Elon Musk announces further changes to X, AI to drive huge spike in energy use
Elon Musk has announced further changes to social media platform X that will see certain accounts get premium features for free. The tech billionaire, writing on the platform formerly known as Twitter, said all accounts with more than 2,500 verified subscriber followers would be able to access features that usually cost $8 (£6.30) a month. Premium features include the ability to edit and write longer posts, as well as reducing the number of adverts seen by the user. It also gives the account holder a blue tick next to their display name. Sky News
The boom in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing will drive a spike in energy use, the National Grid has predicted. Both rely on data centres – warehouses full of computer systems. Chief executive John Pettigrew said the power those data centres use would increase six-fold in the next decade. He said the grid was becoming “constrained” and “bold action” was needed to create a network able to cope with “dramatically” growing demand. “Future growth in foundational technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing will mean larger scale, energy-intensive computing infrastructure,” Mr Pettigrew said. BBC
Google has announced a number of interesting new features for Google Maps and Google Search, all designed to help you on your travels – and the custom lists feature in Google Maps is getting most of the attention in terms of upgrades. Google says it’s now making it easier to discover lists that users have created in “select cities” in the US and Canada. These lists will appear when you swipe up on the info card for a city. There are three crowdsourced lists, for places that are trending, places that have been given the best reviews, and “gems” that have gone “under the radar”. Tech Radar
Experts have revealed the tell-tale signs that an essay has been written by ChatGPT and not a student. It comes after the rise of generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, has sparked concerns about cheating among pupils in the education sector. Repetition of words, tautology and paragraphs starting with “however” are some tell-tale features, researchers said. The writing style of the artificial intelligence tool is “bland” and “journalistic”, according to a Cambridge University Press and Assessment study. Researchers compared essays written by three first-year undergraduate students, with the aid of ChatGPT, with 164 essays written by IGCSE students. Independent
Nissan has declared it will launch five new electric vehicles in Europe by 2026, including the all-new Nissan Micra and Nissan Juke, plus the replacement for the pioneering Leaf electric hatchback – which is likely to be a crossover SUV. The first of these to arrive will be the new Nissan Micra, due to be unveiled later this year, and based on the same technology that unpins the recently unveiled Renault 5 E-Tech. It will be produced by the Renault Group’s EV-dedicated company, Ampere, and use its AmpR Small platform. AutoExpress
Later today, a man who has recently turned 32 will be hauled in front of a Manhattan judge. Already convicted of huge fraud, he knows he’s going to prison. The only question is for how long. If the US government gets its way, he will not emerge before his 80th birthday. This is the final disgrace of Sam Bankman-Fried. The judge, politicians and the world’s press will declare him one of the biggest swindlers in American history. The Guardian
