Microsoft is being investigated by the FTC over antitrust concerns

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1. Microsoft is being investigated by the FTC over antitrust concerns

Microsoft is under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission for antitrust violations, becoming the fifth Big Tech company to face such scrutiny in several years. The investigation focuses on Microsoft's cloud and software licensing business, cybersecurity services, and AI offerings.

The demand for information spans hundreds of pages and comes after several security incidents impacting Microsoft's products, particularly as a top supplier of software to US government agencies. The FTC and Microsoft declined to comment. Microsoft's security culture has been deemed inadequate by the government Cyber Safety Review Board, and if the FTC brings a lawsuit, it would put Microsoft back into a familiar position.

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2.Hum by Helen Phillips review – an all-too-plausible vision of the future

May loses her office job due to humanoid robots, and she takes an experimental facial injection to earn a salary. She becomes a guinea pig for adversarial AI, causing her to look subtly different. Her husband, Jem, takes gig work via an app, and their children, Lu and Sy, are addicted to their devices.

The novel, written by Helen Phillips, explores the unsettling atmosphere of a conventional family struggling to pay bills and breathe clean air. The plot is gripping, with no dramatic confrontations, and the stakes rise and then recede.

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3. Conservationists turn to AI in battle to save red squirrels

Conservationists are developing an AI tool called Squirrel Agent, which can distinguish between grey and red squirrels with 97% accuracy. The tool can automatically control squirrel feeder access, allowing only red squirrels into those with food and only grey squirrels into those with contraceptive paste.

The tool is being tested in the UK with five wildlife charities and is expected to be used more widely for other species that require sophisticated digital monitoring. The next step is to identify individual squirrels by focusing on their whiskers.

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4. These economists say artificial intelligence can narrow U.S. deficits by improving healthcare

Artificial intelligence could potentially reduce the US fiscal deficit by 1.5% of GDP by 2044, according to a working paper by the Center on Regulation and Markets at Brookings. The paper suggests AI could expand access to health care information and services while reducing the burden on the conventional healthcare system.

AI could also improve health care services and public health by making it more efficient and democratizing access to the system. However, the implementation of AI in healthcare is uncertain due to regulations and incentives.

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5. From AI to young new artists, London wants to attract a new generation of art buyers

London is focusing on attracting younger art buyers and showcasing emerging artists as global art sales fell 4% YoY in 2023. This shift comes as artificial intelligence and its use in creating work continue to gain attention. Artists like Sougwen Chung are using robots called DOUG to co-create work, translating digital data into tangible works.

The art market is also focusing on finding new buyers, as some clients are aging out or having their collections reach capacity. The U.S. and Europe are described as "fundamentally saturated" and lacking in next-generation collectors.

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