🚨 “Worst telecom hack” exposes US calls and texts

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What’s happening:

• 🚨 “Worst telecom hack” exposes US calls and texts, China blamed

• 💼 Job hunting harder with AI, says HR tech founder

• ⚖️ Court rules AI-based cheating deserves academic penalties

• 💰 Amazon doubles its Anthropic investment to $8B

• 🚗 Baidu’s $30k robotaxis shake up the autonomous industry

• + 📊 Daily poll and results

• + 📈 Trending tools and resources

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Hand-picked news:

🚨 “Worst telecom hack” exposes US calls and texts, China blamed ↗️LINK

• What: Chinese hackers, identified as "Salt Typhoon," have infiltrated US telecommunications systems, accessing calls and texts, including unencrypted data. Despite FBI efforts, the systems remain compromised, and fixing the issue may require replacing outdated infrastructure.

• Why: The breach exploited vulnerabilities in the US wiretapping system used for court-ordered surveillance. The attackers targeted fewer than 150 individuals, primarily in Washington, DC, but the scope could indirectly impact millions through intercepted metadata and geolocation data.

• Impact: The breach has raised alarms about US telecom vulnerabilities, with experts calling for urgent overhauls. President-elect Trump and FCC pick Brendan Carr will face mounting pressure to prioritize national security and overhaul cybersecurity measures.

💼 Job hunting harder with AI, says HR tech founder ↗️LINK

• What: Hiring platforms, fueled by AI and tech advancements, are making the job hunt more frustrating. Easy application processes and ghost job postings lead to increased competition and job-seeker burnout.

• Why: Features like AI-assisted resume screening and ghost job listings amplify job-seekers’ anxiety, with some roles being posted to signal growth rather than real openings. Job-seekers now face a "quantity over quality" arms race in applications.

• Impact: Companies like Greenhouse are addressing these issues with tools that limit over-applications and promote respectful hiring practices. Job-seekers are advised to focus on personal networks and referrals to navigate the increasingly chaotic job market.

⚖️ Court rules AI-based cheating deserves academic penalties ↗️LINK

• What: A federal judge ruled that a Massachusetts high school acted within its rights when penalizing a student for using generative AI to complete an assignment, rejecting the family's request to remove detention from the student's record and raise his grade.

• Why: The student copied and pasted AI-generated text, including fake citations, violating the school’s clearly communicated policy on academic integrity. The court found no evidence of misconduct by the school and upheld its discretion in imposing penalties.

• Impact: This case sets a precedent for schools enforcing anti-cheating policies in the AI era. It emphasizes the importance of educating students on proper AI use and holding them accountable for academic dishonesty.

💰 Amazon doubles its Anthropic investment to $8B ↗️LINK

• What: Amazon has invested an additional $4 billion in Anthropic, doubling its stake to $8 billion. The partnership designates AWS as Anthropic’s primary cloud and training partner and commits Anthropic to using Amazon’s custom Trainium and Inferentia chips for AI model training.

• Why: This move strengthens Amazon's AI strategy by integrating custom silicon with cloud infrastructure, aiming to compete with Microsoft's OpenAI partnership and Nvidia’s dominance in AI acceleration. Anthropic’s Claude models are already deployed by major clients like Pfizer and the European Parliament, showcasing scalability and cost-effectiveness.

• Impact: By tying Anthropic’s technology to AWS, Amazon positions itself as a key player in enterprise AI, offering secure and optimized AI solutions. The deal also highlights a growing trend toward vertical integration in AI, signaling a shift in the cloud computing landscape as AI becomes central to enterprise operations.

🚗 Baidu’s $30k robotaxis shake up the autonomous industry ↗️LINK

• What: Baidu’s Apollo Go has launched its $30,000 RT6 robotaxi, a Level 4 autonomous vehicle with battery-swapping capabilities, across multiple cities in China. It’s significantly cheaper than competitors like Waymo, whose vehicles reportedly cost over $150,000 per unit.

• Why: Lowering the cost of robotaxis addresses a critical hurdle in proving their economic viability. Baidu’s cost efficiency allows base fares as low as 55 cents, enabling it to grow its fleet and market presence rapidly, with 8 million cumulative rides by October 2024.

• Impact: Baidu’s advancements put pressure on U.S. players like Waymo to cut costs and improve profitability. The move highlights a growing divide in scalability and affordability between Chinese and U.S. robotaxi markets, raising questions about global competitiveness in autonomous technology.

Today’s Poll:

Vote and find out about the result tomorrow.

Yesterday’s Poll Result:

AI Jesus Confessions: Innovative or Concerning?

• A) Innovative – It’s a creative way to explore spirituality - 4%

• B) Concerning – Machines lack moral and emotional depth - 96% 👑

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