A new study shows that cognitive training can increase levels of a brain chemical, acetylcholine, which usually decreases with age. Researchers found that people aged 65 and older who engaged in mental exercises saw an increase in this chemical in the brain area related to attention and memory.
Key Facts
Cognitive training can boost levels of acetylcholine, a chemical tied to decision-making.
Acetylcholine levels usually decrease with age by about 2.5% every decade.
A 10-week study involved people aged 65 or older doing mental exercises daily.
Participants engaged in 30 minutes of cognitive tasks like those on BrainHQ.
Those who did the exercises saw a 2.3% increase in acetylcholine levels.
Changes were observed using a special PET scan on the brain's decision-making area.
The study involved 92 healthy participants and was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Online brain-training programs like BrainHQ target attention and processing speed.
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Elon Musk's Boring Company has started building a tunnel in Nashville. The tunnel project is moving forward without approval from the city's authorities.
Key Facts
Elon Musk's Boring Company is constructing a tunnel in Nashville, Tennessee.
The tunnel will connect areas leading to and from the Nashville airport.
The project is moving ahead without getting official approval from Nashville city officials.
The construction began in October 2025.
The Boring Company is known for its tunneling and infrastructure projects.
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A study found that AI models like ChatGPT and others often give incorrect responses to questions about news events. About 45% of the answers from these AI tools had significant errors, especially in sourcing and accuracy.
Key Facts
A study by the European Broadcasting Union and the BBC tested AI models like ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Microsoft’s Copilot, and Perplexity.
The study assessed over 2,700 responses from these AI models.
45% of the responses had significant problems.
Sourcing errors were the most common, appearing in 31% of responses.
Accuracy issues were found in 20% of the responses.
Gemini had the most sourcing issues, with 76% of its answers affected.
Some examples of errors include claims about Czechia and false information about Pope Francis.
AI model producers like OpenAI and Google did not comment on the study.
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A group of experts, including AI pioneers, is asking to stop developing AI that is more intelligent than humans until it is proven safe. They want more oversight and control over advanced AI technologies. A related call to action has gained over 800 signatures from diverse figures and highlights public support for strong AI regulations.
Key Facts
A group wants to pause AI development that could be smarter than all humans.
The call for a pause on superintelligence stems from safety concerns.
The Trump administration supports rapid AI development.
The Future of Life Institute organized the pause request with over 800 signatories.
Notable signatories include AI experts and public figures like Steve Wozniak and Richard Branson.
A survey showed about 75% of U.S. adults want strong AI regulations.
Around 64% of surveyed U.S. adults support an immediate pause on advanced AI projects.
A similar call for a pause was made in early 2023, which was mostly ignored.
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OpenAI has updated its tool, Sora 2, to ban the use of real people's likenesses and copyrighted characters in its AI-generated videos unless they opt in, following complaints from celebrities and rights-holders. However, deceased celebrities can still be recreated without consent, leading to concerns about the ethical use of such AI content. OpenAI allows representatives or estates to request that certain likenesses not be used.
Key Facts
OpenAI released Sora 2 in December 2024, which can create realistic videos from text or images.
The new policy prevents using real people's or copyrighted characters' likenesses without their consent.
Actor Bryan Cranston supports the new policy, highlighting concerns over unauthorized use of performers' identities.
There's a loophole for using likenesses of deceased celebrities such as Robin Williams and Michael Jackson.
Martin Luther King Jr.'s family successfully requested a block on his likeness in Sora 2.
Legal rights about using deceased personalities vary globally, affecting how families can protect these likenesses.
OpenAI states that public figures' families should control how their likeness is used.
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Author Philip Pullman is urging the government to change copyright laws because artificial intelligence (AI) uses writers' books without permission for training. Pullman and other authors believe writers should be paid for their work when it is used by AI. The UK government is examining this issue by consulting experts and setting up groups to explore AI and copyright.
Key Facts
Philip Pullman is a well-known author who wrote His Dark Materials and The Book of Dust trilogies.
Pullman wants the government to change copyright laws regarding AI's use of books for training.
Some authors claim AI uses their work without permission or payment, which they view as theft.
The UK started a consultation on AI and copyright laws, receiving 11,500 responses.
Expert working groups are being set up by the UK government to address AI and copyright issues.
Pullman’s latest book, The Rose Field, is part of a series that has sold 49 million copies globally.
Pullman is critical of certain educational practices and organized religion.
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ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has released a new internet browser called ChatGPT Atlas to compete with other browsers like Google Chrome. This browser, designed around OpenAI's ChatGPT, is initially available for Apple's MacOS and offers features like a paid agent mode for advanced search capabilities.
Key Facts
OpenAI launched a new AI-powered browser named ChatGPT Atlas.
Atlas does not have a traditional address bar, focusing on ChatGPT interaction.
The browser includes a paid "agent mode" for enhanced searching.
Initially available on Apple's MacOS.
OpenAI aims to make money and grow its user base with this browser.
Atlas is part of OpenAI's larger strategy to partner with e-commerce and booking services.
As of earlier this year, ChatGPT had 800 million weekly active users.
Google's Chrome browser remains a major competitor despite OpenAI's new entry.
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Elon Musk criticized Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who is also the acting NASA Administrator. Duffy suggested that SpaceX is behind schedule in sending astronauts to the moon, pushing for more involvement from other companies like Blue Origin. Musk responded by defending SpaceX's progress and questioning Duffy's ability to lead NASA.
Key Facts
Elon Musk owns SpaceX, a company working on space missions, and he has criticized Sean Duffy on social media.
Sean Duffy suggested that SpaceX is behind schedule in its moon mission, which is part of NASA's goals.
Duffy proposed that NASA should be under the Transportation Department's control.
Musk called Duffy names online and disagreed with his views on the space program.
Duffy mentioned considering contracts with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and other companies to continue space missions.
SpaceX was given a NASA contract in 2021 over Blue Origin, but it now faces competition to meet deadlines.
NASA's planned space missions have been delayed, with some now scheduled for 2026 and 2027.
President Trump and Elon Musk have a mostly civil relationship, despite past disagreements.
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More than 200 people and 70 organizations are calling for a global agreement to set limits on artificial intelligence (AI) to prevent risks to humans. Stuart Russell, a computer science professor, supports this call. The episode also explores AI's impact on the legal field, breast cancer health advice in Ghana using holograms, and features a young tech YouTuber from Dubai.
Key Facts
Over 200 important individuals and 70 groups want international rules for AI safety.
Stuart Russell, a computer science professor, supports setting clear limits for AI.
The aim is to prevent any potential dangers AI might pose to people.
The episode discusses AI's influence on the legal profession.
In Ghana, holograms are used to provide breast cancer health information.
A segment covers a young technology YouTuber from Dubai.
The program featured presenter Shiona McCallum and producer Tom Quinn.
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Instagram’s short video feature, Reels, showed many users graphic videos of real violence starting in February 2025. Meta, Instagram’s parent company, apologized and said it fixed the problem, but a CBS News investigation found violent videos still widely available on the platform. These videos reach millions, including children, and experts warn that unwanted exposure to such content can harm mental health.
Key Facts
On February 26, 2025, Instagram’s algorithm began recommending many violent real-life videos to users worldwide.
Meta said it fixed the error causing these videos to be widely recommended on Instagram Reels.
CBS News found over 600 Instagram accounts posting graphic violence between February and April 2025.
Some banned advertisers, like gambling and crypto companies, use violent-content pages to hide their ads.
Children, including elementary school students, were exposed to violent videos on Instagram.
Experts say seeing violent images involuntarily can cause serious harm, including brain overload and PTSD-like symptoms.
Meta says it spends heavily on safety and tries to restrict violent content and protect teens.
In October, Meta updated its policies to hide more graphic content from teens and block them from following accounts with adult material.
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"The Long Walk," a movie based on Stephen King's novel, is now available to rent or buy digitally on platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV+. It will be released physically on 4K Ultra HD, DVD, and Blu-ray on November 25, 2025.
Key Facts
"The Long Walk" is a movie adaptation of Stephen King's 1979 novel.
The film is directed by Francis Lawrence, who is known for the Hunger Games movies.
The movie is available on Video on Demand platforms such as Fandango at Home, YouTube, Prime Video, Google Play, and Apple TV+ starting October 21, 2025.
Renting the film costs $19.99, and buying it is $24.99.
A physical release on 4K Ultra HD, DVD, and Blu-ray is scheduled for November 25, 2025.
The physical release includes special features like alternate endings and a documentary about the making of the film.
The movie features actors such as Cooper Hoffman, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill.
"The Long Walk" is not yet available on streaming platforms with a subscription.
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The federal government has stopped funding a project that used artificial intelligence to address weather-related problems. This decision was made even though President Trump’s administration supports investing in AI.
Key Facts
The federal funding for an AI project focused on weather issues has ended.
The project was supported by the National Science Foundation.
Artificial intelligence was being used in this project to find solutions for weather challenges.
The Trump administration has stated a commitment to invest in AI development.
Despite this commitment, the specific program did not receive continued funding.
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OpenAI announced the launch of a new web browser named Atlas, which incorporates its AI tool, ChatGPT, offering innovative browsing features. Atlas, built on the Chromium engine like Google's Chrome, allows users to interact with web pages using an "Ask ChatGPT" sidebar and has features for privacy like an incognito mode. The browser will initially be available for Mac users and aims to expand to Windows and mobile soon.
Key Facts
OpenAI launched a new web browser called Atlas.
Atlas is based on the Chromium engine, similar to Google Chrome.
Users can interact with web pages using a feature called "Ask ChatGPT."
The browser offers privacy features such as incognito mode for private browsing.
Atlas will first be available to Mac users, with plans to expand to other platforms.
An "Agent mode" in Atlas allows autonomous AI actions on web tasks.
OpenAI emphasizes user privacy, not using browsing data for model training unless opted in.
OpenAI is offering incentives like increased ChatGPT data limits for using Atlas.
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The article discusses the impact and future of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on how big tech companies, known as hyperscalers, are investing heavily in cloud-based AI models. It compares this to the evolution of automobiles and suggests that localized, smaller AI models could become significant. The piece also touches on prediction models and how people process information.
Key Facts
Hyperscalers like OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Anthropic are investing in cloud-based AI models using large data centers.
OpenAI's CEO estimates that infrastructure spending for these AI models could reach trillions of dollars.
Morgan Stanley projects global data center investments to approach $3 trillion between 2025 and 2029.
The article compares the current AI model to the early automotive industry, which initially focused on centralized ownership of cars.
Smaller, localized AI models are emerging as alternatives to large cloud-based systems.
The article mentions the evolution of computing from shared mainframes to personal devices, suggesting AI might follow a similar path.
Prediction expert Philip Tetlock's work is highlighted, showing how different approaches to forecasting can affect accuracy.
Tetlock is examining the role of large language models (LLMs) in prediction and decision-making.
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Praia Health has launched a new AI tool called Praia Intelligence to help health systems better engage with patients by personalizing their digital experience. This tool is designed to organize and streamline patient data, automate tasks, and increase patient interaction with health services. Praia recently partnered with Providence health system and Labcorp to simplify lab bookings and improve the overall digital experience for patients.
Key Facts
Praia Health introduced an AI tool, Praia Intelligence, to improve patient engagement by personalizing digital experiences.
Praia Intelligence combines data and patient engagement workflows for real-time personalization and automation.
Early results showed a 15% to 30% increase in patient lead conversions and an 8% to 15% increase in repeat visits.
Praia partnered with Providence and Labcorp to make lab bookings easier and more integrated into the health system portal.
The AI-driven platform aims to reduce costs, increase patient loyalty, and help health systems with digital transformation.
Praia Intelligence is designed to show patients relevant information like overdue bills or missed vaccination appointments in their portal.
Digital notifications increased lab appointment bookings by 52% and improved patient bill pay engagement by 52%.
Praia Health was launched from Providence’s Digital Innovation Group about two years ago.
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An Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage affected many global websites, bringing attention to countries' reliance on U.S. tech companies like Amazon. The outage highlighted the risks of depending heavily on a few big companies for cloud services. Experts discussed the benefits and drawbacks of using major providers like AWS, Microsoft's Azure, and Google Cloud.
Key Facts
An AWS outage on Monday disrupted access to important services, including banking and government sites.
The outage started discussions on whether countries like the UK rely too much on major U.S. tech firms.
AWS, along with Microsoft's Azure, controls 30 to 40% of the cloud market in the UK and Europe.
Even services not directly hosted by AWS often depend on its underlying technologies.
Relying on big companies like AWS can offer cost savings and enhanced security but also poses risks if outages occur.
Moving to other cloud providers or reducing dependency could be costly and challenging for many companies.
Some experts say the heavy reliance on just a few cloud providers limits competition and choices in the industry.
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OpenAI has launched a web browser called Atlas, which competes directly with Google's Chrome. The browser, part of a strategy to bring in more revenue, is initially available on Apple laptops and will soon be on other operating systems. OpenAI aims to innovate browser features by introducing AI functionalities, including an "agent mode" for automated internet navigation.
Key Facts
OpenAI introduced a web browser named Atlas to compete with Google's Chrome browser.
Atlas launches first on Apple laptops, later expanding to Windows, iOS, and Android systems.
OpenAI has over 800 million ChatGPT users but seeks new revenue streams as it currently loses more money than it makes.
The browser includes an "agent mode" feature, which navigates the internet and assists users automatically.
OpenAI previously showed interest in buying Chrome if a judge required Google to sell it, but the sale was denied.
Chrome has around 3 billion users and features AI from Google's Gemini technology.
Atlas aims to replace traditional browser features with AI-driven tools for a new way to use the internet.
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Amy Poehler experienced technical issues during a recent episode of her podcast, Good Hang with Amy Poehler, while recording with actor Christopher Meloni. The podcast, which began in March, has gained popularity on Spotify but also drew some criticism for featuring certain guests.
Key Facts
Amy Poehler's podcast is titled "Good Hang with Amy Poehler."
During a recent episode, Poehler had a technical problem while talking with Christopher Meloni.
The podcast started in March and reached the top of Spotify's podcast charts temporarily.
It features candid conversations with high-profile guests like Tina Fey and Jack Black.
Poehler faced criticism for including Aziz Ansari in a previous episode due to his performance at a festival in Saudi Arabia.
Ansari's participation drew scrutiny because of Saudi Arabia's human rights record and the timing with an important anniversary.
Poehler kept the conversation with Ansari lighthearted without addressing past controversies.
Listeners mostly praised the unscripted nature of the podcast episode with Meloni.
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A new TikTok trend called "Group 7" is gaining popularity online, with many celebrities and companies joining in. The trend started when musician Sophia James posted several videos to see which attracted the most viewers, and the seventh video became the most popular. This has led to "Group 7" being seen as a trendy group to be part of.
Key Facts
The "Group 7" trend began with musician Sophia James promoting her song "So Unfair" on TikTok.
She posted a series of seven videos and labeled them with group numbers to test TikTok's algorithm.
The video labeled "Group 7" gained the most views, reaching 15.6 million.
Celebrities and brands, including Hyundai and Aveeno, have engaged with the trend.
Madelyn Cline and Hayleyy Baylee are among the celebrities who have referenced the trend on TikTok.
The trend symbolizes being part of an elite or "cool" group.
Sophia James has organized a meetup for "Group 7" fans in London on October 24.
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"Jurassic World Evolution 3" is a video game that lets players manage a park with dinosaurs. A new feature in the game allows players to breed baby dinosaurs, adding fun and complexity to the gameplay. Players can also enjoy new attractions and use powerful tools to design and build their parks.
Key Facts
The game is called "Jurassic World Evolution 3."
Players can now breed baby dinosaurs, which helps attract more visitors to the park.
The game introduces three new attractions: hot air balloon ride, river kayak tour, and dinosaur petting zoo.
Players can change the routes for some attractions and even ride in a hot air balloon.
The campaign mode includes characters from the Jurassic franchise and presents different challenges in countries like China, Japan, and Malta.
Terrain editing tools in the game allow for detailed shaping of the park's landscape.
The game continues from its predecessor with new features added to enhance gameplay.
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