Technology
Solar-powered robot zaps weeds without chemicals
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Out in the California sun, a new kind of farmhand is hard at work. Powered by solar energy and guided by artificial intelligence, the solar-powered weeding robot for cotton fields is offering farmers a smarter and more sustainable way to tackle weeds.
This technology is arriving just in time, as growers across the country face a shortage of available workers and weeds that are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides.
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JOB-KILLING ROBOT LEARNS AT WORK, AND IT’S COMING TO THE FACTORY FLOOR
Solar-powered Element robot (Aigen)
Why farmers need alternatives to herbicides and manual labor
Farmers everywhere are facing a tough reality. There simply aren’t enough people willing to do the backbreaking work of weeding fields, and the weeds themselves are getting harder to kill with chemicals. Many farmers would rather avoid using herbicides, but until now, they haven’t had a practical alternative. Kenny Lee, CEO of Aigen, puts it plainly: farmers don’t love chemicals, but they use them because it’s often the only tool available. Aigen’s mission is to give them a better choice.
WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?
How Aigen’s solar-powered weeding robot uses AI to fight weeds
Aigen’s Element robot is designed to meet the real-world needs of modern agriculture. It runs entirely on solar power, which means farmers can save money on fuel while also reducing their environmental impact. The robot uses advanced AI and onboard cameras to spot and remove weeds with impressive accuracy, all without damaging the crops. Its rugged design allows it to handle rough terrain and changing weather, and it can work alongside other robots, communicating wirelessly to cover large fields efficiently. The Element robot isn’t limited to cotton; it’s also being used in soy and sugar beet fields, showing just how versatile this technology can be.
Solar-powered Element robot (Aigen)
Real-world results: Aigen’s robot at work on California cotton farms
At Bowles Farm in California’s Central Valley, Element robots are already proving their worth. These robots are keeping cotton fields weed-free without the need for chemicals, freeing up workers to focus on more skilled tasks and helping farmers manage their operations more efficiently. The technology is not just a promise for the future. It’s delivering real results today.
Top benefits of solar-powered weeding robots for sustainable farming
Switching to solar-powered, AI-driven robots brings a host of benefits. Farmers no longer need to rely on herbicides, which leads to cleaner crops and healthier soil. Labor costs can drop since workers can shift from manual weeding to supervising and maintaining the robots. The robots also collect valuable data on crop health, pests and diseases, giving farmers better information to make decisions. And because the robots run on solar power, farms can reduce their carbon footprint while saving money on energy.
Solar-powered Element robots (Aigen)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Aigen’s Element robot goes beyond being just another cool piece of technology. It really shows what can happen when farming and innovation come together. As more growers start using solar-powered robots like this, chemical-free fields are moving from wishful thinking to something we can actually achieve.
Would you feel comfortable trusting a robot to handle important tasks and help shape the future of how we grow our food? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact
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Technology
Silksong is getting a free expansion next year
It’s still hard to believe that Hollow Knight: Silksong actually came out this year, but now, we all have a new thing to wait for: the game is getting a free expansion in 2026, titled Sea of Sorrow. Team Cherry calls it the game’s “first big expansion.”
“New areas, bosses, tools, and more!” Team Cherry says in a blog post. “Hornet’s adventures continue in our nautically themed expansion, coming free for all players next year. We’ll keep further details a secret for now, but expect additional info shortly before Hollow Knight: Silksong – Sea of Sorrow releases.”
More than 7 million people bought Silksong, according to Team Cherry, and “millions more” played on Xbox Game Pass.
The original Hollow Knight is getting updated, too. Team Cherry is working on a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game that “incorporates all the updates and enhancements that Silksong received on the platform: High frame-rate modes, higher resolutions, and many additional graphical effects.” Players who own the Switch version of the game will get the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition as a free update when it’s available in 2026.
Ahead of that launch, Team Cherry says it will be “updating all versions of the original game for current platforms, adding features and fixing bugs.” Those changes include “full 16:10 and 21:9 aspect ratio support for those of you with Steam Decks or ultrawide monitors,” and PC players can try the new updates in public beta.
Technology
Petco confirms major data breach involving customer data
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Petco revealed a data breach that exposed sensitive customer information. The company disclosed the details in state filings after identifying a configuration in one of its software applications that made certain files accessible online. This issue has now been corrected, but the impact is significant.
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THIRD-PARTY BREACH EXPOSES CHATGPT ACCOUNT DETAILS
Petco disclosed a breach that exposed customer data after a software setting left files accessible online. (Photographer: Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
What Petco says the breach exposed
According to reports filed with the Texas attorney general’s office, the exposed data included names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account details, credit or debit card numbers and dates of birth. Filings in California, Massachusetts and Montana confirm additional affected residents.
In California, companies must report breaches involving at least 500 state residents. Petco did not disclose the exact number, which suggests the real total is higher. For context, Petco said in 2022 that it served more than 24 million customers.
Petco says the company sent notifications to individuals whose information was involved. The sample notice released by the California attorney general explains that a software setting allowed certain files to be accessible online. Petco says it removed those files, corrected the setting and added new security measures.
The company is offering free credit and identity theft monitoring to victims in California, Massachusetts and Montana. It is not clear if similar support is being offered to affected Texas residents.
We reached out to Petco for comment, and a representative provided CyberGuy with the following statement,
“We recently identified a setting in one of our applications which inadvertently made certain Petco files accessible online. Upon identifying the issue, we took immediate steps to correct the error and began an investigation. We notified individuals whose information was involved and continue to monitor for further issues. We take this incident seriously. To help prevent something like this from happening again, we have taken and will continue to take steps to enhance the security of our network.”
What this breach means for you
A breach that exposes government IDs, financial numbers and birth dates creates long-term risks. Criminals use this mix of information to open accounts, take over existing ones or try to pass identity checks. Even if no fraud happens right away, exposed data can sit in criminal markets for years.
Ways to stay safe after a breach like this
You can take several steps today that help lower your risk and protect your identity going forward.
1) Place a credit freeze
A freeze blocks new credit accounts in your name. It also stops criminals from opening loans or credit cards with your stolen information. You can freeze your credit for free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
2) Add two more freezes
Two additional freezes cover accounts that do not run through the major credit bureaus. Freeze ChexSystems to stop criminals from opening checking or savings accounts. Freeze NCTUE to block fake phone, cable or utility accounts.
3) Turn on account alerts
Set up alerts for banking, credit cards and online shopping accounts. Alerts help you spot suspicious activity fast.
4) Use a password manager
Strong passwords protect you from credential stuffing attacks. This happens when criminals take stolen passwords from one breach and try them on other sites. A password manager creates unique passwords for every account and helps you stop those attacks before they start.
Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our #1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.
Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com
5) Monitor your identity
If Petco offered you free identity theft monitoring, enroll as soon as possible. It helps you catch fraud that can happen months or years later.
Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security Number (SSN), phone number, and email address, and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.
See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com
WHY YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING DATA NEEDS A CLEANUP NOW
State filings show Petco customers had Social Security and financial information exposed in the breach. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
6) Remove exposed personal data
Data broker sites collect and share personal details that fuel scams. Removing your information reduces your exposure and makes you a harder target.
While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com
WHY SCAMMERS OPEN BANK ACCOUNTS IN YOUR NAME
Petco says it corrected the software issue and notified individuals whose information was compromised. (Photo by Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
7) Watch for phishing and use strong antivirus software
Scammers often follow a breach with emails or texts that look real. Slow down and check every message before you click. A strong antivirus helps block malicious links and alerts you when something looks risky.
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.
Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
Data breaches happen often, but this one involves information that can cause lasting harm. You can protect yourself with a few quick steps that reduce the chance of fraud and limit how far criminals can get with your data.
How much trust do you place in companies to protect your personal information? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Technology
Kindle app now answers questions about the book you’re reading
Amazon has launched a new AI feature in the Kindle app that gives spoiler-free answers to questions about the book you’re reading and confirmed that authors can’t opt out from the feature.
The company calls Ask this Book an “expert reading assistant” in its announcement and says that it’s capable of answering questions about “plot details, character relationships, and thematic elements,” all while avoiding spoilers by limiting its answers to content from the pages you’ve read so far. It’s essentially an in-book chatbot, accessible from the book menu or by highlighting a passage of text you want to ask about.
Amazon spokesperson Ale Iraheta told Publishers Lunch that the answers are “non-shareable and non-copyable” and only available to readers who’ve purchased or rented books. Iraheta also said that the feature is always on, noting that “there is no option for authors or publishers to opt titles out.”
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