Tech News – Page 42 – by Arlin Schaffel

How AI is reshaping wildlife conservation — for better or worse

To rescue species from the brink of extinction, first you have to know what you have, and how many – which is often easier said than done, especially in fields with a lot to count. Scientists estimate less than 20 percent of insect species on Earth have been identified. After AI reviewed just a week’s worth of camera trap footage in Panama, researchers say they found over 300 species previously unknown to science.
https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/653322/ai-wildlife-conservation

Google Guilty of ‘Willfully Anticompetitive Acts’ in Display-Ads Business, Court Finds

“Plaintiffs have proven that Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising,” Judge Leonie Brinkema concluded in a 115-page ruling (PDF) for the Alexandria division of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-guilty-of-willfully-anticompetitive-acts-in-display-ads-business

Android phones will soon reboot if they’re locked for a few days

Android is launching a new security feature that will force devices to reboot themselves if you haven’t unlocked them for a while, making it harder for other people to access the data inside. The feature included in the latest Google Play services update says that Android phones will automatically restart “if locked for 3 consecutive days,” requiring users to enter their passcode the next time they want to open the device.
https://www.theverge.com/news/648757/google-android-update-automatic-reboot-phone-locked

ChatGPT is transforming LinkedIn users into really dull dolls

ChatGPT’s latest image generator had an explosive debut thanks to the viral Studio Ghibli art trend, and LinkedIn users have now jumped on a new gimmick: turning yourself into a toy. There are several flavors of the trend being shared. The “AI Action Figure” variant appears to have gained the most traction, in which a person generates a plastic version of themselves in a blister pack, alongside various accessories — typically a laptop, a book, and a coffee cup, which is fitting given LinkedIn is largely driving this trend. Other versions try to specifically emulate recognizable branding, such as the “Barbie Box Challenge.”
https://www.theverge.com/news/647356/chatgpt-ai-barbie-action-figure-viral-trend

Canva is now in the coding and spreadsheet business

Canva is launching its latest smorgasbord of generative AI-powered workspace tools in its attempt to cram everything that Microsoft, Google, and Adobe can do into a single platform. Canva’s Visual Suite is being redesigned to combine its design and productivity tools into a single interface, alongside adding new coding, photo editing, spreadsheet, and AI chatbot features.
https://www.theverge.com/news/646682/canva-visual-suite-2-0-ai-spreadsheets-creative-workspace

TikTok quietly launches a new ‘TikTok for Artists’ platform

As TikTok’s fate in the United States remains uncertain, the tech giant has quietly started testing a new “TikTok for Artists” insights platform that is designed to help artists build their careers, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. The platform will provide artists with tools to promote their songs, understand performance metrics, and engage with fans. The platform is currently being tested in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, and Indonesia. TikTok plans to bring the platform to additional markets in the future alongside a wider rollout.
https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/03/tiktok-quietly-launches-a-new-tiktok-for-artists-platform/