Author: AI News First

EU-funded initiative CERTAIN aims to drive ethical AI compliance in Europe amid increasing regulations like the EU AI Act. CERTAIN — short for “Certification for Ethical and Regulatory Transparency in Artificial Intelligence” — will focus on the development of tools and frameworks that promote transparency, compliance, and sustainability in AI technologies. The project is led by Idemia Identity & Security France in collaboration with 19 partners across ten European countries, including the St. Pölten University of Applied Sciences (UAS) in Austria. With its official launch in January 2025, CERTAIN could serve as a blueprint for global AI governance. Driving ethical…

The iPhone 16e isn’t for me. If you’re an avid tech enthusiast and Apple fan, it’s probably not for you either. It’s for the person holding on to an iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X, ready to upgrade because their more than seven-year-old smartphone isn’t working too well nowadays. They want a new phone, and it just needs to be an iPhone.A part of my brain won’t stop thinking about whether this nearly once-in-a-decade upgrade for these folks wouldn’t be better served if Apple had included its nice-to-have amenities, like MagSafe or the ultra-wideband chip for improved AirTags tracking. Even…

The current balance in the LOCCS system, according to a record reviewed by WIRED, is over $100 billion—money Congress has approved for HUD projects but which has yet to be drawn down. Much of this money has been earmarked to cover disaster assistance and community development work, a source at the agency says.Normally, those who have access to LOCCS require additional processing and approvals to access the system, and most only have “read” access, department employees say.“Read/write is used for executing contracts and grants on the LOCCS side,” says one person. “It normally has strict banking procedures around doing anything…

Nikon’s Z6 III brings most of the flagship features of Nikon’s far more expensive Z8 and Z9 to the Z6 line. The Z6 III (8/10, WIRED Recommends) features Nikon’s 24-megapixel partially stacked CMOS sensor, very fast and accurate 3D subject-tracking system, and ProRes encoding for video—making it one of the best hybrid, photo/video cameras on the market.The “partially stacked” bit means you get some of the performance benefits of a stacked CMOS sensor, like those found in the Nikon Z8 and Z9, but not the downsides, or at least fewer of the downsides. Stacked sensors, ahem, stack the processing circuits…

In comparison to the cultural domination of “Barbenheimer,” which was followed by a Best Picture win for Oppenheimer, the competition for the top prize at the 2025 Oscars is much more uncertain. Online controversies, lack of strong buzz around any one film, and a growing international voter base all make predicting the Best Picture winner at the 97th Academy Awards exceptionally difficult.Trying to win your office’s Oscar ballot competition or just curious to see everything up for America’s biggest movie award? Lucky for you, many of the films—including Wicked, Anora, and The Brutalist—are available to watch at home. Unfortunately, they…

Bringing a product to market requires a well-structured product planning process to ensure it meets customer expectations and business goals. Without the right approach, businesses risk wasting resources, missing market opportunities, and struggling to keep up with competitors. A strong strategy for product planning and development not only helps teams stay focused but also ensures products are innovative, market-ready, and built for long-term success.In this article, we’ll explore what product planning involves, break down the key stages of the product planning process, and discuss how businesses can use it to drive successful product launches.Product Planning Process  Wondering how to take your…

The Sigma BF lets you focus on the perfect shot! HomeComing SoonThe Sigma BF lets you focus on the perfect shot!Product SpecificationsStill Image File Size (RAW) 6016 x 4012Still Image File Size (JPEG) 6016 x 4012 Gadget Flow EditorsCapture every moment with the Sigma BF, a full-frame mirrorless camera that simplifies control. Experience powerful performance without distractions. –Prioritize Simplicity: Focus on the image with a sleek unibody design. Navigate with a neat menu and easy controls.–Feel Every Adjustment: Use pressure-sensitive haptic buttons for instant feedback. Control settings without shifting focus.–Access Settings: Adjust shutter speed, aperture, ISO, EV compensation, and color mode.…

Monica Retamosa was in the middle of changing the batteries of a tape recorder when she heard a bellbird for the first time. Standing on a forest floor, she looked up into the trees, scanning for the source of its metallic and powerful sound, searching for the bird for half an hour to no avail. The bellbird sings from the treetops where it is visible to its peers but invisible to those below. Still, Retamosa smiled: She cares for ecosystems in Costa Rica’s AmistOsa Biological Corridor by listening to them.In nature, living things use sound for almost everything. They make…

Voice AI company ElevenLabs is now letting authors publish AI-generated audiobooks on its own Reader app, TechCrunch has learned and the company confirmed. The announcement comes days after the company partnered with Spotify for AI-narrated audiobooks. ElevenLabs, which raised a $180 million mega-round last month, started inviting authors to try out their publishing program through their app on a trial basis last year, TechCrunch previously spotted. That program is newly open to all authors as of today. Image Credits Eleven Labs The company confirmed the development to TechCrunch, explaining the idea is to provide affordable and accessible tools for audiobook…

New research from a team at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics suggests that the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy neighboring the Milky Way, hosts a gravitational structure hundreds of thousands of times the mass of the sun: a potential supermassive black hole.The most widely accepted theory of galactic evolution holds that supermassive black holes are found only in the largest galaxies, such as the Milky Way. Until now, there was no reason to imagine that a small cluster like the Large Magellanic Cloud could host one. When x-ray telescopes or observatories have been trained on smaller clusters like the…