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Flying drones take aim at retail theft

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Flying drones take aim at retail theft

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Shoplifting has long been a challenge for retailers, but a U.S. company now believes that flying drones could help combat the issue. Flock Safety, best known for its law enforcement camera systems, is promoting its new Flock Aerodome Drone as an Automated Security system to the private sector. The idea is simple: if a theft occurs, a drone launches, follows the suspect, and streams live video back to security teams or even police. With theft rates reportedly climbing 93% in 2024, the push for high-tech security has never been stronger.

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An example of a Flock Safety drone, ready to follow theft suspects within seconds (Flock Safety)

How the drones would work

Instead of dispatching a guard, Flock’s drones could launch within seconds after motion is detected. Equipped with HD and thermal cameras, the drones can zoom in, track suspects, and relay real-time visuals.

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The company says the system:

  • Covers up to 38 square miles with a single dock
  • Integrates with existing security alarms and camera systems
  • Operates with FAA safety approvals and built-in geofencing
  • Reduces costs by replacing the need for multiple guards

In theory, the drones act as a “guard in the sky,” providing retailers with rapid coverage across large areas, such as malls, warehouses, or ports.

The drone is equipped with HD and thermal cameras; they track movement across wide areas in order to follow suspects. (Flock Safety)

TEXAS COMPANY CREATES DRONES TO CONFRONT SCHOOL SHOOTERS IN SECONDS

Why retailers may be interested

Organized retail crime is a growing problem. Retailers have been reporting higher losses, tighter budgets, and fewer staff members available. Flock Safety argues its drone system can act as a deterrent simply by being visible, making criminals think twice before targeting a store. Beyond retail, the company is also pitching its drones to operators of hospitals, warehouse sites, and energy facilities that require large-scale surveillance.

Due to the drones’ helpful technologies, retailers may soon rely on them as a visible deterrent against organized theft. (Flock Safety)

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What this means for you

For shoppers, this could mean visiting stores where drones are part of the security landscape. You might notice them overhead at malls or parking lots, watching for unusual activity. While some may view this as an added safety measure, others may worry about increased surveillance and loss of privacy. For retailers, drones could help protect profits, staff, and customers without the rising costs of hiring additional guards. But whether customers welcome drones buzzing around remains to be seen.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Technology is quickly reshaping how companies approach security, and drones may soon play a bigger role in everyday shopping environments. With faster response times, broader coverage, and lower staffing costs, the idea has clear appeal for retailers. At the same time, questions about privacy and public acceptance will influence the extent to which this technology is adopted.

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Would you feel safer shopping under drone surveillance, or would it make you uncomfortable? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com/Contact

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Canvas is down as ShinyHunters threatens to leak schools’ data

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Canvas is down as ShinyHunters threatens to leak schools’ data

The Instructure-owned learning management platform, Canvas, is down after recently confirming a massive data breach that impacted student names, email addresses, ID numbers, and messages. Students attempting to access the system on Thursday saw a message from the hacking group ShinyHunters, which claimed responsibility for the attack:

ShinyHunters has breached Instructure (again). Instead of contacting us to resolve it they ignored us and did some “security patches.” If any of the schools in the affected list are interested in preventing the release of their data, please consult with a cyber advisory firm and contact us privately at TOX to negotiate a settlement. You have till the end of the day by 12 May 2026 before everything is leaked.

The message included a link to a list of schools ShinyHunter claims to have breached through Canvas.

“Instructure has placed Canvas, Canvas Beta and Canvas Test in maintenance mode,” according to Infrastructure’s status page. “We anticipate being up soon, and will provide updates as soon as possible.”

Instructure said last week that it “deployed patches to enhance system security” following the breach. ShinyHunters — which has claimed responsibility for attacks on Ticketmaster, AT&T, Rockstar Games, ADT, and Vercel — said its data leak site contains 9,000 schools, including data belonging to 275 million students, teachers, and other staff, according to Bleeping Computer.

Update, May 7th: Added Infrastructure’s maintenance mode message.

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Humanoid robot named ‘Gabi’ ordained as Buddhist monk, pledges devotion to ‘holy Buddha’

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Humanoid robot named ‘Gabi’ ordained as Buddhist monk, pledges devotion to ‘holy Buddha’

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A high-tech humanoid robot was officially “ordained” as a Buddhist monk during a ceremony at Seoul’s Jogyesa Temple on Wednesday.

The robot, a $13,500 Unitree G1 model standing just over four feet tall, was given the name “Gabi.” Dressed in traditional brown robes, plain shoes and gloves designed to mimic human hands, the machine stood before a panel of Buddhist monks to commit itself to the faith.

During the ceremony, hosted by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the robot was asked by a monk if it would devote itself to the “holy Buddha.”

“Yes, I will devote myself,” Gabi responded to the crowd’s cheers.

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AI HUMANOID ROBOT LEARNS TO MIMIC HUMAN EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIOR

More than 200 humanoid robots perform during Agibot Night, a live televised gala in Shanghai ahead of Lunar New Year. (Tang Yanjun/China News Service)

The ceremony highlights a growing effort among religious institutions to engage younger, tech-driven audiences, raising broader questions about whether artificial intelligence can play a meaningful role in spiritual life or if such moves risk trivializing long-standing traditions.

While humans typically pledge to abstain from killing, stealing and intoxicating substances, Gabi’s vows were “reprogrammed” for the digital age. The robot pledged to respect and follow humans, refrain from damaging property or other robots, abstain from deceptive behavior and save energy by not overcharging.

The Jogye Order, South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, framed the move as an effort to make ancient traditions more relevant to a younger, tech-obsessed generation.

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A humanoid robot, front, and Buddhist monks put hands together for a photo after an ordination ceremony ahead of upcoming Buddha’s birthday on May 24 at Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 6, 2026. (Lee Jin-man/AP)

“The ordination of a robot signifies that technology must be used in accordance with the values of compassion, wisdom, and responsibility,” the order said in a statement shared with The New York Times. Officials added that the move symbolizes “new possibilities for the coexistence of humans and technology.”

Hong Min-suk, a manager at the order, told the publication that robots are “destined to collaborate with humans in every field,” suggesting it is only “natural” for them to participate in religious festivals.

The Jogye Order did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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Despite the temple’s optimistic outlook, the move has drawn criticism online. A video of Gabi’s pledge quickly surpassed one million views, with some users on X questioning whether a machine can meaningfully participate in religious practice.

Buddhist monks arrive at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 10, 2026, before participating in an interfaith ceremony during the final days of their 2,300-mile “Walk for Peace.” (Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images)

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“As a Buddhist, I find this ridiculous and insulting,” one user wrote.

Gabi is expected to make its next public appearance at Seoul’s upcoming Lantern Festival on May 16-17, honoring the Buddha’s birthday.

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Live updates from Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s court battle over the future of OpenAI

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Live updates from Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s court battle over the future of OpenAI

Sam Altman and Elon Musk are facing off in a high-stakes trial that could alter the future of OpenAI and its most well-known product, ChatGPT. In 2024, Musk filed a lawsuit accusing OpenAI of abandoning its founding mission of developing AI to benefit humanity and shifting focus to boosting profits instead.

Elon Musk, his financial manager and Neuralink CEO, Jared Birchall, and OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman have already testified before the jury. Now, on Wednesday, May 6th, Shivon Zilis, a former OpenAI board member who shares four children with Musk, is taking the stand, and the courtroom is seeing testimony from former OpenAI exec Mira Murati via video.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is scheduled to appear on Monday, with OpenAI cofounder and former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever lined up to testify after that.

Musk was a cofounder of OpenAI and claims that Altman and Brockman tricked him into giving the company money, only to turn their backs on their original goal. However, OpenAI says that “This lawsuit has always been a baseless and jealous bid to derail a competitor” in a bid to boost Musk’s own SpaceX / xAI / X companies that have launched Grok as a competitor to ChatGPT.

Elon Musk — plaintiff, OpenAI cofounder and now CEO of rival xAI

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Steven Molo — lead counsel for plaintiff

Jared Birchall — manager of Musk’s family office

Shivon Zilis — former OpenAI board member who shares multiple children with Musk

Sam Altman — defendant, CEO of OpenAI

William Savitt — lead counsel for defendant

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Greg Brockman — president of OpenAI as well as a cofounder

Ilya Sutskever — former chief scientist at OpenAI and a cofounder

Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers — aka YGR, trial judge

Here’s all the latest on the trial between Musk and Altman:

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