Leben (Life aka misc)
Visa Says AI Will Start Shopping and Paying For You In 2026
Visa says it has completed hundreds of secure, AI-initiated transactions with partners, arguing this proves agent driven shopping is ready to move beyond experiments. The company believes 2025 will be the last full year most consumers manually check out, with AI agents handling purchases at scale by the 2026 holiday Read more…
Leben (Life aka misc) Technology
Pro-AI Group Launches First of Many Attack Ads for US Election
“Super PAC aims to drown out AI critics in midterms,” noting its intial funding over $100 million from “some of Silicon Valley’s most powerful investors and executives” including OpenAI president Greg Brockman, his wife, and VC firm Andreessen Horowitz. The group’s goal was “to quash a philosophical debate that has Read more…
Leben (Life aka misc)
:)
“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere.” — Dr. Seuss
Leben (Life aka misc)
Swearing Actually Seems To Make Humans Physically Stronger
A new study adds to the growing body of evidence that swearing can help us unleash our inner strength, improving physical performance, it seems, by helping people break through certain psychological barriers. […] [Psychology researcher Richard Stephens of Keele University in the UK] and his colleagues at Keele and the Read more…
Leben (Life aka misc) The Planet (on, and off)
AI’s Water and Electricity Use Soars In 2025
A new study estimates that AI systems in 2025 consumed as much electricity as New York City emits in carbon pollution and used hundreds of billions of liters of water, driven largely by power-hungry data centers and cooling needs. Researchers say the real impact is likely higher due to poor Read more…
Leben (Life aka misc)
The Oscars Will Abandon Broadcast TV For YouTube In 2029
The Academy has struck a multi-year deal to move the Oscars to YouTube starting in 2029, ending decades on ABC and making the ceremony free to stream worldwide with YouTube holding exclusive global rights. The Oscars, including red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content and Governors Ball, will be available live and Read more…