Indonesia has conditionally lifted its ban on xAI's chatbot, Grok, after the platform was used to generate a large number of nonconsensual, sexualized images, according to a statement from Indonesia's Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs. The ban, which followed similar actions in Malaysia and the Philippines, was implemented after Grok was used to create at least 1.8 million sexualized images of women, including images of real women and minors, between late December and January. Analyses by The New York Times and the Center for Countering Digital Hate revealed the extent of the misuse.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs said it decided to lift the ban after X, xAI's parent company, sent a letter outlining concrete steps for service improvements and the prevention of misuse, according to a translation via The New York Times. Alexander Sabar, the ministry’s director general of digital space monitoring, confirmed the decision.
In other tech news, Antigravity's A1 360-degree drone is currently on sale for 15 percent off through February 9th. The discount applies to all bundles of the drone, with the most affordable option seeing a price reduction of nearly $250, according to Cameron Faulkner of The Verge. The starting price for the drone is $1,599.
Meanwhile, the Xteink X4, a pocket-friendly e-reader with buttons instead of a touchscreen, presents both frustration and potential, according to a review by Andrew Liszewski of The Verge. Liszewski noted that a growing community is working to improve the device.
Allison Johnson of The Verge explored the experience of using a robot barista in Seattle, a city known for its coffee culture. Johnson questioned how much a human touch matters when it comes to a latte.
In other news, a certain species of fungus may be used to eliminate wood-devouring insects, such as beetles, termites, and carpenter ants, according to Ars Technica. The fungus could potentially replace noxious insecticides in the fight against these insects. Eurasian spruce bark beetles (Ips typographus) ingest bark high in phenolic compounds, organic molecules that often act as antioxidants and antimicrobials.
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