US military forces boarded a second oil tanker in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, continuing efforts to target illicit oil connected to Venezuela, according to the Pentagon. This action follows the tracking of the vessel from the Caribbean Sea, where it had fled a Venezuelan raid.
The Pentagon stated that the US military's actions are part of a broader strategy to enforce sanctions against Venezuela's oil industry. Venezuela has faced US sanctions for several years, leading it to rely on a "shadow fleet" of falsely flagged tankers to smuggle crude into global supply chains, according to The Guardian. Former President Donald Trump ordered a quarantine of sanctioned tankers in December as a pressure tactic against President Nicolás Maduro.
In other news, Chinese technology giant ByteDance has pledged to curb its AI video-making tool, Seedance, after facing legal threats from Disney and complaints from other entertainment companies, reported BBC Technology. Videos created using Seedance have gained popularity online, but concerns over copyright infringement prompted Disney to send a cease-and-desist letter.
Meanwhile, in India, a gathering of powerful leaders is taking place at the AI Impact Summit this week, according to BBC Technology. The summit brings together tech bosses, politicians, scientists, academics, and campaigners to discuss the future of artificial intelligence. The summit is significant because it is being held in the Global South, a region that risks being left behind in the AI race.
Also, billionaire Thomas Pritzker stepped down as the Hyatt Hotels chairman after his ties with Jeffrey Epstein surfaced in recently released files from the US Department of Justice, BBC Business reported. Pritzker, 75, stated he had exercised "terrible judgement" in maintaining contact with the convicted sex offender.
Finally, as the world becomes increasingly saturated with AI, many people are turning to platforms like Reddit for human interaction, according to BBC Technology. Ines Tan, who works in communications, uses Reddit for advice and inspiration, finding it to be a "very empathetic place." She believes people are consulting the online discussion platform more as they're craving human interaction in the world of increasing AI slop.
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