It’s not exactly hard to find politically conservative content on YouTube, but the platform may soon skew even further to the right. YouTube parent Alphabet has confirmed that it will restore channels that were banned in recent years for spreading misinformation about COVID-19 and elections. Alphabet says it values free expression and political debate, placing the blame for its previous moderation decisions on the Biden administration.

Alphabet made this announcement via a lengthy letter to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). The letter, a response to subpoenas from the House Judiciary Committee, explains in no uncertain terms that the company is taking a more relaxed approach to moderating political content on YouTube.

For starters, Alphabet denies that its products and services are biased toward specific viewpoints and that it “appreciates the accountability” provided by the committee. The cloying missive goes on to explain that Google didn’t really want to ban all those accounts, but Biden administration officials just kept asking. Now that the political tables have turned, Google is looking to dig itself out of this hole.

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An analysis of a literature database finds that text-generating AI tools — including ChatGPT and Gemini — can be used to rewrite scientific papers and produce ‘copycat’ versions that are then passed off as new research. Nature: In a preprint posted on medRxiv on 12 September, researchers identified more than 400 such papers published in 112 journals over the past 4.5 years, and demonstrated that AI-generated biomedicine studies could evade publishers’ anti-plagiarism checks.

The study’s authors warn that individuals and paper mills — companies that produce fake papers to order and sell authorships — might be exploiting publicly available health data sets and using large language models (LLMs) to mass-produce low-quality papers that lack scientific value.

“If left unaddressed, this AI-based approach can be applied to all sorts of open-access databases, generating far more papers than anyone can imagine,” says Csaba Szabo, a pharmacologist at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, who was not involved in the work. “This could open up Pandora’s box [and] the literature may be flooded with synthetic papers.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Amazon is pivoting its grocery operations in the UK, announcing that it will close 14 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the country. The remaining five Amazon Fresh locations in the UK will be converted to the Whole Foods Market brand. Rather than the brick and mortar shops, Amazon said it will focus on online grocery deliveries within the region. In 2026, the company said it expects to add perishables to its Same-Day Delivery orders for UK customers, which was just introduced in the US last month.

The move echoes a similar contraction in 2023, where Amazon said it would shutter both some Fresh supermarkets and some Go convenience stores. Many of these shops highlighted the Just Walk Out tech from Amazon, which it introduced in the US in 2018 and in the UK in 2021. Just Walk Out eliminated cashiers in those stores and instead charged customers by using a network of cameras, sensors and human observers to calculate the tab for a person’s purchase and then charge them afterwards. However, the approach turned out to have problems with cost, accuracy and privacy to the point of being unsustainable; Amazon stopped using Just Walk Out in the US last year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-closing-all-fresh-grocery-stores-in-the-uk-195200222.html?src=rss

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr wants you to know that he never threatened to revoke TV licenses if Disney refused to suspend Jimmy Kimmel. The problem for Carr is that lots of people heard him do exactly that last week.

“There’s a lot of Democrats out there that are engaged in a campaign of projection and distortion,” Carr said during an on-stage interview at the Concordia Summit yesterday. “The distortion is they’re completely misrepresenting the work of the FCC and what we’ve been doing. I saw there’s a letter from some Senate Democrats that said the FCC threatened to revoke the license of Disney and ABC if they didn’t fire Jimmy Kimmel, and that did not happen in any way, shape, or form.”

While Carr complained that Democrats interpreted his comments as a threat to Disney, he didn’t mention that his comments were also interpreted as a threat by several prominent Senate Republicans. Disney suspended Kimmel’s show last week after Carr said ABC affiliates could have licenses revoked for “news distortion,” but reinstated Kimmel yesterday after facing backlash from the public. Kimmel will be back on the air on many ABC-affiliated stations, but not those run by Nexstar and Sinclair, which have replaced Jimmy Kimmel Live! with news and other programming.

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AI is an enormous energy drain, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions at a time when the planet desperately needs progress in the opposite direction. Although most of that comes from running GPUs, cooling them is another significant overhead. So, it’s worth noting when a company of Microsoft’s stature claims to have achieved a breakthrough in chip cooling.

Microsoft’s new system is based on microfluidics, a method long pursued but hard to implement. The company claims its approach could lead to three times better cooling than current methods.

Many data centers rely on cold plates to prevent GPUs from overheating. Although effective to a degree, the plates are separated from the heat source by several layers of material, which limits their performance. “If you’re still relying heavily on traditional cold plate technology [in five years], you’re stuck,” Microsoft program manager Sashi Majety is quoted as saying in the company’s announcement.

In microfluidics, the coolant flows closer to the source. The liquid in Microsoft’s prototype moves through thread-like channels etched onto the back of the chip. The company also used AI to more efficiently direct the coolant through those channels.

Microsoft

Another aspect separating this prototype from previous attempts is that it drew inspiration from Mother Nature. As you can see in the image above, the etchings resemble the veins in a leaf or a butterfly wing.

Microsoft says the technique can reduce the maximum silicon temperature rise inside a GPU by 65 percent. (However, that number depends on the workload and chip type.) This would enable overclocking “without worrying about melting the chip down,” Microsoft’s Jim Kleewein said. It could allow the company to place servers closer together physically, reducing latency. It would also lead to “higher-quality” waste heat use.

Although this sounds good for the environment in a general sense, Microsoft’s announcement doesn’t lean into that. The blog post primarily discusses the technique’s potential for performance and efficiency gains. Green benefits are only alluded to briefly as “sustainability” and reduced grid stress. Let’s hope that’s only a case of a cynical observer overanalyzing framing. Our planet needs all the help it can get.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-claims-a-breakthrough-in-ai-chip-cooling-193106705.html?src=rss

Microsoft has successfully tested a microfluidic cooling system that removed heat up to three times better than cold plates currently used in datacenters. The technology etches tiny channels directly into silicon chips, allowing cooling liquid to flow directly onto the heat source. In lab tests announced September 23, 2025, the system reduced the maximum temperature rise inside GPUs by 65%. The channels, roughly the width of human hair, were optimized using AI to create bio-inspired patterns resembling leaf veins.

Microsoft collaborated with Swiss startup Corintis on the design. The cooling fluid can operate at temperatures as high as 70C (158F) while maintaining effectiveness. The company demonstrated the technology on servers running Microsoft Teams services, where the improved cooling enables overclocking during demand spikes that occur when meetings start on the hour and half-hour. Microsoft is investigating incorporating microfluidics into future generations of its first-party chips as the company plans to spend over $30 billion on capital expenditures this quarter.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

If you’ll indulge me for a moment, here’s some ancient history.

In 2008, when Apple took the very first MacBook Air out of a manila envelope, it was not positioned as Apple’s new entry-level Mac laptop. The innovative but flawed system started at $1,799, far above the $999 price of the entry-level plastic MacBook and well into MacBook Pro territory.

In those early, formative years, the “Air” branding denoted not a midrange or entry-level model but an alternate branching path from the baseline MacBook. Paying Apple more money could get you more computer—the Pro model, with more processor, more screen, more storage, more everything—or it could get you a different kind of computer, with fundamentally different benefits and tradeoffs.

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Channels once banned by YouTube for spreading false information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic or the 2020 election may soon have the opportunity to get their channels back, in a decision transparently courting “conservative voices.”

Alphabet, the parent company of Google and YouTube, has sent a letter via counsel to the House Judiciary Committee in which it alleges the company was pressured by the Biden administration to take down misinformation on YouTube related to the COVID-19 pandemic that did not violate the company’s existing policies at the time. It now describes the Biden administration’s actions as “unacceptable and wrong.”

It also informed the committee that YouTube would be offering a path to reinstatement for creators whose channels were banned for repeatedly violating community guidelines on election-integrity-related content, as well as for COVID-19-related content. The guidelines under which those bans were carried out were removed by the company in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Details on exactly what the path for reinstatement looks like were not shared.

“The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented time in which online platforms had to reach decisions about how best to balance freedom of expression with responsibility,” the letter reads. “Senior Biden administration officials, including White House officials, conducted repeated and sustained outreach to Alphabet and pressed the company regarding user generated content related to the COVID-19 pandemic that did not violate its policies.”

Alphabet goes on to denounce any government attempts to “dictate how the Company moderates content,” and says it will always “fight against those efforts on First Amendment grounds.”

Notable YouTube channels banned for either COVID-19 or election-integrity-related content include Steve Bannon’s War Room, Co-Deputy Director of the FBI Dan Bongino’s channel and the channel for Children’s Health Defense, an organization previously linked with Secretary of HHS RFK Jr. “YouTube values conservative voices on its platform and recognizes that these creators have extensive reach and play an important role in civic discourse,” the company wrote. In its letter, Alphabet also expresses concern that the European Union’s Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.

The letter was sent in response to subpoenas as part of the House Judiciary Committee’s ongoing investigations into alleged government-directed content moderation. The committee recently held a hearing on “Europe’s Threat to American Speech and Innovation,” among others.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/youtube-may-reinstate-channels-banned-for-spreading-covid-and-election-misinformation-190257602.html?src=rss

Costco has reportedly stopped selling Xbox consoles online throughout the US and UK, according to reports by The Gamer and others. The wholesaler has removed any mention of the console and related accessories and games from its website. I checked this myself and, sure enough, the search yielded no results.

The site still has dedicated sections for both Sony and Nintendo and is selling the PS5 and the Switch family of consoles, along with accessories and games for each system. It’s unclear if online unavailability has extended to brick-and-mortar locations, but some Reddit users noticed a distinct lack of Xbox products at the retailer. We reached out to Costco to ask what’s going on and will update this post when we hear back.

Costco/Engadget

We don’t know why Costco would make this move, but there’s a chance this is in relation to Microsoft’s poor showing this console generation. The PS5 has sold nearly 80 million units, while the Xbox Series X/S has sold around 42 million units.

The Xbox One also struggled during the previous generation, leading some to speculate that Microsoft has been preparing to exit the console business. The company has denied this and there have been rumors that it’s actively working on the follow-up to the Series X/S. However, the company has also begun porting its games to rival consoles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/costco-reportedly-stops-selling-xbox-consoles-online-184906670.html?src=rss

Pope Leo XIV declined to authorize an AI avatar that would have provided virtual papal audiences to Catholics worldwide. The first American pontiff rejected the proposal during an interview with papal biographer Elise Allen. “Someone recently asked authorization to create an artificial me so that anybody could sign onto this website and have a personal audience with ‘the Pope,'” he said. “This artificial intelligence Pope would give them answers to their questions, and I said, ‘I’m not going to authorize that.'”

The Pope expressed broader concerns about AI’s societal impact. He warned that automation could leave only a few people able to live meaningful lives while others merely survive. These concerns influenced his papal name choice, taking inspiration from Pope Leo XIII, who authored Rerum novarum addressing workers’ rights during the Industrial Revolution. Leo XIV maintained he isn’t opposed to technological innovation but believes links between faith, humanity, and science must be preserved.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The inevitable has happened and Disney+ has once again announced that prices will be going up for its streaming service. Whether it’s because of the ever-increasing costs or because of the company’s recent teetering toward censorship or because you simply aren’t using it, you may decide it’s time to take a break. Here’s everything you need to know about canceling your Disney+ subscription.

How to cancel via web or mobile

The simplest way to end your Disney+ service is if you’re being billed directly by the mouse. You can follow the same steps in a web or mobile browser, or within the Disney+ mobile app. 

1. Log in to your Disney+ account. 

2. Select your Profile.

3. Select Account.

4. Select your Disney+ subscription under Subscription.

5. Select Cancel Subscription.

Easy peasy. But things can get a little more convoluted if you’re not in a direct-billing situation. 

How to cancel via third-party provider

Like many entertainment services, Disney+ offers the option to access its streaming service from a third-party provider. Most often, these are the companies running mobile app stores, like Apple and Google, or through wireless service brands, like Spectrum or Verizon. Since those companies are the ones that handle the money, you need to start the cancellation process with them rather than with Disney. 

The exact details might vary, but the general approach is to sign into your account with the third party, then find the place to manage either billing or subscriptions, and pick the Disney+ option. Here are the specific steps for a few of the most common providers.

Cancel via Apple

1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. 

2. Tap on your name at the top of the screen and tap Subscriptions. 

3. Select your Disney+ subscription to manage and make changes. 

Cancel via Google

1. Go to the Google Play store using a web browser.

2. Confirm that you’re signed in to your Google account.

3. On the top right, click your Google account icon and select Payment & subscriptions.

4. Click the Subscriptions tab and select your Disney+ subscription.

5. Click Manage and select Cancel subscription.

Cancel via Amazon

1. Go to Amazon Memberships and Subscriptions using a web browser. 

2. Sign in to your Amazon account.

3. Navigate to your Disney+ subscription and select Cancel Subscription.

How to cancel a bundle subscription

Because Disney owns everything, at some point you may have upgraded to a bundle plan that includes Hulu, ESPN or HBO Max as well as Disney+. If you originally had a subscription for one of those services that you upgraded to include Disney+, canceling the Disney service will only end that part of the package deal. You will continue getting billed for the original plan you bought under the terms at the time you signed up. Ending the entire bundle means you’ll also need to separately cancel your streaming service with Hulu, ESPN or HBO Max. 

How to pause your Disney+ service

If you want to simply take a break because you won’t be using a Disney+ subscription for a few months, the company does offer a pause option. It’s not available for the Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle subscription, but for any other plans, you can pause your subscription as long as your Disney+ account is active and you have no outstanding payments to the company. And once again, if a third party handles your billing, you’ll need to contact them to initiate a pause. For direct-billing customers, here’s how to pause your Disney+ service:

1. Log in to your Disney+ account.

2. Select your Profile.

3. Select Account.

4. Select your Disney+ subscription under Subscription.

5. Select Pause Subscription.

6. Choose the duration of the pause.

7. Select Pause Subscription.

What happens after you cancel

Clicking the final button doesn’t immediately end your service. Since Disney doesn’t offer any refunds on partially-used subscriptions, you’ll still have access to the service until the end of the current billing period after canceling. That means that if you change your mind and decide to keep the service, it’s pretty easy to resume your previous plan before the billing period ends. There will be a “Restart Subscription” option under the Account tab. If you decide to resume Disney+ use after the end of your final billing period, you’ll have to start up a new subscription with the platform.  

Cancellation also doesn’t erase your data with Disney. The company will hold onto your name, email address and other info unless you choose to delete your Disney+ account. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-cancel-your-disney-subscription-183643669.html?src=rss

Sony is introducing a new rewards program for PlayStation owners that lets you purchase exclusive physical merchandise if you’ve unlocked certain in-game trophies. The company is starting with rewards for two trophies from Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima (rewards for Ghost of Yotei are in the works), and Sony will presumably offer something similar for all of its most popular game franchises.

The “Ghost Rewards” you might have earned playing Ghost of Tsushima include a $25 commemorative pin shaped like a mask (unlocked for earning the game’s “Living Legend” Platinum trophy) or a $30 custom t-shirt with what looks like a gold woodblock print design (unlocked for earning the “Mono No Aware” Gold trophy). In order to claim either reward you have to login to your PlayStation account on a dedicated website before December 31, 2025, and despite what the term “reward” might suggest, pay for either item to actually receive it. The reward, in this case, is access, not the merch itself.

Sony’s last attempt at some kind of loyalty or rewards program was the short-lived and entirely digital PlayStation Stars program. While it was running, it let you earn “Stars” for playing specific games or doing activities on your console, and then spend those Stars on what amounted to digital models of characters or items. The program always felt a bit like an NFT feature that the company had quickly reworked when blockchain tech fell out of style, and it made sense when it abandoned it.

Rather than PlayStation Stars, Franchise Rewards is most similar to Bungie Rewards, the program and online store the Destiny 2 developer has run since 2018. Via Bungie Rewards you can unlock commemorative shirts, jackets and more for completing in-game activities in Destiny and Destiny 2, including the series’ multi-hour raids.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstations-franchise-rewards-program-gates-merch-behind-in-game-trophies-182001158.html?src=rss

Nearly a quarter of workers aged 18-34 fear they’ll lose their jobs to AI within two years, according to a Deutsche Bank survey of 10,000 people across the US and major European economies. The survey, conducted from June through August, found 24% of younger respondents scored their concern at 8 or above on a 10-point scale, compared to just 10% among workers 55 and older. Workers anticipate growing AI risk over time. 22% expressed high concern over a five-year horizon versus 18% for the two-year timeframe, the bank wrote in a report, reviewed by Slashdot.

Americans show greater concern than Europeans across all time periods, scoring roughly five percentage points higher. The survey also revealed major differences in AI adoption patterns. The US leads workplace adoption at 56%, while Spain shows the highest home adoption at 68% over three months. Germany and the UK demonstrate contrasting behaviors — both countries report similar home usage above 50%, but workplace adoption differs significantly at 41% for Germany versus 5% for the UK. Training gaps persist across regions. Only one in four European respondents has received AI training at work compared to nearly one in three Americans, though 52% of Europeans and 54% of Americans want employer-led AI training.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.