Consumer & Gadgets news
Consumer & Gadgets
Why faster AI isn't always better
In the race to make AI models not just reason better but respond faster, latency—the delay before an answer appears—is often treated as a purely technical constraint, something to minimize and move past. But how is this relentless ...
17 minutes ago
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Consumer & Gadgets
AI model predicts human attention in 360-degree videos using both sound and vision
Virtual reality (VR) experiences and 360-degree videos are transforming viewers from passive observers into active participants immersed within a scene. Yet this shift raises an important question: Where do people direct ...
Apr 22, 2026
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AI can give as good as it gets—or better: The moral dilemma of combative chatbots
AI systems can "learn to seek revenge" because they are able to grasp reciprocating verbal violence when exposed to conflict, new research from Lancaster University shows. In short, AI can give as good as it gets and, eventually, ...
Apr 22, 2026
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'No accountability, no checks and balances, no responsibility': How indigenous peoples think about AI
Much of the current conversation about AI assumes uptake is inevitable, more technology means better outcomes and the main task is managing risk.
Apr 22, 2026
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Chatbots may fuel 'delusional spirals' that lead to real-world harm
Perhaps to the surprise of their creators, large language models have become confidants, therapists, and, for some, intimate partners to real human users. In a new study, AI researchers at Stanford studied verbatim transcripts ...
Apr 21, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
From Siri to scams, AI voice clones now beat human speech in noisy settings
Synthetic voices are increasingly a part of our lives, from digital assistants like Siri and Alexa to automated telemarketers and answering machines. With the expansion of generative AI, a new type of synthetic voice has ...
Apr 21, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
New study reveals chatbot empathy can worsen customer reactions
When a service encounter goes south, customers expect empathy. Hearing an employee say, "I share your frustration," can calm tensions and rebuild trust. But new research from the University of South Florida suggests that ...
Apr 21, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
US government ramps up mass surveillance with help of AI tech, data brokers, and your apps and devices
On a Saturday morning, you head to the hardware store. Your neighbors' Ring cameras film your walk to the car. Your car's sensors, cameras and microphones record your speed, how you drive, where you're going, who's with you, ...
Apr 21, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
How do teens really use AI companions? With more creativity than you might think
In 2022, the founders of chatbot startup Character.AI launched a platform where anyone could create interactive characters powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Apr 19, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
AI tools to help vision-impaired are good, but could be better
Artificial intelligence is touching nearly every aspect of life—including assistive technology for blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals. And just like in other arenas, the AI used to assist BLV people is good—but far from ...
Apr 16, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Green technology in the game industry: Scientists find way to charge your game console while playing
Researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) have designed a portable game console powered by solar panels and a cranking device. They embedded the crank into the gameplay experience, allowing users to—for example—fire ...
Apr 15, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Dear AI, I'm autistic; should I go to this party?
When people ask ChatGPT and other AI models for advice, they often share deeply personal details in hopes of getting better answers: their age, their gender, their mental health history, even medical diagnoses like autism. ...
Apr 15, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
This AI chatbot tackles scams, fear and isolation to bring seniors safely into digital life
Digital technologies can play a double-edged role in modern society; while they offer new forms of participation and access, they can also deepen existing inequalities. Older people are especially affected as services such ...
Apr 15, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
How do ionic hair dryers work? Can they do what they promise?
If you've been in the market for a new hair dryer, you've likely seen advertising for ionic ones. Some claim to produce negative ions in the millions—with or without the help of added minerals like tourmaline.
Apr 15, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Reactions to data breaches fade faster than expected
Data breaches, such as the recent incidents at Odido and Basic-Fit, trigger feelings of anxiety and loss of trust among both victims and those who may have been affected. New international research shows that although data ...
Apr 14, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
What skills do humans need to become robot proof in the age of AI?
Alumna, author and machine learning expert Vivienne Ming explains why the best defense against AI's downsides is investing in human skills—and using the technology inquisitively, not passively.
Apr 14, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
AI model simulates smartphone muscle effort, revealing which swipes are most tiring
Prolonged scrolling is bad for your well-being, but is it also physically tiring? Until now, we haven't really been able to say. This is why researchers from Aalto and Leipzig Universities created a new AI model that makes ...
Apr 13, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Can hyper-real virtual worlds make us feel better?
Virtual reality tools have untapped potential to elicit positive emotions for use in education, health care, architecture and psychological therapy, according to a recent study from Murdoch University that looked at four ...
Apr 13, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
AIs have 'personalities': Here's how they affect you more deeply than you may realize
Many people are interacting with AI large language models, and most of them would say the models have different "personalities." Some models come across as calm and useful. Others feel eager, flattering or strangely cold. ...
Apr 13, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Teens are becoming concerned about their attachment to AI chatbots
It's estimated that more than half of all U.S. teens are regularly using companion chatbots powered by large language models and generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The programs, such as Character.AI, Replika ...
Apr 13, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
AI is changing more than your writing—it may be shaping your worldview, say researchers
Use of ChatGPT, Claude and other large language models, or LLMs—what most people call "AI"—has surged since ChatGPT debuted publicly in 2022. Hundreds of millions of people now use these tools weekly, according to recent ...
Apr 10, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Why are communities pushing back against data centers?
Data centers, which house computer systems that help train AI models, are blanketing the country, a boom fueled by surging interest in AI and state tax breaks. More than 4,000 are already in operation, mostly in Virginia, ...
Apr 10, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
A new generation is reviving the iPod for distraction-free listening
Remember the iPod? It's making a quiet comeback. Four years after Apple killed off its digital music player, secondhand sales are surging. It's fueled in part by young people interested not just in its retro looks but a desire ...
Apr 9, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Deep-tech company develops high-precision passive eye-tracking technology for smart contact lenses
XPANCEO, a deep-tech company developing smart contact lenses, has unveiled a passive eye-tracking system that achieves industry-level measurement precision using standard cameras. The system employs microscopic patterns embedded ...
Apr 8, 2026
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Consumer & Gadgets
Travelers will face limits on how many chargers they can carry as airlines try to reduce fire risks
Travelers will soon face restrictions on how many portable chargers they can carry on a flight as airlines continue to try to reduce the risk of another lithium battery fire aboard their jets.
Apr 8, 2026
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