses a "counterintelligence nightmare," a former CIA field operative said.

The Trump administration's plan to accept a luxury jet donated by the Qatari government to use as Air Force One raises significant security concerns, intelligence experts and government officials say, as President Donald Trump said it would be "stupid" not to accept a free plane.Trump on Monday defended the administration's plans to receive a luxury jet donated by the Qatari government during remarks at the White House, calling the donation a "very nice gesture.""I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer. I mean, I could be a stupid person and say, 'No, we don't want a free, very expensive airplane.' But it was, I thought it was a great gesture," he said.MORE: Trump admin live updatesRhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed the move, arguing that using the plane as Air Force One would "pose immense counterintelligence risks by granting a foreign nation potential access to sensitive systems and communications.""This reckless disregard for national security and diplomatic propriety signals a dangerous willingness to barter American interests for personal gain," Reed said in a statement Monday. "It is an affront to the office of the presidency and a betrayal of the trust placed in any U.S. leader to safeguard the nation's sovereignty."Air Force One a 'high-value target'Air Force One sits on the tarmac, May 12, 2025, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesThe primary aircraft used in the current Air Force One fleet includes two aging Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets that have been operational since 1990. Despite flying for more than 35 years, the current pair of Air Force One jets are considered some of the safest and secure aircraft in the world.Many of the security features on the plane remain classified. It has anti-missile defenses or countermeasure systems to protect against surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, and the communication devices can also withstand the pulse of a nuclear blast. It is also outfitted with sophisticated communications capability to allow the president to securely run the country from the plane and protect him from cyberattacks."It's designed to transport the president in a safe way and be able to withstand physical attacks, but to also ensure that the president maintains communication with military, his cabinet, other government leaders in a safe and secure manner," said John Cohen, an ABC News contributor and former acting Homeland Security official. "Any building or vehicle or airplane that the president is located is a high-value target for foreign intelligence services who want to gather as much information about the president."Air Force One can also remain in the air for several days due to its ability to refuel in midair. The plane also houses a small medical facility where doctors could perform surgery if needed.All of these systems would likely need to be installed on the Boeing 747-8 that Trump would receive as a gift from Qatar.MORE: Trump defends Qatar jumbo jet offer, says it would be 'stupid' to turn away free planeA jet donated by Qatar would also be a "counterintelligence nightmare," ABC News contributor Darrell Blocker, a former CIA field operative, said."If you go back to almost anything that is given by a foreign government, there are regulations and restrictions and guidelines for ensuring that they're not being bugged, and a plane would be an absolute nightmare to be able to confirm that it's not," Blocker told ABC News Live on Monday. "From an intelligence perspective, it's not the brightest move."Blocker cited that when the U.S. embassy was being built in Moscow in the 1980s, the U.S. had to "take it down to its bare bones" because the Russians "put bugs through every room, every facility.""I think the people of Troy, when they accepted that horse, regretted it after the fact also," he said.The complexity and time needed to retrofit and inspect the plane raise questions on cost and a timeline."Even under the best of circumstances, it's going to take a significant effort for the military to be satisfied that the aircraft is constructed safely, that it's not compromised from the standpoint of intelligence collection capabilities being planted on it, and that it is built in a way that it will be able to assimilate the sensitive communications and countermeasure capabilities that are that are present on any plane that's Air Force One," Cohen said. "To be done right, it's not going to happen quickly.""In order to adequately ensure that this airplane -- which was operated by a foreign government that happens to have a relationship with Iran and China and Russia -- in order to ensure that that plane has not had collection capabilities introduced into it when it was constructed, they're gonna have to basically tear it down to the airframe," he added.White House working on 'legal details'Both the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense referred questions to the White House when asked about the possible transfer of the Qatari-owned Boeing 747 to the Department of Defense."The plane will be donated to the Department of Defense, and as with any foreign gift given to the United States Government, all proper safety and security protocols will be followed," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told ABC News.House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday he would not comment on Trump preparing to receive the jet from Qatar because he hasn't seen the "details."The White House is working on the "legal details" of the Qatari government's donation to the Defense Department, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday in an appearance on Fox News."But, of course, any donation to this government is always done in full compliance with the law. And we commit ourselves to the utmost transparency and we will continue to do that," Leavitt added.President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on his way to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 12, 2025.Manuel Balce Ceneta/APTrump said during remarks at the White House on Monday that he doesn't plan to use the plane after he leaves office. Pressed by ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott on what he would say to people who view the luxury plane as a personal gift to him, Trump said it was not a gift to him but "a gift to the Department of Defense."Sources familiar with the proposed arrangement told ABC News that the plane would be a gift that is to be available for use by Trump as the new Air Force One until shortly before he leaves office, at which time ownership of the plane will be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.If a private contractor were able to complete the modifications needed to the donated plane before the end of Trump's presidency, many of the systems installed would then need to be removed should the Trump presidential library foundation take possession of the plane upon Trump leaving office due to the sensitive nature of the technology.Ultimately, Cohen said he suspects that members of the intelligence community and the military will assess the risk to national security and "the level of effort to minimize the risk to national security.""If they're doing their job, the president's national security team will explain to him the level of risk that exists if a foreign intelligence service were able to introduce collection capabilities that could intercept face-to-face communications on the plane, electronic communications coming from the plane," Cohen said. "They should also be explaining to him the level of effort that it will involve in order for that risk to be mitigated. And with that information, he can then make an informed decision on whether and under what conditions to accept the airplane."

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2025-05-13 13:24:19 ·

#333;">Bizarre iPhone bug causes some audio messages to fail. Here’s why

Macworld
Super-weird bugs in Messages are nothing new, but this latest one is a real head-scratcher: If you try to send an audio message with the phrase “Dave and Buster’s,” it won’t work.
Why would that specific phrasing cause a problem? A coding expert has cracked the case.
I won’t say “and the reason will shock you,” but if you’re anything like me, you’ll find it interesting.
First, let me explain what happens when the bug triggers.
At first, the audio message (“I’m off to eat lunch at Dave and Buster’s,” as an example) appears to send normally.
It shows up in the Messages thread to the recipient, along with a transcript of the content.
No problem is flagged.
It’s at the recipient’s end that we spot the issue.
Initially the recipient sees the ellipsis icon, indicating that something is being typed or sent… but this carries on, and carries on, and eventually disappears.
And at this point there is no indication that anything has been sent at all: no message, no message transcript, no message failed notification.
In fact, if the recipient didn’t happen to have the app open, or had it open but was in a different conversation thread, they never would have known something was supposed to be on the way.
This bug is new to me, and the first time I heard about it was when it was discussed on Monday in the blog run by Guilherme Rambo, a coding and engineering expert.
Rambo, in turn, heard about the bug on the Search Engine podcast, which devoted its May 9 episode to the subject.
Rambo reproduced the bug, guessed the problem must be at the recipient end, then plugged that device into his Mac and started looking at logs.
And from that point it doesn’t appear to have taken long for him to work out what was going on: iOS’s transcription engine was recognizing the name of the U.S.
restaurant chain, changing it to the correct corporate branding (“Dave & Buster’s,” with an all-important ampersand), and then passing that into the XHTML code used to send a transcript with the audio message.
The problem isn’t being caused by the words Dave and Buster’s, but by the ampersand character between them, which has a special purpose in coding and prevents the code from being parsed correctly.

The phrase “Dave and Buster’s” doesn’t cause a problem in the U.K.
because iOS doesn’t add an ampersand (or even an apostrophe).David Price / Foundry
As you can see in the image at the top of this story, a seemingly successfully sent audio iMessage ending with the phrase “Dave & Buster’s” appears as sent but never actually appears on the recipient’s phone.
After a while, the audio message disappeared from the sender’s phone, and the recipient was completely unaware that the message had ever been sent.
With that in mind, it’s a short leap to recognize that other brands could cause the same issue—they just haven’t been spotted doing so up to now.
Rambo notes that “M&Ms” will do the same thing.
For U.K.
iPhone owners, in fact, “Dave and Buster’s” doesn’t trigger the bug because that chain is evidently not well enough known here and doesn’t get its ampersand added by autocorrect.

To reproduce the issue, I had to ask a friend to send me a message about the supermarket chain M&S.
Sure enough, this caused the hanging ellipsis followed by an unsent message.
At the time of writing, it seems almost certain that any phrase iOS would recognize as containing an ampersand would cause an audio message to fail, and when I put it like that, it’s surprising the bug hasn’t been more widely reported.

But here’s what happens when a U.K.
user tries to send a message about the supermarket chain M&S, complete with ampersand.Karen Haslam / Foundry
On the plus side, one would imagine it’s a bug that should be easy to patch in an iOS update.
The transcription feature in Messages simply needs to be told to “escape” special characters so they don’t mess up the parsing process.
And as Rambo notes, this isn’t a bug with any security vulnerabilities; indeed, it shows Apple’s BlastDoor mechanism working correctly.
“Many bad parsers would probably accept the incorrectly-formatted XHTML,” he writes, “but that sort of leniency when parsing data formats is often what ends up causing security issues.
By being pedantic about the formatting, BlastDoor is protecting the recipient from an exploit that would abuse that type of issue.”

#666;">المصدر: https://www.macworld.com/article/2779707/bizarre-iphone-bug-causes-some-audio-messages-to-fail-heres-why.html" style="color: #0066cc; text-decoration: none;">www.macworld.com

#0066cc;">#bizarre #iphone #bug #causes #some #audio #messages #fail #heres #why #macworldsuperweird #bugs #are #nothing #new #but #this #latest #one #real #headscratcher #you #try #send #message #with #the #phrase #dave #and #busters #wont #workwhy #would #that #specific #phrasing #cause #problem #coding #expert #has #cracked #casei #say #reason #will #shock #youre #anything #like #youll #find #interestingfirst #let #explain #what #happens #when #triggersat #first #off #eat #lunch #example #appears #normallyit #shows #thread #recipient #along #transcript #contentno #flaggedits #recipients #end #spot #issueinitially #sees #ellipsis #icon #indicating #something #being #typed #sent #carries #eventually #disappearsand #point #there #indication #been #all #failed #notificationin #fact #didnt #happen #have #app #open #had #was #different #conversation #they #never #known #supposed #waythis #time #heard #about #discussed #monday #blog #run #guilherme #rambo #engineering #expertrambo #turn #search #engine #podcast #which #devoted #its #may #episode #subjectrambo #reproduced #guessed #must #then #plugged #device #into #his #mac #started #looking #logsand #from #doesnt #appear #taken #long #for #him #work #out #going #ioss #transcription #recognizing #name #usrestaurant #chain #changing #correct #corporate #branding #ampamp #allimportant #ampersand #passing #xhtml #code #used #messagethe #isnt #caused #words #character #between #them #special #purpose #prevents #parsed #correctlythe #ukbecause #ios #add #even #apostrophedavid #price #foundryas #can #see #image #top #story #seemingly #successfully #imessage #ending #actually #phoneafter #while #disappeared #senders #phone #completely #unaware #ever #sentwith #mind #short #leap #recognize #other #brands #could #same #issuethey #just #havent #spotted #doing #nowrambo #notes #mampampms #thingfor #ukiphone #owners #trigger #because #evidently #not #well #enough #here #get #added #autocorrectto #reproduce #issue #ask #friend #supermarket #mampampssure #hanging #followed #unsent #messageat #writing #seems #almost #certain #any #containing #put #surprising #hasnt #more #widely #reportedbut #ukuser #tries #mampamps #complete #ampersandkaren #haslam #foundryon #plus #side #imagine #should #easy #patch #updatethe #feature #simply #needs #told #escape #characters #dont #mess #parsing #processand #security #vulnerabilities #indeed #apples #blastdoor #mechanism #working #correctlymany #bad #parsers #probably #accept #incorrectlyformatted #writes #sort #leniency #data #formats #often #ends #causing #issuesby #pedantic #formatting #protecting #exploit #abuse #type

Bizarre iPhone bug causes some audio messages to fail. Here’s why

Macworld Super-weird bugs in Messages are nothing new, but this latest one is a real head-scratcher: If you try to send an audio message with the phrase “Dave and Buster’s,” it won’t work. Why would that specific phrasing cause a problem? A coding expert has cracked the case. I won’t say “and the reason will shock you,” but if you’re anything like me, you’ll find it interesting. First, let me explain what happens when the bug triggers. At first, the audio message (“I’m off to eat lunch at Dave and Buster’s,” as an example) appears to send normally. It shows up in the Messages thread to the recipient, along with a transcript of the content. No problem is flagged. It’s at the recipient’s end that we spot the issue. Initially the recipient sees the ellipsis icon, indicating that something is being typed or sent… but this carries on, and carries on, and eventually disappears. And at this point there is no indication that anything has been sent at all: no message, no message transcript, no message failed notification. In fact, if the recipient didn’t happen to have the app open, or had it open but was in a different conversation thread, they never would have known something was supposed to be on the way. This bug is new to me, and the first time I heard about it was when it was discussed on Monday in the blog run by Guilherme Rambo, a coding and engineering expert. Rambo, in turn, heard about the bug on the Search Engine podcast, which devoted its May 9 episode to the subject. Rambo reproduced the bug, guessed the problem must be at the recipient end, then plugged that device into his Mac and started looking at logs. And from that point it doesn’t appear to have taken long for him to work out what was going on: iOS’s transcription engine was recognizing the name of the U.S. restaurant chain, changing it to the correct corporate branding (“Dave & Buster’s,” with an all-important ampersand), and then passing that into the XHTML code used to send a transcript with the audio message. The problem isn’t being caused by the words Dave and Buster’s, but by the ampersand character between them, which has a special purpose in coding and prevents the code from being parsed correctly. The phrase “Dave and Buster’s” doesn’t cause a problem in the U.K. because iOS doesn’t add an ampersand (or even an apostrophe).David Price / Foundry As you can see in the image at the top of this story, a seemingly successfully sent audio iMessage ending with the phrase “Dave & Buster’s” appears as sent but never actually appears on the recipient’s phone. After a while, the audio message disappeared from the sender’s phone, and the recipient was completely unaware that the message had ever been sent. With that in mind, it’s a short leap to recognize that other brands could cause the same issue—they just haven’t been spotted doing so up to now. Rambo notes that “M&Ms” will do the same thing. For U.K. iPhone owners, in fact, “Dave and Buster’s” doesn’t trigger the bug because that chain is evidently not well enough known here and doesn’t get its ampersand added by autocorrect. To reproduce the issue, I had to ask a friend to send me a message about the supermarket chain M&S. Sure enough, this caused the hanging ellipsis followed by an unsent message. At the time of writing, it seems almost certain that any phrase iOS would recognize as containing an ampersand would cause an audio message to fail, and when I put it like that, it’s surprising the bug hasn’t been more widely reported. But here’s what happens when a U.K. user tries to send a message about the supermarket chain M&S, complete with ampersand.Karen Haslam / Foundry On the plus side, one would imagine it’s a bug that should be easy to patch in an iOS update. The transcription feature in Messages simply needs to be told to “escape” special characters so they don’t mess up the parsing process. And as Rambo notes, this isn’t a bug with any security vulnerabilities; indeed, it shows Apple’s BlastDoor mechanism working correctly. “Many bad parsers would probably accept the incorrectly-formatted XHTML,” he writes, “but that sort of leniency when parsing data formats is often what ends up causing security issues. By being pedantic about the formatting, BlastDoor is protecting the recipient from an exploit that would abuse that type of issue.”

المصدر: www.macworld.com

#bizarre #iphone #bug #causes #some #audio #messages #fail #heres #why #macworldsuperweird #bugs #are #nothing #new #but #this #latest #one #real #headscratcher #you #try #send #message #with #the #phrase #dave #and #busters #wont #workwhy #would #that #specific #phrasing #cause #problem #coding #expert #has #cracked #casei #say #reason #will #shock #youre #anything #like #youll #find #interestingfirst #let #explain #what #happens #when #triggersat #first #off #eat #lunch #example #appears #normallyit #shows #thread #recipient #along #transcript #contentno #flaggedits #recipients #end #spot #issueinitially #sees #ellipsis #icon #indicating #something #being #typed #sent #carries #eventually #disappearsand #point #there #indication #been #all #failed #notificationin #fact #didnt #happen #have #app #open #had #was #different #conversation #they #never #known #supposed #waythis #time #heard #about #discussed #monday #blog #run #guilherme #rambo #engineering #expertrambo #turn #search #engine #podcast #which #devoted #its #may #episode #subjectrambo #reproduced #guessed #must #then #plugged #device #into #his #mac #started #looking #logsand #from #doesnt #appear #taken #long #for #him #work #out #going #ioss #transcription #recognizing #name #usrestaurant #chain #changing #correct #corporate #branding #ampamp #allimportant #ampersand #passing #xhtml #code #used #messagethe #isnt #caused #words #character #between #them #special #purpose #prevents #parsed #correctlythe #ukbecause #ios #add #even #apostrophedavid #price #foundryas #can #see #image #top #story #seemingly #successfully #imessage #ending #actually #phoneafter #while #disappeared #senders #phone #completely #unaware #ever #sentwith #mind #short #leap #recognize #other #brands #could #same #issuethey #just #havent #spotted #doing #nowrambo #notes #mampampms #thingfor #ukiphone #owners #trigger #because #evidently #not #well #enough #here #get #added #autocorrectto #reproduce #issue #ask #friend #supermarket #mampampssure #hanging #followed #unsent #messageat #writing #seems #almost #certain #any #containing #put #surprising #hasnt #more #widely #reportedbut #ukuser #tries #mampamps #complete #ampersandkaren #haslam #foundryon #plus #side #imagine #should #easy #patch #updatethe #feature #simply #needs #told #escape #characters #dont #mess #parsing #processand #security #vulnerabilities #indeed #apples #blastdoor #mechanism #working #correctlymany #bad #parsers #probably #accept #incorrectlyformatted #writes #sort #leniency #data #formats #often #ends #causing #issuesby #pedantic #formatting #protecting #exploit #abuse #type