Technology
Experts warn AI could generate ‘major epidemics or even pandemics’ — but how soon?
![Experts warn AI could generate ‘major epidemics or even pandemics’ — but how soon? Experts warn AI could generate ‘major epidemics or even pandemics’ — but how soon?](https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/Coronavirus-testing.jpg)
Experts researching advancements in artificial intelligence are now warning that AI models could create the next “enhanced pathogens capable of causing major epidemics or even pandemics.”
The declaration was made in a paper published in the journal Science by co-authors from Johns Hopkins University, Stanford University and Fordham University, who say that AI models are being “trained on or [are] capable of meaningfully manipulating substantial quantities of biological data, from speeding up drug and vaccine design to improving crop yields.”
“But as with any powerful new technology, such biological models will also pose considerable risks. Because of their general-purpose nature, the same biological model able to design a benign viral vector to deliver gene therapy could be used to design a more pathogenic virus capable of evading vaccine-induced immunity,” researchers wrote in their abstract.
“Voluntary commitments among developers to evaluate biological models’ potential dangerous capabilities are meaningful and important but cannot stand alone,” the paper continued. “We propose that national governments, including the United States, pass legislation and set mandatory rules that will prevent advanced biological models from substantially contributing to large-scale dangers, such as the creation of novel or enhanced pathogens capable of causing major epidemics or even pandemics.”
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People line up to receive coronavirus tests in Washington, D.C., in December 2021. A new paper published in Science is warning about the potential risks of biological AI models. (Ting Shen/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Although today’s AI models likely do not “substantially contribute” to biological risks, the “essential ingredients to create highly concerning advanced biological models may already exist or soon will,” Time quoted the paper’s authors as saying.
They reportedly recommend that governments create a “battery of tests” that biological AI models must undertake before being released to the public – and then from there officials can determine how restricted access to the models should be.
“We need to plan now,” Anita Cicero, the deputy director at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and one of the co-authors of the paper, said according to Time. “Some structured government oversight and requirements will be necessary in order to reduce risks of especially powerful tools in the future.”
Cicero reportedly added that biological risks from AI models could become a reality “within the next 20 years, and maybe even much less” without the proper oversight.
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![COVID variant](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/06/1200/675/covid-variant-kp2.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
The paper’s authors write that “the same biological model able to design a benign viral vector to deliver gene therapy could be used to design a more pathogenic virus capable of evading vaccine-induced immunity.” (iStock)
“If the question is can AI be used to engineer pandemics, 100% percent. And as far as how far down the road we should be concerned about it, I think that AI is advancing at a rate that most people are not prepared for,” Paul Powers, an AI expert and CEO of Physna – a company that helps computers analyze 3D models and geometric objects – told Fox News Digital.
“The thing is that it’s not just governments and large businesses that have access to these increasingly powerful capabilities, it’s individuals and small businesses as well,” he continued, but noted that “the problem with regulation here is that one, as much as everyone wants a global set of rules for this, the reality is that it is enforced nationally. Secondly is that regulation doesn’t move at the speed of AI. Regulation can’t even keep up with technology as it has been, with traditional speed.”
“What they are proposing that you do is have the government approve certain AI training models and certain AI applications. But the reality is how do you police that?” Powers said.
![kid getting vaccinated](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/1200/675/kid-getting-vaccinated.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
A child receives the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on May 13, 2021. (Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images)
“There are certain nucleic acids that are essentially the building blocks for any potential real pathogen or virus,” Powers added, saying, “I would start there… I would start on really trying to crack down on who can access the building blocks first.”
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Technology
ESPN’s new ‘Where to Watch’ service is a TV Guide for sports streaming
![ESPN’s new ‘Where to Watch’ service is a TV Guide for sports streaming ESPN’s new ‘Where to Watch’ service is a TV Guide for sports streaming](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cxE2Xv00rPqrGy1spdgFZPhKAm4=/0x0:1366x971/1200x628/filters:focal(683x486:684x487)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25592923/CleanShot_2024_08_28_at_12.40.52.png)
ESPN’s newest feature will be a welcome bookmark for sports fans everywhere: the company just launched “Where to Watch,” which aims to be a universal guide for streaming sports all over the internet.
When you open the page on ESPN’s website or in its app, Where to Watch looks like a typical schedule of games, the kind of thing ESPN has had forever — it’s sortable by sport and able to show your favorite team at the top. But next to each listing, it now shows where you can watch the game, even when it’s not on ESPN.
ESPN says Where to Watch has data from more than 250 streaming services. On Wednesday morning, it offered me a baseball game on MLB.TV, a college soccer game on ACC Extra, some MLS on Apple TV Plus, and five different ways to stream a WNBA game. ESPN says that you’ll be able to click some listings to go directly to a game, though that’ll require a separate partnership with those services. You can also set the feature to only show games on services you subscribe to.
Where to Watch is a useful solution to an increasingly common problem: sports streaming is a confusing, convoluted, expensive mess, to the point where even liking a single team can mean managing a laundry list of services. Venu Sports, the collaboration between several large entertainment companies, exists — and is hotly controversial — for exactly the same reason.
For ESPN, Where to Watch is just another way to get you into its universe. The company has a lot of sports rights, of course, and displays those all over the new guide, but it’s also looking for ways to get more people on its website and app, where they might also decide to play fantasy sports or gamble through ESPN Bet. As the company also pursues its own streaming goals, it’ll need more ways to show people what’s playing and where. Turning ESPN into the app people open whenever they want to watch a game, no matter where that game is, would be a big win for the company.
And the more the ESPN app becomes a destination, the more leverage ESPN has with partners who might want to show their games there. As broadcast and regional sports networks continue to disappear, Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN’s chairman, told Deadline that ESPN intends to take over. “We’ve made that point to various leagues and commissioners that we are very interested in stepping up,” he said. “We can make these games available in the ESPN app.”
Where to Watch doesn’t have all sports and all streamers, but ESPN says it’s working on adding more over time.
Technology
X’s Grok bot now points to government website after election misinformation warnings
![X’s Grok bot now points to government website after election misinformation warnings X’s Grok bot now points to government website after election misinformation warnings](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7B8eJZYbXg4F_HkICJxQN9IS1JY=/0x0:2040x1360/1200x628/filters:focal(1020x680:1021x681)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25535555/STK160_X_TWITTER__B.jpg)
X has updated its artificial intelligence chatbot Grok after five secretaries of state warned it was spreading election misinformation. The AI assistant will now say “For accurate and up-to-date information about the 2024 US Elections, please visit Vote.gov,” when users ask election-related questions.
The change was introduced after election officials from Minnesota, New Mexico, Michigan, Washington, and Pennsylvania sent a complaint letter to X owner Elon Musk earlier this month, highlighting that Grok had provided false information about the ballot deadlines in their states. Grok, which is developed by another Musk-owned company xAI, is only available to paying subscribers on the X social media platform — but the letter signed by the five secretaries of state said election misinformation from the chatbot has been shared to reach “millions of people” before it was corrected 10 days after the issue was discovered.
“We appreciate X’s action to improve their platform and hope they continue to make improvements that will ensure their users have access to accurate information from trusted sources in this critical election year,” the officials said in response to Grok’s updated message. “Elections are a team effort, and we need and welcome any partners who are committed to ensuring free, fair, secure, and accurate elections.”
Technology
AT&T customers report wireless service has been down for hours
![AT&T customers report wireless service has been down for hours AT&T customers report wireless service has been down for hours](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JekL02kevmRw0VXfJyaADG9mZII=/0x0:2040x1360/1200x628/filters:focal(1020x680:1021x681)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24785180/STK158_ATT_01.jpg)
AT&T is experiencing some issues right now that are leaving customers seeing “SOS” instead of their usual bars of service.
“We are working to address a software issue that may affect the ability of a limited number of our customers to connect to our wireless network. Keeping our customers connected is our highest priority, so we appreciate their patience as we work to resolve this issue,” said AT&T spokesperson Jim Kimberly in a statement sent to The Verge.
Kimberly also said that an explanation posted by The Mobile Report was inaccurate. That outlet said AT&T found internally that a failure at a switching center “has resulted in a cascade of problems, including service delays, the inability to provision new SIM cards, and, for many, a complete loss of network connectivity” that may primarily affect iPhones and other Apple devices.
Users on Reddit have also reported service issues on some Android devices.
On Tuesday afternoon, there was also a spike in user reports on Downdetector. There has been a dip in reports since the peak, but while writing this article, the Downdetector graph has started to creep up again.
Update, August 27th: Added statement from AT&T spokesperson.
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