Merriam-Webster’s word of the year delivers a dismissive verdict on junk AI content by Benj Edwards on 2025-12-15 22:41 (#726E5) Dictionary codifies the term that took hold in 2024 for low-quality AI-generated content.
Stranger Things S5 trailer teases Vol. 2 by Jennifer Ouellette on 2025-12-15 22:14 (#726E6) "Everything we've ever assumed about the Upside Down has been dead wrong."
Microsoft will finally kill obsolete cipher that has wreaked decades of havoc by Dan Goodin on 2025-12-15 21:15 (#726BW) The weak RC4 for administrative authentication has been a hacker holy grail for decades.
Ford ends F-150 Lightning production, starts battery storage business by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2025-12-15 21:05 (#726BX) It looks like battery electric vehicles are out of fashion at the Blue Oval.
Microsoft takes down mod that re-created Halo 3 in Counter-Strike 2 by Kyle Orland on 2025-12-15 20:20 (#72692) Project Misriah creator vows to use new experience "to cook up something else."
Murder-suicide case shows OpenAI selectively hides data after users die by Ashley Belanger on 2025-12-15 20:10 (#72693) OpenAI accused of hiding full ChatGPT logs in murder-suicide case.
Filmmaker Rob Reiner, wife, killed in horrific home attack by Jennifer Ouellette on 2025-12-15 19:53 (#72694) The Reiners' troubled 32-year-old son, Nick, has been arrested in conjunction with the killings.
UK to “encourage” Apple and Google to put nudity-blocking systems on phones by Jon Brodkin on 2025-12-15 19:38 (#72695) Government seeks "nudity-detection algorithms" in iOS and Android, report says.
Google will end dark web reports that alerted users to leaked data by Ryan Whitwam on 2025-12-15 18:13 (#72696) Google says the reports lacked "helpful next steps."
Oh look, yet another Starship clone has popped up in China by Eric Berger on 2025-12-15 16:44 (#7263A) Chinese companies are no longer hiding their intent to clone SpaceX. They're advertising it.
Roomba maker iRobot swept into bankruptcy by Rafe Rosner-Uddin in San Francisco on 2025-12-15 15:24 (#7263B) Shenzhen-based Picea Robotics, its lender and primary supplier, will acquire all of iRobot's shares.
Verizon refused to unlock man’s iPhone, so he sued the carrier and won by Jon Brodkin on 2025-12-15 12:30 (#725ZY) Verizon changed policy after he bought the phone, wouldn't unlock it despite FCC rule.
Sharks and rays gain landmark protections as nations move to curb international trade by Teresa Tomassoni on 2025-12-13 12:00 (#724WR) Gov'ts agree to ban or restrict international trade in shark meat, fins, and other products.
OpenAI built an AI coding agent and uses it to improve the agent itself by Benj Edwards on 2025-12-12 22:16 (#724MC) "The vast majority of Codex is built by Codex," OpenAI told us about its new AI coding agent.
Reminder: Donate to win swag in our annual Charity Drive sweepstakes by Kyle Orland on 2025-12-12 21:35 (#724MD) Help raise a charity haul that's already past $11,000 in just a couple of days.
Google Translate expands live translation to all earbuds on Android by Ryan Whitwam on 2025-12-12 20:44 (#724ME) Expanded live translation will come to iOS in the coming months.
Ukrainians sue US chip firms for powering Russian drones, missiles by Ashley Belanger on 2025-12-12 19:49 (#724JN) Lawsuits may force Intel, AMD, and Texas Instruments to do more to control chip supply chains.
Scientists built an AI co-pilot for prosthetic bionic hands by Jacek Krywko on 2025-12-12 19:14 (#724JP) Managing each finger separately can, with the right sensors, ease control issues.
A study in contrasts: The cinematography of Wake Up Dead Man by Jennifer Ouellette on 2025-12-12 18:58 (#724FT) Ars chats with cinematographer Steve Yedlin about bringing Rian Johnson's Gothic vision to life.
Trump tries to block state AI laws himself after Congress decided not to by Jon Brodkin on 2025-12-12 18:29 (#724FV) Trump claims state laws force AI makers to embed "ideological bias" in models.
Man shocks doctors with extreme blood pressure, stroke from energy drinks by Beth Mole on 2025-12-12 17:33 (#724FW) His blood pressure was 254/150. Readings of 180/120 are considered an emergency.
Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case by Kyle Orland on 2025-12-12 16:00 (#7249V) But Sweeney warns iOS devs are still afraid of "totally illegal" retaliation by Apple.
Senator endorses discredited doctor’s book that claims chemical treats autism, cancer by Megan O'Matz on 2025-12-12 15:33 (#7249W) Safety experts advise those who handle chlorine dioxide to work in well-ventilated spaces, wear gloves.
Investors commit quarter-billion dollars to startup designing “Giga” satellites by Stephen Clark on 2025-12-12 15:23 (#7249X) "If we build these platforms well, we get to ask new questions about what's possible in orbit."
How to break free from smart TV ads and tracking by Scharon Harding on 2025-12-12 12:30 (#7246H) Sick of smart TVs? Here are your best options.
Chatbot-powered toys rebuked for discussing sexual, dangerous topics with kids by Scharon Harding on 2025-12-12 12:15 (#7246J) "... AI toys shouldn't be capable of having sexually explicit conversations, period."
Rocket Report: Neutron’s Hungry Hippo is deemed ready, whither Orbex? by Eric Berger on 2025-12-12 12:00 (#7246K) "That is the moment an IPO suddenly came into play."
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic announced as a KOTOR spiritual successor by Kyle Orland on 2025-12-12 02:51 (#723X0) Original KOTOR director Casey Hudson returns to Star Wars with new studio Arcanaut.
Jonathan Blow has spent the past decade designing 1,400 puzzles for you by Kyle Orland on 2025-12-12 01:50 (#723X1) Preview: Order of the Sinking Star started small but became a "combinatoric explosion."
Runway claims its GWM-1 “world models” can stay coherent for minutes at a time by Samuel Axon on 2025-12-11 23:47 (#723SH) Runway joins a competitive field alongside Google, Nvidia, and others.
Instead of fixing WoW’s new floating house exploit, Blizzard makes it official by Kyle Orland on 2025-12-11 23:03 (#723SJ) "We all kinda immediately agreed this was way too cool to change."
OpenAI releases GPT-5.2 after “code red” Google threat alert by Benj Edwards on 2025-12-11 21:27 (#723Q1) Company claims new AI model tops Gemini and matches humans on 70% of work tasks.
Supergirl teaser gives us a likably imperfect Kara Zor-El by Jennifer Ouellette on 2025-12-11 20:25 (#723Q2) Director Craig Gillespie's film is the second in the new DCU's "Gods and Monsters" chapter.
Disney says Google AI infringes copyright “on a massive scale” by Ryan Whitwam on 2025-12-11 19:29 (#723M7) Disney demands that Google immediately block its copyrighted content from appearing in AI outputs.
Ars Live: 3 former CDC leaders detail impacts of RFK Jr.’s anti-science agenda by Beth Mole on 2025-12-11 18:33 (#723M8) Join us Tuesday, December 16, at 2 pm ET to hear from leaders who resigned in protest.
Gazelle’s Arroyo offers a belt drive, continuous variable transmission by John Timmer on 2025-12-11 18:26 (#723M9) Gazelle's high-end commuter offers a belt drive and continuous variable transmission.
Fewer EVs need fewer batteries: Ford and SK On end their joint venture by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2025-12-11 17:33 (#723GZ) Ford will keep the plant in Kentucky, SK gets the one in Tennessee.
No sterile neutrinos after all, say MicroBooNE physicists by Jennifer Ouellette on 2025-12-11 17:02 (#723H0) There's a less than 5 percent chance that earlier anomalies can be explained by fourth neutrino "flavor."
Disney invests $1 billion in OpenAI, licenses 200 characters for AI video app Sora by Benj Edwards on 2025-12-11 16:43 (#723H1) Three-year deal lets users create AI videos of Mickey Mouse, Darth Vader, and more.
Oracle shares slide on $15B increase in data center spending by Rafe Rosner-Uddin on 2025-12-11 14:39 (#723A7) Company raises its capital expenditure forecast as it doubles down on AI infrastructure bet.
NASA just lost contact with a Mars orbiter, and will soon lose another one by Stephen Clark on 2025-12-11 00:29 (#722YA) If NASA is serious about exploring Mars, it's past time to send new missions.
After years of resisting it, SpaceX now plans to go public. Why? by Eric Berger on 2025-12-10 23:16 (#722WG) "Much of the AI race comes down to amassing and deploying assets."
After NPR and PBS defunding, FCC receives call to take away station licenses by Jon Brodkin on 2025-12-10 21:05 (#722SG) NPR and PBS stations targeted by group involved in Carr's news-distortion probes.
A new open-weights AI coding model is closing in on proprietary options by Benj Edwards on 2025-12-10 20:38 (#722SH) Devstral 2 model scores 72% on industry benchmark, nearing proprietary rivals.
Cable channel subscribers grew for the first time in 8 years last quarter by Scharon Harding on 2025-12-10 20:07 (#722SJ) Sports and YouTube TV played big roles, MoffettNathanson report says.
Kindle Scribe Colorsoft brings color e-ink to Amazon’s 11-inch e-reader by Andrew Cunningham on 2025-12-10 18:40 (#722PV) Amazon has added color e-ink to its devices more slowly than its competitors.
US taking 25% cut of Nvidia chip sales “makes no sense,” experts say by Ashley Belanger on 2025-12-10 18:30 (#722PW) Trump's odd Nvidia reversal may open the door for China to demand Blackwell access.
After key Russian launch site is damaged, NASA accelerates Dragon supply missions by Eric Berger on 2025-12-10 18:13 (#722PX) It is by no means certain that Russia will be able to fix Site 31 soon.
Ugly infotainment mars the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid experience by Jonathan M. Gitlin on 2025-12-10 18:00 (#722KK) It drives fine, but the first hybrid Forester is not without its flaws.
This is the oldest evidence of people starting fires by Kiona N. Smith on 2025-12-10 17:14 (#722KM) We didn't start the fire. (Neanderthals did, at least 400,000 years ago.)