Getty / Futurism Our society has only recently come to terms with the fact that maybe placating young children by getting them hooked on touchscreen devices with unfettered access to the internet was bad for their brains. Now, with the rise of human-like AI chatbots, a generation of “iPad babies” could seem almost quaint: some… Continue reading Lazy Parents Are Giving Their Toddlers ChatGPT on Voice Mode to Keep Them Entertained for Hours
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Can tap-to-pay save public transportation?
Transportation Mass Transit More cities are adopting OMNY-like open-loop payment systems for transit. Can it keep transit from slipping into a death spiral? by Andrew J. Hawkins Oct 5, 2025, 12:00 PM UTC Transportation Mass Transit More cities are adopting OMNY-like open-loop payment systems for transit. Can it keep transit from slipping into a death… Continue reading Can tap-to-pay save public transportation?
You can get antique plates for a first-gen Prius now — feeling old, yet?
This fall marks the 25th anniversary of the US launch of the first-gen Toyota Prius — a car that, arguably, has done more to more to shift the market away from fossil fuels than any other single vehicle (more on that in a minute). That means that, in many states, you can now get “antique”… Continue reading You can get antique plates for a first-gen Prius now — feeling old, yet?
Scientists Spot “Rogue” Planet Floating Between Stars, Devouring Everything in Reach
European Southern Observatory About 620 light years away in the constellation Chamaeleon, a strange planet is devouring everything around it at a furious pace. Cha 1107-7626, a “rogue” planet because it doesn’t orbit a star, has suddenly increased its appetite in recent months and is now gobbling every bit of gas, dust and rocks near… Continue reading Scientists Spot “Rogue” Planet Floating Between Stars, Devouring Everything in Reach
AI Endangering Tourists by Sending Them to Nonexistent Landmarks in Hazardous Locations
Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images If you plan a trip using AI, triple check that the locations it recommends visiting actually exist. The BBC reports that unsuspecting tourists all over the world are leaning on AI to plan vacations — and getting themselves into potentially dangerous situations because AI model are… Continue reading AI Endangering Tourists by Sending Them to Nonexistent Landmarks in Hazardous Locations
Newsom signs bill giving Uber and Lyft drivers in California the right to unionize
Drivers for ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft will soon have the right to unionize in California as independent contractors, thanks to a bill signed Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom. This is part of a larger deal between lawmakers, unions, and ride-hailing companies, resulting in the passage of separate bills supporting lower insurance requirements for… Continue reading Newsom signs bill giving Uber and Lyft drivers in California the right to unionize
Tesla and xAI Staff Are Fleeing as Musk Becomes Increasingly Erratic
Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Kevin Diestch / Getty Images As Elon Musk continues to unravel on the world stage, so does his business empire — at least if employee churn is any indication. At Tesla and xAI, the Financial Times reports, the centibillionaire’s ruthless demands, chaotic decision-making, and deteriorating public image are… Continue reading Tesla and xAI Staff Are Fleeing as Musk Becomes Increasingly Erratic
You Are Not Prepared for Merriam-Webster’s Announcement of Its New AI Model
Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images Everything is getting stuffed with AI these days, no matter how pointless its inclusion may seem. Your spell-checker, your local drive-thru, your fridge — nothing is safe. So you can understand why we were alarmed when Merriam-Webster, the dictionary company, announced that it was releasing its… Continue reading You Are Not Prepared for Merriam-Webster’s Announcement of Its New AI Model
Mourning Women Say OpenAI Killed Their AI Boyfriends
People with AI companions are throwing fits because they say their digital lovers have been lobotomized by OpenAI’s recent updates to ChatGPT. Furious users — many of them women, strikingly — are mourning, quitting the platform, or trying to save their bot partners by transferring them to another AI company. “I feel frauded scammed and… Continue reading Mourning Women Say OpenAI Killed Their AI Boyfriends
AI Data Centers Are Skyrocketing Regular People’s Energy Bills
Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Getty Images As some of us continue to calcify our brains asking ChatGPT to answer an email or blow up our lives for an AI side chick, others are paying hand over fist for it via power bills. Wholesale electricity costs have increased as much as 267 percent… Continue reading AI Data Centers Are Skyrocketing Regular People’s Energy Bills