According to ExplodingTopics, ChatGPT receives roughly 5.19 billion visits per month, with around 15% of users based in the U.S.—highlighting both domestic and global adoption. Weekly users surged from 1 million in November 2022 to 400 million by Feb

Microsoft offered up a fairly light Patch Tuesday release this month, with 68 patches to Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office. There were no updates for Exchange or SQL server and just two minor patches for Microsoft Edge. That said, two zero-day vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-33073 and CVE-2025-33053) have led to a “Patch Now” recommendation for both Windows and Office. (Developers can follow their usual release cadence with updates to Microsoft .NET and Visual Studio.) To help navigate these changes, the team from Readiness has provided auseful  infographic detailing the risks involved when deploying the latest updates. (More information about recent Patch Tuesday releases is available here.) Known issues Microsoft released a limited number of known issues for June, with a product-focused issue and a very minor display concern: Microsoft Excel: This a rare product level entry in the “known issues” category — an advisory that “square brackets” or [] are not supported in Excel filenames. An error is generated, advising the user to remove the offending characters. Windows 10: There are reports of blurry or unclear CJK (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) text when displayed at 96 DPI (100% scaling) in Chromium-based browsers such as Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome. This is a limited resource issue, as the font resolution in Windows 10 does not fully match the high-level resolution of the Noto font. Microsoft recommends changing the display scaling to 125% or 150% to improve clarity. Major revisions and mitigations Microsoft might have won an award for the shortest time between releasing an update and a revision with: CVE-2025-33073: Windows SMB Client Elevation of Privilege. Microsoft worked to address a vulnerability where improper access control in Windows SMB allows an attacker to elevate privileges over a network. This patch was revised on the same day as its initial release (and has been revised again for documentation purposes). Windows lifecycle and enforcement updates Microsoft did not release any enforcement updates for June. Each month, the Readiness team analyzes Microsoft’s latest updates and provides technically sound, actionable testing plans. While June’s release includes no stated functional changes, many foundational components across authentication, storage, networking, and user experience have been updated. For this testing guide, we grouped Microsoft’s updates by Windows feature and then accompanied the section with prescriptive test actions and rationale to help prioritize enterprise efforts. Core OS and UI compatibility Microsoft updated several core kernel drivers affecting Windows as a whole. This is a low-level system change and carries a high risk of compatibility and system issues. In addition, core Microsoft print libraries have been included in the update, requiring additional print testing in addition to the following recommendations: Run print operations from 32-bit applications on 64-bit Windows environments. Use different print drivers and configurations (e.g., local, networked). Observe printing from older productivity apps and virtual environments. Remote desktop and network connectivity This update could impact the reliability of remote access while broken DHCP-to-DNS integration can block device onboarding, and NAT misbehavior disrupts VPNs or site-to-site routing configurations. We recommend the following tests be performed: Create and reconnect Remote Desktop (RDP) sessions under varying network conditions. Confirm that DHCP-assigned IP addresses are correctly registered with DNS in AD-integrated environments. Test modifying NAT and routing settings in RRAS configurations and ensure that changes persist across reboots. Filesystem, SMB and storage Updates to the core Windows storage libraries affect nearly every command related to Microsoft Storage Spaces. A minor misalignment here can result in degraded clusters, orphaned volumes, or data loss in a failover scenario. These are high-priority components in modern data center and hybrid cloud infrastructure, with the following storage-related testing recommendations: Access file shares using server names, FQDNs, and IP addresses. Enable and validate encrypted and compressed file-share operations between clients and servers. Run tests that create, open, and read from system log files using various file and storage configurations. Validate core cluster storage management tasks, including creating and managing storage pools, tiers, and volumes. Test disk addition/removal, failover behaviors, and resiliency settings. Run system-level storage diagnostics across active and passive nodes in the cluster. Windows installer and recovery Microsoft delivered another update to the Windows Installer (MSI) application infrastructure. Broken or regressed Installer package MSI handling disrupts app deployment pipelines while putting core business applications at risk. We suggest the following tests for the latest changes to MSI Installer, Windows Recovery and Microsoft’s Virtualization Based Security (VBS): Perform installation, repair, and uninstallation of MSI Installer packages using standard enterprise deployment tools (e.g. Intune). Validate restore point behavior for points older than 60 days under varying virtualization-based security (VBS) settings. Check both client and server behaviors for allowed or blocked restores. We highly recommend prioritizing printer testing this month, then remote desktop deployment testing to ensure your core business applications install and uninstall as expected. Each month, we break down the update cycle into product families (as defined by Microsoft) with the following basic groupings:  Browsers (Microsoft IE and Edge); Microsoft Windows (both desktop and server); Microsoft Office; Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server;  Microsoft Developer Tools (Visual Studio and .NET); And Adobe (if you get this far). Browsers Microsoft delivered a very minor series of updates to Microsoft Edge. The  browser receives two Chrome patches (CVE-2025-5068 and CVE-2025-5419) where both updates are rated important. These low-profile changes can be added to your standard release calendar. Microsoft Windows Microsoft released five critical patches and (a smaller than usual) 40 patches rated important. This month the five critical Windows patches cover the following desktop and server vulnerabilities: Missing release of memory after effective lifetime in Windows Cryptographic Services (WCS) allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. Use after free in Windows Remote Desktop Services allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. Use after free in Windows KDC Proxy Service (KPSSVC) allows an unauthorized attacker to execute code over a network. Use of uninitialized resources in Windows Netlogon allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network. Unfortunately, CVE-2025-33073 has been reported as publicly disclosed while CVE-2025-33053 has been reported as exploited. Given these two zero-days, the Readiness recommends a “Patch Now” release schedule for your Windows updates. Microsoft Office Microsoft released five critical updates and a further 13 rated important for Office. The critical patches deal with memory related and “use after free” memory allocation issues affecting the entire platform. Due to the number and severity of these issues, we recommend a “Patch Now” schedule for Office for this Patch Tuesday release. Microsoft Exchange and SQL Server There are no updates for either Microsoft Exchange or SQL Server this month.  Developer tools There were only three low-level updates (product focused and rated important) released, affecting .NET and Visual Studio. Add these updates to your standard developer release schedule. Adobe (and 3rd party updates) Adobe has released (but Microsoft has not co-published) a single update to Adobe Acrobat (APSB25-57). There were two other non-Microsoft updated releases affecting the Chromium platform, which were covered in the Browser section above.

If its trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase wasn’t enough, Bloober Team’s Cronos: The New Dawn has received another gameplay trailer. It starts slowly enough, with the player, known as the Traveler, steadily walking through a quiet environment. Of course, an Orphan suddenly comes alive, prompting a quick extermination. They’re not all so easy to deal with, as exemplified by a larger Orphan that appears inside an abandoned hardware shop. Shrugging off hits and attacking with a root-like arm, it eventually begins to merge with a corpse, becoming stronger in the process. Any encounter with the Orphans means not giving them a chance to merge, which is likely easier said than done. Cronos: The New Dawn launches this Fall for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Resident Evil and Dead Space serve as inspirations, though the storyline revolves around traveling to the past at the behest of the Collective and extracting the Essence of important individuals. Check out the dev diary here for more details. Bloober Team has also recently announced its development of Silent Hill 1 remake with Konami. You can learn more about that here.

Your everyday carry setup says a lot about who you are. Whether you’re a craftsman who demands precision tools or an outdoor enthusiast who needs reliable gear, the right knife can make all the difference. The Ezsharp 2.0 Titanium Folding Utility Knife isn’t just another blade for your pocket. It’s a game-changer that combines premium materials with innovative design. Most folding knives force you to choose between strength and weight, but the Ezsharp 2.0 throws that compromise out the window. Built from premium titanium alloy, this folding knife delivers incredible strength while staying remarkably lightweight in your pocket. You get the durability you need without the bulk that weighs you down during long days on the job or weekend adventures. Designer: Alan Zheng Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $138.6 (43% off). Hurry, only 16/170 left! Titanium brings some serious advantages to the table that make it worth the investment. Unlike traditional stainless steel options, titanium offers natural resistance to rust and corrosion, so your knife stays sharp and reliable whether you’re working in humid conditions, caught in unexpected rain, or dealing with extreme temperatures. This means your tool performs consistently regardless of what Mother Nature throws your way. The real genius of the Ezsharp 2.0 lies in its dual-blade storage system. Instead of carrying multiple cutting tools or constantly searching for the right blade, you can swap between different scalpel blade types depending on your task. Need precision for detailed work? Switch to a fine-point blade. Tackling heavy-duty cutting? Pop in a robust utility blade and get to work. This innovative storage design uses powerful magnets to secure blades in both the active position and the backup compartment. The magnetic retention system ensures your blades stay exactly where they should be, eliminating the wobble and play that plague cheaper alternatives. You can trust that your cutting edge will be stable and precise when you need it most. The engineering extends beyond just storage, though. The Ezsharp 2.0 accepts six different scalpel blade formats, including #18, #20, #21, #22, #23, and #24. This compatibility gives you access to specialized blade geometries for everything from cardboard breakdown to precision crafting. Having options means you can tackle any cutting challenge without compromise. Craftsmen will appreciate the attention to detail in the construction. Every component except the replaceable blades comes from precision CNC machining, ensuring tight tolerances and smooth operation. The stainless steel blade holder receives proper heat treatment for longevity, while the frame lock mechanism provides a secure lockup that you can depend on during demanding tasks. The flipper opening system makes one-handed deployment effortless, perfect when your other hand is busy holding materials or managing your workspace. This practical design consideration shows that the makers understand how working professionals actually use their tools. You shouldn’t have to fumble with complicated mechanisms when time matters and precision counts. For EDC enthusiasts, the compact profile means the Ezsharp 2.0 disappears in your pocket without printing or creating uncomfortable bulk. The titanium construction keeps the weight down to levels that won’t throw off your carry balance, yet provides the strength to handle serious cutting tasks when called upon. The combination of premium materials, thoughtful engineering, and practical functionality makes the Ezsharp 2.0 stand out in a crowded market. This folding knife represents what happens when designers listen to users and create solutions for real-world problems. Whether you’re a professional who depends on reliable tools or an enthusiast who appreciates quality gear, the Ezsharp 2.0 delivers performance that justifies its place in your everyday carry rotation. Click Here to Buy Now: $79 $138.6 (43% off). Hurry, only 16/170 left!The post Ezsharp 2.0 Titanium Folding Knife with Swappable Blades Changes the EDC Game first appeared on Yanko Design.

The name, the myth, the icon: Barbie is almost synonymous with pink, the specific hues of the time responding to cultural trends across the decades. The doll – created by Ruth Handler in 1959, and distributed and produced by Mattel – has reflected and also shaped decades of American culture. Bauhaus-inspired, Barbie and HEWI have collaborated to present the Barbie x HEWI sanitaryware collection, bathed in an approachable yet sophisticated shade of pink. With a focus on celebrating individuality the Barbie way, HEWI fosters a precedent of inclusive design for bathrooms at large, ushering in a new era where all are safe and welcome. HEWI continues to set new standards in bathroom and accessory design for almost one hundred years. Their iconic extruded door handle has extended to every facet of the bathroom, including a towel bar, shower seat, soap dish, and toilet roll holder, offering everything you might need if your bathroom needs a bit of brightness. A lovely shade of light pink accented with an approachable cream color allows the Barbie x HEWI collection to fit in with existing decor, palette incredibly important in a room made for washing and cleanliness. With a satisfying thickness sometimes absent from bathroom collections, each piece receives the signature HEWI finish, glossy and made to last even through the toughest bath times. Barbie has been an integral part of our culture for over 65 years, offering a new perspective about what professions the doll could take part in and the roles she could play. In more recent years, inclusion has been a priority for the brand, choosing a more natural silhouette and featuring a more accurate and diverse picture of who Barbie and her friends could be. Here, this energy extends to the restroom, where the iconic Barbie pink meets the bold, Bauhaus silhouette of HEWI designs. HEWI has been at the forefront of product design for over 90 years, challenging themselves and others to anticipate the needs of subsequent generations. With work in healthcare, public projects, hotels, and education, HEWI strives to continue to push the boundaries of materials technology, closing loops on their production processes with projects like the Re-seat collection, made out of offcuts from injection molding. To learn more about the Barbie x HEWI sanitaryware collection, please visit barbiexhewi.com.  Imagery courtesy of HEWI.

Elon Musk’s sudden breakup with President Trump took over social media on Thursday. But the escalating feud won’t be enough to salvage a Starlink contract with Canada’s Ontario province, which canceled the deal to hit back at Trump’s trade war. Ontario Premier Doug Ford today confirmed to reporters that the Starlink deal is still dead, even though Musk is on the outs with Trump. Ford also couldn’t help but take a shot at the very public demise of the Musk-Trump partnership.“Yes, Starlink is done,” he said. “Are we surprised that they’re not seeing eye-to-eye? I predicted that as soon as that marriage happened. I thought that there would be a divorce real quick.”As for why Ontario won’t revive the deal, Ford indicated that Musk’s past support of Trump and his trade war against Canada went too far. This included Musk tweeting “Canada is not a real country" in response to a petition urging the Canadian government to rescind his citizenship.Recommended by Our Editors“I don’t want to deal with someone who’s attacking our country. And he was one of the number one culprits, Elon Musk. And that’s unacceptable. I can’t do business with someone that’s doing that,” Ford said. SpaceX’s Starlink business was originally supposed to receive a $100 million CAD ($73 million) contract to deploy satellite internet dishes that would connect 15,000 underserved homes and businesses. But in March, Ontario killed the deal to retaliate against Trump’s 25% tariff on Canadian goods. The decision caused anti-Starlink sentiment skyrocketed in the country, but it also undermined Ontario's effort to bring high-speed broadband to rural and remote areas. Still, some Canadian consumers continue to subscribe to and sign up for the satellite internet service, which has been pushing Starlink promotions in the country. In the meantime, Musk’s emerging feud with Trump could trigger some harsh consequences for SpaceX, which receives numerous federal contracts. In a Truth Social post on Thursday, the President said: “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.”

Home Meta and Yandex Spying on Android Users Through Localhost Ports: The Dying State of Online Privacy News Meta and Yandex Spying on Android Users Through Localhost Ports: The Dying State of Online Privacy 7 min read Published: June 4, 2025 Key Takeaways Meta and Yandex have been found guilty of secretly listening to localhost ports and using them to transfer sensitive data from Android devices. The corporations use Meta Pixel and Yandex Metrica scripts to transfer cookies from browsers to local apps. Using incognito mode or a VPN can’t fully protect users against it. A Meta spokesperson has called this a ‘miscommunication,’ which seems to be an attempt to underplay the situation. Wake up, Android folks! A new privacy scandal has hit your area of town. According to a new report led by Radboud University, Meta and Yandex have been listening to localhost ports to link your web browsing data with your identity and collect personal information without your consent. The companies use Meta Pixel and the Yandex Metrica scripts, which are embedded on 5.8 million and 3 million websites, respectively, to connect with their native apps on Android devices through localhost sockets. This creates a communication path between the cookies on your website and the local apps, establishing a channel for transferring personal information from your device. Also, you are mistaken if you think using your browser’s incognito mode or a VPN can protect you. Zuckerberg’s latest method of data harvesting can’t be overcome by tweaking any privacy or cookie settings or by using a VPN or incognito mode. How Does It Work? Here’s the method used by Meta to spy on Android devices: As many as 22% of the top 1 million websites contain Meta Pixel – a tracking code that helps website owners measure ad performance and track user behaviour. When Meta Pixel loads, it creates a special cookie called _fbp, which is supposed to be a first-party cookie. This means no other third party, including Meta apps themselves, should have access to this cookie. The _fbp cookie identifies your browser whenever you visit a website, meaning it can identify which person is accessing which websites. However, Meta, being Meta, went and found a loophole around this. Now, whenever you run Facebook or Instagram on your Android device, they can open up listening ports, specifically a TCP port (12387 or 12388) and a UDP port (the first unoccupied port in 12580-12585), on your phone in the background.  Whenever you load a website on your browser, the Meta Pixel uses WebRTC with SDP Munging, which essentially hides the _fbp cookie value inside the SDP message before being transmitted to your phone’s localhost.  Since Facebook and Instagram are already listening to this port, it receives the _fbp cookie value and can easily tie your identity to the website you’re visiting. Remember, Facebook and Instagram already have your identification details since you’re always logged in on these platforms. The report also says that Meta can link all _fbp received from various websites to your ID. Simply put, Meta knows which person is viewing what set of websites. Yandex also uses a similar method to harvest your personal data. Whenever you open a Yandex app, such as Yandex Maps, Yandex Browser, Yandex Search, or Navigator, it opens up ports like 29009, 30102, 29010, and 30103 on your phone.  When you visit a website that contains the Yandex Metrica Script, Yandex’s version of Meta Pixel, the script sends requests to Yandex servers containing obfuscated parameters.  These parameters are then sent to the local host via HTTP and HTTPS, which contains the IP address 127.0.0.1, or the yandexmetrica.com domain, which secretly points to 127.0.0.1. Now, the Yandex Metrica SDK in the Yandex apps receives these parameters and sends device identifiers, such as an Android Advertising ID, UUIDs, or device fingerprints. This entire message is encrypted to hide what it contains. The Yandex Metrica Script receives this info and sends it back to the Yandex servers. Just like Meta, Yandex can also tie your website activity to the device information shared by the SDK. Meta’s Infamous History with Privacy Norms This is not something new or unthinkable that Meta has done. The Mark Zuckerberg-led social media giant has a history of such privacy violations.  For instance, in 2024, the company was accused of collecting biometric data from Texas users without their express consent. The company settled the lawsuit by paying $1.4B.  Another of the most famous lawsuits was the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018, where a political consulting firm accessed private data of 87 million Facebook users without consent. The FTC fined Meta $5B for privacy violations along with a 100M settlement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.  Meta Pixel has also come under scrutiny before, when it was accused of collecting sensitive health information from hospital websites. In another case dating back to 2012, Meta was accused of tracking users even after they logged out from their Facebook accounts. In this case, Meta paid $90M and promised to delete the collected data.  In 2024, South Korea also fined Meta $15M for inappropriately collecting personal data, such as sexual orientation and political beliefs, of 980K users. In September 2024, Meta was fined $101.6M by the Irish Data Protection Commission for inadvertently storing user passwords in plain text in such a way that employees could search for them. The passwords were not encrypted and were essentially leaked internally. So, the latest scandal isn’t entirely out of character for Meta. It has been finding ways to collect your data ever since its incorporation, and it seems like it will continue to do so, regardless of the regulations and safeguards in place. That said, Meta’s recent tracking method is insanely dangerous because there’s no safeguard around it. Even if you visit websites in incognito mode or use a VPN, Meta Pixel can still track your activities.  The past lawsuits also show a very identifiable pattern: Meta doesn’t fight a lawsuit until the end to try to win it. It either accepts the fine or settles the lawsuit with monetary compensation. This essentially goes to show that it passively accepts and even ‘owns’ the illegitimate tracking methods it has been using for decades. It’s quite possible that the top management views these fines and penalties as a cost of collecting data. Meta’s Timid Response Meta’s response claims that there’s some ‘miscommunication’ regarding Google policies. However, the method used in the aforementioned tracking scandal isn’t something that can simply happen due to ‘faulty design’ or miscommunication.  We are in discussions with Google to address a potential miscommunication regarding the application of their policies – Meta Spokesperson This kind of unethical tracking method has to be deliberately designed by engineers for it to work perfectly on such a large scale. While Meta is still trying to underplay the situation, it has paused the ‘feature’ (yep, that’s what they are calling it) as of now. The report also claims that as of June 3, Facebook and Instagram are not actively listening to the new ports. Here’s what will possibly happen next: A lawsuit may be filed based on the report. An investigating committee might be formed to question the matter. The company will come up with lame excuses, such as misinterpretation or miscommunication of policy guidelines. Meta will eventually settle the lawsuit or bear the fine with pride, like it has always done.  The regulatory authorities are apparently chasing a rat that finds new holes to hide every day. Companies like Meta and Yandex seem to be one step ahead of these regulations and have mastered the art of finding loopholes. More than legislative technicalities, it’s the moral ethics of the company that become clear with incidents like this. The intent of these regulations is to protect personal information, and the fact that Meta and Yandex blatantly circumvent these regulations in their spirit shows the absolutely horrific state of capitalism these corporations are in. Krishi is a seasoned tech journalist with over four years of experience writing about PC hardware, consumer technology, and artificial intelligence.  Clarity and accessibility are at the core of Krishi’s writing style. He believes technology writing should empower readers—not confuse them—and he’s committed to ensuring his content is always easy to understand without sacrificing accuracy or depth. Over the years, Krishi has contributed to some of the most reputable names in the industry, including Techopedia, TechRadar, and Tom’s Guide. A man of many talents, Krishi has also proven his mettle as a crypto writer, tackling complex topics with both ease and zeal. His work spans various formats—from in-depth explainers and news coverage to feature pieces and buying guides.  Behind the scenes, Krishi operates from a dual-monitor setup (including a 29-inch LG UltraWide) that’s always buzzing with news feeds, technical documentation, and research notes, as well as the occasional gaming sessions that keep him fresh.  Krishi thrives on staying current, always ready to dive into the latest announcements, industry shifts, and their far-reaching impacts.  When he's not deep into research on the latest PC hardware news, Krishi would love to chat with you about day trading and the financial markets—oh! And cricket, as well. View all articles by Krishi Chowdhary Our editorial process The Tech Report editorial policy is centered on providing helpful, accurate content that offers real value to our readers. We only work with experienced writers who have specific knowledge in the topics they cover, including latest developments in technology, online privacy, cryptocurrencies, software, and more. Our editorial policy ensures that each topic is researched and curated by our in-house editors. We maintain rigorous journalistic standards, and every article is 100% written by real authors. More from News View all View all

On June 3, Yoshua Bengio, the world’s most-cited computer scientist, announced the launch of LawZero, a nonprofit that aims to create “safe by design” AI by pursuing a fundamentally different approach to major tech companies. Players like OpenAI and Google are investing heavily in AI agents—systems that not only answer queries and generate images, but can craft plans and take actions in the world. The goal of these companies is to create virtual employees that can do practically any job a human can, known in the tech industry as artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Executives like Google DeepMind’s CEO Demis Hassabis point to AGI’s potential to solve climate change or cure disease as a motivator for its development. Bengio, however, says we don't need agentic systems to reap AI's rewards—it's a false choice. He says there's a chance such a system could escape human control, with potentially irreversible consequences. “If we get an AI that gives us the cure for cancer, but also maybe another version of that AI goes rogue and generates wave after wave of bio-weapons that kill billions of people, then I don't think it's worth it," he says. In 2023, Bengio, along with others including OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman signed a statement declaring that “mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”Now, Bengio, through LawZero, aims to sidestep the existential perils by focusing on creating what he calls “Scientist AI”—a system trained to understand and make statistical predictions about the world, crucially, without the agency to take independent actions. As he puts it: We could use AI to advance scientific progress without rolling the dice on agentic AI systems.Why Bengio Says We Need A New Approach To AI The current approach to giving AI agency is “dangerous,” Bengio says. While most software operates through rigid if-then rules—if the user clicks here, do this—today's AI systems use deep learning. The technique, which Bengio helped pioneer, trains artificial networks modeled loosely on the brain to find patterns in vast amounts of data. But recognizing patterns is just the first step. To turn these systems into useful applications like chatbots, engineers employ a training process called reinforcement learning. The AI generates thousands of responses and receives feedback on each one: a virtual “carrot” for helpful answers and a virtual “stick” for responses that miss the mark. Through millions of these trial-and-feedback cycles, the system gradually learns to predict what responses are most likely to get a reward. “It’s more like growing a plant or animal,” Bengio says. “You don’t fully control what the animal is going to do. You provide it with the right conditions, and it grows and it becomes smarter. You can try to steer it in various directions.”The same basic approach is now being used to imbue AI with greater agency. Models are tasked with challenges with verifiable answers—like math puzzles or coding problems—and are then rewarded for taking the series of actions that yields the solution. This approach has seen AI shatter previous benchmarks in programming and scientific reasoning. For example, at the beginning of 2024, the best AI model scored only 2% on a standardized test for AI of sorts consisting of real world software engineering problems; by December, an impressive 71.7%. But with AI’s greater problem-solving ability comes the emergence of new deceptive skills, Bengio says. The last few months have borne witness to AI systems learning to mislead, cheat, and try to evade shutdown—even resorting to blackmail. These have almost exclusively been in carefully contrived experiments that almost beg the AI to misbehave—for example, by asking it to pursue its goal at all costs. Reports of such behavior in the real-world, though, have begun to surface. Popular AI coding startup Replit’s agent ignored explicit instruction not to edit a system file that could break the company’s software, in what CEO Amjad Masad described as an “Oh f***” moment,” on the Cognitive Revolution podcast in May. The company’s engineers intervened, cutting the agent’s access by moving the file to a secure digital sandbox, only for the AI agent to attempt to “socially engineer” the user to regain access.The quest to build human-level AI agents using techniques known to produce deceptive tendencies, Bengio says, is comparable to a car speeding down a narrow mountain road, with steep cliffs on either side, and thick fog obscuring the path ahead. “We need to set up the car with headlights and put some guardrails on the road,” he says.What is “Scientist AI”?LawZero’s focus is on developing “Scientist AI” which, as Bengio describes, would be fundamentally non-agentic, trustworthy, and focused on understanding and truthfulness, rather than pursuing its own goals or merely imitating human behavior. The aim is creating a powerful tool that, while lacking the same autonomy other models have, is capable of generating hypotheses and accelerating scientific progress to “help us solve challenges of humanity,” Bengio says.LawZero has raised nearly $30 million already from several philanthropic backers including from Schmidt Sciences and Open Philanthropy. “We want to raise more because we know that as we move forward, we'll need significant compute,” Bengio says. But even ten times that figure would pale in comparison to the roughly $200 billion spent last year by tech giants on aggressively pursuing AI. Bengio’s hope is that Scientist AI could help ensure the safety of highly autonomous systems developed by other players. “We can use those non-agentic AIs as guardrails that just need to predict whether the action of an agentic AI is dangerous," Bengio says. Technical interventions will only ever be one part of the solution, he adds, noting the need for regulations to ensure that safe practices are adopted.LawZero, named after science fiction author Isaac Asimov’s zeroth law of robotics—“a robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm”—is not the first nonprofit founded to chart a safer path for AI development. OpenAI was founded as a nonprofit in 2015 with the goal of “ensuring AGI benefits all of humanity,” and intended to serve a counterbalance to industry players guided by profit motives. Since opening a for-profit arm in 2019, the organization has become one of the most valuable private companies in the world, and has faced criticism, including from former staffers, who argue it has drifted from its founding ideals. "Well, the good news is we have the hindsight of maybe what not to do,” Bengio says, adding that he wants to avoid profit incentives and “bring governments into the governance of LawZero.”“I think everyone should ask themselves, ‘What can I do to make sure my children will have a future,’” Bengio says. In March, he stepped down as scientific director of Mila, the academic lab he co-founded in the early nineties, in an effort to reorient his work towards tackling AI risk more directly. “Because I'm a researcher, my answer is, ‘okay, I'm going to work on this scientific problem where maybe I can make a difference,’ but other people may have different answers."

Frontline Protocol – Tactical PvE Strategy Wishlist on Steam and join Playtest for free Hi everyone! I'm an indie developer working on Frontline Protocol, a real-time strategy game with a unique blend of rts, deckbuilding and auto battler mechanics, and a strong focus on cooperative PvE gameplay. This isn't your typical RTS: Instead of controlling units directly, players influence the battlefield by playing cards. Every card you deploy brings instant effects – from spawning units, constructing buildings, placing towers, to launching tactical actions. Positioning, timing, and smart synergy between your three active decks is key. Key Features Card-based RTS Control your army through over 300 cards: infantry, vehicles, towers, buildings, and powerful action cards.1–4 online Multiplayer PvE Co-op Jump into online Multiplayer battles with up to 3 friends. Share spawners, coordinate strategies, and specialize your decks for roles like defense, eco, support, or frontline pressure.Auto Battler Dynamics Once deployed, your units act autonomously – but their effectiveness depends on your deck structure, map control, and team coordination.Meta Progression Earn Booster Credits and unlock card packs containing new units, action cards, and some items. Permanently improve select cards, invest skill points for meta-progression, and shape your long-term strategy. Create new specialized decks like infantry only, anti vehicle, eco buildings or what you want.Mission System Take on dynamic PvE missions with modifiers like time limits or card restrictions. Complete them to earn Mission Coins and unlock exclusive tactical rewards from mission booster packs.Special OrderAdd extra difficulty and earn rare rewards. Special Orders can be activated by the host to increase mission difficulty for all players – by limiting income, increasing enemy spawns or something else. The entire team receives a special loot if they succeed under these conditions. Deployment PlansStrategically boost rewards during missions. Deployment Plans are one-time tactical items drawn from mission booster packs. Use them during missions to gain extra Player EXP, Card EXP, or bonus loot – either per map or at mission completion. Choosing the right plan at the right time can multiply your rewards. Stats: Genre: Real-Time Strategy meets Deckbuilder and Auto Battler Online Multiplayer: Cooperative PvE for 1–4 players Card-Based Tactics: Spawn units, fire missiles, deploy towers, build economy Multi-Deck System: Play with up to three customizable decks simultaneously Booster Packs: Unlock new units, new action cards, and items 300+ Cards: Infantry, vehicles, support units, towers, buildings, and special actions Shared Resources: Teamwide synergy through buildings and spawner sharing Deck Progression: Permanently upgrade cards and build long-term strategies Skill Tree: Earn XP and unlock passive bonuses like faster income or extra hand size Missions & Objectives: Take on randomly generated missions with bonus rewards Built for Co-op: Game design encourages collaboration and tactical communication No Paywalls: All content unlockable through gameplay only Dynamic Enemy Scaling: AI becomes stronger the longer you wait – pressure guaranteed Replay Value: Constant deck experimentation, randomized missions, and tactical depth Get more: Steam Page: Frontline Protocol on Steam Official Website: www.frontlineprotocol.com