Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Steve Martin & MIchael Caine
Cyber security

The ATO is Australia’s biggest cyber scams victim, losing $500m & revealing major flaws in the myGov ID system

- August 2, 2023 3 MIN READ

The Australian Tax Office (ATO) paid out more than half a billion dollars to cyber criminals between July 2021 and February 2023, according to an ABC report. Most of the payments were for small amounts (less than A$5,000) and were not flagged by the ATO’s own monitoring systems. The fraudsters exploited a weakness in the… Read more »

Short Circuit Number 5
AI/Machine Learning

When Silicon Valley talks about ‘AI alignment’ here’s why they miss the real issues

- July 17, 2023 4 MIN READ

As increasingly capable artificial intelligence (AI) systems become widespread, the question of the risks they may pose has taken on new urgency. Governments, researchers and developers have highlighted AI safety. The EU is moving on AI regulation, the UK is convening an AI safety summit, and Australia is seeking input on supporting safe and responsible… Read more »

On phone in bed
AI/Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence is already making some people so worried they have AI-nxiety – here’s how to cope

- June 30, 2023 3 MIN READ

Even tech experts have been astonished by the recent, rapid growth of AI technology, able to hold human-like conversations in multiple languages, create music and pass medical exams. While the potential benefits of AI in fields such as healthcare are indeed inspiring, the pace of change is rapid, and there is still lots of uncertainty… Read more »

Apple VR headset
Global tech

Apple’s new VR headset, Vision Pro, hasn’t sent the crowds wild, but for now that’s not the goal

- June 14, 2023 3 MIN READ

Apple’s new Vision Pro mixed reality headset has generated a significant amount of buzz. Announcing it at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, chief executive Tim Cook said the virtual and augmented reality headset will allow users to “see, hear and interact with digital content just like it’s in your physical space […] seamlessly blending the… Read more »

AI/Machine Learning

The good news is AI probably won’t wipe out humanity, but Big Tech is certainly hoping to wipe out competition

- June 2, 2023 4 MIN READ

Doomsaying is an old occupation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a complex subject. It’s easy to fear what you don’t understand. These three truths go some way towards explaining the oversimplification and dramatisation plaguing discussions about AI. This week outlets around the world were plastered with news of yet another open letter claiming AI poses an… Read more »

Other tech

US authorities have approved human trials of Elon Musk’s Neuralink brain chip – but the current lessons from AI need to apply here too

- May 31, 2023 4 MIN READ

Since its founding in 2016, Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company Neuralink has had the ambitious mission to build a next-generation brain implant with at least 100 times more brain connections than devices currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company has now reached a significant milestone, having received FDA approval to begin… Read more »

delete social media, Facebook
Social Media

Nobody’s sure if quitting social media has long-term benefits because most people can’t stop for long enough to find out

- May 30, 2023 3 MIN READ

Being on social media has become synonymous with living in the 21st century. Year after year, we see new platforms and smarter algorithms roping us into highly addictive online worlds. Now, a growing number of people have noticed this trend and are actively making an effort to resist it. Anecdotally, a case can be made… Read more »