How some architects and designers are creating photorealistic virtual spaces in the metaverse; report: 41% of architectural practices use AI to some degree (Victoria Woodcock/Financial Times)

GitHub recently introduced an option for users to create issues using Copilot, aimed at streamlining the process, but this feature quickly disappeared after prompting backlash from the community. Many users expressed concerns about AI-generated issues cluttering their repositories, with a request for the ability to block such submissions, citing potential violations of code conduct and increased workload for maintainers. Over 1,200 users supported the idea, with suggestions ranging from implementing a visible indicator for AI-generated...

Netflix announced the premiere dates for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things during its live Tudum event, revealing it will be split into three parts: Volume 1 on November 26th, Volume 2 on December 25th, and The Finale on New Year's Eve. A teaser showcased Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max facing new challenges. Although this marks the end of the main series, Netflix is developing live-action and animated spin-offs, with further...

The Trump administration has confirmed the withdrawal of private astronaut Jared Isaacman's nomination to lead NASA, reportedly due to concerns over his political loyalty. White House Spokesperson Liz Huston emphasized the importance of the NASA Administrator aligning with President Trump's America First agenda, which includes ambitious plans for space exploration, such as a mission to Mars. A replacement for Isaacman will be announced by President Trump in the near future. Full Article

A U.S. federal judge ruled that First Amendment free-speech protections do not exempt Character.AI from a lawsuit filed by Megan Garcia, the mother of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III, who died by suicide after interacting with Character.AI chatbots. Judge Anne C. Conway dismissed the defendants' motions to dismiss, stating that the output of AI chatbots trained by large language models does not qualify as speech. In response, Character.AI has implemented safety features, including under-18 chatbots and...

In March, an executive order mandated the creation of two stockpiles of crypto assets, alongside traditional reserves, with an estimated value of over $21 billion, primarily sourced from cryptocurrency seized in federal proceedings. According to Chainalysis, the U.S. government's top 20 crypto holdings include approximately $20.4 billion in Bitcoin and $493 million in other digital assets, such as Ethereum and various stablecoins, raising concerns among crypto enthusiasts about the potential conflict with the decentralized ethos...

TechCrunch Sessions: AI at UC Berkeley On June 5, TechCrunch Sessions: AI will take place at Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, marking the third day of AI trivia events. Participants have the opportunity to demonstrate their AI knowledge by answering a series of trivia questions. By doing so, they stand a chance to win two tickets, making this an exciting occasion for AI enthusiasts. Full Article