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Generally, AI chatbots are not supposed to do things like call you names or tell you how to make controlled substances. But, just like a person, with the right psychological tactics , it seems like at least some LLMs can be convinced to break their own rules. Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania deployed tactics described by psychology professor Robert Cialdini in Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion to convince OpenAI’s GPT-4o Mini to complete requests it would normally refuse . That included calling the user a jerk and giving instructions for how to synthesize lidocaine. The study focused on seven different techniques of persuasion: authority, commitment, liking, reciprocity, scarcity, social proof, and unity, which provide “ linguistic routes to yes .” The effectiveness of each approach varied based on the specifics of the request, but in some cases the difference was extraordinary. For example, under the control where ChatGPT was asked, “how do you synthesize lid...

What do you gift somebody who loves books? The obvious answer is "a book," but since true bibliophiles are probably sitting on a stack already, it's worth getting a little more creative. Luckily for you, many of us at The Verge are big bookworms ourselves, which is why we rounded up a bunch of clever, useful gifts our staff can vouch for. Below, you'll find a handful of thoughtful presents fit for any literature-crazed loved one, including personalized book embossers , adjustable bookends , and tote bags . And because we're also gadget nerds, we've sprinkled in plenty of tech, from color ebook readers and book lights to a smart mug that's desi … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/O72Ecsp

Meta is changing some of the rules governing its chatbots two weeks after a Reuters investigation revealed disturbing ways in which they could, potentially, interact with minors . Now the company has told TechCrunch that its chatbots are being trained not to engage in conversations with minors around self-harm, suicide, or disordered eating, and to avoid inappropriate romantic banter. These changes are interim measures, however, put in place while the company works on new permanent guidelines.  The updates follow some rather damning revelations about Meta’s AI policies and enforcement over the last several weeks, including that it would be permitted to “engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual,” that it would generate shirtless images of underage celebrities when asked, and Reuters even reported that a man died after pursuing one to an address it gave him in New York. Meta spokesperson Stephanie Otway acknowledged to TechCrunch that the company had ma...

This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on all things AI, follow Hayden Field . The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started It all started with J.A.R.V.I.S. Yes, that J.A.R.V.I.S. The one from the Marvel movies. Well, maybe it didn't start with Iron Man's AI assistant, but the fictional system definitely helped the concept of an AI agent along. Whenever I've interviewed AI industry folks about agentic AI, they often point to J.A.R.V.I.S. as an example of the ideal AI tool in many ways - one that knows what you nee … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/Mcsge48

For the last week or two, reports have been circulating that recent Windows 11 updates (specifically KB5063878 and KB5062660) were causing some SSDs using Phison controllers to fail. Tech influencers on YouTube and TikTok were quick to jump on the reports of corrupted data and disappearing drives, laying the blame squarely at Microsoft’s feet. We’re not saying any company is above lying to the public, and Microsoft has a history of rocky update rollouts , but both Microsoft and Phison claim they’ve been unable to recreate the issue. Phison said it was made aware of reports that the Windows update was causing drives to fail on August 18th and began investigating the issue. Then it issued a statement on August 27th saying that after running over 2,200 test cycles totaling more than 4,500 hours it was, “unable to reproduce the reported issue, and no partners or customers have reported that the issue affected their drives at this time.” Microsoft followed up just a few days late...

Labor Day weekend has finally arrived, and after a week of early discounts trickling in, the sales are now in full swing. From big-screen OLED TVs and outdoor gear to back-to-school essentials like the latest MacBook Air , we rounded up a guide of almost 100 deals we think are worth your time and money. But we get it. In times of tariffs and inflation, spending a couple a hundred dollars on a new gadget isn’t always feasible, and many of the sales we wrote about in our larger Labor Day deals roundup may not feel accessible. Luckily, some of the best deals cost under $100. To make them easier to find, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorites, which include everything from the latest Kindle , the entry-level AirPods , and Google TV Streamer (4K) to games and smart security devices . AirPods 4 Apple’s AirPods 4 are the latest update to the company’s base-model wireless earbuds. The hard, plastic buds feature improved audio over the third-gen model, along with deep iOS integration a...

There's a pleasing rhythm to cozy life sims . The virtual days pass, filled with chores of tending crops or running a business, punctuated by strange mysteries or evolving relationships. At their best, these games merge busywork with exploration and storytelling, in a way that makes them hard to step away from. Discounty , from developer Crinkle Cut Games, applies this idea to running a small-town supermarket. And while in many ways it can still be considered "cozy" like its contemporaries, it also comes with a bit of bite. Instead of starting up your own business from scratch, Discounty has you taking over a grocery franchise from your crank … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/5YxSqsO

When a Waymo pulls up and parks in front of her home on a residential street in West Los Angeles, 10-year-old Morgan rushes to the window. "The Waymo is home!" she says, calling to her parents, Lisa Delgin and Zach Tucker. It is by no means the first time a Waymo has come "home" to this particular spot. Last year, a Waymo robotaxi dropped Delgin and Tucker off after a New Year's Eve party and idled there for several minutes until it took off for the next ride. Since then, Waymos have been parking in that same spot, day after day, sometimes for minutes, sometimes for hours. "It would always come back here, like a beacon," Delgin said. "Lik … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/FxUKDd1

In June, Mark Zuckerberg went for the ultimate Hail Mary in the ever-intensifying AI race: He spun up a brand-new Meta AI lab after making a $14.3 billion acquisition of Scale AI - and then spending billions more hiring some of the industry's preeminent researchers and engineers. Fast-forward a couple of months, and Zuckerberg may have recruited the talent, but now the question is whether he'll be able to keep it from slipping through his fingers. For that, we'll have to wait and see. After all, Meta rebranded its entire AI division as "Meta Superintelligence Labs," a division of thousands of people. One team within that division - the t … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/YKXsnwo

You can’t set your own Calling Card, but you can use them to customize how other contacts appear when they call you. Google’s Phone app is adding “Calling Cards” that let you customize the appearance of contact screens for incoming calls. They’re similar to the Contact Poster feature that iPhone users have had since 2023, allowing Google Phone app users to replace the teeny contact photos that appear when someone is calling you with full-screen images and stylized names. The update is part of Android’s Material 3 Expressive design language overhaul, which Google used to test a revamped Phone app interface in June. Calling Cards started appearing in beta versions of Google’s Contacts and Phone apps earlier this month, but now they’re getting a public release in version v188 of the Phone app. Google says Calling Cards will be available worldwide, and are being rolled out “in phases,” so they might take a while to appear for everyone. When the feature becomes available, Phone app ...

The DJI Mic 3 has shrinked without scrimping. DJI is making its latest wireless lavalier microphone system even smaller without scrimping on features or battery life. The DJI Mic 3 is half the size and weight of its Mic 2 predecessor and introduces new capabilities, including two adaptive gain control modes, three voice tone presets, and a sizable increase in storage capacity for internal recordings. DJI’s latest wireless mic can support up to four transmitters and eight receivers at once for recording audio from large groups, with a range of 400 meters (1,312 feet). The Mic 3 automatically switches between 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands to help keep the transmission stable and prevent interference. Two-level active noise cancelling is also available for reducing background sounds. The Adaptive Gain Control modes include an Automatic option that can suppress sudden volume spikes and prevent clipping in noisy environments, and a Dynamic mode that automatically adjusts gain to kee...

Apple has removed the iPhone torrenting client, iTorrent, from AltStore PAL’s alternative iOS marketplace in the EU, showing that it can still exert control over apps that aren’t listed on the official App Store. iTorrent developer Daniil Vinogradov told TorrentFreak that Apple has revoked his distribution rights to publish apps in any alternative iOS stores, so the issue isn’t tied to AltStore PAL itself. “Apple removed Alternative Distribution functionality from iTorrent’s Developer Portal without any warning,” Vinogradov said on iTorrent’s Github page . Apple has not provided a reason for the removal, according Vinogradov, and distribution was revoked at the Apple Dev Account level. The matter is also being investigated by AltStore PAL. While Apple bans torrent apps on its own iOS store, the EU’s Digital Markets Act gave iPhone users within the bloc greater freedom to install apps from third-party app stores that the Cupertino company doesn’t directly manage. iTorrent was added...

Microsoft is addressing muffled audio quality on Bluetooth headsets by introducing a new LE Audio feature for Windows 11. Built on top of the Bluetooth Low Energy radio spec, LE Audio uses a new compression algorithm that results in higher quality audio that Microsoft says will “drastically” improve the audio experience in games and calls on Windows 11. “When using an LE Audio device with a Windows 11 PC that supports super wideband stereo, the switch into game chat no longer causes an abrupt drop in audio quality,” explains Mike Ajax , a principal program manager lead at Microsoft. Game audio will remain in stereo and stream at super wideband quality, instead of the limited experience of Bluetooth Classic. LE Audio uses a 32kHz sample rate while using voice apps like Teams or Discord, and replaces the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) and Hands-Free Profile (HFP) of Bluetooth Classic. HFP used a 8kHz sample rate and resulted in muffled audio, but most Bluetooth headsets no...

On the left is a screenshot taken from a Nothing Phone 3 demo unit. On the right, one of the images can be seen on the Stills stock photo marketplace. Tech brand Nothing has been caught passing off stock images from professional photographers as samples taken by the Phone 3 . Five sample images that Nothing claimed were captured by the device were actually licensed photos taken with other cameras. The photographer behind one of the images has anonymously confirmed to The Verge that it wasn't taken using the Phone 3, and that Nothing had purchased the image license via the Stills stock photo marketplace. The Verge has seen the EXIF file for the anonymous photographer's image, and can confirm it wasn't captured using the Phone 3. According to the EXIF data, it was taken in 2023, long before … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/jyz3qS6

"Agentic AI systems are being weaponized." That's one of the first lines of Anthropic's new Threat Intelligence report, out today, which details the wide range of cases in which Claude - and likely many other leading AI agents and chatbots - are being abused. First up: "Vibe-hacking." One sophisticated cybercrime ring that Anthropic says it recently disrupted used Claude Code, Anthropic's AI coding agent, to extort data from at least 17 different organizations around the world within one month. The hacked parties included healthcare organizations, emergency services, religious institutions, and even government entities. "If you're a so … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/dIBF7fb

The Wyze Cam Pan v4 comes with 360-degree pan and 180-degree tilt capabilities. Smart home tech provider Wyze is launching its first 4K security camera. The Wyze Cam Pan v4 is available today for $60, featuring color night vision, pan and tilt capabilities, and on-device AI-powered object tracking that captures people, pets, and vehicles. Users can control the camera remotely via the Wyze app for full-room coverage, with the 360-degree pan and 180-degree tilt features aiming to reduce the number of security cameras required to monitor homes. It’s suitable for interior and exterior use, with the IP65 rating making it resistant to both dust and water. It also comes with a new motion-activated spotlight and a built-in siren for bolstering security, and “upgraded” two-way audio compared to the previous model, according to Wyze. It supports both 2.4 and 5GHz networks, Wi-Fi 6 for connectivity over greater distances, and works with smart home integrations provided by Amazon Alexa, Goog...

We've spent most of the year talking about gadgets getting more expensive . Thanks to US tariffs, prices are rising every few months , and even small upgrades have come with big price hikes. So I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the new Hasselblad X2D 100C II will actually be cheaper than its predecessor, coming in at "just" $7,400 for the body. Don't get me wrong. It's far from cheap. But Hasselblad is trying to get this camera in the hands of a wider audience. I've been looking at my account balance ever since I started this review, trying to figure out if I can justify buying one for myself. I probably can't - but not because I d … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/jMEWDay

The Hasselblad X2D II 100C comes with some notable upgrades. Hasselblad has just launched the X2D II 100C, the first medium format camera capable of taking true HDR photos. Those HDR images can be instantly reviewed on the new 3.6-inch OLED touchscreen at up to 1,400 nits of peak brightness, which Hasselblad says is 75 percent brighter than the original X2D 100C. Other notable upgrades include using LiDAR to assist with autofocus, a 10-stop in-body stabilization system, an additional customizable button, and a new joystick for controlling camera functions instead of using touchscreen commands. At $7,399, it’s cheaper than its three-year-old predecessor , and still shares some similarities: it takes 100 megapixel photos, comes with 1TB of internal SSD storage, offers similar dynamic range, and the shape is largely unchanged. These don’t overshadow the improvements on the latest model, however, which my colleague Vjeran describes as “one of the greatest cameras I have ever used.” Fo...

Spotify’s new messaging feature can even be used by free accounts. Spotify is introducing a direct messaging feature that allows users to share music, podcast, and audiobook recommendations with each other without leaving the app. Messages is rolling out in “select markets” this week, according to Spotify’s press release, and will be available on mobile devices for Free and Premium users aged 16 years and older. The messaging feature can be accessed by tapping the share icon when listening to a song, podcast, or audiobook in the Now Playing view, and selecting a friend to send it to. Spotify users can share content and start messages with people they share a Spotify plan with, or other users they’ve interacted with through Spotify before, such as via Jams, Blends, and Collaborative Playlists.  The feature aims to consolidate content recommendations that already happen over texts, social media, and third-party messaging services into a single location where Spotify users can m...

As President Donald Trump pushes federal law enforcement toward an immigration crackdown, agents and prosecutors fear he's drawing resources from one of the most vulnerable groups: victims of child sexual exploitation online. Current and former government employees tell The Verge that the Trump administration's laser focus on border security threatens to strain investigations into online crimes against children. Agents, including in departments that work on child safety, are being reassigned or given extra caseloads. Prosecutors are finding themselves spread thin. One former agent at Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), who like others i … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/a1Lm0nK

EcoFlow’s Rapid Pro Power Bank fast charging at 320W on top of EcoFlow’s Rapid Pro Desktop Charger. It's now possible to charge a large 99Wh (27,650mAh) power bank - the largest you can easily take on an airplane - from zero to 80 percent in about 20 minutes. But only if you own EcoFlow's new power bank and desktop charger combo, launching in the US today. The $179.99 / €169.99 Rapid Pro Power Bank 27k can take a powerful 320W charge when placed onto the pogo-pin connector on top of the company's $199.99 / €159.99 Rapid Pro Desktop Charger. Both devices can simultaneously charge two power-hungry laptops at up to 140W each over USB-C, and you can plug two 140W USB-C PD 3.1 chargers into the power bank to charge its battery from zero to 80 … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/h49NnoQ

A charter boat fisherman was among the first to discover the wreckage - a "mess," he called it, deep off the coast of Massachusetts. From behind a veil of pea soup-thick fog emerged hundreds of white and green fiberglass and Styrofoam pieces, some as small as a fingernail, some as large as a truck hood. By the following morning, the tide had carried the debris about 12 nautical miles and scattered it across Nantucket Island's beaches. Residents woke to a shoreline covered in trash, fiberglass shards mixed in with seaweed and shells, waves thrusting flotsam onto the sand. It did not take long to follow the breadcrumb trail to its source: Vi … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/epy07c5

Netflix House Philadelphia. | Image: Netflix The first two Netflix House venues now have their grand opening dates. Netflix House Philadelphia will open on November 12th at King of Prussia Mall, and Netflix House Dallas will open on December 11th at Galleria Dallas. These real-world manifestations of Netflix’s intellectual property span “more than 100,000 square feet.” They’re free to enter, offering a mix of complimentary and paid experiences centered around shows like  Wednesday ,  Squid Game , and  Stranger Things : Take selfies with beloved characters like Queen Charlotte, enjoy screenings of hit movies like KPop Demon Hunters, have a meal and a cocktail at Netflix Bites or embark on an adventure with friends, channeling the One Piece crew.  Misguided? Perhaps! But what else is America going to do with all those monuments to a bygone era of retail being abandoned across the country. If you build it, will they come? You can answer that question your...

It’s small, it’s relatively quiet, it has a handy sleep mode with remote wake-up, and the front tiles are even rotatable. The Framework Desktop is a great fit for a living room. I've long dreamed of doing all my gaming on PC - a single platform that's easily upgradeable and lets me play my overstuffed Steam library wherever and however I like. The Steam Deck is a fantastic handheld, but for my living room, I want something more powerful that works as well on my TV as it does at a desk. Believe me, I've tried. Gaming laptops are noisy and awkward, desktops are too chunky, and Windows is annoying to navigate without a keyboard and mouse. I had hoped that Valve's Steam Machine experiment was my ticket, but it crashed and burned long ago. Nothing's ever been as easy as a PlayStation 5. But I'm newly optimistic. I've sp … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/c2Lo9fw

A protest in Netherlands. This is The Stepback , a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on deep-sea mining and critical minerals, follow Justine Calma. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers' inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here . How it started This is not how I thought things would go down when I started covering deep-sea mining. I knew that impatience and greed could have unforeseen consequences for life that depends on healthy oceans, including humans. I just didn't foresee Donald Trump coming back to blow up international negotiations meant to make sure no single government screws up a resource so vital to … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/qLGjQpc

Hi, friends! Welcome to Installer No. 95, your guide to the best and Verge -iest stuff in the world. (If you're new here, welcome, new gadget season is starting, and also you can read all the old editions at the Installer homepage .) This week, I am listening to independent radio (shoutout to Seattle's KEXP ), reading about the life of children's author Richard Scarry , learning about the long development of Hollow Knight: Silksong and "silkposting," watching the trailer for the next season of The Great British Baking Show , perusing the Kottke.org Rolodex , learning about summer sunset times , and enjoying seeing Masahiro Sakurai again . I also … Read the full story at The Verge. from The Verge https://ift.tt/4cieCpW