NerdNews

Hyperscalers like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are struggling to meet their sustainability goals due to the increasing power demands of AI. Despite investing in carbon capture, nuclear energy, and renewables, the companies are still falling short. The article highlights the challenges of meeting these goals, including the high energy requirements of AI systems and the limitations of current sustainable energy solutions.

Large Language Models (LLMs) are generating code suggestions that include non-existent software packages, which can be exploited by attackers to install malware. This 'slopsquatting' technique can lead to supply chain attacks, and experts warn that it's a growing concern. The Python Software Foundation and security firms are working to mitigate the issue, but it's a challenging problem to solve.

YouTube has introduced an AI-powered tool that creates background music for videos. The tool, called Music Assistant, allows users to specify the type of music they want by describing details such as instruments, mood, and video type. The generated instrumental track can be used without copyright infringement risk. The feature is currently available in beta for US users in the YouTube Partner Program.

Waymo will start testing its self-driving taxi technology in Tokyo next week, marking the first time it's deploying its robotaxis outside the US. The company will use 25 electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles equipped with cameras and radars to collect data on Tokyo's roads and driving patterns. The initial phase will have drivers behind the wheel, with the goal of eventually operating autonomously.

OpenAI is retiring GPT-4 from ChatGPT on April 30, replacing it with GPT-4o, which improves on writing, coding, and STEM capabilities. Despite this, API users will still have access to GPT-4 after the retirement date. The move comes as OpenAI prepares to launch new models, including GPT-4.5 and potentially GPT-5.

A report from the Bank of England warns that advanced AI trading models may learn to manipulate markets, causing financial crises or being used for money laundering and terrorism. The models could exploit profit-making opportunities, leading to market instability.

Researchers at Microsoft found that AI models are not good at debugging software, even with access to tools. They created a new environment called debug-gym to test and improve AI debugging capabilities, but the models still have a low success rate of 48.4%. The study suggests that AI agents are not yet ready to replace human developers for debugging tasks.

Cyble has identified critical vulnerabilities in industrial control systems from Rockwell Automation, Hitachi Energy, and Inaba Denki Sangyo, with CVSS scores up to 9.9. The vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution, unauthorized access, and data tampering. Cyble urges users to patch the vulnerabilities immediately to prevent exploitation.

The Linux Foundation has expanded beyond its Linux roots to support over 1,000 open source projects. Jim Zemlin, the foundation's executive director, discusses the 'portfolio approach' to managing these projects, which involves diversifying and pooling resources to create long-term sustainability. The foundation has also launched initiatives such as the Model Openness Framework to promote transparency and reproducibility in AI development.

Shopify's CEO announced that AI is a workplace expectation. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to master AI at work, including starting to use AI now, knowing how you provide value, developing a documentation habit, automating repeatable tasks, and sharing what you learn.

VMware has announced the beta release of vSphere Foundation 9, which includes vSphere server virtualization, vCenter VM manager, vSphere Kubernetes Services, and VSAN virtual storage. The upgrade is expected to deliver improved lifecycle management and deployment tools, as well as better hybrid cloud capabilities. This release is significant as vSphere 7.x will reach end-of-life in October, making it a crucial upgrade for users.

Diablo Canyon, a nuclear power plant in California, is using artificial intelligence to help workers navigate technical reports and regulations. The AI tool, called Neutron Enterprise, uses NVIDIA H100 graphical processors to search and summarize documents, reducing the time spent on this task from 15,000 hours to a significantly lower amount. The technology is being developed by Atomic Canyon, a startup that partnered with the plant's operator, PG&E. While the current use of AI is limited, there are concerns about the potential risks and need for regulations as the technology becomes more integrated into the nuclear energy industry.

Apple is working on a new Vision Pro model that plugs into Macs, addressing weight and price concerns, with a goal of creating lightweight AR glasses for daily wear.

Netflix is testing a new search feature powered by OpenAI, allowing users to search for content using natural language and specific terms like their mood. The feature is currently being tested in Australia and New Zealand, with plans to expand to more markets, including the US.

Datadog combined structured metadata and Slack messages to create an LLM-driven functionality for composing incident postmortems. The team fine-tuned the structure and LLM instructions, explored different model alternatives, and ensured trust and privacy by marking AI-generated content and stripping sensitive information.

Microsoft is reintroducing the Recall feature in Windows 11, which takes screenshots every 3 seconds, indexes, and stores user activity. The feature, initially introduced in May 2024, was suspended due to privacy concerns. Critics argue that Recall poses significant risks, including the potential for malicious insiders, criminals, or nation-state spies to access sensitive information. The feature will be rolled out to Windows 11 users, despite concerns from security and privacy advocates.

A researcher has discovered dozens of suspicious Chrome extensions with over 4 million installs, many of which have been granted the 'Featured' designation by Google. These extensions have highly obfuscated code, require sensitive permissions, and can potentially steal user data. The extensions are unlisted in the Chrome Web Store, making it unclear how they gained so many installs.

Apple is planning to update iPadOS with more Mac-like features, including improved multitasking and windowing. The changes, expected to arrive with iPadOS 19, will make the iPad feel more like a Mac, but won't be a full macOS experience. The update is rumored to include enhancements to Stage Manager, a feature introduced in iPadOS 16, which allows for windowing and app grouping.

Chinese officials have reportedly admitted to directing cyberattacks on US infrastructure, citing America's support for Taiwan as a reason. Alibaba Cloud has also expanded its services outside of China, and India has launched a new electronics subsidy scheme.

The Nintendo Switch 2's pre-orders have been delayed in the US due to tariffs, but the console will still be widely available starting June 5. The starting price was set at $450, but this may change due to the proposed tariffs. The Switch 2 features a 7.9-inch LCD screen, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR, and a 1080p resolution. It also has a built-in mic, new Joy-Con 2 controllers with mouse controls, and a built-in gyroscope for tilt control.