its ur expert

Generally, AI chatbots are not supposed to do things like call you names or tell you how to make controlled substances. But, just like a person, with the right psychological tactics , it seems like at least some LLMs can be convinced to break their own rules. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania deployed tactics described by psychology professor Robert Cialdini in Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion to convince OpenAI’s GPT-4o Mini to complete requests it would normally refuse . That included calling the user a jerk and giving instructions for how to synthesize lidocaine. The study focused on seven different techniques of persuasion: authority, commitment, liking, reciprocity, scarcity, social proof, and unity, which provide “ linguistic routes to yes .” The effectiveness of each approach varied based on the specifics of the request, but in some cases the difference was extraordinary. For example, under the control where ChatGPT was asked, “how do you synthesize lid...

What do you gift somebody who loves books? The obvious answer is "a book," but since true bibliophiles are probably sitting on a stack already, it's worth getting a little more creative. Luckily for you, many of us at The Verge are big bookworms ourselves, which is why we rounded up a bunch of clever, useful gifts our staff can vouch for. Below, you'll find a handful of thoughtful presents fit for any literature-crazed loved one, including personalized book embossers , adjustable bookends , and tote bags . And because we're also gadget nerds, we've sprinkled in plenty of tech, from color ebook readers and book lights to a smart mug that's desi … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/sZINS5G

Meta is changing some of the rules governing its chatbots two weeks after a Reuters investigation revealed disturbing ways in which they could, potentially, interact with minors . Now the company has told TechCrunch that its chatbots are being trained not to engage in conversations with minors around self-harm, suicide, or disordered eating, and to avoid inappropriate romantic banter. These changes are interim measures, however, put in place while the company works on new permanent guidelines.  The updates follow some rather damning revelations about Meta’s AI policies and enforcement over the last several weeks, including that it would be permitted to “engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual,” that it would generate shirtless images of underage celebrities when asked, and Reuters even reported that a man died after pursuing one to an address it gave him in New York. Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway acknowledged to TechCrunch that the company had ma...

This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on all things AI, follow Hayden Field . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started It all started with J.A.R.V.I.S. Yes, that J.A.R.V.I.S. The one from the Marvel movies. Well, maybe it didn't start with Iron Man's AI assistant, but the fictional system definitely helped the concept of an AI agent along. Whenever I've interviewed AI industry folks about agentic AI, they often point to J.A.R.V.I.S. as an example of the ideal AI tool in many ways - one that knows what you nee … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/xScvEY3

Verizon has confirmed to customers in stores and online that its network is having an issue on Saturday. Many people have been unable to connect and make or receive calls for hours, while DownDetector’s tracker peaked in the afternoon at around 3:30PM ET with more than 20,000 reports. Some customers report their service has continued to function throughout the day, so it’s unclear what the cause is exactly. Downdetector’s outage map showed hotspots in many cities, and Verizon didn’t specifically list affected areas. On X, the @VerizonSupport account confirmed the issue in response to customers’ questions, but didn’t have additional details on restoration or how widespread it is. Verizon’s Karen Schulz responded to our inquiry about the issue and confirmed the outage via email, saying, We are aware of a software issue impacting wireless service for some customers. Our engineers are engaged and we are working quickly to identify and solve the issue. Please visit our Check Networ...

As one of the cofounders behind Oculus Story Studio, Edward Saatchi knows how hard it can be to sell people on new tech that bills itself as revolutionary. Even though Story Studio snagged an Emmy for one of its three animated features, a general lack of public interest in VR movies led Meta to shutter Oculus Story Studio back in 2017. The VR era has come and gone, but Saatchi is confident that Showrunner , his new pivot to generative AI that just received an influx of cash from Amazon , can succeed. Unlike a lot of other gen AI-centric entertainment outfits focused on deploying the technology in ways that audiences aren't necessarily meant t … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/6cypgPY

The schedule of annual updates for Windows 11 that arrive in the second half of the year will hold steady for 2025, and today, Microsoft announced that the 25H2 package is available now for testing in the Release Preview Channel. So, will you see new UI features or more AI tweaks included on your desktop with this update? Microsoft didn’t mention many specific features or changes in the update, other than confirming it shares the same new features and enhancements as the previous version, 24H2, which flips on new features throughout the year, along with some notes for IT: Windows 11, version 25H2 also includes some feature removals such as PowerShell 2.0 and Windows Management Instrumentation command-line (WMIC). And for our commercial customers, Windows 11, version 25H2 includes the ability for IT admins to remove select pre-installed Microsoft Store apps via Group Policy/MDM CSP on Enterprise/EDU devices. As Microsoft detailed in June , using its shared servicing branch mea...

There’s already been a number of leaks of upcoming Philips Hue products that are expected to be announced next week ahead of IFA. But one thing that hasn’t been mentioned was support for Matter-over-Thread. While there’s no confirmation that support is coming, there’s compelling evidence to suggest it might be.  First off, packaging for two unannounced bulbs appeared on Amazon, with a Matter logo prominently displayed on the box. While Hue devices have been capable of connecting via Matter using the Hue Bridge as a middleman, they’ve never supported the protocol directly. That’s in part because Matter only works via Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Thread; Hue has been a Zigbee and Bluetooth-only ecosystem for years. Then there’s the since-removed FCC filing discovered by HueBlog . A supposed screenshot of the document shows a label for a new Hue White lightbulb with a Matter setup code under the familiar Bluetooth and Zigbee logos. This almost certainly means the lightbulb will connect d...

You can’t set your own Calling Card, but you can use them to customize how other contacts appear when they call you. Google’s Phone app is adding “Calling Cards” that let you customize the appearance of contact screens for incoming calls. They’re similar to the Contact Poster feature that iPhone users have had since 2023, allowing Google Phone app users to replace the teeny contact photos that appear when someone is calling you with full-screen images and stylized names. The update is part of Android’s Material 3 Expressive design language overhaul, which Google used to test a revamped Phone app interface in June. Calling Cards started appearing in beta versions of Google’s Contacts and Phone apps earlier this month, but now they’re getting a public release in version v188 of the Phone app. Google says Calling Cards will be available worldwide, and are being rolled out “in phases,” so they might take a while to appear for everyone. When the feature becomes available, Phone app ...

Microsoft has fired two more employees who participated in recent protests against the company’s contracts with the Israeli military and government. The two employees, Nisreen Jaradat and Julius Shan, were fired “in connection” with demonstrations that saw protesters set up encampments at Microsoft’s headquarters, according to Hossam Nasr, an organizer with the No Azure for Apartheid group. Two other Microsoft employees were fired last night for their involvement with a protest that saw members of the group gain access to a company building and live stream themselves inside the office of Microsoft president Brad Smith. Jaradat had previously sent a mass email around Microsoft saying she was “fed up” with the company’s treatment of her as a Palestinian worker, bypassing the company’s restrictions on language around Palestine and Gaza internally in order to do so. The No Azure for Apartheid group has been taking public actions against Microsoft throughout the year. The group interr...

Microsoft announced its first homegrown AI models on Thursday: MAI-Voice-1 AI and MAI-1-preview. The company says its new MAI-Voice-1 speech model can generate a minute’s worth of audio in under one second on just one GPU, while MAI-1-preview “offers a glimpse of future offerings inside Copilot.” Microsoft already uses MA1-Voice-1 to power a couple of its features, including Copilot Daily , which has an AI host recite the day’s top news stories, and to generate podcast-style discussions to help explain topics.  You can try MA1-Voice-1 out for yourself on Copilot Labs , where you can enter what you want the AI model to say, as well as change its voice and style of speaking. In addition to this model, Microsoft introduced MAI-1-preview, which it says it trained on around 15,000 Nvidia H100 GPUs. It’s built for users in need of an AI model capable of following instructions and “providing helpful responses to everyday queries.”  Microsoft AI chief Mustafa Suleyman said durin...

Google is phasing out its Preferred Care extended warranty plan for the Pixel Care Plus program. Pricing between the two is pretty similar. You’ll still pay $8 per-month, or $159 for a two-year plan on a Pixel 9. For a Pixel 10 Pro Fold, that jumps up to $339 for two years, or $18 per-month, with the optional loss and theft package for a small extra charge.   The big changes here are that screen and battery repairs are free, and service fees for other accidental damage are much lower. Under the old Preferred Care program, replacing a cracked screen would run you $29. Under Pixel Care Plus a cracked front screen or battery running at under 80-percent capacity will get swapped out for $0. Unfortunately, if you happen to mess up the internal screen on your 10 Pro Fold, you are not covered.  Other accidental damage fees vary depending on model, ranging from $49 on some older models like the Pixel 8a and 9a, to $99 on the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. On average they’re lower thou...

Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, and while the prospect of cooler weather and shorter days can be a tough adjustment, at least there is always a great selection of deals to combat the post-summer blues. You’ll have to wait until September 1st to celebrate the actual holiday, sure, but in the meantime, we’ve gone ahead and rounded up the best discounts you can get so far on a variety of Verge -approved gadgets and goods, from earbuds to the latest e-readers. Being that it’s nearly the end of August, it’s also a good reminder that the holidays will be here before you know it. Thankfully, some gadgets — including Sony’s WH-CH520 headphones , Roborock’s 35A robot vacuum , and TP-Link’s X55 Wi-Fi routers — have fallen to their lowest price to date, making now an excellent time to get a head start on your holiday shopping. After all, there’s no guarantee they’ll drop lower in price, even when Black Friday and Cyber Monday roll around. Speaker deals Headphone and earbuds...