Hey team, just a little update on my Olympiad-OpenAI beef yesterday (which I spun out into its own post): a little birdy told me that when the International Mathematics Olympiad body invited a bunch of AI companies, it did not include any of the Chinese companies. Obviously, there’s some geopolitical tension in the AI world at the moment — but mathematics is a very international community so this absence was noted.

The News

No matter how bad you think Google’s AI search will be for the open web, it’s worse

People who are shown a Google AI summary click on a link to one of its sources just 1% of the time, according to new research (Pew Research). This study, based on analysing users’ browser history and not surveys, also found that people who were shown one of Google’s AI answers were about half as likely to go on to click one of Google’s traditional search results a.k.a. the ten blue links (8%) than those who didn’t (15%). It also found that nearly two-thirds of users were shown at least one AI summary when Googling that month.

The Sizzle: Wow. I’ve previously covered how Google’s ridiculous previous claims that AI answers weren’t going to kill traffic referrals — honestly, insulting to anyone with basic logic and observational skills — but these numbers are even worse than anyone could’ve imagined. Combine this with the push for AI-powered web browsers and agents (WIRED, $) and it’s hard not to conclude that the end of “people going to websites and checking the sources of information” is going to come a lot faster than anyone expected.

Discuss in the Sizzle Slack or forum.

NSW Health bans Microsoft Copilot

NSW Health is banning its workers from using Microsoft Copilot over fears that sensitive data is being sent to the tech company’s servers, according to a news alert sent to staff. At the moment, NSW public servant staff have access to Microsoft’s AI chatbot Copilot (NSW Government) but health staff are being reminded not to use generative AI “in any clinical scenario”. The Department is, however, going to trial a secure version of the AI software that won’t share data outside of the government.

The Sizzle: After the NSW government found out that Microsoft Teams was collecting students’ biometric data (Guardian), I figured it would’ve been a bit more on the front foot about using AI software in delicate situations. Guess not! Relatedly, I’ve heard that the Privacy Commissioner is looking closely at the AI transcription services becoming ber-popular with doctors…

Discuss in the Sizzle Slack or forum.

UK will use facial scanning to help decide on asylum claims

The UK is testing using AI to estimate the age of asylum seekers who say they are children (Guardian). Its ‘border security and asylum’ minister says the country is testing the use of age estimation technology with the intention of introducing the technology by 2026 (UK Parliament).

The Sizzle: This might surprise people here but I am open to using age check tech. In a perfect world, if scanning my face will prove my age so I could buy booze online without me having to upload my government ID — that could be a better option. What I am really concerned about is high stakes decisions made about vulnerable people being made a black-box AI model. Anyone who looks at the way the UK — or Australia — is doing immigration should feel uneasy about introducing a new, hyped technology.

Discuss in the Sizzle Slack or forum.

Leftovers

Discuss these links in the Sizzle Slack or forum.

Oh, Also

Can you trust Albanese to manage an economy when he can't even manage his own cables?

Earlier this week, Nine papers published an article about the Prime Minister’s desk (SMH, $). The article doesn’t touch on his tech set up at all — so I thought I’d open it up to you. What do you see in this pic (or this one)?

Here’s a few things I see: 2.5-screen set-up, including the laptop screen. One of the screens looks to be a Cisco Desk Pro with an external webcam. Bizarre mice and keyboard set-ups (although it could be just for the photo shoot). There’s an iPhone charging on the cabinets behind him, far out of reach. Should’ve sprung for the 5M charging cable. Also, if you look in the extra photo above, the cable management needs work.

Discuss in the Sizzle Slack or forum.

Bargains

Electrical & electronics

Computing

Mobile

The End

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